Ego's Core Brain lay exposed in the void. The matter forming the planet's shell churned wildly, trying to seal the enormous rift Quill had forcibly torn open.
Quill hovered at the entrance to the passage, gritting his teeth as he unleashed every last bit of his blue divine power to battle the planet's own will.
He could feel Ego's power trying to tear itself out of him and reclaim control. The pain was like having his flesh ripped from his bones.
"Hold on!" Hermione's calm voice rang out.
Quill jerked his head up and saw that Hermione had already raised her Wand, aiming its tip at the enormous, pulsating brain deep inside the passage.
Of course Ego wanted to close the passage and protect his most vulnerable core again.
But Quill now held nearly half his power and understood exactly how it worked. For the moment, Ego couldn't immediately seal the rift!
He could feel that, in just a little longer, he would be able to overpower Quill and reclaim all his power.
But it was already too late.
Hermione's gaze remained utterly steady. Once she confirmed the Core Brain's location, she wasted no words and simply pronounced the Forbidden Curse clearly:
"Avada Kedavra!"
An intensely concentrated beam of green light instantly cut through the void, shooting down the passage toward the enormous blue brain!
This was Hermione's plan.
Simple and brutal, but effective.
Have Quill pretend to surrender, gain Ego's trust step by step, and gradually siphon off his divine power, just as Loki had conned the Chitauri leader.
Wait until Quill had enough power to briefly seize control of Ego's body-the planet's shell-and tear open a path to the core.
Then she would deliver the killing blow.
Ego's true body was a living planet, after all. His defenses