2. More Lost than Blind in Gunfight

Okay, now that I'm awake, what's my next step?

I have no idea.

Apparently, from what little memory I still have of Doom's experiences, I should have been in his gigantic castle, where he performed the damn ritual to face Mephisto.

Just thinking about it makes a sinister shiver run down my back.

You have to have a lot of willpower and courage, as well as a good dose of stupidity, to go face the devil in his house.

Anyway.

As soon as I sat down, a creature, or rather a robot, with the same appearance as Doom stands in front of me. Him and his fucking Doombots. It may be very good on the one hand, but this will give me an unprecedented headache.

Lucky for me, he had the decency to at least install a contingency program on those things, so they won't attack me.

"Bot, report, what day and year is it?" and to my surprise, my voice was nice, deep, low and with a hint of arrogance, but at the same time it didn't transmit the existing arrogance.

Confused.

"My Lord, today is the 29th of January, the year is 2004. The country, despite your absence for 9 months, 18 hours and 37 seconds, has remained orderly and stable. The economy continues to grow, even if slow.

With regard to security, our soldiers maintain a strong grip on the population. Health is at its maximum, with many well-prepared hospitals and cutting-edge doctors for any casualty.

Our neighboring countries have been trying to send spies every few days, but our surveillance bots find them quickly and our soldiers eliminate them instantly."

The bot makes its report. Much more than I had asked for.

Now I need to understand what's going on and get a better idea of the kind of world I've been thrown into. If it's like the movies, at least I'll have time to prepare, but if it's any of the comics, I'm really fucked.

With a little effort, I get off the gurney, and the bot helps me, resting my arm on his. I point the mirror over to the corner.

While sleeping, I was placed in my room, as I was out of danger of death, and since there were doctors in the castle, there was no need for me to stay in a medical room.

As well as the old Doom, who killed some doctors who insisted on leaving him in the doctor's room for care. That was the size of the previous man's arrogance and idiocy.

Sorry to inform you Doom, but I will sink his reputation.

I don't have his intelligence, despite the things you left me. I also don't have the same hateful heart you carry the world with, and more importantly, I won't father a child with the pretty blonde you have a crush on.

As soon as I got in front of the mirror, I almost cried.

For those who have watched it, well, imagine that I could be mistaken for Deadpool's twin brother, not in the handsome mercenary phase, but in the chatty mercenary phase.

"Prepare the ritual chamber, I'll be heading to it in a few days. I just need the energy to walk straight again." I give the order to Doombot.

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It's been 15 days, hard long days when I felt like a child learning to walk. Now I'm fine, or as fine as I could be.

I no longer felt pain in my body because of the burns, the fatigue, due to the time I stayed in bed, I was much better, although I still couldn't exert myself so much.

I had a personal trainer get me in shape, or in the best shape possible, and now I was in the best possible position to perform the ritual.

And I was head over heels for it. Because it would be two in one.

The first ritual would be to cleanse my body, internally and externally. Because of the injuries, my body was filled with impurities, which made my magic suffer some obstacles to run under it.

The second ritual was a way to recover my appearance, but I wasn't going to abandon the iconic armor that Doom made, because, it's Techno magic, and that was an incredible bonus.

The sad thing about it all was that I needed a companion, and most likely, the one, or rather the one who could help me, would ask for something in return for sure.

After reaching the ritual room, I made a 1 meter circle, and wrote some inscriptions in Latin, Old Norse and Sanskrit.

I sat down in the lotus position and let my astral projection go talk to this person.

Good part, his magic was so dense and strong, it looked like a beacon of light amidst the darkness, and it was how I found her so quickly.

"You look different, Victor. Why are you looking for me?" The Elder had a calm look, a slight smile and seemed very comfortable with my arrival.

"It seems that my arrival was anticipated, as expected from Master. So what I want to ask is also known to you right?" I ask, noticing that, now, my astral form was similar to the previous Doom.

"Yes, but what makes me curious is, why do you look like him if you don't?" she was now staring at me as if I were a beautiful object of study.

"Probably because my soul had to adapt to the body, and the most acceptable way to do that would be to look the same. But it doesn't bother me too much. I may look like someone else, but I'm still myself." I answer sincerely.

"It makes a lot of sense. And yes, I'll help you. Just because I know that, unlike the you you were before, the you you are now is much more well-behaved and restrained, not to mention, the stains are infinitely smaller." she says, still smiling, but her eyes have a slight gleam, as if she sees far beyond.

"Thank you ma'am. I await your arrival." I bow and let my astral form return to my body.