A Love Beyond Time// Eternals Druig fanfic

Chapter 16: The plan (1)

Phastos sat on one side of the room, creating whatever it was he had figured out with the help of Sersei's sphere.

Artemis, Druig and Makkari sat watching him, waiting for the go ahead. Once he had finished creating a bracelet, he nodded at them.

Silently, Artemis followed the others out of the room and into the room where it all started. She took her place beside Druig against the wall and watched as her uniform appeared on her body.

She glanced at Druig. His face was set as the bracelet formed on his wrist. Artemis nodded at him, holding her left arm to her chest as her own bracelet formed on her wrist. She looked forward as it did, looking at the statue of Arishem. They were about to go against a celestial. No turning back.

***

"So we all got the plan?" Sersei asked the room at large, as the island Makkari had identified came into view.

Artemis nodded, not speaking. She and Thena would stay on the ship with Phastos, waiting for Ikaris. The other three would go on land. Makkari would take them.

They all stood by the door as land came closer. Artemis pulled Druig towards her.

"Be safe," she said pulling him in for a kiss. It seemed as though the world stopped in that moment, as it did the very first time they kissed.

When they pulled apart, Artemis had tears on her cheeks.

"I love you," Druig said as he stepped towards Makkari. Artemis nodded.

"I love you too," she whispered as Makkari sped them away.

Artemis turned and followed Thena into the other room. Thena leaned against the wall as they waited while Artemis sat on the centre ledge, hoping beyond hope.

Artemis was just about to ask Thena how long she thought they would wait, when Ikaris came crashing in through the roof, showering her with rubble as she jumped to her feet.

"Where's Druig?" He asked, looking from her to Thena.

"He's busy," Thena said simply.

"Thena," Ikaris said. "Play nice."

"Or what?" Artemis asked, forming daggers in her hands.

Thena meanwhile had already formed her sword and swung it at Ikaris, who caught the blade.

"You've never had to fight me," he told her.

"Oh? But we always wanted to." Thena replied. And without waiting for an invitation, she began fighting him.

Artemis switched to het bow as Ikaris rose into the air. She shot arrow after arrow at him, but he dodged them effortlessly while keeping Thena at bay.

"Is that all you got?" He asked and Artemis smiled.

"Oh no, this is just a warm up."

Artemis jumped, forgetting her weapons and pulling him down by the legs. She was sure under normal circumstances this would have no affect whatsoever, but she must've caught him by surprise. They crashed to the floor with an echoing bang.

Artemis was up at once, daggers at the ready. She and Thena took him on, side by side. But he was better he kicked Artemis hard into the wall before he hit Thena in the stomach, making her fall backwards.

Artemis was winded, but she saw Thena being held up against the wall by Ikaris. She ran forward and kicked him hard from behind. He buckled and let go of Thena.

Just then, Artemis saw a golden web of lines form around Thena, before the same thing happened to her. She felt herself being pulled upward, felt the power surge up through her body and away. This was it.

***

Down on the ground, Druig had just commanded Tiamut to go back to sleep. He could feel the vast amount of power flowing into him from the others.

He heard the volcano calming down and dying as his command was taking affect. They could do this.

A sharp pain hit him in the middle of his back, and he fell forward, losing control of the uni-mind.

"I should have done this five centuries ago," Ikaris said, his voice full of hatred as he picked Druig up and flew him into the sky.

Druig tried to break free, to compel Ikaris, but he was in pain from being shot and couldn't concentrate.

He found himself thinking about Artemis as Ikaris threw him down with great force.

"Forgive me," he whispered, thinking that he was about to die just as a blast from Ikaris found him and he was pummelled to the ground, hitting it with a mighty crash of rock and dirt, being buried alive.

Ikaris turned his attention now to the Domo as it approached.

***

Artemis barely had time to panic. The uni-mind connection was broken. She knew that Ikaris had found Druig.

The ship lurched suddenly. Phastos came running into the room.

"Brace yourselves!" He shouted, finding a table to hold on to.

The ship was spinning, losing altitude as the went down. Artemis couldn't find anywhere to hold onto in the chaos. So she made her body limp, relaxing her knees as they crashed into the ocean.

Artemis  sat up as they came to a standstill. She barely had time to ask if the others were alright when she found herself being hurtled out of the Domo by Makkari.

The sudden bright light outside made her blink. Thena and Phastos was next to her in the next second, looking shaken but unhurt.

Artemis looked over at Ikaris, who was a little way in front of them.

"Druig's gone." He said. "Its over."

Artemis felt as though her world was crashing in on itself. She couldn't breathe. Makkari had jumped into action, running straight into Ikaris and fighting him at top speed.

Artemis's knees buckled. She fell to the beach. Somewhere above them, she heard the volcano explode. And she was thrown back centuries, remembering Pompeii.

She remembered how she had seen Druig shouting at Ajak to allow them to help the humans. She remembered how she had told him how she could hear the animals dying. How he had said that he would help her, help them.

In a flash, thousands of memories came flooding through her mind. She saw Druig pleading with her on the wall in Mumbai, confessing his feelings. She saw them together relaxing and laughing. She saw how they were ripped apart for centuries. She saw his face brighter than ever as he held her when she saved him.

Artemis blinked. She heard crashes and explosions around them. Looking up she saw Phastos standing in front of her, blasting volcanic rock away from them.

When most of the stray flying rocks had gone, Artemis stood up. Thena and Phastos looked back at her.

"I know it hurts," said Thena. Looking at her softly, though her voice was strong and firm. "Focus your mind Artemis. Push it down, turn it to anger. You'll be okay."

Artemis nodded. Druig's face still laughing happily in her memories. Her face was set.

"That's it Artemis," Phastos said. "That's it."

Artemis didn't hear what Sersei told them just then. She was already running in the direction of Makkari fighting Ikaris.