Chapter 76 (The Divine Comedy Part Three: Paradiso)
Outside One of Professor Houdenmeyer's Bases
The sun was setting fast as Caduceus, Gothamite, and Goodwill hid in the thick forests surrounding the secret Imperial Base. Goodwill was checking to make sure each of the seven guns he had "borrowed" earlier that day was loaded and accessible. Gothamite paced impatiently in his black leather and Kevlar. Caduceus was standing perfectly still, non-existent gusts of wind blowing his dark hair this way and that.
He thought of the ruby that had once sat on his forehead. He knew that returning it to its place would once again remove his angelic powers. He had carried it since escaping Strangefate's, still mystified at how the dark doctor had removed the gemstone, the mark of God himself. Caduceus knew that he hadn't the power to overcome this Sorceror Supreme, but he could not just sit idly by and wait for the End of Days. God might not have been a fair or just deity, thought Caduceus, but the very idea of Strangefate at the seat of creation made him shiver down to the tips of his wings.
GOODWILL: This is suicide, you know.
CADUCEUS: It very well may be, but the alternatives are so much worse.
GOTHAMITE: When do we strike?
GOODWILL: Maybe once you wisen up and take one or two of these.
Goodwill shook one of the handguns aimlessly in the air.
GOTHAMITE: I don't do guns.
GOODWILL: And I thought WE were suicidal.
CADUCEUS: Silence… It is time.
The guards were changing as they had three hours prior, and three hours before that. The side door closest to the interplanetary gate would be free for the taking for the next minute. Once the guards had rounded the corners, they charged. Goodwill and Gothamite each held firmly onto each of Caduceus' arms, so that they might phase through together. It worked. The three of them had found themselves in an empty corridor. They moved slowly through the halls, each silently hoping they would find little trouble.
CADUCEUS: This is the door. There's something strange about it…
It was sealed with every lock and device imaginable. Caduceus went intangible, and began to push his fingers through the doorway hesitantly.
SPEAKERS: Alert! Alert! Intruders in Corridor X. Proceed with Extreme Caution.
GOODWILL: ****!
GOTHAMITE: Finally… I was starting to worry there wouldn't be a fight.
GOODWILL: God! Why do I surround myself with complete lunatics?!
The hallway filled with guards too quickly to count them. Gothamite instantly dropped a smoke bomb, clouding the hallway as he made his attack. Gunshots went off and Goodwill heard the noise of a rifle butt making contact with a hard helmet, and then a drop to the floor.
GOTHAMITE: Don't just stand there! Fight!
Goodwill closed his eyes and shot blindly into the massing troops moving forward on him. Caduceus knocked one man out with every punch.
DR.DOOMSDAY:
EZEERF!
The three of them could no longer move or even breathe. A dark haired figure approached, a cloak trailing from his shoulders. Caduceus' heart broke, Strangefate had beat them there. He had won.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Who are you people? What do you want…
HOUDENMEYER: Don't let them speak, you idiot! Kill them! They're locals, they shouldn't be here!
Doomsday was hardly paying attention. All he could see was the Angel standing in front of him. His eyes glowed bright green. He waved his hand, allowing Caduceus to speak.
CADUCEUS: You aren't Strangefate?
DR.DOOMSDAY: Hah! No. Quite the opposite, actually. Why are you here?
CADUCEUS: I am here to stop Strangefate… We need the gate…
Doomsday thought a moment, and then the three were released from their hold. They stood, looking cautiously at the men holding guns in their faces.
DR.DOOMSDAY: I think we can be of some help to each other.
As they Doctor smiled, his eyes glowed bright green once more.
Cover by Dr.Strangefate
~ NURHACHI & DR.STRANGEFATE PRESENT ~
ULTIMATE CENTRAL
THE FANFIC
Paradisio
Volume 10, Issue 76,
By Dr.Strangefate
Strangefate's Cottage
PLANET-MAN: So, where's the bastard and that horrible monkey?
Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver sat playing cards on the table that had held the Angel Caduceus, under the lights of the power dampener Strangefate had conjured after his bloodletting. Newly angelic figures were thrusting themselves at their frames, eager to break free and taste this new power. Ominous helmets were scattered across the floor, having been pulled from Strangefate's mind before his most recent excursion. The inhuman manservant Shade held one of the helmets awkwardly in his hands, looking around at the now winged and imposing portraits that hung on the walls around them.
OURCHAIR: They've got a package to pick up.
PLANET-MAN: So he's out ruining lives again.
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Listen, kid, you should be grateful for the power you've just received. You're stronger than you would have ever been without The Good Doctor.
PLANET-MAN: Hey! I didn't ask for this. I was
fine being a happy, average, ordinary kid. He didn't have to—
OURCHAIR: Just shut the hell up. We're trying to enjoy ourselves over here. Quick, I'll raise you fifty.
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: I'll match that and raise another fifty.
Planet-Man could see Ultimate Quicksilver's hand from where he sat in the cage.
PLANET-MAN: He's bluffing.
Ourchair threw his cards violently down at the table.
OURCHAIR: How do you think the boss would feel about us roughing up this blue little *******?
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: A few bruises couldn't hurt.
OURCHAIR: My friend, a few bruises can hurt ever so much.
They laughed and approached Planet-Man's cage. Ourchair fumbled for the key in his pocket.
PLANET-MAN: Oh, ****.
Limbo
The mechanical gateway hummed loudly all the hundreds of feet back he had left it. Dr.Doomsday levitated, cross-legged, wrapped in his pink-purple glow, meditating in the hopes of contact with the beings he wanted so desperately to protect. He could feel the presence of heaven little more than a sliver of reality away from him. He gathered his energy to send out a message.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Please, Speak to me!
He felt a rumbling in the very firmament of reality. The nothingness in front of him ripped open revealing a pearly gate with stairs leading up to it. On the stairs stood what seemed to be three men. Each man wore human clothes, but had three sets of ethereal wings protruding from their backs.
THE BEARDED ONE: Oh bloody hell, it's the double.
THE BALD ONE: We don't have time for this. Only one gate to heaven may open at a time. We must keep every corner of the silver city fortified at all moments for the impending battle.
THE DARK HAIRED ONE: I'm sorry, you are going to have to leave.
The three Seraphim were imposing and seemed to be generating light from their very essences. The Bearded One had clothed himself in a leather jacket over a Union Jack shirt, and wore strange glasses; one lens rectangular, one circular. The Bald One wore an all white suit over an insanely pink shirt, and large ovular sunglasses. The Dark-Haired One's hair was long and black, and his skin was pale white. From certain angles, Doomsday wasn't certain he had eyes.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Wait! I'm here to help!
THE BEARDED ONE: And how the **** are you going to help us?
DR.DOOMSDAY: I know the same magick that keeps me from seeing what he is doing is blocking your vision. I've come into some information you need. He has used Angelic Blood to build an army of Angels that rivals your own!
THE DARK-HAIRED ONE: And how did you learn this?
DR.DOOMSDAY: The Angel Caduceus has come to help stop my double.
THE BALD ONE: His true name is not Caduceus. And he is an Angel no longer.
DR.DOOMSDAY: The information is good, I swear to that. And with the power of Lil Kis, Strangefate has the upper hand! You NEED our help!
THE BEARDED ONE: Do not presume to know what we need, human.
THE DARK-HAIRED ONE: The man, Doomsday makes a fair point. And I believe he has a plan…
DR.DOOMSDAY: I do. You yourself said there can only be one entrance to your city, why not establish it here? If you don't do this you risk Strangefate on every side. This way we can all make a stand here, together. Force Strangefate to come to us rather than waiting blindly for his attack. If you build a massive plain here, I can start sending in my troops immediately.
Suddenly a trumpet blared from behind the gate behind the Angels. They nodded silently, hearing things no other creature could possibly comprehend.
THE BALD ONE: He has spoken. We shall do it your way.
Just Outside Earth's Atmosphere
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: He's dead.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Bass-Lak-Tus is a being of infinite power and energy. He cannot die… He has simply been disabled, turned off, if you will.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Well, I don't see any reset button…
The Angelic Doctor Strangefate stood on the chest of the enormous dormant body of the being known as Bass-Lak-Tus, as it orbited the planet gently and silently. The Good Doctor was scowling. They had been up there for hours.
DR.STRANGEFATE: I don't understand… I can sense the power within him.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Maybe it's too little power to run such a big body??
DR.STRANGEFATE: That's ridiculous, and a overly simplistic approach to an extremely complex problem.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Hey, I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas.
Strangefate sighed.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Well, its not like I'd be able to deal with a hundred foot tall demigod in the first place. KNIRHS OT EZIS FO NAM!
The being Bass-Lak-Tus shrank to the point where he was even a bit shorter than the Good Doctor himself.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Now, wake up!
He placed his energy charged hands onto the chest of the formerly all-powerful being, and let it shoot directly into its body. There was no change. Bass-Lak-Tus was still, lifeless.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Well, so much for that…
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Wait, look!
The man sized god was yawning. It stretched its arms out and shook its head awake.
BASS-LAK-TUS: Man, do you have a Snickers bar? I am hell of craving a Snickers…
Houdenmeyer's Base
Skott-Kun walked through the barracks, eying each of the guards, happy in the knowledge that they couldn't say anything terrible to him now that he was with Dr.Doomsday. He had joined the Empire back in its early days on their home world as a tracker for the advancing army as they moved from the Americas into Europe and beyond. The Emperor had recruited his brother, the almost universally reviled Lord JTG, as his Deputy General in charge of America, and now the entire world. Things were better here.
He hadn't known anybody really on the old world, not until Dr. Doomsday agreed to join their cause. Skott had liked him instantly, and the way he had punished the foot soldiers who had once coughed "***got" at him under their breaths. Once he had been their peer, a simple teleporter within their ranks, now he was a member of the ruling class. An untouchable. He couldn't deny there was a simple pleasure to be had in that kind of power.
As he was so deep in thought walking through the barracks, Skott was taken aback by an accidental bump into Gothamite. He fell to the floor with a loud thump.
GOTHAMITE: Um… Sorry.
SKOTT-KUN: It's alright, cutie… you gonna help me up?
GOTHAMITE: Oh! Sorry, sure.
Skott made him work at getting him off the floor. The kid in the mask looked cute, as far as he could see anyways. Irish accent, too. That was a plus.
SKOTT-KUN: You got a name under all that leather?
GOTHAMITE: I'm the Gothamite.
SKOTT-KUN: Let's try again.
GOTHAMITE: Oh… My name is Rob.
SKOTT-KUN: Nice to meet you, Rob. My name is Skott.
GOTHAMITE: It's nice to meet you too.
There was an awkward pause. Gothamite blushed nervously. Skott smiled, amused at the boy's embarrassment.
SKOTT-KUN: I'll see you around, kiddo. I've got places to be!
GOTHAMITE: Um… See you!
Gothamite watched Skott make his way out of the barracks before turning to Goodwill, who had been reading a magazine. He was still confused.
GOTHAMITE: Man, I think that pink guy was hitting on me!
GOODWILL: No ****, Sherlock.
As Skott walked back into the corridor he thought of Doomsday, and reminded himself he was in a committed relationship. On the other hand, he thought, doesn't mean I can't look, now, does it?
Elsewhere in the Compound
DR.DOOMSDAY: You should see the battleground, Caduceus, it is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever laid my eyes on. The grass is shining silver with golden lakes under a lavender sky… Takes my breath away just thinking about it.
CADUCEUS: It's been a while since I've been home, but that's been the preferred aesthetic for the past few centuries. I for one preferred the ivory parks they had before then…
DR.DOOMSDAY: The very concept of a changing heaven is fascinating. I had always imagined heaven to be a static place.
CADUCEUS: Angels are beings of pure creativity, it is the very nature of creativity to be constantly in flux. That's why we love you people so much. We've had a hand in the evolution of every major art form. I suspect, based on what you've told me, that comics are in vogue now. It makes sense. At the advent of the true Superhero, comics are suddenly important… but I've been out of the loop for a generation.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Can I ask you why you left?
CADUCEUS: I was banished in the early 1940s… I had seen the Almighty turn his eyes away from tragedies in the past, but the Holocaust was something much more organized… Much crueler. I confronted him. Told him to intervene, but he insisted that you folks would work it all out yourselves. I fought harder, and I was thrown from heaven, my powers suppressed by this little power-stone.
Caduceus pulled the ruby from his pocket, handing it to Doomsday.
DR.DOOMSDAY: This is immensely powerful.
CADUCEUS: I thought the magick was more powerful than anything… Then Strangefate managed to pluck it out as if it were nothing but a sliver. That's when I remembered who I was, why I had fallen… I don't like the thought of fighting for Heaven again, but the alternatives are so much worse.
DR.DOOMSDAY: I can certainly relate to that… It took a long time to convince me to work for the Emperor. I hated his wars on my homeworld, entire cities were burned for weeks. I fought against him for years. What finally turned me was seeing how he handled Africa. It took just a week to depose the corrupt leaders and bring the others in line. Then he used his team of superhumans and built the entire continent an infrastructure. Roads, Police Stations, plumbing, modern houses with modern amenities… The compounds in the Emperor's veins solved the AIDS crisis overnight. Through his telepaths he taught everyone on the continent English, Spanish, and Japanese. From a third world cesspit to a first world society, and all in less than a month. It was remarkable… I offered my help in the final stages of the Empire's expansion in our world, and joined the Moderating Council for the Invasion of this Earth.
CADUCEUS: So why hasn't any of that started here?
DR.DOOMSDAY: Many of us died fighting against the Avatars… That set us back. And he has been hesitant about calling in too many of the superhumans from our world, in the fear of a true uprising. But I'll admit, I've been very frustrated at how little we've done here so far.
HOUDENMEYER: Is that treason I hear, Doomsday?
DR.DOOMSDAY: The Emperor is very much aware of my frustration. What are you working on?
HOUDENMEYER: It's that damned robot from the old Ultimate Central mansion. I've had to load it with viruses to try to eat away at the old programming…
DR.DOOMSDAY: So Project: Mavericker isn't turning out so well?
HOUDENMEYER: Artificial Intelligence is a myth! I refuse to believe this hunk of metal used to be sentient. The closest I can get is this semi-conscious virus with a penchant for religious extremism. Here… See what happens when I turn it on.
Professor Houdenmeyer flipped a switch at the back of the robot's head… The lights behind its triangular eyes turned on. Slowly, with audible whirring, the robot sat forward and looked at both men and the Angel in turn. It focused back on Doomsday, the light behind its eyes turning red.
MAVERICKER: Leviticus, Chapter 18, Verse 22… Thou shalt not lie with mankind—
Houdenmeyer turned the robot back off, ignoring the disturbed look on Doomsday's face.
HOUDENMEYER: And sometimes it gives me inane ideas for new superhumans based on the wikipedia entries on various animals. It is infuriating! No more intelligent than a google bar giving you search suggestions!
CADUCEUS: If I may… I think I see the problem. There's nothing artificial about this being's core intelligence. There's a human soul in there…
Caduceus leaned forward and kissed the robot on the forehead.
CADUCEUS: Turn it on again.
Houdenmeyer flipped the switch. The eyes only lit up partially, giving the image of a half-sleeping man.
ULTXON: Man… How long was I out for? Wait, who are you guys?!
HOUDENMEYER: Incredible… Name your program, Robot!
ULTXON: Um… My name is Ultxon.
Houdenmeyer turned the robot back off before it could say anything else.
HOUDENMEYER: I will have to investigate this further. You two! Out of my lab!
He slammed the door behind them.
CADUCEUS: Someone's a grouchy bastard…
DR.DOOMSDAY: Tell me about it… Heh. Speaking of little bastards, did you tell me earlier this Goodwill fellow has power over Dragons?
Dr. Strangefate's Backyard
BASS-LAK-TUS: So if I sit in this chair, you will get me my Snickers?
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: For the hundred-thousandth time, yes!
BASS-LAK-TUS: Could I also please have a cherry cola and some cheesey Doritos! Oh lordy, I am hungry.
OURCHAIR: If you listen to the monkey, you can have whatever you want.
BASS-LAK-TUS: Oh goody! You little humans amuse me so very much. And you! A talking monkey! How very clever.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Well, this clever little monkey is going to **** on your candy bars if a certain transdimensional cosmic deity doesn't SHUT THE **** UP!
Bass-Lak-Tus sat, dejected in the stone chair behind Strangefate's suburban home. Metal straps bound him in place according to Ourchair's will. Bass-Lak-Tus seemed unaware of them and began humming to himself as he tapped a rhythm on his armrests. Soon afterwards, Strangefate appeared with Ultimate Quicksilver, and the bound and gagged body of Planet-Man dangling between them. Shade followed the men closely. They sat him in another stone chair, a good hundred and fifty feet away from Bass-Lak-Tus.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Quickly! We must create a circle of ash around each of them before Planet-man wakes up and unleashes his powers upon us.
Storm clouds gathered overhead.
Limbo
The Imperial foot soldiers had started moving out three hours prior. Near the Heavenly Gates a lonely tower had been constructed from Ivory at the request of Dr.Doomsday. The Dark Doctor looked over the battlefield and smiled.
BLINK
SKOTT: Hey stranger.
DR.DOOMSDAY: What are you doing here??
SKOTT: I wanted to be with you…
Skott tried to wrap his arms around Doomsday, but he was simply pushed away.
DR.DOOMSDAY: I told you to wait at the base.
SKOTT: I wanted to be here with you…
DR.DOOMSDAY: Things are going to get dangerous soon!
SKOTT: I can take care of myself! I've been fighting in wars since I was sixteen years old!
DR.DOOMSDAY: Not wars like this! Nothing Like this! Jesus… you've never been like this with me before… What has gotten into you?!
SKOTT: Maybe I'm just afraid to see you die. Maybe I hate the idea that I might never see you again.
There was silence then.
SKOTT: I'll always love you, you know that, right?
DR.DOOMSDAY: Skott…
BLINK
Doomsday turned his back on the troops below him, collapsing against the wall of the tower's balcony.
DR.DOOMSDAY: *******it…
Dr. Strangefate's Cottage
Hellsbuttmonkey and Shade had been left to guard the two powerful beings sitting in the backyard while Strangefate called his troops together. Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver had been told why they were needed, and they followed The Good Doctor back down the stairs into the portrait gallery. The inhabitants of the hundreds of paintings that adorned every wall around them were rowdier than ever. They craved to use their newly gifted powers.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Gentlemen, are you ready?
They both answered in the affirmative.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Then let's get this party started.
Strangefate stretched out both his arms and his wings, energy gathering to him from the ether.
DR.STRANGEFATE:
Men behind the masterpieces! I relieve you!
Hundreds of winged men were hurled from every corner of the room, landing in uncomfortable heaps as they tried to remember how to move their muscles. The room seemed bigger than it ever had before Ourchair could have sworn there couldn't be more than two-hundred paintings, but it seemed now upwards of two-thousand… The portraits had been left blank, the room having transformed into a surrealist's wet dream. The tallest and strongest built of the men flapped his wings, departing the writhing mass of flesh and feathers.
ADONIS: You expect us to serve you after you used us and threw us away?
Another Angel took to the air.
NATHANIEL: We loved you!
And another.
MARCUS: And you betrayed us!
ADONIS: You shouldn't have given us this power, James. You'll never defeat all of us together.
The Good Doctor's eyes turned solid, luminescent red, seemingly drawing power away from the lamps above them. Nothing in the room was brighter, save the pink-purple energy surging from his fingertips.
DR.STRANGEFATE: MY NAME IS DOCTOR STRANGEFATE!!!
He blasted Adonis out of the air, the other Angels stared horrified at his now-headless corpse. The Good Doctor pulled himself back together, relishing the fear he inspired in his army.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Now would be the appropriate time to strike.
Ourchair lifted a dozen helmets from the floor with his magnetic prowess, locking them on a dozen heads in mere moments before repeating the process all over again. Ultimate Quicksilver took them one by one. They had finished within a minute. Strangefate laughed as the Angels took to their feet, standing in perfect lines, ready for war. He handed his lieutenants two helmets, each marked with a glowing purple Ankh, his symbol.
DR.STRANGEFATE: In the battle to come, these helmets will give you each the ability to control half my army. It might sound difficult, but the helmet will expand your mind as necessary. You shall adorn them shortly.
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Excellent
OURCHAIR: Now what are we going to do?
DR.STRANGEFATE: The same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to kill God and recreate the universe in my image.
The Good Doctor laughed as they marched back up towards the backyard. The time had come. The trumpets of war had sounded. It was time to march.
Limbo
The troops were growing anxious. Every step they took on the silver grass felt like a heresy. They looked uneasily over the Pearly Gates and at the beings that flew above them. It seemed as though it was getting darker, and they were told this simply meant the battle was approaching. It made no sense to them but who were they to judge. The darker it got above, the clearer it became that the land and the gates were giving off their own eerie light.
FOOT SOLDIER 21: So, do you think that's really heaven?
FOOT SOLDIER 24: I don't know, maybe?
FOOT SOLDIER 21: Now that it's getting dark, you can finally see them guarding the gates… Like some kind of night watchmen. They don't even seem to care about what happens out here.
FOOT SOLDIER 24: I'm sure they care.
FOOT SOLDIER 21: So does this mean there is a God?
FOOT SOLDIER 24: I don't know.
FOOT SOLDIER 21: But then who's watching these watchmen?
There was a pensive silence. 24 weighed carefully what he ought to say next.
FOOT SOLDIER 24: Dude, I don't even read comics, and I know how lame that was.
Heaven
The Throne Room was almost purely white light. The Lord of Creation stroked his ragged beard, careful not to let it catch on one of his elaborate rings. He could see everything, and watched intently. He might have smiled then, or he might not have. It depends what you choose to believe.
Strangefate's Cottage
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: It's about time you got back up here. The long haired idiot god started speaking in a language that made me vomit chocolate! I didn't even know that was possible!
OURCHAIR: It shouldn't be…
DR.STRANGEFATE: Silence. Quicksilver, hand me my knife.
In a split second the knife was in Strangefate's hand. He approached Bass-Lak-Tus and he made a clean slice down his chest. Alien blood drenched his shirt.
BASS-LAK-TUS: Hehe… Tickles.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Lords of the Cosmos, I have taken one of your own! Grant me passage!
Thunder rumbled above. Strangefate walked to Planet-Man, gagged and crying, and made an identical slice down his chest, revealing thick red blood.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Lords of the Earth, I have taken one of your own! Grant me passage!
More thunder. Strangefate walked halfway back then shouted at the Thunder clouds above him.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Lords of Limbo, I abide your rules and honor your traditions! You WILL grant me passage!
Twin lightning bolts struck Planet-Man and Bass-Lak-Tus respectively, sending them into panicked fits of agony. Purple bolts shot from Bass-Lak-Tus, and green bolts from Planet-man. Suddenly, opposing beams met, creating a small window into nothingness. The window acted as a magnet, drawing more and more energy from the elemental forces, growing larger and larger. All the men cowered, Shade going so far as to retreat into the shadows of the forest behind the home. Only Strangefate stood his ground.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Monkey! Shade! Stay with them! In the unlikely event of my failure, I need this door open. Don't you dare let anything happen to them.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Sure thing, boss.
SHADE:
we will not fail you, master.
The land around the cottage twisted and turned at Strangefate's command, forcing Hell's Buttmonkey to leap out of its way. The house suddenly jerked upwards hundreds of feet skyward, revealing an inverted castle, the original castle he had disguised all those long months ago. It was a strange sight to see, an adorable cottage on a patch of grass and soil, topping an upside-down castle straight out of a fairy tale. The castle moved forward, passing through the portal and straight back to the limbo it hadn't seen since its encounter with the Doomwurm.
A young boy watched it go, disappearing into the giant portal in space and time, his mouth gaping wide open. After it had fully vanished all the boy could see were two brightly covered men shooting colored lightning into the portal, something strange moving in and out of shadows, and a little red monkey with a pitchfork. He waved at the monkey. The monkey pointed his pitchfork at the boy and waved back pleasantly. The boy had barely begun to smile back as he noticed the smell of burning flesh. Then he began to scream.
Hell's Buttmonkey wondered whether the neighbors had any good books for him to read as he guarded the elemental beings. He decided to wander in and see. As he walked he accidentally knocked some of the ash free from its circle around Planet-Man.
Limbo
The castle was coming. They could see it advancing slowly in the distance. Caduceus landed on top of Doomsday's ivory tower.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Is Goodwill…
CADUCEUS: Everything is ready.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Should we not live to see tomorrow, I am glad to have met you, my friend.
Caduceus patted the Doctor on the back and was struck, not for the first time, how the same basic mold of a person could turn out so differently just one world away.
CADUCEUS: I am glad to have met you as well.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Come on, come on, Mirror-Brother. Let's finish this once and for all…
Houdenmeyer's Base
Skott found himself wandering once again through the now empty compound. He had seen Houdenmeyer gather his most important equipment into a truck and driven off with it all. He had even offered Skott a ride, which had surprised Skott, as the Professor was not a kind man, and rarely thought of anyone save himself.
He thought of his love, the Good Doctor Doomsday, one of the Empire's greatest and most powerful enemies before he fell for the cause. Skott was glad he had come over, but the very things that had convinced him of the Emperor's altruism had merely shown Skott his overwhelming need for total control. Where would it end? Were they really stopping Strangefate because it was the right thing to do, or could the Emperor simply be incapable of dealing with another man finding himself with more power than himself? These questions scared Skott, but he didn't want to stir things up. Certainly, he could take a stronger role within the Empire, his experience on the ground in the old world had brought up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. But to be in a position to contradict authority would mean he would speak up if he disagreed, and men who came against the establishment would be discarded, and quickly. Would Dr. Doomsday stand up for him then? Would he even still be around to stand up for him.
SKOTT: I wonder if the battle's started…
GOTHAMITE: It'll be soon now.
Skott jumped. He had thought himself to be entirely alone in the compound. Clearly, this was not the case.
SKOTT: Jesus… I thought I was alone in here.
GOTHAMITE: I refused to take a weapon, and so they left me here. And somewhere out there, my friend is in danger, possibly even dying. And I'm powerless to help.
An awkward silence.
SKOTT: I wish I knew what to tell you.
GOTHAMITE: I know… It's just, I'm distracted, alright?
SKOTT: Yeah…
Another awkward silence.
GOTHAMITE: So, you're one of the Imperial drones, now, aren't you?
SKOTT: I am in the service of the Emperor, yes. I wouldn't call myself a drone.
GOTHAMITE: Sorry… I'm just not a big fan of dictators.
SKOTT: To be fair, neither am I, and I think I'm going to leave it at that…
A voice came from the corner. It sounded like a distorted
ULTXON: Dictators? What is going on here?
The robot stood, motors whirring quietly from within his titanium shell.
ULTXON: First I come to and there's some weird-*** scientist hovering over me, and now there's a dictator? How long have I been out? What's happened to this world
SKOTT: Who are you?
GOTHAMITE: What are you?
ULTXON: I'm one of the Avatars… My name's Ultxon… What's going on.
Skott looked at Gothamite and shrugged with a half-smile.
GOTHAMITE: Here, I'll tell you.
Limbo
The Battle had begun in earnest. Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver were sitting on the back porch of Strangefate's cottage, wearing their helmets as they sipped on mimosas, watching the damage they were doing from afar. Angelic soldiers dropped on Doomsday's men, killing them en masse. The shining fields were already drenched with blood.
A fleet of helmeted Angels flew low, beams of magic decapitating several soldiers out of the fleet near the castle's base.
FOOT SOLDIER 21: Oh Jesus!
FOOT SOLDIER 24: **** this man! I can see the gateway! Let's run for it!
As the cowards fled the battlefield, the true army of heaven flew forward, clashing against the atrocities that bore their form. The Archangel Michael, still wearing his bearded form, pointed his fiery sword towards the oncoming hordes and shouted in the glee of battle.
The Good Doctor Strangefate hovered in the air, high above the battle, taking in everything. He saw the true angels clashing with his own men, and smiled. The Doctor had planned things well, and he knew what must happen next. His heightened eyesight sought a man very much like himself, leading the other side of the battle. When he saw Dr.Doomsday, he was taken aback, as one might expect a man to be when he sees himself. The similarities would have been remarkable, had Strangefate not taken the blood of the Angel Caduceus. Still, the man standing before him was the very image he still expected to see when he looked in the mirror. Nonetheless, he dove at him, hands charged with purple-pink energy.
CADUCEUS: No!
The Angel Caduceus countered The Good Doctor's plummet and the two angelic beings crashed to the ground beneath him.
DR.STRANGEFATE: I would have thought you would have had the sense to keep far away from this battleground. You know that you want change in heaven more than any other being here.
Caduceus struck the Doctor in the face, but it was as if he had only lightly slapped the man. The recovery was instant. He saw Strangefate's eyes pulse bright red.
CADUCEUS: Don't you even dare pretend to be doing this for some benevolent purpose. You only want power!
DR.STRANGEFATE: I cannot lie, it is power I seek…
His hands glowed with energy once more.
DR.STRANGEFATE: And I'll take it as easily as I took your power before…
He placed them on Caduceus' wings.
DR.STRANGEFATE: And as easily as I take them now!
He ripped the wings off messily, golden blood spattering back onto him as the Angel Caduceus screamed in horror. The purple-pink energy of Strangefate's power consumed the wings like a fire, tearing them apart atom by atom, with no hope of regeneration. The fallen Angel wept and held the burning fragments of himself to his chest, despite the immediate scarring.
The Good Doctor kicked him hard in the back and Caduceus stopped moving, letting the blood run down and over him, soaking his still body.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Now, back to the business at hand…
Houdenmeyer's Base
ULTXON: This is all too much to believe.
GOTHAMITE: Tell me about it…
The two men and the robot stood in Houdenmeyer's Laboratory now. They could hear distant chaos through the still-open dimensional gateway.
GOTHAMITE: And now, apparently, my best friend is being used to tear open a hole in time and space, and the process will probably kill him
ULTXON: Hm… Maybe if I hook myself up to the computers here, I'll be able to find it. It has to be a giant spike of energy, and it'll come up on one sensor or another.
SKOTT: Yes! I know we monitor all superhuman activity. Here, let me boot it up.
Skott set up at the keyboards of one of the Supercomputers and entered Doomsday's password. The satellite superhuman energy locator was difficult to find at first, but Skott had long been accustomed to browsing the confidential files of Dr.Doomsday.
GOTHAMITE: So… You and this Doomsday guy…
SKOTT: Yeah. Me and that Doomsday guy.
GOTHAMITE: Right. Gotcha.
SKOTT: Here, it's up. You figure out how to work it.
ULTXON: I'm on it!
Skott leaned back against a wall. Gothamite looked uncomfortable.
SKOTT: You got a problem with me?
GOTHAMITE: No, no! Not at all. I just… I guess I don't really know many gay people.
SKOTT: Heh… The guy decked out in skintight leather doesn't know any homosexuals. That's a laugh.
GOTHAMITE: Hey! This is to make me look intimidating.
SKOTT: You keep telling yourself that, dear.
ULTXON: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
SKOTT: What about it?
ULTXON: This is definitely the spot…
GOTHAMITE: Now do you think this Mad Scientist has a supersonic jet laying around here?
SKOTT: Hey, kiddos. You're all going to fly first class on Skott Airlines. Grab hold of me.
GOTHAMITE: Wait… What?
SKOTT: I'm a teleporter.
ULTXON: Well, that's certainly convenient.
BLINK
Limbo
Dr.Doomsday saw his double flying at him once more and grinned. Above him, half of Strangefate's army had pushed the Army of Heaven back behind the gates. The other half was busy slaughtering the soldiers on the ground. It was time to bring in the big guns. He pulled out his radio.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Goodwill, are you in position?
GOODWILL: You betcha!
DR.DOOMSDAY: You ready to strike?
GOODWILL: You have no idea how ready I am.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Strike when ready!
Strangefate landed on the edge of the tower.
DR.STRANGEFATE: So, finally, we meet face to face…
DR.DOOMSDAY: I have a feeling you're going to have a problem you'll want to take care of any second now.
There was a roaring in the distance. Strangefate's eyes narrowed.
DR.STRANGEFATE: What is this…
A horde of Dragons appeared from beneath the artificial battlefield. Scores and Scores of them. On the largest and most impressive figure in the lot sat Goodwill, embracing the return of his true power.
DR.STRANGEFATE: ****.
The Good Doctor flew towards the horde, but he wasn't fast enough. Dozens had fallen on his army, and The Heavenly Host pushed forward in unison. Goodwill's Dragon had its target set elsewhere, slightly off the battlefield.
Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver barely had time to react. Wearing the helmets they could not see Goodwill's Dragon approaching, nor the first jet of flame that set the cottage behind them ablaze. A second jet caught Ultimate Quicksilver directly in its path.
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: ****! ****! I'M BURNING! AAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!
OURCHAIR: No!!!
But it was too late. Ultimate Quicksilver ran screaming off the edge of the castle walls and fell into the abyss screaming. Ourchair knew he had died as he saw half of Strangefate's army fall deathly still to the ground. The Heavenly Host moved in on the rest of the army instantly. With Ourchair's attention focused on staying alive, his fraction of the army fighting clumsily against the increased strength of the opposing might.
GOODWILL: Hey Magnet-boy, remember me?
OURCHAIR: You ****er! You killed my friend.
Ourchair pulled all the metal within his psychic grasp and pulled it towards him as a giant spear, which ripped easily through the scales of Goodwill's dragon and shishkabobbed a dozen more before crashing into the ground. He pulled enough metal back to create a small disc, which he rode towards the nearby enemy gate.
OURCHAIR: I'm sorry, Strangefate, but I think this is my cue to leave!
He pulled the helmet from his head, and the rest of the army fell motionless to the ground. Ourchair ducked into the energy field and made his way out. Goodwill crawled, dazed from the dragon-ka-bob attack, towards the gate himself. He knew he could make it as long as he avoided the one man he hated most of all. Strangefate single-handedly held off hundreds of Angels with his powerful blasts of energy, but he knew there was only one course of action left.
DR.STRANGEFATE: DOOMSDAY!
The Crater of Castle Strangefate
Hellsbuttmonkey was not entirely impressed with the newest issue of Entertainment Weekly. He eyed the two gents still shotting energy into the giant portal in the sky and wondered pretty half-heartedly whether the police would notice something as strange as that. He guessed it was true that nobody really looks up anymore.
He hardly noticed when weeds grew quickly from the ground and wrapped around his legs. When they pulled him from his chair, he started to get angry.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: What the devil…
PLANET-MAN: Take this, you disgusting little creature!
The weeds wrapped around the entirety of his body and began to change. A tree took his place for a moment and started to bloom bright green healthy leaves, but molten lava poured from a hole and the monkey climbed free.
BLINK
PLANET-MAN: Rob?
GOTHAMITE: Parker! Quick, Look out!
Shade emerged from the forest and cast the entire world in shadow. Nobody could see their hands let alone each other. Skott felt something topple him over onto the ground.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Who the hell are you people?!
SKOTT: Get off of me!
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Hey, buddy, I've got my pitchfork right here, and I swear to the unholy beast that I'll gouge your eyes out if you don't give me some answers.
Gothamite pulled a flashlight out of his jacket and shined it the monkey's way. The creature seemed dazed. He knocked it hard with the flashlight.
GOTHAMITE: Quick, Ultxon! Untie them!
Ultxon maneuvered well in the darkness. He quickly untied Bass, and used his conveniently designed legs to bolt over and untie Planet-man. The portal above them closed with an audible pop.
Skott had barely gotten to his feet when the monkey was upon him again. He felt the creatures burning fingers reaching into his eye socket and ripping his left eye out. He began to scream.
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: What did I tell you?
Ultxon turned on the floodlight in his chest and they could all see again. Skott had doubled over, writhing in pain on the ground while the others surrounded the monkey. Planet-man had hatred in his eyes. He raised one hand and storm clouds gathered. A bolt of lightning struck the simian, before water engulfed him, shooting out of the ground like a fire hose. Hellsbuttmonkey hated water. Before he could do anything, another bolt of lightning struck him from the heavens above.
PLANET-MAN: I swear I'll kill you for what you've done…
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Shade! Get me out of here!
Shadow engulfed the monkey, and as the light returned, they could see both of the henchmen were gone.
Limbo
The first blow knocked out four of Dr.Doomsday's teeth. The second broke his ribs.
DR.STRANGEFATE: How can you be so pathetically weak?
DR.DOOMSDAY: How can you be so completely heartless?
Strangefate and Doomsday sparred with beams of energy, their eyes growing red and green, respectively. Strangefate seemed stronger than ever, fueled by his rage. He hit Doomsday again.
DR.STRANGEFATE: I can feel within me your need for the same power I seek! Come with me, let us truly be brothers…
DR.DOOMSDAY: We are NOT brothers, Strangefate! You are the man I would have become if I had no willpower, no sense of right and wrong… You are a devil in man's… Well… An Angel's clothing. We are truly opposites. You sicken me!
DR.STRANGEFATE: I sicken YOU?! You are the one who has clearly never taken the risks you need to take to become great. To become powerful! How could you just sit around with the basic magic of a man, when you know damn well how to become something truly great?!
A final blow from Strangefate knocked his double unconscious. He threw the limp body over his shoulder and marched towards the gates of Heaven.
DR.STRANGEFATE: I think it's about time to take this to the top.
In the shadows lurked the injured Angel Caduceus, who followed these two versions of one man into the very Heaven from which he was banished seventy years ago.
The Crater of Castle Strangefate
Skott held his bleeding, empty eye-socket with one hand and did his best to keep from screaming. His entire world was pain.
SKOTT: I need to go back… You have what you need. I need to get out of here before I pass out completely…
GOTHAMITE: Thank you, for everything.
SKOTT: Don't mention it. If you see that demon monkey, be sure to tell him that I'm going to find him, and when I do I am going to rip him limb from monkey limb.
ULTXON: Wait… What about us?
Skott sighed, woozy from the pain.
SKOTT: If I take you back, you're all going to be enlisted. Stay here. Find "The Project".
PLANET-MAN: What's The Project?
SKOTT: …Jesus, they're gonna kill me for this… Okay. So The Avatars aren't entirely gone, really… They've just changed a bit. The Project is the resistance. I'll… I'll help you find them.
GOTHAMITE: Wait… What?
SKOTT: Not from here… But I'll help you guys.
GOTHAMITE: You could get killed.
SKOTT: Maybe I don't want to live in a world where I can get killed for speaking my mind.
PLANET-MAN: Maybe you shouldn't have helped them take over, then.
SKOTT: Don't be such an ***, I lost an eye to save your blue ***. Look, I can't promise anything, but I've got to get out of here… I think I'm about to--
BLINK
BASS-LAK-TUS: What's going on here? Why don't I have any powers? Blue Human! Tell me what you have done with the mighty strength of the cosmic lord, Bass-Lak-Tus!
PLANET-MAN: Strangefate must have drained it all from you. Guess you're not a cosmic lord anymore!
GOTHAMITE: Now you can be a regular Joe like the rest of us.
BASS-LAK-TUS: I am no Joe! I am Bass-Lak-Tus! I destroy worlds!
ULTXON: Look, guy, I don't think anyone here wants to deal with your bull**** right now.
PLANET-MAN: Seriously.
GOTHAMITE: I guess you're just Bass, now.
BASS: Bass?! You dare call me by a common human name?!
PLANET-MAN: I think it's more of a fish name, than a human name…
BASS: You dare call me by a common fish name?!
ULTXON: Oh, God…
Heaven
The doors to the holiest throne, the very seat of creation glowed purple and pink for the briefest of moments before shooting inward to the infinite room, crashing into nearby black marble pillars that stretched eternally into the cosmic diorama above them. Dr.Strangefate threw the battered limp body of his double onto the ground in front of him.
DR.STRANGEFATE: Not even a variation of myself could defeat me… I have your power, you wretched oaf, and now it's time to hand things over to me.
God stood, then, golden light radiating from his skin. Through his thick and tangled brown beard he muttered to himself in some british dialect before he started laughing. The noise, rather than coming from the figure standing by the throne, seemed to come from everywhere, from Strangefate's very soul.
GOD: You are truly one of the strangest of my children. But you all serve your purpose in the end…
DR.STRANGEFATE: I don't think you understand. It's about time you learned your place beneath the Good Doctor Strangefate!
GOD: No… I think it's about time YOU learned your place.
With a flick of his wrist, Strangefate's wings and golden skin were gone, and he once again bore the pasty flesh of a human being. Another flick and the man was carried high into the cosmos above him. The lord of all creation followed, amused.
GOD: You think you know power?
A miniature Supernova was nearly blinding, but then the universe surrounding them began to move quickly. Suns crashed into suns. Entire Galaxies grew and died. The Universe aged in an instant. And suddenly a light came from the distance. The room shifted and zoomed into the planet Earth. God held it in his hand, and grinned widely at the Good Doctor.
GOD: You are nothing but a fragment of a fragment within the very existence to which I wrote the rules, and you think that picking up a mere aspect of my presence would be enough to prove anything close to a threat? You are truly insane.
DR.STRANGEFATE: But…
GOD: I only let you come so far, because to retrieve that aspect of power myself would be far too bothersome. You were content to come here, to confront me, and now that you're here, I can deal with the matter personally.
The Alpha and The Omega reached into the chest of the great Doctor Strangefate, and pulled out a white, glowing ball of energy. The entity that had called itself Lil Kis was free once again.
GOD: I won't lie to you… I admire your strength, and your thirst for power. You are the first of my creatures in eons that has even dared to cross me. I allowed him his existence too, as pitiful as it may be down in that wretched infernal pit, but I can see you've already crossed the path of the Angel Lucifer… First you will fall as he fell, and it will be terrible indeed. But you have your life ahead of you, not to mention the powerful magic you still carry within you. Consider it a gift.
The Good Doctor tried to move, tried to do anything. He was truly and utterly powerless then. His eyes radiated red power, but it was no more irritating to the Lord as sunbeam on a cloudy day.
GOD: I promise you this, Strangefate, you will never see me again. You shall never set foot in Heaven again, so take it in during these final moments.
DR.STRANGEFATE: This isn't over.
GOD: Oh, I assure you… It is.
A blast of white energy tore a hole through realities and Strangefate fell through it, flailing, with no wings to guide him in these final moments where his lifelong goal had been so thoroughly crushed. He disappeared from sight and the hole healed itself rather nicely. This War on Heaven was over.
CADUCEUS: You are as despicable as ever. All those people out there died because you were to lazy to clean up your own mess.
GOD: My wayward son… It is good to see you alive. I had felt your pain in my heart and merely assumed you to be dead.
CADUCEUS: You just sent one of the most powerful beings in creation back to the one place he can hurt the most innocent people, because you respect him?
GOD: My patience has already worn thin. I trust you are here to reclaim your rightful name and position as the Archangel Raguel.
CADUCEUS: I am Caduceus, and I will never serve you again.
He grabbed the still limp body of Dr.Doomsday and carried it out of the Throne Room, taking a moment to spit his own golden blood on the impeccably cleaned floors. He left, making his way back to the gate, and to the salvation of his friend. God let them go, and gladly. They were both important to what would happen next.
Undisturbed, as if today had been any ordinary day, the Lord of Creation sat in his throne and looked down at his children of the Earth, and smiled. The great drama continued, and though he knew the paths of the great and terrible men beneath him, he longed to see them play their parts.
EPILOGUE
Somewhere
The parking lot was abandoned, save for one pay phone. The master of magnetism sat cautiously aware of the people.
OURCHAIR: I'm telling you, he's out there somewhere, and we're going to need him.
A Hidden voice replied.
VOICE: He's failed once before.
OURCHAIR: This guy just took on God and lived to tell the tale! Even if he only had one-tenth of the power he had before, he'd still be more powerful than any of The Moderators.
VOICE: You say he lived, but how can you know?
OURCHAIR: Just trust me on this one.
VOICE: Very well. Find him, then, and bring him in. We've waited too long already to make a move.
OURCHAIR: I've got my best men on the job.
Somewhere Else
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: I haven't the faintest idea how we're going to find the old bastard.
SHADE:
don't you have some sort of magic?
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: As far as I can tell, he hasn't used any yet. Once he does, we're set. Until then… What does this Ourchair fella think I'm going to do? Check under every rock I see?
SHADE:
what do you suggest?
HELLSBUTTMONKEY: Wanna catch a movie? My treat.
If Shade could have sighed, he would have.
SHADE:
i don't see why not…
616 Central
Skott's new eye-patch was a dark green, complimenting the slightly lighter shaded, but still rather dark green suit he had taken to wearing around the headquarters. For the first time, he wore his military metals on his person, and asked the men beneath him to speak to him by his proper ranking, Lt. Colonel of the Collected Imperial Armed Forces. He tried to feel the pride the medals should have elicited within him, but he couldn't shake his doubts.
NURSE: Can I help you with something?
SKOTT: I'm only here to see Dr. Doomsday, he needs to be relieved for the next meeting of the Council.
The nurse tutted Skott as if he had any power over the Doctor's stay in the infirmary. A few moments later Doomsday appeared, walking with a cane, occasionally clutching at his broken ribs. He smiled at Skott from afar and ruffled his hair with his free hand once he got close enough.
SKOTT: They shouldn't be letting you go.
DR.DOOMSDAY: I've set this whole damn thing up, there's no way in hell I'm going to miss this session.
There was a transport waiting outside of the infirmary. A nameless soldier of the empire drove the car through long and winding corridors. Slowly, Dr.Doomsday's hand found Skott's and they exchanged a smile.
DR.DOOMSDAY: How are you?
SKOTT: I've been… Well, I've been better. But I think I'm going to be all right.
DR.DOOMSDAY: Have I told you that you look dashing in your eye-patch.
SKOTT: Heh…
DR.DOOMSDAY: I'm serious. You look like a classy pirate from ye olden days.
SKOTT: You're a cutie.
They kissed, briefly. Skott rested his head on Doomsday's shoulders.
DR.DOOMSDAY: I'm thinking we should take a little vacation soon, someplace warm where we can wind down from all of this. What do you think?
SKOTT: That sounds absolutely wonderful.
FOOT SOLDIER 85: We're here sir.
Doomsday stood uneasily from the cart, steadying himself with the cane by his side.
DR.DOOMSDAY: How do I look?
SKOTT: Handsome as always.
He smiled broadly before placing his hand on the scanner. The doors to the Council Room opened wide, and he stepped in slowly before all of the familiar faces.
ICE: Glad to have you back, Doctor. The Emperor sends you wishes of a speedy recovery. Shall we begin?
DR.DOOMSDAY: Indeed.
The Dark Doctor took his seat at the table, still wary of the process of sitting.
DR.DOOMSDAY: While we certainly took a toll one month ago today, my counterpart, Dr.Strangefate, was successfully prevented from reaching his goals. Having been rather painfully incapacitated in the process, I unfortunately do not have the full story of his defeat. So this seems as good a time as any to formally introduce you all to the newest member of The Moderating Council, The Angel Caduceus.
CADUCEUS: Thank you, Doctor. I left my post in heaven to make this world a better place, and I believe now more than ever that this is the proper arena in which to do that. I pledge allegiance wholeheartedly to The Emperor and to all of you. Now to the matter at hand…
Meanwhile, Skott had situated himself in front of his lover's computer. He quickly downloaded all the information regarding The Project and its location from the database and sent it in an encrypted email to Ultxon, as he had promised. As he hit the send button, he held his breath in fear of the consequences. More than anything he wanted to be sure that when he defected, he knew where to go.
The Project would be waiting for him.
An Internet Café in Chicago, IL
ULTXON: I've got the files…
He unplugged himself from the terminal and looked around.
BASS: Why do these frail humans spend their money to come to a place where they can use a communications device rather than just go outside and speak to one another without paying money?
GOTHAMITE: Will you just shut it already? We're getting enough looks with the Robot in the hooded sweatshirt over here, not to mention a blue guy.
PLANET-MAN: Plus, you're starting to sound like my mom.
ULTXON: Quiet all of you. Let's get back to the hotel… Hopefully this will give us enough to hunt down The Project and join the resistance properly.
They left quickly, doing their best not to draw anyone's attention.
The screen on the computer Ultxon had been used flickered on and off. A blue screen appeared, with white text reading: PROJECT: MAVERICKER INITIATED. NOW ONLINE.
Deep in the Forests of Russia
The crater smoked as it had the day previous, and the day before that. The shape within it shuddered and woke with a start. Every bone in his body seemed to be broken. He could barely move, breathing even seemed a chore. He knew he would not die. He had been given the wretched gift of life, and now he was doomed never to see either Heaven nor Hell again as long as he existed.
Dr.Strangefate remembered what it meant to be weak, what it meant to be human once more, but he further remembered that even at his most human, he had one ability that set him apart from the rest. He screamed as he allowed his flesh to take its form as organic steel. But finally, he found the strength to move. He felt no cold here, and his broken bones conformed to the hard exoskeleton that now held him together.
Charred remains of campers caught within his wake as he plummeted to Earth from the far corners of the cosmos decorated the edge of the crater. He found a dark green picnic blanket and wrapped it around himself.
The Good Doctor Strangefate wandered, broken and lonely, into the landscape around him.
THE END
