Everyone sat in stunned silence. None of them believed it possible to receive a revelation more shocking than the true history of Creation. Yet here they were, gathered inside the Ivory Tower. At the center of the group was a PDA nigh identical to the one Olivia had in her possession. The device used to share this unbelievable truth.
After the message it played ended, everyone slowly moved their unblinking eyes to the man that held it. Even Samuel, who wasn't affected by Samur's story, could not begin to process this information. The voice they had heard just now was non-human. There was only ONE explanation.
Gabriel and Azrael first thought of it once they heard the voice. Their minds recalled two different memories, but each held the same answer. The abandoned workshop. The mysterious albino Demon with blue eyes. This unknown entity was from Doom.
Of course, Samur also reached this conclusion. He'd be the first to approach the space marine when the message was done. However, his warm, friendly, and comforting aura was gone. The Maykr seethed with a controlled rage that exuded from him.
Soon, Samur stood opposite Doomguy. They stared into each other's eyes as the rest watched. No one knew what was about to transpire. But they dared not do or say anything, less it was needed.
"In all of my life, I have never observed any Demon speak. Should whatever lords Doom may have created be capable of speech, I've never heard their voices. However, a voice spoke during the war between my people and these monsters. We heard it issue commands to the mindless brutes. It organized unruly heathens into strategically sensible squadrons. Its tone was so deep it could rattle your bones. Its quality sounded like shifting gravel. Yet, it spoke so coherently. What we managed to listen to conveyed an intelligence we presumed Doom could not possess. We were correct in this assumption. It created a Demon to do its thinking. To be the intellect that was necessary to win that war. It is because of that Demon that my people suffered. That Urdak fell. That Khan needed to enter an eternal stasis." Samur told him before slowly leaning forward so their faces would be closer. "So please, Slayer, tell us why that same voice speaks to you as if you are its ally. Why is the voice of the worst experience of my existence reaching out to you?" He asked.
Samur's tone barely contained his anger. His face was neutral. At the drop of a pin, he could snap. Yet, Doomguy didn't care.
While maintaining eye contact, he typed a message with the PDA. Everyone thought it would take a fair amount of time. But surprisingly, Doomguy was done in a few seconds.
"Ask him yourself."
Only Samur could see the message. Doomguy did hold it up to his face, after all. The others waited for Samur to say something or Doomguy to share it. Instead, this happened:
"YOU BASTARD!" Samur yelled, the loudest in his life. He grabbed Doomguy by his neck, lifting him in the air. Yet, Doomguy didn't struggle. He didn't put up a fight. No matter the strength of the Maykr, no harm would come to him.
"GRANDPA!/FATHER!" Charlie, Lucifer, Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael rushed to Samur. They grabbed his body and arms, hoping to separate him from the space marine. Despite using all their strength and power, the Maykr did not budge.
"YOU DARE SAY SUCH A THING TO ME?!" Samur questioned, tightening his grip as if it would do anything. "THAT DEMON IS THE VOICE OF DOOM! THE REALM SPEAKS THROUGH IT! IT WAS ITS COMMANDER! ITS INTELLIGENCE! ITS SOLE REASON FOR EXISTING WAS TO KILL AND DESTROY ALL I LOVED! I WATCHED MY PEOPLE BE TORN APART BY BARONS! I SAW THEIR BLOOD COVER ALL OF URDAK! I WAS PULLED AWAY BY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM OUR MOTHER AS SHE PREPARED FOR THE DIVINITY! I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY KIN AND HOME BECAUSE OF HIM! AND YOU TELL ME TO SPEAK TO HIM?! YOU DENY ME THE ANSWERS I AM OWED?!" He roared.
"FATHER! PLEASE! RELEASE HIM!" Gabriel pleaded. "WE KNOW NOT THE CONTEXT! WE KNOW NOTHING OF HIS REASONS! WE CAN NOT CAST JUDGMENT BEFORE WE-"
FWOOM
A portal appeared next to Samur. Its color was unlike what any had seen before. It was a bright orange, not a mixture of red and black like Doom's.
"Pardon the interruption," Vega spoke after the rift's appearance. "I took it upon myself to activate the device the voice had mentioned while you busied yourself with Doomguy's strangulation." He informed everyone.
"What? Vega, why would you do that?" Samuel asked before Samur had a chance to.
"Because, Doctor Hayden, I trust Doomguy. In my observations, I've never found him to behave irrationally or illogically, even in many instances where you would strongly say the contrary. If the voice we heard does belong to the Demon Samur is referring to, I have faith and confidence that Doomguy saw something worthwhile enough to spare him. I think he has earned that much from all of us." Vega answered.
"...Yeah, I'm sold." Angel Dust chimed in, catching nearly everyone off guard.
"What the? Angel?!" Charlie questioned while still holding onto her Grandfather. "What're you saying?!" She inquired.
"I'm sold. As in, I'm buying what Vega's selling us." Angel Dust stated as he folded his arms. "Think about it, everyone. Seriously, spend more than ten seconds contemplating it. Do you think the big guy would RANDOMLY let a Demon live? The man is Demonic Racism incarnate. He'd probably shoot all of us if we didn't act as human as we do in our Hell. Yet, as Vega said, he had to have seen something in THIS particular Demon not to paint the ground with his insides. Granted, I am MASSIVELY biased since the big guy saved me from getting my holes plowed non-consensually, but the points still stand. If he's vouching for this Demon, I'm, at the very least, waiting until we have the full story." He explained.
"Yeah, Angel's right," Cherri said. Admittedly, she felt the same way he did, but she was glad he was the one to say it. "Doomguy's spent more time in Doom than ANYONE here. That includes you, too, Samur. I get that this is a HUGE deal for you, but we can't act like we know all the facts." She told him.
"I concur." Olivia agreed. "Doomguy saved my life just as he did Angel's. I wouldn't be standing here without him. Yet, as Cherri said, we don't have all the information. But even if we did, I'd still take his side. But, again, like Angel, I do not say this because of bias. He's earned our trust." She stated.
"So what then? Would you have me invite the mass murderer of my people into my home? Would you suggest I speak to him like he was ANYONE else? Am I disallowed from having my blood boil at the mere thought of these ludicrous ideas?!" Samur questioned.
"No, that's not what we're saying." Angel Dust replied as he walked over to stand beside Doomguy. "All we're telling you is that the big guy here doesn't do shit without a reason. Is it always a good reason? Maybe not. No one's got a perfect record. However, in THIS situation, I'm willing to bet everything I got, including my soul, that he's right. Even after everything he's done, not killing this Demon was the smart call. If I'm wrong, you can strangle me like you're trying to do with him. I'll even give you my guns to shoot me with if you're still pissed afterward. Just give us a chance to get all the details sorted. That's it." He said.
Cherri and Olivia immediately did the same. The trio stood to the right of the space marine and were willing to stare down their creator as he was.
"Does anyone else feel this way?" Samur asked, finally releasing Doomguy so he could look at everyone. In doing so, his family released him as well. "Are there more of you who are fine with this development? If so, step forward!" He beckoned.
For nearly a minute, no one said or did anything. Admittedly, it was bold of Angel Dust, Cherri, and Olivia to say something. On the one hand, Samur's feelings were BEYOND justified. But on the other hand, Doomguy spent multiple lifetimes fighting Doom. Putting curiosity aside, this Demon had to have somehow proven to Doomguy that its life was worthwhile. Still, would anyone have the courage to take the space marine's side like the those three?
"...I do," Octavia spoke as she walked over and stood on the left side of Doomguy.
"Octavia?! What're you doing?!" Stella questioned. She would have never expected her Daughter to do something as bold as this!
"I'm sorry, Mom. But they're right. Even if they weren't, I choose to believe in him." Octavia explained.
"So do I!" Nifty exclaimed before speedily making her way onto Doomguy's shoulders. Not because she wanted to, but so everyone could see her. "You suffered a lot, Samur. No one's saying you didn't. You have every right to despise this Demon. But Doomguy's been through a lot, too! His whole body's covered in scars as proof! If he says we can trust this Demon, then we can!" She asserted.
Before anyone else in the crowd could consider doing the same, two people went to join Doomguy. When this happened, Samur felt his heart stop in his chest.
"I'm sorry, Father. But I must be against you on this." Gabriel told his parent, now beside Octavia. "You taught me never to cast judgment until I knew everything. Although my role as the Judge of Creation isn't as true as it once was, I still take pride in my position. I cannot ignore other possibilities, even if the matter is personal. That wouldn't be just." He said.
"My reasoning is more or less the same." Azrael began, now standing beside Angel Dust, Cherri, and Olivia. "I went through this man's entire life. I saw how Doom broke him. I watched everything he lost and how much he sacrificed. Before being forced out, I also witnessed a meeting between him and an albino Demon. Yet, even if I hadn't, I'd still put my trust in him. Whether or not he's earned that much from us is not debatable. It is an absolute fact." She asserted.
Samur had no words. He did not react. All the Maykr did was stare at this group that had formed. There were no feelings, not even anger. Samur was in an indescribable state.
Then, without warning, he spread his wings and flew upward. Samur intended to reach the very top of the Ivory Tower. He didn't care that he hadn't said a word before departing.
"FATHER!" Michael called after him before spreading his wings and following. Charlie, Lilith, and Lucifer would do the same.
As for everyone else, they weren't comfortable or confident enough to take Doomguy's side. This entire mess was so confusing. And, as it had been repeated, they needed to know the full story before deciding how they felt. So, there was only one thing left to do.
"I've scanned the area surrounding the device." Vega started as Doomguy, with his group, approached the portal. "It's within a facility that is structurally sound and is filled with oxygen. There will be no hazards upon arrival." He informed them.
...?...
The first sound that reached anyone's ears was their footsteps falling onto metal. As the group looked beneath them, they saw the floor was entirely metallic. Furthermore, upon inspecting their environment, everyone noticed the same thing. This facility, was INTENSELY industrial.
Black or gray metal as far as the eye could see. The only differing colors were light or energy sources that glowed blue or yellow. The room the group found themselves in was very large and empty. Nearly nothing was present apart from the device used to bring them here.
The machine in question wasn't a gateway as they had become familiar with. It was hard to describe, but the best guess anyone could form was a teleporter. The portal rested between two complex components that generated it through unknown means. Once the group was through, it deactivated itself.
"A security precaution," Vega spoke in case they assumed the worst. He used Doomguy's suit as a means to maintain communication. "The machine is designed to terminate any rifts once its activation source has crossed the threshold after ten seconds. Doomguy still possesses the PDA that allowed us to come here. It is a key of sorts." He explained.
"Huh, good to know," Cherri said as they continued to look around. "Kinda weird how there isn't a welcoming party for us." She noted.
"Vega, might I make a request?" Olivia inquired.
"By all means." Vega welcomed.
"Is it possible for you to locate any other signs of life within the facility? So we know where our hosts are?" Olivia asked.
"I have scanned the entirety of this facility. I found no signs of organic life. This is with expanded parameters that include the unique composition of Doom's Demons' flesh." Vega answered.
"Wait, that doesn't make sense," Octavia said, getting everyone to look at her. "The message said that this Demon had someone helping him, right? So, why aren't they showing up?" She questioned.
"Yeah, she makes a good point." Nifty agreed before looking down at Doomguy. "What do you think? Could they be out at the moment?" She suggested.
In response, Doomguy resumed surveying their immediate surroundings. The others followed his gaze and paid close attention to whatever he observed. Unfortunately, they weren't seeing anything. Was this just a precaution on his part?
THUMP
That sound came from Doomguy's right fist. Before the others could react, he had swung a haymaker at the air before him. This resulted in the noise they heard. How? Something had stopped his punch.
That's right. STOPPED. Doomguy hadn't struck something; his fist was CAUGHT. As the others looked at his seemingly floating fist with widened eyes, they could discern finger impressions in his glove between his knuckles. Something was squeezing his hand, but they couldn't see it!
"That's enough."
A voice suddenly spoke a few feet ahead of the group. Afterward, the invisible assailant revealed themselves. Standing head-to-head at Doomguy's height was a humanoid entity. It had a body and muscular build of a human man. However, its entire form was hidden by a suit of armor.
Far different from the green suit of Doomguy, this figure's armor was the same gray metal as the facility around them. The chest piece was also bulkier, but they assumed it was mostly armor and not the entity's physique. The helmet was incredibly smooth and nearly as round as a sphere. The visor was little more than a narrow slit across the center where its eyes most likely were.
Everything about the outfit, like the building, was industrial, rough, and rigid. But, to its credit, this made the unknown person appear as an invincible tank walking on two legs. Honestly, no description was better. The fact this person had stopped DOOMGUY'S punch was all that was needed to convey power beyond words.
"Uh, hello, there!" Nifty greeted with a nervous smile. Her position on top of Doomguy's shoulders made her the best one to try and start a conversation. "It's...nice to meet you, sir! Are you the Demon we're supposed to meet?" She inquired.
"No."
The voice spoke again but didn't come from the armored individual. Instead, it was behind them. Revealing himself in the same way, the Demon appeared. Both he and this stranger had somehow achieved flawless invisibility.
Yet, that was the last thing anyone was thinking about. Once their eyes lay on the Demon, they were forced to process what they saw. The Demon, whose height was similar to Doomguy and the stranger, was a ghastly sight. Its skin was no longer white, as Azrael had mentioned; now, it was a sickly yellow color.
However, the explanation for why was apparent. Across the Demon's body, it had been augmented and mangled with technology to the point that very little of itself remained. The torso, the mouth, the jaw, the biceps, and a set of black horns were all that seemed to be left. In several tubes across its body, an unknown substance flowed. Was it blood? Or something else?
As for what covered most of the Demon's head and face, it was a helmet that seemed grotesquely grafted onto the skull. The parts of its body that were no longer visible were hidden by armor and technology that greatly resembled Doomguy's suit. The remaining notable details were a shoulder-mounted cannon, a wrist-mounted blade, and an unknown sigil carved into the helmet that glowed with yellow light.
"Greetings to all of you." The Demon spoke as he slowly walked forward. When he did, the stranger released Doomguy's fist. "I am known as the Wretch. My partner, who the Slayer swung at, is known as the Marine. You may refer to us as simply Wretch and Marine. There needn't be any formality." He introduced. "Furthermore, I'd like to apologize for the suddeness of our reveal. We cloaked ourselves should this be an attempt by Doom to ambush us. When we realized it wasn't, we debated on how best we should proceed. That is when the Slayer threw forward his fist." He explained.
No one said anything. They waited for Doomguy's reply. With the Wretch now so close to them, he repositioned to stand across from the Demon. Once he was, Doomguy extended his hand.
"Thank you." Wretch accepted the gesture, happily returning it with a smile. "Come. Follow us. We cannot promise much comfort. But we hope it will suffice." He instructed.
Afterward, the Wretch and the Marine would lead the group further into the facility. All they needed to feel safe was Doomguy's approval. That handshake between them said more than any dialogue could.