*During the time Steve was fighting against Hydra*
Pov: General
Somewhere in the vast galaxy, on a planet cloaked in nearly absolute darkness, one could barely make out a massive castle if they dared to enter its realm.
This castle, forged from a material so black it seemed to swallow light itself, housed a family gathered in the courtyard, watched over by vigilant guards.
This was, unmistakably, the Royal Family, and as was obvious to anyone who knew of this world, it was ruled by "Death" and "Darkness".
Today, the two stood with their young son, barely three years old, yet already capable of speaking fluently.
Well, being their son came with certain advantages.
What were they doing? They had decided to teach their child about the importance of life, yes, Death and Darkness, discussing the meaning of life.
What a beautiful irony, and yet, they weren't doing a bad job at all.
"Tell me, my son,"
Daisy began, her tone soft and filled with affection
"What does death mean to you?"
"Hmm... Isn't it the moment when everything ends?"
The boy replied, clearly knowing more than any child his age should.
"I see... then what is life to you?"
Asked Daisy, neither confirming nor denying his words.
"Isn't it... us?"
The boy asked, genuinely puzzled after all, even a bright child is still a child.
"Not exactly,"
his mother replied, deepening his confusion (Translator: Oh boy, here come the existential questions for the kid 🤣)
Daisy smiled softly at his puzzled expression and continued, gazing at him with tender warmth.
"Many believe death is the end, but tell me, if everything ends... what remains afterward?"
The boy blinked, even more lost than before.
"Nothing... right?"
Frank spoke before Daisy could answer, his voice calm and melodious
" "Nothing" is also something, my child, It's the place where all things rest... before they begin again."
The boy tilted his head, both intrigued and confused in equal measure (Translator: Yeah, I'm confused too 😅)
"So... death doesn't destroy?"
he finally asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.
"No,"
Daisy replied, her gaze lifting toward the dark sky.
"Death brings order, It's the edge that gives the picture its shape.
Without it, life would be a river without banks, running endlessly until it drowns itself." (Translator: Damn, that's deep 😶)
The boy fell silent, there was something comforting in the idea that the end was not a loss, but a rest, a pause.
It resonated with what he'd been taught about the history of their world.
"But... if death ends everything, wouldn't it be easier not to live at all?"
He asked suddenly, after thinking quietly for a while.
Frank chuckled, a sound like a distant melody.
"Ah, but without life, we wouldn't exist because we are the reflection of what lives, not its negation.
Darkness only takes form when there is light to dim, just as death can only exist if there was life first."
Daisy nodded in agreement, and seeing that her son was beginning to grasp the idea, she said
"Look around you, my child, everything that dies leaves something behind.
The withered flower nourishes the earth, and the soul that departs makes space for another to arrive.
Death doesn't steal, it teaches. It doesn't erase, it transforms." (Translator: ...That's powerful stuff 🚬)
The boy stared at his small hands, as if searching in them for the truth of her words.
"So... living is learning how to die?"
Daisy kissed his forehead gently and replied
"And dying, my love, is understanding that life was never truly yours, it belongs to existence itself."
A warm silence filled the courtyard, so deep that even the shadows seemed to bow in reverence to their words.
After a while, Frank looked at his son, his tone serious yet kind
"Remember this, my son, life and death are not enemies, they are one heartbeats, when one beats, the other listens.
And when the final silence comes... the cycle begins anew." (Translator: ...Cinema. Absolute cinema 🚬)
The boy nodded, not fully understanding, yet feeling a new calm settle in his heart.
As for Daisy and Frank, they were proud to see how their little heir was growing ever more prepared to one day rule this shadowed kingdom.
The guards, meanwhile, were simply honored to hear such words from those they worshiped as Gods.
And the souls that drifted across the world?
They rejoiced, knowing they were ruled by such noble monarchs
And in case you were wondering, yes, they already know about Twilight, but they honestly don't care about him
(Translator: Okay dude, seriously, I know I once joked in class that you picked the wrong university degree, and now... Now I know I was right, you really should be a writer, you're wasting your talent on programming 😶
Writer: Yeah, yeah, people tell me that all the time.... but hey, programming pays better than writing books, besides, you and I both know my writing is terrible ☺️)