Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

BOOM!

The sound reverberated across the very fabric of the edge of reality, shattering nearby floating shards of existence like fragile glass. Darius didn't so much as flinch, but the impact rippled outward, tearing apart the serene nothingness around him.

He slowly straightened, his golden eyes narrowing as he turned to face the source of the disturbance.

Behind him stood a small figure—a toddler no older than three, their chaotic wild hair a riot of white, gold, and black streaks that seemed to shift and shimmer like living energy.

Their mismatched eyes, one gleaming like molten gold and the other as dark as the void, glared up at him with fiery determination.

"You dare... stand in my way?!" the child squeaked, their voice high-pitched but filled with defiant fury.

Darius blinked, momentarily speechless as he processed what had just happened. Then, with a mix of amusement and incredulity, he looked over at Infinity. "Seriously?"

Infinity's luminous form dimmed slightly, an almost sheepish glow surrounding her. "Darius... meet Aurama Tempest, my daughter."

Aurama didn't wait for more introductions. With a shrill battle cry, she launched herself at Darius again, her tiny fists blazing with energy as she swung at his midsection.

WHAP!

Her punch landed with another explosion of force, sending shockwaves through the void.

Darius, of course, remained utterly unbothered, standing as solid as a mountain.

He glanced down at the determined toddler, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Aurama, is it? Strong name. But you're going to have to try a little harder if you want to hurt me."

Aurama scowled, her wild hair sparking with chaotic energy as she wound up another punch.

"I will destroy you, big shiny man!" she declared, her voice full of righteous indignation. She swung again, this time aiming for his knee.

POW!

The impact sent another ripple through the surroundings, but Darius merely sighed, reaching down to scoop her up by the back of her shirt like one might handle a particularly feisty kitten. "You've got spunk, kid. I'll give you that."

"Put me down!" Aurama shrieked, wriggling and flailing in his grasp. "You can't handle my power! I'm unstoppable!"

Infinity watched the scene unfold, her luminous form flickering with a mix of embarrassment and fondness.

"She's been like this since she learned to walk," she said. "And talk. And... well, breathe."

Darius chuckled, spinning Aurama around to face him. She glared daggers at him, her tiny fists still glowing with untamed energy.

"You've got a lot of fight in you," he said, his tone equal parts admiration and teasing. "But do you know who I am?"

Aurama tilted her head, her chaotic hair bouncing with the movement. "The big shiny man I'm gonna beat up?"

Darius laughed outright at that, his deep voice booming through the void. "Not quite. I'm your uncle, kid. Your mom didn't tell you about me?"

Aurama's glare wavered, and she shot a quick look at Infinity, who radiated a motherly patience. "He's your uncle, Aurama," she said gently. "And he's... well, he's not someone you can fight."

Aurama pouted, crossing her arms even as Darius set her down on the shimmering ground. "I can fight anyone," she muttered, stomping her tiny foot for emphasis.

For the next several minutes, Aurama continued her relentless assault.

She tried to punch, kick, and even bite Darius, who effortlessly dodged or deflected every attack with the ease of someone dealing with a playful child.

At one point, she summoned a chaotic whirlwind of energy that threatened to destabilize the edge of reality itself. Darius simply waved a hand, neutralizing the storm without breaking a sweat.

"Impressive," he said, nodding approvingly. "You've got raw talent. But you lack control."

Aurama growled in frustration, her cheeks puffing out in a way that was more adorable than intimidating. "Stop dodging! Fight me for real!"

Darius crouched down to her level, his golden eyes glowing softly as he ruffled her wild hair. "Listen, little one. You don't need to fight me. You need to learn from me."

Aurama blinked, her mismatched eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Learn what?"

"How to harness all that power of yours without letting it run wild," he said, his tone warm but firm. "Because if you don't, you're going to hurt yourself. Or someone you care about."

The toddler's fierce expression faltered, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. She glanced over at Infinity, who nodded encouragingly. Then, with a reluctant sigh, Aurama muttered, "Fine. But only if you fight me for real after I learn."

Darius grinned, standing up and extending a hand toward her. "Deal."

Aurama stared at his hand for a moment before shaking it with her tiny one. "You better not go easy on me, shiny man."

-

-

A little later~

Infinity folded her arms, her glow dimming slightly in thought. "You want to take her with you?" she asked, her voice calm but tinged with motherly concern. "She's still so young, Darius."

"She's young, yes," Darius said, his tone gentle but firm. "But she's also powerful, Infinity. Her potential is staggering, and if it's left unchecked, it could be dangerous—for her and for others. You've seen what she can do."

Infinity glanced over at Aurama, who was hovering a few feet away, clearly pretending not to listen while occasionally stealing glances at her mother and uncle.

"I can guide her," Darius continued. "Teach her control, discipline, and purpose. She'll be safe with me, I promise."

Infinity sighed, her light flickering slightly. "I trust you, Darius. But she's my daughter. The thought of her being away from me..."

Before she could finish, Aurama spun around, her chaotic hair flaring like a miniature storm. "I don't wanna go!" she declared, stomping her foot. "I'm staying with Mommy!"

Darius crouched down to her level, his golden eyes soft. "Aurama, I'm not taking you away forever. You'll see your mom whenever you want. But this training will help you become even stronger. Don't you want to learn how to use all that power of yours?"

"Nope!" Aurama crossed her arms defiantly. "I'm already the strongest! I don't need training!"

Darius chuckled, shaking his head. "You're just like your mother—stubborn as a supernova."

Infinity smirked faintly at the comment but remained silent, letting her brother handle the situation.

"Alright," Darius said after a moment, standing up. "If you won't listen to me, maybe someone else can convince you." He raised his hand, summoning Verity.

With a soft shimmer of light, Verity appeared, perched on Darius's shoulder. Her vibrant, curious eyes immediately locked onto Aurama, who stared back with a mix of fascination and suspicion.

"Papa, who's the sparky-haired one?" Verity asked, tilting her head.

"This," Darius said with a smile, "is your cousin, Aurama Tempest. Aurama, meet Verity."

Aurama squinted at Verity. "You're small," she said bluntly.

Verity puffed up indignantly. "I'm just compact! Who needs all that crazy hair anyway?"

Aurama's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Before the tension could escalate, Darius placed Verity on the ground. "You two play nice," he said, ruffling both their heads. "I need to talk to Infinity for a bit."

As Darius and Infinity moved a few paces away, Aurama and Verity continued to eye each other.

"So," Aurama said after a moment, placing her hands on her hips. "Do you wanna fight?"

"Nope!" Verity said cheerfully, spinning in place. "I'm not allowed to fight unless Papa says it's okay."

Aurama frowned. "That's boring. What kind of cousin doesn't fight?"

Verity shrugged. "The fun kind!"

Aurama leaned closer, her chaotic hair sparking. "Well, I'm the daughter of Infinity. My mom controls the universe!" (A/N: She kinda does)

Verity blinked, unimpressed. "That's nice. My papa created the Multiverse." (A/N: He kinda did) 

Aurama's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly recovered, puffing out her chest. "Yeah? Well, my dad's the Living Tribunal!"

"Cool," Verity said, crossing her arms. "My papa made the Living Tribunal. And he's the Judgment of Everything, so there."

Aurama faltered, her cheeks puffing up in frustration. "Well, my mom's prettier!"

Verity giggled. "My papa's stronger!"

Aurama stomped her foot. "My dad's taller!"

"Doesn't matter!" Verity sang, sticking out her tongue.

The two continued their playful back-and-forth until Aurama suddenly burst into laughter, collapsing onto the ground.

Verity joined in, her melodic giggles echoing through the void.

"You're kinda funny," Aurama admitted, wiping a tear from her eye.

"So are you," Verity said, sitting cross-legged beside her. "You're like a little spark plug."

Aurama grinned, her chaotic hair calming slightly. "You're okay, I guess. For someone who doesn't fight."

"Thanks!" Verity said, her eyes sparkling. "And you're pretty cool for someone who yells a lot."

Aurama blinked, then laughed again. "I do yell a lot, huh?"

The two girls sat together, giggling and chatting like old friends. A short distance away, Darius glanced over his shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips.

"They're getting along," he said softly.

Infinity nodded, her glow warm with affection. "It seems they are."

"Good," Darius said. "Aurama's going to need someone like Verity in her corner."

Verity Image-->

Aurama Image-->

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

A/N: Literally cried at the change of pace an tone this chap was