A Tale of Life and Death: Chapter I
Cancerverse: Part III
Frontline: The Fault
When the Galactus Engine emerged from the Fault, Jamal expected something game-changing to happen. Part of him was expecting the worst: that it would steamroll through the Abstracts. Still though, no matter what the outcome would be, he expected an extravagant battle. He expected...
something. But instead, the Galactus Engine merely paused in front of the Abstracts, neither side even moving a millimeter. And, truth be told, that made Jamal worry even more.
"Quasar, this is Nova! The com-links are going haywire. Trying to boost my signal! Can you hear me, Quasar? That huge skull-faced thing is just sitting there... Is it even
doing anything?" Jamal said as he tore through the Cancerverse creatures.
"Negative, Jamal. The Surfer identified it as the Cancerverse analogue of the Devourer of Worlds. It's like they took their Galactus's corpse and altered it---weaponized it." Quasar said. "So far though it looks like it's stuck in a standoff with the Abstracts of our universe and--"
"That is not so, Wendell Vaughn. We only appreciate the tumult of the battle at our level of being. We will not perceive the battle already joined on the Abstract scale until we see its consequences." Surfer said.
"Okay, what does that actually
mean, Surfer?" Quasar asked.
"I do not understand the question. I thought I was being entirely clear.""You're just talking in cosmic riddles as usual, Surfer!" Jamal said as he flew closer to one of the Abstracts,
Aegis, Lady of All Sorrows. "I think I get the gist of what you're saying though. It only looks like they're not doing anything because we can't
comprehend it--what with being mere 'mortals' and all." Jamal flew up to Aegis's face and watched as what appeared to be black webbing spread across it. "Worldmind, see if you can detect any part of this existential war that--" Jamal began before he saw something that lasted for a fraction of the second; he saw fear plaster across her face and cracks begin to form. Then, her head violently exploded, and from it, emerged the unmistakable spike-bearing tentacles of a Cancerverse creature.
"Holy shit!" Jamal exclaimed as he was knocked back. T-There was a blink and then it...it... we just... we just lost one of the Abstracts, we--" Jamal stammered.
["Attention, it is critical that you pay attention at this time. I am detecting a shock-wave of psionic energy. Your helmet's shields will not fully protect you from its--"]Jamal yelled out in pain as he was hit by a mental shockwave, causing his energy to flare up and exploded outwards from his body.
The Cancerverse: Titan
"Interesting." Thanos said. "You bring me to Titan. In my universe, this was my home. My birthplace." Upon the group meeting Alt!Vision, they were led to Alt!Vision's ship, which was now taking them to Saturn's moon, Titan. The ship descended down and hovered above the surface for a few seconds as the ground beneath it opened up, revealing a metal platform. The ship landed on the platform and the ship was lowered down deep into the heart of the moon. The platform stopped descending and the ship opened up from the back.
["Titan is the heart of the Machine Resistance, Thanos. We would not ordinarily risk compromising our last stronghold, but, given the appearance of your group..."] Alt!Vision raised his arm and in front of him appeared a red projection screen as the group walked through the base of the Resistance.["The moment you crossed the Fault, you were a bright anomaly visible to all... to us and the Undying Lord's Defenders. However, he moon Titan is laced with shields and systems that will mask your presence in this reality. This will provide you with the ability to plan your next move undisturbed."]
"I appreciate the help, Alt!Vision, we all do. But, I'd like to know more about this... Machine Resistance." Star-Lord said.
["We, being sentient machines, are the only beings left in this universe capable of resisting the touch of the Many Angled Ones. By our nature, we are proofed against organic entropy."]
"So, are you saying that robots aren't really alive?" Star-Lord asked.
["I will resist engaging you in a debate about A.I. rights, Star-Lord."] Alt!Vision said as the group entered a fairly spacious circular room. ["For current purposes, artificial forms are life/death neutral."]
"In any case, you are all immune to the blight afflicting this universe." Thanos said. "But even mortal life should have been more resilient. The natural order has been fundamentally upset here. More profoundly than I ever managed to accomplish in my own reality. Life has either been empowered and enhanced, or--"
["Death has been killed."]
"I thought as much." Thanos said, his voice filled with disgust. "Show me how this was accomplished, Alt!Vision." Thanos said as the group approached a computer. "ISAAC? I presume you are keyed to my voice commands here just as you are on my Titan?"
A face appeared on the large screen above the computer keyboard.
["Your question is anticipated, Thanos. An autobio has been prepared."] The computer said.
"The heck's an ISAAC?" Rocket Raccoon asked as Thanos sat in a chair in front of the computer.
"Integral Synaptic Anti-Anionic Computer. It runs Titan." Gamora explained.
"He's just
taking over." Drax whispered to Star-Lord who was standing next to him.
"He's the specialist, Drax. Let him get on with this." Star-Lord whispered back.
"You're an idiot, Quill. You don't even know what he's 'getting on with.' He's gonna kill a universe that
can't die? Then what? Why stop at
one?" Drax hissed.
"These are very special circumstances. You know that, Drax." Star-Lord frowned.
"And you're a very special kind of stupid. He's
Thanos. If he decides to flip flop, how are you going to stop him?" Drax said.
"I'll think of something."
"
I'm something. Let me do what I was created to do before it's too late, dammit!" Drax said.
Star-Lord looked him straight in the eyes and simply said, "No."
Gamora bent forwards, placed her hands next on the computer, to the right of Thanos. "What have you found?"
"An unexpected symmetry. And it's name is Mar-Vell."
Normal Space, the Wreck of Thanos's Sanctuary
"Show me." A projection appeared in between Alt!Quasar and Alt!Mar-Vell, showing this universe's Captain Mar-Vell.
"Lord Mar-Vell, the research I coonducted in preparation for your arrival here revealed a simple discontinuity." Alt!Quasar said.
"He died, didn't he, Vaughn? The Mar-Vell in this universe allowed himself to die.""His acceptance of Death was seen as selfless and courageous, Lord. He died as he lived, as one of their most celebrated heroes. Ironically, he died of cancer. He was beloved, like you. Admired even by his enemies. Like you. When the shocking diagnosis was made, every effort was expended to change the prognosis. The highest science, even sorcery, was employed." The projection changed, showing Mar-Vell on his death bed, surrounding a multitude of his closest friends as well as heroes who respected him. "As in your case, the Kree-forged Nega-Bands, the source of your power, were the stumbling block. At that point, the great and good of this insipid universe simply gave up on him, and allowed him to pass out of Life's realm as though it was something noble and valuable. They were too busy worrying about how sad they were supposed to look to even
begin to explore other options."
Titan, the Cancerverse
"In this universe, the Chthonic entities had already begun to extend their unspeakable influence. Mar-Vell's terminal condition caused much distress amongst his peers and the global populations who adored him. Something felt the emphatic trauma. It felt it, and responded with an offer to solve the problem." Thanos scowled and his eyes began glowing. "Something beckoned from the cosmic shadows and showed the dying Mar-Vell one simply truth. '
Even Death may die.'"
"Mar-Vell brought this on his universe? That's arrant nonsense!" Mantis protested.
"Is it
really, Mantis?" Thanos asked.
"Mantis is right. Even dying, even scared and judgement-impaired by pain meds, Mar-Vell would never make such a gross--" Gamora began.
"Of course. And next you'll say he had all those worthy friends around him to prevent his lapses." Thanos interrupted. "I told you, the influence of the Chthonic Gods was already much greater in this universe than it is in ours. The slip was so much
easier to make. So much
easier to justify. ISAAC, play back what you showed me."
["Playback begins."] The video feed of the screen showed Alt!Mar-Vell on his deathbed, surrounded by his friends and the heroes who respected him.
"We have failed you, Captain Mar-Vell. It's all so unfair." Alt!Captain America said.
"Do not grieve, my friends." Alt!Mar-Vell said. "Hope is not lost."
"Mar-Vell, we have tested the very limits of science." Alt!Iron Man said.
"Magic is also powerless in the face of your cancer." Alt!Scarlet Witch said.
"We can make you comfortable, but--" Alt!Reed Richards began.
"But life can make me life." Alt!Mar-Vell interrupted. "Give me your hands." A number of them did so, believing Mar-Vell to simply be rambling as a way to cope with his own death. "Life can make me live, and then I can share that greater Life with all of you. The future's so beautiful... so beautiful..." A flash of light exploded outwards, engulfing the screen.
["Playback ends."] ISAAC said.
The Guardians team collectively stared at the screen in disbelief at what had occurred-- Drax in particular clearly the most shocked. Alt!Vision gestured to the screen. ["Once Mar-Vell's closest allies were transmuted, a ritual was performed. The ritual was called the Necropsy. Many of us fought to prevent it as hard as we are now fighting its consequences. The Necropsy ceremonially sacrificed Death's Avatar and thus annihilated Death itself. It also fully released the Many Angled Ones into our plane of existence. There is always a hidden price to these things."]
"Exactly!" Drax said.
"Shut up, Drax." Star-Lord said. "What are the Many-Angled Ones?" He asked ISAAC.
["Primordial cosmic entities that inhabit the spaces between universes. Some say they are just memory-echoes of the nightmares that plagued the very first demons. There are ancient, pestilential ghoul-worlds in dying realities still devoted to their worship. They were the first beings ever to grow truly old. They--"]
"Okay, I think we got the idea." Rocket interrupted.
"ISAAC, where was the Necropsy ritual conducted?" Thanos asked.
["Aboard the Starship stronghold of this universe's Death Avatar. Aboard Sancturary."]
Normal Space. Starship Sanctuary
"The search for the Avatar continues, Lord Mar-Vell." Alt!Iron Man said, standing next to Alt!Mar-Vell inside of a circular room. The two stood on a balcony that was roughly 30 feet from the ground and circled the entire room. They looked down at the floor below, looking at their prisoners who had been gathered in the room and watching as Alt!Giant-Man brought the final prisoner into it. "Further anomalous individuals have been captured and await your examination, but I personally doubt any of them is the one we seek."
Alt!Mar-Vell sighed.
"We can't perform the Necropsy without the Avatar, Anthony. Do not tax my patience.""Undying Lord." A voice called from above. Alt!Scarlet Witch landed next to Alt!Marvel. "We're had word of an incident back on our side of the Fault a few hours ago. A team of Defenders engaged something. Contact was lost thereafter. There was a brief suggestion of an anomalous trace. With your permission, I'd like to take a detachment of Revengers back by Yot-Soteric transfer to investigate."
"Agreed. See to it. Maybe we will get lucky and find a lead towards the Avatar of Death." Alt!Marvel said, walking away.
"Ftaghn!" Alt!Iron Man cursed. "Trying to ingratiate yourself as
favorite?"
"I'm only doing what you should have done, Star." Alt!Scarlet Witch snapped back, her eyes glowing red. "Captain America! Hawkeye! Wasp! War Machine! With me!"
Frontline: The Fault
"The Galactus Engine is tearing through everything we have. And, though admittedly it's hard to tell, even the Abstracts appear to be in retreat." Quasar said. He turned to face the Allied Council primarily made up of the leaders of the races present defending the Fault. About two hours after the appearance of the Galactus Engine, they decided to regroup on the moon of a planet in a system near the Fault.
"We will not go down this way. The Kree Stellar Empire has persisted too long to fall to a toxic otherness that injects itself into our reality." Medusa said.
"Well said, my queen!" Gorgon agreed.
"Yes, fine words, Medusa, for an upstart Monarch who only
lately usurped her throne." Blastaar snidely remarked.
"Your insolence is suicidal, Blastaar!" Gorgon said, charging at him.
Gladiator got between the two, holding them back with one arm each. "A certain measure of
respect would--"
"So says the leader of the Queen's Shi'ar lackeys." Blastaar snarled.
A bright light washed over them from above, causing the group to stop their arguing and look up at Jamal descending down. "Enough." Jamal landed and walked to the middle of the group. I thought we learned something over the last few years. Yeah, let's just spend the rest of the afternoon fighting each other while our
universe dies. We can't outright fight them. You kill them, soon enough they just come back for more. We have to be smarter to fight them. Even worse is that this is clearly not a straightforward invasion. Sure, they're trying to establish a foothold, but they're up to something more behind the scenes."
"Nova's right." Quasar said. "The enemy has been systematically capturing particular individuals for unknown reasons."
"Unfortunately, we don't know
what. However, we do know
where." Jamal said.
"How?" Medusa asked.
"I was right next to the first Abstract to fall when the Galactus Engine exited the Fault, your Majesty. I was caught up in a pulse of psychometric energy. The Abstract... it sensed me, and it communicated something to me with its dying thoughts. In that brief second, it shared with me its cosmic awareness and I saw Major Victory--one of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Major Victory had joined me and the other Nova Corps members at the Fault to fight the invading forces, but he was captured for some reason. I saw where he's being held prisoner. It's a long way from the Frontline, and we can't spare much of our strength from the main fight. Therefore, I'm proposing a strike mission made up of a select few members to hit them hard and fast. Maybe if we deal with the masterminds behind the aforementioned underlying activities, we can finish this war without having to fight the other universe directly."
"So then, do you know who you want for this mission, Nova?" Medusa asked.
"Of course I do, ma'am." Jamal grinned. "It's time we reform the
Annihilators."
...
Jamal looked up above him as he watched a figure fly down to the deck of the Inhuman/Kree Imperial Flagship. "Nice of you to make it, Beta Ray." Jamal said as Beta Ray Bill landed on the deck in front of him and shook his hand.
"Of course. I could never refuse such an important call to arms." Beta Ray replied.
"Worldmind, calculate the Stargate parameters required to drop all six of us right on the target's doorstep. I don't want them seeing us until the last moment. The element of surprise will be key here." Jamal said.
["The computations will take a moment, Jamal. The stargate needs to be calibrated to handle beings of extremely varied and unusual power-profiles."]"I'll say." Jamal said, looking through the group gathered around him, including Silver Surfer, Ronan, Gladiator, Quasar, and of course Beta Ray Bill.
"You've changed so much these past few years, Jamal." Quasar said. "I couldn't imagine the you from years ago taking charge like you did back there."
"Yeah, well, the Annihilation War taught me plenty, Wendell. We can't slack off. Not even for a second, or we're done." Jamal said. Then he sighed. Despite his demeanor on the outside, he was truly worried that the group would fail, despite the number of powerhouses he was bringing with him. Of course, one question popped into the back of his mind as a result of wishing they had another ace-in-the-hole with them: where the hell was Karnilla?
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
A flaming ball of energy soared through the Milky Way Galaxy. It's origin was Earth. It crossed the distance from the planet to the edge of the galaxy, and continued. It crossed 23 more galaxies before hitting a sun in the 24th. The sun exploded--it's energy violently expanding outwards. Suddenly, the energy stopped expanding and began rapidly converging in on its center.
"Ah, jeez, he's absorbing the sun." Karnilla said as she and Dr Strange came to a halt, having followed the object from it's travel to Earth to this distant galaxy.
"You hit him with a magically constructed giant bat." Strange said. "Did you really expect precision control from such a blunt tool?" Strange was then hit with a beam of energy fired from Shuma-Gorath's eye, who had finished absorbing the energy of the sun. Once the attack was over, however, Strange was unscathed, having been protected by the auto-shield created by the Eye of Agamotto.
Shuma-Gorath fired another blast at Strange, this one noticeably more powerful. Karnilla jumped in between the two and met his blast with her own blast of magical energy being expelled out of her right hand. The two stood at a stalemate for a brief second, their clash bending the very space around them. In her left hand, her book was summoned and immediately four clones of herself appeared around Shuma-Gorath.
They each fired at Shuma-Gorath. He responded by spinning his tentacles around him and deflected each of the blasts, sending them flying in different directions--each wiping out roughly a dozen solar systems. Karnilla looked at Strange, who raised an eyebrow. "I'll fix them later." Karnilla shrugged.
Strange sighed and reached his hands out. From them emerged the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, which quickly rapped around Shuma-Gorath and restrained him--rending him unable to move. Karnilla took the opportunity to fire the same magical blasts as previously from herself and her four clones at Shuma-Gorath.
However, rather than actually doing noticeable damage to the demon, the energy began converging on him and, like a vacuum, it poured into him. Furthermore, energy raced past Karnilla and Strange from behind, also converging upon Shuma-Gorath and becoming absorbed. "
Enough. You cannot stop me. Everything will become mine."
"Well, he has a point." Karnilla said, watching Shuma-Gorath grow in size in correspondence to the amount of energy he absorbed. "We can't fight him here, he's just going to absorb everything we throw at him."
"Hold on." Strange said before making a gesture and saying an incantation. "Let the all-seeing eye come forth and stop the endless flow of time."
A large, glowing eye appeared behind Strange. "As Agamotto grants this request." Time halted to a stop, and both Shuma-Gorath and the energy he was absorbing were frozen. "Alright, so, what do you propose we do?"
"Well, we could always banish him, but that won't work. He already has a foothold in this universe." Karnilla said, stroking her chin.
"Indeed. If we banish him, he'll simply come back. Furthermore, that--" Strange pointed to Shuma-Gorath. "--is merely the equivalent to a fingernail scratching at our reality. It's the tiniest piece of himself that he can physically manifest in this plane of existence. Destroying him will take time, which will allow him to absorb magical energy and reconstruct himself physically. Our only option is to destroy him on the astral level as well."
Karnilla snapped her fingers. "I got it! We take him somewhere where his influence is significantly reduced."
"And what, specifically, do you have in mind for this location?" Strange asked, prompting Karnilla to grin mischievously.
...
Mephisto sat upon his throne, sipping wine from a golden chalice and listening to the wails and screams of the souls of the dead. They pierced not only one's eardrums, but also disrupted the harmony of one's very soul. Their howls were largely incomprehensible in a general sense, though should living mortals find themselves in this Realm, most would be able to make out phrases here and there. However, no two people would hear the same thing. Some would believe that they were listening to the pained cries of a deceased friend, family memory, or lover, while others would believe that they were listening to the howls of total strangers trying to curse their souls in order to trade places with them.
Suddenly, the dimensional walls of the Realm were ripped through. Mephisto, as he was taking a sip from his wine, jolted out of his throne and did a spit take as he watched Shuma-Gorath barrel into his Realm.
"W-What the--Who?! H-how?!" Mephisto stammered. Then, Karnilla and Doctor Strange entered through the rip in his Realm.
"Yo, Mephisto!" Karnilla called with a smile. "We're gonna use your Realm for a bit."
The Cancerverse, Titan
"The Necropsy must be reversed." Thanos said, placing his elbows on the computer and joining his hands together in front of his jaw.
["This is also the conclusion shared by the Resistance."] Vision agreed. ["However, it is a feat beyond us. It is a ritual that can only be performed by an Avatar of Death."]
"It is a good thing that I'm here, then. The venue must be the same as the one used originally, of course." Thanos said.
["Transporting you to the location where the Necropsy was performed will be a challenge. We have a method for getting you there quickly and undetected, but it will take a few hours to prepare."]
"That's nice and all, but we don't have a few hours, Vision. We need to think of something better. Show us where it's located." Star-Lord said, moving next to Vision in front of the computer.
"The moment is upon us, Drax." Thanos said, turning to face the Destroyer. "You've been murmuring threats ever since we were reunited. If I am to embark upon this considerable task, I don't want to be wasting my time with you." Thanos stormed at Drax until he was mere inches away from him. "So if you've got something to say, just say it!"
Drax raised his large weapon and fired it at Thanos, hitting him square in the chest and sending him flying at the wall behind him. "Something to say? Something to say?! I've got nothing to
say."
Star-Lord immediately turned. "Drax, what are you doing?1 Cease fire! Mantis, Cosmo, keep them apart!" He shouted as Drax continued unloading on Thanos, doing no damage to him and merely serving as an annoyance.
"I can't, peter! Thanos has recovered too much power and he's evolved way beyond my capacity to mindlock!" Mantis exclaimed.
"And Cosmo is not beink able to mindlock Drax either! Green nutjob is psychic screened!" Cosmo said.
"So... which one do I shoot? Never thought I'd say this, but I'm leaning towards Drax, personally." Rocket remarked.
Thanos got up and smacked Drax's weapon away from him. "You never did quire live up to your job description, did you,
Destroyer?" Thanos said, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the last word.
Drax suddenly took out a circular device and placed it on Thanos's chest. "Who cares how long the job takes, provided it gets done? Tore your heart out last time.
That wasn't enough. So I came fully loaded this time." The device began beeping, counting down towards something. "Close-focus anti-matter charge." Thanos howled as the anti-matter was discharged throughout his body and his body was differentiated.
"Drax, what the Flask have you done?!" Rocket shouted.