"In the long run we are all dead." - John Maynard Keynes, Tract on Monetary Reform.
There are beings far older than Doom in this world. You may have met those who have walked the earth since Medieval times, but there are others who view those as youngsters.
He gazed down at the blood pouring from the wound. It was an old sensation. The wind blew up again and he dodged to the side. Even dodging he felt the razorwind pass by him. Beginning to back away into the rubble strewn ruins he scanned for his opponent. He was Hercules of the Gods and of the Avengers. He had stood by some of the greatest heroes of all time and been victorious. Skulking villains did not sit well with him.
In the corner of his eye he spied a flash of movement and span to intercept it. A light brighter than white blinded him as the hand clasped his forehead. Visions ran past his eyes of past follies, loves and friends. In the end he was confronted by his deep rooted regrets as his life passed from this existence.
DOOM MFS #4
THE FICKLENESS OF SOULS
Part One of Two
Written by Mark PeytonBlack Axe created by Michael Bennet and Edmund Pennington
Through a crisp white landscape walked a man encased in a jet black armour. His footsteps pressed deep into the untouched snow and he trudged on completely aware of his watchers. Across his back was strapped a unique device - a Battle Axe unlike any other.
The name the man had gone by for the longest was Black Axe. For the last 10,000 years he had roamed the world acting as a Mercenary and Assassin. Clothed in state of the art equipment he is one of the most dangerous men on the planet. His location? The North Western border of Latveria.
He'd been aware of the sensors running over him twenty miles before he hit the border. His path had been direct as he saw no reason to bluff about his destination. Since he had passed through the border human watchers had appeared. Masked by stealth fields they kept to the hilltops. He purposefully kept himself out in the open.
His dark features showed no emotion or tiredness as he kept going, waiting for his current situation to resolve itself one way or the other. Any sign of weakness would damage his purpose. Any sign of trouble would be dealt with.
"You are the one called Black Axe," a stern voice said, with no question attached. It came from very close to him. Black Axe turned as his armour's sensors had registered no movement or energy sources that might suggest a hologram. Cloaked in a deep green cloak was the ruler of these lands. The man they called Doom. "You have violated Latverian sovereignty purposefully. These are not actions one would ascribe to you. You play different games. So Doom demands to know why you walk upon his land."
"Dixit..."
The pain shot through her.
"Deus,.."
She tried again to call on her ancient powers.
"Fiat lux,..."
Nothing. Her youth had been stripped too in the last attack.
"Et facta..."
Still he came.
"Est lux," he finished as her soul was finally drained from the body that had housed it for centuries. One more for the pot.
"I knew I had wandered into trouble. You don't survive as long as I have without at least having a feeling for danger. Mr Immortal was late and our data transfers were normally very punctual. We had agreed to meet at a mutual hideaway in the depths of Greenland, where the Puritanical English Governors had little control. As the footsteps crossed the gravelled snow I brought my axe out to play and stepped to the centre of the room away from the doors and walls. Even though the locale was cold, my armour had shielded me from the temperature until now. A slow coldness crept up my spine as the footsteps neared.
As the footsteps got closer I could hear a phrase being muttered quietly, almost like a prayer, a chant. It was old Latin, but I was never one for speaking it. If he had talked in any variation of Egyptian or Sanskrit I could have told you his accent, but Latin was something I learnt to read, but could only get through in passing conversation. The voice spoke the phrase over and over building his mantra. I could feel the exhilaration building in me. It had been years since a challenge had come along. I had let myself slip back into watching the world, rather than exploring it.
The door gave way first, followed by the windows, spraying glass into the room. I stood amongst the glass storm and readied my axe, following the footsteps as they moved around outside. The phrase grew louder as I caught words. Fiat... facta... I scanned again for my old friend, Mr Immortal, but found nothing. By many he had been considered a joke, but he tried and I will not condemn anyone who would try and be a hero.
It was then that the walls were ripped from their very foundations. I took advantage of the debris to get out of the cottage. The cold increased, but no attack came. I swirled my axe in front of me turning slowly waiting to catch a glimpse of my foe. He always seemed to be on the periphery of my sight. I'd move faster to steal a sight of him, but still he remained just out of my view. I began to take advantage of the respite and ran along the path that was usually used to get to the cottage. A new flurry of snow had hit and masked my footsteps, but there were no new ones. My attacker must have flown I thought as I ran towards the outskirts of the wood.
As I got closer I spied a flash of colour amongst the white and brown of my surroundings. Blue and red hung torn from the branches of a tree. I did not stop to inspect it. I knew it for what it was - the costume of my friend. That was when I knew the danger I was in. Mr Immortal might have been taken down in a fight, but minutes later he would be bounding into action as foolishly as before. There was no sign of him and only one thing could have kept him away - his demise. It took a creature far greater in power than I to kill one such as Mr Immortal.
I had, but one reason to remain. To catch a glimpse of my attacker so I would have some information to use. As I hit the woods I slowed and began to move slowly amongst the snow covered branches that hung ominously over my form. It was then that the searing pain hit me from my side. Something had struck me cutting away my armour as it passed. The pain was not hot, but deathly cold. Again the Latin resumed.
In front of me stood my attacker. Even having not seen him I had some how knew it was a he who attacked. There was something unearthly about him as he stood still, holding a globe towards me. He like me was coloured, but of Negro origin rather than the African stock I came from. His head was shaven, but his eyes were a pure white. I found myself unable to look into them as they seemed as blinding as the Sun. For all my looking at him I could not tell you what he wore, just his face and that in his hands he held a globe which seemed to be made of glass, but which reflected my very soul.
He had paused in his chanting and considered me as I have considered many foes. His form said everything I needed to know about my predicament. He considered me a prey almost taken. As my armour reformed over the still cold wound he had opened I nodded to him as I activated one of my many retrieval programs. I was not ready to go quiet into the good night. If I was to be a prey then I would lead a better chase.
As I blinked out of his existence I heard the chant once more and the cold in my arm grow. Returning to Earth I arrived at one of my homes I have kept in seclusion. Even though it had once been discovered I returned to my Castle in what was once Scotland to repair the damage and to seek an ally to deal with this Immortal Killer. Which is why you find me blatantly walking into your sovereign land.
FORMER GREECE
The craft shot through the clouds like a bullet. "Impressive," said Black Axe as they passed over another border with no detection.
"Indeed," replied Doom, his fingertips planted on the craft's control panel, the complex manoeuvres running through his armour. "Have you ever entered the City before?"
Black Axe gazed out of the window. "No, I have not. Of course I've encountered one or two of the Eternals before, but as the largest concentration of Immortals it is an obvious first stop.
Doom did not look away from the path of the craft as he asked, "Why did you come to Doom?"
"You are a force in this world and you have more practical experience than many of the other immortals. I also think there is a force behind this, which we have both encountered in the past."
"Curious," Doom said, silent then as a proximity alarm sounded as the craft shot past an Italian plane. Doom's ship did not even register on the other's sensors at 100 meters apart. "The City is not giving it's usual readings and the standard protocols have not been demanded."
Black Axe leaned over Doom's shoulder. "Are we too late?"
"It is fortunate for you that Doom has ventured into this place before, else you would not have gained access. Stand back as I take us into land." The plane turned and kept to a rigid approach pattern. It dipped between two mountains, then stayed straight. Black Axe's eyes widened as the nose of the craft disappeared into thin air, followed quickly by the remainder of the ship.
As they came through the other side of the portal, they were met by the vision of a golden city, sprawling out beneath them under clear blue skies. The spires were cast high into the sky, sparkling from a non existent sun. Doom ran his fingers over the craft's sensors. "There are no signs of life below."
The plane dipped as Doom stayed silent. Black Axe moved to look through one of the side windows at one of the few places in the world older than he.
They touched down in a tree lined plaza at the opposite end to a stepped fountain. Doom ran his fingers once more in a sweep over the control panel, then stood. "We will learn nothing from in here." Black Axe picked his weapon off the rack and listened to its comforting hum. The Steel Monarch walked out into the city of the Eternals first, his hood pulled up over his masked face. As he stepped down off the ramp the stone paving crumbled at his feet. He paused kneeling and ran the golden dust through his fingers.
Turning back to Black Axe he spoke quietly. "It has dissolved from old age. An impossibility in this city of impossibilities."
Black Axe nodded and pressed his axe head against some of the surrounding slabs. Not all dissolved as he pushed with the tip. "It's not everywhere."
"Which means something outside of ourselves is responsible. Those that have shattered follow a pattern. They are spaced easily within a steps distance." Doom stood and pulled his cloak over his arm, supporting it. "Let us look for any signs of struggle."
The immortal mercenary drew down his axe in a graceful manoeuvre and advanced slowly.
They stepped through what had once been a glorious city. Fit for the gods one might have said. Doom had visited it twice before for reasons of his own and come face to face with those who would call themselves Eternal. Many of them had been too brash or flippant with their power to have been of true use to him. There had been those of use though.
For Black Axe it was a rare experience visiting a part of the world that was new to him. He too had known Eternals in past days, and had even been the lover of one. This visit filled him with an equal measure of sadness and uneasiness. But never fear. He had sensed the power in the infernal creature when it attacked him, but did it have the ability to do this - to cleanse this city of beings almost on the par with gods?
They found no signs of conflict nor of life. "We cannot assume this was caused by your attacker. This may be the result of an exodus."
"Which is almost as worrying. If the Eternals have abandoned ship what does that mean for the rest of us?"
"Our goal should be to pursue this immortal killer. The fate of the Eternals can be dealt with later. Doom will not allow himself to be distracted."
NEW LATVERIA
The gold leaf on the curtains glistened in the light. She sat wrapped in scarlet as she waited for her visitors.
"Marguerite," the firm voice said, "We have come for your insight." The two visitors had not disturbed the curtains at all arriving. She turned to consider her Monarch and the man encased in the black armour.
"The axeman has come, I see," she said, nodding to Black Axe.
"Yes, and not an executioner. At least not for Doom. He goes by the name of Black Axe."
Black Axe nodded and held out his hand. "You have the look of your grandmother," he said.
"Great grandmother or so I am told."
"I tend to miss generations so you'll excuse me," replied the coloured Immortal.
Marguerite looked into the face of Doom. "You have come for some direction."
Doom sat, throwing his cloak back as he said, "I have come to see if any other roads exist apart from the one Black Axe and I feel we shall take."
The lights in the cubicle dimmed till only a central beam remained. "What would you have known?"
Black Axe stood back as the dark masked half his face. He said softly, "Our path."
The woman nodded, closing her eyes.
"The red man beckons. He taunts you with puppets, cutting the strings from the other's toys. You have both known him, but not in the way either expects."
"I see a weeping woman, bound again, for a second piece of revenge."
"I see the laying down to rest of an old friend and a new purpose."
"I see pain and chaos. I see sacrifice. I see war."
Marguerite opened her eyes slowly and looked to the two. "You have chosen your path as I told you before. You have made yourself become greater than any imagined and you must do more."
Doom moved his head slowly and looked up at Black Axe. "It would seem the path is as expected." He reached into his cloak and took out a tied black bag.
Marguerite smiled. "Customs must be observed."
Doom laid the bag into her outstretched hand. "As they should be."
Black Axe had been left alone for a few hours and traced his finger against the glass. `How long have I been fighting the World's Wars? Too long. The Killer seems to be smiting down Immortals. Is this a way out?'
He turned from the window and shrugged at the thought. `If I was truly tired of fighting why would I have come to Doom. He is not trusted by many of the other long lived, after hi early years of trampling on a lot of feet while on some mad scheme for power. Now he has it and he is feared.' Black Axe sat looking down at his hands. `I see no fear in this land. Doom is a hard man, but in this land he is not a tyrant.' The Immortal's eyes felt tired as he thought, `I know what tyrants are like.'
A knock rang on his door and Black Axe reached for his axe. "Who is it?"
The voice answered, "I bring a summons from the King. He asks you to join him."
Black Axe closed his eyes and replied, "Tell him I will be there shortly." As the voice left he knelt and began to prepare himself mentally and undertook his ritual of armouring.
Shortly he was led to a large room where Doom sat looking into a large oval mirror. The Latverian monarch had taken to wearing an old green cloak. Black Axe was interested by the fact that Doom had clothed himself in one of the old colours he had worn as a villain. With his axe he pointed to the cloak and nodded questioningly.
Doom stood, holding the cloak for a second before letting it drop. "We go to face an old enemy. He expects Dr Doom does he not so who is Doom to disappoint. He expects Dr Doom. That will be an advantage. I am not the man I was."
Black Axe chuckled. "I am the man I've always been, but that's good enough for me."
Doom did not reply as he stood in front of the mirror and waved his hand over the glass. It rippled and began to flow. He held his hand out and said quietly, "Let us go see the Red Man. Mephisto awaits."
The pool rippled as he pressed his finger through the image. "Come face me, Doom, and see how the game can be snatched from your fingers." The Red Man smiled and waited.
NEXT ISSUE -
Doom and Black Axe venture into Hell to face with MFS's very own Mephisto. Who is the Immortal killer and what hope does even Doom have against him? What games are being played and whose soul hangs in the balance? Find out in the conclusion of THE FICKLENESS OF SOULS leading straight into the end of year blow-out PARADISE LOST.
Sorry. It just seems to happen. Every time I sit down to write a Doom Oneshot it grows into a two parter. I'm not one to write mega length stories if I can find a suitable place to break the story and so get it into the public domain quicker.
A little background on the story and characters. So far the bodycount is a minimum of three. Yes, that is really Hercules. No, there will be no resurrections. He is gone. Kaput. What happened to the Eternals? Well, I'm sure it's a story we'll get to some day as well as Doom's history with them. A related story is already going on somewhere in the MFS I just can't say where.
And onto our co-star. This is probably your first meeting with Black Axe. He ran for about 7 issues, being published by Marvel UK and just disappeared. The character in my opinion has far too much in him to just let him stay in limbo. An immortal mercenary who we were shown having a history that stretched past Egyptian times and who found some new challenges back in the 1990s. I mean that just throws up possibilities to me - it's Marvel's Highlander, I'm telling ya.
Behind the first three issues' covers by the fabulous John Romita Jr we met the armour encased Black Axe who kept many secret identities, but mainly that of Robert Hyde. Ok, because it was a Marvel UK title Death's Head II had to show up, but even through some below par artwork the character became one I'm rather fond of. Believe me hunt the book out of those bargain bins. Issues 1-7 include Sunfire, Black Panther, Death's Head II and of course Mephisto. Which leads us nicely into next issue.
As for the man formerly known as Dr Doom, well some guys called Kirby and Lee created him.
Doom 5 will be along shortly. It has to be. Once that's out the way I can start on one of the two PARADISE LOST preludes we're doing.
The work just never stops.
Any email or comments to me at Starman26@hotmail.com