The air was thick with dust, lightning, and blood. Yet the loudest sound was silence—the silence of a decision about to fracture legends forever.
Doctor Strange hovered above the battlefield, his cloak snapping in the storm winds. Below him, the heroes formed two uneasy circles. Some glared with fury. Others lowered their weapons, doubt gnawing at their hearts.
Superman spoke first, voice hard as steel. "We do not yield to tyrants. If we stand together, we can stop them."Thor slammed Mjolnir into the ground in agreement. "Aye. Better to die on our feet than live on our knees."
But then, softly, came another voice. Iron Man. "And what if Strange is right?" His armor flickered, systems straining against warped physics. "I've seen wars we couldn't win, and they ended in graves. If surrender—even temporary—keeps billions alive, don't we at least consider it?"
Batman's eyes narrowed behind the cowl. "Temporary surrender becomes permanent slavery. I won't gamble the multiverse on the mercy of monsters."But Cyborg, running data through his systems, stepped forward. "Batman… Strange's numbers don't lie. The rift is feeding on our resistance. Every hit we land, every spell he casts—it accelerates collapse."
The line was drawn. On one side: Superman, Thor, Wonder Woman, Batman, Captain America—unbroken resolve, no compromise. On the other: Iron Man, Cyborg, and a handful of others, shaken by Strange's vision, willing to risk a dangerous deal for survival.
Spider-Man stood frozen in the middle, his voice trembling. "We're supposed to be the good guys. How do we fight each other when the real monsters are right there?"
Above them, Darkseid and Thanos watched with quiet satisfaction. The heroes had done their work for them.
The line in the sand had been drawn—not by villains, but by choice. And once drawn, it could not be erased.