Frost Heart → druig, marvel

Chapter 4: Do Not Interfere

1521 AD - Tenochtitlan

The air crackles with chaos, thick with the acrid scent of smoke and despair as screams pierce the night. Flames dance hungrily, licking the sides of buildings that once stood proud, now reduced to ash and ruin. Ayaz stands at the edge of the carnage, a helpless observer, desperately reciting the Eternal edict in his mind: Do not interfere. It is for the best. Yet, with every cry for help, his resolve falters.

When a nearby building crumbles, sending debris raining down toward a terrified child, his heart clenches violently. In an instant, he teleports, snatching the girl from danger just as the rubble falls where she stood moments before. She clings to his leg, trembling, her wide eyes filled with fear. He kneels down, his golden blond hair falling into his eyes, blocking out the horror surrounding them. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now,” he soothes, his voice low and gentle, as if he can shield her from the chaos with his presence alone.

To distract her from the mayhem, Ayaz conjures a snowflake, each delicate pattern shimmering in the moonlight. It’s the size of his palm, and he hands it to her, watching as her astonishment washes over her face. “Do you like it? Yeah?”

The tension in her small frame melts away, replaced by wonder as she nods, a hesitant smile breaking through her tears. “It won’t melt away,” he adds softly, the warmth of the moment contrasting sharply with the chilling fear that lingers in the air.

Then, a frantic voice pierces through the chaos. The girl stiffens, her joy dissipating as she recognizes the tone of her mother calling her name. “Is that your mother?” he asks, his heart aching for her. When the woman bursts into the clearing, relief floods her features as she spots her daughter.

“Be nice to your mother and stay with her, okay?” Ayaz urges, his heart swelling with pride as the girl nods enthusiastically. “Go.”

Before she rushes off, she throws her arms around him in a tight hug, and he feels warmth spread through his chest—a flicker of hope in this dark time. “Thank you,” the woman breathes as she gathers her daughter close, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

With a bittersweet smile, Ayaz nods and teleports away, casting one last glance back at the child now safe in her mother’s arms.

As his feet land softly on the cool ground of the woods, he spots Ajak deep in discussion with Druig, Sersi, and Phastos. Just as Makkari arrives with Thena, Ayaz teleports back to them, eager to reunite.

“Where are the others?” Ajak asks, a furrow of concern creasing her brow.

“We had to separate,” Ayaz replies, his golden eyes searching for any sign of injury on Druig. Relief floods through him when he finds Druig unharmed. Their gazes lock, and the world around them fades into a blur. Druig’s smile is a beacon of warmth, igniting a spark in Ayaz’s chest that he’s struggled to contain. He feels like a stranger in his own heart, but with Druig, he begins to feel like he belongs.

“There were more Deviants than you said,” Thena informs them, her tone taut with frustration.

“I bet that was a lot of fun for you,” Phastos responds, attempting a lighthearted jab.

“It was,” Thena shrugs, her cool demeanor contrasting with the volatile atmosphere surrounding them.

Phastos pulls out a device, and a holographic projection of Earth glimmers to life, detailing their mission. “Once the others kill these last Deviants, we will have eliminated them all from the planet.”