The sky cracked.
A soundless ripple echoed across the endless darkness. And then, like a god stepping through the skin of the universe, he appeared.
The Living Tribunal.
He was vast. Beyond size. A giant of cosmic judgment, towering so high that the very sky became his form. Three faces turned slowly in unison. His eyes were glowing with golden light.
His voice rang out like thunder whispered through time.
"The balance has been disturbed."
Lady Death gasped and dropped to her knees. Her body trembled. Her power flickered. Even she, the eternal, could not stand before him.
But Aron stood tall without even trembling.
His coat rippled in the cosmic wind. His eyes burned with fire. The Phoenix Force inside him lit up again, but it was no longer red and gold.
It had changed.
It was white now. The White Phoenix of the Crown.
"You were made to serve a purpose," he said. "To guide the end. Not to walk among the living. Not to take leave."
Lady Death looked up, her voice quiet. "I have not abandoned my duty. A perfect substitute now sits upon the throne."
The Tribunal's three heads turned, judging every word.
"There can be no substitute," he said. "You are Death. You are part of the cosmic scale. Replacing you, even for a moment, creates a crack. That crack will become a fracture. That fracture will destroy everything."
Aron stepped forward. "It's temporary. She's still connected. She's not abandoning anything."
The Tribunal's eyes flashed.
"You have no authority to make such changes."
Aron's fists clenched. "She deserves a break. A moment to live. To be more than just a tool."
The Tribunal stared at him, unmoved.
"And what you call a moment… is eternity to the balance. The multiverse is built on precision. On rules. Not emotion."
He raised one glowing hand.
"She will be reset."
Lady Death's eyes widened. "No… please."
"You will forget these feelings," the Tribunal said coldly. "You will return to your state. The role you were born for."
Aron stepped between them. His aura was burning even brighter now. The mixture of Phoenix, Death, and Infinity Stones was swirling around him like a colorful vortex.
The Tribunal didn't move.
But the sky shook.
"You do not understand the weight of what you challenge."
"Doesn't matter," Aron said, cracking his knuckles. He used his power to see the future. Over 100 billion futures in the blink of an eye. The result... He wins every time by absorbing the Tribunal's power. He only watched till that point, given the short time. "You are absolute, yeah, but I'm pretty confident in my own power. You see, I've seen the future. This very moment, this very conversation, and the outcome. I'm pretty sure you also know the future; that's why you judged her, not me. So, why don't we make a little compromise?"
The Living Tribunal paused.
His three faces turned slowly. Time itself seemed to still as he looked not at Aron, but into every future that could come from this moment. The stars flickered like they were holding their breath.
Then he spoke.
His voice was quieter now. Not soft, but less like a hammer and more like a final warning.
"Very well," the Tribunal said. "A compromise shall be made."
Lady Death lifted her head, eyes wide.
"Every year, by Earth's measure of time," the Tribunal continued, "Death may leave her realm for seven days. No more."
His eyes glowed brighter.
"If she remains outside longer than seven days… her existence will reset. Her memories, her choices, everything she has become… will be erased."
Lady Death swallowed hard but nodded. "I accept."
The Tribunal then turned to Aron.
"You are powerful. Too powerful."
He stared into Aron's soul, through all the power he carried. Phoenix. Death. Time. Reality. Soul. Space. Power. All of it.
"Your presence on Earth," the Tribunal said, "attracts destruction. Beings far worse than Galactus will come. They will sense you. They will want you. Or want to destroy you."
Aron stood silent. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
The Tribunal raised one hand, pointing with a single glowing finger.
"You must create your own realm," he said. "A place that exists apart from Earth. A home for you, and your people, if you choose to bring them. There, the balance will hold."
Then, slowly, the Tribunal began to fade. His towering form dimmed, the sky returning to its quiet purple as the cracks in the void stitched shut.
His last words echoed long after he was gone.
"Seven days for Death. A world of your own for you. Keep the balance… or lose everything."
And then he was gone.
Silence returned.
Lady Death slowly stood, still stunned, her eyes locked on Aron.
Aron let out a breath, then looked up at the sky.
"Well," he muttered, "guess I have a new project."
He turned to her and smiled.
"And seven days a year to spend with you. We better make them count."
She smiled back, a little softer than usual.
"We will."
Aron looked into the distance, already forming ideas.
A new realm.
A home.
Far from Earth… but close enough for those he loved.
...
[Meanwhile]
Jean was watching a movie with Jubilee and Wanda. They sat on a large couch, surrounded by snacks. Jubilee was laughing. Wanda was tossing popcorn into her mouth without looking. Jean took a sip from her soda can.
Then she froze.
Her smile faded. Her eyes narrowed.
Wanda noticed first. "Jean?"
Jean didn't answer.
She stood up slowly. Her mind reached across space. She felt the threat. It was huge. Fast. Powerful. Headed for Earth like a comet.
Jean's eyes flared gold. Her hair lifted in waves of invisible fire. She blinked.
She was gone.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared far above Earth.
Shalla-Bal stood there.
She hovered in silence. Her body shimmered with cosmic light. Her silver armor gleamed like a living star. Her eyes were cold.
Jean hovered a few meters in front of her.
"You take one more step," Jean said, her voice calm, "and I burn you."
Shalla-Bal did not speak.
Jean didn't wait.
She raised her hand. A small, tight ball of golden fire pulsed in her palm. It spun once, then shot forward like a bullet.
Shalla-Bal blocked it with her arm. The blast pushed her back. Her armor cracked. Her hand smoked.
She looked at Jean again.
"You're the Phoenix."
"And you were just leaving," Jean said.
Shalla-Bal raised both arms. Power surged around her. Space shook. She shot forward with blinding speed, fists glowing with cosmic force.
Jean didn't move.
Shalla-Bal punched.
Jean caught it with one hand.
The force shattered nearby space dust. Waves of light rippled out like a broken mirror. But Jean held her arm without effort.
She looked bored.
Shalla-Bal pulled back and threw a dozen strikes. Each blow was enough to level a city.
Jean simply stopped them with a single finger. Then she snapped her fingers.
A firestorm exploded around them.
Cosmic flames twisted into chains. They wrapped around Shalla-Bal like vines, dragging her through space. She struggled. She broke a few. But they reformed again.
Jean hovered above her, eyes glowing like twin stars.
"Turn back. I won't repeat myself again."
Shalla-Bal screamed. She broke free and blasted forward with a wave of energy.
Jean raised her hand.
The wave split in half and passed by her. She looked back at Earth. Wanda has already raised a barrier, so she can go all out now. But it'd be a waste of time to fight, and the movie was good. Not to mention, Jubilee will eat all her snacks if she is late. So, she decided to end it fast.
Jean turned back to face Shalla-Bal.
Her golden eyes narrowed.
Shalla-Bal rushed forward again, full of rage, energy crackling around her fists. She screamed and aimed another heavy strike at Jean's face.
Jean didn't move.
She simply lifted one finger.
The space around Shalla-Bal froze.
Then, Jean clenched her hand.
Shalla-Bal screamed.
Her arms twisted. Her legs bent in the wrong directions. Her body cracked under invisible pressure. Bones snapped. Armor shattered.
Jean's voice was quiet.
"Stop."
With one flick of her finger, the light in Shalla-Bal's body faded. Her cosmic glow vanished. The Power Cosmic that filled her chest, arms, and eyes drained away like smoke in the wind.
She floated, broken and powerless.
Her silver skin dulled. Her armor cracked and dimmed.
Jean floated closer.
"No more."
She reached out and placed two fingers on Shalla-Bal's forehead.
Shalla-Bal gasped, eyes wide.
Jean's mind pushed in.
She dove deep.
She saw a burning world. Screams of people from that planet.
Galactus, a giant humanoid-like being, stood before Shalla-Bal, telling her about Radd's exile on Earth for betraying him. He gives her the same choice as her lover. Serve him and he'll spare the planet. And she, wanting to save her planet and find Radd, accepted the deal in exchange for her planet again. Galactus agreed and transformed her into Starglow.
Jean then pulled out of her mind.
"So, you have a second motive for coming to Earth, huh? You wish to find your lover. I'll help you."
Shalla's body was now completely healed. She looked at Jean and said, "You can't stop Galactus despite your power. This world is bound to doom."
"Maybe not me, but there's someone who can and will. So, no worries," Jean said with a smile. "And sorry for breaking you. Just like you, I too am protecting my home."