A week later, Doom was seated in his throne, nestled in the command centre of Castle Doom. Unlike his traditional throne, this one was all cold steel and had various consoles and screens mounted on movable appendages. One of the monitors fed him information on the Skrull tissue sample as the machines in his lab broke it down into genetic and molecular information.
Doom thoughtfully stroked his chin as he assessed that data. Curiously, much of the alien genetics proved to be in a state of flux, explaining their metamorphic capability. Furthermore, it displayed a high toxicological and radioactive resistance. So far, his search for a weakness was fruitless, though further molecular analysis was needed.
The bank of screens on the far wall brought reports from all over the world. Many depicted the assorted news stations from around the world, a few reported intercepted SIGINT, and one monitored the Skrull gladiatorial games.
Currently, a mutant named Toad was battling a Super-Skrull. This 'Sinister-Skrull' appeared to be a mix of the Sinister Six, with four metal tentacles extending from it's back. A fifth metallic tentacle, in the form bladed scorpion tail sliced at the mutant as he leapt and dodged. Arcs of electricity launched from the Skrull's hands.
Amazingly, Toad, the eternal underdog, was giving good account of himself against the Skrull.
A chime indicating an incoming communication drew Doom's attention. A small hologram of the Viceroy levitated from one of the arms of the throne. Doom laced his fingers together before speaking.
"Viceroy Enj'Trl; to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Smiling graciously, the Viceroy said, "Lord Doom, Her Highness, Queen Vernake has seen fit to grant you another match."
Doom nodded, "I am honoured by the Queen's generosity. For when shall I be ready?"
"Tomorrow," replied the green skinned alien.
Doom was greeted by the boom of a baying crowd as he entered the fighting arena. Countless more humans would be watching this match on their television sets. After his previous performance, he suspected many would be looking to see his death.
They would be disappointed.
As he walked to the center of the fighting pit, his sensors registered the shield above his head, protecting the crowd, and he noted that it extended high into the air. It seemed that the Skrulls expected aerial maneuvers. Which meant the person he would face could only be…
It was Jonathan 'Johnny' Storm. He sauntered in, confidence showing in every move as he crossed the threshold. As he saw Doom, rage contorting his face. He didn't even look around the arena before he ignited in flames and took to the air.
"You bastard!" yelled Johnny as he threw a ball of fire at Doom. His hatred was readily apparent. Years of conflict between them, as well as the death of his best friend immolating the identity of a devil-may-care playboy. He even skipped his trademarked catchphrase.
Extending a hand, Doom activated a shield and the ball of fire billowed around him, causing a temperature alarm to squeal. He squelched the klaxon. It would only annoy him, and it would likely be howling non-stop.
As the flames dissipated against his shield, Doom launched a concussion beam at Johnny as he flew through the air. He was virtually immune to thermal-based weapons, so Doom's lasers and plasma beams were practically useless in this battle; he shunted most of his power to his shield capacitors.
Johnny took the bolt directly to the chest, not even flinching as the beam lost its coherence in the scalding aura that surrounded the blonde youth. The intensity of his flames grew for a moment as he launched a white hot stream of fire back at Doom.
Doom leapt back, his jets igniting to propel him out of the blast of fire. He heard Johnny call out over the roaring flames.
"Christ Doom! Ben was the kindest person I knew!" Raging infernos danced from his balled fists. "He was a good man, and you killed him like a dog!" Johnny yelled, punctuating his statement with a barrage of fire bolts.
Not deigning to answer, Doom leapt and dodged to avoid the conflagrations exploding about him. His shields were slowly draining as they dissipated the massive amounts of thermal energy, but he was closing on Johnny, where his servo enhanced strength would give him the advantage.
Rapidly closing the distance, Doom leapt into the air, and launched an uppercut at his airborne opponent. At the last second, Johnny unleashed a blast a blinding white light, and Doom's mask instantly polarized as it reacted to the massive release of energy. Even still, his retinas burned in after-images as he felt his fist harmlessly sail through the air.
ALERT: PROXIMITY
EVADE; EVADE
Momentarily disabled as he was, he was unprepared for when the Human Torch wrapped his arm around Doom's neck. As he recovered, Doom felt Johnny's other hand clamp down the back of his head and legs wrap around his torso. Alarms blared at him as his shields attempted to dissipate the burning inferno that surrounded him.
"Hell will feel like a trip to Canada when I'm done with you, Doom," Johnny said coldly.
Even through the metal and energy shields, Doom could feel his skin blistering as the white heat overwhelmed his defences.
ALERT: HIGH TEMPRATURE
SHIELDS: 43%
WARNING: SHIELDS UNNABLE TO COMPENSATE
Thinking quickly, he electrified the exterior of his plate. Blue arcs crackled around him as he felt Johnny shudder with the current, and the two tumbled from the air. While the danger of thermal injuries was nonexistent to Johnny, his nervous system still reacted normally. Still Johnny wouldn't let go, though his grip loosened slightly as he battled through the discharge.
Doom grabbed the wrist of the arm wrapped around his neck, feeling his fingers blister. With his other hand, he punched upwards and Johnny let out a cry of pain. He felt the satisfying crunch of Johnny's elbow breaking from the excessive lateral forces, and he easily separated himself as the elbow flopped out of his way.
He turned, his cape smoldering with embers behind him as he put some distance between himself and the flames. Johnny cradled his useless limb, and Doom took his opening.
READYING: CRIMSON BANDS OF CYTTORAK
Doom launched the red magical bindings, and they flew at Johnny. Wounded as he was, he was slower than he should have been, and the energies followed him as he jinked and dodged. Despite his evasive acrobatics, the magic slowly caught up with him, twisting unnaturally to give chase.
At last, one of the bands caught Johnny by the ankle, and Doom closed his grip, sharply tugging the bands. Johnny gave a jerk as his flight was arrested, and the rest of the bands snaked around him, until he was fully bound.
"You'll find the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak quite unbreakable, Johnathan. Besides-" Doom said, as he slowly pulled his helpless captive forwards, until Johnny was a few meters away. "- I made a promise to Ben. He must miss you so."
Johnny struggled in the bindings, but found no give as his arms were tightly bound to his body. His fiery aura brightened as he fixed Doom with a venomous stare, and he began to speak, "Neither of us are walking away from this."
Doom's eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of Johnny's threat. Surely the boy could see he was beaten?
These thoughts made their way through his brain as Johnny let out a roar, and unleashed a cataclysmic firestorm; a super nova of heat.
Doom reflexively throw up a hand to shield his face as the arena filled with nuclear fire. At that moment he realized the mistake he made. The depths of pain and hate, combined with the knowledge of his death, left Johnny Storm with nothing but revenge.
WARNING: SHIELD FAILURE
WARNING: GENERAL SYSTEM FAI-
Virtually every alarm sounded in his ears, several failing, as his already depleted shields and damaged armour failed. Doom was about to be smelt in the heart of a star.
With perhaps moments to live, he began a sorcerous incantation, yelling over the flames around him. He summoned the Icy Tendrils of Ikthalon, and dark wisps of ice swelled around him. Unholy hoarfrost covered the ruined plates of his armour, and he coated himself in a frozen aegis.
Even still, such protection could only last so long, as Doom cut away pieces of his vital etheric energies to buy himself time to survive the conflagration. His already burned and ruined skin was wracked with torment as the cold dug through it, flash freezing portions to his flesh, and chilling him to the soul.
After a short eternity of pain, the fires whisked away as fast of they began, and the Human Torch returned to his normal form. What few systems remained online in his armour told him that all the oxygen had been burned away in the vicinity.
Evidently, the life support systems on the ship couldn't keep up with the consumption of the inferno, or they had cut off the area when a dangerous fire was detected. Regardless, with all the air in the arena consumed, Johnny began coughing and gagging as the ships systems attempted to pump oxygen back into the void.
Drawing on his last reserves of strength, Doom flexed, cracking the protective layer of ice that covered him. His power armour was massively damaged; the weapons inoperable, the exterior plate warped and disfigured, and only his backup power remaining online.
Not wasting his chance, Doom drew his bound foe towards him. He willed another band to wrap Johnny's face, but he made sure the eyes were uncovered. He wished to look into his old foe's eyes as the life left them. Once within arms-reach, close enough to hug, he placed his fingers on Johnny's epigastric region, just inferior to the xyphoid process.
Firmly, he began pushing inwards and up. The frail human anatomy gave way to his power-assisted strength, like a spade cutting through boggy earth.
"You never imagined it would be my hand that finally took your life, did you Jonathan? Whereas I-" Doom said, calmly. He pushed his hand up through the mush of Johnny's thorax, until he felt the beat of the boy's heart in his hand. "I always imagined you as a rather heartless creature."
The colour had drained from Johnny's face, and his eyes rolled up in agony. He made muffled screams into the sorcerous bindings as Doom gently twisted and pulled his heart, as one would pluck a plum from a branch.
"I suppose we were both wrong," Doom said, as he drew the pulsating organ out. By now, Johnny was in massive shock, if not dead, but Doom hoped his erstwhile enemy heard.
Grateful cheers filled his ears as he crushed the organ, dark blood coating his gauntlet as the mess fell to the ground.