"If you truly go through with this, you will regret it. The Elders of the Universe have existed for countless millennia—their power far exceeds your imagination." Odin's voice carried a weight of authority, his knowledge of the cosmic order undeniable. As a ruler who had clashed with these beings in the past, his warning was not given lightly. "Do you think we haven't noticed the arrival of the Herald of Galactus? Your Earth is part of the Nine Realms—Midgard, the heart of the World Tree. If Galactus devours Earth, the disaster will ripple across the other realms as well."
Heimdall's orange eyes glowed, projecting a shimmering illusion before the gathered figures. Garus saw a massive celestial body encased in three intricate, arcane sigils.
"There are three Sanctum Sanctorum temples established by the Ancient Order on Earth, offering the strongest possible protection to the planet. The Sorcerer Supreme and I have long prepared for this defense..."
Garus interrupted, his voice sharp. "Then why did the Sanctums fail during the Chitauri invasion?"
"The Sanctums can only detect threats from powerful life forms. They are not designed to repel technological weaponry." Odin gestured for Heimdall to dispel the projection. "There's no time to explain further. Hand over the object in your possession—I can destroy it with the Eternal Flame."
Odin's patience was thin. His lengthy explanations masked his underlying fear—if Garus refused, a confrontation would be inevitable, and even Odin was unsure if he could control the outcome. Time was running out.
The Eternal Flame rested in the vaults of Asgard's royal palace, among many true and counterfeit relics.
"Agreed." Garus nodded without hesitation. The object needed to be destroyed regardless—but his mind harbored other plans. "However, I want to witness its destruction myself, within your vault."
Thor shot Garus a knowing glance. He understood this was not the real reason. The Asgardian treasury was a forbidden place—even Thor himself was rarely permitted entry. To his surprise, Odin nodded in agreement.
A colossal Asgardian ship descended from the sky, its hull reflecting the golden light of the unknown star that illuminated Asgard. Odin led the way aboard.
Garus exchanged glances with Thor and Heimdall before following.
The Asgardian capital shimmered in opulent gold beneath the celestial radiance. The palace loomed ahead, its walls adorned with murals depicting Odin's battles against monstrous foes—visions of a king once revered as a protector of peace.
But Garus knew the truth. In his prime, Odin had been a bloodthirsty conqueror, subjugating the Nine Realms through war and slaughter. Only Jotunheim had resisted his dominion.
They traversed a long corridor, arriving at a hidden underground chamber. A heavy stone door stood at the end, inscribed with runes Garus could not decipher.
The guards at the entrance bowed. "Your Majesty."
"Stand aside." The guards cast wary glances at Garus before obeying.
Odin raised Gungnir, releasing a crackling bolt of lightning that illuminated the runes. The massive door groaned open, revealing a darkened vault lined with shelves holding an assortment of artifacts. Garus recognized a few—the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Atlantean Life Stone, and the false Infinity Gauntlet.
But what truly caught his attention was the overwhelming aura of death beneath the floor—an ancient necrotic presence. The slain Fenrir, bound in eternal slumber by Odin's hand.
Odin stood before a brazier, the Eternal Flame burning within. He extended his hand toward Garus.
"Let us hope the Eternal Flame can consume it."
Garus handed over the Silver Surfer's cosmic surfboard. As Odin placed it into the fire, the orange flames roared, surging higher the moment they touched the metallic surface. The heat became unbearable even for Odin, forcing him to drop the artifact onto the stone floor.
With the destruction of the surfboard, Galactus—who had already entered the solar system—lost his target.
"It matters not. I have memorized the path." Driven by an insatiable hunger for energy, Galactus pressed forward. His towering form breached the edges of warped space, where the fabric of reality connecting Asgard to the cosmos was at its weakest.
Within the churning black fog, colossal arms clad in gleaming metal emerged. Though humanoid in appearance, Galactus's true size defied planetary scale—his vastness was masked by the fragments of worlds and unknown energies orbiting his form.
The same cosmic energy that empowered the Silver Surfer and Stardust surged from his hands, tearing open a portal to Asgard.
Suspended in the void, Asgard was shielded by layers of potent energy—a feast for Galactus. Deep within the continent, he sensed another immense power akin to Hela's—yet such matters did not concern him.
Tendrils of black mist slithered through the portal, the first of Galactus's feeding appendages.
"Look! What is that?" Gasps filled the streets as a wormhole split the Asgardian sky. Panic spread through the city as the fog thickened, blanketing the palace.
"Enemy invasion! I must inform the king!" The guards scrambled to launch Asgardian warships, their hulls glinting as they ascended.
Years of peace had dulled the populace's instincts. Now, the city was a hive of chaos.
"This way, quickly!" Hogun waved from a high vantage point as the Warriors Three shepherded civilians toward ancient bunkers built for such emergencies.
"Your Majesty, the realm is under attack!" The palace guard captain skidded to a halt before Odin and his retinue emerging from the vault.
"I know." Odin's expression was grim. He could sense the intruding presence—a cosmic force unlike any other. They were already too late.
"Protect the people. We will deal with the enemy."
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