The moment the Ancient One died, time reversed once again, preventing Galactus from taking any further action against the Infinity Stones. The Ancient One came back to life yet again.
"Galactus, if you don't use your full power, it's impossible for you to break through this dimension. But judging by your actions, it seems you're unwilling to waste energy. Why not negotiate? If you wish to devour a planet, you can always pick a different target…" The Ancient One's voice was tinged with helplessness as she tried to reason with the towering figure before her.
Truthfully, if she had the strength, the Ancient One would have loved to force Galactus into retreat—or even destroy him outright. But the gap in their power was too vast, so much so that it filled her with despair. She saw no path to victory, no opportunity to avenge Robert, let alone to stop this cosmic being from consuming Earth.
After all, they were in a strange space beyond Earth, a realm where she couldn't rely on the unique advantages of the Earth dimension that had previously allowed her to fend off dimensional beings. With only three Infinity Stones at her disposal, she was far from being Galactus's equal.
"You're quite perceptive," Galactus said calmly, his voice rumbling like a god's decree. "I indeed have no desire to waste energy, but your magic is not without flaws. After all, you're just a mortal. I wonder, can your consciousness withstand the strain of repeated time reversals?"
As he spoke, the surroundings crumbled once again, only to reset moments later. The Ancient One reappeared, her expression grim. She knew deep down that she couldn't hold Galactus off forever. Even without him unleashing his full power, the pressure he exerted was overwhelming.
For the Ancient One, this moment was a sobering contrast to her previous victories. With just the Time Stone, she had been able to ward off countless dimensional beings from invading Earth. But now, even with three Infinity Stones and a carefully crafted time-space loop, she was struggling against a single opponent.
The issue wasn't that she had grown weaker; it was that Galactus was simply too strong. His power far exceeded any foe she had faced before, and without the advantage of the Earth dimension's peculiarities, she had no fallback options.
As the strange dimension reset itself over and over, the Ancient One lost count of how many times she had died. Though she was no stranger to such experiences, she began to feel the toll on her mind and body. She was being stretched thin, barely able to keep up with Galactus's relentless assaults.
Shhhhhh!
Then, during one particular reset, a faint sound echoed through the air. The Reality Stone, which had been integral to linking the Time Stone and Space Stone to create this strange dimension, began to destabilize.
Unlike the other Infinity Stones, the Reality Stone typically existed in a liquid state when not bound to a container. Its fluid form had made it possible to bind the energies of the Time and Space Stones, serving as the glue that held this entire dimension together.
But now, as the Reality Stone dissolved, the fragile equilibrium of the dimension began to collapse.
Crack!
With the Reality Stone's loss, a critical weakness appeared in the fabric of the space. In an instant, Galactus exploited this flaw, shattering the strange dimension with his immense power. The Ancient One and Galactus were thrust back into the vastness of cosmic space, where Galactus returned to his colossal form.
Though the Ancient One could still protect herself using the Time Stone and Space Stone, it was now impossible for her to safeguard Earth. The planet could not withstand the might of Galactus, no matter how much time the Earth's dimensional consciousness might try to buy with its barriers.
"To think you managed to stall him for so long… The Infinity Stones truly are extraordinary artifacts. But even they pale in comparison to the power of Lord Galactus!" Silver Surfer's voice rang out from a distance as he observed Galactus and the Ancient One reappear in space. He showed no surprise, as everything was proceeding exactly as he had predicted.
Farther away, Sentry's pupils trembled violently. Though he hadn't recognized the Ancient One earlier, he had immediately identified Robert. Now that the Ancient One had reemerged without Robert by her side, Sentry could only assume the worst—Robert was likely dead.
For Sentry, this revelation was crushing. He had always seen Robert as Earth's strongest defender, someone who could face any threat head-on. That Robert had fallen to Galactus filled him with a deep sense of despair and helplessness. If even a warrior as powerful and fearless as Robert couldn't stand against this cosmic being, what hope did anyone else have?
Meanwhile, Earth plunged into chaos once again. The reappearance of Galactus shattered any fleeting sense of relief. For humanity, the return of this towering godlike figure was a clear signal of their impending doom. Regret filled the hearts of many who had chosen to stay behind rather than flee when they had the chance. Now, escape seemed impossible.
Back on Earth, in the Avengers' base, the atmosphere was suffocating. Silence hung heavy as everyone grappled with the same grim realization. When the strange dimension had been active, they couldn't see what was happening inside. But now, with only the Ancient One left to face Galactus, a terrible thought took root: Robert was dead.
"That's impossible! Robert is invincible! He can't be dead!" Kara was the first to break the silence, shouting vehemently. She refused to believe it.
From the day she first met Robert, she had seen him triumph over every obstacle in his path. Even when faced with foes stronger than himself, Robert always found a way to prevail, his strength growing endlessly in the face of adversity. There was no way someone like him could die, not like this, not without leaving a mark.
"She's right! Robert couldn't have just died like that," Diana said firmly. "If he's gone, then why is Galactus still perfectly intact? Robert wouldn't leave without putting up a fight. He must be planning something!"
Diana's faith in Robert was unshakable. She remembered the time when Robert, despite being far weaker than her, had challenged her head-on, leaving a lasting impression. She couldn't accept the idea that he would fall without making an impact.
"But we can't just sit here and wait! We need to act now, even if it's just to buy some time!" Tony Stark took a deep breath, turning to the students of Kamar-Taj. "As for you… perhaps it's time to start evacuating the people of Earth."
Even though Tony Stark refused to believe Robert was truly gone, he knew they had to prepare for the worst. Defeating Galactus seemed impossible, but saving the remnants of Earth's civilization was still within reach. The earlier escape of a few spacecraft hadn't impressed Tony, nor did he believe those individuals represented humanity's best hope for survival.
If Robert truly had fallen, then the Avengers would have to ensure that Earth's legacy endured, no matter the cost.
"Evacuate? To where?" Kaecilius asked, bewildered.
"The New Earth," Steve Rogers said, his voice steady. "If we can't save this planet, we must at least save its people."
"Could we… transfer the entire Earth instead?" Reed Richards proposed, his scientific mind racing. "Using a massive space portal, we could relocate the planet to New Earth's orbit. Evacuating everyone individually would take too long."
"To New Earth's counter-orbit?" Tony Stark raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. "It's not that simple. New Earth's solar system is a near-perfect replica of our own. Even minor changes, like moving Earth without its moon, would disrupt tidal forces and make the planet uninhabitable. It's safer to evacuate people."
As the Avengers debated their next course of action, Galactus loomed over the Ancient One like a hunter toying with its prey.
"What's your next move, sorceress?" Galactus mocked. "While I prefer consuming planets whole, I'm not opposed to breaking them into pieces…"
"Dad, when did you become so mean?" A sudden voice interrupted Galactus, tinged with exasperation and a hint of humor. Before the Ancient One could react, a young girl appeared before Galactus.
"Dad, are you here to catch me? If so, how about letting Earth go in exchange for me?" The girl's voice was soft, but her words carried a certain weight.
"You finally decided to show yourself?" Galactus's voice grew colder. "How long have you been running, Galantra? Thousands of years? Tens of thousands?"
"Come on, Dad, I'm not even close to your age yet!" Galantra replied with a nervous laugh. "I just wanted to explore the universe. You know, try some new food…"
"Enough!" Galactus's tone was sharp, his massive hand waving through the void as a purple glow enveloped Galantra. Unable to resist, she was dragged to his side, immobilized.
"Dad! I thought you weren't here for me!" Galantra protested, clearly upset. But Galactus ignored her, focusing instead on the Ancient One.
Boom!
A massive wave of energy erupted, shattering the Ancient One's protective spells and sending her hurtling backward. Before she could crash into Earth's last defenses, a scarlet light caught her midair, stabilizing her.
"You've decided to step in?" the Ancient One asked, her voice tinged with resignation.
"What choice do I have?" Wanda Maximoff replied, appearing behind her. "I didn't come to this universe to get involved in its chaos, but it seems chaos has a way of finding me."
"What about the dimensional gods you were keeping in check?" the Ancient One asked.
"I'll deal with them later. Priorities first…" Wanda trailed off as her gaze shifted toward the Sun. At the same time, everyone—Galactus, the Ancient One, Galantra, even Silver Surfer—turned their attention to the star.
From deep within the Sun, an immense aura began to rise. It was a power unlike anything they had felt before, vast and transcendent, as if something had achieved a leap to an entirely new level of existence.
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