DOOM: INCARNATION

Chapter 10: An Unexpected Counter Attack

The Slayer walks down a single file.

It seems like a normal, normal forest on Earth. No danger anywhere nearby. The wind blew past his helmet. Everything seems tranquil and serene. He stops for a moment, looking around before continuing forward. Still no sign of anything out of the ordinary.

Right hand reaching into his subspace back, he takes out his shotgun which he then slings across his shoulder before continuing forward. He brought up his left hand, pushing a big leaf out of his path. When he got through though, he brought his arm to his eyes, shielding them as the light had increased while picking up the sound of birds chirping; and a breeze blowing gently on his face. The young-man waited patiently for a moment before slowly opening them, adjusting his vision to everything that's loading into view.

The first thing he saw was a hut in the distance. The house was small with a wooden pointed roof, the structure was made in both bricks and stone. Windows, which were round shaped, were closed tight. Two doors were set in the middle with symbols painted above each door.

The Slayer started towards the house but immediately stopped.

His radar pinging in warning. His instincts tell him to be cautious. His eyes scans every nook and cranny of the surrounding area as best he could, taking in everything in view and his armor scanning any sign of movement in all directions.

"I was hoping you would come, Slayer."

The Slayer snapped his head to his left. A tall humanoid stood behind the trees wearing Sentinel armor. They wore an earthy green armor, with a plate on the left of their chests, with a red glow in the center. Their upper under-armor seems to have been torn away, as some shreds can be seen from underneath their ammo belts. The lack of under-armor reveals their chests, with deathly-pale skin and visible dark veins leading to the heart. They have a larger pauldron on their left shoulder, and heavy armor down the arm.

The Slayer's suspensions came back with a vengeance as he recognized who this was.

"I'll admit Slayer, at first it was quite hard finding you," said the Marauder. "I searched high and low for you. Massacring planet after planet for decades... and finally I found you..." The Marauder demon laughed slightly. "I can tell just by looking at you. You're a lot stronger than the last time we fought."

The Slayer didn't say anything to acknowledge the statement, instead deepening his glare on the demon. The Marauder simply smiled again.

"Ah yes, I suppose that even now after all these eons you'd still hold on to your oath of silence," the demon stated, crossing his arms. "Still loyal to your oath, are you?" The demon chuckled softly. "Then what about your little friends? How have they fared? Your beloved Sentinel companions, I presume? They weren't so silent after I rid their pathetic existence from their bodies." He paused for a second, looking off into the horizon. The Marauder raised his voice to be heard over the wind. "And that one... I killed her too. It was such a pain having to kill and waste such a specimen like her. She was too precious."

A growl rumbled deep in the Slayer's throat, but he managed to suppress it with great difficulty. Both fists balled tightly at his side. He felt his breathing slow and steady. The adrenaline started running through his body.

The Marauder smirked at the expression on the Slayer's face, clearly amused. The demon walked closer until only a few feet remained between them.

"Oh? Did I strike a nerve?" Asked the demon, his voice lowering an octave in mock concern. "My apologies if I have done something to cause offense. After all, I did promise to harm those you love. Even when doing such things, I always keep my word." His gaze shifted to stare directly into the Slayer's eyes. "You should've realized that the day you crossed my path..." He let the sentence hang, waiting for a response.