The Guardian Of The Multiverse: A Hero's Burden

Where Are You in the Ending?

(Marvel, DC, the images, manhuas, and every anime mentioned or used in this story do not belong to me; they belong to their respective owners. The main character, Karito/Adriel Josue Valdez, and this story belong to me.)

Vander and Adriel wandered through the settlement without any particular destination in mind.

The conversation had followed them out of Warwick's home and into the streets, though Adriel had found several excuses to interrupt it along the way. He stopped at one stall for vegetables, another for meat, and a third for spices he insisted the commune still did not know how to use properly.

If he was going to return home eventually, he might as well prepare dinner for everyone.

Vander included.

That created another problem Adriel had been deliberately avoiding.

Vi and Jinx did not know their father had been restored.

They knew Viktor had begun recovering the man buried within Warwick, but neither of them knew Adriel had impulsively constructed Vander a new body and transferred his soul into it. The only people aware that he planned to attempt something like that were Viktor and Sky.

Even they had not known when he intended to do it.

Adriel had never given them a date.

He had simply walked into Warwick's home, furious over what had happened with Caitlyn and even angrier with himself, and decided that rebuilding a dead man from the molecular level sounded easier than confronting his emotions.

It had worked for a few hours.

Now the consequences were walking beside him, physically thirty years younger and carrying a bag of groceries.

Vander listened as Adriel briefly explained what had happened before he arrived at Warwick's enclosed garden.

Artoria had dragged him outside.

Caitlyn had confronted him about his behavior.

Adriel had accused her of seeking his approval as proof that she was still a good person.

From there, everything had spiraled.

He told Vander about the Grey, Vi, Maddie, Ambessa, martial law, and the private memories he had weaponized against Caitlyn. He admitted that Vi had tried to stop him and that Artoria had repeatedly told him he had gone too far.

He had continued anyway.

Vander's expression shifted several times throughout the explanation.

"You said all of that in the middle of the street?"

"Pretty much."

"In front of Vi?"

"Yeah."

"And Artoria?"

"Also yeah."

Vander stared at him.

Adriel adjusted the grocery bag in his hand.

"In hindsight, it was not one of my better social interactions."

"That's one way of putting it."

"I'm aware."

They continued walking.

By the time Adriel finished, both men carried groceries. Vander held his bag effortlessly, still adjusting to the unusual strength contained within his restored body. Adriel occasionally glanced at him, checking his posture, breathing, and balance without making the examination obvious.