Seeing his enemy filled him with rage. Before Maximus could say anything, Mordis launched a direct attack at Black Bolt. A beam of searing orange energy shot from his eyes, carving a scorched trench into the ground.
Black Bolt evaded the attack, but Mordis quickly adjusted his aim, sweeping the energy beam across the battlefield, annihilating everything in its path.
Watching the scene unfold, Garus couldn't help but compare Mordis to Cyclops—both emitted devastating laser beams from their eyes.
Just as the destructive energy was about to reach him, a shimmering green shield materialized in front of Garus, intercepting the attack before it could touch him.
Mordis had never encountered anyone who could withstand his blasts head-on. His expression hardened as he increased the energy output. The beam grew brighter, its intensity whipping up fierce winds around them.
Maximus, witnessing this, felt only jealousy. He longed to become an Inhuman, to wield immense power. This coup wasn't just about seizing the throne—it was his chance to undergo a second Terrigenesis.
"For the love of—this is getting ridiculous!" Garus muttered, squinting against the relentless assault. The sheer force of the continuous laser barrage made him slide backward.
Planting his feet firmly, Garus slammed his foot into the ground. Suddenly, jagged ice spikes erupted from the earth, transforming the battlefield into a frozen wasteland.
Forced to halt his attack, Mordis redirected his energy beam to melt the encroaching ice.
Who is he? Maximus racked his brain but couldn't recall anyone with such power. Someone this formidable wouldn't have gone unnoticed.
As Garus clashed with Mordis, Black Bolt hesitated but ultimately refrained from attacking him. He couldn't afford to provoke a dangerous enemy. Unlike his brother, Black Bolt was well aware of the Mutant Academy's headmaster. Reports from agents on Earth had provided extensive intel on Garus. One of the reasons Black Bolt had been reluctant to lead the Inhumans to Earth was precisely because of him.
He turned to Crystal and gestured, urging her to ask Garus for restraint.
"Mr. Garus, please, don't harm them," Crystal implored. She wasn't sure why Black Bolt was asking for mercy. The sheer number of Inhumans appearing had stunned her—she had no idea how Maximus had gained so many followers.
"Hmph, Crystal, do you think he's some kind of god? No one can withstand this many Inhumans!" Maximus sneered, brimming with confidence.
Suddenly, thick, gnarled roots burst from the ground, encircling Garus and trapping him within.
Despite the situation, the Inhumans standing beside Black Bolt did not intervene. They were hesitant to strike at one of their own, but they also refrained from attacking Garus. Karnak and the others exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of their next move.
Although most of these Inhumans weren't particularly powerful compared to Black Bolt or Mordis, the sheer numbers made them an annoyance to Garus.
"Come forth, Val'kyr!" he commanded.
Summoning circles glowed on the ground, pulsing with green energy. Moments later, spectral-winged female warriors emerged, soaring into the air.
These Val'kyr were not Asgard's legendary shieldmaidens. Though angelic in appearance, they were actually vrykul from Azeroth—transformed into undead servants of the Lich King after being corrupted by Frostmourne. Masters of necromantic magic, they could raise the dead into undeath.
Garus increasingly felt like the Lich King himself, now commanding the Val'kyr as his personal warriors.
Mind Flay! Shadow Word: Pain!
Following his command, the Val'kyr unleashed waves of dark magic, sapping the strength of the Inhumans, rendering them powerless and collapsing to the ground.
"Tch!" Mordis snarled, firing another laser barrage at the Val'kyr. The ones caught in the blast disintegrated into ash, but his attack soon faltered. Overuse of his power had strained his eyes, forcing him to clutch his head in pain.
Maximus stood frozen in shock. In the blink of an eye, his forces had been decimated. Impossible!
"Brother, I suppose you've won again. Do you see me as a joke?" Maximus asked bitterly. He had no powers of his own—only ambition.
Worried that Garus might execute them all, Black Bolt quickly stepped forward.
"We are family," Black Bolt signed to Maximus. "I won't punish you harshly, but you will be confined to reflect on your actions."
Maximus remained expressionless as Gorgon hoisted him up. He had spent so long planning this coup, only to be crushed before it even began. The taste of failure was unbearable.
He turned to Garus and demanded, "Who are you? Why did you side with my brother?"
Garus smirked. "I'm just a so-called insignificant human from Earth. And let's be clear—you attacked me first."
He continued, deliberately taunting him. "You wanted to conquer Earth, yet you couldn't even defeat me. You're nothing more than an ant seeing the world through a keyhole."
Maximus had no retort. He truly knew nothing about Earth, but how could a human be this powerful? And what exactly was Garus' ability?
Observing the brothers, Garus mused, Are all Marvel siblings destined for rivalry? Thor and Loki, Black Bolt and Maximus—always the younger brother, envious, leading to endless conflict.
Suddenly, Attilan trembled. The once-blue sky above them darkened, shifting into an ominous black void, engulfing the city in shadow.
"What's happening? Has the barrier failed?!" Crystal gasped in alarm. The Inhuman city's energy shield had never shown any signs of malfunction—not once in decades. The technology, a legacy of the Kree, was supposed to be infallible.
"It's not just the shield—every electronic system in the city has shut down. It's like we were hit by an EMP blast," Gorgon noted, tapping his now-useless communicator.
"This is bad. Without the barrier, Attilan will be destroyed in no time."
Fortunately, after a few tense minutes, the darkness dissipated. The sky returned to its usual blue, and the city's systems flickered back to life. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief—over a thousand Inhumans lived here, and evacuation was not an option.
But what had just happened?
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