William extended his hand toward Zod, helping the General to his feet. As Zod stood with William's assistance, a chime echoed in the recesses of William's mind, accompanied by the system's voice.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
In an instant, fragmented yet profound knowledge flooded William's consciousness, intertwining with his soul in a chaotic torrent of thoughts, emotions, and skills. The overwhelming influx left him disoriented, and he realized it would take significant time to fully process and integrate this new understanding. His brows furrowed as he grappled with the confusion.
Zod, observing William's reaction, felt a flicker of unease but maintained his usual stoic composure, masking his apprehension behind a disciplined exterior.
William parted his lips to speak, but before any words could escape—
"Heyyyyy!"
A voice resonated in his mind as his ship, secured within his system space, transmitted directly through the system.
It was none other than Captain Marvel, known also as Carol Danvers.
William's focus snapped to the voice. "Carol?" he murmured, his tone a mixture of surprise and cautious relief, the word slipping out as his tense expression softened slightly. His gaze flickered briefly toward Zod, who inclined his head subtly, his narrowed eyes betraying curiosity while concealing his unease behind a façade of control.
"William! Can you hear me?" Carol's voice rang out again, sharper this time, tinged with urgency. "It's Fury, he sent a signal. Something's happening on Earth, and it's serious. He wouldn't call unless it was… critical."
William's jaw clenched with determination. Fury coursed through him as he considered the man's calculated nature, a strategist, a schemer who never made a move without anticipating five steps ahead. If that signal had been activated, it meant Earth wasn't merely at risk, it was teetering on the brink of catastrophe.
His eyes shifted to Zod, who still stood tall but visibly strained. Kryptonian pride kept the general upright, yet the subtle tremor in his stance revealed the physical toll exacted by Torquasm Rao. Their gazes locked for a brief moment, an unspoken understanding passing between them. It was respect, grudging, but genuine.
Breaking the silence, William's voice cut through with calm authority. "Carol," he said, his tone steady and resolute, "set a course. We're going to Earth."
Aboard the Harbinger of Ruin, Carol Danvers sat firmly in the ship's command cradle, the rhythmic hum of the semi-sentient vessel resonating in sync with her pulse. The ship didn't require her presence to operate, it allowed her to remain only because of William's trust. The moment William issued his command, the Harbinger responded with precision, bending the fabric of reality as it readied for the journey across the void.
"Understood," Carol replied, her voice clipped as she pressed her lips into a thin line. She reached into her pocket, retrieving the small, battered pager Nick Fury had given her so many years ago. Its dim light continued to flash with a relentless urgency.
The Harbinger's deep mechanical voice resonated abruptly, smooth yet disquieting, like a steel-laden whisper cutting through the silence.
"Destination Earth confirmed. Turbulence anticipated. Conflict identified. Civil unrest among champions."
William let out a heavy sigh, massaging his temples as the remnants of Torquasm Rao echoed in his mind like jagged shards of glass. "Typical. Leave Earth for five minutes, and someone's already trying to set it ablaze."
The Harbinger trembled briefly, then tore through the void between the stars.
The world held its breath.
At a remote airport in Europe, two factions of Earth's most powerful heroes faced a tense standoff. The tarmac stretched vast and empty, save for the armored carriers and the shimmering barrier shields deployed by SHIELD operatives to secure the area.
On one side stood Tony Stark, Iron Man, flanked by War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, and Black Panther. Their presence exuded authority, embodying SHIELD's vanguard and the enforcers of the Sokovia Accords.
Opposing them was Steve Rogers - Captain America, backed by Falcon, Wanda Maximoff, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and the Winter Soldier. These were the heroes who defied the Accords, rejecting the notion of governments deciding who would live, fight, or die. They rallied under the banner of SWORD, an agency born from dissenters, independents, and those wary of bureaucratic overreach.
The tension in the air was palpable, not from smoke or dust, but from conviction. Satellites and cameras captured every moment, while governments leaned forward in their war rooms. The world watched the standoff unfold, but only these men and women felt its suffocating weight.
Tony's helmet slid back with a soft hiss. His expression remained composed, but his eyes revealed the fatigue of a man who had fought too many battles, both external and internal. "Steve… last chance. Lay down your arms, come in quietly. We settle this at the table, not on the tarmac."
Steve adjusted the shield on his arm, his jaw tightening. He shook his head firmly. "You think this is about compromise? About paperwork?" His gaze flicked briefly to Wanda, then to Bucky. "This is about control, Tony. You're putting a leash around the world's neck and trusting the hand holding it not to squeeze too tight."
Rhodes advanced in his War Machine armor, his voice amplified through external speakers. "Don't escalate this, Rogers. You and your team are already out of line."
Sam Wilson's wings flared open, his expression hardening. "Out of line? Since when is standing up for freedom considered 'out of line,' Rhodes?"
Natasha let out a dry laugh, her sharp gaze assessing the opposing group. "Freedom doesn't mean anarchy, Sam. We've all seen the damage caused when someone acts as though they're above the law." Her eyes briefly landed on Wanda, sharp and unforgiving.
Scarlet energy flickered faintly around Wanda's hands, but she remained silent, her gaze cold and fixed on the ground.
Steve's voice rang out across the tarmac, steady and unyielding. "We don't want this fight, but we won't bow. If SHIELD insists on shackling us, then you leave us no alternative."
The division was clear.
Tony exhaled deeply, his helmet closing with a snap. His HUD illuminated, systems activating in an instant. "You know," he said, his tone hardening, "I really tried to avoid this."
Steve raised his shield, his eyes blazing with determination. "So did I."
The atmosphere on the Leipzig-Halle tarmac was thick with tension, charged like a storm about to break. Armed agents surrounded the opposing leaders, their rifles and repulsors ready but not yet unleashed. At the forefront of each faction stood Iron Man and Captain America, both resolute, neither willing to yield. The fragile silence shattered the moment Falcon's wings flared to life.
FWOOOOOSH!
Sam rocketed into the air, banking sharply as he unleashed a swarm of miniature drone-rockets streaking toward SHIELD's ranks.
Vision reacted instantly.
The android's eyes glimmered with calculated precision, analyzing every possible trajectory. His form shimmered and turned insubstantial, allowing the drones to pass harmlessly through him. A split second later, his density increased dramatically, his mass surging. With meteoric force, his fist obliterated the final drone mid-flight, scattering sparks across the tarmac in a fiery display.
"Neutralized," Vision stated, his tone devoid of emotion, yet precise. He briefly looked to Stark, who acknowledged him with a sharp nod before raising his gauntlets.
Falcon muttered a curse under his breath. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
Steve raised his shield just as War Machine surged forward, repulsors blazing, aiming a concussive blast at Cap's chest. Steve stood firm, shield absorbing the impact with a resounding crack of thunder. Though pushed back several feet, he remained unyielded.
"Don't make us do this, Rhodey," Steve called, his voice cutting through the escalating chaos. "You know this isn't the way."
"Maybe not," Rhodey retorted, hovering in the air as his cannons locked into position. "But you've left us no choice."
BANG!
A gunshot shattered the tense silence. Natasha surged forward, wielding twin batons that sparked with electrified energy, intercepting Rhodey's aim and striking his gauntlet with a dazzling flash. The impact forced him to veer off course.
From SHIELD's side, Black Panther darted into action, a blur of clawed precision targeting Captain America.
Steve pivoted just in time, his shield meeting Panther's claws with a screeching clash of vibranium. A rapid exchange of blows ensued, Steve's raw strength countering Panther's feline agility in a fierce deadlock. The sound of vibranium colliding echoed through the runway like a symphony of clashing blades.
"Stand down, T'Challa!" Steve commanded, blocking a brutal kick.
"Not until justice is served!" Panther growled, his strikes unrelenting.
Above the fray, Vision hovered serenely, his gaze assessing the chaotic battlefield. As Falcon swooped in with a dive-bomb maneuver, Vision shifted into intangibility, allowing Sam's wing-blades to pass harmlessly through his phased form. In an instant, Vision solidified and delivered a calculated strike to Falcon's wing-pack.
CRUNCH!
Sparks erupted as Falcon spiraled out of control, barely regaining stability before hitting the ground. "You've got to be kidding me!" Sam grumbled, angling upward for another attack run.
Clint's voice came through the comms, sharp and focused. "Sam, on your six!"
The high-pitched scream of repulsors cut through the air as Iron Man locked onto Falcon, launching a volley of micro-missiles. The projectiles honed in, their trajectories precise.
Clint stepped up, his movements calm and deliberate. He released three arrows in rapid succession, each one detonating mid-air to intercept Stark's missiles in a flurry of controlled explosions.
"Not bad for the guy with a bow," Tony quipped, angling upward. "But I'm done playing."
He charged a uni-beam in his chest reactor, the energy building into a concentrated glow.
Clint smirked faintly, his expression resolute. "Neither are we."
WHOOOSH!
Wanda Maximoff lifted her hands, scarlet energy spiraling with intense fury. With a forceful thrust, her power caused the ground to tilt violently, propelling Iron Man backward into a row of parked baggage carts. The impact crushed the metal like paper beneath his weight.
"Tony!" Rhodey yelled, surging toward him, but Wanda intercepted, her crimson tendrils wrapping around him mid-air, holding him in place.
Vision reacted immediately, analyzing the improbable energy radiating from Wanda's hands. Phasing through the wave of power, he reappeared behind her. "Wanda," he said calmly, "you're destabilizing the field."
She whirled around, scarlet power blazing as her eyes narrowed. "Then stay out of my way."
Her energy lashed out, striking Vision square in the chest. For a moment, it appeared effective, but Vision's form shifted, increasing his density exponentially. The energy seared his skin, yet he pressed forward, stepping through the force until he was close enough to grip her wrist firmly, though not harshly.
"This conflict is unwinnable," Vision said. "Your resistance will only—"
CRACK!
A shield collided with Vision's side, sending him tumbling away from Wanda before he could finish. Steve caught the shield on its return, positioning himself protectively between Wanda and the android.
"She's not alone," Captain America declared resolutely.
Vision straightened, tilting his head, his synthetic face inscrutable. "Neither are we."
The battlefield ignited into chaos.
Ant-Man suddenly expanded, towering over the conflict, swatting SHIELD drones aside like flies. Agents scrambled, firing upward, but Scott only chuckled nervously. "Alright, alright, big guy time!"
War Machine and Iron Man moved as one, bombarding Ant-Man with repulsor blasts, forcing him to shield his face with enormous arms. "Ow! Ow! Guys, that hurts more than you'd think!"
On the ground, Natasha and Clint fought seamlessly, crossing batons and arrows against Black Widow's former SHIELD comrades. Wanda hurled cars with crimson telekinesis, while Panther and Cap's duel intensified, becoming faster and more ferocious.
Above it all, Vision hovered like a divine arbiter, his gaze locked onto Steve Rogers. His density shimmered as he prepared to descend.
Cap met the gaze, shield raised, chest heaving. For the first time in the battle, his expression hardened into something resolute, almost grim.
"Then come on, Vision," he muttered under his breath.
And Vision did.
BOOOOM!
He struck the ground with such force that the tarmac fractured, sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. Dust surged into the air. Cap charged through it, shield raised high, meeting Vision head-on. The clash between man and machine had begun.
The tarmac shuddered under Vision's impact, cracks radiating outward from his boots. Steve shifted his stance, lowering into a defensive position with his shield angled to intercept the next attack.
"Your defiance is statistically unsustainable," Vision stated, his voice calm yet firm. He advanced with precise, deliberate movements, his density increasing as the air around him compressed with an unnatural whine.
Steve struck first, his shield arcing upward with brutal force. The vibranium edge collided with Vision's jaw, snapping his head back with a metallic clang. The android staggered slightly, his eyes flickering with a hint of curiosity.
Vision retaliated immediately. His hand shot forward, phasing through the shield and solidifying against Steve's chest. The blow propelled Steve backward, sending him skidding across the fractured tarmac like a discarded doll.
"Steve!" Sam cried out, diving from above with wings slicing through the air as he launched a volley of micro-rockets.
Vision raised a single hand, his molecules phasing to let the projectiles pass harmlessly through him. As Sam flew by, Vision abruptly solidified, striking the wingpack with a calculated blow. Metal groaned in protest as Sam spiraled out of control.
"Not again!" Falcon muttered in frustration, struggling to regain stability.
Before Vision could press the attack, a crimson blur streaked across the battlefield.
"Think fast, toaster!"
Clint's voice echoed sharply as he launched a cluster arrow, the projectile splitting mid-flight into dozens of smaller charges. The tiny explosives detonated around Vision in a cascading web of concussive force. Vision raised his arms, weathering the blasts as smoke enveloped him, shrouding his form.
When the smoke cleared, he stood unscathed, his cape torn at the edges but his composure intact. His head turned toward Barton. "I do not require combustion analysis to ascertain that your efforts are—"
THWACK!
A vibranium shield slammed into his temple mid-sentence, silencing him instantly. Cap caught his shield with a practiced motion, already surging forward to attack again.
"Don't talk down to my team."
Their second exchange was fierce, Steve's sheer determination clashing against Vision's calculated precision. Every strike Cap delivered was deflected, every swing of his shield expertly countered. Yet Steve pressed on, jaw clenched and resolve unwavering, refusing to back down.
[AN - Two more chapters coming today!]