234 CHAPTER 225

If you want to read up to 20 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stepped through the portal to Arishem's location, immediately seeing the giant who towered over me in size, being over three hundred miles tall and a few miles wide, emanating nothing but pure cosmic energy in his wake.

For a long calculating moment, I simply stared at him, fully aware he knew I was there. In a way, we were both measuring each other up, feeling each other's intentions.

"You consumed the seed," Arishem was the first one to break the silence, his voice booming through the empty void of space like an echo in a well.

I nodded, looking up at him with a small frown decorating my face, this situation wasn't optimal for communication, It felt like I was talking to an impossibly large building, that needed to change it, so without a second thought, I changed my size, matching his, by altering my molecular structure.

"What do you seek here?" Arishem, unfazed by my noticeable change continued.

"I came here to make peace, and maybe some alliances," I replied, looking into his red emotionless eyes.

"The seed allowed you to consume it," Arishem said, sounding surprised yet calm, somehow coming to the realization of what Tiamut had done, "He chose this path, was humanity that valuable?"

"It was for him," I replied, after all, the value of something was in the eye of the beholder.

"Then we have nothing to discuss," Arishem replied, his eyes flashing bright, "He made his choice, and in turn, a new type of celestial was born, and it is not my prerogative to question that choice, nor judge it, as my title would suggest. While unusual, our kind has been known to have biological children the way organic individuals have, not that this enters that category, but it's the only example I have of it."

"Your Eternals were worried you would want to kill me," I replied, giving the Eternals a side look, who so far had been nothing but silent, staring at Arishem in shock, and fright.

"It was their mission to protect the seed from the deviants. Anything beyond that was out of their mission parameters," Arishem replied, his gaze turning to them, "I can see why the would assume such, nonetheless, you didn't do anything to warrant judgment, it is clear Tiamut offered his life to you out of his own volition, he chose you to be the new Celestial, therefore, judgment it's not necessary."

I smiled, this was going better than I imagined, then again, something told me it would go well, maybe it was the bit of Tiamut that remained within me that made me feel like it would go well, who knows?

"Then, I suppose the next item in our conversation would be, the alliance," I replied, hoping that this would go as smoothly as the previous item.

"Elaborate," Arishem replied, sounding curious, "As a Celestial, albeit an unusual one, you already have our support in your actions, as long as those actions stay within cosmic order, nonetheless, I am intrigued by your interest in forming an alliance, and therefore would like to know what warrants such a desire."

"Knull," I replied, and for a brief moment I felt Arishem's energy flicker in a mix of shock and something akin to fear, not quite there, but close.

"Explain," Arishem replied, his voice cold.

"He will wake up, I have foreseen it, and when that time comes, we have to be ready," I sighed, taking a deep breath, "I have no idea when, but it will be soon, by human standards soon, and I would like to have all the hands I can on my corner."

For a while, Arishem said nothing, simply staring into me seemingly at a loss for words, and I couldn't blame him. The last time Knull was around, he killed several Celestials like they were nothing but oversized roaches, so really… who could blame the guy?

Eventually however, Arishem replied, "That is most worrying. His awakening could mean the end of all in creation, that I cannot allow. You can count on us, the celestials will do their part to maintain the cosmic order of things, the grand design, but I'm afraid that might not be enough."

I liked this guy, even with all his power, he was humble enough to recognize when he was outclassed, "That's all I ask, and don't worry, when the time comes, we will be ready." I had faith I would be ready when the time came.

"Preparations must be made," Arishem replied, "Was that all?"

I nodded, "Yes… Well, not technically, I was meaning to ask about the Eternals, do you have any problems with them staying on Earth, or being free for that matter?"

"No, so if you desire to keep them. So be it, it was their duty to protect the seed, the seed has emerged, their duty is complete, they are without duty, you are free to give them one so you desire it, it is within your power to do so," Arishem replied, without even giving them a look.

"Very well," I replied, happy with how easy dealing with him had been, heck, he was a green dot in my map now.

"Farewell then," Arishem said, creating a rift between time and space teleporting out of sight, a few billion light years away, close to another Celestial, perhaps he was passing the word of what we shared.

"Well, back to earth, but first," I smiled, shrinking back to my normal size, before opening a portal to Earth.

————-

Back on earth, I sat with the Ancient One drinking some tea, as I gave the remaining Eternals time to process.

"We serve you now," Thena was the first one to approach, smiling in a seemingly emotionless way.

"I mean, if you want," I shrugged, "I'm not really into having sentient slaves," I chuckled.

"She killed… so many of us," Makkari muttered.

"Oh, right, about that," I smiled, equipping the time stone, "I can bring them back, if you want that is."

"You can?" Ajak asked, daring to hope.

"He is a Celestial, after all," Thena replied.

"Please," Ikaris muttered, kneeling on the ground, "Bring them back, I beg you."

Well that was an unexpected turn of events, "I will, give me a second."