Chapter 92: The Sokovia Accords
Steve Rogers stood tall at the podium, his presence commanding as he faced a chamber filled with diplomats from across the world. Some bore skepticism in their eyes, others veiled concern, and a select few hid glimmers of opportunistic calculation. The air was thick with tension, an unspoken battle of wills playing out before a single word was uttered.
With a deliberate press of a button, the massive screen behind him flickered to life. A single image appeared, William. Even in stillness, his presence radiated something beyond human comprehension. His silhouette alone sent an imperceptible pressure rolling through the room, so much so that even the weather beyond the great hall seemed to react; thick clouds churned ominously as if echoing his power.
A murmur spread through the crowd, punctuated by subtle gasps and the exchanged glances of wary officials.
Steve's voice cut through the rising tension. "What you see here," he began, steel in his tone, "is not a battle. Not destruction. Not an attack. This is simply his arrival on the field. We are contending with a walking weapon of mass destruction."
With another click, the screen shifted to show a grainy but unmistakable image, the Hulk, descending from the sky like an emerald meteorite, crashing into the heart of a city street. The sheer impact had shattered roads, toppled vehicles, and left a crater where homes once stood.
"I'm sure you all recognize this moment," Steve continued, allowing the memory of past devastation to settle over the room. "You all know the power he wields. The question is—what happens when there are not one, not two, but dozens of beings with this level of strength walking among us, unchecked?"
He let that statement hang in the air before continuing. "We have long relied on groups like the Avengers, the X-Men, and independent actors to safeguard this world. But that is no longer enough. This is no longer a matter of heroism or good intentions. From the youngest child to the eldest elder, we need a system, a way to regulate and safeguard humanity against forces beyond its control."
The screen flickered again. This time, it was Anissa. The room watched as she stood in a reinforced training chamber, facing down an enormous, state-of-the-art combat titan. A machine engineered for billions of dollars to withstand and combat beings of supreme power.
And yet, it was no match.
The audience watched in silence as Anissa dismantled the war machine with calculated precision. The titan's massive fists met her frame, only to shatter against her indestructible body, its devastating weaponry crumbling like paper before her unyielding strength. In mere moments, the battlefield was left in ruins, except for her. Untouched. Unfazed.
A thunderous uproar erupted across the chamber. Some delegates looked on in sheer awe, others in growing dread. The implications were undeniable. If a single woman could render such technology worthless, then humanity's defenses against beings like her were laughable.
Steve allowed the chaos to reign for a moment before raising a hand for silence.
"In response to these concerns," he announced, his voice resolute, "the Sokovia Accords have been redrafted to form a new organization, A.E.G.I.S. a global initiative that will oversee and regulate superpowered individuals, ensuring accountability and public safety. I will personally oversee its development alongside trusted officials and individuals of exceptional ability."
At his cue, a secretary stepped forward, presenting a thick folder. Steve took it, opening it to reveal the newly established Vanguard Protocols.
He read the mandates aloud:
Vanguard Protocols
Rule #1 – Mandatory Biometric RegistrationAll individuals exhibiting superhuman abilities must register with A.E.G.I.S., obtaining a Vanguard ID that tracks their power fluctuations, vitals, and threat level.
Rule #2 – Power Usage RestrictionsSuperhumans are prohibited from using their abilities in public without authorization, except in cases of self-defense or emergency aid. Any excessive force will warrant immediate review.
Rule #3 – Designated Safe ZonesSuperhumans must reside in designated areas where they can be monitored for public safety. Unauthorized habitation in densely populated zones may result in enforced relocation.
Rule #4 – Combat Engagement ProtocolNo individual may act as a hero, vigilante, or law enforcer without an official A.E.G.I.S. Combat License. Unauthorized conflict will result in detainment.
Rule #5 – Threat Classification & ComplianceRegistered superhumans will be assigned a classification based on power level, mental stability, and history. High-risk individuals may be subject to mandatory surveillance or power-dampening measures.
Rule #6 – Emergency Draft ClauseIn the event of a national or global crisis, A.E.G.I.S. reserves the right to conscript superhumans. Refusal may be classified as treason.
Rule #7 – Genetic & Technological Modifications BanUnauthorized enhancements—cybernetic, magical, genetic, or alien, are strictly forbidden. Any unregistered augmentations will result in intervention.
Rule #8 – Anti-Concealment ActSuperhumans must carry their Vanguard ID at all times and are prohibited from using disguises, cloaking devices, or magic to hide their identity from A.E.G.I.S.
Rule #9 – Superhuman Relocation & Isolation PolicyIf a superhuman is deemed too dangerous for civilian spaces, A.E.G.I.S. has the authority to relocate or detain them indefinitely.
Rule #10 – Compliance Enforcement MeasuresFailure to comply may result in:
Involuntary detainment in an A.E.G.I.S. correctional facility.
Forced power suppression.
Expulsion or exile from protected zones.
Lethal action if deemed an imminent and uncontrollable threat.
As the final words left Steve's lips, the chamber fell into stunned silence.
And then—
SLAM!
A wooden chair scraped violently against the marble floor, toppling over as a figure in a green cloak and a metal mask rose to his feet. He moved toward the exit with measured, unhurried steps.
A hush fell over the hall as all eyes followed him. The tension was suffocating.
Victor von Doom reached the grand doors and paused only briefly, his cold, commanding voice cutting through the air.
"DOOM refuses."
With a casual push, he swung the massive doors open as if they weighed nothing, stepping beyond without another word.
Murmurs turned into hushed panic. Some diplomats exchanged uneasy glances, while others visibly bristled. A few even nodded in agreement. Doom had just made his stance clear, and with it, the first sign of resistance against A.E.G.I.S.
And beyond the walls of this chamber, the world was already reacting.
The moment the protocols were announced, chaos erupted across the globe. Activist groups flooded the streets in protest, their voices rising against what they saw as an oppressive overreach of power. In some places, they were met with sympathy. In others, with force.
Governments led by superhuman rulers outright rejected the mandates. Nations led by humans debated, divided between fear and necessity. Secret organizations whispered, alliances shifted, and the balance of power in the world began to tremble.
As all of this is happening William can be seen relaxing on the surface of the moon as if bathing in pure sunlight which due to an effect of the boon Blessing of Rao he could digest sunlight to recover stamina, but it also felt really good being bathed by pure unfiltered solar rays.
William soon opened his eyes after getting his fill of relaxation and looked into the distance at a particularly bald spot on the moon.
A smirk tugged at the corner of William's lips. He lifted his hand, fingers curling into a tight fist.
"Summon."
At that moment, reality itself shuddered.
A rift split open above him, a rupture in the very fabric of space. The void convulsed as an otherworldly hum reverberated across the Moon's surface, shaking the ground beneath his feet. From the tear in the cosmos, a monstrous silhouette began to emerge.
First came the bow, sleek yet menacing, forged from black Hellsteel that devoured light. Crimson veins of Omega energy pulsed through the hull like molten blood, tracing intricate Apokoliptian runes that pulsed with barely contained power. The cruiser's streamlined body extended outward, its form a perfect blend of deadly efficiency and apocalyptic grandeur.
Twin Omega Disruptors hummed ominously along its flanks, their cores glowing with an eerie, hellish red. The ship's wings, jagged and predatory, spread like the arms of a reaper, lined with retractable Graviton Lances that crackled with spacetime-warping energy. At its center, the command bridge loomed like the eye of a god, a single viewport radiating a sinister glow as if watching all who dared to stand before it.
The cruiser did not simply exist, it commanded space itself. Its presence alone sent ripples through the void, bending light and gravity in its wake. It was not a ship, but a war-born monstrosity, a conqueror's throne.
As the Harbinger of Ruin fully emerged from the rift, the breach in space collapsed behind it with a thunderous implosion, leaving only the vessel hovering above the Moon's surface. Silent. Waiting.
Then, a deep mechanical hum resonated through William's mind.
[Vessel fully integrated.][Awaiting command, Sovereign.]
William exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting up to the cosmic leviathan that now belonged to him. A conqueror's grin spread across his face.
"Open the boarding platform."
A section of the cruiser's hull shifted seamlessly, revealing a descending ramp lined with glowing red sigils. The moment his foot touched the platform, the ship's systems roared to life, its engines igniting with a burst of controlled energy.
As William stepped inside, a single thought ran through his mind.
"I always did want a spaceship hahaha!" he had a smile on his face as he thought this and took his first step inside.
A deep mechanical hum reverberated through the structure of the cruiser, as if the ship itself was awakening to his presence. The moment he stepped inside, the Hellsteel walls pulsed with crimson veins of energy, shifting and adjusting like a living entity attuned to his very being.
The corridor before him was vast yet ominous, a fusion of Apokoliptian brutality and cold, unyielding efficiency. The floor was crafted from reinforced black alloy, each step sending faint echoes down the hallway. The walls, lined with Omega circuitry, pulsed rhythmically like the heartbeat of a slumbering titan. The air was eerily still, yet it carried an undeniable presence, as if the ship itself was aware of its new master.
At the far end of the corridor, the passage split into multiple sections, each leading to different critical areas of the ship. A holographic interface flickered to life on the wall beside him, displaying a full schematic of the cruiser:
Command Bridge – Forward Access
Event Horizon Nexus – Gravity Training Chamber
Armory & Arsenal Control
Regeneration Bay
Crew Quarters & Sustenance Module
William smirked but kept walking forward, his destination was the bridge.
The lighting subtly shifted as he moved, the ship's AI responding to his presence with silent acknowledgment. As he turned the corner, the walls expanded into a vast chamber, leading toward the Command Bridge.
The doors to the bridge slid open with an almost ceremonial precision, revealing a sight that could only be described as imperial.
The cockpit stretched outward like an observation throne, positioned at the very forefront of the ship. A massive, panoramic viewport displayed the cosmos beyond, stars flickering in the distance, Earth's radiant form hovering in the void. The glass was not truly glass but a hardened Omega crystal, designed to withstand even the crushing forces of a dying star.
At the heart of the bridge, a singular command seat awaited him, a throne of blackened metal, engraved with intricate Apokoliptian glyphs that radiated residual power. The seat was more than just a chair; it was the ship's neural interface, seamlessly connecting the captain to every system aboard. The armrests pulsed with data streams, awaiting his command.
Around him, holo-terminals floated in mid-air, displaying complex readouts of the ship's status, weapons systems, and navigation routes. Red and gold Apokoliptian glyphs cycled across the consoles, adjusting as they attuned themselves to their new ruler. The air carried a faint, electric charge, an unspoken promise of destruction waiting to be unleashed.
The moment William lowered himself onto the throne, the ship trembled, as if recognizing its new master.
[Command Interface Engaged.][Sovereign Identified: William Parker.][Awaiting Orders.]
A slow, satisfied grin spread across his face as he leaned back, fingers drumming against the armrest.
"I can already picture their faces. The look of surprise on the girls' faces... Peter's reaction... This is going to be glorious!" William's grin stretched wide as he relished the thought, the excitement almost bubbling up from within.
He turned his attention back to the panoramic window, preparing to will the Harbinger of Ruin into motion, but then, something caught his eye. A sharp gleam of golden light broke through the emptiness of space, drawing his gaze. His eyes narrowed, instinctively sensing something was amiss.
The image of a sleek, small craft appeared, its silhouette cutting through the inky void, the golden-tinted glass of its cockpit glimmering like a beacon against the dark backdrop of space. William's focus honed in on the ship as it steadily approached, its path unwavering, and it soon came into a dangerously close orbit around the moon.
The ship hovered almost in sync with William's position, coming to a stop mere meters from where he had been moments ago.
A door hissed open, and out stepped a woman with flowing blonde hair. Her gaze was sharp, laced with both fury and arrogance. She floated effortlessly in space, her body poised with the air of someone who expected to be feared. As if guided by instinct, her head turned toward the Harbinger of Ruin, her eyes locking onto its energy signature. A flash of recognition flickered across her face, and with a wave of her hand, a sphere of condensed energy materialized, crackling with raw power.
Before William could even react, she hurled the energy ball at his ship.
"WENG!" The collision was deafening. The blast hit the ship's shielding with a violent shockwave, but it barely made a dent, the energy rippling outward and dissipating harmlessly into the void. Despite the harmless outcome, the blast had done its job, the Harbinger of Ruin's presence was now unmistakable.
A sly smirk crept across the woman's lips, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. With a calculated, graceful movement, she began gliding toward the ship. Her fingers brushed the ship's surface, her touch leaving behind faint traces of energy that seemed to pulse with every motion she made.