To Erik's frustration, no matter how desperately he called out to Bast in his mind, the Wakandan Panther God made no move to appear. Despite having just installed Erik as Wakanda's new king—and even though Erik could potentially be in danger—Bast remained silent.
"So, this planet hasn't even achieved a unified civilization yet? How unfortunate," said the metallic figure, his voice laced with a strange, almost pitying tone. However, the sound didn't seem to come from his mouth but rather directly into Erik's mind.
"Unfortunate? What's unfortunate?" Erik asked, confused and uneasy at the cryptic statement.
"Poor king," the silver figure replied with a faint sigh. "If your people have the means, I suggest you leave this planet as quickly as possible. It won't exist for much longer."
Before Erik could process what he had just heard, the silver being vanished. Yet, in the moment before disappearing, it briefly glanced in a certain direction—locking eyes with Bast, who had been secretly observing all along. The glance carried no malice or desire to communicate, just a cold indifference.
"That… thing… What was it? Was that some sort of advanced technology? Or some kind of divine artifact?" Bast muttered to himself, frowning deeply. His gaze was heavy with uncertainty as he replayed the events.
"He saw me, didn't he? But why didn't he try to talk to me? Does he think I'm beneath him?"
Bast's mind swirled with unanswered questions. Despite observing the silver figure's movements clearly, he couldn't discern its true strength. And, knowing his own limitations, he refrained from attempting any further confrontation.
"Bast? Are you there?" Erik's voice broke into Bast's thoughts, filled with unease. "What did he mean? Is something going to happen to Earth? What does it mean the planet won't exist anymore?"
Hearing Erik's frantic questions, Bast sighed heavily. His ethereal form finally materialized in front of Erik, his tone grim.
"To be honest, I don't know either. I couldn't discern that being's origins or purpose," Bast admitted, his pride visibly bruised. "But… his words aren't necessarily empty. A being of his strength has no need to deceive you."
"Maybe you should try contacting the Avengers. If anyone can handle a crisis like this, it's them."
"The Avengers?" Erik looked surprised. "I thought they'd vanished?"
Indeed, even though Erik had only recently become Wakanda's king, the Avengers' disappearance was public knowledge. Their withdrawal from their base and subsequent silence had left much of the world speculating about their intentions.
"Damn it…" Bast muttered under his breath, his divine expression darkening further. Only now did he realize he had no way of reaching the Avengers. Worse still, their absence made him wonder: had they truly abandoned Earth?
"Bast… That being," Erik began hesitantly, "is it… stronger than you?"
"Hmph!" Bast snorted in displeasure but reluctantly admitted, "Yes. That being is stronger than me. I could sense its power—it was overwhelming."
"Don't look at me like that. In Wakanda, I may be supreme. But on the cosmic scale, Wakanda is just a small corner of the universe. Otherwise, why do you think Wakanda controls so little territory?"
"So yes, I'm no match for him. And if the Avengers' strongest member, that Saiyan, truly left Earth, then this planet may be doomed. However, Wakanda's technology is advanced enough for interstellar travel. Perhaps it's time to prepare."
"Prepare? For what? Fleeing Earth?" Erik's head spun. He was already struggling to process Bast's admission of inferiority, and now the god was suggesting abandoning their home.
Becoming Wakanda's king had been Erik's lifelong goal—not just to avenge his father but to lead Wakanda into a brighter future. The thought of leaving Earth, especially so soon after achieving his dream, filled him with dread.
Bast seemed to sense Erik's hesitation. "If you're unwilling to abandon this planet, then at least try to warn the rest of humanity. Share what we've recorded—the energy readings and the encounter with that being. Perhaps you can rally Earth's nations to uncover the truth."
As Bast's image faded, Erik stood there, grappling with the weight of his god's words. In the end, he chose to heed Bast's advice. This burden was too great for him to bear alone.
Meanwhile, far from Earth, the silver being had already left the planet's atmosphere. His glowing eyes gazed at Earth one last time, a mixture of regret and cold indifference flickering within them.
This figure was none other than Norrin Radd, better known as the Silver Surfer.
Once a simple astronomer from a distant planet, Norrin's life had changed forever when the cosmic entity known as Galactus—the Planet Devourer—arrived at his home world. Galactus had declared the planet his next meal, leaving its inhabitants in despair.
Desperate to save his people, Norrin offered himself to Galactus in exchange for sparing his planet. Galactus agreed, transforming Norrin into the Silver Surfer and imbuing him with the Power Cosmic.
However, the transformation came at a cost. Norrin's memories, morality, and emotions were stripped away, leaving him as a cold, detached herald tasked with finding new worlds for Galactus to consume.
Over time, fragments of Norrin's emotions began to resurface. When possible, he tried to lead Galactus to uninhabited planets. But this time, it was Galactus himself who had chosen Earth, leaving the Silver Surfer powerless to intervene.
His warning to Erik was the most he could do—an act of defiance against the chains of the Power Cosmic that bound him.
"Run… This planet has potential," the Surfer murmured to himself, his voice tinged with sorrow as he disappeared into the vastness of space.
Back on Earth, in a quiet corner of the planet, a young woman paused mid-bite of her meal. Her silver eyes narrowed in recognition.
"That energy… It feels familiar," muttered Gah Lak Tus, the daughter of Galactus.
She set down her bowl of noodles, her expression turning serious. "Could it be… Father?"
For years, Gah Lak Tus had roamed the cosmos, sampling delicacies from countless civilizations. But no planet's cuisine had ever captivated her as much as Earth's. The thought of her father consuming the planet horrified her—not because of its people, but because of the culinary treasures that would be lost forever.
"No… He can't eat Earth! The food here is too good! What a waste that would be…"
Gah Lak Tus stood, pacing anxiously. "Where's that Saiyan when you need him? I could sense his energy before, but now it's gone. Even if he's strong, there's no way he can defeat Father…"
Her frustration grew. "And even if Father were to take another herald, who could it be? That Saiyan guy? He's gone! There's no one left to stop this…"
She let out an exasperated sigh. "Why now? Why couldn't Father wake up after a few centuries, when I'd had my fill of Earth's food?"
Elsewhere on Earth, chaos brewed as Erik began disseminating the Silver Surfer's warning.
At first, many nations were skeptical. But when presented with Wakanda's energy readings and footage of the encounter, doubt turned to grim acceptance.
The scientific data was irrefutable. Whatever was coming, it wasn't something Earth could handle alone.
"Where are the Avengers?"
In conference rooms across the globe, government officials echoed the same desperate question.
"They've vanished when we need them most! Are they really going to sit by and let Earth be destroyed?"
Ironically, the same leaders who had condemned the Avengers now longed for their return. Even with their past mistakes, the Avengers represented humanity's best hope against extraterrestrial threats.
Unfortunately, no one knew where to find them.
While many clung to hope, others prepared for the worst.
Among them were those who had secretly benefited from Lex Luthor's final act. Before his death, Luthor had leaked classified technology to various factions around the world, including research on Kryptonian DNA and the Doomsday experiments.
Now, these factions saw this as their last, desperate chance to defend Earth from an impending catastrophe.
If the Avengers wouldn't return, humanity would have to fight on its own—even if it meant unleashing monsters like Doomsday.
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