A Beacon in the Void

Chapter 14 : A Beacon in the Void

The image of Eternity's lifeless form lingered in Ohma's mind, a chilling reminder of the universe's precarious state. He deactivated the Time Stone, which detached itself from his armor and returned to its dormant state within the Eye of Agamotto. He held the Eye in his hand, contemplating the implications of what he had just learned.

Eternity is dead. That actually explains a lot. The damage to the timelines, the strange temporal anomalies he had encountered, it all made sense now. Without its anchor, time itself was unraveling. But how? How does something like Eternity die?

He returned to the Keep, the zombieverse fading behind him, as the Keep shifted back to the chronarium. He made his way back to the Throne Room, the holographic display showing the fractured timelines now seeming even more chaotic and unstable. He didn't sit on the throne immediately. Instead, he paced before it, his mind racing, about the various possible scenarios.

Data flowed into his mind: information about the cosmic entities of the Marvel Universe, their roles, their powers, and their interactions. He learned about the Living Tribunal, the embodiment of multiversal law, and the various other abstract beings that maintained the balance of reality.

He needed answers, and he needed them now.

He strode towards the Keep's vast library. The towering shelves, filled with ancient texts, futuristic data crystals, and countless other forms of stored knowledge, stretched into the distance.

After a few grueling days of research, Devon was surrounded by a towering stack of books, holographic projectors displaying various lores and myths. He was sifting through a lot of data, cross referencing points he concluded as important. But his thirst for an answer had indeed revealed some information to him.

He learned about the death of abstract entities, a rare but not impossible occurrence. It usually involved a cosmic event of unimaginable scale, a disruption to the very fabric of reality. But the Keep's records offered no specific explanation for Eternity's demise. Just another mystery to add to the pile.

Devon, through his extensive research had identified two beings who would definitely know about what had transpired with Eternity. The Living Tribunal, the embodiment of multiversal laws, and Infinity, embodiment of space. The problem was he didn't have any way to get into contact with them.

Devon could feel the weight of responsibilities bearing down on his shoulders. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming. With great power comes great paperwork, he thought wryly. To take his mind off the situation, he decided to spend some time in the training room, honing his powers and refining his Chronokinetic Combat style.

He focused on increasing the range and precision of his [Blink] ability, anticipating the need to traverse vast distances. Returning to the library, he delved deeper into the applications of temporal energy and futuristic technology.

Suddenly, a low hum resonated through the Keep and the shimmering text reappeared in front of Devon.

"Critical Temporal Event.

Timeline Designation: Extinguishing. (Previously Dead)

Status: Rapid disintegration. Unidentified energy signature detected.

Origin: A Temporal Flare detected."

Devon's eyes widened. A dead timeline… had come back to life. Not just damaged, this was an erased timeline. This was unprecedented.

He quickly made his way to the Throne, and started viewing the collapsing timeline, trying to understand what was happening. The energy signature was unlike anything he'd encountered before, a chaotic, devouring force had been unraveling the reality.

The Keep then projected a fragmented image: a lab filled with strange technology, a figure bathed in blue light. The image flickered violently, almost disappearing, as the timeline continued to collapse.

A survivor. A spark of curiosity lit Devon's eyes. This was his moment to know more about the fragmented timeline. He quickly willed the Keep to open a gate to the closest point in spacetime near the lab, knowing every second counted.

Devon didn't hesitate. He knew he had to act now. He focused his [Blink] ability, moving through space-time like a phantom. Time was of essence, and he wouldn't let such an opportunity to go by.

He materialized within a lab, the air thick with the smell of ozone and decay. The walls were crumbling, and strange, distorted shadows danced across the floor. In the center of the lab, a complex device pulsed with an erratic blue light. And beside it, a figure slumped against a console: Shuri.

This Shuri was different. Her once vibrant attire was now tattered and practical, replacing the colorful Wakandan designs. Her hair, once styled in intricate braids, was now cropped short. Her face, though still bearing the sharp features, was etched with lines of exhaustion and weariness, her eyes holding an untold amount of grief.

Devon had traded his formal robes for practical, dark grey attire: close-fitting trousers, a high-necked waistcoat with subtle gold embroidery, and a long tailcoat. Fingerless black gloves and sturdy boots completed his imposing look.

"Shuri! Can you hear me?" Devon asked.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise, then narrowing with suspicion. "Who… who are you? How…?"

Before she could finish, the very fabric of the lab began to unravel with a subtle, unsettling flicker. A section of the wall shimmered, becoming translucent for a moment before snapping back into place. A nearby table partially vanished, leaving only a ghostly outline. Objects began to phase in and out of existence, like faulty holograms. The air crackled with unstable energy, the lights flickering erratically, casting long, distorted shadows that danced across the crumbling walls. The very air tasted of ozone and decay, a metallic tang clinging to the back of the throat.

Devon felt the temporal energy fluctuating wildly, a chaotic storm threatening to consume everything. He could sense something moving in the shadows. He didn't recognize the energy signature, but it felt… wrong. Violently wrong. The feeling was akin to nails scraping on a chalkboard, a deeply unsettling sound that resonated within his very being.

He held his hand up, a gesture of peace, though his eyes darted around the crumbling lab, assessing the situation. "There's no time for explanations," he said, his voice calm but urgent. "We should leave. Now."

He extended a hand towards her. "My name is Devon. I can get us out of here."

Shuri hesitated, her eyes flickering between Devon and the encroaching distortions. She was clearly distrustful, but the urgency in his voice, the palpable sense of reality falling apart around them, overrode her caution. She took his hand, her grip surprisingly firm.

He began focusing his [Blink] ability, preparing to transport them to the Keep. But he paused, his gaze drawn to the intensifying distortions in the shadows. He couldn't just leave. Not without understanding what was happening.

"Wait," he said, his voice low, his eyes fixed on the shifting shadows. He could now see them more clearly: humanoid figures, but warped and fragmented, their bodies flickering in and out of existence, leaving behind trails of distorted light and sound, like echoes of broken recordings. They moved with an unnatural fluidity, their forms constantly shifting, as if they were struggling to maintain a stable form in this dying reality.

They were drawn to the remaining temporal energy in the lab, feeding on it like vultures on a carcass. They weren't just destroying the timeline; they were consuming it.

He turned to Shuri, his expression grim but resolute. "They're stealing the temporal energy of this timeline," he murmured. "They're not just destroying it; they're draining it."

He lowered his hand, retracting the blink. He couldn't leave now. Not yet. He needed to understand what he was dealing with. He needed to know what these creatures were, where they came from, and how to stop them.

"We're not leaving," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "Just stay close to me. You'll be safe."

"You're going to get us killed!" Shuri whispered, her eyes wide with terror, fixed on the shifting shadows. "This… this isn't a fight you can win. I saw it. I saw what they did. They… they took everything. My home, my family… everything. It was like… like watching time itself move. Whatever it touches it ages.I saw a metal door rust to dust in seconds, a plant wither and crumble into ash. It's like… watching time itself accelerate, decay everything it touches. Please," she begged, her voice barely audible, "don't make me watch it happen again. Please, we have to leave. Now."

Devon remained calm, his gaze unwavering. He understood her fear, he truly did. But this was more than just a collapsing timeline. He had found a missing piece of the puzzle that had been haunting him. It was a risk, a really big one, but one he felt compelled to take.

The temporal energy around him crackled, a beacon in this dying reality. It was likely what had drawn these creatures to their location in the first place. He could feel their attention on him now, their distorted forms shifting and focusing, drawn to the energy like iron filings to a magnet.

"I understand your fear, Shuri," he said evenly, "but I need to see this. This annihilation of a timeline resembles someone's attempt to steal time. But while previously, it was a failed product, this looks like one of the successful ones. It might be my opportunity to know more about my enemy."

Just then, a ripple of pure temporal energy pulsed through the lab, the distortions coalescing into a single form. It was humanoid, its body composed of fractured fragments of time, constantly shifting. One moment tall, the next hunched. Parts of it seemed to exist in multiple places at once, creating afterimages. Its features blurred, like a face seen through distorted water. The flickering lights cast grotesque, ever-changing shadows. This was a Paradox.

As it solidified, Devon saw glimpses of familiar powers, twisted by temporal energy. Its hand shimmered crimson, warping the lab. It moved with impossible speed, leaving trails of distorted light. Its form rippled, briefly taking on the hulking silhouette of the Abomination.

This Paradox wasn't just consuming time; it was absorbing and twisting the powers of those it encountered. A terrifying amalgamation of temporal energy and stolen power.

Devon watched with a calculating gaze. The temporal energy radiating from the creature was chaotic, unlike anything he'd encountered. It was as if time itself was fracturing around it, each shard reflecting a different possibility, a different moment. This isn't just destruction, he thought, his mind racing. It's devouring time, absorbing it, twisting it into something… else.

He felt the creature's attention fixated on him, a cold, predatory focus that would have sent a shiver down anyone's spine. It's drawn to me, because of the temporal energy I possess. I have become a source of light in a dark and dim world.

Shuri gasped, recoiling, stumbling back against a crumbling console, her eyes wide with terror and recognition. She had seen this creature before. She knew what it was capable of.

_____________________________

Shuri's Memory :

The screams were a cacophony, a desperate symphony of a world unraveling. The Avengers… the X-Men… fell. They fought. Gods and mutants, side by side, against it. She saw Captain Marvel, glowing with cosmic energy, her photon blasts distorting as they touched the creature, time itself warping around them. Then… nothing. Just… dust. She saw Wolverine, claws extended, a snarl on his face… his adamantium claws, untouchable by any earthly force, suddenly… decaying. Not rusting, but crumbling. His flesh… withering… not from age, but from some… unnatural… force. She saw Thor, Mjolnir crackling with lightning… frozen… in mid-swing, his mighty form… dissolving. And then… it. A figure of broken time, shifting and twisting, its touch… stealing. It wasn't just killing. It was… consuming. Their power… their essence… twisted… into its own. She was just a novice then, a tech specialist, not a warrior. Hiding behind a console, she watched, horrified, as the world… and its heroes… were devoured by the Paradox. And now… it was here… again.

______________________