The Gatekeeper's Chronicles

A DooM Fan Fiction By

Lyubomir Ivanov, an Oldschool Doomer from Bulgaria


Author's Introduction

The Gatekeeper's Chronicles began as a leisurely project during my freshman year in college (2004 - 2005). It was primarily meant as a cure for boredom and to practice my writing in English (it's not my native language). I choose DooM for my fan fiction efforts, because this is my all-time favorite game – I practically grew up with it.

A short story posted on the PlanetDOOM forums (may they rest in peace) turned into something large... and before long, it grew into this. I don't know if it's long enough to be a novel, but it is probably the longest thing I have ever written without a plan. I would just sit down and make up stuff on the move.

Due to its somewhat spontaneous nature, it may seem a bit messy or chaotic at times – I mixed all sorts of ideas, even when they did not fit together very well. You will also notice that I have included various elements of the Wolfenstein and Quake universe (similar to what Isaac Asimov did with his main three novel series), however I don't consider this to be a genuine "crossover" story and never intended it be one. The heart of this story is Doom!

I hope you enjoy reading it – I certainly enjoyed writing it.


I have always wanted to know the truth… but I went too far. – the Gatekeeper

CHAPTER I: BIRTH

Come closer, stranger. Don't be afraid.

Yes, I am a demon - a Gatekeeper, the last of my kind. I am dying.

Don't look surprised - I might look powerful, but my wounds are too severe now and I... would not be able to recover like that last time twenty thousand years ago. Things have changed so much since the time I was young. Or perhaps "young" is not the best term... well, you humans have a really inconvenient time-measuring system... better fit for your short lives than the existence that is inherent to entities like me. Come, and listen to me.

My life is fading away... but still I have strength to tell you my tale. The tale of my homeland – Hell, as you, humans, call it. It is a tale of glory, hatred, anger, terror and perhaps... sorrows. For the tale of Hell is, indeed, dramatic in its essence. And you... marine, have played roles that even I cannot comprehend... And I feel that there is still more for you to do.

How it all began? I do not know. Baphomet did know. But He is dead... you killed him, right?... I do remember when I was born. Born? Is that the appropriate word? I am not sure. I will try to make my tale as comprehensible as possible for your crude human language.

How can something be born out of nothing? Doesn't it have to be conceived and nurtured as it slowly grows? Those are principles that are valid for any living being… except maybe for those that were spawned in Hell by the whims of their masters. Beings like me. Beings, for which the word "born" simply does not fit. I would rather describe my emergence into the Universe as summoning.

I was summoned forth into service by my master - the great demon lord Baphomet. An entity more ancient than even I, or anyone else, could possibly imagine. I don't know how He came to exist - the Universe holds many great secrets and that would be one of them. And I was only sure that He knew many secrets – he was older than anything in Hell, and many thought that He had witnessed the Beginning itself, whenever it might have been.

I remember the first moments - dim red light, distant moans, and a sulfurous odor in the air. I was summoned into existence. I was alive. The thought of that came as a shock at first. When, you ask? Ah, it was probably long before your planet, what was the name... Earth, even existed. So long ago... so many memories and so much pain. And they still hang heavily upon me.

I was standing before my brethren - Gatekeepers, carrying the duty of keeping watch over the eternal Gates of Hell. Gates that led to so many places... there are many worlds - you know that. Countless and various – scattered throughout dimensions and Universes. Or even beyond them. Hell is only one of the many worlds - a more special world though for it was charged with energies of mystic origin. Energies that made Hell the gathering point for the souls of all dead evil creatures across all worlds. Yes, all evil that die violently came to Hell to become eternal servants of my master.

So as I was telling you, Baphomet summoned us all. We were thirteen. Thirteen Gatekeepers that were to lead Baphomet's armies into fierce battle when the time would finally come to conquer other worlds and fulfill His desires. What? Ah, I know - thirteen is your "unlucky" number. So you now have an idea about the reason for this, eh? I explored the world in which I was born and I learned its secrets. I will share them with you now - you deserve this honor.


Hell was a vast realm. And I think that I should begin with its very basics so that you clearly understand that, which you have fought so much, yet you never fully understood. How could you? Neither side in the conflict between us ever thought that there would be communication and understanding between us. Not that you or we wanted to communicate – we followed our desires, just as there are many truths. Demons had always struck terror in all other races with their determination to achieve their goals and follow their Lord's commandments. And when talking about the infernal denizens, we should start from their places of origin. Demons inhabited three primary locations.

The Monster Condo was the home of those of the Damned who constantly delved into the dark arcane arts and kept an enormous library there. The Condo was situated far to the west of the great Obsidian Canyons. Apart from its libraries, it attracted demons with its Underworld Temples and Halls of Slaughter... It is now gone - Baphomet's death brought demolition to many corners of Hell. This is sad, but what is sadder is that I feel nothing when I think of that. The libraries offered much for any who sought knowledge, especially knowledge in the fields of magic and the dark ways of the Underworld. The archives kept there were the most thorough source of information that I have seen of all worlds that I have visited. Even I, myself, have contributions to that lost collection as I recorded my journeys to the human world and the things that I learned there.

The Pandemonium was home to the many warrior-demons that roamed the plains of Hell and looked for Gates to enter other worlds and revel in battle and carnage. Inside this fortress were great armories, storages of cursed demonic artifacts and treasuries - filled with what our warriors had pillaged over the millennia. I know that the warriors there fought savagely to protect Pandemonium and yet you managed to survive. Sometimes I respect you, human, for you may be my enemy, but a worthy enemy - one that makes me strive harder... I was not a warrior to enter the fray and I visited the Pandemonium only a few times. Yet, I was astonished by the collections of weapons there, as well as by the tales of the great demonic warriors who talked with me about their feats on other worlds.

The Spirits' World was a fiery cave inhabited by embittered souls and evil spirits. Those were hostile creatures that roamed the forgotten halls in their eternal torment. When you, humans, appeared, the souls of your dead were the most powerful addition to our collection. Specimens really wicked and of outstanding quality. The ethereal creatures that inhabited that place had built one of the most powerful infernal temples that I had ever seen. The dark throne it featured emanated energy that felt so sweet and compelling, yet only the ancient Arch Viles were allowed to sit there and conduct dark rituals that strengthened Hell and all of its denizens. Besides, few were those who were allowed to visit the Spirits' World.

Perhaps I should mention the Catacombs - the upper part was, as you probably remember, just a temple that facilitated the purpose of the lower catacombs, where no mortal could enter. You could not enter that area as its seals were tremendously powerful. The catacombs were also the resting place of many vile specimens of your species… and they served us well. In the lower catacombs that I mentioned, roamed the damned spirits of the most evil of you; humans - guarded by the Angel of Death – an ancient demon with a mysterious purpose in our world, who, for shame, was slain by a mortal!


There are other specifics of Hell, but I will tell you about them later... After I tell you about Hell, I will speak of its complete history over the eons and about the role that you played in the events that took place. And what will happen next… you will be the one to see the future after I am gone, and I feel that there are more dark things to come and the fall of Hell is certainly not the end of all threats to your world.

The Earth has always been special - you were the only world that, somehow, knew of Hell's existence, though some humans did not believe... fools! How had you found out about our existence? Religion? Or perhaps the intervention of our enemies from other worlds. I was charged with watching humanity from the moment you appeared as an intelligent race. That was when I was... "young," so to say. I roamed the Earth in the form of a mortal, and I sought your weaknesses. I did so much – more than any human can imagine.

But - I keep getting distracted! I will try to stay as focused on topic as I can in my current state. I will now tell you of what can be described as my "youth" in Hell...