A Love Beyond Time// Eternals Druig fanfic

Chapter 7: Lost

1521 AD, Tenochtitlan.

Artemis was running back through the village. It had taken longer than she had anticipated, but at least now, every animal in the vicinity was safe.

She was still crying, she had to put many animals out of their misery as she went. But those she could save, she did.

She hiked back up the stairs to the temple, clutching a stitch in her side as she did. She had never felt so good about her life as she did just then. She couldn't wait to tell Druig.

Her happiness, however was short-lived. When she arrived in the temple, she found only Ajak, Kingo and Sprite.

"Where's everyone?" She asked uncertainly.

"Free," Ajak said quietly, looking at the wall ahead of her. "You're all free to live your lives."

Artemis frowned slightly as she took in the news. She looked back out over the deserted and now quiet village. The sun was rising beyond the trees.

"Where's Druig?" She asked looking around for any sign of him.

"He went into the forest with the people of this village," Ajak told her. "Only minutes after you rushed off to protect the animals."

"Sersei and Ikaris have gone, as did Thena and Gilgamesh. Gil said he would take care of Thena."

"I'm taking Sprite with me," said Kingo nodding towards Sprite, who appeared to be asleep.

"Where are you going?" Artemis asked uncertainly.

"Mesopotamia," Kingo said. "We'll wait a few days though, just to be sure Ajak is okay."

Ajak didn't say anything.

"I'm going to find Druig," she said, nodding at Kingo before turning on her heels and running down the steps.

She ran straight into the forest where Kingo had pointed, before she started calling for Druig. But he didn't answer.

She wondered fleetingly if he could have moved the people much further, and so she searched the forest from top to bottom. She had shouted herself hoarse by the third day, not knowing where Druig might be or why he didn't think to wait for her.

Twice she lost her way, and found herself in a clearing somewhere in the middle of the forest. She didn't want to think that he would ever abandon her.

"Druig!" She shouted again on the sixth day of searching, nothing more than a hoarse whisper leaving her lips. It was no use.

She went back to the ruined village, now covered in ash from all the fires of the fight. She wondered if he could have gone in a different direction. Why couldn't she find him?

She said goodbye to Kingo and Sprite as they left that afternoon. Both looking worried about her well-being, seeing as she hadn't found Druig yet.

"I'm not giving up," she said stubbornly as Kingo pointed out to her that Druig might have left her. "He wouldn't leave me."

Sprite didn't meet her eyes as she hugged her before leaving. And soon, Artemis was all alone. She stumbled around the village for a few more hours, Kingos last words to her ringing in her mind.

What if he left without you?

He wouldn't do that, she told herself stubbornly. Not to me.

But by nightfall, she couldn't find the energy to continue the search. She slept that night alone in the temple, before heading out for one final search the next morning.

She had hardly made it across the village, however when she thought again of Kingo's words. As though the reality of her situation hit her, Artemis fell to the ground, with a piercing, echoing scream.

She lay there, crying for what felt like a long time. Until finally, she stood up. Angry that he left her, heartbroken that he was gone. And she decided to leave the village.

***

Druig had been waiting for Artemis in the forest with his newfound people for three days. He had sent out search parties throughout the forest and he himself also went round, shouting and calling for Artemis, hoping she would answer him.

By the fourth day, he knew the people with him were growing restless and so he moved them to a clearing further into the forest. He shouted still more loudly for Artemis as his people began building themselves homes.

By the seventh day, Druig had thought about going through the forest once more, hoping to find some trace of her. What if something had happened to her?

He was just walking through a thick lining of trees, away from the remains of the village, when he heard it.

A piercing, echoing scream that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It came from the village, and he was almost positive that it was Artemis.

He broke into a run, sprinting through the undergrowth, tripping over roots and bushes as he went. He felt like he was running for hours by the time he reached the edge of the forest, clutching at a stitch in his chest.

"Artemis!" He called, breathless as he ran through ashen street after ashen street. He was just about to give up, when he saw unmistakable markings in the ash a few feet away.

It was clear that someone had fallen here. The ground was slightly wet and he wondered vaguely what this could mean. Was she hurt? Was she crying?

He looked up from the spot and saw footsteps leading away. He followed them, they were tiny like hers. He held his breath, hoping as he followed the footsteps. But, as he turned a corner, the footsteps suddenly vanished from view.

Crying out loudly and angrily, he stood there for a few more minutes, wondering if it was his imagination. Until he finally decided, defeatedly, to head back to his people.