"The world is still there," said Death, "but a shard of its reality splintered and fell off. The universe of the Guardians is so unstable right now a piece of the universe broke off and fell away. Because of your myth-hood, because the story is threaded around you, you were immune, but since you were at ground zero, you both fell through the cracks. We caught you just in time."

Or else they might have been lost in the in between spaces forever.

"If that piece of reality isn't returned to where it belongs soon, then that whole area of the world will disappear and so will everyone in it - and more will follow. Right now, it's several blocks of Burgess. If it keeps breaking, it'll be the whole town, then the whole state, then the whole northeast..."

Now her gaze was much more serious.

"Everyone in the areas that are swallowed up won't even die. They just won't be. That piece has to be returned and luckily any pieces that fall off won't disappear forever, they'll all fall into other universes nearby. Other versions of this world - other worlds entirely."

She went on, "If any of us try to return the piece, our meddling will just make reality splinter even more. But you can fix it. We can give you the power to trace any shards of the Guardians' universe to the other universes they fall into and the ability to return them - and yourselves - back to the Guardians' universe. I'd ask if you're willing to accept the responsibility but the truth is - you're the only ones that can do it."