Chapter 4: The Cosmic Council
In the silent void of the cosmos, a meeting convened—an assembly of the most powerful cosmic beings who governed, observed, and shaped the very structure of reality. Across the eons, few occasions had ever called such an array of beings together, and none under such foreboding circumstances. They were forces that existed beyond mortality, embodiments of concepts fundamental to the universe itself.
At the heart of this council floated Eternity, his form a living, breathing cosmos. Stars pulsed within him, galaxies spiraling as he shifted, his face solemn. To his left stood Infinity, his sister and counterpart, whose boundless form radiated the endless potential of all things. Together, they represented the life and energy that sustained all existence.
Beside them loomed Death, clad in shadows, her eyes cold and inscrutable. She had seen the end of countless lives, countless worlds, and yet even she regarded the Undertaker's presence with an edge of caution. She had seen him erase entire multiverses, their histories dissolved into nothingness.
Oblivion, the embodiment of the void, hovered silently. To him, the potential erasure of this universe was not a calamity but a natural return to the emptiness from which all things emerged. His presence was calm, for the prospect of annihilation aligned with his very purpose.
At the center of this gathering, the Living Tribunal turned his three faces—Equity, Necessity, and Vengeance—toward each being present. The Tribunal's voice reverberated through the void, a sound that could bend the fabric of space and time.
"We gather because our reality faces an existential threat beyond the realms of ordinary destruction. The being known as the Undertaker has entered our universe, and his intentions are… uncertain."
The Tribunal's eyes swept across the assembly, his expression serious. "The Undertaker is unlike any conqueror or god we have known. His existence is a paradox—a force of balance that destroys to preserve. His judgment is final, and his power challenges even the combined might of our realms. If he deems this universe unworthy, he has the ability to unravel it to the last atom, the last thought, the last memory."
Eternity's form pulsed, his voice echoing across the assembly. "This universe has proven resilient. It has withstood the Celestials, the Mad Titan Thanos, the Celestial Order, and many others. We are not unworthy."
Infinity added, her presence radiating energy. "If the Undertaker seeks to test us, then we must unite not only the cosmic entities but every force within this universe. Together, we may yet prove that we are worth preserving."
Death's eyes gleamed. "The Undertaker's power is absolute. He respects only balance. Yet there is strength in our will to survive. We must show him that this universe can maintain equilibrium without the need for his judgment."
The Tribunal regarded her words with quiet consideration. "Then it is decided. The defenders of this universe must rally. Yet we will need more than mortal strength to convince the Undertaker of our worth. We must ensure that every corner of this universe stands united."
With a sweep of his three faces, the Living Tribunal sent a message across reality, a pulse of cosmic energy that touched every plane of existence, from the mystic realms of Dormammu to the Asgardian realms, from the Celestial observatories to the streets of Earth. His message was clear, a call to arms: this universe, for the first time in its long history, was on trial.
Back on Earth, the Avengers received the pulse as if it were a thunderclap within their minds. Doctor Strange staggered, clutching at his head as he absorbed the Tribunal's message. Around