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Doomguy was alone. Flynn, Wretch, the Mother, and Betruger were gone. The first thing to meet him when he entered the rift was a dirt-covered ground and a stone wall that curved around him. The size of the space was massive and circular, which led to one conclusion.
This was an arena. As the space marine looked around more, he discovered two things. First, there was an audience comprised of Archviles and Spider Masterminds. Yet, none of them did anything. This wasn't an ambush.
Second, the "host" of this affair. The Cyberdemon sat on a throne carved from the environment. When Doomguy's eyes met those of his rival, there was a brief staredown. Much like the Archviles and Spider Masterminds, the Cyberdemon had no intent of attacking.
Casually, the behemoth raised its organic arm. That gesture was a signal to the Archviles to do something. Each of the Demons raised their hands and conjured fire. But still, none of the space marine's instincts were going off. He wasn't about to be roasted.
"...Oh!" That was Lilith's voice. While the Archviles busied themselves, Doomguy retrieved his Conjuration Cube from his suit's inventory. For the Arcanists back in Hell, their vision was enveloped in darkness until the artifacts were summoned.
Immediately, before saying anything else, the Queen of Hell observed the unfolding scene. Much like her partner, she didn't know what to make of it.
"William, what's happening?" Lilith whispered. Upon gaining control of the Conjuration Cube, the Arcanists could pilot it. Each of them would keep the item hovering behind their partners so as not to get in the way.
All the space marine could do was shrug. Impressively, Doom managed to come up with something new, even after all this time. The duo watched as all of the Archviles' fires were ignited and grew to substantial sizes. Then, in the center of the arena...
FWOOSH
A massive eruption of flames. The raging inferno was tall enough to surpass the Cyberdemon's height. After a few seconds, a shadow could be seen within the orange glow. It was large, bigger than Doomguy, but not to a degree that it felt concerning.
Slowly, a set of hooved legs carried a creature into the light. The entity resembled a Hell Knight as the space marine once knew them to look like. Brown-furred legs, peach-colored skin, and a general resemblance to a Baron. However, that's when the differences were noticed.
The beast, presumed to be an original Hell Knight, was covered in scars. The wounds were many and varied, coming from claws, fangs, powers, and, most surprisingly, weaponry. On the subject of armaments, the monster wielded some, which Doomguy had never seen from a Demon before. In its right hand was a mace-like item, on its left hip was another, and in its left hand was a full-body tower shield with a face on it. Currently, the shield was being carried on its side, which is how the space marine and his partner could see the rest of it.
"I'm assuming this is also a surprise," Lilith whispered, receiving a nod in reply.
A few seconds later, the Hell Knight (?) was standing a few feet away from the space marine. The Archviles stopped casting their fire soon after, thus making the massive pillar disappear. All eyes, including that of the beast, turned to look at the Cyberdemon, who then opened its mouth.
"Slayer." A guttural growl escaped the Cyberdemon's maw. Yet, both Doomguy and Lilith knew it wasn't the Cyberdemon speaking to them. "You stand in this pit of entertainment for my finest. You have slain countless Demons by your hands alone. If you wish to free the souls claimed during our encounter with the man known as Samuel Hayden, then you will face the Gladiator with only your toothed sword. We will permit the assistance of the ally you have brought with you. However, any attempts to use your weapons or powers will end this match. You are to prove to us that you can fight only with yourself. You will show that there are greater reasons for your survival than the benefits my powers have provided. Even if you shall fall, we will still free the souls. All we want to see is your true grit. Will you oblige?" The voice stated, ending with a question.
No hesitation. Doomguy started summoning everything in his inventory. Shotguns, the assault rifle, the Chaingun, the plasma rifle, the Gauss Cannon, the rocket launcher, the BFG, grenades, holograms, and siphon spheres. As for the powers, those wouldn't be recklessly wasted, which the Demons anticipated and allowed. So long as they weren't used in the fight, then there'd be no conflict.
"Will you let your weapons be destroyed?" The voice asked.
Instantly, the space marine started throwing everything at the Gladiator's hooves. In reaction, it crushed each item and ground it into scrap. Eventually, all of it was gone, except for the chainsaw.
"Respect where it is owed. You have shown no restraint." The voice praised him. "Now, brandish your sword." It commanded.
When the chainsaw appeared, the Gladiator readied by positioning its shield in front of its body. As Doomguy pulled the ripcord and brought his favorite power tool to life, the Conjuration Cube started changing. Lilith didn't know what was about to happen, but she'd be prepared with obvious precautions.
"On the signal of my champion, the battle will commence." The voice said. Simultaneously, the Cyberdemon raised its mechanical arm.
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BOOM
A rocket was fired and detonated in the air. Doomguy rushed forward, wanting to test the shield's durability. The Gladiator held its ground and spun the mace in its right hand. From the weapon, an orange energy shined.
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The chainsaw ground against the shield. From what the space marine could discern, there was no valuable damage being dealt. The Gladiator's mace was done charging. In response to its opponent, the beast unleashed a burst to separate them.
Doomguy stayed on his feet as he slid across the arena. He almost hit the wall that was behind, stopping short by a few inches. With distance created, the Gladiator went on the offensive. Its mace was still charged with energy, so it began sending crescent-shaped waves toward its foe.
The space marine avoided the projectiles by strafing around the outer rim of the combat area. During this, Lilith applied some buffs that she hoped would help. They weren't on par with Haste or Berserk, but the increase in movement speed and physical output was still appreciated.
When the mace no longer held power, the Gladiator surprised Doomguy with another of its features. How the mace was so easily spun is that its head was attached to a chain that was stored within the handle. At the press of a button, the head could be sent flying out for ranged attacks. Cleverly, the beast attacked the section of the wall ahead of its adversary to stop the strafing.
Now, it was time for the space marine to surprise the enemy. As the mace's head was retracted, he grabbed onto the chain. In reaction, the Gladiator whipped the chain to try and quickly smash him into the ground. However, he let go right as the chain curved upward halfway through the action.
Now airborne, Doomguy aimed his downward trajectory at the Gladiator. The plan was to plunge the chainsaw into the Demon's head or the face of its shield. Either way, the hope was for SOME damage to occur. Alas, there were more surprises in store.
The Gladiator raised its shield and then sent forth a red-colored replication of it. It was essentially a projectile with the same dimensions as the shield itself. There wasn't a way to avoid it, but the space marine wasn't worried. Lilith, quick to cast, erected a barrier in front of her partner.
The collision still succeeded in stopping Doomguy's momentum, forcing him back to the ground. Once there, he briefly stared into the eyes of the Gladiator, and it did the same. This creature may look like a Hell Knight, but it wasn't. There was a thinking mind inside that head. It was an ACTUAL warrior.
After that moment passed, the Gladiator initiated another confrontation. It charged at the space marine, knowing that he'd have to move to the left or the right. The choice was left, to which the Demon swatted its opponent with its shield.
Doomguy collided with the arena wall. Right after, the Gladiator was on top of him, already swinging its mace. The chainsaw was raised, and the weapons clashed. For the next several seconds, the combatants stood against one another and had a contest of strength.
Neither of the fighters moved an inch. The chainsaw ground against the mace, but it wasn't cutting through. The Gladiator could've attacked with its shield, but it chose not to. This was a matter of Pride, and it would-
BOOM
A massive explosion of electricity struck the Demon. Lilith had conjured a concentration of lightning above its head as it was distracted. The bolt didn't do too much damage, but it did make the Gladiator stumble, which created an opening.
SHLICK
In one swipe, the space marine made an upward diagonal gash across the Gladiator's torso. It didn't go deep enough to win the match, but it was a serious injury. Of course, this was a Demon from Doom. It'd behave no differently even as blood started gushing.
With balance regained, the Gladiator slammed the ground with its shield. The tremendous power behind the action managed to lift Doomguy off his feet. Before any reactions could happen, the Demon struck him in the face with its weapon. The blow was mighty enough to shatter the helmet's visor.
The space marine maintained his grip on his chainsaw. Again, before the man could do anything, the Gladiator did something first. It slammed the bottom of its shield onto his waist, effectively pinning him. Afterward, the Demon raised one of its hooves to stomp. Big mistake.
FWOOSH
A strong wind, the kind you'd feel during a storm, pushed against the Gladiator. Lilith waited until the leg was raised as high as it could go. The gale nearly sent the Demon backward, but its shield helped to keep it steady. Once more, an opportunity was manifested and seized.
Doomguy had NO idea what was about to transpire. He assumed, knowing Doom, that the shield having a face wasn't just for a cool aesthetic. He stabbed the open mouth with his chainsaw and revved it. Wild sparks of Arcane energy flew out, followed by-
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Imagine taking a nuke to the face. The blinding light, the intense heat, and the impact of the shockwave. All of it would be devastating. But what if it wasn't? What if you could SURVIVE something of that magnitude?
Doomguy's armor was charred black. His eyes were burning, but he wasn't blind. Through the blurriness of his vision, he saw his chainsaw. The poor thing was little more than scrap now.
As the space marine tossed the hunk of metal away, he assessed the condition of everything else around him. The audience hadn't been affected, likely protected by a barrier of some kind. As for the Conjuration Cube, it was a casualty.
The arena was filled with black smoke from the explosion, meaning the Gladiator couldn't be seen. Doomguy knew it hadn't died since there was no declaration of victory. Yet, as he got to his feet, he heard some noises elsewhere. A second later-
FWOOSH
Barely. The space marine recognized the sound just in time. It was the movement of chains. If there were any doubts, the flying mace head that nearly made contact dispelled them.
FWOOSH
Another one. It, too, was scarily close to hitting its target. So, this is how the fight was going to go from here. A rhythmic pattern of the maces being used from a distance.
FWOOSH
FWOOSH
FWOOSH
FWOOSH
Doomguy could only evade for now. With the smoke persisting, he didn't have a visual on his opponent. Sure, he could easily see where the maces were coming from, but that's not the issue. It was the lack of readable reactions and body language that kept him mostly stationary. He wouldn't be reckless by charging at an unseen foe.
Fortunately, the maces were steadily pushing the smoke away. After a full ten minutes of weaving around these deadly bludgeons, the space marine saw his target. The entire left half of the Gladiator was nothing but bone, yet it still lived. An orange fire burned within the body, resulting in a very striking image.
When their eyes met again, the Demon changed tactics. It launched both maces on either side of Doomguy, and then it channeled its power through them. Two walls of surging energy appeared, preventing any escape. Afterward, the Gladiator sent fluctuating strands down the middle in the hope of harming its opponent.
Naturally, the space marine was unfazed. He lept over and ducked beneath the strands and their constantly changing heights. His forearms were raised in front of himself to protect him and to be ready for an eventual counterattack. Oh, there was one, just not what was expected.
When Doomguy was close enough, the Gladiator THREW itself at him. Not tackle, not jump, not leap, THREW. The entire weight of the Demon fell onto the man, pinning him a second time. Only now, it was time to play Whack-A-Slayer.
BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM
As the Gladiator adjusted itself following the full-body press, it retracted the heads of its maces to their handles. Then, with the space marine vulnerable, it went straight for the skull. Blow after blow after blow after blow. Only a few seconds in, the helmet broke to pieces.
Doomguy's head jerked this way and that with each strike. His skin, muscles, and bones were incredibly resilient, but there WAS a threshold. Parts of the face started tearing, welts began to appear, and the mind was becoming dazed. Could this be it? Was the Slayer finally about to-
THUD
The right mace was caught. The space marine gripped it and refused to let go. When the Gladiator went in with its left mace, the outcome repeated. With both weapons now firmly grabbed...
SNAP
Through the handles and the chains, Doomguy broke the maces. Their heads fell to the ground, making them useless. The Gladiator seemed impressed, but that recognition of strength didn't last long. After throwing away the useless handles, it wrapped its hands around his skull. The plan was to gouge out the eyes while squeezing the head until it popped.
SHICK
The Demon howled in pain. The space marine didn't try to remove or break the hands that gripped him. Instead, he put all of his strength into his fingers and dug them into the Gladiator's forearms. Doing so led to two results: 1. It was FAR more difficult for the beast to use its hands. 2. He was latched on with NO intent of letting go.
The Gladiator roared in anger as it pulled Doomguy out from underneath itself. It was going to smash this bastard to pieces! Of course, to everyone else viewing the battle, they knew what this really was. Checkmate.
With his legs freed, the space marine wrapped them around the Demon's neck. Unbeknownst to the man, he was replicating a technique that had been used by one of his associates. However, it would have a different execution that was unique to him.
Have you ever seen a watermelon explode from having too many rubber bands wrapped around it? That's what Doomguy did to the Gladiator. Using every bit of physical power he had in his body, he crushed his opponent's skull with his thighs. Everyone could hear the skull crack, creak, and eventually...
SPLOOSH
Blood, brain matter, and general viscera. It was a gore-filled eruption of death. Together, the combatants fell to the arena floor, each landing on their backside. As the victor stared into the endless clouded sky above, the match received its official conclusion.
"Without a weapon, the Gladiator has been felled." The voice spoke, coming from the Cyberdemon like before. "You have fulfilled your obligation, Slayer. To the winner go the spoils." It declared.
FWOOM
A portal manifested nearby. On the other side, there was a swamp of some sort. Huh, that was a new locale for Doom.
"Your destination is the final trial. It shall not be put into motion until your allies have joined you. The souls you desire are contained within a sphere placed upon a pedestal. With that, our business is finished." The voice stated.
Afterward, something indescribable happened. The Demons disappeared, but not instantaneously. Each of them, including the remains of the Gladiator and the Cyberdemon, became an ethereal essence. Were they nothing more than tangible illusions, or was that simply Doom showing how easily it could alter the states of its creatures?
Doomguy didn't care. He got to his feet, dusted off some of the dirt and soot, and then he exited the arena. When the rift closed, he found himself on a large gray platform made of carved stone at the center of a misty marsh. True to its word, the sphere and pedestal that Doom mentioned were but a few steps away. The only thing left to do was enjoy a small break and wait for Flynn and the Wretch.