[ i added a spotify link to the playlist for this book if you'd like to check it out at the end of the soundtrack chapter ]

☽︎

"ajak taught me how. she always believed in the potential we all possessed."

NOW

It may have been years since Ikaris, Sersi, and Sprite saw Kingo, but that wasn't the case for Khaos. She had been the one to wholeheartedly support his acting career, and she had even been on his arm at a red carpet or two over the last hundred years.

The four Eternals watched from the side as an extravagant scene acted out before him. The current movie that Kingo was filming was complete with shining costumes and a big musical number. The warrior was surprisingly coordinated, having no problem as he danced around with his costars, seemingly flirting with the woman who must have been the love interest. As they watched, someone who was familiar to Khaos joined them.

"I'm Karun Patel. Kingo's valet," Karun introduced, though the others didn't pay him much time. And then he bowed respectfully. "It's truly an honor to be in the presence of the great Eternals."

Ikaris, Sersi, and Sprite all looked at him sharply in surprise as Khaos continued to enjoy the performance. "Oh, yeah. He knows. Hey, Karun."

"Wonderful to see you again, Miss Khaos," Karun said, smiling.

"We're not meant to tell humans what we are," Ikaris whispered to her, narrowing his eyes.

"Karun's chill," Khaos promised, shrugging. "Besides, he's not really got anyone in his life to tell."

It was another minute before the scene being acted out ended. It was Kingo who yelled "Cut!" instead of the director. He began critiquing as a makeup artist came and dabbed the sweat from his forehead. "Okay everyone, that was good. But we can go ten percent better though."

Kingo's eyes suddenly spotted them to the side and he let out an excited scream. "My friends from college are here." He pulled Ikaris into a bear hug before moving on to Khaos. "Perfect timing. Welcome to the set of The Legend of Ikaris. I'm playing you. You like the costume?" he asked, showing off his blue and gold outfit.

"Ooh, who plays me?" Khaos asked, searching through the sea of actors. The girl that Kingo's character had been dancing around must have been Sersi.

"Zoya, in the black sari," Kingo told her, pointing out the actress in the crowd. She was in a black beaded sari with additional black makeup staining her fingertips and around her eyes to add dramatic flair.

"We need to talk," Ikaris said, taking no interest in the movie about him.

"Tell the director I have some notes—"

"We need to talk to you in private," Sprite interrupted. She cut her eyes to Karun, who was still lingering.

"Oh, Karun?" Kingo asked, waving their concerns off. "He's worked for me for fifty years. I trust him completely. Actually, when we first met, he thought I was a vampire and he tried to stake me through the heart."

"I have apologized so many times," Karun told him.

"Not quite enough times," Kingo said, laughing. "I'll let you know. I have to get ready for my next scene. Come to my tent. We'll talk there. You guys are gonna love the next scene. I come in on a wire, because, you know, I can't fly — wait, are we getting back together?"

"Go, this is serious," Khaos told him as Kingo sat at his makeup table. He was reapplying eyeliner. Had it not been such a serious time, Ikaris would have argued that he had never worn eyeliner.

"I've been waiting for the world to learn the true identity of the shadow warrior," Kingo said, hoping they'd get the same fame and recognition as the Avengers.

"Ajak's dead," Sprite revealed. Kingo's excited smile dropped instantly and he set down the makeup.

"She was killed. It was a Deviant," Ikaris informed him. Outside of the tent, the lights in the studio were turned off and an announcement was made, telling everyone that they were moving to the next set. "The Deviants are back. We don't know how many there are. You need to come with us."

As Kingo processed the information, he got up and left his tent. They silently followed as he looked out over the cast and crew of the movie.

"I can't just go," Kingo said, clearly having trouble grasping the severity of the situation. "All these people are depending on me. We just started filming this movie. It's the first of a trilogy. We just got BTS to do a cameo."

"Sir, may I say something?" Karun asked, joining his side.

"Please don't say anything."

"I think you should go."

"I just said don't say anything—

"Life offers no greater duty than to protect one's family!" Karun told him passionately. "Remember, it's your favorite line from The Shadow Warrior Two: Voyage of Time. Your family needs you."

Kingo sighed and nodded his head, knowing that Karun was right. Khaos walked up beside him and grabbed his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "Looks like we're getting the band back together."

"Just like the Jonas Brothers," Kingo said, smiling.

"Dude, just like the Jonas Brothers."

☽︎

Why Khaos hadn't been nagging Kingo for his private jet for years, she didn't know. Could she teleport through shadows? Yes. But that wasn't the point. The jet screamed luxury with roomy seats and an in-flight bar and televisions that only played his movies.

Khaos was lounging in one of the chairs with it leaned back almost completely flat. She had Kingo's very first movie playing on silent with the subtitles on, laughing at his subpar acting skills from when he was just starting out.

Then the door separating the main cabin from the entrance and where the pilot was located opened, and Kingo stepped out dramatically.

"Seven thousand years. That's how long the battle between Eternals and Deviants has raged for." Khaos had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing as Karun followed him out, filming him with a large camera. "You think I'm a movie star. Well, I am, but I am also an Eternal."

"Kingo, what are you doing?" Sprite asked, scoffing. Sersi looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow at Kingo's antics.

"I think we should be remembered, so I am making a documentary about us," Kingo explained giddily as he sat across from Sprite and Sersi. Khaos caught her brother's eye and they rolled them playfully in sync with the other. "You're about to meet my fellow Eternal, Sprite. Sprite, tell them about yourself."

"Oh wait," Sprite said, reaching for something in her jacket pocket. Then she quickly flashed him with her middle finger before making herself disappear completely.

They could hear Sprite's delighted giggles at her own joke. Khaos heard shifting beside her and knew that Sprite had taken up the previously empty seat next to her.

"We - we'll circle back to her," Kingo muttered to the camera. "This is Sersi. Sersi, tell them about yourself."

Sersi looked like a deer in headlights as the camera was pointed at her. Ikaris took a seat next to her and gave her a comforting smile.

"Uh—"

"We're rolling," Kingo reminded her.

"Well, uh, I can change a rock into water. I could turn a rock in wood. Or a rock into metal," she told him awkwardly. But then she started to get excited about the things she had transmutated. "Actually, one time I turned a rock into air."

"Cut," Kingo called, shaking his head. "Uh, you know what, why don't you think about it and then we'll come back to you? Okay?"

Kingo got up and lead Karun away. He neared the back of the plane where Sprite and Khaos were at and signaled for Karun to begin filming once more.

"This is Khaos—"

"His favorite Eternal," Khaos interrupted, grinning.

Kingo laughed, glad that at least one of them wanted to participate in his documentary. "Khaos, tell us about yourself."

"I am the strongest Eternal—"

"Yeah, right," Ikaris interrupted, scoffing.

Khaos looked at her brother over her shoulder. "Sorry? What was that Deviant count at again?" Ikaris cursed, and Sersi rubbed his shoulder comfortingly as Khaos and Sprite snickered.

Then Khaos looked back at the camera. "We all are connected to the cosmic energy that helps create Celestials and Eternals and are able to wield and manifest that energy in unique ways. My energy manifests through shadows."

For dramatic flair, she waved her hands and let black shadows dance around her fingers, her eyes flashing black as well. Karun gasped, never having seen anyone but Kingo use their powers.

"I can do a number of things such as transport through shadows anywhere on the planet, attack with them in a fight, and heal others with them if I am strong enough — though not myself."

"Ooh, that's new!" Kingo exclaimed, the camera panning to look at him.

Khaos smiled sadly. "Ajak taught me how. She always believed in the potential we all possessed." If only her shadows could heal herself. The gashes on her side hurt like hell, and Sersi was convinced that if she moved around too much, the wounds would reopen.

"My powers aren't as strong during the day," Khaos continued. "In addition to drawing celestial energy, I draw energy from darkness. And at times, I am capable of creating a false night of sorts, but it takes an inordinate amount of energy and tires me out. I can count on one hand the number of times I've done it in my thousands of years — and I always have my brother, Ikaris, near too. He can protect me if it weakens me too much."

"Fascinating," Kingo said. He always had been in awe of the power Khaos possessed. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that if the girl wasn't a little more level-headed and stern, Ajak would have chosen her as her successor.

After Khaos finished her interview, Kingo moved on to discuss his own movie career. He had posters of his movies displayed on the plane walls — Khaos may have been the strongest, but Kingo was the vainest.

"Nobody ever wonders how you manage to be the leading man for over a hundred years?" Sprite asked, narrowing her eyes. She never had sat down and watched any of Kingo's movies.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, smirking. He pointed to the posters on the wall. "That is my great great grandfather. That is my great grandfather. Grandfather. Father and me. I'm part of the greatest dynasty in the history of Bollywood. Pretty great, right?"

Only Sprite didn't smile as Kingo and Khaos did. "You abandoned me in Macedonia."

Khaos stared down at her fingernails — they were painted a translucent, glittery color that exposed the nail. She'd rather focus on that than how things ended with Sprite and Kingo. When they all parted, the two had stayed together for the most part until Kingo decided to leave Sprite on her own.

"Okay, I got sick of moving every five years," Kingo explained, frowning. "People freak out when they notice that you don't... age."

"I thought we were friends," Sprite mumbled sadly.

Kingo immediately motioned for Karun to stop filming before he sat across from Sprite.

"Do you know why I love movies? Because of you," he admitted. "I miss sitting in the audience, watching your illusions, hearing your stories. We should have all stayed together. Ajak would still be alive. She should have never let us go."

"No," Khaos said, staring out the window. "No, she shouldn't have."

☽︎

THEN

All was quiet on the Domo as it flew through the Earth's vast sky, on its way to their next destination. Khaos was watching the clouds pass by through the window in her room. She didn't move as she heard the mechanical door slide open and close, someone stepping into her room — only two people had the code.

When Druig placed his hands on her hips from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, she relaxed back into him.

"You heard Ajak," Khaos said softly. "She believes these to be the last of the Deviants. I'm sure we'll need to remain for a handful of years to make sure, but still—"

"We can go home," Druig finished her thought quietly. They both longed to return to Olympia. Together. "She also said there are many Deviants there this time. Promise me you'll be careful."

"The sun's going down," Khaos replied. "Worry about Ikaris, not me."

"I don't make habits of worrying about him," he muttered, making Khaos chuckle. He placed a chaste kiss to her neck. "I know you can take care of yourself, little one, but I will always worry even if you don't need anyone."

"Wrong," she told him, and Druig raised an eyebrow. "I need you. I always have."

The smallest, fondest of smiles graced his lips as he tightened his arms around her. They stood in silence for several minutes, nothing needed to be said between them as he held her. And then, so quietly, as if he didn't want anyone else in the universe to hear—

"Marry me."

A chill ran down Khaos's spine as he whispered the request against her skin. She turned slowly in his arms, placing her hands on his chest to look up at him lovingly.

"Marry me," he said again, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "After the Deviants are taken care of. We can do it here or on Olympia, just like the humans of Athens — you loved it there most."

His tender proposal made her heart soar, and Khaos found herself nodding before the words came.

"Yes," Khaos breathed out. "I'm yours in every way that exists."

Druig couldn't stop himself from picking her up and spinning her around once before setting her back down. He cupped both sides of her face gently, pressing his forehead to hers.

"My beautiful, beautiful Khaos," he whispered. "Mine for eternity."

Khaos giggled as he pressed tickling kisses along her neck, content to never let her go. They knew that whatever their two souls were made of, theirs were the same. They were meant to find each other, and even after eternity was gone and past, they'd keep finding each other.

And they knew nothing could ruin or change that.

Khaos sighed happily as she leaned into his chest, her eyes glued to the approaching city in the distance.

"Tenochtitlan, here we come."