Peru, South America, 2023 C.E.

The Amazon rainforest was perhaps the most beautiful of all the places Sersi had lived. The forest was alive, each creature a beat of its thrumming pulse. She could still remember falling asleep to the lively cries of midnight animals and the soothing pitter-patter of rain on thatched roofs. She would swim in the sacred cenotes with the women she regarded as friends and equals. They taught her to weave and harvest the fruits of the forest, to heal with what nature provided. There was magic in every leaf and vine if only one had the patience to see it.

It had never crossed her mind that this forest would be the last home they'd all share. All, save for Medusa, of course. They were only a glimmer of the family they'd been when they settled in Peru. A fracture had spiderwebbed through their foundation, setting them teetering towards inevitable collapse. Sersi had still believed that they would stay together, even when one had already left. It was a fool's hope, and somewhere inside, she knew it.

It wasn't hard to understand why Druig remained after all these years. It was one of the only places left on Earth untainted by modern industry, but it required protection to preserve it. He was a guardian of the forest and its people, a god on Earth. Somewhere along the line, he'd changed from the playful little brother she'd known and become something else entirely. It wasn't hard to pinpoint the moment in time when things took a turn. The man standing before her was a mere shadow of the boy she'd arrived on this planet with. His outward appearance was largely the same as they weren't subject to mortal evolution. It was the way he held himself, the subtle hint of sorrow beneath a projection of bravado that revealed the stain on his soul.

The Church pew beneath her was too hard, too cold, and inhospitable. Though she sensed the love imbued in its walls, she did not feel the warm embrace of God, only the vulnerability of being trapped in a room of virtual strangers. Sersi shifted miserably and all eyes flicked to her at the sound of hissing fabric. Sprite sat beside her, their feet just barely brushing the ground. The others were spread out as far from their former family as possible while still staying in the conversation. It was clear where the strongest bonds lay between them. Thena and Gilgamesh, Kingo and his assistant, Karun, and Sprite beside Sersi. Ikaris hovered against the wall, the tensions between him and Sersi the loudest of all in the suffocatingly humid air.

"You've given me a lot of bad news in one go, my lady. Druig's distinct accent cut through the silence. It had been an excruciating few minutes since she'd finished recounting the events of the past few days. Her words seemed to echo in the silence, ringing out long after she'd finished.

"Will you help us?" Sersi rested her elbows on her knees pleadingly. Druig looked at her with a tenderness only he could, with eyes wise beyond any mortal lifespan.

"Do you all remember this forest?" He pushed off from the table with his palms and stood tall. "Beautiful. It's the last place we all lived together." His voice was wistful and nostalgic as if remembering their time in this land with fondness. The other Eternals couldn't think of it with anything but anger and sorrow. Every happy memory had been stamped to dust by the events of their last night together. It was lost along with so much beauty from that time, ruins scattered throughout the jungle like skeletons of cultures long since dissolved. Thousands of years of kinship torn apart in a mere moment. Druig paced the cement floor before them, his boots thumping lightly with his weight.

"I've protected these people for twenty generations now. From the outside world and from themselves." Druig declared it with pride and a slight incline of his chin. He loved his people more than anything else in this world, but he was not blind to their nature. With his power, they lived in harmony, experiencing all the good life had to offer without fear of it crumbling. He paused before Kingo, but his gaze locked on the man beside him with scrutiny.

"Your kind, my friend." His tone did not speak of kinship, only disdain. "You will be responsible for your own extinction one day. What do you think?" Druig watched the man as he sputtered, his eyes rounding and his spine straightening to attention. He was a perfect example of an average human. His skin was a warm brown but dull and sullen compared to Kingo beside him. The man -- Druig didn't bother to remember his name -- Puffed his round cheeks out slightly as he took a breath.

"I think we must learn from our mistakes and do better." His voice was eager, and he stumbled over his words beneath the piercing gaze of a man that may as well have been a god. "Sir, You must not give up hope--" Druig's mood hadn't visibly shifted, but his pupils flared gold, and the human slammed his camera into the ground. It broke apart and skittered across the entirety of the tiled floor. Kingo abruptly stood, fury boiling over into a clenched jaw and fists.

"Oh no, you didn't." He stood face to face with the man who had once been a brother. "New rule, no more possessing people's minds."

"Where is your sense of humor Kingo?" Druig gave a lazy smirk, sidling up closer to Kingo as if to dare him to make a move. His chin lifted tauntingly.

"I am sorry, sir." Kingo held out a hand to calm Karun's frantic blundering.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." His voice softened as he looked back at his friend. All fondness melted away when his eyes returned to Druig. "You are not a God. You know that, right?" Kingo's voice lowered to a dangerous level, a true warning this time. Druig let out a light huff of bitter laughter.

"Let's go. He's wasting our time." Ikaris pushed himself off the wall and crossed the room.

"We need him. This is the only way." Sersi looked between them warily, her toes pressed into the floor, readying to jump up at any sign of fighting. Ikaris and Druig circled like a pair of wolves sizing each other up for the kill.

"Ikaris-- missed you." Druig pulled a lazy smile, anything to worm his way beneath the surface of Ikaris's armor. "What, you were gonna charm me or threaten me?" His voice had a leisurely cadence as if he knew that his opponent's strength was just a show. They all knew that if it did come to a fight, there wouldn't be much question of who would be victorious.

"There's a third option if you prefer that." Ikaris cocked a brow in warning, his feet halting mere inches from Druig. The latter had to lift his chin to retain eye contact. Somehow this made Druig seem all the more petulant.

"It must be heartbreaking to find out that you're not mother's favorite." Druig tilted his head to the side with a mock pout of sympathy.

"I am sure she would be real proud of you." The words were practically spat between them now, tensions rising by the second.

"Druig, this is serious." Sersi scolded, and Druig barked a bitter laugh. He pivoted on his heel, creating much-needed space between him and Ikaris.

"I'll tell you what's serious. I've just been told I've been sent on a suicide mission for the past seven thousand years and that my entire existence is a lie." For the first time in their conversation, the mask of indifference cracked, and the vexation seeped into his tone. "So, excuse me for not giving a shit about your plan right now." Jaw clenched hard enough that it might shatter, Druig strode towards the door.

"You're the only one with any hope of finding her." Sersi's voice echoed through the chapel with urgency. Druig slowed at the end of the aisle, his body coiled tight like a spring. The Eternals exchanged wary glances behind his back. It had always been a touchy subject, one that only Makkari had ever dared broach with him. Every whisper, every imprint left behind, was a knife to his back, and the mention of her twisted the blade. Druig took a steadying breath and let the fresh scent of impending rainfall soothe his raw nerves. It could only do so much. When he spoke, his voice was fragile and defeated.

"She doesn't want to be found." He didn't need to turn to know that their expressions were all the same. They would be painted a portrait of pity and unease. Druig had never been the most hot-headed of the bunch -- that title had always belonged to Thena and Ikaris. His disposition had always been introverted, playful even, but that was before. Now he was a cask of ice and shadow, guarding the pain festering within. It was rare that he let the truth of his emotions show through. Even his people rarely saw the depths of his soul. He'd come to believe himself a master over his mind and heart, but now he found himself a fool. The mere mention of her was enough to tear his defenses down to a pile of rubble at his feet.

"Her life is going to be disrupted one way or another." Sersi risked a step towards him, her eyes scanning his tense shoulders and clenched fists. "The Deviants are probably already following her trail." It was the truth, and his mind couldn't spin her words into anything less. The Deviants had already claimed one Eternal. It would be easy for them to pick off the lone dove in a storm. Medusa was vulnerable in her isolation.

"She can't fight them on her own." Ikaris crossed his arms and leaned against the white cement wall once more. He spoke plainly, never one to sugarcoat things. It was one of the only things Druig actually admired about him.

"Though she'll certainly try." Thena shook her head with a scoff, earning a scolding look from Gilgamesh beside her. She rolled her eyes half-heartedly and bumped him lightly with her elbow. "Come on, you know as well as I do that she's stubborn as an ox." All conversation died as Druig spun sluggishly to face the room. The Eternals twisted in their seats, some straddling the benches to get a better view of him. Sersi stood in the center of the aisle, waiting for him to make a move. His eyes met hers, and at last, he gave a response.

"Last I checked, she was in Egypt." Druig frowned, his hands clasped behind his back to hide the whitening of clenched knuckles. He kept his eyes fixated on Sersi, ignoring the others. If he could pretend they weren't there, it would make this all a bit more bearable.

"How long ago was that?" Sersei curled her lips encouragingly. Druig swallowed hard to shove down the rock lodged in his throat. Three thousand years and still his wounds were fresh as the day she'd inflicted them.

"Thirty years." He looked away, and his jaw flexed with a mix of agitation and torment. His neck strained with tension, every line exaggerated to the point where Sersi thought it might snap like a rubber band. "I try not to torture myself by following her every move." This part was soft enough that he could convince himself that none of them heard.

"Druig," Sersi took a few steps toward him, dipping her chin to catch his eye from where it had fixated on the floor. "You need to face her. She'll listen to you."

"I don't know. It was one of the nastiest breakups I've ever seen." Sprite scrunched their nose as if smelling something rancid. "That's including you two." They jutted their chin towards Ikaris, then Sersei, who blanched under the scrutiny.

"Does it count as a breakup if they never really dated?" Kingo raised his brows with a mischievous smirk.

"Enough," Druig's sharp rebuke sliced through their chatter. "Come with me." Druig turned with no indication that he cared if she followed. Sersei hesitated but stood, brushing the thigh of her pants anxiously. As she began to follow after Druig, Ikaris stepped in tow. His body towered over hers, and it was not unlike being shadowed by the trunk of a tree. Druig halted immediately and called over his shoulder. "Just Sersei. I don't need her guard dog circling." Ikaris bristled, opening his mouth to argue, but Sersei put a comforting hand on his arm.

"I'll be fine. Stay with the others." There was a look exchanged between them. A silent understanding that only came from two souls intertwined. They would never be as they once were, but they still knew the other as well as they knew themselves. Ikaris stepped away with a nod of understanding. Sersi was safe with Druig, she knew that for certain. Despite how they'd left things ages ago in this very jungle, Druig would never harm her. She's always found him to be one of the kindest among them, even when his disposition begged to differ. His cynicism was grown from pain, not born of his blood.

They passed through the villagers milling about without a word of greeting. They openly stared at Sersi with expressions ranging from curiosity to distrust. From the looks of the sanctuary like home Druig had maintained, she doubted there were ever any visitors from the outside world. The arrival of not one, but six strangers, was sure to spread a deep wariness throughout them all. Druig paid them no mind, striding past as if nothing was amiss. Sersi sent nervous smiles and nods of greeting to those who caught her eye, but not a single gesture was returned.

The heart of the village consisted of five large structures. One, the chapel they'd just left, the others likely meal houses, hospitals, or other public accommodations. Sersi had expected to be led to one of these, perhaps another building where they could speak in confidence. To her surprise, Druig led her past the main buildings, down paths of small huts and artisan shops, until they came upon a narrow pathway shrouded by foliage. Had he not pulled aside the massive umbrella leaves and gestured for her to follow her down the trail and away from the village, she wouldn't have noticed it.

Sersi debated asking where he was leading her, but the harsh line of his shoulders warned her against it. It was far wiser to let him speak when he was ready than to prod him into changing his mind about helping. The village was out of view now, though they'd only walked a short way. The undergrowth was thick and lush enough that she'd undoubtedly get lost if Druig wasn't there to guide her. The forest was as lively as she remembered it, never a silent moment. The call of birds, the screech of monkeys, the soft thrum of rain on waxy leaves, and the rustle of underbrush as a creature stalked through. It was a symphony of life and movement.

Druig reached out to pull a clumping of vines from their path and stepped aside to let her walk ahead. It was then that she saw a small cottage amongst the forest. It seemed to be part of nature itself, with vines and roots grown around it over the thousands of years its structure stood. It was mainly stone, solid and unwavering, but there were more modern elements, thick paned windows, and a solid emerald painted door.

Druig fished a key from his pocket and fit it into the lock without so much as a glance toward her. The door opened into a cozy living room, complete with a fireplace and armchairs. A large collection of books filled a floor-to-ceiling set of shelves. It was a modest home, far less than would be expected from a man with such bravado. Druig always was a simple man when it came to possessions. Sersi found it suited him well and yet, was not at all what she expected.

He didn't offer for her to sit or put on a pot of tea as one might when inviting an old friend into their home for the first time. Instead, he headed straight for a door left ajar. It was his bedroom, neat, simple, light, and soft in color. Sersi followed after, her eyes wandering over every detail of his home. It seemed as if he liked his privacy as much as he had when they'd been together. His home was removed from the rest of the village, far enough that he had a sanctuary of his own to retreat. Druig fixated on something peculiar placed atop a table in the corner. An ancient brass chest, large enough to rest in both hands, a heavy iron lock protecting its contents from the world.

"What is it?" Sersi's voice sounded strange to her own ears. She felt as if she shouldn't be there, that her presence was somehow an intrusion, despite being led there by Druig, himself. He produced a second key from his pocket. This one was much more ornate than the previous, the same brass as the chest, its handle carving and weaving together in a fantastical design. The lock gave a satisfying click as he turned it.

"It's what's going to find her." His fingers hovered over the lid as if deciding once and for all if he wished to release the demons of Pandora's box. It opened with the slight creak of old metal in desperate need of oil. Within was a bundle of luxurious velvet cloth wrapped protectively around something. Druig lifted it out with both hands in the same way Sersi did when examining an ancient artifact. As Druig peeled back each fold of fabric, Sersi peered toward it. Her mind churned over possibilities of what it might be. When the final layer of velvet lifted, she found that her thoughts had been entirely wrong.

"You kept it?" Her voice was hardly more than a breath of air. Nestled in swaths of fabric and held in the palm of Druig's hand was the severed head of an onyx serpent. It lay limply in the palm of his hand, slitted eyes like tiny jeweled amethysts. It was as perfectly preserved as the day it was cut from the root. Sersi knew that Druig held a great weapon in his possession, a sword in the form of a serpent.

"Couldn't let some power-hungry human use it," he whispered. Grief blanketed his words like snow upon the needles of an evergreen. It was likely the only piece of her he had left, but Sersei dared not say it aloud. The day this snake had been severed from the head of Medusa, was one of the darkest in The Eternal's long history. No one ever spoke of it, not even in the wee hours of the night, when no one could overhear but the wind itself. There was a silent agreement not to dredge up the past, but now all of those rules had vanished. "To track someone as far away as she is, I need an object that's emotionally charged."

"You've been using it to check in on her for all these years?" Sersi looked up at him then. Her pity struck his heart like a bullet. He swallowed hard and blinked away the pricking of tears.

"I try not to." Druig adjusted his grip on the cloth as Sersi's gaze burrowed into him.

"Why haven't you gone to her?" She shook her head with confusion. After all these years, the golden thread of fate still linked Medusa and Druig's souls, yet neither dared to tug upon it.

"You know why." He tipped his chin to her with a pointed expression. They all knew why. It was just a question of whether they deemed it enough to keep two people apart for centuries. Druig gave a deep sigh, focusing once again on the lock of Medusa's hair. "But now I don't have much choice."

Druig's eyes fluttered shut as his fingers brushed over the serpent in his palm as if imagining the days when he could run his hands through Medusa's hair. Sersi watched in silence, her gaze searching for any sign of success. She had half a mind to leave the room and give him a moment of privacy.

The ghost of a smile played across his lips like the flickering light of a candle. It was full of fondness and longing. Sersi felt strange standing before him when his soul was so obviously not in the room. It was an intimate moment, and she had the keen sense that she was somehow intruding. Then the smile melted away into the familiar stony indifference. His eyes fluttered open again.

"I know where to find her." He sounded less joyful and more like a man delivering grave news. His lips dipped into a deep frown. "If your attack in London is anything to go by, the Deviants likely know, too."

NOTE

Quite a bit longer than the first chapter but the first one was really a sneak peek! There are literally so many breadcrumbs in this chapter I'm fangirling over it. I can't wait for you guys to see how it unfolds because there's so much backstory to this. What are your predictions for what happened to Medusa and Druig????