The newcomer was Crystal, the younger sister of Medusa. She possessed the ability to manipulate the four classical elements. As she finished speaking, she immediately noticed the tense atmosphere around her and was momentarily stunned.
"Uh... hello?" Crystal greeted awkwardly. She saw many unfamiliar faces and was unsure of her surroundings. Looking up, she realized she was beneath a vast metallic sky.
She patted Lockjaw's shoulder and said urgently, "Big dog, take Karnak, Gorgon, and my sister away—quickly!"
Crystal feared Maximus would harm them. The madness in his eyes was enough to make her uneasy, despite him being just an ordinary human.
After issuing the order, she anxiously turned to Black Bolt. The coup had come suddenly—most of the Inhuman guards had been swayed to Maximus's side, leaving only a small group loyal to Black Bolt, and even they had largely been captured.
Black Bolt was momentarily shocked by Crystal's words but quickly regained his composure. Thinking back, it wasn't surprising that his brother had staged a coup. Even as a child, Maximus had harbored ambitions of becoming king. Their father had insisted on passing the throne to Black Bolt, and Maximus's lack of Terrigenesis only solidified his inability to rule.
Crystal continued, "But we can't return yet. Attilan is under Maximus's control."
"Return?" General Kallruth, who had been observing them, sneered. "Since you've come to our city, don't expect to leave."
Turning to Garus, he added, "Your Majesty, Mr. Garus, these Inhumans are nothing more than Kree lapdogs. We cannot allow them to leave. If they reestablish contact with the Kree, they will undoubtedly launch an attack on our city."
At that moment, Lockjaw reappeared, bringing two more Inhumans with him. He had originally intended to teleport everyone to Earth, but he was reluctant to abandon Black Bolt. His instincts told him they were safer here.
"Black Bolt, Medusa has been captured," Karnak announced grimly upon arrival, causing Black Bolt's expression to tense.
Black Bolt made a series of hand gestures toward Crystal, signaling her to translate. No matter what, they needed to resolve the situation here first—otherwise, they wouldn't be able to leave. The rift that had just swallowed his energy had made him wary. He was no match for the young man who had appeared before them.
Crystal turned to the others and explained, "Sir, your city's expansion is about to collide with Attilan. Black Bolt came here to negotiate an alliance, hoping we could coexist peacefully on the moon."
She glanced at Black Bolt before continuing, "We have long ceased to be the Kree's slaves. The Inhuman traitor Hive was banished by our ancestors, and we possess our own independent will."
Queen Skrull and General Kallruth exchanged uncertain glances. They weren't sure if Crystal was telling the truth. The Skrull Empire was no longer the formidable force it once was, and they had to tread carefully.
"Your kingdom is in turmoil," Garus observed. "Why don't we go take a look? Perhaps I can be of some assistance."
The Inhumans who had arrived bore signs of battle, further fueling Garus's curiosity.
No one knew exactly what he meant. Was he really planning to help suppress the coup?
"Let's go. Take me there," Garus commanded.
He had no particular interest in aiding the Inhumans in their civil war, but he was deeply intrigued by Attilan. His original purpose for coming to the moon was to find the fabled city—this was the perfect opportunity.
The Inhumans exchanged uneasy glances. This was their internal affair. Neither Black Bolt nor his followers wanted outsiders interfering. He refused to see his people turned into weapons for others. The last time Ronan of the Kree had arrived, it had put him on high alert.
As Garus waited for Black Bolt's response, the Inhumans suddenly gathered together. Their bodies shimmered—Lockjaw was preparing to teleport them away.
They were trying to flee.
Garus activated the Space Stone, disrupting the surrounding space and blocking Lockjaw's teleportation. The Inhumans spun in a circle, only to find themselves back where they had started.
Frost Binding!
Chains of ice shot forth, locking them in place. Garus advanced toward Lockjaw, wielding Frostmourne.
Black Bolt's eyes darted toward Garus, assuming he intended to kill them. Panicked, he activated his abilities, unleashing a powerful sonic blast to shatter the ice encasing him.
But the ice was far stronger than expected. He barely managed to crack it before Garus's sword was already at Lockjaw's throat.
A blue light flickered across the Mind Stone on the blade, and Lockjaw's eyes momentarily turned black before reverting to normal.
Garus released the bindings around the massive dog and said, "Take me to Attilan."
Lockjaw nodded. A cloud of smoke enveloped them, and Garus was instantly transported to the grand city of the Inhumans. Before leaving, he also released the remaining Inhumans from their restraints.
Attilan was a mobile city, located in a crater in the Moon's Blue Area. Nearby was a Kree ruin, and above them, an artificial atmosphere and virtual sky maintained by Kree technology.
The city was crawling with Inhuman soldiers. Those who had pledged loyalty to Maximus patrolled the streets, striving to restore order after the coup.
As Black Bolt and his companions materialized in Attilan, Garus remarked, "Your kingdom was overtaken so easily. It seems you weren't a very beloved ruler."
Black Bolt's expression darkened. His own people had turned against him. Did they truly want to return to Earth? That place was too dangerous for them.
"Black Bolt is here! Don't let him escape!" An Inhuman soldier shouted. They ignored Garus entirely, focusing only on capturing their former king.
"Maximus!" Karnak growled, enraged over Medusa's capture.
From a distance, they saw their former allies. Maximus was approaching, flanked by Orlan and several dangerous Inhuman prisoners.
Karnak's expression hardened as he recognized one of them—a heavily restrained Inhuman exuding a palpable aura of menace.
"Why did you release that dangerous lunatic?" Karnak demanded.
Garus narrowed his eyes at the figure's appearance. "Ultraman?"
Crystal gave him a puzzled look. "What's an Ultraman? That's Mordis, an Inhuman prisoner. Black Bolt locked him away long ago."
"Black Bolt…" Mordis's voice dripped with hatred. He had agreed to Maximus's offer not just for freedom, but for vengeance.
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