“Mmm. A question for you, Miss Dynamo. I reviewed a holo of your fight with Champion, as I did most of his opponents. Your people pressed him far more than I would have expected of such an undeveloped world.” The Mad Titan turned away, returning to his consideration of his mother’s memorial. “You had an interesting set of tactics, which your early opponents had no answer for. I trust those ranked above you did, and that is why you did not challenge them?”

“That is correct. I am an Alchemist, not a devoted martial artist.”

“I see. And that demonstration of a blow to Champion?”

“I am something of a specialist in wielding Force energy, Master Thanos.”

“An interesting specialization,” he noted.

“It has many applications on both offense and defense, if not so many in mixing elixirs.”

“Does it give you the confidence to believe you can fight me? I sense no fear upon you.” It obviously intrigued him.

“It gives me the confidence to believe I can survive you, which is an entirely different matter, and I could also annoy you greatly, but that is merely incidental.”

“Annoy me?” he repeated, his head turning slightly.

“I can set up an Interdiction and a Stillflight Field which will deny you an easy means of retreat. I can also set up a very loud and bright ruckus which will bring in what force of doubtless over-equipped security forces who are waiting somewhere nearby with whatever Thanos-threatening armaments they have, meaning you will have to retreat on foot out of range, getting harassed by gnats with big guns as you do, and probably have to jump over the edge of the gardens to leave the Interdiction and Teleport out.

“I doubt your father will lock down the city to keep you here, but there’s always a chance, in which case getting off the planet will be VERY annoying.”

“He would not dare do so. My flagship alone could annihilate all that he has built here.” He sounded absolutely confidant of that, and dismissive of the possibility.

“Yes, yes, he’s probably thinking of all of his children, not just you. Of course, if he could do it, and actually kill you, who is in charge of your flagship might suddenly come into question.”

“A small risk I am willing to take.” He sounded somewhat amused. “You do not seem to want your team to take that risk, either.”

“Many of us could be annoyances, but few of them have any experience with attacks at the level you can wield. They would do something courageous and overconfident, and die.”

Again that twitch of a smile. “Something you would not do?”

“I can survive you. Beating you is something very different.”

“A rare moment of wisdom from your kind. You even managed to restrain a Nova Corpsman from immediately trying to do his duty.”

“Alternative training in conflict resolution,” I explained helpfully.

“Mmm. You seek to minimize deaths.”

Oh, no, it wasn’t coming around to this. “Death is always on the horizon. Inviting Her to move in next door is something for fools. She is patient and will get to you eventually, regardless of who you are.”

“Oh? Does an Alchemist of Terra have a unique perspective on Death?” he inquired, now that we were on his favorite topic.

“Master Thanos’ reputation as a master philosopher and student of death is known across galaxies. I expect you have a few centuries more of exposure to such than I do, as I’m rather starting my third decade. Terra does have a rather large assortment of nihilist philosophies, as well as at least six Divine pantheons, all with death gods in one form or another, and its own bunch of mad poets and stuff who like writing things down from the Elder Gods and the like, but they haven’t been an interest of mine.”

“The study of Alchemy on many worlds is the study for eternal life. Is it different on Terra?” he asked pointedly.

I exhaled. “No, but I already know multiple methods for gaining the Life Eternal. True immortality is a pipe dream. Neither Eternity nor Death have such, so how can we, who are but part of them?”

Now he did turn back around, gazing at me in interest. “You know of Eternity. Interesting. Mystical studies?” he guessed.

“Magic and science are but some of the tools of true Alchemy, correct.”

“And you say Death Herself is not immortal?” His tone hovered between interest and amusement.

“When all life is gone, Death Herself will die. She is The End, and it is her End which will start a new Beginning. It has happened before, it will happen again. When Life begins anew, a new Death rises once again to determine its end.”

“A new Death?” he pressed, interested in this perspective. “Is not Death beyond such things?”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“No. Eternity is tied to existence itself, but Death is tied to life. Surely you know of the Far Shore?”

“An interesting term. What does it entail?” Oh ho, he didn’t?

“The Afterlife of dead Multiverses, where Profound Concepts go when their time is done, and a new Multiverse with new Concepts takes over. There you can find the Eternities of Great Cycles past, the embodiments of Law and Chaos and such as they once were... but Death, Death is not there, for Death died at the end of Life, and as Life does not stand on the Far Shore, only the memory of Eternity, and nor does Death.”

He stared at me for a long minute, pondering that. “An interesting concept. Where was it found?”

“A worshipper of the Great Old Ones, inspired to insanity and writing of things found outside reality itself by dreams sent him by things with no place in our realm.” I looked away from him, frowning. “They and the Elder Gods look on from outside the multiverse, and have a much different perspective on our existences...”

“The Elder Gods...” he murmured. “You do not speak of those things in the far reaches of the multiverse...”

“Like Shuma-Gorath and its ilk? No. The true Elder Gods have seen Eternities rise and fall, a great play of another power’s dreams and desires made manifest, and concepts such as Death and Eternity are passing thoughts and states of being to them.” Astaroth and his own Dreams of reality, serenaded by mad flutists for ages unending...

“Powers beyond Eternity and Death? Not the Tribunal?” he inquired, testing me again.

“The Tribunal is appointed. Who, then, appoints Him?”

“Who then, indeed.” It sounded like something he wanted to ruminate on. “You have been exposed to word of such beings, then...”

“Too many things inside Eternity that can break the multiverse. It’s really quite annoying...” I muttered, folding my arms. “Those outside Him, that’s just as disturbing. You’d like to think the thing you’re a part of has ultimate power over itself, but no.”

“But you do not ruminate overmuch on Death?” He wasn’t surprised, of course.

“Why? The purpose of Life is to deny Death as long as possible. The purpose of Death is to inspire Life to deny it as long as possible, for in doing so Death itself lasts ever longer. If you want to know more about Death, just go against its own purpose, and go die. Find out everything you want in the After Life.

“Of course, you’ll be dead, and the dead neither grow nor change in the After Life. They merely exist, all that they do having no effect upon reality. Only the Living can truly do that. It is in Life where all the important stuff happens. The After Life is just a waiting room to trade stories and wait around for The End.

“Death is ultimately pointless to serve. She won’t change for you or I, She is fully beyond us all. She waits only for Her End. Slaughtering to feed Death defeats Her purpose. Do you truly believe Death wishes to hasten Her own End?”

He jerked back as if stung. Indeed, why would Death seek to die? “Then could She not collude with Eternity and endure endlessly?” he pointed out.

“That does not obviate the effects of time and entropy on Eternity, and Law and Chaos ensure that those things march forward. In time, even Eternity loses the will to go on, the last of the living die as they also lose the Will to defy Death, and it is time for a new Beginning.

“Eternity has to defy Death endlessly. Death needs only win their struggle once.”

He flinched again, ever-so-slightly. “You speak as if Death does not reward Her champions...”

“Like you?” I tilted my head as I looked at him. “Is your Awareness at the level of Death and Eternity? What does being a Champion of Death mean, if Death’s purpose is to delay the End? Are you even the greatest threat to Life? Perhaps you are not seen as you think you are, Master Thanos.” I gestured around. “We exist in Eternity, and on His other side is Death. Is your Awareness truly so vast? It is akin to one atom of your body knowing what you know and plan. Do you truly believe you are beyond finite in that respect?”

He glanced down at his hand, ruminating. “It is true that others have killed far more than I in the past. Galactus has existed for far, far longer...”

“Hmmph! And you do not even acknowledge Galactus’ purpose...” I just shook my head.

“The Devourer of Worlds is not named so without good reason. The worlds He has sent to ruin stretch across billions of years. If there is a single force that drives The End, it is Him.”

I began to laugh, which certainly didn’t entertain him after his firm statements.

“That is an unusual reaction to the name and deeds of the World-Eater,” he noted, crossing his thick arms now as he regarded me curiously.

“You know that Galactus was on Terra recently, and left without destroying it?” I asked with a hard smile.

“Of course. The news spanned much of the universe. All wish to know how you bargained with the World-Eater and defied His hunger.” That included him, of course.

“Master Thanos, Galactus Eats Celestial Seeds.” I tilted my head at him. “I will say this: the Celestials have endured since the first known iteration of the multiverse. They have survived multiple Ends, and multiple Beginnings.

“Cast your thoughts upon the Celestials. Consider their power, their might, and their removal from the Great Cycle giving them immunity to Eternity, and to Death. Consider that with every Celestial born, that energy and power is also removed from the Great Cycle.

“Consider Celestials being born for Great Cycle after Cycle after Cycle... Even were one born only every million years, how many Celestials would there now be?

“And Master Thanos, it does not always take a million years to form a new Celestial. I think the number can be under a hundred thousand years if things are perfectly ideal, actually.”

I lifted my hand to the stars wheeling beyond the dome of Titan, and he looked that way despite himself.

“How many of their Seeds are there out there? And you know what, Master Thanos?

“Every Celestial must be planted in a world where sapient life might develop, for such mortal souls are the sacrifices and spark to the beginning of the glory that is a Celestial.

“All across space, across the eons, the Celestials plant their Seeds, and when one is born, whole star clusters collapse to fuel the birth of that being, their energy forever lost to the Great Cycle. Uncounted multitudes across countless stars perish in the catastrophe, but the Celestials care not, for another wondrous member of their race now strides the stars.

“But there are not countless Celestials out there, Master Thanos. Indeed, from Beginning to End, their numbers remain fairly constant. Some are even destroyed permanently over the countless eons.

“Tell me, Master Thanos, what entity do you suppose is responsible for containing the Celestials and the threat they pose not just to countless worlds and star systems with their endless Seeding, but to the very structure of the multiverse itself?”

==========

The Far Shore is a recent development in Marvel. It basically holds the ghosts of Multiverses past. Having read Dr. Strange’s library, Dyna knows of it.

The life cycle of the Celestials using Celestial Seeds was the end point of one of the future timelines. Galactus feeding on them meant he was their sole predator, keeping them in check. Dovetails with the recent Eternals movie, too.

That a whole nebula is destroyed when a Celestial is born is also part of canon (came out of Thor).