Disclaimer: Doom is the property of ID software.
A/N: This fic follows the TNT: Evilution storyline.
Warnings: Violence, language, and gore. More of this will be present in the second chapter.
Three weeks had passed since the UAC base was built on the moon, and the scientists resumed their work on the Gate. I was heading to the hanger now, intent on completing my rounds of inspections on the aircraft. Other Marines were running around me, and several scientists passed as well. The Gate was going to be opened soon, and everyone was anxious over the event, fearful of another outbreak. This situation on Earth, and Mars for that matter, could not be repeated. The human race was already at slim numbers. One more successful assault by Hell could mean the doom of the human civilization.
The commander, the famous man who survived Mars and Earth, was also present on the moon. Having him here made a lot of personal at ease. I wanted to meet him, this hero that defeated Hell itself and lived to tell about it. However, the chance never came up.
"All personal please report to the Testing Ground," the intercom boomed.
My cue. The rounds would have to be completed later. I strode over to weapons check, took a shotgun, and took my place in the immense line of people. A loud creaking noise filtered into the room as the massive, tanned doors slid aside, allowing the green, uniformed Marines to march in.
The Testing Ground was a heavily guarded room, practically measuring the same distance as a football field. There was only one way in and one way out; through the main doors. The ceiling, walls, and ground were coated with several layers steel, which could prevent anything from breaking out, or so we were told. If an attack occurred from minions of Hell, and the Marines were overwhelmed, the doors would be fastened shut, trapping everyone inside. It was a nerving thought, though. Being trapped with demons that had a lust for human blood was not a pleasant image.
A hand smacked on my shoulder, sending a stinging sensation coursing down my back. I tilted my head, glaring over at the culprit. A smirk grew.
"Thomas Walburn, you bastard; I thought you were posted on septic duty for the incident on Lysithea," I laughed.
He shrugged, "I guess I'm such a good fighter that they just had to place me back here. Glad to see you're still among the ranks, Lucille."
I chuckled darkly, "But who knows for how much longer? Do you actually believe we'll be able to hold off an assault from Hell?"
"Come now," Thomas scoffed. "Where's your enthusiasm? If any of those messed up, sons of bitches, come out, we'll blast them to bits. We're prepared this time, and I'm going to personally enjoy every second of shooting the guts out of those freaks!"
I shook my head. Dear Thomas; he was the eccentric type. It would get him killed in the end.
My attention was drawn back to the sliding doors. A portion of the Gate was coming into view, and from what I saw, it wasn't anything impressive. I had envisioned it as massive apparatus that nearly filled the entire room, but this was a meager device that appeared no larger than a man was. It was mind-boggling. All this surveillance for such a tiny, yet dangerous machine that would determine our fate in the universe.
I took position in the front flank along with Thomas, pointing the barrel of the gun toward the Gate. A few of the scientists gave a signal, informing us that the Gate was about to be opened. Sweat was sliding down my brow, and my hands were trembling, turning white as my grip increased on the weapon. This would be my second time encountering the malicious demons, and I wasn't looking forward to it. Memories of escaping on the ship from Earth came back. I could still remember the demons swarming around us in the burning cities; how I had barely made it out with my family; how the ship we were being transported on was almost obliterated from the force field set up by Hell. Then, a miracle happened. The human race was saved by that heroic man, allowing the ship to travel to safety. That was a while back, when I was only a teenager. After that fateful day I joined the Marine Corp, but I was regretting the decision now. Why was I foolish enough to join?
All thoughts are momentarily pushed aside as a low rumble racked across the room. The Gate shuddered, and spewed out a red light. A breeze came floating through, and a putrid stench, the stench of something rotting, seeped into my nostrils. It was a potent enough smell that everyone present gagged, clasping desperately at their faces in a pitiful attempt to keep out the odor. A long wail followed, soon answered by other deafening cries of the damned before the first legion broke through the Gate.
Shots rang out in the air, nearly drowning out the screams of the advancing demons. Hell had sent out the weaklings first. The first wave consisted of zombies, flaming skulls, and imps. Dark blood and limbs splattered in every direction from the legion, coating the walls and floor in a slimy mess. I aimed the shotgun at approaching heads and fired, turning them to instant mush.
The firing continued, and a total of thirty minutes passed before the last demon was annihilated, without the cost of human life, but the victory was short lived. More monstrosities swarmed through the Gate, spurting out larger and stronger demons than before. Hell was a persistent bitch, stubborn in its mission to overrun us, to exterminate us. With every demon that fell, twenty more seemed to take its place.
For a time, it appeared as if the demons would overtake us. The running masses were drawing closer and closer with each passing second. To make matters worse, a Mancubus had made it through the Gate, blasting fireballs in every direction. The heat was intense; I could feel it whizzing by me, almost turning me into a pile of ash. The Marine to the left of me was the unfortunate victim, disintegrated in a flash of an eye. Others followed as well, not as lucky as the ones taken by fire. Some of the soldiers ran out of ammo, allowing the demons to overwhelm them. The unfortunate soul would be surrounded by a group of the gnashing beasts, and even the person's comrades were unable to blast all of them off. They were dragged out to the center. Claws would wildly descend upon them, causing a stream of flesh and blood to fly everywhere. Their screams of agony could be heard over the gun blasts; sometimes lasting for minutes before dying out in a gurgling mess. Casualties were expected, though. Not everyone was going to make it out alive from a war. Then, the demons would turn back to the front lines. Crimson liquid streamed down their mouths and the amount they had taken did not satiate their need for more. They would always hunger for the delicacy of human flesh.
I kept firing at the line, turning everything that wasn't human into unintelligible heaps of guts. Thomas was still next to me, shooting like a mad man and laughing the entire time. It was a comfort to see him alive; to have someone you knew standing right beside you as death clung to the air. The fight soon came to a close, and the last demon was shot into oblivion. Thousands of the enemy lie in mangled heaps, and the floor was stained red. It was going to be a pain to clean up.
Cheers rang out in the room. Thomas drew me close in a tight, crushing embrace.
"See? What did I tell you girl?" Thomas chirped. "The population of Hell is no match for us!"
Yes, we were victorious, but for how long?
To be continued.