"Hey, Al. How long's it been?" Angel Dust inquired while looking toward the Radio Demon.
Alastor, as he had offered, created a barrier around everyone to keep them warm and block out the snow. It wasn't anything fancy, a simple dome of Arcane energy that any beginning-level caster could conjure. The added warm temperature was slightly higher than the dome's creation in terms of effort and skill, but still incredibly easy. As for the size of the barrier, it surrounded the entire group, including Samuel, Azrael, and Doomguy.
"One moment, please." Alastor requested as he gently removed a pocket watch from his coat. "Hmm...it's been close to an hour." He informed everyone after checking the time.
"The big guy must have a lot of memories, then." Angel Dust commented while looking at the motionless marine. "I wonder how many of them are good?" He asked.
"My money's on few," Husk answered. Thanks to the warmth of the dome, the snow within it on the ground had melted. Allowing everyone a choice to sit or stand. He was doing the former.
"Same. You don't get that angry without reason. At least, if you're not a lunatic." Vagatha said.
"But maybe he's always been crazy? It is possible." Nifty suggested.
"Doubtful," Samuel spoke, catching everyone off guard. Up until then, he'd been silent. "I'm not saying he isn't unhinged. He objectively isn't sane. However, an individual with an unstable psyche is precisely the kind of victim the Demons prefer." He stated.
"So, the Demons are precise about who they target, sir?" Olivia inquired, wanting to know more. "Forgive me if that is a stupid question. The codexes I've read only talk about their biology and species behaviors." She added.
"It isn't, don't worry," Samuel assured her before continuing. "The Demons are sensitive to certain aspects of the soul. To paint a clear picture, I'll describe two different people and how Doom's population would perceive them. Someone optimistic, confident, and sure of their beliefs wouldn't earn any special attention from any Demon. However, the Demons would sense someone who is easily swayed or influenced, has a weak character, and possesses a fragile mental fortitude or resolve. Even in another reality, they have an unexplainable natural awareness of souls that have those qualities and a few others." He explained.
"Ah. So, they see those more likely to commit evil actions and pounce upon them. At least, that's how it sounds." Alastor guessed.
"That is one way to sum it up. But it only partially captures what they're capable of. Despite all our research and the knowledge we now have, there are still so many mysteries yet unsolved. Hopefully, in time, they will be given clarity." Samuel responded.
Before the conversation could proceed any further with this topic, Charlie suddenly interrupted it as she noticed something.
"Look!" Charlie exclaimed with a point of her finger.
Following the direction in which Charlie pointed, everyone saw the many eyes of Azrael's body slowly open, indicating that she was exiting her trance. Sure enough, when Charlie hurried over to her to see if she was okay, she discovered the large eye on her face opening.
"Auntie!" Charlie called once she was sure her Aunt was back with them. "Are you okay? How'd it go?" She asked.
At first, Azrael only blinked a few times, ensuring she was back to reality. When she gained that certainty, the Angel of Death looked straight ahead at the still incapacitated space marine in front of her. Charlie could tell something had changed with her Aunt; the expression on her face conveyed an entirely different perspective of the soldier. Yet she and the others could have never predicted what followed.
Azrael, without any words spoken, hugged Doomguy. However, it was clear to everyone that this wasn't an affectionate embrace. From how Azrael's face changed to reflect sadness and the gentleness of her hold on Doomguy, this was an attempt at comforting him. Whatever she saw in his memories profoundly affected her, which only heightened their curiosity.
Eventually, Azrael would end the embrace. When she did, she immediately turned around and looked at Samuel.
"Release him. Now." Azrael ordered with a firm and commanding tone. The look in her eyes showed she wouldn't accept anything else or less.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Samuel calmly responded, unphased by her attitude.
"Samuel, I won't say it again. Do it." Azrael demanded.
"Again, I can't do that," Samuel repeated as he raised his right hand and pointed it at Doomguy. "The moment he's released, he will want to confront me. I'm sure of it. Because of that, I cannot in good conscience release him from Tether until all of you are gone." He stated.
"Wait, what? What're you talking about, Sammy?" Angel Dust questioned.
Before speaking, Samuel, even from such a great distance, was able to remotely access the Slipgate and create a new portal at their current location.
"Go," Samuel ordered with his back still turned to the group and his focus on Doomguy. "I won't be able to guarantee your safety when he starts throwing punches. He won't be aiming for any of you, but as you saw back at the hotel, his strength can lead to collateral damage. So please, go back to my office building and wait for us there." He requested.
"Are you crazy?!" Husk asked, voicing the concern everyone felt. "He's going to beat the shit out of you! He might kill you if you're not careful!" He exclaimed.
"I don't think he will," Samuel said.
"Think?! So you don't know?!" Husk questioned, baffled by that sentence.
"If you're asking whether or not I can say without any doubt that he won't kill me. I can't." Samuel responded.
"Samuel, this is ridiculous!" Olivia exclaimed, furious about this decision. "We're not going to leave you be so you can get tossed around by him!" She asserted.
"Then I'm not going to release him," Samuel replied. "Oh, and if you think you'll be clever by destroying the apparatuses currently restraining him. Just know that I can have him pulled to a different location in the complex before you'd succeed. If I detect anyone using their power, even in the slightest way, he'll be gone in an instant." He told them.
"Samuel," Azrael spoke again, getting the attention back on her. "Can you tell us why? Is there an explanation to justify this?" She asked.
For a moment, Samuel said nothing. He had an answer prepared but needed to consider the best way to word it. Yet when he did, he walked past Charlie and Azrael. Only stopping when his face and Doomguy's helmet were practically pressing against each other.
"Because I'm the only one here thinking beyond the present." Samuel began as he pressed a finger into Doomguy's chest. "You deserve a great deal of praise. Possibly more than can ever be given. But I want you to consider the following questions. Am I the only one who has ever been a threat to them? Has anyone ever gotten close to killing them for good? Is that even an achievable outcome? For once, you mindless mute bastard, THINK!" He shouted, catching the others by surprise. "All you do is shoot, punch, and repeat. THAT'S IT. You don't consider how they are dangerous beyond their fangs, claws, and powers. But you've been fighting them longer than anyone else. At least, as far as we know. And yet, they are still there. You haven't reduced their numbers and aren't a REAL threat. If you were, they would've done more than shove you in a tiny room inside a small box for eternity. You're nothing to them but a pest that won't die. That title, Slayer, is only given to you because you KILL them. If they were in actual danger, then you'd already be dead.
But wait, you might argue. I'm unkillable. My strength knows no end. I can keep fighting until they're dead. Yet you've NEVER considered that they might already be in the process of figuring out how to replicate you. You aren't special. None of us are. You are the result of a specific set of easily repeatable circumstances. If we put that suit of armor on anyone here and had them kill hundreds upon thousands of Imps and Mancubi, they'd be as strong as you. So, if some random mortal from an incidental part of reality can be turned into the perfect Demon-killing machine, what's stopping those Demons from making their version of you?
That's why, as I've said, you need to THINK. If there's one thing I'd like to believe we have over Doom, it is our intelligence and imagination. We've seen how the bulk of their forces conducts themselves; they're straightforward and basic to a fault. So, we need to do things they will only consider once they've happened. This includes forming alliances. Exploring unforeseen territories in the hope of finding something they don't know about. Or, as is the case, take a chance with a newly discovered Hell that is so VASTLY different from the one we're fighting that it could benefit us if we proceed carefully. Because as much as you'd like to think otherwise, we cannot win this on our own. Or, more accurately, on YOUR own. If you could, you wouldn't have been stuck fighting them forever. Nor would you have found yourself their prisoner. Deep down, buried beneath all of your anger, you know I'm right. You don't want to hear it. Because, as I've told you before, it'd mean that you, the infallible hero, are the same as the rest of us." He concluded.
Everyone was speechless. They didn't know what to say or do afterward. Luckily, Samuel did.
"Now then." Samuel started as he turned around to face the others. "If that has satisfied all of you, please, leave." He requested again while pointing to the portal. "Like our mute friend here, as you wait for us to return, you'll spend some time thinking about the severity of the situation. You'll realize that we cannot afford to waste time or effort on pointless, meaningless things like we are now. Every second that goes by is another given to Doom. So, I repeat for the last time. Please, leave." He said. His voice sounded as if he was on the verge of losing his composure. One more retort or argument could be the thing to make him snap.
Despite that, deep down, everyone wanted to say something. But surprisingly, none would be hostile, aggressive, or antagonistic. Much like Azrael back at the complex, they were, at last, seeing the real Samuel Hayden. He was a man that maintained his self-control and image so well that he made it seem like nothing could ever bother him.
However, that wasn't true. Samuel was thinking of the bigger picture, and it terrified him. Doom wasn't something simple, like an enemy nation or anything akin to it that could be toppled with enough military strength and strategy. As Samuel pointed out, it was a primordial evil.
They knew that was true. Despite only Azrael now learning some of the space marine's past, one thing was painfully obvious. If Doomguy had made ANY dent in Doom, they wouldn't be standing here together, and Samuel wouldn't be trying his hardest to make them understand how serious this was.
"Very well," Azrael spoke after a few minutes had passed. "Come, everyone. We will give these two the time they need." She said while moving toward the portal.
For a few seconds, no one else moved. They were still debating what the right choice was. No matter how they looked at it, leaving Samuel here knowing he'd get the beating of a lifetime was cruel and irresponsible on their part. But still, he didn't give them any other choice; he left them with no options long before they ever came to this place.
Still, they wouldn't leave without a word. Each of them would say one thing to Samuel or Doomguy before departing.
"Please, don't kill him," Charlie begged Doomguy. Like her Aunt, she gave the immobile soldier a quick hug before leaving.
"Hey! I know this whole thing was fucked, big guy! But Sammy doesn't deserve to die for it! Just saying!" Angel Dust called out before going through the rift.
"Word of advice? Keep your arms up. Plus any forcefields you might have." Cherri said to Samuel as she followed Angel Dust.
"Try and position yourself so that he sends you flying toward the snow. It should cushion the impact." Husk chimed in, right behind Cherri.
"I know you don't speak, but still, try and talk things out however you can! Hurting each other isn't helping anything!" Nifty shouted at Doomguy before hurrying after Husk.
"Agreed. As Samuel said, we've got much bigger things to worry about. Infighting should be left to the savages." Alastor stated while leisurely following Nifty. When he was gone, the barrier he created disappeared.
"I still know far too little about either of you to pick or side or say whether or not this was as uncalled for as Charlie or her Aunt believes it is. But like the others already told you, there isn't time for turning on each other. Not when there's so much work that we need to get started on." Vagatha told both men, wanting to maintain a fair, neutral stance.
With that, there was only one left. Olivia, unlike the others, still stood where she'd been this entire time. Although, admittedly, Samuel expected it. But before he could say something to try and convince her to leave, she approached him and Doomguy.
"I...am forever grateful to you both. You know that. And you also know that you're both important to me." Olivia began. Her hands, which were at her sides, balled tightly into fists as she spoke. "However, if only one comes back, I won't forgive either of you. I don't know how much that means since we've only known each other for a few weeks, but still, I needed to say it." She stated, followed by her departure.
Once Olivia was through the portal, Samuel shut off the Slipgate. Now, it was him, Doomguy, and the harsh winds of the Martian arctic.
"Two things." Samuel started as he got close to his partner. "Firstly, I am installing another new feature to your suit. I started its development after we agreed to work together. It'll grant you the same remote access I have to the Slipgate and allow you to open a portal anywhere you want as long as you have the coordinates. They can be manually inputted and stored for convenience and instant portal creation." He informed him. The installation of said feature finished right after. "Secondly, I am going to uninstall the Tether system. Even if I gave you my word that I'd never use it like this again, you wouldn't trust that. However, don't consider it an apology. I don't regret what I did." He revealed before taking a few steps back.
By the time Samuel had created a small distance between him and Doomguy, Tether had been fully removed from the suit. This resulted in Doomguy falling to the ground. His muscles were still heavily contracted. He'd need a moment to be back to normal.
But, as Samuel anticipated, that took no time at all. In less than ten seconds, Doomguy was already back on his feet. After rolling his shoulders and twisting his neck to ensure he was limber, he began his approach.
Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...
Doomguy walked slowly. It wasn't a side effect of the electrocution; he wanted each step to have an impact as it was pressed into the snow. Samuel knew this. He could tell his partner was overflowing with anger from his movements alone.
When Doomguy reached Samuel, he came to a stop. He looked up at the mechanical man, fists ready to do what they did best.
"No tricks," Samuel promised, even going so far as to outstretch his arms. "No shields of any kind. No sudden portal to take you away from me. Do what you feel is necessary. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop you in this body. It's not built for combat like you." He said.
A few more seconds went by, and all Doomguy did was stare. For the briefest instant, Samuel considered the possibility of nothing happening. But that was only a temporary delusion.
SNAP
In the blink of an eye, Doomguy grabbed Samuel's arms and ripped them off. Afterward, with the same speed, he broke one of his legs by kicking it, sending the cyborg to the snow below. Yet Samuel remained silent even as he landed face first. Afterward, Doomguy turned him so he'd be laying on his back.
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM
Like a caveman bashing his prey with a club, Doomguy assaulted Samuel with his appendages. Each impact of the severed mechanical limbs left a dent or divot in Samuel's head. However, due to Doomguy's strength, the arms eventually broke beyond use. Of course, this was no issue for the space marine. Now, it was time to stomp.
THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK.
The most durable part of Samuel's body was his abdomen. It could withstand armor-piercing rounds from a UAC-issued assault rifle with the same ease as an umbrella deflecting rain. Yet when tested against the armored foot of Doomguy and the physical power behind it, his chest was beginning to crumple like a soda can. It would be then that Doomguy ceased this action, but that wasn't the end of the attack.
Grabbing onto the leg he hadn't kicked, Doomguy lifted Samuel and began thrashing him against the ground. In truth, despite his position, Samuel was impressed. His body's weight was the farthest thing from light. Then again, he had seen the space marine rip off a Hell Baron's horn and cave in its skull. Comparatively, this wasn't a new threshold of strength.
SNAP
It took about a minute for the leg to break. When it did, Samuel had been lifted behind Doomguy for another swing. This resulted in Samuel flying away from Doomguy and landing in a nearby snow bank.
Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...Crunch...
Another slow walk. Currently, Samuel could only hear it. He landed face-first again. Forcing him to wait until he was removed from the snow back or turned around.
But when it did happen, Samuel also received an armored hand around his face. The palm covered his optic so that he couldn't see. After that, he could feel the pressure of Doomguy's fingers as they started to squeeze.
"J...J...Just...s...so...you know..." Samuel could barely speak at this point. His body was on the cusp of shutting down. If that occurred, his brain would only last a few minutes before expiration. "If...you...cru...crush...m...my...head...that...will...be...it..." He informed him.
Even when faced with what could be his last moment alive, Samuel sounded calm. He didn't fear death. He didn't care if he was killed. He only hoped that in his demise, he wouldn't find himself sent to Doom.
As of now, there hadn't been any discoveries or information eluding to the possibility of a "good" equivalent of Doom. A "Heaven" of sorts that was its exact opposite. But if Samuel were to ever pray for the first time in his life, it'd be for that reason. Anything would be better than Doom.
...
...
...
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
That noise came from Samuel's body. It was being dragged through the snow by his head.
FWOOSH
The sound of a portal opening. The Slipgate, no doubt. Doomguy had to be the one responsible.
"SAMUEL!" That was the alarmed voice of Olivia shouting. Presumably, it happened as Doomguy dragged Samuel through the rift.
Following that were running footsteps. Afterward, Samuel felt someone place their hands on his body. Doomguy's was still clutched around his optic, continuing to deprive him of his vision.
"Jesus fucking Christ..." Husk could be heard muttering out loud. Everyone must've been waiting in front of the Slipgate for their return.
"Is...Is he?..." Charlie hesitantly inquired, horrified by what the response would be.
Although he couldn't see it, Samuel assumed Doomguy shook his head. He believed this to be the case as he heard Charlie sigh a moment later. Most likely in relief.
"How are we going to fix him? Do you know?" Vagatha asked.
"D..." Samuel attempted to speak, which surprised everyone. Although, he couldn't see that. "D...D...Drones...t...take...me...to...my...o...o...o...office..." He managed to get out.
Amazingly, it'd be Doomguy to fulfill that order. Unfortunately, this did result in a rather loud scraping noise as Samuel remained dragged across the floor.
"Hey, big guy. Don't you think he's had enough? Couldn't you be a bit more gentle with him?" Angel Dust asked. Following that question, the sound of many footsteps was heard behind Samuel.
The answer to that question, un-shockingly, was no. Indicated by Samuel being dragged to his office. Never once leaving the ground.
Once there and after the door had opened, Doomguy, as a last non-verbal "fuck you", tossed Samuel into the room.
THUD
Landing with a loud crash, Samuel's sight was back as he was released from his partner's grasp. Immediately following this freedom was the sight of everyone else standing above him. Each with a genuinely worried look on their face.
"Hey! Sam! You can still hear us, right?" Cherri asked.
"Y...Y...Yes..." Samuel answered.
"Shit...is it okay for you to talk? Is it straining your body or draining your power?" Husk inquired.
"N...No..." Samuel replied.
"That's good!" Nifty exclaimed. Thanks to her height, she could be the closest to Samuel without much effort. "Do you need anything from us? How can we help?" She asked.
"C...C...Computer..." Samuel answered. "C...Can't...access...press...enter...key..." He said.
"Allow me." Alastor offered as he walked behind the desk.
When he did, the Radio Demon discovered something amazing. In another display of his intelligence, Samuel had preemptively prepared the command for his drones to come and repair him. The order was ready and waiting. All that was needed was a single press of the enter key.
"Hmph, impressively prepared." Alastor praised him before pushing in the key.
Near instantly, a swarm of drones rushed into the room. Half of them carried boxes nearly overflowed with parts, while the others had tools and other gadgets needed for the task. Everyone took several steps back to allow the machines to do their work. They'd go on to watch in silent amazement at the drones' speed, efficiency, and delicate touch.
However, something went unnoticed amidst this mechanical emergency surgery to restore Samuel. The absence of Doomguy, and the departure of a certain serpent who went to find him.