49(1): Marvel's Green Lantern, The Sorrower pt.1

"When was the last time you came here?" Ikaris heard Thena ask from behind him.

He was standing, staring at the pods where the Machine would resurrect them after death, rows upon rows of crystalline chambers, each one connected to the vast network that defined their existence as Eternals. It was the World Forge, where their memories were stored, where their bodies were remade, where death became merely an inconvenience rather than an ending.

"During the war," Ikaris said without turning. The Deviant War and before, during the heresy.

"Ah," Thena said, coming to stand beside him. "I was here as well." She was silent for a moment, then continued, "This whole Uranos business isn't good. I feel something will happen. It's not right to bring him back, even temporarily."

"If our gods ask it of us, then it is what we must do," Ikaris said firmly. "We must obey the Celestials."

Thena did not speak, but he could feel her doubt. Then her body tensed. "Did you see that?"

Ikaris followed her gaze and spotted someone going into the chamber where Uranos was being kept.

"Yes. Come," Ikaris said, already moving.

They went into the chamber where Uranos was kept, passing through security protocols that should have prevented anyone unauthorized from entering. The doors opened to reveal the holding cell and what they saw made them both stop.

Uranos stood there talking to Thanos.

The boy A'Lars's son, the Deviant-marked child was listening with rapt attention, his red eyes fixed on Uranos with something like worship.

"What are you doing here?" Thena demanded, addressing Thanos.

Uranos turned to them with a calm, pleased smile, as if he'd been expecting them. "Ah, Thena. Ikaris." He looked down at Thanos with almost grandfatherly affection. "I was simply getting to know my grand-nephew."

Ikaris looked at Thanos, who had a smile on his face that made Ikaris distrust the Deviant-looking Eternal even more. There was something cold in that smile, something calculating beyond his years.

"Go to your father," Ikaris commanded.

Thanos's smile widened slightly a flash of defiance but Uranos spoke before the boy could respond.

"Go, child," Uranos said gently. "We'll speak again."

Thanos nodded and left, but not before casting one more look back at Uranos.

When the boy was gone, Uranos turned back to them. "Tell me was it worth it?"

"What?" Thena asked, her hand moving instinctively toward where her weapons would normally be.

"The current state of our people," Uranos said. "A'Lars had the right idea, you know. The Eternals on Titan are thriving, growing, evolving, creating, while those on Earth stagnate under Zuras's leadership." He smiled. "Perhaps dear Sui-San guided A'Lars. She was one of my most ardent followers, after all."

"What you wanted was madness," Ikaris said coldly. "Genocide. The eradication of all ‘lesser’ species."

Uranos shrugged. "I wanted purity. Perfection. The fulfillment of our purpose as the Celestials’ chosen."

Ikaris stepped forward, his eyes beginning to glow with barely restrained power. "Stop whatever you are planning. If not, I will kill you myself Celestial decree or not."

Uranos smiled, completely unfazed by the threat. "Will you, Ikaris? Will you truly defy the gods you claim to serve so devotedly? Because they are the ones who ordered my release." His smile widened. "Ask yourself why would they do that, if not because they see value in what I represent?"

The question hung in the air.

And Ikaris had no answer.

Just then, Zuras, A'Lars, and Ajak came in.

"Thena, Ikaris, what are you doing here?" Zuras asked.

"Making sure this one is not causing any trouble," Ikaris said, his eyes still on Uranos.

"No time to talk," Ajak said urgently. "Lord Zgreb will arrive soon. We must present ourselves before him."

They led Uranos out, his restraints reforming around his wrists though Ikaris noticed the ancient Eternal moved with the confidence of someone who believed that he would be free soon. The rest of the Eternals emerged from the Exclusion, forming a procession through the underground passages and up to the surface.

They gathered on a meeting platform in the cold winds of the South Pole.

Ikaris watched the skies as the clouds and winds began to die down, as if reality itself were making way for something greater. The grey sky parted, revealing a large shadow that grew clearer as it descended.

The Celestial Zgreb.

Two thousand feet tall, armored in dark metal. Energy crackled around him, and his eyes vast and incomprehensible—burned with power that made even Eternals feel insignificant.

The Eternals honored him by kneeling every one of them: Zuras, A'Lars, Ajak, Thena, Ikaris, Gilgamesh, Sersi, Phastos, Makkari, Druig, Sprite, and more all bowing before their creator.

Zgreb floated over them, his eyes fixed on them. When he spoke, his voice resonated not just in their ears but in their minds, in their souls, in the very core of their being.

WHERE IS HE?

Ajak rose slightly, still bowed, speaking as the Prime Eternal’s voice to the Celestials. "Great Zgreb, you honor us with your presence."

WHERE IS HE? Zgreb repeated, impatient.

Ajak gestured, and Uranos was brought forward. "The great traitor, my lord. As you asked."

Zgreb's massive head turned, his gaze falling on Uranos like a searchlight. WHAT YOU TOLD ME IS IT TRUE? DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS?

Uranos, alone among them, did not seem afraid. He looked up at the Celestial with something like satisfaction. "I do, my lord."

THEN YOU WILL LEAD ME THERE.

"My lord, if I may—" Uranos began.

No, no, no, Ikaris thought, his eyes meeting Gilgamesh's, then Thena's, then Zuras's. They all knew what was coming.

"I wish, great Zgreb, to be set free of my prison for this deed," Uranos said smoothly. "Surely such knowledge is worth my freedom?"

Shock rippled through the assembled Eternals whispers, gasps, expressions of outrage.

"My lord—" Zuras began, stepping forward.

Zgreb's gaze turned to Zuras, and the Prime Eternal was silenced as if an invisible hand had closed around his throat not harming him, but making it clear that interruption would not be tolerated.

Ajak spoke quickly. "Uranos is the great traitor, my lord. He had designs that went against even the Celestials’ will. He sought to make himself equal to the gods."

Zgreb was silent for a long moment, considering. Then: I WILL DECIDE LATER AFTER HE HAS PROVEN USEFUL.

The Celestial raised one massive hand, and Uranos was lifted into the air with a thought, floating upward toward Zgreb's shoulder platform.

ONE MORE WILL COME WITH US.

Ikaris stepped forward at once, looking up at Zgreb. "I will go, great one."

Zgreb's eyes fixed on him, evaluating, and then: ACCEPTABLE.

Ikaris nodded to the others a nod that conveyed everything he couldn't say aloud: I will take care of Uranos. If he betrays us, I will stop him. I will not let him escape.

THE REST OF YOU WILL STAY HERE, Zgreb commanded.

The Celestial lifted Ikaris as well with a gesture, bringing him to float beside Uranos. Then Zgreb began to rise, following Uranos’s directions.

They flew away toward the north, where whatever the Celestial sought lay buried.

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.

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In the icy lands of the Arctic, Agamotto floated in a lotus position with mandalas hovering around him, leading Ghost and Odin, who was riding the mammoth Tasi.

Tasi trumpeted loudly, making Agamotto sigh. "I can't concentrate. Ghost, please control your beast."

Tasi trumpeted again, clearly offended.

"She only wanted you to ride on top of her like Odin," Ghost replied.

Odin laughed from behind Ghost.

"Oh, then I shall," Agamotto said, relenting.

"Well, not anymore. You offended her. You called her a beast," Ghost said.

Tasi trumpeted again, this time with an indignant tone.

Agamotto sighed deeply. "I am sorry, noble Tasi."

Tasi trumpeted a softer sound.

"She accepts your apology," Ghost translated.

Agamotto floated down and then sat behind Odin on Tasi's broad back.

"Are we there yet?" Odin asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Like I told you the last ten times you asked—" Agamotto stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening. "Stop. Stop! We are here."

"Huzzah!" Odin said, leaping off Tasi with enthusiasm and accidentally knocking Agamotto over in the process, sending the sorcerer tumbling into the snow.

This earned a laugh from Ghost and an amused trumpet from Tasi.

Agamotto got up, brushing snow off his cloak with as much dignity as he could muster. He pointed to a mountain ahead. "That is what we are looking for."

Odin squinted at it. "Just a mountain? Is there something buried beneath?"

"Yes," Agamotto confirmed.

"Well, allow me to melt it all away," Ghost said, flames already beginning to flicker around his form.

"I shall help," Agamotto agreed.

Ghost transformed fully, his head turning into a flaming skull, hellfire burning in the empty eye sockets. Tasi, too, transformed fire blooming around her massive form, her eyes glowing. Ghost then unleashed flames from his mouth intense, concentrated hellfire that could melt metal in seconds.

Agamotto joined with a spell of his own, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he chanted, "Flames of the Faltine, bend to my will. Melt the ancient ice reveal what lies beneath. By the Vishanti’s light, I command this feat!"

Golden-orange flames erupted from his mandalas, joining Ghost’s hellfire. The combined assault struck the icy mountain, and steam exploded upward in massive clouds. Ice and snow melted away in rivers, flowing down in torrents.

They melted the icy hill completely, revealing what lay beneath.

It was a giant being half-buried, its torso still visible, standing upright. Even partially covered, it was massive beyond comprehension: silver armor with intricate designs, and a helmet of distinctive, angular shape.

"By the Norns, what is that?" Odin breathed, staring up at it.

"Let’s find out," Agamotto said, already moving forward.

All three of them walked over to investigate, Ghost and Tasi returning to their normal forms.

They circled the gigantic figure, walking around its base, looking up at the towering form. Agamotto examined the armor, the construction, the energy readings his senses could detect.

"This could be fifteen hundred feet tall if fully uncovered," Agamotto said, his voice filled with wonder.

"I think I know what this is," Odin said slowly.

"What?" Agamotto asked.

"It’s a Celestial," Odin said.

"What is a Celestial?" Ghost asked.

Odin opened his mouth to answer—

—when a shadow loomed over them from above.

They looked up and saw, descending from the sky, a two-thousand-foot-tall being similar to what they had just found massive, armored in dark metal, energy crackling around its form. Its vast eyes fixed on them.

And unlike the half-buried one beside them, this one was very much alive.

"That… is a Celestial," Odin said quietly, his hand instinctively going to Mjolnir.

Agamotto stared up at the descending god, and for once in his long life, he felt truly small.

"Oh…" was all he could say.

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