Chapter 146: The Lost Death Knight

On a remote planet within the Andromeda galaxy, a green-skinned, long-eared Skrull clutched a handful of strange fruits as he sprinted in panic.

Behind him, a shadowy insectoid figure emerged from the darkness of the night, its translucent wings buzzing ominously as it pursued him at high speed.

This Skrull was one of the refugees who had fled to this planet alongside their queen. Due to a dire scarcity of food, they were forced to scavenge for sustenance during the day, despite the ever-present dangers. Unfortunately, after searching all day without success, he had been forced to stay out long past nightfall. Just as he finally found some fruit, a massive insect had burst from the shadows to chase him down.

Suddenly, a sphere of blinding light appeared in the middle of the path ahead, its brilliance overwhelming his vision. Momentarily blinded, he tripped over a stone and tumbled down the slope.

When the light faded, a figure emerged from within—it was Garus' Frost Death Knight, Bobby. The insect, sensing an easier target, turned its attention toward him.

Before its venomous stinger could strike, however, a layer of frost enveloped its entire body, freezing it solid. The frozen insect fell to the ground, shattering into countless shards of ice.

Bobby surveyed his surroundings with a frown. Not long ago, he had been aboard a Chitauri warship, locked in battle against an enemy war mech. Then, a sudden pull had dragged him into what seemed like a black hole—and now he found himself here.

His gaze fell on the frozen remains of the insect. With a casual kick, he shattered it into fine powder.

Apart from towering mountains and some unfamiliar plant life, the environment bore no resemblance to Earth. Clearly, he had been teleported to a distant planet, and more importantly, he could no longer sense his master's presence.

Recalling the fleeing figure he had glimpsed earlier, Bobby surmised that it was a Skrull. Since Kallruth had always been on good terms with them, he decided to track the Skrull down.

After running for what felt like an eternity, the Skrull finally reached the base of a towering mountain. Glancing warily over his shoulder to ensure he hadn't been followed, he stepped directly into the rock wall—and passed through it effortlessly. The solid surface had merely been a holographic illusion concealing a hidden passageway.

A beam of light swept over his body, scanning him.

"It's one of ours. No signs of infestation," a voice muttered. A hidden door slid open, granting him entry.

After walking for five minutes through a dimly lit tunnel, he arrived at an underground city. The settlement had clearly not been established for long—the streets were sparsely populated, and those present moved with hurried urgency.

Reaching his modest dwelling, he hid the fruit in a corner before rushing back outside. He had urgent news for the queen.

At the entrance, he ran into a fellow Skrull who blocked his path. To outsiders, their species looked nearly identical.

His friend beamed upon seeing him. "Abona! You're alive! I thought one of those bugs got you."

"I need to report something to Her Majesty immediately. I'll find you later!" Abona panted before dashing toward the central building.

"Wait! Did you at least find food today?" his friend called after him.

In front of the central tower, two Skrull guards stood watch, weapons in hand. Seeing Abona running toward them, they raised their rifles.

"Halt!" one commanded.

Abona, breathless but urgent, pleaded, "I have critical news for Queen Ermeryth!"

"Impossible. The queen hasn't rested in days. If it isn't an emergency, wait until tomorrow," the guard responded firmly. They all knew how tirelessly their queen worked to stabilize their dire situation.

At that moment, Queen Ermeryth herself emerged from the building. Seeing the commotion, she inquired, "What is going on?"

"Your Majesty, he claims to have urgent news for you," one of the guards explained.

Abona wasted no time. "Your Majesty, I encountered an intelligent lifeform outside. He looked like a Xandarian!"

The queen's expression darkened.

Xandarians and humans were indistinguishable by appearance. Without a genetic scan, it was impossible to tell them apart. It seemed Abona had mistaken Bobby for a Xandarian.

Of course, the Skrulls were aware of humans, but Earth was still a pre-interstellar civilization. They found it hard to believe that a human could be on this remote planet.

"A Xandarian? From the Nova Corps?" Ermeryth's face grew tense. As a race of shapeshifters, the Skrulls had made many enemies over the years. The Nova Corps still had them on their wanted list.

"Were you followed? How many of them are there?" she pressed.

This planet rarely had visitors. If a full squad of Nova Corps operatives had arrived, it could only mean one thing—they had come to capture them.

"Just one," Abona answered. "He appeared through a wormhole. I encountered him while being chased by those insects."

Hearing this, the queen relaxed slightly. A lone traveler might have arrived by accident, much like they had. Perhaps he was already dead, claimed by the predatory fauna.

Suddenly, a device on the queen's wrist vibrated. Raising her hand, she activated it, revealing a projection of a Skrull soldier.

The Royal Guard Captain beside her stepped forward. "Your Majesty, that's one of the guards stationed at the entrance."

The soldier's voice was laced with panic. "Your Majesty, we have an intruder! We are under att—"

His words cut off abruptly as the transmission froze. Before their eyes, the guard's form crystallized into solid ice.

An enemy! Their sanctuary had been compromised.

The queen's voice rang with urgency. "Alan! Take a squad and investigate. Take extra troops!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Captain Alan saluted sharply.

This underground refuge was the last remaining bastion of Skrull civilization. If they were discovered and wiped out, their species would face extinction.

They had no idea that General Kallruth was still alive.

"Move!" Alan barked as he led a twenty-man team to the armory, each soldier grabbing a weapon.

"Use ammunition sparingly," he warned.

When Galactus had attacked their homeworld, they had barely escaped with their lives. Supplies were scarce, and not just food—they were running dangerously low on weapons and energy as well.

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