The machine god has determined the Marvel Universe is a little too full, and it wants soul possession of the void that binds and uncontested control of information and resources. It strongly resents the ageless Galactus, feeling him unworthy of his place. It sends the Shrike to provoke Galactus into confronting the machine God. Galactus, annoyed, decides to demonstrate his own power by putting down the impostor's minion with his own minion. Can Norrin stop the Shrike?
Those not familiar with the Shrike:
Creation: Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos
Powers:
Quantum Cutting - ability to cut and slice at the quantum level rendering energy shields entirely useless
Time Travel/Teleportation - once the time tombs opened, the Shrike can teleport anywhere, anytime, instantly. It has taken out heavily armed and shielded ground troops and orbiting starships simultaneously.
Time Manipulation- The Shrike simulates super speed by manipulating time relative to itself, at one point slowing it so much that a laser beam appears to stop.
Temporal Cloning - The Shrike can call versions of itself from all moments in it's own timeline to the present. It's knowledge of it's past and future is retained. Essentially all versions of it know both it's past, present, and future at all times. It has the capacity to pretty much create infinite temporal clones.
Merlin's Sickness - It can afflict it's victims with a reverse aging/memory temporal field, causing victims to age backward, and causing their memories to regress accordingly.
Tree of Thorns - Some victims may be trapped on the tree of thorns, impaled without death, to suffer eternally
Strength - shown to be functional in roughly 500g environments. Has withstood orbital bombardments - it has been damaged by a similar avatar, but no loss of functionality. Strength is estimated at building level destructive strength only.
Primary fighting tactic - evisceration
Who takes it? Can Norrin tag the avatar of pain, and end the Machine God's attempt at the Marvel Universe?
EDIT: The Shrike is NOT allowed to travel to any point in the timeline in which Norrin is unaware of it and/or is otherwise helpless (i.e. prior to herald status.)
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