Herr Stein
Doctor... Dart von Doom
Prologue. The Demon's Offer
Hell, the Underworld, Pandemonium... This place has many names.
People think that you can only get here after death.
Oh, how these ignorant fools are mistaken. This place is much closer than ordinary people think... Even though a World War II hero runs through their streets, the Man-Spider jumps around, and a living Scandinavian god flies overhead.
This duality has always amused me.
Especially when all sorts of idiots thought I was the spawn of Satan.
But no, I don't have that creature in my family.
"Oh, you definitely thought something bad about me..." — exclaimed the spawn of the underworld, whose embodiment now stood before me, feigning tears.
However, after a barely noticeable moment, his face took on its former self-assured expression.
"Say what you want — and quickly." — I raised my voice slightly, folding my arms across my chest and looking at my interlocutor through the slits in my steel mask. "You know very well how much I hate you, and your pretence won't change anything." I continued, my irritation breaking through, ignoring the illusion of Latveria that had appeared around us a moment earlier.
"Ah, how harsh you are, Steel Man. It's true that nickname suits you better..." — In an instant, the red-skinned demon moved behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "You... Not that upstart Stark, right?
I respected Stark after we ended up with the Knights of the Round Table and worked together to find a way back to our reality.
However, no one, no one dares to behave like this with Doctor Doom!
I spun around, firing a powerful green beam of magic at the demon's projection. Even the most powerful spell would have no effect on the demon right now, as our encounter was not taking place in the real hell — but it would hurry him along and make him understand that I would not tolerate such insolence.
"Get to the point, Mephisto!" — I snapped, looking at this spawn of the Underworld with clear contempt and pure hatred.
"Come now, Victor... I mean you no harm." — The demon lied brazenly, feigning a false expression of pain on his face. "Even as a dead man, a mere pathetic soul... You are so arrogant and insolent!
"And you are so stupid to think that resorting to threats will change anything." — Without any fear, I stared at my mother's killer, Cynthia von Doom.
"Yes, yes... Unshakeable as always. But we don't have much time... Or rather, you don't. Aunt Death doesn't like delays, and you didn't sell me your soul... What a pity." — The demon nodded, taking a sip of wine from the glass that had reappeared. "Here's what I propose! I recently signed a contract with a bunch of old dead men who are trying to revive the former glory of their teachings... I must say, it's a tasty contract, very tasty! It will help us surprise a certain dark falatin next time, heh-heh-heh..." — There was nothing human in the demon's hoarse laughter, but I didn't care.
I thought. And since there is no intelligence equal to mine anywhere, the conclusions were drawn immediately.
"Since demons like you cannot leave your domain without special conditions..." — I narrowed my eyes under my mask, finally understanding the demon's intentions. " — You need someone to carry out the contract. And here I am, having lost my physical body because of that damned Richards...
"Ah, I love talking to intelligent people. You grasp everything on the fly!" — Mephisto squinted with satisfaction, drinking all the wine in one gulp. "So what will your positive answer be?"
"What do I get out of it?" — I moved on to constructive dialogue, not taking my piercing gaze off the red-skinned man.
"Ah... That's why I hate intelligent people." — The demon shook his head sadly, changing his mood like a glove. "Well... You'll get your life back...
"Very funny." — I replied, looking at my interlocutor with a look of contempt and disgust.
"Well, it's worth a try... Right? Then... Well, maybe somewhere in that universe where you have to fulfil your contract, your mother's soul has been reborn... And maybe you can even help her remember her past life...
"The contract. The whole thing." — Without listening to the mysterious nonsense, I barked, feeling my hatred for the demon plotting against me grow even stronger. Who else but him sent my mother's soul there?!" — Even though I'm just a soul now, I can still sign it! Spit it out, or get out of here!
"U-u-u... Villain..." — the demon drawled tearfully and completely falsely. — No wonder you were born in a gypsy camp, you bastard... Here, choke on that.
After examining the contract that appeared in all the magical and other spectra available to me in my current state, I frowned in confusion. I had never heard of these Siths... And the demand was too vague — to restore the former glory and power of the teachings of these Siths... And this Dark Side was very similar to Dark Magic, only without the demons — unless, of course, Mephisto had somehow tricked me by writing an outright lie in the contract. But that was impossible, because my skills and intellect could not be fooled by some pathetic demon.
In any other situation, I would have refused this offer, which reeks of filth. But... The reward was not for fulfilling the requirement. It was for agreeing to begin the contract. That means all I have to do is find my mother's soul in that universe...
This is a very strange contract, too good for me. Too good.
But apparently, Mephisto decided to use his tiny brain and realise the futility of deceiving Duma, and he got his mysterious partners-customers all worked up, since the contract doesn't even include penalties for non-fulfilment.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed the demon when the contract was signed by my magical power alone. "I won't keep my precious partners waiting! That universe is waiting for you, hee-hee-hee, future, um... Darth Doom!
A bright flash engulfed me in the same millisecond, causing me to lose consciousness unintentionally.
***
patreon.com/posts/dr-doom-in-star-132737081