In the temple of Kamar-Taj, the scene was one of disarray. Several apprentices bore injuries, wrapped in bandages and clearly battered. Even Baron Mordo and Kaecilius showed signs of exhaustion, while Doctor Doom and Constantine appeared in slightly better shape, though visibly worn and weary.
"What happened here? Did you get attacked? Did another major threat target Earth's dimension?" Robert asked, eyeing Doom and Constantine with concern. He hadn't expected that in his short time away in space, trouble would arise again in Earth's dimension. Thankfully, Kamar-Taj was no longer the vulnerable place it once was. Though it lacked the Ancient One's formidable protection, the combined strength of Kamar-Taj's members had grown significantly.
With the additional power granted by the Reality Stone, both Doom and Constantine could now contend with lesser dimensional lords. Moreover, the collective might of the trained apprentices had turned Kamar-Taj into a formidable force, more than capable of dealing with most dimensional threats.
Even though the temple looked worse for wear, with many injured, none of the Kamar-Taj members had sustained life-threatening injuries. In that sense, they had successfully defended against the dimensional threat. It showed that, thanks to the Reality Stone's power, Kamar-Taj was becoming self-reliant, sparing Robert from constantly monitoring the dimensional realm.
"You're finally back!" Doom exclaimed. To Robert's surprise, everyone, including Constantine, Kaecilius, and the apprentices, looked at him with a mixture of exasperation and relief.
"What's with the strange looks?" Robert asked, bewildered by their unusual expressions. Though he wasn't worried about any real harm from the apprentices, their collective glares made him uncomfortable, especially since he had no idea what had provoked it.
"Robert," Doom said, taking a deep breath, "please, if you plan on leaving Earth, could you let us know first? At least give us a heads-up."
"Huh? What does my absence have to do with the dimensional crisis you encountered?" Robert asked, catching on to a clue in Doom's words. "Did my leaving Earth somehow trigger this? Did dimensional entities try to break into Earth's dimension again?"
"Exactly. Fortunately, there weren't too many powerful entities, and the Hell dimension didn't launch a full-scale attack. Otherwise, we'd have been overwhelmed," Constantine replied, still visibly rattled.
The once-cunning Constantine, who preferred to avoid confrontation, now took his responsibilities at Kamar-Taj more seriously, influenced by Robert's presence. The days of backstabbing and cunning betrayals were behind him, much to the relief of Kamar-Taj's apprentices, who no longer had to worry about Constantine pulling tricks on them.
"Yes, you could say we handled it… but it wasn't our power alone that drove them back," Doom admitted. "Initially, when you left Earth, the dimensional entities were cautious, uncertain of your whereabouts. They sent minor troops to test us, keeping their stronger forces in reserve. But when their scouts breached our dimensional barriers, they became sure you were no longer on Earth and launched a coordinated attack."
He continued, "We held our own with the help of the barriers, but soon, we sensed a formidable presence just outside Earth's dimension. This entity alone was beyond anything Constantine and I could handle together."
Robert's gaze sharpened as Doom added, "Thankfully, it stopped short of attacking. It observed Earth for a while, and the rest of the invading forces also held back. Then, as suddenly as they appeared, they withdrew. From the timing, I'd guess it coincided with your return."
"I see… Lucky I didn't continue fighting the Eliminator. If the Celestial Group noticed Earth's dimension was in jeopardy, they might have backed off as a favor," Robert speculated, a new theory forming. His fight with the Eliminator had lasted long enough to allow the dimensional entities time to gather and organize. If they had been certain Robert was still on Earth, violating their ancient contracts would have meant facing swift and fatal consequences.
With his presence confirmed, the threat of the contract breaking forced the dimensional entities to retreat. They couldn't risk breaking those laws, as doing so would mean immediate erasure—true annihilation, with no way for their home dimensions to protect them.
"Got it. I'll make sure to notify you all next time I leave Earth. You've adapted well to your new powers. With practice, the Reality Stone could further enhance your strength," Robert said, nodding in approval. Given that Kamar-Taj's members hadn't been corrupted by their newfound power, he felt more comfortable leaving the Reality Stone in their care.
Should Kamar-Taj achieve even a fraction of the Ancient One's former strength, it would ease the burden on Robert, allowing him to focus on other threats without worrying about dimensional incursions on Earth.
"The Reality Stone?" Doom and Constantine's eyes lit up, as did the eyes of the apprentices around them. They had never expected Robert would offer them access to the Reality Stone again.
"Easy, everyone! If you keep giving me those looks, you'll never see the Reality Stone again," Robert warned, shaking his head as he looked around the eager faces.
Everyone coughed awkwardly, a bit embarrassed by their enthusiasm.
"Anyway, that's enough about that. Do you have any records on the Celestials?" Robert asked, bringing them back to the original reason he'd come to Kamar-Taj.
"The Celestials… There are mentions of them in the library, but very few records. Compared to most dimensions, the Celestials are even more enigmatic," Wong replied after a moment of thought. "According to ancient texts, they've only come to Earth four times, with one of those times marking the end of the Age of the Gods. Interestingly, each time they appeared, their forms were different. It's unclear if they changed their armor or if different Celestials came each time."
"Has Earth ever been judged?" Robert asked, his brow furrowing.
"Judged? I've never seen that term before… But I can go back and check through the records." Wong seemed puzzled but offered to revisit the ancient texts.
Robert's eyes glinted thoughtfully. "One more question—do you think the Celestials have agents monitoring Earth, similar to how the Skrulls infiltrated us?"
"If there are, we'd have no way of knowing. Kamar-Taj could be considered an observer, as could many other ancient sorcerers and powerful beings. But beyond that, it's difficult to identify any specific agents without more information," Wong said, shaking his head.
"Alright, investigate this quietly. It's important. As for the dimensional pests, don't worry about them for now," Robert instructed, disappearing from Kamar-Taj soon after. Hunting down those dimensional invaders wasn't worth his time. Their actions were limited by the ancient contracts, and as long as Robert was on Earth, they posed no threat.
"Robert encountered the Celestials in space? And now they're keeping an eye on Earth?" Wong muttered as Robert vanished. "Judgment… Does that mean the Celestials might plan to wipe out Earth's civilization? Though Asgard no longer watches over Earth, they acted as guardians for centuries. Could Asgard have been Celestial agents too?" He quickly returned to the library to delve deeper into these mysteries.
Meanwhile, Robert's teleportation brought him to Diana's home. She wasn't there, as she was busy at her job at the Louvre, where she served as a part-time curator while acting as the Avengers' European liaison.
"Finally decided to visit me?" Diana's eyes sparkled with excitement as she received an alert on her device. Quickly bidding her colleagues farewell, she hurried home.
The moment she opened the door, Diana practically leapt at him, her usual restraint gone. The two engaged in a silent, intense reunion, their expert control of strength ensuring no harm came to the room around them.
Later, as they caught their breath, Robert explained his encounters in space.
"The Celestials?" Diana murmured thoughtfully. "Zeus feared them. He said we're merely the native gods of this planet, but the Celestials… they're on a whole different level. They're universal gods."
"Unlike our gods, who share human emotions and complexities, the Celestials lack emotions," she added, her tone reflective. "Zeus said he never sensed anything remotely human in them."
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