𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇, 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬

𝐎𝐍𝐄;

BABYLON; 575 B.C.

"What's going on?" Druig asked, as he paced the length of the Domo. Kailee flicked through her book casually, not even looking up at the mind controller. "I don't understand why I couldn't go with them, I could help".

"Unless you're going to make the Deviant dance, I don't think you would be much help," Kailee replied, a certain smugness in her voice. While she too wasn't fighting the imminent threat the Deviant brought, she could feel her fellow Eternals, and knew, unlike Druig, that everyone was still alive and kicking. "If it helps, your girlfriend hasn't bit the dust yet. None of them have".

Druig stopped paced to glare at Kailee. "I don't like you," He said stubbornly, before returning to his pacing. "And she isn't my girlfriend!"

"Yeah, she is, and you only don't like me because you can't get into my mind. They're going to be fine. Makkari is more than capable of taking care of the damned thing, and she's got Thena, Gild, Ikaris and Kingo for help. You need to calm yourself". Druig gave no hint of adding anymore to the conversation, which worked out well, as Phastos entered the room in a hasty mess, his eyes alight like they always are when he has a new idea.

"You will not believe what I've come up with!" He exclaimed, as Kailee rolled her eyes and muttered, 'this should be interesting'. Phastos shot Kailee with an annoyed expression, but Kailee simply shrugged, as her mind was suddenly filled with a sense of calming relief. "The Deviant is dead," She reported, the darkness which had encased her friends prior beginning to melt away into the Earth. "We're safe again".

"Then this calls for celebration!" Ajak exclaimed, entering the room cheerfully. "You will be joining us, Phastos, your mind needs to be calmed from all this work for a moment or two. Uh, Kailee, I think that young gentleman was asking for you, Isaac, I think his name was?" She asked, clicking her fingers as her mind worked to remember the boy's name.

"Isaiah," Kailee corrected with an eyeroll, as Druig snickered in the corner. "Do I have to make conversation with him? Really, Ajak, he is the most boring person in the world, and you're only pushing me to him because you want me to interact with 'other people my age'. Sprite doesn't play with the children, now does she?" Kailee asked, gesturing vaguely towards the exit of the Domo, despite Sprite not being in the same room as the rest of them.

"Sprite does socialize with the young generations, and you will befriend some of the teenagers of this place. Kailee, you know we have a duty to these people," Kailee let out a pathetic whine as Ajak continued, "And I'm only asking for the safety of all of us. We must fit in here, for the short while we call this place home. Please. Just tonight. I won't ask you to interact with him again. Deal?"

Kailee dropped her shoulders, before discarding her book to the side. "I don't have much of a choice, now do I?" She asked stubbornly, as she swung her legs over the side of the chair and got to her feet. "This party better be epic," She added, as if an afterthought.

✼ ✼ ✼

The residence of Babylon watched on in amazement as Sprite expertly and confidently manipulated her illusions into an engaging story. Isaiah, a boy of dark olive skin colour and bright brown eyes, sat beside Kailee, watching on at the golden coloured strands of magic as Sprite entertained the gated society. The boy continued to commentate everything that was happening, despite the fact that Kailee was watching the same thing he was, at the same speed, at the same time. She thought her head was going to explode; she needed an out.