Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

The city of Attilan, hidden within the dark craters of the moon, shimmered with its own ethereal glow. Unlike the harsh, lifeless lunar surface beyond its dome, the city was alive with towering spires of translucent crystal, humming with untapped energy.

Ancient Inhuman technology pulsed like veins beneath the streets, keeping the atmosphere controlled, shielding them from the vacuum of space.

Inside the Royal Council Chamber, tension ran thick.

The room, a grand circular hall carved from black lunar stone, was illuminated by the floating orbs of bioluminescent flora. The throne of Black Bolt, the silent and powerful King of the Inhumans, stood elevated in the center, towering over the gathered council members.

Seated beside him was his queen, Medusa, her flowing crimson hair shifting subtly, betraying her unease.

Across the polished obsidian table, the highest-ranking members of the Inhuman nobility had assembled. Each represented a different faction of their society, yet tonight, there was no unity—only discord.

The war on Earth had finally reached them.

A thin, wiry Inhuman, dressed in dark ceremonial robes, treasurer and strategist Karnak was the first to speak.

His sharp green eyes flickered between the gathered members as he placed his hands together.

"The reports are undeniable," he began. His voice was as cold as the void beyond their walls. "Our scouts have confirmed the presence of Chitauri vessels near our hemisphere. If they are scouting, then they will soon invade."

A heavy silence followed.

Gorgon, a broad and battle-scarred warrior, clenched his fists, his hooved feet grinding against the polished floor. "Then we destroy them before they can report back," he growled. "Crush them before they even realize we're here!"

"We don't even know if they've detected us," countered Crystal, Medusa's younger sister, her fingers absentmindedly playing with a floating stream of water she was bending. "Attacking first would be reckless."

"Reckless?" Gorgon scoffed. "Waiting until they're at our gates would be reckless. They are war-hardened invaders. Do you honestly believe they won't return with greater numbers?"

Karnak nodded slightly. "He has a point. The Chitauri do not explore idly. They scout before they invade. If they have sent scouts, it means they will come back."

A murmur of agreement spread among the council.

Black Bolt, sitting at the head of the table, raised a gloved hand, his expression unreadable. All eyes turned to him.

In a fluid motion, he began to sign.

"We must act before the war consumes us. We aid the humans, push the conflict away from Attilan."

Silence.

Then, an uproar.

"You would have us side with them?" one of the elders scoffed, his face wrinkled with age and suspicion. "The humans would as soon hunt us down as welcome our help!"

"Yes," another agreed. "We owe them nothing. If Earth falls, so be it! We must protect our own."

Black Bolt's eyes narrowed as the arguments exploded around him.

"The war is inevitable," he signed, his hands moving swiftly. "If Earth falls, we will be next. We do not have the luxury of isolation anymore."

Medusa, sensing the growing division, stood from her seat. Her presence alone was enough to silence the chamber. Her long crimson locks flowed as if caught in an unseen breeze, wrapping around her arms as she spoke.

"My king is right," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "We are no longer a hidden people. The world knows of our existence. The moment Earth's defenses fall, we will be next. We have no choice but to fight."

"The Inhumans should not waste their strength protecting the weak," a cold, calculating voice interjected.

All eyes turned to Maximus, the cunning younger brother of Black Bolt, leaning lazily against his chair, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Humans have always been... disappointing," he continued, voice dripping with mockery. "They fear us, they despise us. The moment we reveal ourselves, we will be dragged into their petty conflicts, their wars, their politics."

Gorgon scoffed. "You always were a coward, Maximus."

Maximus only grinned wider. "And you, dear cousin, were always an idiot."

Tension crackled.

Black Bolt exhaled slowly, his sharp gaze landing on Maximus. His brother's defiance was expected—but it was still frustrating.

"Are you really suggesting we sit and wait to be invaded?" Medusa asked, narrowing her eyes.

Maximus' smirk faded slightly.

"I'm suggesting," he said smoothly, "that we prepare for the inevitable. Not by wasting our forces fighting a war that isn't ours but by ensuring we survive."

Karnak nodded. "He's right about one thing—we must be prepared. But we cannot wait for war to come to our doorstep."

Medusa turned to her husband, her hand touching his arm lightly.

Black Bolt sighed through his nose, then lifted his hands once more.

"We will not wait. We will strike before they strike us."

Maximus' smirk returned. "Then I suppose we'll have to see how much humans truly value our existence."

Silence once more.

The decision was made.

And now, all they could do was wait for war to find them.

"...."

-

-

The golden spires of Nova Corps Headquarters shimmered under the glow of Xandar's twin suns. Inside, the War Room was drowning in chaos. Holograms flickered, displaying urgent transmissions from the Milky Way Galaxy, and tactical readouts of the massive Apokoliptian and Chitauri fleets orbiting the planet C-53, otherwise known as Terra or simply Earth.

Officers shouted over each other, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the crisis.

At the center of it all, Nova Prime Irani Rael stood rigid, watching the latest distress message that had just been transmitted.

Carol Danvers' image was grainy, but the intensity in her voice was clear.

"This is Captain Marvel. Earth's defenses are holding, but we can't last much longer. We need immediate aerial reinforcements. If we don't take out the main fleet, we're done. I repeat—if the primary invasion force isn't dealt with, Earth will fall."

The message ended. The hologram vanished.

The room was silent.

Nova Prime exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. She had seen countless wars, but this was different. This wasn't just an attack on Earth. If Darkseid and Thanos succeeded, the entire galaxy would fall next.

She turned sharply.

"Get me Ayesha of the Sovereign."

The room hesitated.

One of the officers, a Xandarian woman in gold-trimmed armor, frowned. "The Sovereign are—"

"I know what they are," Nova Prime snapped. "Get her. Now."

A tense silence followed, but the officer complied. A moment later, a transmission request was sent out across the galactic diplomatic channels.

The Sovereign Throne Room – The Golden Queen

The golden halls of the Sovereign homeworld were pristine, untouched by war or time. Unlike Xandar, which had been rebuilt after Ronan's attack, the Sovereign's arrogance ensured that no enemy had ever set foot in their capital.

At the throne, surrounded by her artificially engineered subjects, High Priestess Ayesha sat, her golden skin gleaming under the warm artificial light. She radiated contempt as she watched Nova Prime's image appear on a massive hovering screen before her.

"I must say," Ayesha mused, her voice like silk laced with venom, "it is rare for a Nova Prime to beg."

Irani Rael clenched her jaw. She didn't have time for this.

"This isn't about pride," she said. "It's about survival."

Ayesha gave an elegant chuckle, reclining in her golden throne. "Perhaps for you. We are in no danger. Why should the Sovereign concern ourselves with the affairs of lesser species?"

Nova Prime leaned forward, her blue eyes burning with frustration.

"Because if Earth falls, Xandar falls. If Xandar falls, so do your precious fleets. If you think Darkseid and Thanos will leave the Sovereign untouched, you're more arrogant than I thought."

Ayesha's eyes narrowed. She did not like being insulted.

"You have nerve, Nova Prime."

"And you have resources. A fleet powerful enough to turn the tide," Rael shot back. "I'm not asking you to save Earth. I'm asking you to save yourselves."

Silence.

Ayesha considered this.

The Sovereign had little love for Xandar, let alone Earth, but Ayesha wasn't a fool. She had seen the strength of Thanos firsthand. She had seen the power of his armies.

Still, her pride refused to let her accept so easily.

Nova Prime saw the hesitation and pressed further.

"I will offer you a trade," she said.

Ayesha raised an eyebrow. Now she was listening.

"I know about your Adam Warlock project. I know you've been planning something big. Xandar will provide you with the Kree genetic data we recovered from the Supreme Intelligence's destruction. You'll have access to enhanced bioengineering technology beyond what your scientists have developed."

The room was dead silent.

Ayesha's fingers tightened around her throne. That was an offer she could not ignore.

Her golden lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

"… Very well, Nova Prime," she purred. "The Sovereign will lend their fleets. But make no mistake—we fight only for ourselves."

The transmission ended.

Nova Prime exhaled sharply. One ally secured.

But it wasn't enough.

Nova Prime turned sharply to her officers.

"Send a message across the galactic network," she ordered. "Every bounty hunter, every mercenary, every Ravager."

The officers hesitated.

"You mean… put a bounty on the invasion fleet?"

"Yes," Rael said grimly. "Post it on every pirate channel, every criminal network. Two billion credits for every destroyed warship."

The room erupted into murmurs of disbelief.

"That's—insane!" a Kree officer blurted out.

Nova Prime's eyes burned. "I don't care if it's insane. We need numbers. The Ravagers will come if there's profit."

One of the officers nodded, hurriedly typing into a console. Across the galaxy, the message was sent out.

It was a simple bounty, but it would shake the entire underworld.

Bounty Notice – Nova Corps

[~ Target: Darkseid & Thanos' Invasion Fleet

 Reward: 2,000,000,000 Credits per warship destroyed

 Conditions: Claim must be verified by Nova Corps Intelligence

 Payment Guaranteed ~]

All able-bodied pilots, bounty hunters, mercenaries, and Ravagers welcome.

Glory, credits, and survival are on the line.

The galactic underworld erupted into chaos.

From Knowhere to Contraxia, from the Kree battlefields to Skrull hideouts, the message spread like wildfire.

In the deepest reaches of space, Yondu's former crew, the Ravagers, saw the bounty and laughed in delight.

In the lawless territories, brutal warlords and pirate captains saw the credits and prepared their fleets.

In the smugglers' dens of Sakaar, Gladiators and outlaws saw an opportunity for wealth and bloodshed.

The galaxy was listening.

The bounty had been set.

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