Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

[Still Harmony's POV]

Dream steps forward, his eyes closed, his face a calm mask of concentration.

The chaos surrounding us, the unbearable agony that wracks Darius' body, fades into the background for a moment as Dream's voice fills the room.

His words are soft but steady, like the gentle flow of a river, ancient and familiar.

"When the stars are tired and the moon grows cold, 

We walk through worlds yet untold. 

Fear not the dark, nor the endless night, 

For we are children of the light."

His voice reverberates through the vast expanse of the room, weaving itself into the very air around us.

I can feel its power, the same calming, soothing presence that has always been Dream's essence.

A faint glow begins to surround Darius, as if the words are wrapping around him, trying to remind him of something older, something deep within himself.

Death, standing beside him, her usual aloofness softened, joins in with her own voice, low and melodic.

"When shadows fall and hearts grow weak, 

In each other, strength we seek. 

The path is long, the road is steep, 

But love and light, we always keep."

The words are a lullaby, a mantra, something we had all heard countless times when we were younger—lost in our own confusion, unsure of the roles we were born to play.

It was Darius who would speak this chant to us then, his voice strong and reassuring, guiding us through the haze of our existence. And now, it was our turn to return that comfort to him.

Life, standing with her hands glowing, closes her eyes, her lips moving in sync with the chant. Though she doesn't speak aloud, I can feel her energy harmonizing with the rhythm of Dream and Death's words. Her power flows into Darius like a soft breeze, carrying with it the essence of life itself.

In the distance, though unseen, I know that the others—those of our kin in their own realms—are joining in. Through the infinite connection that binds us, I can feel their presence.

Destiny, with his eternal wisdom, lending his strength. Desire, with a voice that sings of all things wanted and unattainable, pours in their passion.

Delirium, her fractured mind speaking the chant in her own way, adding the unpredictable energy of chaos and creativity.

"The world may change, the stars may fall, 

But together, we stand tall. 

In darkness or in light's embrace, 

We find our strength, we find our place."

The chant builds in intensity, not in volume but in power. It is as if the very fabric of the universe responds to the words, bending to their will.

I can feel the energy flowing through all of us, converging on Darius, trying to bring him back, to ground him, to help him hold onto who he is beneath the overwhelming storm of power.

Dream's voice, though calm, is filled with an emotion rarely seen in him. He continues, his hand outstretched, pouring everything he has into the words.

"Remember who you are, 

A beacon, a blazing star. 

In all the realms, in every breath, 

You defy both life and death."

Death grips Darius' hand tighter, her own voice now louder, more urgent as she speaks the final line with Dream.

"You are more than the storm, 

You are the dawn reborn."

The room glows brighter, the energies of the Endless—of family—merging and intertwining, surrounding Darius with a protective force. The power that had threatened to destroy everything slowly starts to calm, the storm abating, bit by bit. Darius' body, though still shuddering with pain, begins to stabilize.

I can feel it too. Hope. Hope that our brother will make it through this, that he will endure, just as he always has.

==

=

Within the vast emptiness of Darius' mindscape, the storm raged endlessly. It wasn't a storm of wind or rain, but of pure, raw power. A maelstrom of chaotic energy swirled around him, lightning crackling through the darkened sky above.

The ground beneath his feet shattered and reformed in an endless loop, trying to keep up with the sheer force radiating from him.

Every breath he took felt like inhaling fire, his muscles burning with the effort of containing the energy threatening to tear him apart.

He stood in the center of it all, fists clenched, eyes glowing with the intensity of his power, as waves of destructive energy crashed against him. Each wave felt like a thousand suns, scorching him from the inside out.

The pain was unbearable—far beyond anything he had ever endured. His body was failing, his mind crumbling under the strain. 

"Damn it!" he roared, pushing back with everything he had. His voice echoed in the emptiness, a desperate battle cry as he hurled his power against the storm. 

But no matter how hard he fought, no matter how much of his strength he poured into resisting, the storm only grew fiercer. It was as if the energy itself had come alive, intent on devouring him whole.

It lashed out at him relentlessly, breaking down the barriers he had spent eons building.

Darius stumbled, his knees buckling as another wave of power crashed over him. His heart pounded in his chest, every beat a reminder that he was losing this fight.

The energy surged again, ripping through him with such force that it left him gasping, his vision blurring from the agony.

For the first time in his life, he felt… weak.

"This can't be how it ends," he muttered through gritted teeth. "I won't let it."

He dug deep, pulling from reserves of power he hadn't tapped into in ages, trying to regain control. The ground beneath him shattered once more, cracks spiderwebbing out from where he stood.

He forced himself back to his feet, summoning every ounce of strength he had left. His body glowed with radiant light, his aura pulsing like a dying star.

But as powerful as he was, it wasn't enough.

The storm retaliated, its force growing even more violent. Each strike felt like it was tearing his soul apart, piece by piece. His breath hitched, his vision dimming. He could feel himself slipping—his grip on reality, on his own existence, faltering.

Then, amidst the chaos, he felt something. A familiar warmth, soft and comforting, like the touch of a hand on his cheek.

At first, it was just a whisper—an almost imperceptible presence in the storm. But slowly, it grew stronger, more defined. He could feel it seeping into his soul, weaving through the very fabric of his being.

And he knew.

"Harmony…" he whispered, recognizing his sister's energy. Her touch was gentle, like a soothing balm over his searing pain. Her presence was a tether, something to hold onto in the midst of the chaos.

But it wasn't just Harmony. As he fought to stay conscious, he felt more. Life's warmth, like a gentle breeze on a summer's day, brushed against him. Death's calm, steady presence anchored him, a reminder that there was peace even in the midst of suffering.

And Dream… Dream's power wove through the very air around him, pulling him back from the brink of madness.

They were with him.

He could hear their voices, faint but clear, chanting the words he had spoken to them so long ago. Words that had once given them comfort, now being spoken back to him, offering the same in return.

It was like a lifeline, something to hold onto in the storm. But even with their energy flowing into him, even with the connection of his siblings, the power inside him was too great.

The storm inside his soul raged on, consuming everything in its path.

"I… can't…" he gasped, his legs giving out beneath him. He collapsed to the ground, his hands digging into the dirt as he tried to hold on.

The pain was unbearable, like his very essence was being torn apart from the inside out. Every fiber of his being screamed in agony, the power spiraling out of control, far beyond anything he could contain.

He wanted to scream, to call out to them, but he couldn't. His voice was gone, drowned out by the roar of the storm.

"Please… not like this," he thought, his vision darkening around the edges.

But then, through the haze of pain and chaos, he felt it. A steady rhythm, like a heartbeat, pulsing in the back of his mind. It was faint, barely noticeable at first, but it was there.

It was the same rhythm he had felt countless times before, the same pulse that had always been with him, guiding him.

Eternus.

His father's presence washed over him, distant but undeniable. And with it came a flood of memories—of his father's warnings, his words of caution about the consequences of lifting the Laws.

He had been right.

The weight of his decision hit him like a freight train, the reality of what he had asked for sinking in. His body wasn't strong enough to contain his power, not without the Laws. He had known the risk, but he had still asked for it, and now he was paying the price.

"Father… I… I can't do this," he thought, his voice breaking with desperation.

But there was no response. No words of comfort, no reassurance. Only the steady, unwavering presence of his father, watching from afar.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he fought against the overwhelming power inside him. His body trembled, his fingers clawing at the ground beneath him.

"I'm… not strong enough," he admitted to himself, the words cutting deeper than any blade.

For the first time in his life, Darius felt truly helpless. His siblings' energy swirled around him, their power bolstering him as much as it could, but even they couldn't stop what was happening.

He was losing.

And as the storm raged on, he wondered if this was how it would end—consumed by the very power he had once controlled, the same power that had made him invincible.

But even as he teetered on the edge of oblivion, even as the storm threatened to swallow him whole, he clung to the one thing that had always been his strength.

Hope.

He wasn't ready to give up—not yet. Not when his siblings were fighting for him. Not when he had so much left to do.

So, with the last of his strength, Darius forced himself to stand. His body screamed in protest, his muscles shaking with the effort, but he stood.

"I won't let it end like this," he whispered, his voice a ragged, desperate thing.

And as the storm raged around him, Darius did the only thing he could.

He kept fighting.

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