Deep within the palace, in a spacious hall, Quill stopped and looked around. He noticed the surrounding walls were covered in a strange sheen, as if slowly flowing. A faint sweet fragrance filled the air, making one unconsciously relax.
"This place is pretty cool," Quill said, shrugging with his hands in his pockets. "But why do you need to talk to me alone? Let me guess, are you going to tell me I'm the heir to some cosmic royalty?"
Ego smiled slightly and gently waved, signaling Quill to follow him to the center of the hall: "Royalty? No, that is far beneath your status. Peter, you are my son. There is no doubt about that."
Quill was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Man, there's a limit to bad jokes. How can you be my dad? I'm one hundred percent Earthling!"
"Is that so?" Ego stopped and turned to look directly at Quill. His eyes were deep, as if they could see through any disguise. "Your mother, Meredith, did she never tell you our story?"
Quill's smile gradually stiffened. He pursed his lips: "She said you were a genius, romantic, like a prince descended from the sky. Then you disappeared."
A hint of regret showed in Ego's eyes: "I wanted to stay, but I had to leave. Peter, I am a 'Celestial'. I exist in the oldest, most mysterious corners of the Universe. Unlike mortals, my duty, my existence has a greater meaning."
Quill's brows furrowed even deeper: "Celestial? So what are you? Some kind of glowing planet?"
Ego gave a thought-provoking smile: "Not exactly. I am the embodiment of the source of life. Your mother, she was the most special life form I ever met. She made me feel love, the first and only time I've felt it in my long existence."
Quill blinked, his eyes showing complexity: "Sounds touching, but you still abandoned her. You left my mom to raise me alone while you ran off to be some Celestial, doing some cosmic great work?"
Ego's expression became heavy. He said softly: "I thought I could balance both, but the responsibility of the Universe prevented me from being distracted. I didn't leave because I didn't love her, but because I couldn't stop my mission."
"Oh, well, you sound like a great Father," Quill said sarcastically. "So what are you back for now? A sudden attack of conscience?"
Ego ignored Quill's sarcasm and continued calmly: "I sensed your power awakening. Peter, you are not just a mortal. You are my bloodline, and the energy of a Celestial flows within you. Your potential is infinite."
Quill's expression gradually changed from anger to confusion: "My potential? What does that mean?"
"You can control the energy of the Universe," Ego's eyes were bright. "You just haven't realized it yet. But this power isn't just yours, it's also a source of danger."
Quill's brows furrowed again. He took a step back and looked at Ego warily: "Danger? Are you talking about me or someone else?"
Ego nodded slowly, his voice low: "Someone near you. His goal is not simple. He doesn't belong to this Universe, but he is trying to control it. He has his eye on you because your power is an opportunity for him, a path to a higher existence."
Quill was stunned, a flicker of unease in his eyes: "Are you saying... Dominic?"
"Precisely," Ego's gaze sharpened. "He craves the energy within you. But the goal he pursues could push the entire Universe towards destruction."
Quill pursed his lips, trying to process the information. He murmured: "So... what am I? The savior of the Universe? Or some kind of energy battery?"
Ego's expression softened slightly. He gently patted Quill's shoulder: "You are my son. You have the right to choose. But before you make any decisions, I want you to understand your true nature."
Quill squinted at Ego, suspicion practically written all over his face. He raised one hand and waved it casually: "Listen, old man, one of the things Yondu taught me since I was a kid is not to trust anyone, especially guys who claim to be god."
Ego didn't get angry at this. Instead, he showed a meaningful smile: "Yondu? The Ravager? I know he raised you, but why do you think he didn't hand you over to more dangerous beings?"
Quill's eyebrow twitched, his gaze slightly unfriendly: "Because he liked me! I was his best subordinate, he treated me like one of his own."
"Or perhaps because he discovered your potential and was afraid your value far exceeded his understanding." Ego's voice was low but steady, his gaze like a blade, looking directly into Quill's eyes.
Quill blinked, trying to hide his unease, then laughed: "Okay, even if I have some hidden superpower, it must be hidden too well. Do you know my only special skill? Being handsome! Other than that, I haven't found myself breathing fire, flying, or shooting light from my head."
Ego couldn't help but chuckle: "Your sense of humor is quite like mine. However, Peter, this isn't about whether you can believe it, but whether you are willing to accept it."
Quill struck a casual pose, hands on his hips: "Accept what? Accept the fact that I might be some kind of cosmic superhero? Or accept the story of you, the 'suddenly appearing mysterious Father'?"
Ego took a step closer, his aura instantly becoming exceptionally oppressive: "Accept that you are a higher being than mortals. Accept that you can no longer be bound by these insignificant cosmic rules."
Quill snorted coldly and waved his hand: "Man, I can't even handle my credit card bills. Do you think I care about cosmic rules?"
Ego watched Quill, a hint of pity in his eyes: "Your refusal is only temporary, Peter. When your power awakens, you will understand everything I'm saying."
Quill sneered, took a step back, and raised his hands: "Alright, sounds like you have a great sales pitch, but why don't you give me a demonstration? Let me see what 'the power of a god' looks like."
Ego shook his head gently, his tone so mild it was unnerving: "My power cannot be simply demonstrated, it takes time, Peter. I need your trust."
Quill sighed, turned around, and stared at Ego for a few seconds: "Okay, old man, even if I have the abilities you're talking about, what good is it? Save the World? Conquer the galaxy? Do you really think I'd do those things?"
Ego said softly: "You can choose your future, but you cannot deny your nature. It will guide you."
Quill shrugged, his face practically screaming "I don't believe it": "Oh yeah? So what's my nature? A charming space rogue? Or an aimless wanderer?"
Ego smiled slightly, his tone still gentle: "One of the creators of the Universe."
Quill was stunned for a second upon hearing that, then burst out laughing: "A creator, huh? Man, if you're so powerful, why don't you start by creating some bar vouchers in the Universe for me?"
Ego didn't reply, just stood quietly in front of Quill, a hint of unfathomable complex emotion in his eyes.
Quill's laughter gradually stopped. He frowned, trying to read something from Ego's expression, but found nothing. He finally pursed his lips: "Alright, you win. At least for now, I'll listen to what you have to say. But if it sounds too ridiculous, I won't play along."
Ego nodded slightly, showing a victorious smile: "Very good, Peter. This is the first step, accepting your true identity."
Quill and Ego walked into the hall side by side. As he walked, Quill waved and greeted the others: "Hey, my 'heroic companions', I just finished a life chat with my 'mysterious old man'—can someone explain why Dominic is gone?"
Gamora looked up and said coldly: "He said he had something to do just now, didn't say where." Her tone carried a hint of suspicion, clearly uneasy about Dominic's disappearance.
Rocket was tinkering with something using a small tool. Hearing Quill's question, he interjected without raising his head: "You better pray he's not off doing something that'll get us all wiped out."
Ego's face instantly changed, a flicker of anger in his eyes. Without a word, he turned and strode out, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Hey, hey, old man, what's wrong?" Quill called out from where he stood, but Ego didn't look back, his steps even quickening, almost charging headlong as he disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Gamora frowned and said softly: "He looks like he knows something."
Just then, the others suddenly let out groans of pain. Drax knelt down, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in unbearable pain: "My intestines... they're revolting..."
Groot squatted on the ground, holding his root-like stomach, muttering: "I am Groot... I am Groot..."
Quill's eyes widened, looking at the chaos before him: "Can someone tell me what's happening?"
Only Rocket remained calm. He pulled out a small bottle and shook it at his fingertips: "Just as I thought! I said these so-called delicacies couldn't be free. I prepared the antidote long ago!" After saying that, he directly popped the small bottle into his mouth.
Quill stared at him in shock: "You knew there was a problem early on, why didn't you tell us?"
Rocket shrugged and said with an innocent look: "I don't have time to look after everyone's stomach."
Mantis rushed over, fumbling to help Groot up, looking at Rocket with a panicked expression: "Is there more antidote? Give it to everyone quickly!"
Just then, Nebula suddenly charged forward, grabbed Rocket's arm, and stared at him with knife-like eyes: "Give me the antidote!"
Rocket gave a sly grin and deliberately held up the bottle: "Of course, but this stuff is a rare resource, what can you offer?"
"My fist!" Nebula growled, and punched directly at Rocket, but Rocket cleverly leaped away, leaving Nebula grinding her teeth in anger as she chased after him.
Meanwhile, in Ego's core area, the center of energy surging, Dominic stood amidst a field of light, his hands in his pockets, a disdainful smile on his face. His gaze swept over the core energy source, as if appreciating a work of art.
Ego burst in violently, roaring with uncontrollable rage: "What in the Universe are you doing!"
Dominic didn't turn his head, still leisurely observing everything in front of him: "I was just a little curious what your 'heart' looks like. Didn't expect it to be quite so dazzling."
Ego violently swung his hands. The surrounding vines lunged at Dominic like venomous snakes, carrying the force to tear everything apart. Dominic gently raised a hand, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and an energy wave blasted out, slicing the vines clean off.
"Oh, don't be in such a hurry to start a fight." Dominic turned his head, looking mockingly at the furious Ego. "I just came to take a look, I wasn't planning on dismantling it."
"You dare profane my core!" Ego's voice was low like rolling thunder. His form gradually expanded, as if to swallow the entire space.
Dominic lightly clapped his hands together and said indifferently: "You think you can trap me? Then you really should get to know your opponent again."