Nova #8 (V5)

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The issue begins with Nova experiencing a flash back to a not so distant past – when the Annihilation War had been going on. Nova had been speaking with Peter Quill, who at one time had been the galactic Star-Lord once. Peter had been trying to explain the Universe to Nova, who simply could not wrap his mind around it. One interesting point that he had mentioned was a theory, that at the end of the Universe where time, space, matter and energy simply collapse into one another and run out – and that place was known as The Rip.

It cuts to present time, where Nova finds himself being battered, swirling out of control in the very fabric of space known as The Rip. Nova tries to escape and blacks out, later waking up aboard what seemed to be the internal portion of a massive ship. As Nova searched to discover more about his current predicament – he came across a wall with what appeared to be blood on. Worldmind assured him it wasn’t human blood, to which Nova replied, “Just because it’s not human blood, doesn’t make it any less creepy.”

Nova suddenly hears sobbing and begins heading for it – and notices that the blood on the wall is actually writing. Worldmind is unable to decipher its meaning. Nova finds a sobbing alien woman who repeats over and over, “Coming, Coming, Not Ready…”

Nova tries to comfort her, shedding light – and she looks up and says, “Abyss… Coming… Not Ready.” And before Nova can do much else – her body literally begins to crackle with energy – and the texture of her skin begins to change, bleed, burn and rot away – giving her the appearance of a zombie. She begins attacking Nova, so he blasts her lightly – but the blast causes an explosion, literally incinerating her to ashes.

Suddenly other Luminals arrive – three of them – Discharge, Cynosure, and Cratr. They assume that Nova killed her intentionally – giving him no time to explaining anything that had happened.

Nova manages to escape by zipping through random corridors before he comes to a stop to rest. That’s when he’s approached by something completely different.

What approaches Nova is a dog, wearing a space suit – and able to talk to him telepathically. When Nova tells him that he’s freaking over this – the dog, named Cosmo – says, “So you have been to the end of the universe, met and battled space zombies – and a talking dog freaks you out?”

The apparently Russian speaking dog, then says, “Honor to meet the man who pulled out Annihillus’ heart through his mouth – me, personally – I would have gone for the throat – but that’s just the kind of dog I am.”

Cosmo leads Nova through the halls – and reveals to Nova that they’re actually traveling inside of a severed Celestial – to which Worldmind exclaims, “My ‘freak’ has been taken to a whole new level as well!”

Nova asks what happened to the Celestial – and Cosmo admits to not knowing. He goes on to explain that space, time, matter, energy – as well as dimensions and realities collapse and meet in The Rip – and that there is actually a community within the Celestial’s head that they’re in.

Cosmo explains that normally they would be out and about – but they’re all in hiding – because something evil, something vile – is now aboard the ship and murdering people – so they went into hiding. To a place, Cosmo explained, where they would be safe.

Worldmind finally tells Nova that it has translated the writing in blood that it had seen on the wall – and they discover that it was numbers counting down.

The scene shifts on that note to the Luminals, as they stand around a huge coffin like structure, informing someone named Abyss that it is over – the end of the Universe would swoon be swallowing him and his time was over.

But the essence called Abyss proves to be more powerful – and in a flash of energy – the Luminals are turned into space zombies!