Marvel: Death Knight

The group assembled at Fury's invitation had little idea of the true purpose behind their gathering. They only knew it was urgent. Fury manipulated the console before him, and a holographic projection flickered to life.

On the display, a blue-skinned alien was bound to a chair, surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents conducting a brutal interrogation.

Everyone instantly recognized the prisoner: a Kree. They'd seen his kind during the alien invasion.

"Hey," Spider-Man quipped, breaking the silence. "Why do these aliens always speak English? Think they've been living among us this whole time?"

"Shut it," Fury snapped, clearly exasperated. The young hero's chatter was wearing on his patience. Still, the mention of infiltrators stirred a moment of unease—Fury couldn't help but recall the Skrulls under Garus's employ. He could only hope they wouldn't become a liability.

The Kree on-screen was bloodied and barely conscious, his body battered beyond recognition. Yet his voice rang out with manic zeal:

"Hahaha! The great Thanos, ruler of the galaxy, is coming! With the Chitauri army, you foolish Earthlings won't stand a chance!"

The recording ended abruptly, though Garus suspected more footage existed.

Fury faced the group, his expression unreadable. "What's your take on this?"

Tony Stark dropped his usual playful demeanor. "That's it? No further intel?"

"That's all we've got," Fury admitted. "But it's enough."

He activated another projection, showing the Dark Aster warship that had loomed over New York. "Their technology is far superior to ours. Their ships are protected by energy shields, rendering our weapons ineffective. Whether or not the Kree's warning is accurate, we cannot afford to dismiss it."

Spider-Man raised a hand tentatively. "Uh, Director Fury, not to be rude, but what good are we against alien warships? Are you sending us to fight their fleet?"

Blade, Hawkeye, and Black Widow exchanged skeptical glances. The notion seemed absurd, almost laughable.

"If their fleet arrives, our only chance is to infiltrate their main warship and eliminate their commanders. That's where you come in." Fury turned to Garus. "I trust Mr. Garus has the means to get you aboard their flagship."

The group's incredulity deepened. Garus, however, knew better than to shatter their fragile confidence. He refrained from pointing out that facing Thanos—or even his Black Order—would likely lead to their deaths.

Fury continued, "Meanwhile, the Masters of the Mystic Arts will create distractions on the ground, drawing the enemy's attention. The Fantastic Four have also agreed to the plan."

It was evident Fury had planned this meticulously.

"Garus," Fury added, "I hope your students at the mutant academy can lend their assistance as well."

Garus nodded reluctantly. "Fine, though Thanos isn't exactly the ruler of the galaxy. His influence isn't as vast as you think." He paused, considering whether to elaborate, but decided against it. "Still, his power is far beyond what you can imagine."

The room fell silent as everyone stared at him. Sighing, Garus decided to explain further. "Thanos has many enemies in the galaxy—Asgard, the Nova Corps, and countless others whose homes he's destroyed. They hate him with a passion."

"How do you know all this?" Fury's eyes narrowed.

"Let's just say I have my sources. Everyone has their secrets, Fury." Garus shifted his gaze to Stark. "And Tony, you can stop looking at me like I'm a threat. I'm not interested in Earth. My ambitions lie among the stars."

The group remained speechless, struggling to process his revelations. Until recently, most of them hadn't even known aliens existed.

"These are things you could confirm with the Ancient One," Garus added, nodding toward Mordo. "The Sorcerer Supreme's reputation spans the multiverse."

Mordo straightened slightly, his pride evident. Garus's words seemed to soften his icy demeanor. Fury, however, bristled at the mention of the Ancient One withholding such critical information.

Johnny Blaze's fiery eyes flared. "I don't care about any of this. As long as there are sinners, I'll make them burn."

The Spirit of Vengeance had taken a firm hold on Johnny, leaving him driven solely by his mission to punish the guilty.

Meanwhile, at a hidden vampire enclave, Chadnoma led his growing army of mutated vampires into the heart of their gathering.

"Blood. Feast to your heart's content," he growled, his bloodthirsty gaze sweeping over the dance floor teeming with unsuspecting vampires.

Leaping into the fray, Chadnoma became a whirlwind of violence. The predators became prey as blood and viscera splattered across the room.

"Who are you?" one terrified vampire gasped.

Chadnoma responded with a guttural snarl, his jaw splitting open to reveal a grotesque appendage that pierced the vampire's throat.

Nearby, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent watched in horror. His mission had been to monitor the vampire gathering, but now he was witnessing a massacre. Shaking, he activated his comms.

"Agent Coulson, this is Agent Gunn. The vampire enclave we were surveilling has been overrun by monsters. Vampires bitten by these creatures are turning into mindless beasts."

Coulson stepped away from the group, his expression darkening as he listened to the screams coming through the line.

"Agent Gunn?" The line went dead, replaced by a chilling silence.

Fury and the Avengers continued their discussions, unaware of the new threat. Coulson decided to report the incident immediately. If these mutated vampires continued spreading unchecked, the consequences could be catastrophic. Unlike ordinary vampires, these creatures respected no boundaries or treaties.

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