Respect returns to respect, mercy returns mercy
The sun blazed fiercely, igniting a surge of divine power that erupted outward, forming a lethal death zone. Within this zone, creatures lacking sufficient physical resilience faced annihilation, unable to escape or resist.
The most intense and dazzling light coalesced into a terrifying ring, enveloping all the Inhuman and Skrull combatants. Death followed swiftly.
Frail aliens and those without special abilities were instantly vaporized, leaving nothing behind, not even ashes. Diamond-skinned Inhumans and those with extraordinary powers like Ice or Super Healing managed to withstand for a fraction longer, leaving behind mere traces of ash.
The Skrulls, bioengineered to be the ultimate weapons, faced the devastating light. Their skin and muscles disintegrated instantly, while their strong bones charred but attempted futile regeneration. Even their dreaded Super Healing abilities proved futile against such overwhelming destruction. With a final snap, their resilient bones shattered into dust, leaving no trace of life.
Medusa, the Skrulls, and ancient Inhumans who had slumbered for eons, all succumbed to nothingness. Loyalists who had awaited their king's return for millennia met their end, witnessing only his brief presence.
Caesar had no time for contemplation. Under the sun, all beings met an equal fate, courtesy of Caesar's equalizing death.
Yet amidst the carnage, Black Bolt, the Hive, and Talos survived. Black Bolt's formidable shockwave could shatter anything, even the sun's power, though it cost him an arm.
The Hive, once a loathsome parasite, barely clung to existence with skeletal remains after the sun's onslaught. Yet a strange transformation ensued, its pale, somewhat translucent form seemingly unharmed.
Talos, the Skrull leader, mutated into a monstrous form, bolstered by immense physical defenses and an unyielding ice magic. His survival, though reduced to mere rotting flesh, was survival nonetheless.
Medusa's death, alongside all Inhuman masters and their dormant loyalists, turned to ash, leaving the Hive wordless and expressionless.
It launched a fierce mental assault on Caesar, undeterred by its unstable transparency.
Meanwhile, Black Bolt writhed in agony not solely from physical wounds or loss of limb.
Due to the profound loss of the person he loved most, Black Bolt's heart was shattered. In a sudden surge of overwhelming grief, he unleashed the most devastating shockwave yet. His mouth agape, his facial muscles torn, he cared little for his own injuries as the silent wave of destruction surged towards Caesar.
The clash between the two titans was intense. The mental shock momentarily immobilized Caesar, followed swiftly by the destructive force unleashed by Black Bolt's powers. The strain of the encounter began to show on Caesar, despite his access to the seemingly limitless energy of the Space Gem.
While Black Bolt's vibrations threatened to rend even the fabric of space itself, limiting Caesar's movements, the latter remained calm. His divine powers waned, but the Space Gem continued to provide him with inexhaustible energy. His strategy was clear—he sought to outlast and outmaneuver his opponent.
Caesar, whose long-term plans involved harnessing the power of celestial bodies, understood the fundamental nature of matter and vibration. His ability to manipulate space allowed him to briefly immerse himself in the sun's energy for rejuvenation before returning to the lunar battlefield. There, he could gather his strength without risking his life unnecessarily.
With victory within reach and armed with the Space Gem, Caesar had no desire to engage in a reckless struggle. Disappearing momentarily, he left Black Bolt cursing his absence while the Hive meticulously scoured the void for any trace of their adversary. Meanwhile, remnants of Caesar's resilient form regenerated amidst the cosmic debris.
Upon his return, Caesar reappeared before Black Bolt and the Hive, summoning a fiery sword from the void with a snap of his fingers. This time, he aimed to end the conflict decisively by severing Black Bolt's head.
The battle raged anew as the Hive and Black Bolt unleashed their full fury against Caesar. However, Black Bolt's devastating shocks made it difficult to discern friend from foe, particularly for the Hive, an amalgamation of countless microscopic parasites, uniquely vulnerable to such attacks.
Caesar strategically employed a golden flame shield fueled by solar energy, deftly evading Black Bolt's relentless assaults while closing in on the Hive. Enraged and resolute, Black Bolt relentlessly pursued Caesar, intent on obliterating both him and the Hive.
Despite Black Bolt's fury, Caesar consistently eluded his attacks. The Hive, ever composed and silent, remained a target for Black Bolt's destructive impulses, gradually becoming more transparent and ephemeral.
As Black Bolt's aggression intensified, the Hive took decisive action. Dissipating its form into countless particles, it surrounded Caesar, entangling him with dust that resisted incineration. This maneuver effectively nullified Caesar's ability to employ his spatial powers, marking a critical turning point in their conflict.
After freezing Caesar's feet with a surge of frost, Talos, once a mass of decaying flesh, made his move. He attempted to capitalize on the moment when Black Bolt's destructive vibrations were about to strike.
"Nice timing!" Caesar acknowledged quietly, impressed by the coordinated attack despite the odds.
Caesar, however, had secretly prepared. Igniting his divine power once more, he emanated a protective circle of deathly energy. This shield not only countered the impending destruction but also rendered the shattered hive transparent in the sunlight.
Talos, his flesh barely restored, found himself trapped. The frost's grip loosened, but before he could react, Caesar unleashed a torrent of divine fire that consumed him completely. Talos perished instantly, leaving behind only charred bones where once decayed flesh had struggled to reform.
Black Bolt, though gravely wounded with limbs disintegrated once more, remained alive but incapacitated. His injuries rendered him immobile and incapable of posing any further threat.
Without hesitation, Caesar swiftly moved towards Black Bolt. With a decisive stroke of his flaming sword, he ended the Inhuman king's life, ensuring there would be no second chance. In that moment, knowledge of how to safely activate human powers using the Terrigen crystal flooded Caesar's mind. He also seized a small luminous seed, the essence of Black Bolt's power, hinting at the potential to inherit his mantle.
Acknowledging the destructive potential within the power seed, Caesar nodded to himself before stowing it away. He then turned to the lone charred bone fragment left in Talos's wake. With a gesture of his hand, golden flames erupted, incinerating not just the bone but also any residual dust hidden within.
"As an adversary, you might have earned respect," Caesar murmured solemnly, surveying the aftermath. "But respect is one thing, mercy another."
Following the trail that led out from the moon's depths, Caesar and his company made their way towards Attilan, the legendary city of the Inhumans.
Meanwhile, within Attilan, the tension was palpable as the vibrations from the lunar battle ceased.
"Is it over? Did we prevail?" Voices echoed anxiously among the Skrulls and Inhumans gathered.
The alien with heightened perception, who had witnessed the battle unfold, was reduced to ash under the first rays of sunlight. Left without means to monitor the outcome, the remaining inhabitants of Attilan could only wait and hope for survival.
Caesar's footsteps echoed ominously as he approached Attilan, the fabled city of the Inhumans. The question remained: how would they resist Caesar's inexorable advance?
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