His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last. No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades.

And there is no one here who looks to him as a friend. He misses-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last. No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last. No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last he'd taken, all others since turned away.

No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last he'd taken, all others since killed or turned away.

No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last he'd taken, all other visitors or 'visitors' since killed, or turned away unknowing.

No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.