Thena and Gilgamesh heard the commotion before seeing the deviants themselves. Ikaris was being attacked by one of them. The creature was different from any other they had fought against before. Ikaris, for all the powers he had, didn't seem to be getting the upper hand. He was counting too much on the laser in his eyes. Gilgamesh removed the beast of the back of the other Eternal and started a fight on his own.
Ikaris was telling her things she wasn't hearing. Mahd Wy'ry was coming. She could feel it and couldn't do anything against it. The golden lines were pulsing on her skin. Thena saw herself attacking Ikaris when she should be helping Gilgamesh. They worked so well together, knowing instinctively what the other would do. She couldn't leave him to fight all alone.
This deviant was stronger than the ones before and more cunning. They were almost of equal strength. Gilgamesh found time to go to her anyway.
"Stay here. Say it" He told her.
Their hands were touching. Gilgamesh had used that gesture to bring her back so many times. This time, she was scared, way more than ever before. Each time she was scared, each time she was about to fight, the illness was even stronger. Gilgamesh was in danger. The least she could do was to get out of his way so he could concentrate on what needed to be done. Ikaris was there. Gilgamesh and he would protect each other. Thena had to believe that.
"Stay." She answered.
Gilgamesh wasn't his confident self. She could see that he didn't really want to leave her behind. Duty was important for him. The village needed to be protected, the deviants stopped. Arishem's creations were exceeding expectations. So Gilgamesh went anyway. Life was full of hard choices. He had taken the time to ask her if she was okay. She wasn't, not even close. Thena shouldn't be Gilgamesh's priority at that moment even if it was making her feel a little bit better.
"Go Ikaris." She heard Gigalmest say.
Now, he was fighting alone. That deviant had the capacity to heal, taken from Ajak. Each time Gilgamesh was punching him, the beast would just repair the damages.The balance of power was pretty much even out. Surely, Ikaris would come back soon. Thena wanted to help. If they were fighting together, they would win, she was sure of that. They had done it so many times before. Together they could overcome anything.
The stress of the situation brought the Mahd Wy'ry back even stronger. The lines were flashing on and off on her skin again but this time she tried to fight it off. The Mahd Wy'ry was an old companion now, familiar in a way. The symptoms should be manageable. She tried to get a hold on what was happening and maybe control it a little. Thena talked to herself softly. A simple no to make everything stop. Saying it aloud could make her wish come true somehow.
This would be a word she would come to regret all her life. Two letters that would cost Gilgamesh's life. Her voice was heard by the deviant who started to change his aim. Thena was an easier target. In the state she was in, the goddess couldn't put up that much of a fight against anybody. The Deviants didn't have any honor. They just wanted to kill whoever they had in front of them. The way they would achieve their goal didn't matter.
Gilgamesh knew that all too well. As soon as he heard her voice, he ran toward her shouting her name. He didn't say anything more. Thena was still struggling when the deviant caught Gilgamesh and started absorbing his power for himself. Thena heard his screams and turned around. Her eyes immediately locked with Gilgamesh's. What had she done? She couldn't believe what she was seeing even though it was happening in front of her eyes. It was unthinkable. Gilgamesh was strong and smart, a seasoned warrior. A deviant couldn't win against him. Not now, not ever.
