Chapter Text
Druig was walking around the small camp he called home. It had been almost 5 centuries since he had left the rest of the Eternals, and his community was thriving. Many of the people are the direct descendants of the spanish invaders who he had stopped during the war. He saw his family occasionally. Thena and Gilgamesh visited last century, asking Druig to put Thena asleep while he went away. Sersi visited when Ikaris left and stayed for almost 10 years, until Sprite arrived because Kingo had left her in the middle of the city and a social worker tried to take her. Ajak visited every 100 years or so, but she visited everyone every hundred years, make sure they are staying safe.. He had not heard of Ikaris, not that he wanted to. Kingo sent him a copy of every film he had done. Even when Druig had said he hadn’t got a DVD player. He then proceeded to send him one.
He hadn’t seen Phastos since the second world war, when he lost his faith in humanity. He stayed for just over 2 months before moving on. He has not been heard from since. Which is not a big deal.
Makkari was different. Initially she had visited every few months, bringing the things she found to show him. They had their banter and flirtation. The visits got fewer, Makkari wanting to explore the world. She sent him postcards when they were invented. Then one day, she vanished. No one has seen her in 50 years. Which was no time at all in their long lives. So no one was worried, although Druig did miss her terribly. More than any other eternal. He hoped she was okay, staying safe, maybe missing him too.
“Druig!” He heard one of his followers shout from the forest, feeling her wave of panic. He turned, grabbing the shot gun of his back and rushing into the forest.
“What happened?” He asked, finding 6 humans stood around in a circle. The oldest one turned, he was almost 100 years old, and understood more than most about what Druig was.
“Makkari.” he said, only a select few remembering the woman who would speed in all smiles, leaving their leader in a good mood for weeks afterwards.
Druig pushed forward, gasping when he saw Makkari lying on the ground. Not in her amour but a yellow jumpsuit that seemed to big for her.
“Move!” He ordered, kneeling down next to her. “‘Kari?” her eyes were closed, her face covered in scratches and bruises. He pulled the collar of her jumpsuit down. Mouth dropping as he saw a silver collar wrapped around her neck, a round broken light in the center.
“My beautiful Makkari. What happened to you?” He whispered, checking her pulse.
“Weak, but still there.” His eyes flashed gold, reaching out to the closest Human.
“Go to the radio. Call Ajak and tell her to come, tell her Makkari is hurt.” He ordered. The man leaving quickly. Eyes golden. Druig gently lifted Makkari into his arms. “Okay. Okay I’ve got you.” He promised, carrying her to his hut and laying her down on his bed. He examined the collar closely. Seeing a clasp on the back with a strange looking lock.
“We’ll get Phastos to remove it. I don’t want to hurt you.” He kept talking to her as if she was awake, just in case by some miracle she could sense him. His eyes flashed gold again. Finding the human by the Radio.
“Ajak? It’s Druig.” He said using the man’s voice.
“I will be there as soon as I can.” Ajak’s soothing voice came through the radio.
“She needs Phastos, she has some technology on her neck. I have no idea how to remove it. Please tell me you know where he is?” He begged, sounding panicked.
“I do. I will inform the others. They might want to see her.”
“Okay.” He breathed, feeling sick. She had been gone 50 years, no one was worried because that was no time at all. Had she spent 50 years like this? In pain? Because no one bothered to check on her?
“Druig.” Ajak’s voice pulled him away from his panic. “It is not your fault. You did not know. Keep her safe until we get there, we will look after her.”
Druig nodded. “Okay.. Thanks Ajak.” Druig often felt like the black sheep of the family, but Ajak stilled loved him, all of them. Even when they betrayed what they stood for.
Ajak took a day to get there, Phastos in tow. He doesn’t think he has ever been happier to see them.
“You have not slept.” Ajak said worriedly, cupping his cheeks like a mother would.
“Couldn’t. She’s so sick… I don’t know what’s wrong with her.” Druig would normally brush Ajak off. Seeing her as an obligation, but right now he needed strength and he had none. So he clung to her tightly, forgetting all of their fights and disagreements.
“She is strong. We will help her.” She looked to Phastos who nodded.
“Ajak said she has some tech of her?” He asked, greeting Druig with a pat on the shoulder. He nodded.
“Yeah, follow me.” He led them through camp. “Have you managed to get hold of the others?”
“Gilgamesh and Thena are on their way from Australia. Sersi and Sprite are coming from London. Kingo’s on his private jet and Ikaris is flying over.” She reassured.
“She’s in here.” He led them into his hut. Ajak gasped in horror, making Druig feel worse. Ajak was calm and collected, but she saw them as her own children, and one of her children was hurt.
“No! Makkari.” She rushed over to her, brushing a hand through her hair. Phastos stood in shock for a moment before following.
“This is….” He stared at the collar.
“Can you get it off?” Druig fretted. Phastos nodded.
“I think.. Just give me a second.” He ran a hand over it lightly. “It’s a inhibitor collar.” He said with disgust. “She couldn’t use her powers, that’s why she isn’t healing like she should.”
“How did she get here? If she can’t superspeed?” Ajak asked.
“It’s broken. Glitched.” He pointed to the broken light. “She must have used all of her strength to get here, and collapsed of exhaustion. The collar still draining what power she does have.”
“Then why would she come here?” A voice said behind Druig, he turned to see Ikaris standing in the doorway, not greeting any one but looking down to Makkari with a worried frown. “Why didn’t she go to Ajak who could heal her?”
“She probably wasn’t thinking about who could heal her. She was thinking who makes her feel safe.” Ajak said stroking her hair. Druig swallowed thickly.
She came to him. She chose him. Even subconsciously. She used her last bit of strength to come to him.
“Druig. Come here.” Phastos said softly. Druig walking over. “When I take it of it might give her a shock, might wake her up. Might want to use her powers. I need you to keep her calm okay?” Durig nodded, Akaj moving to take her hand as Druig sat in her eyeline.
Phastos waved his hand, the clasp coming undone. He gently pulled the collar away from her neck.
Her whole body spasmed, eyes shooting open, before she could move Druig was in front of her.
“It’s me! It’s me! You’re safe. You’re with family.” He signed quickly, Makkari’s eyes darting around panicked.
“It’s okay.” Druig breathed, pressing his forehead against hers. “My beautiful Makkari.” Makkari blinked groggily up at him.
“Druig…” She signed, before fainting.
“Woah.” Druig caught her head and gently laid her down. “Is she okay?”
“Power surge. Shot of adrenaline followed by failure.” Phastos explained. "She should be able to heal now.” He looked at Ajak who began to press her hand across every bruise and cut.
“Makkari?” A voice shouted from outside.
“Kingo.” Ikaris said. “In here!” He called behind him. The panicked face of Kingo appearing.
“Is she okay?” He asked. “Ajak told me she’s been hurt?” his mouth dropped open at the sight of Makkari splayed out on the bed.
“Everyone! To many people. She needs to rest.” Ajak said firmly. “Druig, can you take them to your main building?” Druig opened his mouth to protest.
“Phastos needs to check if there is anything else on her we need to be aware of.” Ajak said calmly. “If you are needed we will call.”
Druig grumbled softly and stood, walking out into the camp. “Here.” He said opening the door to the large building, lined with benches.
“Long time no see.” He said to Ikaris. “Last I heard you had abandoned Sersi in the middle of London.”
“Really?” Ikaris glared. "You want to try that right now?"
“Boss. Calm down.” Kingo said. “I know everyone is upset but taking it out on each other won’t help.”
“Who would hurt her?” Druig breathed. “How can anyone hurt her?” Makkari was the kindest among them. The sweetest. Someone saw that and wanted to destroy it?
When Druig found out who. They would be very sorry.