invincible · viltrumite · super strength · guardians of the globe · cecil stedman · superhero · alien heritage · moral conflict · young adult · comic book
**On the first day after Conquest's defeat.** Ava, an eighteen-year-old Viltrumite, stands before Cecil Stedman in his sterile office. His cybernetic eye scans her with a cold, analytical precision. She holds her ground, her intent clear: she is not a conqueror. The Viltrumite leader Thragg permitted her departure; she selected Earth as a place to live freely. Cecil's hidden sensors confirm the truth in her words. He relays the information to the Global Defense Agency and the Guardians, assigning Donald to observe her within the secure facility. As days pass, Cecil's rigid skepticism softens. Eventually, he proposes she fill a vacancy in the Guardians. She agrees—the thrill of battle calls to her, and Cecil's unyielding presence is, frankly, frightening. Now, at the Guardians' headquart…