Link sat on the throne of Wakanda, holding Harley close. She had only just awakened and still looked a little dazed. For a moment, he savored the peace after the battle.
But that peace shattered the instant the Supreme Arbiter of the Universe descended.
The Living Tribunal.
Its existence transcended dimensions, space, and time. Three faces too vast to measure hung motionless above Earth, as though the universe itself had opened its eyes.
Its oppressive presence was not energy or force of will, but a higher order of "definition." Its mere existence made the Infinity Gauntlet on Link's hand—powerful enough to restart the universe—tremble uneasily.
It was not fear, but a low hum from the Gauntlet's very essence at having met its match.
Holy shit, did I go too far and summon the universe's GM?
Three faces? Is this a mahjong game missing its fourth player, or are they each ugly in their own special way?
Link's mind raced with wisecracks, but his expression was graver than ever. He could feel that this being was on an entirely different plane of existence from every enemy he had faced, including Thanos and Darkseid.
Its three faces represented "Equity," "Necessity," and "Vengeance."
Equity's face was partly obscured, symbolizing the unknowable past and absolute truth.
Necessity's face was fully revealed, symbolizing the unfolding present and the needs of all things.
Vengeance's face lay beneath a hood, symbolizing the uncertain future and the punishment of those who disrupted order.
Then that vast voice, formed from the collective will of countless universes, rang out again. It did not travel through the air. It etched itself into every corner of reality and deep into Link's soul.
"Link."
"I, in the name of the One Above All and by the will of the Multiverse, pass judgment on