Power Limits
Do you ever get headaches? Makkari asked sitting on the edge of Druig’s bed.
“Only sometimes, when I use my powers too much” Druig responds taking a bite into an apple.
How?
“Why are you so curious Kari? Are you a secretly a thinker?” Druig raises an eyebrow.
Hey! Just because I’m a fighter doesn’t mean I can’t think. Aren’t you curious about what you can do?
“Well I only ever get headaches if I try to control too big of a crowd or an deviant”
You can control a deviant?
“I’m not sure, I haven’t tried, but Ajak once told me the mind is a powerful thing”
Good
“Good?”
Yeah. Good, I don’t want you to get hurt during a fight
Just when Druig was about to respond when his least favorite Eternal entered his room without knocking.
“Ikaris! Is there any more room in that brain of yours to know what KNOCKING is?”
“Deviant attack. Suit up and fix that attitude of yours” Ikaris orders and flies away.
“Ugh I hate that guy” Druig says rolling eyes, clearly irritated.
Makkari saw how annoyed Druig was and knew how much he disliked him. She also knew his distracted mind won’t be helpful to anyone.
“Who does he think he is ordering us around? Isn’t that Aj-”
Makkari leans over and kisses Druig’s cheek, causing him to stop mid sentence.
It’s bad to go into battle distracted. See you out there Makkari signs and winks before running away to get her suit on herself.
Druig can’t help but smile as he gets ready for the fight. He and Makkari have this private and unspoken relationship that only the two of them understand.
5 minutes later all the Eternals are gathered in the main room of the Domo. Makkari and Druig lock eyes for a second, causing Druig to blush.
“OooOoo is our very own empath blushing” Kingo teases.
“Shut up Kingo” Druig shot back.
“Enough you two. There are currently several Deviants attack this small city off the coast. There are thousands of lives at risk. Our goal is to save the human while destroying the Deviants. Thinkers you save the humans, Fighters you destroy the Deviants” Ajak orders.
Everyone nods and the next moment they are transported down to Earth. The second they touch the ground a Deviant starts running towards them.
Makkari takes the lead in this one and runs forward, pushing the Deviant back with force. Druig looks around and spots a building with a high enough advantage point to control humans from.
He runs towards that building and spots a small crowd of people running in several different directions. 20 feet away a Deviant spots them and starts running towards them. Druig closes his eyes and focuses his power on that group of people, when he opens them they glow the familiar gold color. Immediately the group of people stop running and start walking in the same direction calmly.
Go faster. He thinks and they start picking up speed, but not enough for the fast approaching Deviant. It’s just about to swipe at a human when a flash of gold comes and pushes it out of the way. Druig doesn’t pay attention to Makkari because he knows she can handle herself, instead he focuses his powers on getting the last remaining people to safety. When he does he notices Makkari running back and fourth towards the Deviant, pushing it further and further into the wall at lighting speed.
The deviant, not ready to give up without a fight, uses a last ditch attempt to get Makkari off her feet. It uses its scorpion like tail to momentarily distract her from running into it. The deviant attempts to stab Makkari with it’s tail, but she is too fast and dodges it easily. She’s about to finish off the deviant once and for all when the tail out of no where comes down and sweeps her off her feet.
Druig’s eyes widen as he see’s what’s about to happen. “Makkari watch out!” He yells, hoping she feels his voices vibrations.
She turns to look at him, but it’s too late as the next second the she was struck on the ground.
“No!” He yells trying to think of a plan. He’s too far away to go help her and the other Eternals are busy fighting other deviants. His thoughts were interrupted by his worst nightmare. Makkari screaming in pain. He turns to look in her direction and see’s that the deviants tail has struck Makkari in the shoulder. She grabs it in pain and aggressively rolls to the side to avoid the deviant tail stabbing her.
Druig needs to think of a plan and now before Makkari get’s even more hurt than she is. There’s only one option that he can think of. He closes his eye’s and opens his eyes, focusing on the deviant.
The deviant all of a sudden stops attacking Makkari and just stares at her. She looks at it confused stepping away weakly. She looks at it and it feels like she is invisible to it, as it is not reacting. She turns her head to look at Druig and pieces together what he’s doing.
It starts off with a headache, but he had those all the time, it then lead to a piercing pain. He grunts and takes a knee, but keeps focus until he can see that Makkari is out of danger. She looks at him worried and profusely shakes her head, but he ignores her and thinks to himself, One last push.
Druig closes his eyes and furrows his eyebrow. His mind has never hurt this bad in his life. The deviant was slowly moving away from Makkari, it was fighting so hard to break free from Druig’s grasp, but it was no use. The deviant screamed and grabbed it’s head in agony, before falling to the ground.
Druig opened his eyes and saw the dead deviant. His eyes drifted to Makkari who was holding her shoulder in pain looking at the dead monster. She turned her head to lock eyes with him. He breathed a sigh of relief, and then his world went black.
Makkari’s eyes widened as she saw Druig’s eyes roll to the back of his head. He was loosing consciousness and was about to fall off that building. His body went limp and his legs gave in under him.
She didn’t hesitate before running to catch him in her arms before he hit the floor. She screamed in pain from the pressure to her shoulder, but still lowered him down gently.
Makkari could hear his heart slowing down, he pushed himself too far. She needed to find Ajak, now. Despite her pain, she still flung Druig over her two shoulders and ran to find Ajak.
She found her at the edge of the battle watching over Ikaris closely. When Makkari stopped in front of her and gently placed Druig down, she knelt down next to him.
“What happened?” She asked worriedly.
He used his powers on a deviant Makkari signs back.
“What? I didn’t know Druig could do that” Ajak said confused, putting Druig’s head in her lap.
Can you heal him? Makkari signed concerned.
“I’ll try, the mind is a lot harder to heal than the body” Ajak responded. She looked in Makkari’s direction and eyes narrowed. “What happened to your shoulder.
The deviant…got me she started to sign slower and slower.
“Makkari you are loosing too much blood. Let me heal you-”
No Makkari signed firmly. Heal Druig first.
“I don’t know how long that will take-”
Do it she signed with a serious look in her face.
Ajak nodded and began to heal Druig’s mind.
Makkari just watched in amazement as their leader began to move her hands in a fluid movement, glowing gold.
The last thing she remembered before blacking out was hearing Druig’s heart beating faster.
Druig eyes shot open as he jolted up. He looked at his surroundings before realizing he was in his room on the Domo.
Argh my head he thought rubbing his temple. The last thing he remembered was controlling that Deviant.
Yeah I’m not doing that anytime soon he said getting out of bed. He realized he was in his favorite comfy pants and a black T shirt.
Druig slowly made his way out of his room and into the living room of the Domo, where he saw the rest of his family.
“Druig! You’re awake!” Sersi was the first to notice him and rushed over to hug her him.
“How did I get here?” Druig asked confused.
“I carried you here after Ajak healed you” Gilgamesh said walking towards him “You gave us quite the scare”.
“Sersi transformed your armor into normal clothes, so you’d be more comfortable” Ikaris said landing next to Sersi and putting an arm around her.
“Didn’t know you could do that” Druig commented.
“I’ve been practicing” she replied looking up at Ikaris.
“What happened?” Druig asked.
“Dude! You controlled a deviant” Kingo practically screamed.
“Kingo he doesn’t need to lose his hearing” Sprite said elbowing him. “But seriously dude, how did you do that?”
“It was very impressive” Thena said giving Druig a nod of approval.
“I don’t know…I just saw Makkari in danger-Wait. Where is she? Where is Makkari?” Druig asked worried.
The other Eternals looked at each other with the same expression on their faces.
“What are you guys not telling me?” Druig asked, getting concerned.
“Druig…maybe you should sit down” Sersi said.
“Oh my god is she-” Druig couldn’t even finish that sentence before running his hands through his hair.
“NO! No. God no. She’s alive it’s just that…” Sersi pursed her lip.
“Serisi, please, tell me what happened” Druig pressed.
Thena stepped forward, putting an arm on Sersi’s shoulder.
“Well, you saw that Makkari got hurt from that deviant. A large gash on her shoulder. After you passed out from using your powers, you fell off a building. She caught you and rushed you to Ajak. She lost a lot of blood and was in a significant amount of pain after everything. Ajak tried to heal her, but she insisted on you getting healed first. Ajak says you probably wouldn’t be here if you didn’t get healed when you did” Thena explained.
“Where is she then?!” Druig asked getting irritated.
“She’s in the medical bay with Ajak and Phastos. She passed out from blood loss on the battlefield. She hasn’t woken up yet” Kingo said.
Druig turned his back on his family and made his way as fast as he could do the med bay.
“Druig, maybe you should rest-” Sersi started.
“No Sersi, I need to see her” Druig said determined.
She was about to say something when Thena stopped her. “Nothing will stop him from going to her. When you love something, you protect it. It is the most natural thing in the world” she said looking back to Gilgamesh, who nodded back to her.
Sersi sighed and watch Druig walk as fast as he could do his love.
When he got there, he saw Ajak and Phastos hovering over Makkari, checking her vitals.
“How is she?” He asked walking in worriedly.
“Druig? You should be in bed” Ajak said like a worried mother.
“Ajak, I’m fine, thank you for healing me, but I need to know how she is”
“She’s…stable. Vitals are good. I just don’t get why she isn’t waking up” Phastos said confused.
“I have a theory” Ajak said.
“What? What is it?” Druig asked, stroking Makkari’s hair.
“That deviant. What did it look like?”
“Ummm, it had a scorpions tail” Druig remembered.
“Perhaps, it was poisonous. It would explain that even after my healing, she won’t wake up” Ajak responded.
“Poisoned? I didn’t think of that” Phastos exclaimed and got out a large needle.
“Whoa whoa whoa, where are you going with that?” Druig asked, while cupping her face.
“I need a sample of her blood to help determine what poison it is, to see we have an antidote” Phastos replied simply.
Druig solemnly nodded, he knew Makkari hates needles and would literally run across the world if it meant not having to get one.
“I’m sorry love, but this is the only way for you to get better” Druig said whispering to her. He kissed her forehead and held her hand, as he usually did when she was getting shots.
Phastos approached slowly and gently pressed the needle into her neck. He pulled back the plunger and a red liquid starting filling the barrel.
At this Makkari’s eyes shot open as Phastos began pulling the needle away.
She jumped off the bed and stumbled around the room, her eye’s widening and closing.
“Makkari calm down, it’s me” Druig said rushing to her side. She fell to her knee’s and Druig sat down next to her, having her lean onto his chest.
Druig? She signed in front of her.
“Yes, love it’s me. Now why don’t we get you back onto the bed hm?” Druig said calmly as he helped Makkari up.
She inhaled a sharp breath when she got to her feet.
Druig? Are you still here? Where’d you go? Why is it dark? Makkari signed frantically, flailing her arms around.
“Makkari? I’m here! I’m right here!” Druig practically screamed.
Hello? I can feel your vibrations but I can’t see you? Druig? Help me Makkari signed, tears forming in her eyes.
Druig ran to her side and gently pulled her into a hug. “I’m here Makkari. My beautiful, beautiful, Makkari. I’m here, right by your side”
You’re okay? You’re not hurt? She signed, trying to feel around for his face.
Druig grabbed her hands and brought them up to his cheeks. “I’m fine, thanks to you”
Druig…what’s wrong with me? Makkari asks, tears forming in her eyes.
“Phastos?” Druig asked looking at him.
“I got it!” Phastos yelled looking at his computer. “The poison from the scorpion, makes the recipient loose vision”
“So she’s blind?” Ajak said shocked.
“Yes, for now, but I can fix her” Phastos said getting back to work. “I know I can”
“Everything will be fine Makkari, right now you need to rest” Druig said leading Makkari back to the bed.
Druig, I’m scared Makkari said, holding on to Druig’s shoulders tightly.
“I’m right here Kari okay? I’m not going anywhere” he said taking her hand in his and bringing it up to his lips, kissing it softly.
She nodded and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.
“How long, until she’s cured?” Ajak whispered.
“Not sure…Hopefully I can crack this in a week, two at most” Phastos replied, bringing up a hologram of a DNA strand.
Druig nodded and stayed by her side for the rest of the day. When she awoke, the other Eternals where gathered around her, and helped her to her room. Trying to make her more comfortable.
Druig’s hand never left hers as he fed her and did everything he could to make her laugh or even smile.
Her smile was rare, she already lost one major sense, loosing another one would absolutely kill her. Him as well.
It wasn’t until Phastos screamed the words he’s been waiting for. “I did it! I have the antidote!”.
“Really? It works?” Druig said excitedly.
“It should” he replied.
Give it to me please Makkari signed.
Phastos laughed as he transferred the antidote into a needle.
Why did it have to be a needle? Makkari signed, clearly annoyed.
“It will help you love” Druig said smiling, kissing her hair.
Will you be here? Makkari asked finding his hand.
“Of course I will, I’ll do what you always do when getting a shot” Druig responded.
Makkari nodded and braced herself for the shot. Phastos tried to be as gentle as possible, but she still flinched when the needle pierced her skin.
“Now, you may feel a bit weak, but your sight should return momentarily” Phastos instructed.
Makkari nodded and closed her eyes. When she opened them, everything was blurry, it took a couple blinks before everything cleared up and she saw his face.
“Makkari…can you see me?” Druig asked holding his breath.
Yes my handsome Druig. I can see you she sighed happily, jumping into his arms, wrapping her legs around his torso.
He cried tears of happiness and he held her close to him. This was by far the happiest he has been in a while.
“I’ll give you two some privacy and tell the others too” Phastos said making his way out of Makkari’s room.
“You scared the shit out of me Kari” Druig said, sitting down on her bed.
I scared you? You scared me! Makkari replied playfully hitting his shoulder.
“What did I do?” Druig asked confused and slightly offended.
You passed out and wouldn’t wake up! I could barely hear you're heartbeat. You’re important to me Druig. Makkari signed.
“Makkari. I am forever in your debt for you saving my life, but you almost lost yours. If this choice ever comes across us again, you choose yourself. I can’t bare the thought of losing you, just because of me”
Makkari slapped his face as hard as she could.
“OUCH! Makkari what the hell was-”
You think I could live without you? You think I won’t choose you over and over and over again? Cause I would Druig. I love you. I don’t want to live in a life without you. So if you ever think less of yourself and are not important. I swear I will hit you with my lighting speed Makkari signed.
Druig was speechless. No one had ever cared for him as much as she did. He cupped her face and brought it to his, making their forehead touch.
“You’re so stubborn aren’t you?”
Maybe…but promise me you won’t push yourself ever again
“Well if it means saving you, then I will break that promise”
Who’s the stubborn one now?
Druig rolled his eyes and lowered his voice. “By the way, I love you too Kari. I always have”
I know that dummy, I’m not an idiot. Don’t change the subject.
“Not the response I was expecting”
Just kiss me you idiot
And he did just that.