Chapter 84

Emma Frost was waiting outside the room and entered once Lydia finished her speech. Lydia nods to her to approach and asks Emma to use the device on the ship.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Emma replied, bowing her head slightly in acknowledgement of Lydia's instructions. "I will use the Cerebro-Mindstone device and coordinate with our retrieval teams."

"Thank you, Emma," Lydia responded, her tone carrying a hint of gratitude. "I appreciate your assistance in this matter. I know that coordinating such a large-scale operation won't be easy."

"It is my honor to serve the Genoshian Empire and you, Empress Lydia," Emma replied. "I will ensure everything runs smoothly."

The two women shared a nod of understanding before Emma turned to leave the room, heading toward the heart of the ship where the powerful Cerebro-Mindstone device was housed.

Lydia looked after her for a moment, then turned her gaze back toward the blue-green orb that was Earth. It was a pivotal moment - a moment when the fate of millions hinged on their acceptance or rejection of her offer. She could only hope that her words had resonated with them, that they understood she only wanted peace and safety for all.

As she gazed at the Earth, she braced herself for whatever response her announcement would elicit. Whatever came next, she was ready to face it, for the sake of the Genoshian Empire and all those who sought their protection.

The sight of the Earth suspended in the vast darkness of space was a sight to behold, the beauty of the pale blue dot contrasted with the darkness of the cosmos. Lydia observed the Terrigen Cloud from orbit, its menacing hue slowly shifting to a gentle, more inviting grayish white color, its previously ominous presence diminishing under the work of the nanites.

Yet, her joy was quickly replaced by a distinct feeling of something out of place, a vague sensation of dissonance in the cosmic fabric of space-time. The sensation was akin to a plucked string in the grand symphony of the cosmos, a ripple that resonated through her as though she were a finely-tuned instrument. It was distant, yet prominent, as if someone had whispered her name from the other side of a large room. She could not ignore it.

Swiftly, Lydia turned, her royal garments swirling around her, and in a flash of light, she teleported herself, vanishing from the fleet's command center.

Lydia emerged from the ether of her teleportation in the cold void of space, not far from the dwarf planet Pluto. There, she found herself face to face with a figure she recognized instantly – the Silver Surfer, his gleaming metallic form reflecting the distant sunlight. He had just entered the solar system, streaking through space with his signature board, his arrival causing the disturbance Lydia had felt.

The Silver Surfer was caught off guard as Lydia materialized before him, causing him to halt abruptly in his cosmic journey. He hovered on his board, his silver eyes wide in surprise, and perhaps a flicker of recognition, as he looked upon Lydia. The ensuing silence between them hung in the void, a frozen moment in the infinite expanse of space.

In the silent expanse of space, Lydia reached out with her mind, extending a bridge of consciousness between herself and the Silver Surfer. To her relief, he did not resist, allowing their thoughts to intertwine in the psychic ether.

Lydia's mental voice was clear and stern, the concern evident in her words. "What brings you here, Surfer?"

There was a pause, the Surfer's gleaming silver form suspended against the star-speckled canvas of space. "Lydia," he began, his thoughts resonating with a tone of deep regret. "I am glad to see you... but my purpose here is grave. I have been sent to prepare your world. My master, Galactus, has grown hungry once again."

A wave of sadness emanated from the Silver Surfer, an emotion that echoed through their mental connection, filling Lydia with a sense of impending dread. "In my travels," he continued, "I have guided him to other worlds, worlds devoid of sentient life, in a desperate attempt to delay his arrival here. My hope was to contact you in time."

The Surfer paused, gathering his thoughts. "I've observed your strength, your tenacity... I've seen you best the mightiest warriors unscathed. I've hoped that perhaps... you might be the one to halt my master's path of destruction."

With her eyes shut, Lydia stood resolute in the void of space. Her mind began to race, considering the numerous scenarios that might unfold. Facing Galactus, a cosmic entity whose hunger was insatiable and presence inescapable, was a daunting proposition. Yet, leaving the Earth and its populace to such a fate was inconceivable to her. Weighing the pros and cons, the stakes couldn't have been higher.

Internally, she could feel the infinity energies within her; the Space Stone, Power Stone, Reality Stone, and the Mind Stone pulsed in tandem with her heartbeat. It had taken months to recover, to replenish her energies after her battle with Gladiator. Now, as she considered her options, she could almost feel the energy slipping away, dissipating like a sandcastle besieged by the relentless tide. The thought of it was frustrating, but the fate of Earth was far more important than her personal discomfort.

Through their psychic connection, Lydia reached out to Emma Frost. "Emma," she said, her mental voice holding an edge of urgency. "Hold position. I'll be back as soon as I can."

After severing the connection, she opened her eyes, the determination burning bright within them. She regarded the Silver Surfer with an unyielding gaze, her resolve undiminished. Lydia would face Galactus. Not just for the sake of the Genoshian Empire, but for Earth and its inhabitants. As long as she could stand, as long as she had power within her, she would not let Galactus devour the planet she held dear.

Calling upon the energies of the Reality and Space Stones, Lydia focused her gaze, her eyes blazing with an ethereal light as she sought out the entity known as Galactus. Distances that spanned light-years felt insignificant as her enhanced vision cut through the vastness of space. Within moments, she found him - a towering figure, immense and incomprehensible, in the midst of devouring a distant planet.

Galactus paused in his destructive consumption, sensing the unseen gaze upon him. His gaze turned in Lydia's direction, a connection momentarily made and then broken. Lydia cut off her vision, the afterimages of the colossal entity still burned into her retinas.

Turning back to the Silver Surfer, she regarded him with a new understanding. "Why come to me for help, Surfer?" she asked, her voice resounding through their mental link. "You serve Galactus, you are his herald. Why seek help against your own master?"

Despite the interrogation, she already suspected the answer. It was evident in the Surfer's demeanor, in the sadness etched on his silver countenance. He was beginning to question his servitude, beginning to feel the weight of his master's relentless hunger.

The Surfer, despite his metallic exterior, was still Norrin Radd at heart. The torment of his past, the painful memories of his home world had been suppressed by Galactus, buried deep within his subconscious. But now, those memories were beginning to resurface, evoking feelings of guilt and despair. It was this internal struggle that Lydia sensed, a clear indication of the Surfer's wavering allegiance.

The Surfer's words reverberated within their shared mental connection, laden with doubt and a subtle yearning for change. Lydia remained silent, processing his cryptic statement. Then, she offered a solemn nod and placed a reassuring hand on his gleaming shoulder. A gesture of empathy, of shared understanding, from one being burdened with immense power to another.

"You shall bear witness," she stated, her voice echoing through the vast silence of space. In an instant, the cosmos around them blurred and warped, the familiar pinpricks of distant stars elongating into luminous streaks of light. The force of the Space Stone's power permeated the very fabric of reality, bending it to her will.

Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the spectacle ceased. They were no longer on the outskirts of Earth's solar system. Instead, they now floated in the presence of a cosmic entity. Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, loomed before them, a massive figure that seemed to defy all known laws of physics and logic. His body radiated with an intensity that dwarfed the brightness of nearby stars, his gaze fixed on them with an inscrutable expression.

The very air seemed to buzz with his cosmic energy, filling the space between them with a palpable tension. Lydia felt the enormity of his presence pressing upon her, yet she stood her ground, a picture of quiet determination painted against the infinite canvas of the cosmos.

Next to her, the Silver Surfer remained silent, his silver form gleaming under the light emitted from Galactus. His eyes were on his master, a silent observer to the coming confrontation. The weight of his doubt seemed to hang in the air around him, an invisible shroud that mirrored the cosmic tension that permeated their surroundings.

In this quiet before the storm, Lydia prepared herself for the battle to come.

The two cosmic beings faced off in the silent expanse of the universe, stars glistening in the distance. The colossal figure of Galactus, draped in the nebulous fabric of cosmic energies, turned his gaze toward the Silver Surfer, his former herald. An accusing, imperious statement was forming on his lips, but Lydia preempted it.

"I have heard of your intention to consume Earth, Galactus," Lydia said, her voice echoing across the cold vacuum of space. The power of her words was amplified by the sheer magnitude of her telepathic connection, reaching out to Galactus in a manner that was impossible to ignore.

Galactus turned to look at Lydia, his eyes, as vast and deep as galaxies, seeming to peer into her very soul. He paused, evaluating this audacious being before him. "And what exactly could you do to stop me, woman?" He rumbled, his voice resounding like the celestial bodies in motion. "I have observed your combat with Gladiator. Indeed, you possess considerable strength. However, your power is dwarfed by mine."

His laugh echoed across the cosmic ether, a chilling, arrogant sound that resonated with the infinite might of a being who devoured entire worlds for sustenance.

"I have existed since before this universe came into being," Galactus continued, his tone dismissive. "I am the Devourer of Worlds. You alone cannot thwart my intentions, Lydia."

Despite the towering cosmic entity's confident assertions, Lydia was undeterred. A slow smile spread across her face, twinkling with the audacity of someone who had faced death and laughed back. She was about to change the course of this conversation, and possibly the universe, in a manner none present would anticipate.

The vast expanse of the cosmos seemed to hold its breath as Lydia's smile grew, radiant as a newborn star. As Galactus reveled in his own power, he remained oblivious to the subtle shift in the energy dynamics surrounding them.

Lydia, her smile hinting at her newly found secret, closed her eyes, concentrating on the cosmic energy that was swirling around Galactus, seeping out like an unseen nebula from the immense entity. It was raw and potent, akin to the raw, untouched power of the universe itself.

As she activated her energy absorption, a delicate shiver ran through her being, subtle but unmistakable. Her body, already a vessel for unimaginable power, began to hum with a new energy signature. The cosmic energy that was an intrinsic part of Galactus was being siphoned by Lydia, not in great torrents, but in a subtle, steady stream.

Her form glowed ever so slightly, tendrils of cosmic energy merging with her own inherent energy. As she basked in the newly gained power, a feeling of exhilaration ran through her. She felt the cosmic energy dancing, intertwining with the energies of the Infinity Stones she already possessed.

Opening her eyes, she looked directly at Galactus, her gaze as resolute as the stars that served as their backdrop. She laughed, the sound echoing outwards, sending ripples through the cosmic ether, and said, "Galactus, in your infinite wisdom, you have failed to realize one thing. I am probably the worst opponent you could have chosen to face."

The smile never left Lydia's face as she braced herself, ready to face one of the universe's most formidable entities.