Hey, hey, HEY! Guess who's back? And OHHHHH! He returns with a new chapter! And on the fourth anniversary of this story's inception! Man, it feels good to post on time. But even better now that I finally got to post! And boy am I proud of myself!
But enough talk! Have at it!
(Word count: 9508)
(The Super Gore Nest - Doom Eternal OST)
"SKARBRAND HATES THAT YOU SURVIVED! SKARBRAND WILL KILL YOU!"
The daemon soon charged towards the Slayer, with the Khornates behind him following–reinvigorated by an unlikely savior and collective madness.
Doom Slayer, frustrated by his efforts being kicked back - literally -, cracked his knuckles before rushing towards his enemy. With inhuman speed, Doom Slayer put all of his energy into his legs and leapt forward in a burst of strength - launching himself toward the Bloodthirster with the Super Shotgun's trigger pulled.
Buckshot pierced the flesh but the daemon was unfazed. Instead, he swung his axes at the Slayer. The latter evaded with fluid motion–his size and stature a complete advantage and continued to fire back. Still, the Bloodthirster was surprisingly fast. More so than his fellow bloodthirsters. His swings flew and crashed against bodies like freight trains. Bodies - man, daemon and elf - were torn asunder as the daemon tried to lay a blow on his prey. The Slayer pulled out the Chaingun and started firing. Tungsten rounds ripped through the daemon's flesh yet it only enraged Skarbrand even more. The Bloodthirster attempted to rip him apart but the Chaingun's energy shield kept the owner safe at a distance.
"SKARBRAND HATES CHEATERS!" Roared the daemon, "SKARBRAND DELIVERS COWARDS TO MIGHTY KHORNE!"
All around them, the city was filled to the brim with bloodshed once more. The Khornates, now emboldened by Skarbrand's tide, continued their onslaught without issue. The druchii fought ferociously of course. Emboldened by the Slayer's rampage earlier, they fought on with tooth and nail–rejuvenated to fight for their home. The Shadow Warriors joined in the fighting as well, their arrows puncturing through the gaps of the warpforged armor. Alith kept a cool head under the intense battle, swiftly nocking arrows into the enemy. Fighting Chaos was no different from fighting druchii. Their mortal servants were fallible to the so-called 'weaknesses' that all living things had in common. Death makes no exceptions.
Sidestepping a Khornate's axe, Alith whacked him across his unprotected head with the bow before slashing at his throat with his sword. The barbarian clutched his throat. Not even rage could prevent blood loss in an instant, the Khornate dying unremembered. Alith weaved across the battlefield in flawless motion. Like a captain of his ship, he wrestled with the crashing waves that poured endlessly into the streets of Naggarond. Suddenly, a portal appeared in the midst of the siege. A mass of witch elves and executioners poured out of the portal. Hellebron appeared alongside them–rejuvenated to her youthful form once again and screaming all sorts of curses in the name of Khaine before entering the fray. Erupting from the Tower of Chill, Malus Darkblade and his retinue of Cold One Knights charged into the horde of barbarians to make a push.
And though, both beastmasters were sent off to protect their respective fortress cities, both Lokhir and Rakarth sent menageries to support their lordship. Medusae and Harpies tore through Khornate ranks with vicious stride. Kharibdyssi and War Hydras battled the beasts of Chaos with their titanous strength–toppling a few warshrines in their path.
In the skies, Seraphon swooped down and breathed her terrible power on the Khornates entering the city. The savages choked on the poisonous breath–blood pouring from every orifice. Sulephet followed as well, galloping across the air and giving his mistress the distance to unleash magical destruction on the invaders safely. Targeting the artillery units, Morathi smiled maliciously as her magic destroyed the cannons and those onboard. Ammunition exploded wonderfully like Cathayan fireworks and the screams of burning daemons and Chaos Dwarfs were music to her ears.
Despite the losses, the Khornates no longer cared what was happening. They slaughtered with reckless abandon. Wolfram Deathmetal led the charge, swinging his axes into elven bodies and beheading those in the path of his blades. Adrenaline pumped in his veins with each kill he made.
Wolfram shouted his god's mantra as he strode across with mad glee.
Wulfrik watched the event unfold. A glorious battle to behold! He was all too prepared to jump out of his ship and crash into the sea of warriors–especially a chance to duel with the Slayer. Yet, his current state made it obvious that he was not fit to fight. Not yet, at least. A wolf needed to lick his wounds, after all. For now, he was entertaining himself.
And the clash of two formidable titans was a spectacle of the ages. The disfavored child of Khorne against the Chaosbane. A scent caught his attention. The smell of magic was not far from him. Quickly, Wulfrik spun to face the intruder.
"Mighty Wulfrik!" Greeted an old man, "Praise the Dark Gods that you survived your fall!"
The Worldwalker sneered at the sorcerer's presence. He wore the look of a hermit and had a white raven on his shoulder. His eyes were milky white–revealing his blindness. Yet there was a hint of both wisdom…and deceit behind them. Wulfrik, however, knew all too well what God he followed. Regardless, he also knew as not to harm a devotee of the Raven.
"What is it, Sorcerer?" He growled, "Can't you see I'm enjoying myself?"
"As the Gods would want you." The sorcerer replied, "Khorne especially has decided that you refrain from joining the onslaught."
"I had no plans on joining, sorcerer," said Wulfrik, "yet it is surprising to know the Blood God would see that I am spared."
"Enough blood has been spilled here." The sorcerer declared, "And you have not yet recovered from your wounds. The Gods cannot afford to lose more of their champions. Arbaal was one such victim."
Wulfrik looked mildly surprised hearing the Undefeated's… defeat.
"Him? He's dead?" Wulfrik inquired. The sorcerer's nod all but confirmed.
Wulfrik hummed as he gathered his thoughts.
"Dragon!" Hollered one of his men. Indeed, a great black dragon was coming in reach. Worse, Wulfrik noticed its rider on its back. He knew full well that this was the Witch-King. Instinctively, the Worldwalker pulled his sword out. As did the rest of the crew. Wulfrik attempted to hurl insults as it closed on in. However, he felt something caught in his throat. He tried to cough out but to no avail. He was suddenly speechless.
And as the dragon came… it flew past them.
Mass confusion followed. The crew wondered what happened. As did Wulfrik. Mostly, though, they felt relieved when it avoided them.
"At ease, mighty Wulfrik." Soothed the sorcerer, "Need not worry. We are enveloped in shadow thanks to my magic. The enemy is unable to see us even with their dragons and witchsight. Though, I would advise you to take it as an opportunity to escape."
"Tsk," Wulfrik scornfully dismissed, "Like I want to miss a battle. Bad enough I am still healing from the wounds. So let me enjoy this moment of entertainment."
Even when blind, the old man frowned and said, "If you wish to have a brush with death, so be it. Don't expect this battle to be in our favor."
"If you insist," Wulfrik replied, "better I know our enemy the next we meet."
Soon, one of Wulfrik's men approached him with a cup of ale. The wolfish champion grabbed and sipped, savoring the contents as he watched the battle below.
Back at the duel, both warriors proved evenly matched. The Slayer had been killing demons for eons but the Bloodthirster proved to be more formidable than any daemon he had faced. And he was wasting ammunition on the daemon, who was too focused to let his wounds distract him.
Remembering his last rodeo, Doom Slayer charged and leapt onto the daemon's face. Quickly, he jumped to the top of his skull and leapt on his back. Grabbing at both of his wings, the Slayer controlled the daemon's movement like a marionette–pulling at his wings. The pain caused Skarbrand to thrash and swing his axes around the surrounding battle. Puppeteering the daemon's attack, the Slayer controlled his movements–using both Doomblade and axe to get him to lash out at the Chaos warriors. Some of the worshippers were hacked and mauled in the daemon's path. Others crushed and flattened under his hooves. Seeing the daemon rampage its way blindly, everyone around the battlefield frantically moved out of the Bloodthirster's way.
Angered by the Slayer's clever tactic, Skarbrand slammed his dual axes to the ground and tried to reach for him. Seeing the daemon's hands reach for him, Doom Slayer jumped out of the way, but not before ripping off one of his tattered wings. The bloodthirster screamed in pain and fell forward. Landing safely, Doom Slayer cast the wing aside and stood up with the Crowd Appeaser.
The daemon, however, was defiant as always. Reaching for his remaining wing, Skarbrand tore it from his back and threw it aside before grabbing his axes and facing the Doom Slayer once more. He roared defiantly with both arms extended.
Doom Slayer smirked behind his visor and charged. The daemon followed suit–both colliding head-on.
Wolfram bisected the third executioner he had faced. A witch elf charged at him wildly with daggers in hand. Swift as the wind, his axe bit into her neck–head flying elsewhere. A lowly soldier held his shield just as the Yaarl raised his axe. The shield cracked under the strength, and the steel sank into the elf's head.
An arrow soon punctured him in the gap of his back. Turning to face his attacker, he saw the damn elf reaching for another arrow from his quiver. Another went straight into his shoulder. Enraged, Wolfram screamed bloody murder and charged at him.
Alith dodged the coming berserker and pulled his sword to parry the warrior's attack. Both locked blades and briefly stared down.
"MAGGOT!" Wolfram shouted, "Cowards use arrows in close quarters! Let's see what you can do with that toothpick you wield!"
Alith, in response, kicked the warlord away and kept his distance. No stranger to combat, Alith swiftly dodged the berserker's coming attacks and retaliated when he could. Likewise, the Yaarl grew infuriated by the elf's annoying speed. It reminded him too much of the cowardly Slaaneshi warriors, who relied too much on their speed and perfection. Only their arrogance would prove their downfall. And like them, the elves were folly to their skills.
In a moment of ingenuity, seeing the tip of Alith's sword going straight for his face, Wolfram bit down hard as it closed in. With one foot, the berserker kicked him straight into his groin. Alith was caught off guard by the attack. Luckily, there was a codpiece protecting that area and he avoided the worst of it. Still, it did knock the wind out of him–losing his grip on his sword and falling on the bloodstained ground. Wolfram spat the sword out and approached the fallen elf. Raising his axe, Wolfram was prepared to attack when he suddenly heard a war cry. One that caused all but the Slayer and Skarbrand to stop amid battle.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The collective call of the green-skinned savages alerted both elf and barbarian. Too late, did the orcs crash into the brass-armored warriors before the latter could respond. Using the Orcs' arrival as a distraction, Alith disappeared into the crowd. Wolfram turned and was enraged by the elf's cleverness. An orc lunged at the berserker but Wolfram punched straight through the back of his mouth–his hand escaping the other end and drenched in grey matter and blood. Wolfram screamed his frustration and took his anger on the orcs.
Malekith and Morathi made landfall just as the orcs flooded the gates. Kouran approached his lord with firm acknowledgement and followed behind.
"ORCS?!" Malekith exclaimed, "ORCS! IN MY KINGDOM! OF ALL TIMES?!"
"Do not speak the obvious, my son!" Morathi chastised, "For all we know, the savages are making themselves useful in clearing out our Chaos infestation."
"They will make due," Malekith begrudgingly agreed, "But the druchii are our main concern…!"
"Kouran," Malekith turned to his loyal hand, "Relay all our forces to retreat further in the city. I will ride Seraphon and distract the enemy! NOW!"
"Yes, my Lord!" Kouran obeyed, turning and barking at his subordinates. The Black Guard quickly disbanded and hastened to the others. Malekith whipped the reins of his dragon, prompting her to ascend once more. Morathi followed as well, kicking Sulephet on command.
The sorceress had a nagging feeling as she rode beside Malekith.
"Since when did my son, the king, become so sentimental for servants?"
"We are at war, Morathi!" Malekith countered in outrage, "I need every able hand onboard!"
"Do not lie, Malekith!" Morathi chided, "You seem so caring of these pawns! Earlier, when you negotiated for a mass exodus, I thought you were jesting about the slaves and punishing insubordinate filth. But then you agreed to the demands of a spirit to lay down arms and wave a white flag. My son… giving in… to demands? For our lesser cousins?! It's… disgusting!"
"Do you seriously want to discuss this now?!" Malekith admitted, "As king, I have no time for this drama! Have your convent create barriers across the city! The druchii will need time to recover!"
Malekith flew away and descended upon the enemy with Seraphon's terrible breath. Morathi looked on baffled by her son's sudden change of heart. It was a strange moment to witness, she thought. Strange and contemptuous. It disgusted her. Compassion for another was against the Druchii way. And now her son suddenly cares for these tools? What madness, indeed.
Despite her qualms, she obeyed and psychically linked to all of her apprentices and acolytes. Receiving their orders, the sorceresses cast great magical barriers across the city. The magical shield blocked and separated the druchii and the savages. As expected, the druchii retreated further, some of which were carried off by their brethren. Now, the Greenskins and Barbarians were pitted against each other. A few druchii, as she noticed, wanted to throw themselves against the savages. Hellebron and her witches, in their bloodlust, attempted to batter the magical barrier–denied of their prey once again. Morathi giggled as she acutely heard the tired hag screaming curses at her unaware.
That actually lightened her mood a bit.
Wolfram screamed bloody curses as he saw the elfish cowards cast a shield between them and his forces. His blood boiled with unbridled fury at this transgression. To deny Khorne his tribute was an affront to all who worship His Greatness.
Channelling his rage, he killed an incoming goblin and his tusked squig. The latter killed with the blow of his axe to the head, the rider with a hand crushing his skull. The greenskins will have to make due for now. Tearing away at the orcs, whose swings and fighting were laughable to the Kurgan hero, Wolfram struck any who dared charge at him.
A feral orc in wolf pelts came at him with a raised club. The Kurgan easily sliced his limbs off with his first axe and drove his second into the orc's skull. A goblin jumped into his back and stabbed into the shoulder gap. Wolfram slammed both of his axes down and yanked the damn imp off his shoulders. Grabbing both of his legs, the Kurgan relished the goblin's squeals as Wolfram tore from groin to head. He then knocked an orc with one of the halves and beat him to death with the other.
Retrieving his axes, the mighty chieftain bellowed the war cry of Khorne.
"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKU-"
A great green fist crashed against the back of his helm. He quickly tucked into a roll and recovered as he stood. Thank the Dawi Zharr for their craftsmanship; that fist hit him like their infernal trains.
Fuming, he made eye contact with the one who caught him underhanded. Wolfram soon grinned happily as he saw who it was. Massive than the other orcs and easily identified by his dark green complexion, the Kurgan recognized a black orc when he one. In his green hands, he brandished a brutal-looking cleaver and a knife thick as a dwarf. The orc silently gestured to the Kurgan to "bring it", moving the cleaver across his neck to make a point.
"Cunning move of you, orc." Growled Wolfram, "Cunning but cowardly!"
"Cunning, cowardly," the black orc retorted, "foight'z a foight! SO GET ON WITH IT, GIT!"
"A fight, eh?" Wolfram goaded, "Then a fight you'll get!"
The black orc roared and both barbarians charged at each other. Blades locked upon contact, with sparks flying. A contest of strength ensued. Wolfram's blessings proved him the victor as the orc's natural strength was not enough to protect him. Wolfram easily pushed his weapons aside and slashed at the orc, who was now on the defense. The Kurgan's tenacity overwhelmed his opponent. Of course, the black orc was no idiot as he instinctively parried the Kurgan's attacks. The orc tried to slip in a attack but the Kurgan's armor bestowed him great protection.
Wolfram's attacks eventually wore off the orc's energy–causing the latter to lose his weapons. As the Kurgan attempted a final blow, the orc went for a low blow, bringing his foot up and between his opponent's legs. Thankfully, Wolfram had a codpiece attached, but it knocked some wind out of him. That same foot then proceeded to collide in the Kurgan's face. Hard.
The full force was enough to knock Wolfram's helmet off as he fell. His face was now exposed, revealing a heavily scarred face. Years of constant conflict earned him several cuts that never healed properly, and a brand of his patron tattooed on his bald head. His long graying beard rolled out of the safety of his helmet and covered his cuirass. Despite his daze, Wolfram was able to roll away as the orc recovered quickly and had his choppa aimed at the Kurgan's head. Wolfram dropped his weapons and ducked as the orc took another swing. Wolfram tackled after, grabbing the orc by the waist and lifting him off his feet–losing his choppa in the process. The orc was able to gain his momentum, however. Planting his feet to the ground, the orc held his hands together and dropped them on the Kurgan's back like a hammer. The infernal armor absorbed most of the force but it still left a big dent. It didn't faze the Kurgan as both warriors soon crashed into the wall of a building.
Standing up - again -, Wolfram picked up a piece of rock debris in his hand and smashed it across the orc's head… which did not phase the latter. In fact, the orc looked disappointed before he punched the Kurgan's head in full force–knocking him off his feet. The orc quickly grabbed one of his legs and tossed him out the window.
Wolfram fell into the body of a fallen Khornate. Seeing a club nearby him, Wolfram grabbed it just before the orc pulled him up and swung it hard into his face. And again.
The strength of Wolfram's swing was enough to put the orc to the ground and he continued to do so. Again, the orc's force was brutalized to a swollen mess. Soon, Wolfram's catharsis ran out and decided it was time to finish this. Seeing an axe nearby, Wolfram grabbed it and returned to his fallen prey. The orc tried to get up but the Kurgan pressed his boot against his throat.
"A worthy fight," Muttered Wolfram, "Worthy in Khorne's eyes."
Wolfram hefted the axe over his head and readied to land the killing blow. However, a deafening scream caught his attention. And just as he turned, all he saw was a green blur passing through him. De didn't even register the impact as his head went flying. The last thing he saw was his body, which was reduced to only his legs falling over.
Earlier ago…
Tooth and nail were fought hard between Slayer and Daemon. Skarbrand racked many wounds and fresh scars–some more grievous than others. The Slayer, however, also racked damages himself. Deep dents and scratches on his armor were apparent. The Bloodthirster proved to be as tenacious as any demon as he had faced in the past. Even with the battle raging, both were at a stalemate. Doom Slayer had run out of ammo, forcing him to rely on his Doomblade and Korhil's Axe.
Swiftly, the Slayer ducked the daemon's attacks–rolling under his legs before blocking one of his infernal axes.
"SKARBRAND HATES SMALL TARGETS! HOLD STILL FOR SKARBRAND TO KILL!"
The daemon roared as he tried to crush the Slayer to no avail. The ground beneath them had been marred with the daemon's slashes–debris flying around them. The surviving druchii and khornates avoided the duel like the plague for fear of Skarbrand's wrath directed at them.
The battle was fierce. Skarbrand fought harder than ever before. And so did the Slayer. Even fighting a dozen Hell Barons was nothing like what he was facing right now. And in some ways, it was exciting. His blood pumped harder and adrenaline was kicking to eleven. Whether it was because Skarbrand was keeping him on his toes or his presence might have affected the Slayer in some capacity, all that mattered was that it was a good fight.
Skarbrand managed to get ahold of the Slayer by slamming his blades over his head. Doom Slayer braced himself, blocking them with his blades. The sheer impact of Skarbrand was so powerful, it caused a quake underneath their feet. It also sunk Doom Slayer to the earth at knee-high.
Unstoppable Force met Unstoppable Force. A test of sheer will was taking helm. Skarbrand placed as much pressure as he could pining the Slayer into the ground. Yet, the Slayer's strength and resolved allowed him to push against Skarbrand's axes and weight.
Hayden, meanwhile, watched the whole event through the visor and took part. Rerouting himself into the shoulder cannon, Hayden sprayed fire in the daemon's face. Skarbrand roared in pain but endured.
Growing beyond frustrated, the daemon soon raised a leg and kicked his opponent in his chest–sending the Slayer flying into the wall of a building. Skarbrand prepared another charge until a Cold One pounced him on his shoulder–biting and clawing at his non-scarred face. The daemon dropped his axes and contend with the Cold One. Despite the surprise attack, the Bloodthirster was able to grab it and hurled against the same wall the Slayer was on. Grabbing his axes, Skarbrand was prepared to execute the warrior before a war cry grabbed his attention.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The distant cry of the Orc WAAAGH! brought the attention of many. Skarbrand included. Greenskins began to flood in the city, killing left and right. Neither Khornate nor Druchii was made an exception in the slaughter The daemon growled hatefully and roared, "SKARBRAND HATES FURTHER INTERFERENCES! SKARBRAND WILL NOT BE DENIED HIS KILL!"
Stomping his way toward the greenskins, Skarbrand hacked and slashed through the masses without restraint. Soon, Khornates and Druchii were caught up in his path, and the Daemon showed no mercy to them. Orc, Elf, Human. It mattered little. Skarbrand's bloodlust consumed him as always. By Khorne's mantra, he cared not from whence the blood flows… only that it flows.
As Skarbrand disappeared, the Slayer fell to the earth once more.
Raising his head, he turned slowly to the Cold One. Recognizing it as the mount that accompanied, he saw the raptor slowly rise up despite its injuries. Reaching to its rider, the Nauglir attempted to help him up as he stood. Grateful of its gesture, the Slayer stroke its head as a sign of gratitude.
However, as he took his first steps, the Slayer suddenly felt something wrong and immediately fell on his knees. He felt something burn within him. His heart didn't stop pumping. In fact, it was speeding up inexplicably. Clutching his chest, the Slayer's visible pain alerted Hayden.
"Something's wrong…" Hayden muttered to himself. Pulling up the HUD, he was soon startled by his heart rate spiking to ridiculous levels. Alert, Hayden had no idea what was about to happen. Clearly, it was an abnormal sight to see, for the Slayer transcended his mortality.
Suddenly, the Slayer pounded the ground hard. Hard enough to form a small crater around his fist. Following this, Doom Slayer began to twitch unnervingly. The Nauglir instinctively backed away in fear by the Slayer's sudden change. Similarly, Hayden noticed the signs and he realized what was about to happen.
The Slayer began to see red, and soon enough, he started blitzing to the nearest Khornate.
(BFG Division 2020 - Mick Gordon/Custer - Slipknot, start at 0:07)
The Khornate didn't see what was coming and exploded into gore. The rest of his ilk, meanwhile, felt the winds change. Whether daemon, beastman or human, all felt the charge in the air. As they directed their attention to the perpetrator, fear consumed their minds and took hold…
…for not even Khorne's wrath could save them from the Slayer.
Doom Slayer charged into the next berserker. The warrior didn't even get to scream as his head was ripped from his body, along with his spin. A caprigor was sent flying with his chest pulverized–exploding against a stone wall. A bloodletter's skull was caved in by a headbutt. Doom Slayer's rage was palpable and all who stood in his way soon began to flee.
Too late, the Slayer was in full pursuit. Running at inhuman speeds, the Slayer brutalized the barbarians with extraordinary power. Rushing through the streets, the walls were painted with the blood and gore of the heretics. Only the elves and the greenskins were spared of his wrath. And even then, blood splashed against their bodies unexpectedly–leaving them in shock as to what transpired.
Bouncing across the city, the Slayer's slaughter was witnessed by all. From their flying mounts, both Malekith and Morathi watched in respective shock and awe. From his Seafang, Wulfrik dropped his drink on the floor and was jaw-dropped by the murder frenzy he had witnessed. His crew looked on in terror to see their kinsmen slaughtered in quick succession. The old man whispered prayers to his god while his crow went berserk.
"We leave now." Ordered the Worldwalker just as he sliced his palm and pressed it across the Seafang's monstrous prow–disappearing into the Immaterium once again.
Already, the Slayer had soaked half the city in heathen blood. His bloodlust peaked through the roof. The souls he consumed only fueled his wrath. As the mortal followers dwindled, only the Bloodthirsters, Soul Grinders and other Beasts of War were left.
They too fell before his might. A bloodthirster's torso exploded in gore–leaving behind a gaping hole where his heart was. A soul grinder's torse was ripped from its mechanical half and used as a club to brutalize three greater daemons. A giant's belly was sliced open before the Slayer crawled in and ripped his way through his head. A war mammoth's head was torn from its head and thrashed around like a flail before it was sent flying and killing a giant upon impact.
As the Doom Slayer reached the end of his slaughter, a familiar roar called to him.
"SKARBRAND HATES YOUR ANNOYING EXISTENCE! SKARBRAND WIL-"
The daemon could not finish his rant as his legs were obliterated in an instant. Skarbrand, in a moment of lucidness, realized his luck had run out and watched as the Slayer returned to him. Desperately, he swung his axes to keep the Slayer at a distance to no avail. Catching his left arm, the Slayer ripped it from its socket, causing unimaginable pain.
"SKARBRAND HATES DYING LIKE THIS!" Screamed the daemon, terror apparent, "SKARBRAND DOESN'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
Not long after, the Slayer leapt onto his stomach and began ripping out his guts in horrific fashion. Skarbrand's screams echoed across the city just as he flailed about in agony. All mortals who witnessed expressed horror at the sight. The remaining invaders - those that were far from the Slayer's reach - heard the daemon's scream and fled in terror. Some were trampled upon escaping. Others met their death at the sharp ends of their mortal enemies. Yet, all in all, it was a better fate than what the Doom Slayer would do.
From a distance, the spirits of Argenta watch stoically as the Slayer wiped out the forces of Khorne in silent approval.
From His throne, the Blood God smiled wickedly despite his losses. The other Gods who took notice sweated profusely in fear of their future encounter with the Slayer.
And elsewhere, Gork and Mork stopped for the first time to cheer on the Slayer's fight.
As the daemon finally went limp, the Doom Slayer searched for more Chaos warriors to kill–only getting a few who weren't fast enough to escape.
As the last of the Khornates escaped, the Doom Slayer's rage began to subside. Not long after, the forces of the druchii started to close in. Hesitation and fear were palpable as they laid eyes on the man solely responsible for turning the tide. However, some began to cheer as their city was liberated. And soon the rest joined the jubilation.
Beside the Slayer, Alith reappeared with a mixed expression of relief and wariness.
"That was… something." Was all Alith could say, patting his companion on the shoulder before handing him back his axe. Descending from the skies, the Witch-King and the Hag Sorceress lowered to the ground and dismounted.
Doom Slayer fixed his posture and straightened himself as both rulers approached. Malekith remained stoic as before. Morathi, meanwhile, simply bit her lip with bedroom eyes towards the Slayer. By now, he already knew what was going on in her head. And he did not want to be reminded.
A bestial call alerted them and Doom Slayer turned to see the Nauglir running to him. The creature brushed against the Slayer somewhat affectionately, receiving a stroke on its head afterward.
"It appears that you have… fulfilled your end." Malekith spoke with slight gratitude, "Now I shall fulfill mine."
"As agreed." Hayden spoke up, "A deal's a deal."
"I haven't forgotten." Replied Malekith. Beside him, Morathi barely contained her disgust at her son's compliance. Before she could, the lords and their armies tensed up as they looked behind the heroes. Doom Slayer and Alith turned to find an army of greenskins approaching them. The orcs and goblins slowly made their way. Soon tensions grew back as the druchii prepared for another bout. Doom Slayer readied his weapons while Alith pulled out an arrow. Soon, an orcish cry was heard and the greenskins stopped in their tracks.
Moments later, a massive orc made his way through the green mass and stomped his way forward. His crude choppa was visibly gripped in his hand. Behind him followed a seal squig mounted by a goblin in thick furs.
"Be careful with this one," Alith warned, "That is a Black Orc. The largest and most dangerous breed of its kind."
Doom Slayer nodded and watched warily of the giant orc. The giant orc stopped just a few feet away from the Slayer. Even so, his massive frame overshadowed both Malekith and the Slayer's stature. In a moment of intense silence, the Black Orc stared down at the Slayer with a grim stare. Soon, he raised his weapon high… and slammed it into the ground. The Black Orc soon let out a roar, raising a fist in the air followed by the orcs joining. They neither charged nor attempted to show a declaration of war. Instead, they… cheered him.
The Slayer relaxed and understood what was happening. The elves, meanwhile, were caught off-guard by the greenskins' sudden turn.
As the cheers died down, the goblin spoke up and praised, "You gave da spiky boys a good thrashin'! Neva hav' da greenies seen a blitz like dat befor'! Not to menshin, you dress like yer one of the boys! Green iz best! And you did it the best even if you'z a git!"
The Slayer raised a brow in humor. They were all… Cockney? That actually kinda amused him. Hayden, likewise, went blank. If he still had a face, it had been one of disbelief and surrealness.
"But enuff talk." Said the goblin, "The name's Krikzuz! And this is the Warboss, Sportacus!"
"Good grief…" Hayden wanted to facepalm so hard at this point. The name alone he can already figure out who it was based on. Doom Slayer, meanwhile, felt like dying on the inside from hearing those names.
"It's… nice to meet you both," Hayden kept his composure, "The man standing before you is the Doom Slayer."
"Oh?" Krikzuz said, "Who's talkin' then?"
Hayden then introduced himself, "I am Samuel Hayden. I'm the one speaking from within his armor."
"Ohhhhh…" Krikzuz understood, before turning to his boss, "Dere's a ghost in his shell."
"I know." Sportacus groaned, "But Doom Slaya, eh? Don't look like dem red stuntiez. But you did me a favor in savin' me back dere. So we'z gud. Well, gud once we deal wit the pointy earz."
Sportacus' eyes trailed at the elves, who were dangerously holding their weapons towards him.
"I take it you have a grudge with the Witch-King?"
The Black Orc nodded, "I ain't no stunty, but me and the boyz certainly 'ave a bone to pick with 'em."
"Somehow, I can actually relate to that." Alith quipped offhandedly. Hayden, however, spoke otherwise.
"As much as I can understand your sentiments, we need the Witch-King alive."
"Fer wut?" Krikzuz asked, "Da prick put us in chainz and you want us to forget this mess? Bugger off, Sammy!"
Hayden was taken aback. Not because of the dismissal but the fact someone simplified his name. Still, he remained cordial, "I assure you, 'Krik-zuz', the Witch-King will get his due. The High Elves of Ulthuan want him alive."
"Ohhh, the ones living on dat island?" Krikzuz realized, "'Eard about dem pointy earz wanting payback. Works fer me."
"Hmmm," Sportacus groaned, "Don't make me 'appy. And when I ain't 'appy, I get choppy."
The black orc pulled his choppa from the ground and rested it on his shoulder. Doom Slayer readied himself when Hayden spoke.
"You said you were chained, yes?" Hayden asked, "I'd wager we can negotiate further to release more of you kin."
"Hmmm…" Sportacus scratched his throat in contemplation, "Gonna need to win me over a bit."
"I can send you somewhere far from this place. One free of the elves."
"How?" Krikzuz asked curiously.
"I can activate a portal and send you somewhere else."
"Ah, a mage!" The goblin exclaimed, "Why didn't you say so?"
Hayden groaned in annoyance. Doom Slayer turned to the Witch-King.
"Now will you get rid of the Winds?" Hayden reminded.
"I will." Malekith turned to his mother, who rolled her eyes.
"Fine." She said before psychically linking with her sorceresses again and speaking the incantations in Druhir. Soon, Hayden saw the signatures in the clouds begin to lower, allowing him to connect transmissions.
Without hesitation, he waited for the cell to come in.
"Hayden?" Answered Teclis. The sound of the Loremaster's voice brought relief for the three heroes.
"Greetings, Teclis." Hayden warmly replied, "I bear good tidings. We have reached the Witch-King and he has agreed to be judged."
"Agreed…?" Teclis spoke with surprise, "Are you saying the Witch-King Malekith… has accepted his arrest…?"
"Yes…" Hayden confessed "But there have been conditions made during negotiations."
Hearing that, the Loremaster was briefly silent before sighing audibly.
"I am… not surprised," He conceded, "But I see your objective has been more or less completed."
"There were obstacles, yes," Hayden admits, "but the extraction will now begin. I am preparing to contact my forces to liberate slave compounds."
"That is good to know, Hayden." Teclis expressed sullenly. Something Hayden was quick to notice.
"Has something happened…?"
"I'm afraid so." Teclis answered, "Much has transpired while you were gone."
On that, the Slayer tensed. Opposite of him, Malekith noticed a shift in the Slayer's expression. He did not understand what was happening but with Alith holding his ear for some reason, they were likely doing some psychic connection.
"What is it…?" Hayden inquired. His voice lowered to a deep bass.
"Some days ago, the Everqueen had a vision… and we believe that Aliathra has been kidnapped."
As Teclis finished, fury washed over the Slayer like a rushing tide. His anger was self-contained but even a glimmer was felt through his clenching fist. Alith's face darkened as he acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
"I will teleport to your location," Hayden stated, "The Slayer and I will join you."
"I am eternally grateful for your aid," Teclis spoke gratefully, "I will alert the others."
"See you soon." Hayden cut transmissions. Doom Slayer turned to the Witch-King and Hayden said, "I believe we must part now."
"Leaving so abruptly?" Asked Malekith, "Sounds as if urgent matters have come."
"That is neither your concern nor business." Hayden stated, "But we will depart now."
"Oi!" Krikzuz cried out, "Wut about us?!"
"Worry not," Hayden reassured, "I haven't forgotten."
Suddenly, a blue portal appeared and out came the VEGA drones. All but one had flown off into the skies to the other cities, and the one drone close to them floated harmlessly.
"Oh! What a cute little familiar!" Morathi gushed, "Adorable!"
"The wonders of technological advancement." Hayden spoke sarcastically, "But I digress. We must make our leave."
"I understand," Malekith responded. Before Doom Slayer made his leave, he looked to Alith.
"Don't worry about me." Alith made his reassurances, "I'll take it from here. I'll see you back in Ulthuan."
Soon, the Shadow King pulled out a small trinket. He placed it on his lips and made a distinct whistle. Suddenly, some of the druchii stepped forth and revealed themselves as Alith's spies–joining their King. A mix of disgust and fear followed as the druchii realized how many Shadow Warriors there were in their ranks.
"That is a relief," Hayden departed, "Allow me to return the favor."
Earth, United States
Earlier…
The alarm shook the intern awake. The young man sluggishly reached for his phone. Swiping the screen, the alarm immediately turned off. Squinting his eyes, the clock said '9:00' on his phone. Putting his phone down, the intern rubbed his eyes to be more awake.
"Good morning, Monty…" He groaned to himself, reaching for his glasses. Getting out of his bed, the intern stretched before heading to the bathroom. Monty passed by a poster of Doomguy battling demons and another one with Hayden leading ARC in a heroic pose. Flicking the lights on, the intern saw an average-looking Asian American staring back at the other side of the mirror. Hair shaved down to a buzz cut. He sighed before giving his best smile.
"It's a good day, Monty." He said to himself, "Earth is saved and you're gonna spend every day grateful for that fact."
Half an hour later…
(Left Hand Free - alt-J)
Monty left his apartment in his ARC uniform with a thermostat full of homebrewed coffee in hand and a backpack strapped to him. The intern managed to reach the elevators before it closed. Inside were three other residents. He couldn't quite say he was close to them but he politely greeted them whenever he could. Not long after, the elevator opened and he walked out of the main floor. Exiting the building, he basked in the sun shining down on him–taking in the now-fresh air. Taking the view, the city had become less chaotic since Doomguy killed the Icon of Sin about a week ago. Humanity was now rebuilding and ARC was pushing forward to retake old territories. Granted, it still wasn't safe outside the walls but ARC had become pretty confident lately.
Making his way to his parked e-bike, Monty revved up and navigated through the busy streets of his home city. The tension had grown less and everyone continued their day as if the invasion never happened ten years ago. People were content and were rather well off. Streets were being cleaned up after the celebrations ended. Reconstructions were making progress, with several workers removing debris and corpses off the roads
Passing through several intersections and taking some detours, Monty arrived at the base. The complex was still intact in spite of the heavy assault from a while back. The tendrils that covered it were long gone and the turrets were back in working order. Slowly riding up to the charging station, Monty dismounted and walked towards the front door. He greeted the ARC security standing on guard and passed by several construction workers focused on their jobs. He walked up to the man stationed at the desk.
"Hey, Monty!" The burly man greeted, "How ya doin'?"
"Hey, Jerry," Monty greeted back as he handed his ID, "I'm feeling great. How about you?"
"Eh, nursing a headache," Jerry replied, "That's enough celebrations for me."
"Can't blame you," Monty related, "but make every day worth celebrating."
The man chuckled as he scanned Monty's card, "You're cleared, Monty. Have a good one."
"You too." Just as Monty was about to leave, Jerry called, "Oh hey, Monty; you got orders from the Board. Says you've been reassigned to the lower levels."
"Oh? Really?" Monty spoke with surprise, "What did they say?"
"They said 'they got a good look at your resume and after your recent achievements, they decided to promote you to work with the engineers downstairs'."
Monty's brows raised in surprise and expressed excitement.
"T-That's great!" He said with joy, "I'll pack my stuff from upstairs."
"That's okay, they mentioned they already did that." Said Jerry.
"Oh." Monty awkwardly replied. He hadn't expected the Board to clean it up for him, "How… nice of them."
"Take the elevators on the right. Someone will be there when you get out in the lower levels."
"Thanks, Jerry." Monty made his way to the right of the building.
Monty exhaled slowly to calm himself. As the doors opened, he was greeted by a tall dark-skinned man smiling. Monty's anxiety died down immediately as he recognized his friend.
"Paxton!" He exclaimed, closing in for a handshake before his friend pulled him in for a hug.
"Ah, good to see you joining, brother!" Paxton laughed, "Come on! You're riding shotgun!"
Monty nodded and jumped on the ATV four-seater. He held onto the ATV's frames as Paxton sped up to their location.
"Excited, man?" Asked Paxton.
"A little nervous, not gonna lie," Monty admitted, looking to the side and waving to some workers as they passed.
"Been there, myself." Paxton sympathized, "It's rough at first but you'll get over it soon. I'll introduce you to the crew once we land."
"I'm glad to hear." Monty spoke gratefulness, "Oh! I almost forgot!"
Monty brought his backpack forward and scoured the contents. He soon pulled out a comic book with two monsters duking it out.
"Is that the new issue for Hellwalker?!" Paxton exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Monty replied, "I actually got it yesterday but I completely forgot to open it yesterday. Got my copy already. Been meaning to give it to you."
"You're the best, Monty!" Thanked Paxton, "Keep it in your bag. I'll pick it up later."
Monty nodded. Soon, the scenery went from an empty tunnel to the complex's main hangar. Monty was in awe of the vehicles inside. Transports, tanks and fighter planes filled the bay in neat organization. Several ARC personnel were keeping themselves busy either setting up their vehicles or training for combat. Yet, of all the things Monty witnessed, it was the mechs. One of the ARC's greatest scientific achievements, Monty couldn't help but be awestruck by them. Sure, he saw them in action but he had never been this close before.
However, many of them looked to be in disrepair and battle-damaged. It appeared that ARC had these things salvaged in the aftermath of the Invasion. Hopefully, the Coalition would get them primed up and ready for action soon. So far, a few were in working condition.
"Maybe one day you'll ride on one of those things." His friend quipped as he noticed Monty drooling at the mechanical titans.
"Think you'll give me some driving lessons on one of them?" Monty smirked. Paxton replied, "Oh it's about as easy driving a car. You just gotta let that baby ride you, though."
Monty snorted in jest at Paxton's humor. Soon, the two arrived at their destination and parked their vehicle. Nearby was a group of ARC personnel looking like they had just finished their daily exercises.
"Break's over in five," The head instructor said as he came to view, "Enjoy every second of it."
The man was roughly in his 40s with a mixed ancestry of East Asian and Caucasian. He was tall and had the assertiveness to lead. He turned his head once he saw Monty and Paxton coming into the picture.
"Paxton."
"Sir." Paxton saluted him. Monty hastily saluted as well, not really knowing what he was supposed to do. The instructor raised a brow in amusement and said, "So this is the guy who's joining us?"
"Yes, sir," Paxton replied, gesturing his friend to introduce himself.
"Oh, uh, Montgomery Park, sir." Monty introduced formally, "Friends call me 'Monty'. But 'Montgomery' is also fine."
"Right." The man simply said, "Lieutenant Kai Lancel. Your new CO. I read your profile. The Board recommended you join my platoon. The good news is, you're not going to the frontlines anytime soon. However, being an engineer is no different to a soldier. And I expect the best of the best."
"Y-Yes, sir!" Monty nervously replied. Lancel looked at his watch and yelled, "Jessie, get them moving!"
"Yes, sir!" Cried a female subordinate, quickly identified by her dark brown undercut. She soon barked orders to do pushups.
"Join the others, Paxton," Lancel addressed, "I'll take it from here."
"Yes, sir." Paxton nodded and quickly joined with the others.
"Follow me, cadet." Lancel ordered as he turned. Monty picked up the pace, following his superior closely. The lieutenant looked off into the distance and he nodded to a man hanging near on the ARC's tiltrotors. Monty took notice and tried to get a good look but the man was shrouded in the aircraft's darkness, with his cigar being the only light source.
Lancel moved on and said, "Read your file, Monty. Graduated at the top of your class. A master's in engineering."
"Systems Engineering, sir," Monty corrected before realizing his mistake, "Sorry, sir."
"None taken," Lancel waved off. "I also read that you were a fellow alumni with Paxton. I spoke to him, and he recommended you as a replacement for our last guy."
"I'm grateful he did, sir," Monty beamed, "we've been through thick and thin during exams and studies."
"Ain't much of a science puke but I can admire true brotherhood when I see one," Lanville admitted. Straightening himself, Lancel continued, "As I have said already, Monty; you won't be doing any heavy lifting around here. But if you really want to keep up with the others, I'd suggest you join us for our training exercises one of these days."
"I'd be happy to, uh, sir," Monty replied, "I have been doing exercises myself on occasion. Mostly for times of demonic invasions."
"So I've read in your file," Lancel casually said, "I even saw a recording of one of your exploits. Not only did you outrun a Pinky, but that part with the generator and a pool? Smart thinking."
"T-Thanks, sir," Monty nervously responded, "Not… something I enjoy remembering but thank you."
"Still, that kind of resourcefulness is something ARC needs." Lancel spoke with admiration, "That's why the Board sent you down here. I could use your skills with our gear, especially."
Soon, both men arrived at their destination. It was a small corner office with a desk and a couple of pieces of furniture seen only through a window. Lancel opened the door, and ARC equipment and scraps were strewn around. Monty saw boxes on the table with his name written on the lid.
"Here we are," Lancel half-heartedly introduced, "this is now your domain. Make it how you want it. So long as you keep everything tidy."
"Thank you, sir," Monty said, "it'll be a pleasure serving your crew."
Monty saluted to the Lieutenant. The man chuckled and said, "At ease, son. No matter what, I take care of my own. Nobody dies on my watch. Otherwise, welcome to the Lancers."
Suddenly, the complex's alarm system went off, alerting everyone within.
"Another demonic invasion? Already?" Monty was alarmed.
"No," Lancel disagreed, "this is something else. Come on!"
Both exited the office and found droves of people going in one direction.
"What's happening?!" Lancel addressed one of the workers.
"Hayden's back on screen!" The man replied, "And he's with the Doom Slayer!"
Both men's faces lit up with surprise and soon joined the rest. Going to the nearest monitor, Lancel and Monty were joined by their platoon. Everyone was looking at the large screen hanging on the wall. Soon enough, the ARC's symbol appeared on screen.
"Attention, people of Earth." Hayden's voice boomed across the complex. No, it was more accurate to say 'across the world'.
"I, Samuel Hayden, have returned with a shocking revelation."
All over, the people went silent as their leader delivered his speech.
"About a week ago, the Doom Slayer and I were contacted by another civilization outside of our solar system."
The screen soon changed to the image of a being in splendid armor, followed by more of his kind. Images flipped, revealing evidence of other lifeforms. And one that was habitable.
"Are those… elves?"
"There's also Dwarves!"
"It's freakin' Lord of the Rings!"
The crowd was drawn in by the sight of fantasy races existing in another world. All over, the world was in awe of this discovery.
"When we arrived, however, the Slayer had been given a task thought impossible by this world's standard. The task was the arrest of a brutal dictator known as the Witch-King. Leader of the Druchii. Or the Dark Elves in our tongue."
The images changed to that of a fearsome-looking warrior in black armor. A snarling golden mask covered his entire face. And next to him was a half-naked woman, which caused some to drool and thirst for her.
Following these images was a compilation of different dark elves, all in different levels of coverage–the least clothed being the wild-haired women with daggers in hand. While some humans were drooling, others snickered at how edgy these elves look. Monty, by his admission, was of the former. Not that he wouldn't deny it. He was just more… covert about it.
"Of course, we were not without the aid of this world's heroes, who guided us throughout our journey."
Images then jumped to a dark-haired male elf who carried himself as if he were a hunter. Following that, elves of similar armor of silver rode alongside the Slayer.
"In our journey, we have discovered an enemy not unlike the ones that invaded our world. A new enemy that calls itself: Chaos."
Soon clips of the enemy had been shown. All of them were shown themselves butchering and slaughtering without care. Revulsion, disgust and rage were on everyone's minds. Luckily, that anger was washed when the videos were from the perspective of the Doom Slayer. Which mainly involved him doing all sorts of crazy acts that would make horror movie slashers blush.
"Go Doomguy!"
"Kick their asses!"
"Rip and tear!"
The crowd cheered on as he killed the bad guys onscreen.
"Thankfully, and as always, the Slayer succeeded in his tasks. With the Witch-King surrendering his claims. However, it was not without consequences in getting to where we are. Ladies and gentlemen, what you are about to see… will sicken you just as it did for the Slayer and I."
And the doctor was right. What came next made the world fall to silence.
Soon, recordings of the Slayer breaking down doors and pens revealed masses of slaves in horrible conditions. All from different walks of life. All riddled with every possible horrible thing done to their bodies. As each slave escaped from their confines, expressions of despair and trauma were shown. Emotions were felt all over the world. Some wept for these poor souls who endured. Some looked away in disgust and revulsion at the sight of their wounds. Others watched in silent rage at this heinous act.
"I know that we have escaped a nightmare, recently. And I wish that we can move forward and rebuild what was broken." Hayden confessed, "But as leader of the Resistance, I ask–no, I beg everyone to rescue these people. Every possible volunteer and recruit that is available for this massive undertaking. We have won our freedom but they have not. So… who among you will join the fight? Who among will stand and fight beside the Slayer and I?"
Soon, Hayden went silent and waited for the world to respond. For a moment there was a level of uncertainty. Some wanted a reason to take a stand. Others were ready but unsure who will join them. The same could be said in the Complex's hangars. In Monty's thoughts, he prayed for someone to say 'yes'. That someone - anyone - to make a stand. Because he sure as hell wanted to help.
(Army Strong - US Army)
That all ended when one man stepped forth into the light. His footsteps broke the deafening silence, causing everyone to turn. Already equipped in his ARC combat suit, the man's face was clear for everyone to see. He was the spitting image of a man who fought in several wars. Grizzled, wise and a knack for kicking ass with a graying buzz cut. His scars told a story about him. What they were, no one knew. But they knew what he was capable of. His cold blue eyes looked back at all the faces staring at him. Taking a big puff of his cigar, the man removed it from his mouth and said what everyone needed to hear.
"I will go."
And with that firm resolve, so began a domino effect.
"So will I." Said Lancel. Followed by Paxton uttering, "I will go."
"I will too!" Jessie answered. Soon, more voices joined. Both within the complex and the outside world. And both Hayden and the Slayer heard their unanimous decision.
"Then assemble to arms!" Hayden declared, with Langston raising his voice and shouting, "You heard him! Gear up and MOVE!"
Immediately, the Complex came to life once more. Everyone scrambled to their stations, passing by the man who made decisive action. Langston approached him and reached for a handshake. The old man returned it, with both of them shaking by their forearms.
"Be seeing you soon, Lancel."
"You as well… Sarge." Lancel departed afterward. Not far away, Monty watched in silence as he saw a mutual understanding between the two. Sarge was quick to notice Monty's staring. Rather than be awkward about it, the young cadet nodded firmly in silence. That earned him a mutual nod from the veteran right before he left.
Across the world, Mankind took up arms once more. Soldiers began equipping their gear and weapon kit. Workers began arming and charging up the vehicles. Field leaders directed their troops and coordinated plans.
The world was alive once more. And with it, followed the spark of Hope and Humanity.
And so ends the Naggaroth Arc! Well, sorta. Doomguy is moving but ARC is stepping in to save the day! As you can see, it was time Earth decided to step in. Cause fuck yeah, Humanity!
On a serious note, I'm so glad this arc is finally over. It's been a long while but I'm glad I'll be moving forward. As you can guess, the Nagash Ritual arc will begin some time down the road. I'm looking forward to further development. For now, I'm just gonna rest for a bit and soak up the sense of pride and dopamine that's coming.
Anyway, time for another QnA!:
Sci-Fi Guy 22: Don't worry too much. Hellebron will get her due. Yeah, the fantasy can get real confusing. Fumbled on the lore when I first started even. and lol, we got a shipper on deck!
Mazrael: No. Sorry.
Austin: I don't think I ever responded to your stuff. So here we go.
Good chances are he's Dr. Clef and just has another hand holding a gun in his pants.
And oh yeah. Lot's of scheming. And it's allllll coming together.
BlazingFlame56: You gotta catch up, man. Or you gonna catch these hands! ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!
lol jk. Seriously, if you gotta take your time, do it. Just don't keep holding it off. No one likes getting the blueballs.
0rigami and The Last Kenpachi: Speaking of which, hope this made up for the last cliffhanger.
Wacko12: Soon...
HydraLightning: Not yet. But we'll see.
Don't know much about Nakai's schtick but will look into his gimmick.
XBOY40: hehehehe. Hoped this satisfies your thirst.
Ghostly: She will. But only after running the gauntlet.
And boy, about that one. I'll be real here, I added that during a time of immaturity. I was very much a greenhorn at the beginning and I somewhat wanted Doom Slayer to be shipped with someone and there were a lot of Warhammer women to pick from at the time. However, as I was going through moments of creative fluctuations, I decreased the numbers and tried to ship them with other characters that I had created for future storylines.
Still a harem. But not as excessive.
Meinfischer-Bruh: Hey, no need to apologize. As is, there's not many romantic hints atm. Most of it is one-sided and rather fleeting. If anything, it's not like I did an entire section of the chapters focusing on marriage prospects with one guy for a third of it.
If you know, you know.
On the subject of Doomguy's love life, his wife and kid are still canon and makes sense if the rabbit is treated like the beagle from John Wick. That should tell you a lot about the Slayer.
And I wish. MK1 has really gotten stale with its gameplay, guest characters (Schwarzeneggar Conan was a surprise), and atrocious writing. I don't even play the game and I already want my money back.
On the word, "Thot", huh, good to know. Don't care for rap, though.
NemesisPrimal86: And you can listen to that again.
Dr. Fail: I wasn't aware it was from TTS. I just assumed that the hulk-talk was canon to both settings.
Lexios: The "Hir" has been used in canon texts.
bruh: Oh I'm glad to hear! For me, I got hooked after reading Gatehammer. It made me get into the Fantasy setting in the first place. So thanks for that enlightenment.
And that is it, folks! Thank you all for waiting and here's to four years of running this story! Leave a review as always! Until then, Happy Halloween!