Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

Inside the Agency, deep within its most secluded chamber, Darius sat alone.

The Meditation Room was an ethereal space, neither bound by time nor place. The walls shimmered with the glow of infinite cosmic energies, shifting between the light of stars and the abyss of nothingness.

It was a sanctuary of silence, untouched by the war that ravaged Earth.

Here, in this stillness, Darius watched.

He saw everything.

Through the countless windows of reality that floated before him, he observed the madness unfolding across the planet. Cities burned under the merciless assault of Darkseid's forces.

Heroes fought, bled, and fell. Soldiers, powerless before the tide of destruction, died in droves. The screams of the innocent echoed across the astral void—pleas for salvation, for mercy.

But Darius felt nothing.

His expression remained unreadable, his posture unmoved. He had seen this too many times before—across different worlds, different civilizations.

War, death, suffering—these were not new to him. He had existed far too long to be fazed by the cruelty of existence.

But then—his golden eyes shifted, settling on two particular windows amidst the chaos.

One showed Ororo, her white hair flowing as she stood on the battlefield in Wakanda. The land of her ancestors had been turned into a warzone, but she stood unshaken, her presence commanding as she summoned storms of vengeance, her eyes alight with divine fury.

Lightning danced around her as she tore through the Chitauri with wrathful precision, defending her people with everything she had.

The other window showed Diana, her arrival in New York City. The city was in ruins, its skyline choked with smoke and destruction. Yet, she descended like a goddess of war, her sword carving through the invaders with divine might.

Her shield deflected energy blasts, her golden lasso coiled like a serpent in her grip. She was relentless, a warrior with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Darius exhaled slowly.

These two… they were different.

He could not be apathetic toward them. They were his.

Even as the world burned, even as billions cried for salvation, his heart only stirred for them.

And that—was what made him truly dangerous.

A presence approached.

Darius did not turn as Harmony stepped into the meditation chamber. The air itself seemed to soften with her arrival, the weight of existence growing lighter in her presence.

She moved with the grace of an ancient celestial being, silent yet all-encompassing.

Without a word, she came behind him, lowering herself to sit on the soft void of space. Then, gently, she reached forward and pulled his head into her lap.

Darius let her.

His long, flowing white hair cascaded over her legs, glowing faintly in the shifting cosmic light. His golden robes shimmered as he allowed himself to relax, the tension in his body fading as Harmony's presence eased his burdens.

She ran her fingers through his hair, slow and soothing. A soft warmth emanated from her touch—not physical warmth, but something deeper.

A warmth that reached into the soul, that dissolved the weight of eternity.

"You're thinking too much," she murmured.

Darius closed his eyes. "Am I?"

She chuckled softly, continuing to stroke his hair. "You always do. Even when you pretend not to care."

He exhaled. "I do not pretend. I simply… do not feel the need to care for those who are beneath me."

"Liar."

He opened his eyes, tilting his head slightly to glance up at her. "You wound me, sister."

Harmony smiled, but there was knowingness in her gaze. "You feel nothing for the humans. That much is true. But you do care for her."

She tapped her fingers lightly against his temple, and the image of Ororo flashed in his mind. Then, she tapped again, and Diana's face appeared.

Darius sighed. "…Perhaps."

Harmony hummed. "It is not a weakness, you know. To care for a select few."

"It is," Darius murmured. "Because if anything were to happen to them—"

He did not finish the thought.

Harmony understood regardless.

Her expression softened as she traced light circles on his forehead, her divine presence continuing to soothe the storms in his mind.

"You are afraid," she said.

Darius frowned. "I fear nothing."

"Liar," she whispered again. "You fear losing them."

He said nothing.

Harmony continued, her voice gentle, yet firm. "Even if you deny it, they are your heart, Darius. They tether you to this world. And while I know you believe yourself invincible… even an omniversal being like you is not immune to loss."

Darius stared at the swirling cosmic void above them.

Then, finally—he spoke.

"…It is exhausting."

Harmony raised an eyebrow. "What is?"

"Existing like this." His voice was quiet. "Watching countless civilizations rise and fall. Seeing wars consume planets, seeing the cycle of destruction repeat endlessly." He closed his eyes again. "There is no change. Only different actors playing the same story, over and over again."

Harmony sighed softly. "And yet, you still watch. Even when you claim not to care, you still watch."

Darius was silent.

Harmony smirked. "And not just for Ororo and Diana. You keep tabs on all of them, don't you? Even those… mortals."

Darius exhaled, exasperated. "It is not out of sentimentality. It is simply…"

"Curiosity?" Harmony teased.

Darius gave a small smirk. "Perhaps."

Harmony chuckled, shaking her head. "Ever the observer. Even now, when you could be anywhere, doing anything, you choose to sit here and watch."

Darius finally shifted, turning so he was facing her. His golden eyes, ancient and unreadable, studied her for a long moment.

"And what of you?" he asked. "Why do you sit here with me? You, who are bound to the laws of harmony and balance—should you not be out there, correcting the chaos?"

Harmony's smile was soft. "Because my brother needs me more than the world does."

Darius blinked.

For the first time in centuries, he felt… something stir in his chest.

It was small. Fleeting. But real.

He turned his gaze away, sighing. "You are insufferable, you know that?"

Harmony grinned. "And yet, you love me all the same."

Darius let out a small huff of amusement, closing his eyes once more as her warmth enveloped him.

For a brief moment, in this sanctuary away from war, away from the madness of the universe—he allowed himself to rest.

Even if just for a little while.

-

-

[The Realm of Life]

In the vast expanse of existence, beyond time, beyond space—there was Life.

Her realm was limitless, a kingdom woven from the very essence of creation itself. It was neither light nor dark, neither warm nor cold. It simply was—an ever-shifting plane of reality where the raw forces of birth, growth, and renewal thrived.

It was a place where galaxies bloomed like flowers, where new realities breathed their first breath, and where the spark of existence never faded.

And at its center, upon a throne carved from the very fabric of creation itself, Life sat alone.

She was a being of absolute beauty—golden skin shimmering with cosmic vitality, long flowing hair that pulsed like nebulae, and eyes that held the depth of infinite worlds. She was the first breath of a newborn star, the pulse of a thriving universe. She was Life itself.

And yet…

She had never felt so empty.

Her fingers lightly tapped against the arm of her throne, her gaze fixed on a swirling portal before her. She shouldn't have been able to see into Darius' reality—their father, Eternus, had long since severed her access to that realm. He had forbidden her from interfering.

But she was Life.

And Life always found a way.

The portal before her was small, delicate—nothing like the great cosmic gates she once wielded with ease. It was an imperfect crack, a tiny fracture she had carved with patience and persistence. Through it, she could glimpse into his world—though only in moments, only in fragments.

And what she saw now made her heart ache.

Darius.

Her brother, her equal, the one she had loved and tormented since the dawn of time.

He was seated in his meditation chamber, his long white hair spilling over Harmony's lap. His eyes were closed, his expression peaceful—completely at ease in a way he had never been around her. Harmony's fingers moved gently through his hair, her presence soothing him, bringing him comfort.

Life clenched her fists.

Jealousy burned through her like wildfire.

It was irrational. Childish. But she could not help it.

That should have been her.

She should have been the one soothing him. She should have been the one he let his guard down around.

But she knew.

She knew why he would never allow that.

Because to Darius, she had always been the source of his problems.

Even now, as war ravaged Earth, as heroes and mortals suffered under the chaos, she knew that it was her fault. All because she had wanted to annoy him.

A bitter smile played at her lips. "I really am terrible, aren't I?"

The silence of her realm was her only answer.

She leaned back against her throne, exhaling slowly.

Darius had never liked her much. Not truly. He tolerated her, indulged her antics at times, but there had always been distance. A coldness that he did not show Harmony.

And why wouldn't he?

She was the reason his existence had been miserable so many times.

Wherever Darius found peace, she had shattered it.

Wherever he built something, she had interfered.

Wherever he tried to escape, she had followed.

It was the only way she knew how to express herself.

She loved him—she always had.

But her love was twisted.

She was Life, he was Destruction—they were meant to be opposites, eternally clashing, eternally intertwined.

Was it so wrong that she enjoyed the way he reacted to her meddling? That she craved the attention, even if it came in the form of his frustration, his anger?

She had been so certain that he would never truly hate her. That no matter what, she was still his sister, still a part of him.

But now…

Now, she wasn't so sure.

The war on Earth had gone too far.

The moment she saw the true horror of what she had caused, she had stopped laughing.

Millions were dying.

Entire cities had crumbled into ruin.

Families were being torn apart.

Heroes—those foolish, brave little mortals—were dying in agony.

It was too much.

And Darius…

She had thought he would be furious. That he would storm into her realm, drag her before Eternus, demand retribution.

But he hadn't.

Because he didn't care.

He had seen too much, lived too long—this was nothing to him. The only thing he cared about was Ororo and Diana. Not her.

Never her.

Life's fingers trembled as she touched the portal again, watching as Harmony continued to soothe him. Her warmth, her care, her gentle whispers—everything Life had never been able to give him.

Why?

Why could Harmony do what she could not?

Why did he let her in, but not his own sister?

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but to who? There was no one here. No one to listen.

She was alone.

She had always been alone.

Her realm, vast and beautiful as it was, felt like a prison. The only voices here were the whispers of new life being born across the omniverse. There was no laughter. No warmth.

No one.

Because she had driven them all away.

For the first time in eternity, Life felt something she had never truly experienced before.

Regret.

Her hands curled into fists as she forced herself to look away from the portal. She couldn't watch anymore. She didn't want to see how peaceful he was with Harmony.

She had done this to herself.

She had pushed him away, time and time again.

She had played too many games, crossed too many lines.

She had ruined everything.

And now… she didn't know how to fix it.

Would he ever forgive her?

Did she even deserve it?

Life closed her eyes. For the first time in a long time, she felt exhausted.

She didn't want to be alone anymore.

But she had no one to blame but herself.

-

-

Darius' eyes barely cracked open, a faint glow of gold and blue peeking through his long white lashes. His vision blurred momentarily, but he didn't need clarity to know what he was looking at.

A tiny portal—hidden, delicate, imperfect.

Yet, he saw.

He saw her.

Life.

Alone.

Darius' lips curled into a scornful smile, his golden eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.

She was struggling.

He could feel the storm of emotions raging within her, the jealousy coiling around her heart, the regret gnawing at her soul.

And he enjoyed it.

For all that he had endured at her hands, for all the torment, the chaos, the endless meddling—for once, she was the one suffering.

And that, to him, was delicious.

His sister, so used to being the one in control, the one pulling the strings, was now trapped in the very misery she had caused.

A poetic irony.

A divine justice.

She had spent eons playing her little games, laughing as she disrupted his peace, wrecked his creations, turned his existence into a never-ending headache.

But now?

Now she sat alone, watching him be happy, and she could do nothing.

How does it feel, dear sister?

Darius chuckled silently, resting his head a little deeper into Harmony's lap, fully content in his petty victory.

But then—a sharp flick to his forehead.

Thwack!

His head jerked slightly, his smirk faltering as Harmony's voice cut through the silence.

"Stop it," she chided softly, her tone gentle but firm.

Darius exhaled through his nose, a flicker of annoyance breaking through his amusement. Of course, she noticed.

Of course, she would scold him.

He tilted his head up slightly, his blue-and-gold eyes meeting Harmony's disapproving gaze.

She looked serene as always, her beauty effortless, but there was a quiet disappointment in her expression.

"You shouldn't enjoy her pain," she said softly, running a hand through his hair with the same tenderness as before. "You're better than that, Darius."

Darius scoffed, his smirk returning, though there was a playful defiance behind it.

"Am I?" he murmured lazily. "She made my life miserable for ages, and now that she finally gets a taste of it, I'm supposed to feel... what? Pity?"

Harmony sighed, shaking her head. "No, not pity. Understanding."

Darius rolled his eyes. "Oh, please."

Harmony didn't let up. "You know she loves you, in her own way. It's not right, it's not healthy, but it was never malicious."

Darius snorted. "Not malicious? Were you asleep when she threw me into a collapsing black anti-matter star just to see if I'd survive?"

Harmony smiled slightly. "You did survive."

"Not the point," he muttered, closing his eyes again.

"She regrets it, Darius," Harmony whispered, her fingers tracing gentle patterns against his temple. "All of it. She's alone now, and it's killing her."

Darius remained silent, though the smirk on his lips slowly faded.

Harmony pressed on. "You don't have to forgive her—not yet. But you should at least stop enjoying her suffering. You're not like her."

He let out a slow breath, his body relaxing further into her lap.

"I don't hate her, you know," he admitted, voice quieter. "I just… don't trust her. Not with my peace, not with my happiness."

Harmony nodded, understanding in her gaze. "I know."

A silence settled between them, comfortable yet heavy.

Darius finally opened his eyes fully, looking up at his sister, his mischievous smirk returning just slightly.

"But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it a little, right?"

Harmony flicked his forehead again, softer this time.

"Darius," she sighed.

He chuckled, closing his eyes again. "Fine, fine. I'll behave… for now."

Harmony smiled, but worry still lingered in her heart.

Darius and Life… would they ever mend what was broken?

For now, she could only hope.

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