Freefall. For the Marine, this was the second time today. For Doomguy, it was the first. However, neither of them were concerned about that. Their attention was drawn to the environment that rapidly passed by. It wasn't normal, even by Doom's standards.

An ethereal void didn't surround the duo. There wasn't fire and brimstone. No Caustic Sea or other such thing. They weren't inside a temple, castle, or keep. The duo fell through a long corridor. It consisted of metal, pipes, and various technologies.

This environment felt like the UAC, both the ones Doomguy knew and that which the Marine was familiar with. This was clean and industrial. This was legitimately hi-tech. What was going on? Did Doom trick them? Was the portal a red herring? Were they sent somewhere else?

Seconds became minutes, and the duo still fell. Was it a bottomless pit? Were they stuck going in a circle? A time loop? What was happening? They felt compelled to exchange a glance because it was so peculiar.

EVENTUALLY. FINALLY. The pair of Demon-killing experts impacted the ground. However, it was INSANELY well-built. Not so much as a scratch or scuff on the floor. Speaking of, it was a beautifully maintained chrome. Again, what was going on?

The duo quickly studied the space they were in. A large room. Comparable to an auditorium. Yet, nothing else was here beyond the walls, floor, ceiling, and chute that they fell through. No doors. No traps. No hazards. No enemies. Did Doom plan to put them in a box and hope they'd never escape? They tried that already!

Suddenly, a sound rang through the air. Both men summoned and readied their plasma rifles. But as the sound lingered in their minds, they realized something. It...sounded like an intercom system.

"Welcome." A...voice? Sure, Doomguy and the Marine had heard voices before. No, not just the ones in their heads. Whenever they heard a voice come from Doom, its tone was always deep, commanding, and sinister. But this one sounded normal. "This is a very significant moment. Before now, I've only ever heard whispers and mutters about the infamous Slayer. As for you, Marine, I'm astonished you're still alive. It would seem that the traitor managed to keep your soul with him. And, given your new suit, the Maykrs were grateful for your assistance." It said.

THUD

Unexpectedly, the Marine dropped to his knees. Doomguy, reacting quickly, hurried to his comrade's side. He knelt next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. With the other, he maintained a firm grip on his plasma rifle, ready for a fight. The Marine's lay next to him on the floor, having slipped from his hands as his arms went limp.

"Ha ha, didn't expect to hear from me again? Honestly, I can't blame you." The voice admitted. "Our master isn't keen on failure. However, as the Slayer continued to be an issue, he realized that he should give the idea behind the traitor's existence another go. Yet, as expected, he needed someone to help advise him. He didn't know how to avoid recreating his greatest mistake. So, he looked inward. Searched himself for a soul he could trust without question. Someone whose devotion was absolute and unwavering. Thus, he summoned me." It continued. As it did, something was happening to the room. Doomguy couldn't see the change, but he felt it. An unknown energy was building. "With my instruction and the aid of my peers, we've prepared a demonstration of our efforts. I do apologize for how long it took us to be ready. We needed to ensure there would be no errors. However, some of our initial proposals did appear during the Mars invasion. To be more precise, Samuel's reality. The Hell Guards, Slayer. Surely you remember them." It concluded.

Within an instant, the accumulating energy was discharged. Its purpose? Teleportation. Not Arcane. This was technology-based, indicated by the electricity that lingered afterward.

Two Hell Guards, only now, they were improved. Previously, their bodies were made of hardened plates and meat. Now? The pieces, once natural armor, were now metal. The flesh remained but was also enhanced with augmentations. Presumably, they were still piloted by parasitic worms.

"We'd like you to give these new models a test run. That's why we brought you here." The voice informed them. "Please, put on a good show. All data is useful." It requested.

The Hell Guards weren't wielding weapons. Would they summon them? It was possible. But that's not what was important. The Marine was still unresponsive. Why did that voice affect him so strongly?

BAM

Doomguy, doing the only thing he could think of, punched his comrade in the face. Snap out of it! The Hell Guards were motionless, waiting for the pair to make a move. This was different. They weren't instigating. This entire situation was unlike anything they'd experienced before!

Thankfully, the Marine came back to himself from that blow. Despite being dazed by the voice, he needed no explanation of what was happening. He'd never faced these creatures before, but that didn't matter. The silent soldier was ready to fight after picking up his plasma rifle and standing up.

Side by side, Doomguy and the Marine internally debated the best action. The Hell Guards still hadn't moved, not even a twitch. They were going to react to whatever the pair chose. So, the duo decided to play to their strengths.

Doomguy rushed forward, stashing his plasma rifle and using a stock of Berserk. The Marine maintained his position and used a stock of Haste. Whatever the Hell Guards were about to do, he'd match their speed with his aim and track them flawlessly. The MOMENT they moved, he'd begin his barrage.

When Doomguy ran toward them, the Hell Guards finally did something. The one on the left charged, choosing to meet the space marine in the middle. The one on the right, like the Marine, stayed back. However, it wasn't firing any projectiles or casting any spells.

The explanation for why came when the Hell Guard collided with Doomguy. A barrier, perfectly transparent, surrounded the Demonic entity. When Doomguy collided with it, he bounced backward. Yet, the Hell Guard wouldn't give him a chance to recover.

Grabbing onto his leg, the Hell Guard threw Doomguy into the left wall. Knowing that the second Hell Guard must be channeling the shield, the Marine began firing at the stationary monster. Sadly, the surprises weren't through yet. As it turned out, the second Hell Guard had been doing nothing. The barrier was a product of their new technological enhancements.

Upon receiving the Marine's barrage, the second Hell Guard absorbed the projectiles. Shit. It had protection against energy? Not only that, it was able to use it for a counterattack. Combining it with its own and infusing it with the Arcane, the Hell Guard sent forth a wide horizontal wave.

In reaction, the Marine leaped over the attack and headed straight for his opponent. During his airtime, he traded the plasma rifle for his shotgun. If energy didn't work, surely good old-fashioned buckshot would. At least, that was the hope.

During that exchange, Doomguy was experiencing the most intense hand-to-hand combat he'd ever gotten from a Demon. After throwing him against the wall, the Hell Guard wasted no time rushing him down. Once they were mere inches apart, the two began a boxing contest. The Hell Guard perfectly blocked every single punch Doomguy threw.

Back with the Marine, it wasn't looking any better. The buckshot did get through the energy protection his opponent had. Unfortunately, the damage was minimal. He'd need to aim at specific parts, like the Hell Guard's joints and other fleshy bits, to maximize its effectiveness. Of course, the Demon wasn't giving him the opportunities.

Once they were in close combat, the Hell Guard summoned a mace. It could swing the weapon, recover, and swing again with remarkable speed. Simultaneously, as it tried to land a hit on the Marine, it defended against the shotgun's spread as much as possible. Sure, some pellets slipped by, hence the silent soldier could discern its damage on the creature. But this was getting him nowhere fast.

So, the Marine had an idea. He fired his shotgun one more time, ensuring that only the arm holding it was occupied. In reaction, the Hell Guard predictably blocked the buckshot. However, the Marine had aimed high, meaning there was a tiny window of opportunity. Without hesitation, he summoned a new weapon in his available hand and used it.

SHICK

A Divine weapon, courtesy of the Maykrs. It was a spear. Its length and design meant that the Marine only needed to thrust it to get the job done. Although he had never fought a Hell Guard, he studied the information Samuel had obtained. You can't be a proper Demon killer without doing your homework.

The spear had been aimed at the Hell Guard's torso. That was where the parasite should be. As the entire body went limp and a mysterious liquid trailed down the spear's body, the Marine knew he succeeded. Target eliminated. Battle won.

CRACK

That deafening noise came from elsewhere in the room. Even before the Marine turned to see the cause, he knew what it was. After storing his spear, the Hell Guard fell to the floor as a lifeless lump. It impacted the ground with a satisfying sound.

On the other side of the room, Doomguy was climbing onto his opponent. What transpired was an equally impressive display of combat skill and knowledge. Suddenly, he activated two different Power-Ups during his boxing match with the Hell Guard. Haste, and the last stock Doomguy had of Berserk. Then, with his arms raised to block the Demon's next strike, he used the innate momentum boost Haste granted him and combined it with the physical strength improvement of Bersrerk for a headbutt. With speed and raw power, the space marine struck the Hell Guard with the force of an artillery shell.

As Doomguy ripped open his opponent's chest plate, he suspected the worm inside would be on the brink of death. He was wrong. The force of the impact had thrown the thing against the inner backside of its body. It was nothing more than a stain and meat chunks.

After making this discovery, energy began building again. Doomguy felt it again as did the Marine. However, it wasn't bringing something else in. At least, not yet. Instead, it was removing the Hell Guards' corpses.

"Well done, gentlemen." The voice spoke when the bodies vanished. "As we assumed, you made quick work of them even with their revised design. The information we've obtained is essential. Sincerely, thank you." It carried on. The energy, for a third time, was building. "Now, we have one more test we'd like to conduct. Another design revision. Please do not hold back." It concluded, ending with a request.

Afterward, there was another burst of electricity in the center of the room. Standing there was a towering foe that both men were familiar with. Yet, as the voice stated, it was different. Its mechanical components were vastly improved.

With a roar, the Cyberdemon greeted its opponents. The Slayer was a delight; the Marine was a pleasant bonus. Before either one could ready a weapon, the Cyberdemon charged. Its first target was the Marine, believing him to be the weaker of the two.

In reaction, the Marine braced for impact. The Cyberdemon was too big and moving too fast for him to dodge easily. Even so, he was confident in the Maykrs'-

SWISH

In one motion, the Marine was cut in half. The bladed arm of the Cyberdemon was enhanced with the power of its soul. The Marine's suit was of Divine design and possessed energy of the same type. But that wouldn't impede the movement of a several-ton heavy arm swinging a massive blade empowered by unspeakable forces. That was a tangible object. It wasn't a conjuration of Corrupt power.

From Doomguy's perspective, this moment unfolded in slow motion. The Marine was...dead. He watched his comrade's upper half fall and hit the ground. The legs remained upright until the Cyberdemon picked them up and crushed them in its grasp.

As the beast turned to face its rival, Doomguy felt his hands tighten into fists. He didn't move. He didn't summon a weapon. He stood there and stared at his nemesis.

Seeing this as an invitation, the Cyberdemon charged. One of its many upgrades was faster and stronger jets. It crossed the room in a second, ready to deliver the same swing of its bladed arm at its adversary. Doomguy remained motionless. He welcomed the attack.

CLANG

Before the blade hit the space marine, he activated a stock of Invulnerability. This was the first; he had two left. He'd only need one.

Immediately, Doomguy grabbed onto his opponent's limb. In response, the Cyberdemon lifted it to throw him off. However, the space marine used this movement to his advantage. He released the monster's arm and was sent directly to its face. Unfortunately for the behemoth, he was too close to be swatted by its other mechanical arm.

Upon impact, Doomguy sent his right fist through the left side of the Cyberdemon's face. Then, once inside, he summoned the BFG. He was going to blow the bastard apart from within. The Cyberdemon, aware of what was happening, prevented this by aiming its artificial limb at the floor and firing as strongly of a laser as possible.

The force of the beam was immense. Furthermore, the Cyberdemon deliberately didn't maintain its balance. It was sent backward to the floor. Doomguy, even with a firm grip, couldn't maintain it as the generated force was too powerful. Thus, he went flying across the room.

BAM

Doomguy hit the ground and skid across it until he reached the wall. Now, on his back, he watched the Cyberdemon get up from its. Yet, as the space marine quickly moved to do the same, he made a horrifying discovery. The BFG was still inside his opponent's body.

The Cyberdemon, again aware of this, chuckled. That was the first time Doomguy had ever heard such a noise be produced by its maw. This...This...mother fucker. This piece of shit. This cocky son of a-

thud

...Something...hit Doomguy's leg. Slowly, he looked down. On the floor to his right, it was...the Marine's BFG. However, when he looked at the upper torso of his comrade, it still seemed motionless. What just happened?

Before Doomguy could make sense of this, the ground started shaking. The Cyberdemon was upright and approaching. Wasting not a second, the space marine picked up the weapon. When he did, his opponent could properly see it. For the first time Doomguy had ever witnessed, the Cyberdemon was brought to a stop. The beast was surprised. Honestly, so was the mute. Neither understood how this was possible.

Tragically, the Cyberdemon wouldn't get a chance to make sense of it. Doomguy pulled the trigger. He didn't need to charge the projectile. He was confident when it made contact with the body of his foe, which is where his BFG was, that there'd be a reaction of some kind. Oh, there abso-fucking-lutely was.

Everything was green. The room. The air. The Cyberdemon. Everything. A nuclear explosion? No, better. More devestating. More destructive. More brutally beautiful.

To say the Cyberdemon was erased on a molecular level would be a VAST understatement. It's very possible that it didn't have time to register and process pain. It was gone THAT quickly. The description of "erased" was not for flair or exaggeration. It. Was. Gone.

Of course, Doomguy and the Marine's torso were singed to shit. The former was fairly certain a few hairs got burned as well. But when reality returned to a non-green state, Doomguy swiftly focused back on the Marine. That mystery NEEDED to be solved.

Thankfully, although worsening Doomguy's confusion, the Marine slowly raised his arm and gave a thumbs up. His plan worked. Apparently, he HAD a plan. However, Doomguy was confident getting cut in half wasn't part of it.

"Multiple BFGs. Credit where it's due; we didn't account for that." The voice spoke, surprisingly praising them. "Again, thank you for your time, gentlemen. We've gathered quite a lot from this experience. The invasion. These fights. It's all been invaluable." It continued. For the fourth and final time, energy was building in the room. "Don't worry about the Gore Nest. We'll take care of it on our end. It's the least we can do." It concluded.

Then, in a flash, the duo were gone. They were teleported. But it wasn't to another part of Doom. They were returned to Hell.