Chapter 55: The Prime Eternal's Lesson in Cosmic Energy
Ross quickly accessed intelligence files on Ajak.
She hadn't bothered concealing her identity and even maintained active credit accounts, making her information easily discoverable through standard government databases.
A photograph was transmitted to Ryan, and after confirmation, a military transport was immediately arranged for direct flight to South Dakota.
Ajak was the only resident within several kilometers of her isolated farm in rural South Dakota. She had lived there for decades, tending her land while periodically reporting Earth's status to Arishem the Judge, the towering Celestial who had created the Eternals.
After Thanos's snap eliminated half of Earth's population, the emergence of the nascent Celestial Tiamut had been delayed. However, the Avengers' reversal of the Blip had accelerated the timeline once again.
As Tiamut's awakening approached, Ajak grew increasingly troubled by her conflicting loyalties.
Late that evening, Ajak kindled her fireplace and was preparing to commune with Arishem when an unexpected knock interrupted her solitude.
Ajak visibly startled—she couldn't recall the last time anyone had visited her remote homestead.
Opening the door, she found herself facing an unfamiliar young man. "Good evening. How may I help you?"
"Good evening, Ms. Ajak." It was Ryan standing on her doorstep.
Ajak nodded, studying Ryan with obvious confusion.
Ryan smiled pleasantly. "My name is Ryan. I have some questions I'd like to discuss with you. Would it be possible to come inside?"
Ajak hesitated, then gestured him in. She prepared coffee in her kitchen before they settled in front of the crackling fire.
The flames cast dancing shadows across her ageless features. Drawing a knitted blanket across her legs, she asked casually, "Are you new to the area?"
"No, I've traveled here from New York."
Ajak's demeanor immediately shifted. She had assumed Ryan was a local resident, never imagining someone would journey across the country specifically to find her.
She rarely interacted with humans beyond basic necessities, and certainly had no acquaintances from New York. This prompted immediate concern about his true purpose.
"You came all this way just to see me? We've never met before."
Ryan maintained his disarming smile. "I'm here for one specific reason: I want to learn about the Eternals and how to manipulate cosmic energy."
The moment "Eternals" left his lips, Ajak's eyes hardened defensively.
Ryan continued calmly, "Don't be alarmed. The Eternals have existed for millennia, and you haven't exactly maintained a low profile. Anyone with sufficient resources could uncover evidence of your existence."
Ajak's voice turned cold. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're referring to. If you have no other business, please leave immediately."
Following their victory over the Deviants, the Eternals had reached consensus not to interfere in human affairs. She certainly wouldn't reveal Eternal secrets to any mortal.
Having traveled this distance, Ryan naturally wouldn't be deterred by Ajak's dismissal.
He remained seated, chuckling softly. "No one can make me leave until I obtain what I came for."
"And what exactly do you want?"
Despite being the Prime Eternal and leader of the ten, Ajak's primary ability was healing. Her combat capabilities ranked lowest among her team—she couldn't even defeat certain enhanced humans.
Ajak quietly reached for her phone beneath the blanket and attempted to dial for assistance, but found no signal. Multiple attempts failed.
Ryan gazed into the fire, speaking calmly. "Don't waste your time. I'm wearing a signal jammer. No electronic communications can penetrate it."
"Who are you, and what do you really want?"
Seeing her phone was useless, Ajak simply tossed it aside.
Ryan abandoned pretense and spoke directly. "I simply want to understand how to harness cosmic energy. I can clearly sense the power within me, but I cannot control it. If you teach me, I'll leave immediately."
Ajak, as if hearing something impossible, shook her head firmly. "Impossible. Cosmic energy is power bestowed upon Eternals by the Celestials themselves. Humans cannot channel it. More precisely, humans cannot even perceive cosmic energy."
At the universe's dawn, six Infinity Stones emerged from the Big Bang, representing the most fundamental forces of existence.
The Celestials, ancient beings predating current universal structures, learned to harness energy from cosmic formation itself. They used this power to create galaxies, stars, and life forms, then utilized that life to birth new Celestials through the Emergence process.
Only beings transformed by Celestial technology could wield cosmic energy, as cosmic power and biological life force could not coexist within the same individual—otherwise, no new Celestials could be born.
This represented a fundamental principle governing Celestial energy manipulation.
Ryan shook his head. "To be precise, I'm no longer entirely human. Like you, I carry Eternal genetic code, which is why I've traveled here to find you."
"You're claiming to be an Eternal?"
Ajak was startled. She immediately reached out and grasped Ryan's hand, allowing her healing energy to flow into him for analysis.
The diagnostic results genuinely shocked her.
"You're saying you were originally human, then somehow became an Eternal?"
"Exactly. So, are you willing to teach me how to use this energy?"
Ryan didn't fully understand his own nature. He retained original human genetics, but serum injections had reprogrammed his DNA, replacing significant portions with Titanian Eternal sequences—the same branch that had produced Thanos.
Subsequently, Celestial genetic material had been introduced to his bone marrow, causing cosmic energy to manifest within his cellular structure.
This combination of human genes, Titanian Eternal modifications, and Celestial-enhanced genetics had created the unique being that was Ryan.
Ajak lacked specialized equipment to analyze Ryan's complete genetic sequence, but she could definitively sense cosmic energy within him and accepted his claim to Eternal status.
After recovering from her initial shock, Ajak asked, "Can you explain how you achieved this transformation?"
"Thanos. I utilized Thanos's genetic material to create enhancement serums."
Ajak nodded with understanding. "That explains everything."
Following this revelation, Ajak began instructing Ryan in cosmic energy manipulation.
"The physical body serves as a vessel for cosmic energy. This power functions like programmable code—users must learn to direct it consciously, thereby manifesting different superhuman abilities."
"Programming? How exactly?" Ryan was perplexed.
Ajak smiled gently. "You must experience it through focused meditation, sense the energy's natural flow, then guide it to align with your conscious intentions."
Ryan's first instinct was to use cosmic energy for flight capability.
Given his current physical enhancements, aerial mobility would render him virtually unstoppable.
Among known flying superheroes, Captain Marvel utilized absorbed energy for propulsion, Thor relied on Stormbreaker's enchantments, and both Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange employed extradimensional magic for levitation. These methods differed completely from the cosmic energy manipulation Ajak described.
Ryan closed his eyes, carefully sensing cosmic energy flow within him. As soon as he focused, it immediately appeared throughout his circulatory system, permeating his entire body, though remaining beyond conscious control.
With his eyes closed, Ryan couldn't observe the changes occurring within himself. His entire form now radiated subtle golden luminescence.
After several moments, the golden light began concentrating in Ryan's palms, forming two distinct spheres of pure energy.
End of Chapter 55
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