95: The World Devourer

The golden glow of Darius' arrival illuminated the dark void near the remnants of the Kree Empire's proud capital, Hala. The scene before him was catastrophic—a once-thriving planet reduced to a crumbling husk.

Galactus, the World Devourer, loomed larger than life, his imposing figure casting shadows that spanned light-years.

His massive hands tore through Hala's core like it was made of sand, devouring its essence with a terrible, consuming hunger.

The Kree's mighty fleets fought valiantly, firing every weapon in their arsenal. Their energy cannons, fleet after fleet, rained down with blinding bursts of light, but it was futile.

Each shot dissolved harmlessly against Galactus' shimmering cosmic armour, his hunger too great, his power immeasurable. The cries of the Kree warriors echoed across the void, their bravery unyielding even as their inevitable end approached.

Darius floated in silence, watching, his face impassive but his presence like a thundercloud—a quiet warning to the cosmos. He leaned slightly against the golden haft of his staff, a symbol of his authority, and simply observed.

As the hours passed, the mighty Kree capital finally succumbed. Its cities crumbled into dust, its oceans boiled away, and its people vanished into the maelstrom of Galactus' power.

Finally, Galactus stood tall, his body radiating with absorbed energy, yet his movements were slower, his hunger still unsatisfied. His eyes glowed eerily, twin suns of malevolent need.

Darius' gaze turned slightly, his attention drawn to a streak of silver slicing through the darkness—the Silver Surfer.

The former herald's aura still shimmered with cosmic energy, though a flicker of unease marred his usually graceful form.

Darius raised a hand, his golden energy weaving through the void like threads, wrapping around the Surfer and drawing him closer effortlessly.

The Silver Surfer found himself suspended before Darius, his usually composed expression troubled. He straightened, his cosmic board floating silently beneath him, but there was no denying the weight of Darius' gaze.

"Why?" Darius' voice was calm yet carried the weight of a thousand storms. "Why did you direct Galactus to Hala? You, who once prided yourself on sparing planets with intelligent life, have broken your own code. Explain yourself."

The Surfer hesitated, his hands clenching slightly as he met Darius' eyes. "I had no choice," he began, his voice tinged with regret. "Galactus' hunger has grown beyond even what I've seen before. No barren worlds remain in this sector that could sustain him. Hala was the only option."

Darius' expression didn't change, but the void around them seemed to tremble. "You chose a world teeming with life, an empire that stood for millennia, knowing it would mean their end. Was there truly no other way, or have you simply lost your way?"

The Surfer's silvered form dimmed slightly as he bowed his head. "I fought against it, Darius. I tried to lead him elsewhere, to lifeless planets, but it was not enough. His hunger is insatiable. And now..."

The Surfer looked back at Galactus, who loomed in the distance, his glowing eyes scanning the cosmos. "Now I fear something far worse. His hunger is changing him. He is becoming... something else."

Darius narrowed his eyes, his golden irises swirling like miniature galaxies. "Something else?"

The Surfer nodded. "He has begun consuming not just matter, but the very fabric of existence. Hala's destruction wasn't just physical—it was metaphysical. Entire possibilities, timelines, and echoes of the Kree's past and future... all devoured."

Darius remained silent for a moment, processing the Surfer's words. His gaze shifted back to Galactus, who now seemed to pulse with an unnatural glow, his movements heavier, more deliberate.

"Your failure has consequences," Darius finally said, his tone unyielding. "You know that better than anyone, Herald."

The Surfer flinched at the word. "If there was another way, I would have taken it. But you must understand—Galactus is no longer a force of balance. He is a danger to everything, even the Endless."

Darius' lips twitched into a faint, humourless smile. "You assume I don't already understand that. You assume I would let this... aberration continue unchecked." He waved his hand, releasing the Surfer, who floated back a short distance, watching with wary eyes.

Darius turned fully to face Galactus, his golden robes billowing in the void. "Stay here, Surfer. I will speak with your master myself."

The Surfer's eyes widened slightly. "You intend to confront him?"

Darius didn't answer. Instead, he stepped forward, the void parting before him like a curtain, his form glowing brighter as he approached the Devourer of Worlds.

The void of space became heavy with an almost unbearable tension as Darius approached Galactus. Each step forward rippled with golden energy, dispelling the lingering fragments of despair and destruction that clung to the cosmos after Hala's fall.

The World Devourer loomed before him, his immense form radiating an unnatural, menacing glow that felt fundamentally wrong, even to a being like Darius.

Galactus turned, his glowing eyes narrowing on the Primordial. A guttural, otherworldly voice, layered with malicious glee, echoed through the emptiness.

"You are bold, Darius, to approach me. Do you truly believe you can stop what is inevitable?"

Darius' gaze sharpened, his golden eyes swirling with galaxies. He took another step forward, his voice calm yet resonating with absolute authority.

"You are not Galactus," he said, each word carrying the weight of judgement. "Not entirely. Something festers within you, twisting you. Show yourself, interloper, or I will rip you from this vessel myself."

Galactus staggered, his immense frame trembling as the glow in his eyes intensified. The energy around him grew volatile, crackling with chaotic force. Suddenly, his deep, resonant voice was replaced by high-pitched, mocking laughter.

The air shifted, and from Galactus' form emerged a small, impish figure, no larger than a child, but exuding an aura of chaos far beyond its size.

"Ta-da!" the figure chirped, bowing theatrically. "You caught me, Big D. Mxyzptlk at your service—or rather, not at your service." He floated lazily, his tiny arms crossed over his chest. "Life thought it would be fun to spice things up a bit, so here I am! And boy, did I do a number on that big lug over there. Pretty creative, huh?"

Darius didn't react to the trickster's antics. His expression remained cold, his presence towering over the imp as though the vastness of the cosmos itself bore down on him.

"Mxyzptlk," Darius said, his voice carrying the finality of a death knell. "You have meddled for the last time. For your crimes against the natural order, for the countless lives lost due to your interference, I judge you."

The imp's smirk faltered. "Whoa, whoa, let's not be hasty here, buddy! I was just having a little fun! You know, a bit of chaos to keep things interesting—"

Darius raised his hand, and the space around Mxyzptlk froze. The imp struggled, his normally limitless powers rendered useless under Darius' unyielding control.

Golden energy swirled around them, forming a massive ethereal scale that glowed with divine light.

Darius' voice echoed through the void, reverberating across galaxies. "Mxyzptlk, by your hand, you have caused suffering without purpose, destruction without meaning. You have violated the balance of existence and played with forces beyond your understanding."

The scales tipped sharply, and the weight of Mxyzptlk's deeds was made manifest in a blinding light that seared through the imp's form. He screamed, his mischievous façade replaced with genuine terror.

"Wait! Please! I'll undo everything! I'll leave! I'll never meddle again!"

Darius' expression remained impassive. "There will be no second chances. Your existence has been judged unworthy."

With a flick of his hand, the golden scales descended, crushing the essence of Mxyzptlk. His cries were snuffed out instantly, and the energy that had once comprised him dissipated into nothingness.

Darius lowered his hand, the space around them returning to an uneasy stillness.

As the glow in Galactus' eyes faded, his immense form seemed to stabilise. He looked down at Darius, his voice, now free of malice, filled with confusion and a faint trace of gratitude.

"Primordial," Galactus rumbled, his voice echoing with cosmic depth. "I... am myself again. The hunger... it is unbearable."

Darius regarded him for a moment before extending a hand. A pulse of golden energy flowed from Darius into Galactus, radiating warmth and power. Galactus staggered, his form glowing brighter as the energy filled him, quelling his insatiable hunger.

"Take this," Darius said. "It will sustain you, for now. But know this, Galactus—I have spared you because I see your purpose, your necessity in the grand design. Do not mistake my mercy for weakness."

Galactus inclined his massive head, a rare gesture of respect. "You have my thanks, Darius. I will no longer serve as a pawn to lesser beings. Should the balance require it, I will stand with you."

Darius nodded, his attention shifting to the ruins of Hala. The shattered planet drifted in pieces, its lifeless fragments a testament to the Kree's valiant yet futile resistance.

Darius extended his senses, reaching into the depths of existence to judge the souls of the Kree who had perished. Their lives, their deeds, their intentions—all were laid bare before him. The golden scales reappeared, glowing brighter as they weighed the worth of the Kree as a civilisation.

"The Kree were a proud people," Darius said, his voice soft yet filled with authority. "But their arrogance blinded them, their ambition leading to countless atrocities across the stars. Their legacy is one of bloodshed and conquest, tempered only by moments of greatness."

The scales tipped once more, their judgement clear. Darius turned away from the shattered remnants of Hala, his decision resolute.

"Their time has passed. Their fate is sealed."

With a wave of his hand, Darius sent the judged souls to their rightful destinations, the energy of their existence dispersing into the cosmic cycle. He turned back to Galactus, his work done.

"This chapter is closed," Darius said. "Return to your purpose, World Devourer. And remember—should you falter, I will not be so lenient."

Galactus nodded solemnly, stepping back toward his massive ship. As he ascended, the stars around them seemed to dim, leaving only Darius' golden glow to light the void. He turned, his gaze piercing through the vastness of space, sensing new ripples of disturbance on the horizon.

"There is still much to do," he murmured to himself before vanishing, his work far from over.

=========================================================