When Malrick called him "Ari," if Arishem the Judge's helmet could have shown an expression, its visor would surely have twitched in bemusement.
Arishem did not quite know what Malrick was driving at. He responded coolly, "I know of the TVA, but Celestials rarely deal with them."
Malrick leaned in, pressing the matter. "Then you must have heard of the Anchor Person?"
Arishem paused. He had only a vague awareness of the term — something mentioned sometimes, but never truly concerning his kind. In the hierarchy of cosmic beings, even the TVA seemed insignificant, let alone this Anchor Person concept.
Sensing Arishem's hesitation, Malrick explained patiently, "The Anchor Person is the core of the Universe. If this person dies or is destroyed, the entire Universe could collapse with them."
Arishem and Tiamut both looked stunned. "The entire Universe?" Arishem whispered, voice barely steady. "One person's life tied to everything—how can that be?"
Malrick nodded gravely. "Yes. Even if you Celestials spawned ten thousand suns a day, without the Anchor Person, it would all be meaningless."
Arishem's mind raced. "If the Anchor Person perishes, the Universe falls apart? Who could be so crucial? Is he Eternity's child or something even more fundamental?"
Malrick's bright eyes held a fierce earnestness. "I am not joking. This is serious."
Arishem's demeanor shifted, resolve hardening. "No wonder so many Universes end in unexplained disaster," he murmured. "I must find this Anchor Person and protect them."
Malrick placed a steady hand on Arishem's armored head. "Ari, your best protection might be to stop planting Celestial seeds on Earth."
Arishem frowned. "What do you mean?"
Malrick continued, "Almost all Anchor Persons are humans from Earth. By seeding Earth with Celestials, you are essentially setting a time bomb."
"If the bomb goes off, the Anchor Person could die—or worse, resent you and use what's left of Earth to take revenge."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "You may even have contributed to the destruction of some Universes."
Arishem's voice was low. "Have you… have you destroyed Earth in any Universe?"
Malrick smiled wryly. "No, obviously not. But imagine the consequences if you had."
Tiamut, listening, caught his breath. "Malrick, are you serious? This is… terrifying."
Malrick nodded steadily. "It is. You should go to the TVA. Speak to those in charge. They'll explain everything in full."
Tiamut looked at Arishem, panic and urgency in his voice. "We have to act now. We need to warn our fellow Celestials in other Universes—do something to stop this."
Arishem was quiet, but after a few tense moments, he slowly nodded. He opened a vast spatial portal with a palm strike and motioned for Tiamut to follow. Then he began to move.
"Wait, Ari," Malrick called after him.
Arishem halted. He and Tiamut turned back, expecting more.
Malrick stepped forward and shifted his form: Rejedo's "One Heart, One Body" faded, and he returned to his usual figure. Although his injuries from the earlier clash with Arishem had fully healed, his Dormammu armor lay in tatters—the damage a testament to Arishem's overwhelming power. That armor, meant to resist attacks that could destroy star systems, had finally broken.
Malrick pointed at his ruined armor and said quietly, "Ari, before you go, could you take one last look at this? These pieces have been with me for so long. They matter."
Arishem regarded him for a long moment, silent.
Then Tiamut spoke softly, prompting him. After a brief thought, Arishem nodded. With another palm strike, he ripped open a spatial tear. Through it floated the corpse of another Celestial, clad in crimson armor and crowned with the six-barrel helm. Arishem offered it solemnly.
"This… is compensation," Arishem said. "Goodbye."
He inclined his head briefly to Malrick, then turned, ushered Tiamut through the portal, and vanished. Seconds later, the rift closed.
Malrick caught the massive body reverently. He stared at it in disbelief. "Another Arishem the Judge?" he muttered, speechless.
Indeed, Arishem had given him the corpse of another version of himself.
---
50% off Patreon memberships ends tonight at midnight.
Become a Patron to get access to exclusive perks.
👉 Patreon.com/Zphyr_