Command Room – Battlecruiser Reuel
The hologram in the center of the room projected a brutal image: government forces scattering in chaos, losing formation, fleeing without direction. Their defeat was now only a matter of minutes.
Alexander Corvinus stood beside Reuel, handing over a large cylindrical container filled with dark red liquid—blood so thick it was nearly black, flowing slowly behind transparent glass.
"Here's the blood you asked for. Our deal is done," Alexander said in a heavy voice.
Reuel took the container, his eyes scanning its contents with focused attention. The liquid pulsed gently within its chamber, as if it held something alive—a dark legacy of the Corvinus bloodline, now resting in the hands of the Emperor.
"Then what will you do with the Vampires and Lycans?" Reuel asked, his eyes never leaving the blood.
"I'll relocate them to Canada. I've acquired a vast, remote forested region. Far enough from the human world… a safe place to build a new life," Alexander answered, his tone a mixture of weariness and resolve.
He took a deep breath. This decision came with a cost—but letting them be hunted to extinction wasn't an option.
"Wise," Reuel said simply. "Better far from here. Besides, their numbers are scarce now."
Then, Reuel turned to face Alexander. His voice shifted—more personal, more pressing.
"What about Lycan? He's your blood too. And Michael… your third son, who is no longer entirely human. Will you send them as well?"
Alexander fell silent. His gaze dropped to the floor, as if the answer were hiding somewhere down there.
"I've seen Michael," he said quietly. "He's… mutated. I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse. If he becomes a monster, then… maybe there'll be no other choice but to end him. A damn shame…"
Reuel observed the immortal man before him—a figure who once forged a kingdom of darkness and chaos. Then he spoke, softly but with weight.
"I can save them both. But only if you promise me one thing. If you truly want your sons to be human again… I can make it happen."
Alexander raised his head, eyes widening in disbelief.
"What are you saying? You can cure them?"
"You should've realized it from the beginning," Reuel replied calmly. "I'm not from this universe. And yes, I can cure them—but only if you can make a decision. Don't expect mercy if you hesitate. I won't lift a single finger."
Alexander nodded slowly, his expression tense but clear.
"I knew it from the moment we met. With your power, you could've killed me anytime you wanted. But I also knew you had a greater purpose. So I waited…"
"I studied the latest scientific theories on parallel universes. That's when I began to suspect."
He stared deep into Reuel's eyes.
"So tell me, Lord Reuel—what's your condition?"
Reuel lowered the blood container and looked at Alexander with regal gravity.
"My condition is simple. I'll relocate you and the entire Vampire and Lycan race to a new planet. There, you'll serve as governor of that territory. And allow me to introduce myself formally—I am Reuel kaen Celestus, Emperor of Mankind from another universe… and founder of the Imperium of Man."
Alexander fell silent. For several seconds, the room froze in absolute stillness.
"I offer you my deepest respect, Your Majesty. So your true intent… is to separate us from human civilization?"
"Not discard. Save," Reuel answered. "You know better than anyone that your descendants—Vampires and Lycans alike—are instinctively hostile to mankind. They see themselves as superior. I'm offering you a chance to live… without conflict. And if you wish, I can make you human again."
"For now, I won't interfere with your people. But listen carefully: if the day comes when I take full control of Earth, I will not tolerate a single race that kills humans."
Alexander closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on those words. Then, slowly and with quiet dignity, he stepped forward.
With all the nobility of an ancient lord, he knelt before Reuel, then bowed his head and kissed the Emperor's hand—a gesture reserved only for a true king.
Reuel didn't pull away. He accepted the oath with the calm, commanding air of a galactic ruler.
"I, Alexander Corvinus," he declared, "swear fealty to His Majesty Reuel of the Imperium of Man, Emperor of Mankind. I will serve with all my soul and strength, protect the secrets of the Imperium, and never aid your enemies for as long as breath remains in my body."
Reuel gave a graceful nod.
"Rise, Alexander Corvinus. Remember our pact."
Then, his voice returned to its commanding tone.
"Now, one final thing. Does your race choose to remain Vampires and Lycans, or to return to humanity? This choice… will shape your future."
Alexander looked the Emperor straight in the eye.
"Your Majesty, we choose to remain as we are—Vampires and Lycans. And we will relocate as you command."
Reuel offered a faint smile—not entirely warm, but not cold either. It was the expression of a ruler who had just brought yet another great power under his dominion.
Command Room – Battlecruiser Reuel
Suddenly, an Astra Militarum officer stepped forward briskly, his expression tense and voice filled with urgency.
"Lord Emperor, Lady Selene is requesting instructions... regarding the prisoners," the officer reported.
Reuel turned slowly, his gaze settling on Alexander Corvinus standing beside him.
"Alexander Corvinus, can the prisoners be held under your supervision? Or... is there someone in your government fit to handle them?" Reuel asked, his voice calm, yet carrying the unmistakable authority of a wartime commander.
Alexander paused, considering. He wasn't an executioner, nor did he intend to become one. Besides, these people… would soon become his subjects too.
"Your Majesty, for now, allow me to handle them. I'll contact you if any further decision is required," Alexander answered with a respectful nod.
He stepped aside, pulled out his communicator, and began making a call with his back to the main display—still showing the remnants of the battlefield.
Reuel turned back to the officer beside him.
"Has Commander Mira Han arrived?"
"Your Majesty, Commander Mira is en route. Estimated arrival—one hour," the officer replied without hesitation.
Reuel gave a slight nod. Several minutes passed before Alexander finished his call.
"Your Majesty," he said as he approached again, "the prisoners can be released now. I've contacted the Cleaners—they're on their way to collect them."
His voice was calm, yet carried the conviction of someone who had orchestrated the entire scenario down to the last detail.
---
Suddenly, Reuel remembered—it had been a month since he last accessed the system's modules. Today, it was time.
He activated the internal interface and spoke softly but clearly.
"System, open soldier module."
"Ding. Opening soldier module. Congratulations, host. You have received 50,000 elite researchers from the Moebius Foundation Scientists, led by Dr. Ariel Hanson."
Reuel raised an eyebrow. A brief twitch touched his lips—a rare spontaneous reaction for someone like him.
"System Note: Dr. Ariel Hanson is a biotech scientist and civilian science leader from the colony Agria, one of the outer worlds of the Dominion. She led efforts to find a cure for the rapidly spreading Zerg infection. In the campaign of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Hanson requested Jim Raynor's help to save her colony from destruction."
Reuel clicked his tongue softly. Ah, Hanson… the brilliant scientist torn between empathy and military logic.
Some forums had once speculated that she became a psionic host after Zerg infection, but the theory was never confirmed. Back then, Reuel himself—if this were his game—chose the logical military route, turning the colony into a safe haven rather than following the Protoss' advice to burn it down in the Haven's Fall mission.
"Not bad," he murmured. "Moebius Foundation scientists are insane. Not top-tier, but... they did try merging Zerg and Protoss DNA—that says enough about their level of madness."
---
He opened the system again.
"System, open weapons equipment module."
"Ding. Opening weaponry and equipment module. Congratulations, host. You have received weaponry and vehicles from six StarCraft combat divisions: 500 Wraith fighter jets, 100 Medivac transports, 300 Banshee units of various types, and 500 Siege Tanks."
"Ding. Congratulations, host. You have also received: Iron Man Armor, Mark 46."
Reuel closed his eyes briefly and sighed... somewhat irritated.
"Seriously? I even get Iron Man's suit..." he muttered. "And this is still one of the best nanosuits…"
He stared at the system interface again.
"System, can it be integrated with fleet girl combat equipment in field mode?"
"Ding. Does the host wish to perform full fusion with Mark 46?"
"Fusion."
"Integrating Mark 46 with host... initiated."
Reuel smirked. "I am now Iron Man... I am now Iron Man…"
---
Minutes later, the Mark 46 had fully fused with his body. He no longer needed clothing—his combat suit could manifest instantly, straight from thought. Weapons too, summoned at will.
But after analyzing all of Mark 46's features, he realized something—the armor was essentially useless to him. It simply didn't compare to the Emperor of Mankind's signature gear now in his possession.
"Better hand it over to the Arkmagos Mechanicus. Let them study it and mass-produce," he thought.
After all, his Imperium of Man tech… far surpassed any armor that Earth—or the Marvel Universe—could offer.
Reuel turned his gaze to the officer standing before him.
"Very well. Instruct Major Hellsker to contact Lady Selene immediately and have her release the prisoners," he ordered—calm, but with a tone that brooked no argument.
"Understood, Your Majesty," the officer replied respectfully, giving a quick salute before turning to carry out the command.
Reuel then turned back to Alexander Corvinus.
"Alexander Corvinus, when do you plan to relocate the Vampire and Lycan races?" he asked. "And what about Marcus and William? What do you intend to do with them? Once you've been transferred to one of our worlds, we will begin the process of returning your kind to humanity."
His voice remained flat, almost emotionless, yet there was a sharpness in his eyes—an unmistakable curiosity behind the question. He was still weighing whether to intervene in the conflict that would inevitably erupt... or remain a spectator while two immortal brothers tore each other apart.
Alexander took a deep breath, his eyes distant for a moment before answering.
"I've already sent someone to contact them. Honestly... I don't care whether they agree to leave or not. If they refuse, I'll force them. And if I must—I will kill them."
His tone was calm, yet filled with the resolve of centuries of conflict and disappointment.
Reuel gave a slight nod, unsurprised.
"And your two sons?" he continued, still watching Alexander with a neutral expression.
Alexander was silent for a moment before speaking. This time, his voice carried more weight—like an old burden resurfacing.
"Marcus... the only reason I gave him the key was so he could kill William. William... he's lost everything. His humanity, his mind, his soul—it's all gone. He's nothing now but a beast," he said quietly.
"If Marcus shows him mercy... then Marcus will be the one destroyed."
He bowed his head slightly, as if acknowledging the pain he had long carried. Then, he looked back at Reuel—his gaze sharp, but no longer proud. For the first time, he truly asked for counsel.
"But now, after pledging myself to you, Your Majesty... do you have any advice regarding them?" he asked, his tone much softer now.
The voice was no longer that of a ruler... but of a father who had watched his sons fall too far, for too long, to a legacy of blood he never chose.
Reuel stared at him in silence, his expression unchanged, though his mind moved swiftly. He understood what lay beneath that question. If left alone, Marcus and William would destroy each other—and if that happened, it wouldn't just be their bodies that were lost, but the last remnants of who they once were.
The end of the Corvinus bloodline... and the beginning of a new void.
"Do not worry, Alexander Corvinus," Reuel said at last, his voice quiet but filled with certainty. "Someone will stop them... before it's too late."
Without offering further explanation, Reuel gave a subtle signal to one of his inqusitor trained not only to kill, but to know when not to pull the trigger.
They would move in silence. Not to interfere without cause, but to ensure this conflict didn't devolve into meaningless slaughter. A duel between brothers might be inevitable... but total annihilation was not the only possible end.