---An Hour Later---
As the Principality’s capital faded into the distance, the women went to the galley to play cards. Once it was just Luxion, Solaris, and me on the bridge, I released a long sigh. The ship was on autopilot, so now was as good a time as any to get this out of the way. Luxion and I needed to talk.
“Alright, Luxion, or should I say Victor von Doom, let’s end this little charade, shall we?” I kept my gaze fixed on the horizon. “All my memories have returned. There is no point in lying anymore.”
<Leon, my son-in-law and descendant, this was never a farce to me. My reasoning for keeping you in the dark was that I wanted to enjoy the brief time we would have together. Once you found out who I really was, I assumed you would destroy me. After all, I deserve it after everything I’ve done...>
My brain stalled. Based on my last meeting with him as Aremus, I expected things to be heated. I spirited his daughter away in the night against his wishes, so it was well-deserved. Instead, he was the one acting like he had wronged me.
“You say this body of mine is the descendant of Valeria and myself?” I closed my eyes. “I’ve seen House Bartfort’s family tree. There is no mention of a Doom anywhere on it.”
<That is because your son disavowed my wife, Inan, and me. We told him the truth about who his parents were, and it ended poorly. He accused us of chasing you off world to your deaths. Neither of us could refute his words, as it was the truth...>
From that day onward, Aremus’ son never acknowledged their existence again. Doom and Inan tried many times to make amends, but he paid them no mind. After several failed attempts, Inan’s health rapidly declined; losing her daughter and grandson was too much to take. She died several months later. Doom went into self-imposed exile after her funeral.
<Aremus… I must know, what happened to my darling Valeria and you? This question has been on my mind since the day your men returned with your son. After handing the boy to us, your men went into stasis aboard your flagship, Spiritus Libertatis.>
With a thought, I sealed off the bridge. This discussion was not something I wanted the women to overhear. If they knew the Chaos Undivided cult was not the only threat we faced, it might break them. I could not burden them with even more of my worries.
“Before I answer, I would like you to answer a question too.” I opened my eyes. With a wave of my hand, a holographic map of the world appeared before me. “My geography is rough, but I’m fairly certain this is not Earth. How is it that Doctor Doom, the Sorceress Supreme Inan, and others arrived on a backwater planet like this?”
<Haha… you are better informed than I expected. To answer your question, we have to go back thirty years before we first met each other. My home universe, Earth-1610, was on the brink of collapse because of a convergence with Earth-616. In those days, I went by Victor Van Damme.>
---Flashback, 3rd Person POV---
Unable to prevent the destruction of their universe, Doctor Doom and his colleagues accepted their fates with open arms. With a glass of fine wine in hand, he watched the world around him erode away. Just before he followed suit, an unknown force ripped him from his home. In the next instant, he lay in the center of the collapsed ruins of an old farmhouse.
Unfamiliar with the area, Doom wandered for days looking for signs of human habitation. When he finally found it, the first thing he did was to locate a newspaper to find out where he was. On the front page, a familiar face was awarding a weapons contract to an older Howard Stark.
‘Reed Richards… So this is where you fled to! Whoever brought me here, I thank you. I’ve a score to settle with this fool.’
With his intellect, it was child’s play for him to put together the funds to head to America. During his voyage across the ocean, Doom took advantage of his free time to read up on this world’s history. Familiar with multiversal travel, the history of this world should have been like his, but it was not. Many events that should have happened did not. Others had their outcomes changed.
Upon arriving in New York, Doom sought the Starks out. Richards, now known as The Maker, was far too dangerous to fight alone. His mortal enemy had powerful allies, resources, and several decades of preparation on him. Doom had his magical powers, personal equipment, and superior intellect. The gap was simply too great.
Arriving at Stark Tower, Doom did not waste words with the receptionists. He attempted to storm up to the executive office. This led to a one-sided battle that left the lobby in tatters.
“You certainly know how to make an entrance, Doctor Doom.” Howard strolled into the office with his son, Tony Stark, by his side. “If you wanted a meeting, you could’ve asked. There was no need to humiliate my security team, though it was rather entertaining to watch.”
“Glad I gave Happy the day off.” Tony pulled out his father’s chair for him.
“My time is precious, Howard and Tony Stark. I didn’t have patience for social pleasantries today.” Doom leaned back into the sectional sofa. “I’m here today to discuss—”
Tony flopped into his desk chair and kicked his feet up on his father’s desk. “You’re here to talk about The Maker, right? We’ve been waiting for you to show up.”
Doom’s aloof demeanor cracked. Before coming before them, he had researched Stark Industries carefully. They were well-respected men who donated regularly to charities around the globe. Their company, on the other hand, had close ties to The Maker’s cabal. He was uncertain if they were friend or foe. It felt like they were becoming the latter.
“That is correct. How did you know…?” Doom prepared for a fight, examining the room for hidden threats.
“Simple, the Sorceress Supreme Inan, at least that’s what she called herself, told us.” Tony opened a desk drawer and fished out a large tin of peanuts. Placing it on the desk, he started tossing peanuts into his mouth. “About a year ago, Inan contacted the two of us in our dreams. She told us about her forced imprisonment beneath a mountain range, and about The Maker’s crimes. Before she went dark two weeks ago, the three of us had been making plans to deal with him.”
Doom’s wariness waned.
“From what you’ve said, I can safely infer Inan was the one who brought me to your world. What have you worked out thus far?”
Howard sealed off his office from the outside world with the press of a button. Once the room was secure, he brought up a holographic projection of their most recent plans. Since Inan first spoke with them, they had attempted to overthrow The Maker and his Cabal nine times. Every attempt was thwarted before any meaningful progress could be made, except for the latest one.
Initially, supply routes were compromised, then, out of the blue, the Cabal started missing their smugglers. Unsure why this happened, they continued on with their operation and successfully killed four of The Maker’s top enforcers through various proxies. It was only during the after-battle report that they learned why they had failed continuously before.
Howard brought up a fuzzy image from a security camera. “Our operatives pulled security camera backups from the facility they hit. Among the hours of footage, we found this clip.”
When he pressed the play button, Doom watched as The Maker set down a familiar-looking box on a table. After pressing a few buttons, the surrounding space distorted, and then he vanished.
“Inan was trying to discover what it was before she went missing.” Howard put the footage on a loop. “Do you know what it is?”
Doom nodded. “It’s called the Immortus Engine. In my universe, I’ve seen a man from the distant future use something very similar to it. The device allows its operator to travel freely across the timeline to any point in history they choose.”
An uneasy feeling settled between Howard and Tony. They both opened web browsers on their phones to look up information.
“Alterations to the timeline. That was what Inan was trying to tell us.” Howard pulled up news reports on the holographic display. “A few years ago, the World Health Organization recognized a new mental condition called Distorted Memory Disorder (DMD). Those afflicted by the condition claim to have lived through historical events that never happened.”
Before being recognized by any medical organization, people who suffered from the condition were treated as non-violent mental patients. That changed a few years ago when those non-violent people started massacring others. Things had only grown worse since.
“The Maker must be artificially stabilizing the timeline. A fool like Richards could never calculate the countless myriads of outcomes created by his tampering.” Doom rubbed his chin. “Because the timeline cannot self-correct, the natural order is out of balance. The longer this goes on, the worse things will become.”
Tony sat up in his seat. “You aren’t from our universe, so you may not know the specifics, but how far has he taken us from our original timeline?”
As the three men exchanged notes, Howard and Tony were horrified to discover how much their world had been shaped by The Maker. The information Doom provided was almost identical to the ramblings of countless DMD patients. It solidified the idea that their mutual enemy was playing with fire. Before something catastrophic happened, they had to stop him.
“If we are going to fight The Maker and his Cabal, we will need much more than the three of us.” Howard rose from his seat and went to his liquor cabinet. “My son and I have been assembling a ragtag team in secret for the last two years. They may not be as powerful as the Cabal members on their own, but together, we’ve got a shot at winning.”
Howard pulled on a vintage wine bottle, opening a hidden staircase in his office floor. Without further explanation, he began descending the stairs, followed by Tony and Doom. Once they had descended four flights of stairs, the men entered the Iron Man Armory.
“Look alive, Doom.” Tony continued to follow his father to the Armory’s computer. “We’ve got a guest you will want to meet.”
“What are you going on—”
Victor’s words were cut off by the arrival of a fourth man. He descended upon Victor wearing armor very similar to his own. Before he could inquire for a name, the new arrival looked him over.
“So you are the Doctor Doom he kept going on about… interesting.”
“Who are you referring to?” Doom looked at him curiously.
“The Maker. When he wasn’t busy making my existence pure agony, that bastard would talk about you. I hope you are as troublesome as The Maker said. Before he dies, he must pay dearly for what he’s done to me.” The man offered Victor a hand. “Before he ruined my life, I was this universe’s Reed Richards. Now, I’m this universe’s variant of you. He killed—”
Victor held up a hand. He had learned of his counterpart’s death en route to New York. Unlike most Doom variants, this one lived a very nice life until The Maker cut it short.
“I look forward to working with you, Doom.” Victor shook his hand.
“Likewise. Let’s make that fool suffer.”
---Four Months Later---
As their allies gathered, Doom (Earth-1610) and Doom (Earth-6160) combined their superior intellects to enhance their group’s combat power by leaps and bounds. When it became clear the fighters they had gathered would not be enough, Doom (Earth-1610) referenced his memories to help find additional manpower. Once they felt confident their forces were ready, the last problem to overcome was getting into The Maker’s base.
Driven by paranoia, The Maker had turned his base into an impenetrable fortress. If they tried to force their way in, most of their strength would be spent before reaching their target. As they struggled to come up with an alternative option, fortune smiled upon them.
“The Maker has summoned me to his base.” Howard broke the news, having just gotten off the phone with the villain’s assistant. “We’ve got our way in now. Once they let their guard down, I will disable the base’s defenses.”
“Hell no!” Tony slammed his hand on the table. “What you are suggesting is a suicide mission.”
Everyone around the table sympathized with Tony, but there was not a better option. They had run countless simulations. If the defense system was not disabled before the assault, more than half of them would die before even reaching the walls.
“There is no other choice, son.” Howard placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “When your mother passed, I swore on her gravestone I’d give you the best future I could. If I don’t do this, there will be no future for you or anyone else.”
The unwavering determination in his father’s eyes made Tony yield. He gave his approval through gritted teeth.
“If my father is giving his life for our future, we best make sure his sacrifice is not in vain.” Tony pulled up a holographic projection of the base and its surroundings. “With the defenses offline, I suggest we…”
As Tony laid out his plan, Howard made preparations for his departure.
---One Month Later---
Once Howard had embedded himself in their ranks, he signaled them to get ready. Tony and their allies quickly mobilized and got into position. When the defense grid went offline, they stormed the base. While their allies kept the Cabal and their grunts busy, Tony and both Dooms went after The Maker.
“Dad!”
The men found their target standing over the deceased Howard Stark. Tony flew into a rage as he shot forward to kill The Maker himself.
The Maker flung Howard’s corpse at Tony, knocking him off course into a cluster of equipment. He attempted to run, but was sent crashing into a wall by Doom (Earth-1610).
“We meet again, Richards.” Doom (Earth-1610) charged up another sonic pulse.
“How… How are you still alive?!” The Maker recognized his appearance and voice. “You should’ve died along with everyone else.”
“Don’t forget about me!” Doom (Earth-6160) struck the dazed villain with a fist wrapped in extreme voltage electricity. “We both have a score to settle with you.”
The Maker glared at the two Dooms through his visor. He had contingency plans for this world’s Doom, not his. With no recourse, The Maker burst a nearby fire extinguisher and fled while they were temporarily blinded. His tactic bought only seconds, as their equipment quickly adapted. They gave chase, leaving a heartbroken Tony to cradle his deceased father.
After leading his enemies through the base, they arrived at The Maker’s laboratory. He grabbed one of his experimental weapons and engaged his pursuers. Both men dove for cover, sensing magical power from the attack, unsure if their shielding would stop the attack. As their suits analyzed the technology, Doom (Earth-6160) noticed a magically bound woman strapped into a leather chair. She looked at him, begging to be released.
“Woman!” Doom (Earth-6160) turned his attention to her. “Are you Inan?”
Her mouth bound, the only response she could give was a head nod.
“Cover me!” Doom (Earth-6160) broke cover, running toward Inan. Once freed, she would be an invaluable ally in this fight.
“Whatever you’re going to do, make it quick.” Doom (Earth-1610) leaped out of cover, laying down a barrage of repulsor fire.
The Maker ducked out of the way, unable to stop Doom (Earth-6160) from reaching Inan. As the magic seals were broken with brute force one by one, he became desperate. He flung his cover at Doom (Earth-1610) and lunged at the other two. With his magic energy pistol in hand, The Maker lined up a shot.
“Stay dead this time, you bastard!” The Maker pulled the trigger.
Boom!
Doom (Earth-6160) and Inan braced themselves. When nothing happened, they slowly opened their eyes to see The Maker staggering backward with a hole punched through his chest.
“Such a pity, I hoped to extract more suffering from you before death.” Doom (Earth-1610) strode forward to finish the job. “Any last words?”
A cruel smile formed on The Maker’s face. “Haha… If I’m going to die, you’re coming with me!”
Ka-boom!
The ground quaked violently beneath their feet. Seconds later, alarms and sirens blared across the facility.
<Paradox Machine offline. Mass temporal energy release imminent.>
As the warning looped, The Maker collapsed to the floor, laughing hysterically. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his helmet fell off.
“It’s called a Dead Man’s Switch, idiot.” The Maker pointed at him with a smirk. “If I can’t have this universe, no one can. Whatever happens now is on your head, not mine. Haha—”
Bang!
The Maker’s head vanished into a cloud of red mist. Everyone looked back to see Tony standing in the doorway.
“That’s for my father, you piece of shit.” Tony looked at those present. “So, what is the plan? My time manipulation knowledge is rusty, but I think a mass release of temporal energy is bad, yes?”
“Yes… Very bad.” Inan rose to her feet, leaning on Doom (Earth-1610) for support. “The temporal energy his historical changes have generated is about to be released all at once. I’m not sure if our universe will survive it, or what will happen if it does.”
“At the bare minimum, the planet will not survive it. We need to evacuate the planet’s populace to a safe location.” Doom (Earth-1610) had failed to save his universe. He would not allow history to repeat itself. “The quickest option is to teleport people off-world and pull them into the Mirror Dimension. Finding another inhabitable world will take time we don’t have.”
Inan agreed with him. As neither Doom (Earth-6160) nor Tony had magical abilities, they offered to stall for time. They knew the device was somewhere on the premises, so it wouldn’t take long for them to find it. With the work divvied up, they got to work immediately.
---Flashback End---
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