Chapter 25: Where Ego, We Go
The planet was like something out of a fairy tale. The sunset cast a magical orange glow over everything. The planet's surface was covered in lush green plant life. Rock spires rose hundreds of feet into the air, thriving green bushes and trees hanging off them as if draping them in their natural coverings. Waterfalls cascaded from some of these pillars, reflecting the sunlight off in glints.
The cry of some alien bird life rose into the early morning sky. "Wow," Leo breathed. "So . . . magical."
"Aye, Leonardo," Thor said. "In truth, I had not seen this much splendor since my vision of the halls of Valhalla."
The group stood in awe at the paradise before them, taking a moment to marvel at the planet's beauty. Fugitoid activated his built-in terrain mapper, scanning the surrounding area as a 3-D model of the terrain appeared on his HUD. "There appears to be some kind of structure built several miles to the west," he said. "Scanners indicate some kind of life. That's the place to head."
A sudden whooshing noise filling the air caught their attention suddenly. In the air above them, a silver streak appeared in the air, flying quickly across the sky. "What the heck is that?" Donnie asked.
"I don't know," Nova said. "But I have a feeling it's not good."
The streak was followed by another blur, moving at about the same speed. Fugitoid enhanced his optical sensors, using his robotic vision to zoom in on the two. The silver streak was a male figure riding what appeared to be a surfboard, both a radiant glint of silver. The other blur was an older man flying at almost the speed of sound, dressed in worn brown traveler's clothes, with a grey cape hanging from his neck that matched his bushy grey beard and wavy hair. His eyes sparked an intense blue as he extended his arm and fired off a blast of blue light energy that struck the surfer head on. The surfer fell off his board, and both plummeted from the sky, striking the ground. As Fugitoid watched, the older figure dove from the sky towards where the surfer had crashed.
"Not good at all, I'm afraid," he said grimly. "Let's hurry."
Using Donnie's map, the group reached an ornately designed castle by nightfall. As they approached the door, the ground in front of them began shimmering, and a figure of blue light began to construct itself by gathering molecules around it. "Who dares step foot on the surface of Ego the Living Planet?" a voice boomed, as the figure finished its construction. It was the older man Fugitoid had seen earlier.
"I am Professor Zayton Honeycutt," Fugitoid began. "We are humble travelers, and—"
"You have trespassed on my sovereignty!" Ego boomed. Clouds began to gather overhead, and his eyes sparked a fiery blue as massive light tentacles sprouted from each of his hands, like energy whips.
The group drew their weapons, ready for a fight. In an instant, the tentacles disappeared and the skies became clear again. Ego began laughing. "I'm just kidding, guys!" he roared. "You should have seen the looks on your faces."
Cosmo whined, sticking his tail between his legs. "Joke is not funny," the dog said.
The group put their weapons away as Ego continued to laugh, a nervous tension filling them. "Strangers!" he said. "Welcome to Ego. Please apologize for the theatrics; I don't get many visitors often. It's also not every day that my planet warrants the attention of the king of Asgard," he added, looking curiously at Thor.
"Not king yet," Thor said. "That would be my father."
"Oh, sorry," said Ego. "I'm not up to date on Asgardian politics."
"Our world has been destroyed," said Sif. "To restore it, we need a power source that we seem to have tracked to your planet. An anulax battery."
Ego's demeanor changed at the words "anulax battery." "I'm sorry, travelers, but I know nothing of any 'anulax battery' here," he said. "But, I do need your help. And if you agree, I can give you what you seek."
"What is it you require?" asked the Fugitoid.
Ego motioned them inside the palace. Leo and Donnie marveled at the hall's exquisite interior decoration. Paintings and murals covered every wall, made of gold and inlaid with precious gemstones. Two snow-white pods sat on either edge of the entrance, and as they walked toward one it lit up, displaying an image of a planet eons ago, drifting in space.
"It is known by many names," Ego said. "But most call it Galactus. The Devourer of Worlds. It must feed on energy to survive, both thermal and organic."
As the heroes watched on screen, a dark funnel cloud appeared before the planet, and the world grew dark as pieces of it began to break off, being sucked whole into the creature's gaping maw. Cosmo whined nervously again. And understandable; even here as a hologram, it was a chilling sight.
"I have used the cosmic energy to hide from this monster for eons, but now he is coming," Ego said, as the screen went blank. "Now I need your help. Help me to defeat Galactus, and I will do anything you wish."
Thor stepped forward. "How long before that—" he pointed at the screen "—reaches this planet?"
"2 days, by my calculations," Ego said. "I'd advise you all get some rest in the palace's quarters. Tomorrow we'll start to plan."
Sif awoke in the middle of the night. The nightmares were back. Lately she'd been plagued with dreams of Asgard burning, Surtur's raucous laughter echoing in her ears as he held up the head of King Odin Borson. Loki's armies were advancing on Earth, and she was powerless to stop it.
A walk would clear her head. She stood and left her elegant room, moving to the outside path that wound its way around the gardens. The fresh air felt amazing against her exposed skin.
She rounded a corner and froze, the sight startling her. One of Leonardo's katana swords was buried point-down in the ground, and he stood balancing on its hilt, holding the other sword between his palms as he meditated in utter silence and focus. He looked fairly occupied. She wouldn't bother him.
She moved on through the garden, deep in thought. Leonardo's affection for her was painfully obvious. But what did he see in her? She wasn't a woman who possessed a personality that knew how to deal with these emotions. She was too cynical, too harsh, to love. Wouldn't Leo be better off with a woman who would woo him?
Sif wasn't love material, nor did she know anything about the subject. She kept herself secluded for just that reason: it was better not to try and never get hurt. Or hurt someone else . . . like Thor.
Sif breathed heavily for a moment, and then felt her resolve harden. No. She would not allow Leonardo to love her. She would continue their friendship because she was a woman of honor, but that was it. Never mind how complete she always felt in his presence . . . or how secure his embrace made her feel. His warm, strong body pressed against hers—
This is madness! What am I, a schoolgirl? There's a war for Asgard on and I have a job to do. I don't have the time or energy for this! I should just tell Leo to—
She saw something move a short distance away. She thought, Maybe my eyes are getting tired? Moving forward, she peered into the darkness.
There it was again. A flicker of blue light, coming from a long skinny window near the ground on one of the palace's windows. She crouched down beside it. The glass was thick, and the images inside were blurry. But she could clearly see Ego, as well as a second figure that seemed to be restrained.
She didn't trust Ego. She had to find out what was going on. Making her way into the palace, she found a stairway leading to the basement level. By the time she got there, Ego was gone. But there was a man down there, or a being of some kind. He had no hair, and every visible inch of him was coated in a silvery laminate. He was restrained by a large tilting table that kept his arms pinned to his sides.
The man looked up as she entered. "Please . . ." he gasped.
"Who are you?" Sif asked.
"I am the Silver Surfer," the figure replied weakly. "Herald to Galactus, Devourer of Worlds."
"Then I know why you're here," Sif said. "How do we stop your master from making Ego his lunch?"
"My board," the Surfer whispered.
"What does Ego want with it?"
"Ego . . . using the Power Cosmic . . . to harness the power of Galactus . . ."
A doorway somewhere slammed open. Sif had to go. She placed her hand on the Silver Surfer's arm. "I will come back and free you," she whispered. "I promise."
She turned to leave—and found herself face to face with Ego. "Oh, on the contrary, love," he said, raising a finger to her temple. "You will do no such thing." His eyes flickered blue, and Sif dropped to the ground, unconscious. Ego picked her up and returned her to her room. In the morning she would wake and forget everything.
He couldn't afford to kill her now; it would attract suspicion. And he needed their help. For now.
The Fugitoid's internal clock set a timer for Galactus's estimated time of arrival. During those five hours, the heroes worked feverishly to come up with a plan. Galactus was a being of immense cosmic power, so they would need to hit him with everything they had. Thor, Nova, and Ego would be the heavy hitters, and the rest of the team would provide coordination and air support in the Ulixes, Fugitoid's destroyed ship, which Ego had rebuilt using his molecular manipulation powers.
Cosmo, Fugitoid, Sif, Donnie, and Leo sat in the Ulixes, floating in the upper atmosphere of Ego's planet. Thor and Nova flew alongside the planet. Ego was on the surface, using his planet's energy to fight in the battle.
"Everyone in position?" Fugitoid asked into the intercom.
"Thor and I are ready," Nova radioed back.
"As am I," said Ego's avatar, on the surface of the planet.
"Alright then," said Fugitoid. "Remember, Ego will need to hold Galactus back with his power for as long as he can. If Galactus gets too close, then Thor and Nova will have to give him everything they've got. The rest of us won't be able to do much, but we'll do anything we can."
Leo and Sif sat side-by-side. Sif was fidgeting nervously; Leo could tell she wanted to be in the action and not sitting on the sidelines. But they would be useless against a planet-eating Celestial, which was why they were up here in the Ulixes. Cosmo was using his telepathic abilities to mask their presence from being detected by Galactus. The ship's cloaking system wasn't perfect, but they were hoping that combined with Cosmo's powers, Galactus would just pass them right by.
Something beeped on one of the monitors. "Cosmic mass detected!" Donnie announced.
Galactus had passed this way before. Nothing remained, save silent desolation. And yet, Galactus sensed a subtle wave of thought, a dim but probing aura of vast intelligence.
Galactus had to learn more. What Galactus knew, Galactus could destroy. Only within the vast unknown did danger dwell.
At the galaxy's perimeter a dark shape formed, firing a bolt of force. Never had Galactus beheld insolence so great and abysmal. Galactus knew not who Galactus's foe might be, but he must be swiftly brought to task. None had cause to attack Galactus.
Galactus bore malice to no living being. Galactus only slayed that Galactus might survive. Like all who lived, Galactus had to have food. Galactus must not starve. Was Galactus to be faulted for the appetite Galactus bore? The big and the small ate what they must. As for Galactus, naught but a world could assuage Galactus' gnawing hunger.
Galactus approached the dark form. What wonderment now loomed ahead? Ego, the long-hidden Living Planet.
Ego's avatar stood on the surface of his planet, staring up at the clouding skies which grew dark as Galactus approached. "So!" Ego said. "Although I sought to conceal myself, Galactus has found me, at last. Turn back, Galactus! Here, I am the will. And I am the power!"
Ego the Living Planet spoke to Galactus of power? Ego was but a sentient bioverse. Though he did truly live and think and act, still he was a planet. A giant grain of dust within the endless cosmos.
While he was Galactus. World Mover—and World Ravisher!
He was Galactus who could strike with the fire of a thousand suns!
A bolt of searing flame flew forth from the dark clouds of Galactus's cosmic form. In an instant Ego had ringed his planet with a force of solid cold to nullify the blast. The steam from the blast exploded outwards into space as Ego harnessed the power of his planet and fired another bolt of force from his planet that shattered the asteroids and moons around him.
The Ulixes began to shake violently as it was pummeled with debris. "Our spacecraft cannot endure the stress!" Fugitoid said, his fingers flying over the controls. Like a twig in a storm, the hapless ship hurled into space, to drift silently in and endless vacuum.
The heroes who had been thrown around inside, slowly got to their feet. "Everybody ok?" Leo asked.
"Yes," Cosmo barked, whining. "But Cosmo is fearink that ship's hydrospanners are beink damaged beyond repair."
"We're stuck here?" Donnie asked.
"I'm afraid so," Fugitoid said. "At least, until Thor or Nova can spare a second to come and get us back to the surface."
"It would appear that they are occupied for now," Sif said, moving to the viewport. The others joined her. Ego's planet was firing cosmic blasts from its "eyes" that disappeared and exploded inside Galactus's dark roiling mass. The Devourer pressed on, slowly, but surely.
Never before had Galactus faced power incalculable such as that of Ego. But never had the ultimate triumph not been Galactus's. For he was Galactus. The be-all and end-all was he. Galactus's was the power to harness the essence of shattered planetoids—and draw them together with a single burst of cosmic magni-force.
As Galactus drew closer to Ego's Planet, the shattered debris of the asteroids and moons began to come together in large clouds of space rock, connected by Galactus's will. The Ulixes found itself spiraling towards Galactus, drawn up in the Celestial's power.
"Hang on, everyone!" Fugitoid said, as the group grabbed for something to hold on to. Galactus hurled these clouds of asteroids back at Ego, with the power and impact of an endless swarm of meteors. Again and again the asteroid clouds struck Ego's planet, in ever-increasing measure and fury. Ego winced as his avatar was buried beneath a pile of rock.
At last, Ego speaks no more. Not even a world can stand against the will of Galactus!
But Ego was not done yet. From the planet's depths, monstrous living tentacles shot forth, seizing Galactus with the sudden speed of thought. Galactus, held in place by the giant light tentacles, continued to bombard Ego with shards of asteroids, and even great comets he lured from their flight in space using his Celestial powers.
The Ulixes hurtled through space and shattered into the ground, skipping over the planet's surface until the ship was torn to shreds. The occupants inside went flying. Leo awoke amidst the flaming wreckage of the Ulixes. It was dark, the skies almost pitch-black with Galactus's presence. The pain was enormous and there was blood everywhere. He looked to his right, to see Sif unconscious underneath a pile of rocks.
"Sif!" Leo tried to struggle to his feet but the pain from his back and his ribs was just too much, so he crawled as best as he could to Sif. "Hold on, Sif. I'm coming," he gasped. When he finally managed to pull himself into an upright position using the rock pile, he reached out and grabbed her hand.
Sif stirred and her eyes fluttered open. "Leonardo . . ." she gasped, drifting for a bit in and out of consciousness.
Leo shifted to try and move the rocks but gasped when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He couldn't move. It hurt too much, and he coughed up a mouth full of turtle blood. Oh, that's not good, he thought.
"Help!" he shouted. "Somebody!"
A figure appeared through the smoke ahead as Donnie and the Fugitoid ran towards him. Donnie knelt in front of Leo. "Leo!" he said, shaking his brother's arm gently. "You okay?"
"I'll live," Leo said, coughing up more blood. "Help . . . her . . ."
Fugitoid was there now as well, kneeling down to help Sif. "Lady Sif, can you hear me?" When there was no response, Fugitoid scanned her organic systems to make sure she was still breathing. It was labored, but steady, and he sighed in relief. But she was too injured for him to risk moving her, so he started pushing the rocks off of her unconscious form.
"Leo's got a punctured lung, Professor," Donnie said, panicking. "Without hot water and bandages, he won't last long."
"I know," said Fugitoid. He sent out a signal, an electromagnetic transmission from his android body, communicating an S.O.S. to the Knowhere station. The internal comm registered the transmission as incomplete. The Guardians hadn't picked up.
"Blast! The Guardians must have left Knowhere, I can't raise a signal!" Fugitoid said.
"Try calling their ship!" Donnie cried.
Fugitoid established contact with the Milano's transponder, and there was a beep. "Alright, I just sent them a message," Fugitoid said. "In the meantime, we'll have to work quickly to keep these two stable."
"Let Cosmo to be helpink, Comrade Honeycutt!" Cosmo came bounding through the wreckage to their side, his space helmet shattered and his astronaut dog uniform torn from the crash. He whined pitifully as he looked down at Leo and Sif. "Not good. Cosmo will havink to sedate Comrades Leonardo and Sif." Closing his eyes, his collar began glowing purple as he telepathically sedated the two, shutting down all bodily functions except the ones they needed to survive. "Comrades will be kept unconscious as long as Cosmo continuink to sedate them."
Meanwhile, Thor and Nova had joined in the battle. Thor's hammer lit up with lightning, crackling and roaring with a bludgeoning power beyond understanding. He flung it with all of his strength into the center of the dark maelstrom descending on the planet. The very heavens seemed to shudder from the awesome impact as Mjolnir struck Galactus's cosmic form.
Another had dared defy Galactus's will! For the first time in a millennium, Galactus's limbs tasted pain! He, who had the power to cause so monumental an affront, must forthwith perish. Such was the will of Galactus.
"Still he comes!" Thor cried as Mjolnir slapped back into his palm. "Not even enchanted Mjolnir could fell him with a single blow."
"Then we've got to keep striking!" Nova shouted. The two of them flew fast towards Galactus. Now it was Nova's turn to attack, unleashing a powerful blast of Nova force.
By a human-form gnat Galactus was beset. A gnat, mayhap, but with the power of a god. If such as these two gnats could be gods, then what was the great Galactus? What name must be given Galactus, who possessed power absolute?
Thor and Nova were caught up in a blast, hurtling them towards Ego with a force so strong it would kill them if they hit. They braced for impact, and were surprised as Ego moved below them to slow their fall.
The two landed hard, dazed but alive. As Thor struggled up, he saw Cosmo, Fugitoid, and Donatello knelt before Sif and Leo, and ran over. "Is everyone alright?" he asked, as Nova ran up as well.
"Cosmo's keeping them alive," Donnie said. "Ego brought you here, just as he brought us and our ship while you attacked Galactus."
"Then we stand together," Thor said, "as the final battle looms." They looked up at the sky, clouded over in a darkness almost absolute. Lightning struck the ground as Galactus prepared to unleash his fury on Ego the Living Planet.
"The wise man does not fight in vain," Fugitoid said. He looked sadly up at Thor and Nova. "While we might be doomed, maybe you two can still survive. You both can fly."
Nova clenched his jaw. "I never want to hear you talk like that again, Professor," he said through clenched teeth. "Do not speak of us escaping."
"Shall we survive, while others fall?" Thor asked. "Never!"
"Then it would appear we are at our journey's end," Fugitoid said, bowing his head. "Together we strived. And together, we die."
Donnie bowed his head. "Galactus has won," he realized sadly. "The ultimate victory."
Thor's eyes began to spark with lightning, as anger overtook him. "Never! Not while I'm still alive. The Son of Odin is not so simply vanquished. I still have Mjolnir, and the power which is greater than all. And, I have an idea. Quickly."
He began searching through the rubble of the Ulixes, grabbing sheet metal and pipes. "We need to build a stand for Mjolnir."
Donnie and Fugitoid pitched in, and in a matter of minutes they had built a small stand with a holster for Mjolnir. The hammer was laid inside, aimed up at the skies.
"Now, take cover, all of you," said Thor. "I am about to unleash force greater than you have ever known. Quickly!"
Fugitoid and Donnie grabbed Sif and Leo's unconscious forms, and together with Cosmo and Nova they ran for the palace. Thor, knowing what he was about to do, watched them retreat into the palace before he grabbed hold of Mjolnir's handle.
"In the name of Odin, I do thee grasp," he whispered, eyes closed in a prayer. "Now, while the thunder roars, and while the storm rages, let the godly strength of Thor be one with the hammer supreme." Lightning began to crackle around the air, coursing over the hammer and Thor's body as he continued to pray, "And, since such surging power must ever be released, at my command I hurl it forth that it may smite Galactus!"
Within the space of a single astro-second, a cataclysmic surge of Asgardian energy lashed out, engulfing Galactus with bands of bludgeoning waves of force. The waves hurled him helplessly back, from Ego's planetary form.
The agony grew every greater. It drained Galactus's strength as sunlight drained the dark. If Galactus did not flee, then Galactus would surely perish. And Galactus must not die.
Galactus's great mass turned to flee the planet. But as it did so, it was suddenly caught by a giant blue tentacle of light from Ego's surface, which wrapped it as a snake wrapped its prey. Galactus feebly tried to fight it off, but Thor's attack had drained him of energy.
Thor, meanwhile, had used every ounce of energy in his attack. His hand slid off of Mjolnir and he fell to the ground unconscious. The lightning force stopped the instant that Thor's hand left his hammer.
Fugitoid and Donnie looked up in shock as the palace around them began transforming into a colossal hollow cylinder, large enough to be seen from space. "What is that thing, Professor?" Donnie shouted as they ran from it. Cosmo telepathically lifted Sif and Leo into the air and carried them, running alongside Donnie. The ground began collapsing as the cylinder opened up the entire planet down to its core.
"By my calculations," Fugitoid gasped as he sprinted, "it's a giant collector. It seems to be gathering Galactus's cosmic energy and redirecting it to the planet's core. With every second Ego grows more powerful!"
Ego rose above the cylinder, laughing maniacally as the dark energy flowed steadily from Galactus's form and into Ego's core, strengthening the Celestial being. "At last!" Ego crowed in triumph. "I've never felt power like this before. At last, I can complete my purpose."
"Your purpose?" Donnie asked. "What are you talking about? You agreed to help us!"
"Over thousands of years I implanted thousands of extensions of myself on thousands of worlds. I need to fulfill life's one true purpose, to grow and spread, covering all that exists until everything is . . . me!" As Ego said "me", blue tentacles exploded out of the ground and grabbed the heroes, wrapping them up.
Donnie kicked and struggled, his eyes glaring fierce hatred at Ego. "We trusted you!" he shouted.
"And that was your first mistake," Ego laughed. "Now watch, as with the power of Galactus I will terraform the universe and rebuild it in my image!"
Suddenly shots fired from the sky struck Ego's avatar. He yelled as parts of his body were broken off to reveal his blue energy core, his true center. "Who dares?!" Ego roared as his body reconstructed itself.
"Hey, Dad," came a familiar voice. "You miss me?"
All eyes turned to the skies as the Milano streaked overhead in an orange blur, blasting "Action Woman" by The Litter from its PA system. The ship hovered in front of Ego, and the cockpit opened as Quill leaped from it, tackling Ego off of his perch into the cylinder.
Rocket hopped into the pilot seat and flew over to the heroes. Drax and Gamora leaped out, cutting the bonds and freeing their friends before helping them inside the ship. "You got my message!" Fugitoid cried. "Wonderful!"
"We have to get out of here before this whole system explodes," Gamora said.
"What about Comrade Quill?" Cosmo asked.
"He told us to leave, and that he would catch up!" Mantis said.
Donnie had dragged Leo and Sif to the table, knocking everything off and placing them on it. "We've got to stabilize them," he said, instantly taking charge. "Bring me masks, gloves, anything you have that's sterile!"
As the Guardians scrambled to respond, Rocket piloted the Milano out into space, away from the battle between Ego and Galactus.
Meanwhile, Peter was flying into Ego's core, holding Ego's avatar and smashing his father through chunks of rock. They struck the core with such force that it left a crater. Quill rolled over and stood up, looking around. Ego's giant machine was standing at the center of the planet, organically infused and connected to Ego's brain. A long silver surfboard was plugged into the machine. It looked like the surfboard was giving off some kind of energy that was powering the machine.
"What did you do?" Quill yelled at Ego as Ego's avatar struggled to its feet.
"I built this machine to steal Galactus's cosmic energy," Ego hissed as his body began reconstructing itself. "Now my powers are doubled. I can finally finish the Expansion."
His dad hadn't changed a bit. He was still the psychotic mass murderer that Quill remembered. "Can't you see all the people you're hurting?"
"You'll never understand," Ego spat. "You haven't suffered like I have! You're a Celestial, too; you should be on my side!"
"Like hell," Peter said, drawing his blasters and aiming them at Ego. "I won't let you do this."
Ego chuckled. "Save lives?" he asked. "Save all the millions of lives on the millions of planets my seeds have been planted on? Guarantee their future? Pretty weird for someone calling himself a 'guardian of the galaxy' to be talking like that, Peter."
"Cut the crap, Dad," Peter shouted. "You're not saving any lives. They'll serve as your slaves. Just extensions of you. You've manipulated everything. Brought me and my friends on this quest to get us where you wanted us. You did it before and you've done it now. This was about you. Not some greater cosmic purpose. This was only ever about restoring you to power and preserving your life. I won't let you do this."
Ego and Peter walked in a wide circle, never taking their eyes off of each other. Ego shook his head. "Humans are a shallow and crude species," he said wistfully. "Your qualities, like all humans, are many and poor. Except one. Your courage. Even in the face of this—" He gestured at the machine behind him "—you don't back down. The boy who was once too afraid to leave his own house, looking me in the eye and telling me to stop. Without any way of enforcing that demand." He smiled. "Idiotic? Hell yeah. But admirable. I wish—really—I had made you a part of this process from the start. You were only ever an uninvited guest along for the ride. And I'm sorry for that. I should have set a place for you. There's still time. Let me harness your phenomenal courage, along with my Celestial energy. Just say the word." He extended his hand towards Peter.
Peter sheathed one of his blasters, and for a moment Ego's expression brightened. Then Peter flipped off the Celestial with his free hand. "Screw you," he spat. "There's two words. I won't let you do this."
"Then stop me, son," Ego snarled. "Except you aren't my son anymore, are you? Your Celestial powers almost drained from the last time you tried to kill me. No possibility of recharge. Alone. You're just Peter Quill now, a very mortal human making empty threats to the face of God."
Peter yelled, running forward and blasting Ego's avatar into chunks. Two blue light whips appeared in his hands. He flung one at Peter, who dodged the attack. "Please!" Peter said, his voice cracking. "Think of the father you never were!"
"That man never existed," Ego snapped. "I am a god! You can't save me, Peter!" He swung the light whips again, but Peter dodged them, rolling until he had ducked under the whips and gotten close to Ego. Another light tentacle phased through Peter's chest, impaling him. Quill grunted as the tentacle froze him in place, incapacitating him. Ego smirked, getting close to Peter's face. "As I thought. Limitless stupidity, and absolutely nothing else. Goodbye, Peter."
Quill glared back. He tried to punch Ego again, but another light tentacle grabbed his wrist, and both dragged him down into the ground, pinning him to the floor. A third tentacle sprouted from the ground, and dove for Quill's head. Quill grabbed the tentacle in his hands, holding it back from phasing through his head. "Dad!" he pleaded. "Stop!"
Ego increased the pressure, and Quill couldn't hold on anymore. The tentacle pierced his head, entering his brain as it sent a surge of energy through his mind. Quill screamed; the pain was overwhelming. As Peter's vision glossed over, he noticed something. On Ego's neck, there was a small interface port that went down into his skin. The port contained a glowing yellow object that Quill recognized instantly. An anulax battery!
Now it all made sense. The battery was connected to Ego's avatar, which powered the machine that was giving him his powers. If he could get the battery, he would shut down the whole machine.
But to do that, he would have to do something that made him sick. Something emotionally hearbreaking. But he knew it was what he had to do. Looking his dad in the eye, he gasped, "I'm still . . . full of . . . surprises!" Reaching up, he pulled Ego in close, and grabbed hold of the anulax battery, yanking it from its socket.
Ego's eyes snapped open, and he immediately backed off, grabbing at his head. "No!" he shouted as the machine began to malfunction. "Nooooo!"
In a blast of dark energy, the machine exploded, releasing all of Galactus's cosmic power. The sudden power surge had destabilized Ego, and his cosmic powers were now gone. His avatar collapsed next to Peter, as parts of him began crumbling into dust.
Coughing, Ego turned to face Peter. "Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong, Peter," he said, grimacing. "I'm not going to lie here and weep and wonder at the father-son relationship we could have had. I'm sure you understand." He turned back over onto his back. "Still," he gasped, "I'm proud of you in a way. You've shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. Those are all noble qualities. I should have—" He coughed "—I should have killed you long ago."
Quill shut his eyes and clenched his teeth in pain. "I couldn't—I couldn't let you do it," he said. "Your work here is finished."
"At last it ends," Ego groaned. "But I can only think of beginnings. A better tomorrow, forged with the blood of visionaries. I had a glorious design for mankind."
"Yeah?" Quill asked. "Well, designs are meant to be broken."
Ego laughed. "You're a child," he spat. "A child who believes they can solve all the galaxy's woes with the pull of a trigger. Have you ever pondered the consequences of your actions, Peter Quill? Or did your mother teach you nothing?"
"Don't you dare mention her!" Quill screamed, tears of rage filling his eyes. "Nothing you could say would ever justify murdering her! You can't defend yourself! You can't explain away your evil deeds!"
"Evil?" Ego laughed again. "The Celestials and I, we wanted power. There was . . . an opportunity."
"An opportunity to murder innocent people!" shouted Quill.
"Not so innocent!" Ego growled back. "Dissident voices cut deep as steel. They disrupt order."
"You killed people for no reason!" Quill yelled. "You killed my mom for no reason!"
"Of course not," said Ego. "I killed her because I could! Because it was fun! Do you know what it feels like to determine another man's fate? You should have seen the way the people screamed when my seeds blossomed on their planets. The way they feared me. I was a god! You'd have done the same if you could. Such power . . . I pity you, son. After all you have seen, after all I showed you of your powers, still you embrace the life of an ignorant and aimless rogue."
"I'd rather be an ignorant and aimless rogue than some galactic puppeteer lunatic!" Quill shot back.
"Well, better we hold the strings than another!" yelled Ego.
"No!" Quill shouted. "The strings should be cut! Everyone should be free!"
Ego rolled over onto his back, shutting his eyes as a malicious smile appeared on his face. "And we should live forever . . . on castles in the sky," he gasped. Opening his eyes, he looked at Peter again. "You wield that blaster of yours like a man, but your mouth like a child." He groaned in pain once more. "And more will die now, because of that. The universe will perish without me. Without my vision."
Quill stopped himself from laughing out loud. "Don't flatter yourself, Dad" he spat.
"I would have created a paradise," Ego said sadly, almost as if he felt regret for one moment of his life. The planet began breaking up in a string of massive explosions that they could feel from even here. If Quill was going to leave, it would have to be now.
"The galaxy belongs to its people," Quill said grimly. "You are but one man." He activated his helmet again and lit up his jet boots, propelling himself up into the air and out of the core.
"I am at the very top of the natural order!" Ego screamed after him.
"You were, Dad," Quill muttered to himself as he flew through the cylinder and out into space. "You were."
Ego's body crumbled into dust as his planet finally exploded into a thousand pieces and he screamed.
Peter Quill never looked back.
Galactus's great form began trembling as Galactus's power was restored. Galactus lived!
But—Galactus was confused. The human gnats had beaten him. A victory so total that Galactus stood at the very brink of that final abyss to which all that live must someday come—death.
"Something's not right," Rocket said, watching the giant creature turn its cloudy form towards the Milano.
"WHY?" it asked, in a rumbling deep voice that filled their bodies and shook every cell in them.
"Uh, did that giant space cloud just talk?" Rocket asked.
"Yes," Drax answered.
They stood in shocked silence before Rocket asked a second question. "Well, isn't anybody going to answer his question?"
Fugitoid stepped forward. "Uh, well . . . this is highly irregular. I'm not sure my processors are equipped for Celestial speak. But, erm . . . mighty Galactus, we had no choice. We could no more stand by and allow you to die than we could turn our backs on any creature in need."
There was a long pause. Donnie was half-expecting a "thank you," but Galactus probably thought himself too superior to offer any sort of thanks. "So, what now?" he asked.
"Well, unless I'm mistaken, the Silver Surfer served as Galactus's herald, and searched out energy-rich worlds for him to consume," said Fugitoid. "Without a herald, Galactus will roam the cosmos at will, consuming the energy he needs to sustain himself."
"Why can't that silver surfer guy keep working for Mr. Personality here?" Rocket said, gesturing at Galactus's enormous form.
"My guess is that the power Cosmic that the Surfer possessed had been taken from him by Ego's machine," Fugitoid mused. "He can no longer serve as Galactus's herald, because he lacks the ability to do so."
Donnie's brain was working overtime. If Galactus was roaming the cosmos himself, searching for worlds and devouring them at will, then . . . "How long until the Earth shows up on Galactus's menu, Professor?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.
Fugitoid averted the purple turtle's gaze. "I . . . I do not know, Donatello."
"Maybe we ask him nicely?" asked Nova.
"Do you think you can hope to reason with a being such as Galactus?" Fugitoid cried indignantly. He stopped, standing upright and staring off into space. "There's only one thing to be done. And, I think, we can provide a mutually acceptable end to this situation."
Fugitoid's robotic voice began to shake as he said, "Oh, mighty Galactus, long have I studied your greatness. I know how Norrin Radd allowed you to transform him into your first herald, the Silver Surfer, if you would spare his home world. I make you the same offer. Spare the Earth, Galactus, and take me as your new herald."
"Professor, no!" Donnie shouted. "Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
"Yes, I do, Donatello," Fugitoid responded. "As the herald of Galactus, it will be my task to find worlds to feed his constant hunger, and there are many planets with life-sustaining energy, but no life itself." He stood, walking towards the ship's airlock. "Open the airlock, Rocket. I will go."
"Wait, what?" Rocket asked.
"Ego has been stopped, and though we did not get the anulax battery, we should have enough power to fix the Bifrost," Fugitoid said. "Please, I cannot allow any further bloodshed."
"You . . . you can't," Cosmo whined.
Fugitoid clapped a metal hand on the dog's head, petting him one last time affectionately. "I can and I must, Cosmo."
"But, Professor—" Donnie started.
"It's all right, Donatello," Fugitoid interrupted. "This battle is won but the war goes on. This is what I must do. And you must work against Loki, and return to Earth. There's time yet, but not much. Together, we can continue the fight." He stepped inside the airlock, and shut the door. "Farewell, my friends," he said sadly, raising a hand as the airlock opened and he was sucked out into space.
All they could do was press to the cockpit viewscreen and watch as indescribable energies began to flow between the android and the Celestial. Hear me, mortal! The voice of Galactus filled the Fugitoid's mind. Feel the touch of Galactus in your mind. Do not flee from my presence. Only Galactus can guide you safely through the corridors of madness as your humanity slips away—slips away to be replaced by something greater!
The Fugitoid's body lit up with Celestial flame, a flame that would never be extinguished as long as Galactus's power flowed inside him. The man that you were is no more. The mundane aspects of your existence are inconsequential. The creature once called Zayton Honeycutt is reborn. Now and forevermore shall you be the herald of Galactus!
Then, with a final awesome burst of speed, Fugitoid transcended the bounds of his mortal life and crossed the frontier of space. If there was still a Professor Honeycutt, he was a small and trivial part of the golden comet which now streaked away from Ego's remains. This was no longer a frail creature trapped in a metal shell. His home was now the universe.
The carrier nimbus cloud billowed around Galactus's giant form, and he was gone. The group in the Milano watched him go, scarcely bothered by the sound of the airlock opening and Quill returning. He disengaged his helmet and tossed the anulax battery to Donnie. "Got the battery," he said. Spying Leo and Sif on the table, he looked around, realizing instantly something was wrong. "Where's Thor?" he asked.
In all the confusion, they had forgotten about Thor. "He was on the planet when it . . ." Donnie gasped, as he realized what must have happened. No. He couldn't afford to lose two friends in one day.
Suddenly the airlock hissed open, and the Silver Surfer flew in, carrying Thor's unconscious body and laying him on the table next to Leo and Sif. "He lives," the Silver Surfer said. "And because of his bravery, Ego was stopped and Galactus was diverted."
"Well, don't thank us," Quill said. "Thank the Fugitoid. He's the one who called us here." He looked around. "Where is the Fugitoid anyway?" he asked, looking at Donnie.
Donnie's face fell.
"Let's put it this way," Rocket said. "Galactus has a new herald."
"What?" Quill asked.
"He went with Galactus in order for Earth's life to be spared," Drax said.
"Was that the right thing to do?"
"I don't think we will ever know if this was the right thing to do," said Mantis sadly.
"Or if we should have tried something to stop him from being taken," Gamora muttered angrily.
"No," Nova said, and everyone's eyes were on him. "He did not take Professor Honeycutt. Honeycutt chose a path he has long hungered to tred. I worked with him for years. I know this to be true."
"And true also was Galactus's vow, his pact with your friend," said the Silver Surfer. "The Fugitoid is his herald and so shall Earth remain inviolate. Yet, perhaps there was another reason he stayed his hand. A deeper, truer reason. Perhaps it was because you risked all to save him, when it would have been easy to do otherwise. Perhaps Galactus has learned an important truth today. Earth shall never need fear him. For perhaps here, on this tiny whirling mote alone in all the cosmos has Galactus truly found those he might dare name . . . friends."
The Silver Surfer's board lit up with energy, and he was gone. The team looked around at each other. "Now what?" Drax asked.
"Now?" Donnie gripped his bo staff in determination. "Now we go home. And complete our mission."
The Milano docked inside Knowhere's docking bay, and the landing ramp slid down. Donnie and Cosmo rushed Leo, Thor, and Sif to the medical unit, where they were quickly stabilized. While the three heroes rested, the others came up with a plan to return to Asgard, fix the Bifrost, and get back to Earth.
After hanging his gear up to dry, Rocket went down to the lab to water Groot. "Hey, Groot old pal, guess who's—"
He froze, entering the doorway. The laboratory had been trashed. Tables were overturned, beakers of liquid covered the ground, shattered glass littered the floor. "—back?" Rocket finished, instantly on the alert. Drawing his pistol, he aimed down the scope as he cleared the room. "If anybody's in here, don't try nothing funny. I got a real itchy trigger finger." He rounded the corner and stopped to see Groot's pot lying in pieces, the dirt spilling out to form a trail. "Huh."
Rocket followed the dirt through the back doorway and down an abandoned hallway, leading to a storage closet. Aiming his pistol, he carefully creaked the door open. A creature huddled at the end of the hallway. It looked like Groot, but different. Way different. For one, Groot had sprouted six legs, pointed like spider legs. Three horns with spikes sprouted from his head, one on each side and one from his forehead. Greenery covered his head and forearms like hair, and a tiny branch stuck out of each arm. Dark stripes wrapped around his body where bark was missing.
The creature turned, glaring with one red eye at Rocket. "I . . . am . . . Groot!" he gasped.
"Groot!" Rocket shouted, holstering his blaster. "Groot, old buddy, what happened to ya?"
"I am Groot!"
"Glad to see you're back, old buddy. Even if you are . . . different. But a good different." Rocket extended a paw. "Come on. I got some pals who will be tickled pink to see ya."
Warily Groot followed Rocket back to the lab, where he summoned Donnie. The purple turtle took one look at the evolved Groot and shrieked, cowering behind the table. "What in Einstein's Theory of Relativity is that?!" he asked, pointing.
"It's Groot!" Rocket said. "Well, not exactly. It's still Groot, just he changed." He turned to Groot. "You remember your old pal Donnie, don't ya, Groot?"
Groot waved timidly. "I am Groot," he said.
"Hi, Groot," Donnie gulped. Then his eyes opened wide. "Wait. The mutagen I spilled on you!"
"That green slime stuff?" Rocket asked.
"Yes! It has the ability to interact with the molecules of organic objects and reorganize them!" Donnie whooped and ran over to Groot to examine him.
"English, Don," Rocket groaned, rolling his eyes.
"Groot's back, baby!" Donnie crowed, hollering. "Oh, boy, I am gonna run so many tests."
While Donnie and Rocket celebrated Groot's return, not everyone was feeling happy. Peter Quill sat in his room on the edge of his bed, staring out the window of his quarters at space. His earphones were on, as he listened to "It's Not Easy" by Ofege, letting the ballad's slow and soft music wash over him. Tears rolled down his face.
He was so engulfed in the music, he missed the door sliding open and Gamora coming in and sitting next to him. He wasn't aware of her presence until she put her arm around his shoulder and took off his earphones. "Peter, come hang out with us," she said. "You've suffered a terrible loss. You shouldn't be alone."
"Why not?" Quill sniffled. "I mean, I might as well get used to it, right? I'm gonna be alone for the rest of my life, aren't I?"
"How can you say that?" Gamora asked. "The Guardians are more than just a super hero group. We're a family. And you're part of it. You're the one who told us that."
"Don't try to side-step the obvious, Gamora," Quill said, sniffling. "You know what I mean. Everyone I've ever loved has been taken from me, somehow. I couldn't save my mom, and I couldn't save my dad either." He stared out the window at space. "I dunno. Maybe it's me. Maybe I am the jerk some people think, and this is the universe's way of repaying me for it."
"I don't think this is the time or place to worry about that, Peter. You're tired and distressed." Gamora grabbed his face, staring into his eyes. "Come home, Peter. Come back to where you are loved."
"Maybe you're right." A small smile tugged at the corner of Quill's mouth. "Okay. Back to the Guardians of the Galaxy. Back to playing hero. Thanks for the talk, Gamora. Thanks for . . . for—"
As he struggled for words, Gamora interrupted him with a hug. "Hey, no problem. If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you know where to find me."
"Yeah," Peter said, returning the hug. "Yeah, I know. Thanks."