FALLING SKIES ✵ 𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒

𝟬𝟮. 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗-𝗜𝗡-𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗗

"What took you so long, Apollos?" remarked Ikaris as he prepared for their descent to Earth.

"I was busy."

"With what?"

Apollos retorted, "With something that is completely none of your business."

Truth be told, there was something about Ikaris that set Apollos off. He couldn't distinguish what it was exactly, but it was there. For the last three days he knew him, he was always peeved with his presence. But, he respected Ikaris as a fellow Eternal. The rest of their team chortled at his response and they looked all ahead.

Their group consisted of eleven and were divided into two, the thinkers and the fighters. Apollos belonged to neither of them. His ability to sense future events and combative skills put him in between these two classifications. Sometimes, he felt like he was really supposed to lead their team since he was both. Round golden steps appeared beneath his feet and soon, lowered them to the land.

The very first thing Apollos caught sight of was a Deviant menacing a primitive human tribe. "Makkari, Kingo, go protect the human camp. Thena, Gilgamesh, take care of that Deviant by the cliff. Ikaris -- "

"I'll take the one that's by the shore. I got it."

Apolos forced himself not to roll his eyes. Actually, his internal voice advised him to go for the Deviant that was on the sea, but he let Ikaris choose his enemy. "Your choice, then."

"Did I make the wrong decision?"

"Yes. That's what happens when people interrupt me." he declared before taking a leap to attack the predator near the group of women and children, choosing to let Ikaris face the Deviant by the shore. He dove downwards, the azure skies, the singed-brown desert below, all a blur. His focus was anchored solely on his target. The wind whipped his hair back and cold air blew on his face as he kept falling further and further.

Keeping his chin tucked to his chest, he moved his body and placed his hands flat on the floor, tucking his head. Push forward with his legs, he performed a dive roll, landing immediately on one knee. His eyes zeroed on the creature ahead of him, quick as lightning, he looped his hands to form a shimmering bow and arrow, just as his intuition warned him to sway his body to his left.

The Deviant darted round, intending to wrap it around Apollos to crack his ribs like firewood when it drew tight. But the Eternal was already warned. He followed what was told of him and was able to rapidly shoot four arrows made of pure cosmic energy to the Deviant's neck.

The creature roared and charged forward to Apollos and listening once again to his instincts, he stepped aside to his right and with his right hand, he drew back another arrow for the strongest blow he could give. He stabbed the Deviant in its eye and didn't even flinch when its blood splattered across his face like paint. Multiple tendrils emerged from its back flickering horribly in and out, but could not reach him. Delivering one strong strike to its side, Apollos pierced the arrow in its eye deeper, controlling it to burn and melt a large portion of its head -- including its brain, killing it instantly.

The tall Eternal stood there watching the dreadful creature coil and move like a strand of wire long after it had died, and the sandy ground, as one might expect, was a shambles. He spun around to see how the other members were doing.

The fighters of the Eternals -- Kingo and Makkari, Thena and Gilgamesh, and Ikaris successfully defended the camp from the apex predators. That was when the thinkers of their team -- Ajak, Sersi, Druig, Phastos, and Sprite disembarked from the Domo, joining them.

"You knew I was going to get injured." confronted Ikaris as he stepped to Apollos who only impassively stared at him.

"Well, you shouldn't have interrupted me."