Amore {Druig}

Chapter 7

Two Ghosts - Harry Styles

3rd Person Pov
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Gilgamesh carried Thena up to a temple in the middle of the city along with the rest of Eternals following except for Artemis. She sat motionless rubbing her hand over the previous stab mark. Tears streamed down her face as the memories of earlier flooded her brain. She stared at the patch of ground where Makkari had been. The blood of her family littered the floor. Leafs crunched behind Artemis, she quickly raised her hands' vines waiting to attack. Druig put his hands up in defence.

"Hey, it's me," he said as he knelt next to her.

She instantly melted into his side, finding safety in his touch. Art sobbed into his chest pouring out every emotion she had been holding in. Druig buried his head into her shoulder his tears slowly dripping onto her shoulder. He stroked her hair comforting her while whispering in her ear to calm her down. She finally pulled away from him placing her hand on his cheek staring into his bloodshot eyes. They pulled their forehead together soaking up the limited time the pair had left even though they didn't know it.

Eventually, they made their way over to the temple, hesitant to be near Thena again.

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The 10 Eternals surrounded the slab of stone where Thena lay unconscious. Artemis stood next to Phastos holding his hand as Ajak healed his stab wound. Makkari stood next to her still weak from her injury and Druig stood on the far wall looking down; silent.

"I thought Mayd Wr'ry was a myth," Sersi said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"There is no cure" Phastos spoke up. At his words, most of them dropped their heads in sadness and defeat. "So no one really talks about it" he finished.

Suddenly Thena's eyes opened the white disappearing. Artemis pushed Makkari and Phastos behind her as all the fighters did the same to each thinker. 

"What happened?" Thena questioned.

Ajak went up to her placing her hand onto hers " Thena. You attacked everyone. Wounded Sersi, Phastos, you nearly killed Makkari and Artemis."

Thena sat up looking around at her family "I don't remember" she confessed.

"You have Mahd Wy'ry Thee" Artemis spoke up. Thena's confused face forced her to continue. "Your mind is cracking under the pressure of your memories" she informed steadily.

Druig looked over to her, a cold expression overtaking him.

"All we can do is erase them so that you can start over," Ajak told her. Everyone shared a look of hopelessness, especially Gilgamesh whose heart shattered for his soulmate. " I will have to inform Arishem and take you back to the ship where we have the technology to help you" she concluded. 

"But she won't be Thena anymore" Makkari signed.

Kingo looked over to Makarri "What if it happens again? She could have killed you" he stressed. "She could have killed all of us".

"But she didn't Kingo, we're all still here and next time we will be more prepared" Artemis argued.

"Please" Thena pleaded. "Please I ... I want to remember". "I want to remember my life".

"Thena, I love you," Ajak told her. "But listen to me. It's not important if you remember or not."

"Your soul will remain" Artemis interrupted walking to the front of Thena, grabbing her hand. "You will always be our Thena no matter what. Trust me Thee". She promised.

"Why should she trust you?" Druig spoke up.

Art turned her head towards him "what?"

"You're asking her to erase who she is"

Art tilted her head staring into her lover's eyes " D I know you're upset but .."

"Upset!" he yelled. "We've trusted her for 7000 years and look where she's gotten us. I never thought you would fall into her trap Artemis". 

Artemis stayed silent her name sounding so foreign coming from him.

"I've watched humans destroy each other when I can stop it all in a heartbeat" he continued as tears dripped down his cheek. Do you know what that does to someone after centuries?".

Artemis couldn't look away from his pained eyes " Druig please .."

"Could our mission have been a mistake?" he addressed the other Eternals. "Are we really helping these people build a better world, huh?" The Eternals soaked up his words processing his pain. He took a final look at Artemis before turning away towards the ruined city. "We're just like the soldiers down there. Pawns to their leaders. Blinded by loyalty". Ajak's poker face faltered at his words. "It ends now." he declared. His eyes lit up a familiar golden hue. The soldier's eyes coping his. They dropped their weapons in an instant; everyone was under his control.

Ikaris let out a heavy breath before grabbing Druig's shoulder shoving him against the wall. "Let them go!" he demanded.

Druig raised his chin "You're gonna have to make me".

"Stop it" Artemis shouted moving towards them. Ikaris looked over at Ajak for confirmation. She nodded allowing Ikaris to back away from them. She stepped up next to him "Druig please, you have to stop." she pleaded.

He placed his hand on the back of her neck pulling her closer " If you wanna stop me, you're gonna have to kill me" he whispered.

Artemis gasped in shock. He pulled his hand away beginning to walk down the stairs of the temple. She ran to the edge looking down on him tears spilling down her cheeks. "You promised," she thought knowing he'd heard her. Druig paused but carried on, disappearing into the night. 

Makkari came forward pulling her back into the temple as Ajak dismissed the Eternals for the last time. Artemis couldn't hear anything. All she could think about was his voice. Those vulgar words he had said. Most of the Eternals began to file out, going their different ways. Sersi and Ikaris, Gil and Thee, Kingo and Sprite. Artemis's legs couldn't support her anymore; she dropped to the ground wrapped in Makkari's arms as she sobbed for her lost love. You promised. You promised. You promised she repeated in her mind.

"I'm not going anywhere" those words haunted Artemis for years. She rarely saw any of the Eternals during their 500-year break. Every day a piece of her soul broke longing for them to be reunited.