Whitehall finally realized that he had completely lost his gamble when he saw En Sabah Nur break free of the collar.
He had thought En Sabah Nur would kill him swiftly and cleanly, but to his surprise, he didn't hurt him. Instead, he said, "Kneel, mortal, if you wish to live."
The voice seemed to carry an absolute authority, making Whitehall forget, for an instant, even the robots slaughtering his men before his eyes.
Whitehall knelt before En Sabah Nur. Even during World War II, he had never knelt before the Nazis' supreme leader. But now he was on both knees, casting aside all dignity.
It wasn't merely a desire to live. A voice deep within him compelled him to submit to the gray-blue-skinned monster before him.
"Good. It seems you're not entirely useless. There is also a power within you that partly transcends mortal limits. So, child, I'll show you that embracing me is the right choice."
En Sabah Nur placed a hand on Whitehall's head. His eyes seemed to cloud over with white, completely obscuring them.
Whitehall felt a warm power surge through his body. It came from the various organs he had taken from Jiaying, the leader of the Inhumans, and they seemed to be pulsing with vitality.
Whitehall had only been able to maintain the appearance of a man in his forties. He also lacked Jiaying's ability to absorb other people's life force to preserve her youth. But now, this power rapidly restored him to the age of around twenty. At the same time, he felt a tormenting hunger, as though a fire were burning in his stomach. He desperately wanted to eat something to ease the agony.
"Go on. Let me see if you're worthy of my gift!" En Sabah Nur said to Whitehall.
Whitehall's