She turned to Ajak.
"I need your help with something."
Ajak paused, then asked, "With what?"
Hermione pointed at Druig, the mind controller who had remained quiet among the group.
"I need you to channel your energy into Druig together and strengthen his abilities."
They exchanged bewildered glances.
Hermione ignored their confusion and spoke calmly.
"Dumpling."
The moment the words left her lips.
Dumpling emerged from invisibility, the Mind Stone on his forehead glowing faintly gold.
The Eternals startled and stepped back.
Only then did they realize someone had been crouching beside the Witch all along!
"Is that..."
Sersi stared wide-eyed at Dumpling's forehead. "An Infinity Stone?"
"The Mind Stone."
Hermione's tone was calm. "I'll have Dumpling use the Mind Stone to assist you in breaking through Tiamut's soul defenses."
She recalled the original plot.
If their combined power could enable Druig to put Tiamut into a deeper sleep, that meant the Eternals, as creations of the Celestials, drew their power from the same source as their creators.
That power could affect Tiamut's soul. Otherwise, such a feat would have been impossible.
With the Mind Stone amplifying it, there was a strong chance they could strip away Tiamut's soul defenses.
Hermione offered no further explanation. "Get started. I'm short on time."
The Eternals exchanged glances.
They were already in too deep. Their only choice was to see this through. "Do as she says."
If Tiamut survived today, the Emergence would begin and Earth would be destroyed.
If Tiamut died, the Celestials would hold them accountable.
Either way, they faced certain death.
Despite their deep misgivings, all they could do now was trust that the Witch really had a way to conceal this from the Celestials.
Ajak took a deep breath and was the first to stand beside Druig.
Seeing this,