Logically, even with its existence revealed to the world, Wakanda should have been able to stand its ground. With an arsenal of Vibranium tanks and jets, they should have been more than a match for any "peacekeeping" force the Five Great Powers could muster.
But not this time.
The Demon Hulk had torn through their country, and the full might of the Wakandan army had been powerless to stop it.
They had suffered catastrophic losses, and the entire River Tribe's district had been reduced to a smoldering ruin.
Most importantly—
King T'Chaka had collapsed again. Wakanda was a nation without a leader, forced to adhere to their king's last command: retreat to the capital and activate the city's Vibranium energy shield.
As everyone knows, the larger the area, the greater the energy consumption. The smaller the area, the more concentrated the power.
T'Chaka had been confident that while Hawk might have been able to shatter the shield protecting their entire nation, he would never be able to break the one defending their capital.
...
Inside the royal command center of Wakanda, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
"It's been ten days. What's the plan?"
"Has the king awakened yet?"
"I say we fight them! Drive the thieves from our land!"
"Fight them with what?"
"That is the combined might of the Five Great Powers out there."
"This is our land!"
The chieftains of Wakanda's various tribes were gathered, their voices rising in a cacophony of dissent as they stared at the holographic projection of the UN peacekeeping force massed outside their capital.
Just then, King T'Chaka appeared, pushed in a wheelchair by a sharp-looking man.
The arguments ceased instantly. All eyes turned to their king.
"My king!"
"Shuri."
T'Chaka, his hair now completely gray, his face a mask of weary defeat, looked to his daughter, who was standing quietly by his side. "Contact S.H.I.E.L.D. Invite them in."
The moment he had seen Hawk shatter their energy shield with a single punch, the shock had overwhelmed him, and he had collapsed.
He had seen this coming—the inevitable consequence of their exposure.
If it had been possible, he would have chosen to reveal Wakanda to the world himself.
After all—
Choosing to reveal yourself and being forcibly exposed are two very different scenarios, with two very different sets of consequences.
But there's no medicine for regret.
Wakanda's technology might be centuries ahead of the rest of the world, but they were now facing the collective will of the planet's five superpowers.
If they refused to cooperate, the Five Great Powers might not be able to get in, but they would make damn sure that no one in Wakanda ever got out.
Their isolation had left them vulnerable. They had no strategic reserves, not even enough food to last a prolonged siege.
If the standoff continued, it wouldn't be long before they destroyed themselves from within.
And so, there was only one path left for them.
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Marvel: The Enlightened One
FanfictionReborn in the Marvel universe, Hawk learned one brutal truth-safety wasn't something you were given, you had to fight for it. He made himself a promise that day, committing to a path of relentless training and iron discipline that would define the n...
