Without any need for monologues, I rushed into the heart of the Sleeping Celestial, Tiamut.
Celestials were like robots, all programmed with a specific set of instructions to carry upon their emergence. Their existence were iffy at best since even I could tell that this current universe has been destroyed time and time again so things beyond its current predation were beyond my omniscience, but only as they stay away from the universe. Extended stay in this universe would only allow me to fully analyze everything even without me actively doing it myself.
As I submerged myself within the budding consciousness of Tiamut, I started seeing the lines that extended from him to the other Celestials – a communication link of sorts. Unlike the preconceived notions of newborns, the Celestials were anything but.
Tiamut as he was, though incomplete, was already aware of the wider multiverse and his duty as a Celestial. His knowledge might even rival mine but the only thing that was missing was the energy needed to birth himself.
Even now I could see his connection to the billions of souls on this planet, one that was importantly needed for his emergence.
When truly taken into perspective, the Celestials were the very keepers of life and continuity in the multiverse. What is the billions of Earth when compared to the benefit of a another Celestial in the multiverse? It might seem heartless of me to say this but that was the truth. But what do I care about the truth?
If it were another planet that was destined to go boom when the dreaming autobot woke up then no one would care, I wouldn't for sure but I guess double standards and all that.
I drew in all of my consciousness and wrapped it around the bright light that was Tiamut's.
"Who are you?" A deep voice sounded as soon as my consciousness made contact with his.
"Name's Draul, not that it would matter that much."
"It wouldn't. You are not human, are you?" Tiamut asked. Hell I don't even know what I am at this point.
"You're right."
We both fell into a silence that would have been awkward had we been on the surface but since both of us were above awkwardness, we both chilled.
"I would advise you to go back from whence you came. It will bode you no fortune should you get in the way of a Celestial." The way he spoke, the calmness one would expect of a child when they woke up, still under the influence of a sweet sleep.
"Unfortunately, I can't. I need to absorb you in order to survive so… no hard feelings?"
The place rumbled with what I would call dissatisfaction. "This is your last warning. Turn back."
What was I expecting? He might be one of the reasonable Celestials but it's not like I was in the business of finding reasonable people. While I had no quarrel with Tiamut, it was not like I could actually persuade him to just let me eat him, now could I?
The Celestials were as much as a paragon of evolution as someone could ever be but it-
"Tell me, Draul, what is it that makes you seek my power?"
"I don't want to die… yet. Seriously man, can you believe it? Someone yanked me into this universe and set me up against some super godly beings and now I'm battling for my life. I mean I wouldn't be whining about it all that much but now I have people with me that don't want to see me die. And for that I will need your power." I sat cross-legged before the consciousness that was the identity of Tiamut.
"I see. I can sense a universe within you… why would you need my power if you already have something like that at your disposal."
Say what now?
"And not just one universe, but several. You are more powerful than you think of yourself." The consciousness came forth and I was immediately on my guard.
"… The Infinity Stones, I see." It looked as if it was probing me, a surface probe, but a probe nonetheless. I was ready to retaliate any moment if he continued doing whatever it was that he was but he pulled back his probe.
"… Infinity. You sure are interesting for a human." It might just be me but Tiamat sure was interesting. My impression of the Celestials was of some Optimus Prime no-nonsense type behavior and not the curiosity I was feeling from this one.
"It's not that surprising is it? I did absorb the [Infinity] from the stones after all." I said. I knew what he was saying but it was not feasible, at least not to the degree he was insinuating at.
"That's where the misconception comes in. Infinity in the truest sense can never die. There are ways to defeat the Abstract Entity, but what makes it Infinity will always exist in the universe, merely transferring its essence from its coagulation to the one who usurps it… exactly as you have done."
The space around us changed and before me was a golden titan of a Celestial, one that easily dwarfed Earth. I didn't increase my size to match his because at my level size really didn't matter.
"So you are trying to say that despite the fact that I'm not at my limit, there are still ways I can increase it? Like let's say… to the level of a Celestial?" I gestured to him as I said that.
"Please, even Infinity Stones have their limits."
"Is that sarcasm?"
"I'm constantly learning. How can we stand at the pinnacle of intelligence if we don't continue learning?"
We continued our light banter in Tiamut's space and I have to admit that this Celestial was kinda cool.
"So, Infinity Stones. How can I make the most out of it? In case you're out of the loop, there's a fuckfest brewing out there and you won't be able to make it in time. I need power to stay alive until I no longer can. So, ideas?" I laid out my predicament as easily as I could for the Celestial before me to give his help.
"The Infinity Stones aren't just some free giveaway that manages to appear in every universe that works on its aspects. The name [Infinity] is a dead giveaway to the potential one can have if they ever managed to use it to the limits of its ability, which is…"
"… Limitless."
"Exactly. Each universe, each string of alternatives, in the multiverse are connected to one another in one way or the other. What makes you think otherwise of the Infinity Stones, and why do you think they stop working if they leave their home universe?" His four golden eyes bore into me as he asked me what I think is essentially the million dollar question equivalent.
I sat on the palm of his wide hands and pondered hard on what that meant, what it connotes.
Despite the fact that I was nigh-omniscient in my home universe, secrets of the multiverse were still a mystery that I was constantly trying to unveil.
…
[Indian Ocean Shore]
The group of five sat on the ground while they watched the wave of the Indian Ocean washing on and off the shore.
"I just lost him, not that finding him when he's even here is any easier." Nat groaned as the last signal she could pinpoint of Draul just disappeared.
It wasn't until after she started getting used to her ability that she knew just how much stronger Draul was. Different from the others, she was very attuned with energy and she was also the first one to know that even though they were very strong, all it would take was a thought, not an action, but a thought to completely erase them.
If they were to be compared to bright lights and Ororo being a huge lamp, then Draul would be a sun. Overshadowing them in every single way of their being.
When she had tried reading his energy to maybe get a clue on the way he manipulated his, she was shocked to find out that the very way she manipulated energy was exactly the same way Draul did his, which normally would have been impossible according to what she had learnt.
It was also the same thing with Bucky, Steve, Yelena, and Ororo. In fact even the Masters of the Arts she had learnt from were all the same; Draul manipulated energy the very same way they all did, down to the 'T'.
What made that discovery frightening was when she finally realized WHY it was frightening.
The only way someone could identically manipulate energy was if they were you or if they were the perfect copy of yourself down to your atoms and your path of thought. And that was exactly what Draul was doing.
His energy was without form and it was your perception of it that gave it the form it takes.
Possessing the power of all Infinity Stones would make one omnipotent, according to what she had read. Having total control of the past, present, future and everything that exists within the universe, both living and nonliving.
If that was truly the case, then Draul was everything that she could see and feel. The sun, the moon, the air and everything in between.
He was everyone in the universe. Or rather, everyone in the universe was an extension of him.
She had been hit with the worst case of depression when she had found that out and only the constant bickering of Bucky and Yelena had managed to get her out of it.
It made her feel like with every step they took, Draul took a hundred more.
"Someone's coming." Natasha's musings were cut short with Steve's words and truly, someone was coming.
A man flew with impressive speed towards where they were all camping and landed in front of them, confrontational in intent.
"What can we help you with, pal?" Yelena was the first one to break the stare off as she approached him with relaxed ease, a complete lie to those easily fooled.
Bucky and Ororo were the only ones who didn't react in anyway to the arrival of the man. Both looked unbothered with his appearance as they both focused all their attention on the ocean in front of them.
"Who are you people?" He asked, a scowl on his face most likely due to the nonchalance a part of the crowd was showing him.
"We're just some random campers. Is there a problem with that?" Yelena asked, a little bit confrontational with the man but who cares?
"I'm going to ask you to vacate the premise… or I'll make yo-"
"If you know what's good for you, just leave. This doesn't concern you… Eternal." Bucky's no-nonsense voice cut short Ikaris' speech, something the old immortal didn't like.
In accordance to Bucky's words, Ikaris' eye blazed yellow with intense heat. "I'll say it once. Leave."
Bucky gave him a look, one that bit deep into his beating heart, before turning his gaze away and focusing back on the ocean.
Having enough, Ikaris sped forth towards Bucky in a bid to grab the man by the throat only to find his arm stuck a few centimeters away from Bucky's neck.
"Hands… off."
BOOOOM!
He found himself being flung away without even knowing what happened to him.
Reorienting himself, he took to the air only to find Natasha appearing out of nowhere and grabbed him by the neck. "You should have left when you had the chance." He tried to hit her but all he felt this hand hit was water which caused a ripple effect in the air.
Without wasting any time, he blasted light beams from his eyes in order to make the woman let go but the grip around his neck didn't lessen in any way and his beam divided itself the moment it got close to her skin.
Raising him higher, Natasha brought him down to the ground with a heavy slam that turned the nearby rocks to tiny pieces of stone only for purple lightning to hit him before he could take in another breath.
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