Marvel: Death Knight

One, two, three, four…

Towering giants surrounded the area, sealing it off completely. Their massive armored forms gleamed under the harsh light of a nearby star, the metallic plating of their armor reflecting an intense radiance.

Their faces were entirely concealed beneath their helmets, leaving their true appearances a mystery.

Among the scattered survivors of the Nova Corps, one soldier stared at the giants with wide eyes, a memory from the Nova Corps archives surfacing in his mind.

"They're Celestials!"

His voice trembled as he spoke. The reputation of the Celestials was far from benevolent—they interfered with civilizations, conducted cruel experiments, and yet saw themselves as the enforcers and overseers of the universe.

"They're after us?" Wade muttered, feeling an overwhelming urge to flee. Turning to Garus, he demanded, "Hey, man, what the hell are these things? And what did you do to piss them off?"

"They're members of the Celestials," Garus replied grimly. "Didn't think they'd find us so quickly."

He had to break free of the encirclement—change the battlefield. The Space Stone in his grasp flared with brilliant blue light, opening a dimensional portal above their heads. The Celestials' interference field disrupted the Nova Corps' warp drives, but the Space Stone's power still held.

Noticing the wormhole appearing above the enemy ship, the Celestial leader, Arishem the Judge, raised his staff. Streaks of crackling blue lightning leaped across the sky, instantly sealing the portal shut.

"Attack."

A deep, commanding voice echoed through the minds of all Celestial warriors. They could not afford to underestimate this seemingly insignificant human. To complete the mission of Eternity, they had to ensure there was no chance of escape.

With no concern for collateral damage, the Celestial Destroyers raised their weapons. Blinding beams of energy surged toward Garus' ship.

Seeing the relentless barrage, Garus teleported outside, erecting a massive anti-magic barrier to shield the vessel. The power of the Infinity Stones surged through him, barely holding back the devastating onslaught.

On the battlefield's periphery, Nova Centurion Richard Rider channeled his full might into repelling the energy waves. Even at this distance, the sheer pressure was terrifying. He couldn't fathom what it must feel like at ground zero. That Earthling… how had he become so terrifyingly strong? Richard had once believed his own Nova Force made him invincible, but now, he realized his arrogance.

Inside Xandar's last remaining shelter, chaos erupted. The buildings trembled under the impact of celestial energy, dust and debris falling from above. The civilians had barely survived the Annihilation Swarm, and now, another disaster loomed.

Garus gripped Frostmourne tightly. Even with the power of the Infinity Stones bolstering him, he felt the strain. Hundreds of Celestials attacking simultaneously was simply too much—Frostmourne itself trembled under the pressure, showing signs of fracturing. This couldn't go on.

Unseen by all, two cosmic entities watched from the void: Eternity and Death. Yet neither intervened.

Eternity held the advantage—not only in personal power but in his subordinates. With both Thanos and Mephisto not under her control, Death was at a disadvantage. She had placed her hopes in Garus, yet now she feared he might not even escape.

Garus stood alone against the Celestials. Deadpool and Howard the Duck were of no help here.

Most Celestials possessed power rivaling Odin himself, and the strongest among them were on par with Mephisto, a ruler of Hell. With millions of them existing across the cosmos, their sheer numbers were terrifying. If not for the Infinity Stones, Garus would've been annihilated instantly. Fortunately, only a few hundred had arrived.

Wait—why was he fighting them one-on-one?

Garus suddenly remembered the countless souls sealed within Frostmourne, the undead legions awaiting his call. If quality wasn't enough, then quantity would have to do. They were expendable, after all.

Sensing his intent, the Soul Stone whispered, "Some of these spirits have been an annoyance, disrupting my fusion of realms. It's time to cast them out."

The Time Stone flared green, freezing the Celestials' attacks in place for a few crucial seconds. That was all the time Garus needed to break free of the encirclement.

Before he could act further, the Soul Stone forcibly expelled all the spirits trapped within Frostmourne. Thousands of souls flooded the battlefield, momentarily lost as they adjusted to their sudden freedom.

On either side, Mephisto and Apocalypse commanded their spectral legions, facing off against the Celestials.

"What are you doing?" Garus demanded. "Hold them off!"

Mephisto and Apocalypse exchanged glances. Bound to Frostmourne, they had no choice but to obey.

Running wasn't a long-term solution. The Celestials would catch up eventually. Now, while their numbers were manageable, was the time to strike.

A deep hum resonated through space.

Tapping into the Space Stone's power, Garus connected to the realm of the dead. This was his first time combining the stone's abilities with necromantic summoning. Instead of the usual summoning circle, a massive void hundreds of meters wide materialized at the battlefield's center.

An eerie, bone-chilling aura swept outward. From the depths of the portal came ghastly wails.

The Celestials fired energy beams directly into the rift, but the attacks vanished into the void without effect.

Seeing that Garus had chosen to stand his ground, the Celestials shifted into a defensive stance, their attention fixed on the unknown passage before them. Meanwhile, the Xandarians scrambled aboard their hastily repaired ships, desperate to flee the battlefield.

Then, a soul-piercing roar echoed across space.

Though sound could not travel in the vacuum, every being present heard it within their very souls.

From the portal, Sindragosa emerged, leading a flight of over a hundred Frost Wyrms. Behind them, an unending horde followed—Liches, Banshees, Highborne San'layn. Every undead being Garus had ever known with the ability to fly surged forth.

"My master, Kel'Thuzad greets you."

A particularly distinctive Lich drifted toward Garus, bowing respectfully.

"Blood-Queen Lana'thel, alongside the Blood Council and the Highborne San'layn, reporting in."

"Lady Deathwhisper…"

Garus found himself momentarily speechless. Sindragosa had been surprising enough, but now even Kel'Thuzad, Lana'thel, and Deathwhisper had joined the fray?

"Master, Noth, the Four Horsemen, and Professor Putricide's creations are unable to engage in aerial combat. They remain behind."

Had he… just inherited the forces of the Lich King?

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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON