Frost Heart → druig, marvel

Chapter 12: Greater Good

2024 - Australia

Ayaz sits at the dinner table, his gaze locked onto Sersi, who has just revealed the harsh truth of their existence after her unsettling contact with Arishem, the Prime Celestial. The weight of her words hangs heavy in the air, swirling with disbelief and resignation. They are not heroes but mere puppets in a cosmic game, crafted to protect a seed that, when nurtured by the burgeoning population of a planet, will ultimately become another Celestial.

The realization feels like a punch to Ayaz's gut. He struggles against the bitter disappointment welling within him-a disappointment in their purpose, in Arishem, and in himself for ever believing they were more than instruments of destruction.

"So, you're saying we're basically fancy robots? And our past memories are stored somewhere in space?" Kingo's incredulous voice breaks through Ayaz's thoughts, an attempt to process the revelation.

"And Arishem made the Deviants," Sersi adds, her voice steady yet laced with sorrow.

Gilgamesh turns to Thena, his expression softening, the remnants of guilt flickering across his features. "I'm sorry, Thena. You tried to warn us."

The atmosphere grows tense as Sprite pieces together the puzzle. "The last time Arishem reset your memories, something must have gone wrong."

Kingo, ever the optimist, leans in, confusion etched across his face. "What do you mean?"

"Mahd Wy'ry is all this-Thena remembering all the other planets we were sent to and everyone dying during the Emergence," Sprite explains, her voice a mixture of concern and understanding.

Gilgamesh sighs, his shoulders slumping. "I thought we were heroes. Turns out we're the bad guys."

Ayaz can't hold back the dry laugh that bubbles up from his throat, a twisted sound that echoes through the silence of the room. "So what? We're just puppets, dancing to the Celestials' tune, all in the name of 'greater good'?" The disappointment weighs heavy on him, but it feels more like despair than anger.

"We're not the bad guys, okay?" Kingo jumps in, his voice rising slightly as he tries to reassure himself. "We've helped the Celestials expand life across the universe. That's not what bad guys do."

"Every time innocent lives have been sacrificed for the greater good, it turns out to be a mistake," Hestia interjects, running her hands through her long red hair, her frustration evident. "We have to stop the Emergence."

Ayaz shakes his head, finally breaking from his silence. "Hestia, we have no right to stop the birth of a Celestial."

"There has to be a way Tiamut can emerge without destroying the Earth," Sersi suggests, her voice firm, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes. "We just have to delay it until we figure out how."

"Well, personally, I'm a fan of ignoring a problem until it eventually goes away." Ayaz leans back casually, taking a long sip from his beer, masking his turmoil with sarcasm.

"It doesn't go away without destroying this planet and the living in it," Hestia argues, her voice rising in frustration.

"So be it," Ayaz replies with a shrug, placing his empty beer on the table, a nonchalant smile masking the storm brewing within him. He barely notices the concerned glance Ikaris throws his way, the weight of judgment hanging in the air.

"What is wrong with you?" Kingo probes, eyeing Ayaz with genuine concern.

Ayaz's gaze sharpens as he turns to the movie star, frustration boiling over. "What is wrong with me? I learned not to get attached to things." His voice is cold, a stark contrast to the warmth that usually surrounds him.

"You are mean, sir," Karun pipes up, a nervous smile trying to diffuse the tension.

Ayaz's golden eyes flicker dangerously toward Kingo's valet. "If you think I'm mean, you should meet Druig."

Gilgamesh, always the optimist, brightens at the mention of the mind manipulator. "You're a genius, Ayaz. What if Druig could control its mind? Maybe put it to sleep?"

"Put it to sleep? Are you serious?" Ayaz's incredulity cuts through the air. "You think that twat will help us? God, you're stupid to even consider it. I'd rather die from the Emergence than ask for his help."

Thena's voice interrupts, laced with a hint of amusement. "Gilgamesh asked Druig to put me to sleep once."

"So I could take a vacation to Fiji, you know?" Gilgamesh grins, trying to lighten the mood, but the room feels heavy with unresolved emotions.

Ayaz leans forward, the intensity of his frustration simmering just below the surface. "We're talking about a Celestial, okay?" His voice drops, a warning laced within.

"We have to try," Sersi insists, her gaze steady and unyielding, searching Ayaz's eyes for support. "Come on, we're not going to let everyone on Earth die, right?"

He huffs, rolling his eyes at her before mumbling a few curses under his breath. "Right," Karun agrees nervously, the weight of the situation settling over him. "I'm human. I'm a little biased."

"The world is ending," he adds, the reality of their situation sinking in.

"You need to go home," Kingo says to his valet, his tone a mixture of frustration and concern.

"And do what? Watch TV? When I could be with the Earth's original superheroes as they try to save the world?" Karun throws his hands in the air, exasperated.

"Fine," Kingo concedes with a sigh, giving up the argument. "If you want to, stay."

Karun beams with appreciation, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you very much, sir."

Kingo takes a sip of his drink, only to spit it back into his mug with disgust. "Gilgamesh, could you please get rid of the saliva beer?"

"I thought you liked it, man," Gilgamesh taunts, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.

The tension shifts when Sersi speaks up, her voice commanding. "We need to go. Now. Find the others. Once we're all together, we'll decide what to do about the Emergence."

"You mean find Druig?" Ayaz crosses his arms, leaning back in his seat with an air of indifference. "How about you guys go find him and I go back to France? Hmm? How about that?"

"Ayaz, honey, you promised to help," Hestia points out, her expression a mixture of affection and authority, a look that makes it clear that arguing is not an option.

"I did not promise anything," Ayaz defends, but deep down, he knows he's trapped. He can feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, even as he tries to shrug it off.

With a heavy heart, he glances at the empty beer can, the thought of facing Druig swirling in his mind. The last time he saw him, there was a flicker of unresolved tension-an ache he can't quite shake off. Druig's ability to manipulate minds makes Ayaz wary, and he can't ignore the fear of what might happen if they confront him.

In that moment, the gravity of their situation feels unbearable, and the shadows of his past with Druig loom larger than life, as Ayaz wonders if he truly has the strength to confront his past and face the chaos that awaits them all.