This idea has been inside my mind since I read another Gate/Doom Crossover. I hope you enjoy this story and be sure to review!

(Outskirts of Coda Village)

Deep within the forests not far from the remote village of Coda, a petite blue-haired girl with blue eyes was in the forest. She wore a green dress, with a blue tabard on top. Blue boots covered her feet and in her hand was a staff with a blue wing on it. This girl was Lelei La Lalena, a disciple of the Sage Cato El Altesan. Presently she was working on her magic as she would usually do in her spare time. Other times were to keep her master's antics under control or studying for more knowledge.

Speaking of knowledge, word was going around that the mythical Gate had opened on the sacred Alnus Hill again. This time, the Empire had sent an expeditionary force through the gate, creating a structure to stabilize it. While the machinations of the Empire meant little to Lelei, she was curious what lied on the other side of the gate. As a mage, Lelei thirst for knowledge of the unknown, with the girl being very curious that she would wander around just to find something unique and interesting. Still, it was doubtful she would learn anything if the Empire was able to conquer the other side.

Fate had a strange way of working.

As Lelei was about to launch another fireball (she was trying to see if there was a way to make the casting faster) when something fell out of the sky and crashed not too far away from where she was. The impact was strong enough that the ground shook, knocking the young mage off her feet. A small cloud of smoke and dust could be seen from behind the trees, rising from the impact zone.

Now normally, logic would dictate one would run away from where something landed after falling from the sky. Unfortunately, Lelei was dictated more by curiosity rather than logic. After getting up, brushing the dirt off her clothes and picking up her staff, the young mage ran towards the impact zone. As she ran, nearby animals were running in the opposite direction. If Lelei had bothered to look at them carefully, she would've seen the scared looks on their faces, as if their instincts to flee. However, she did not and thus, continued moving. When she arrived, Lelei saw a wide crater about twenty feet deep. In the center a silhouette was moving. When the smoke and dust cleared, Lelei gasped.

The being appeared human, though it was hard to tell under all the green armor. They were around two meters tall and judging by their body structure the person was a male. She couldn't see their face as it was being hidden by their helmet. And yet, she could sense a strange power emanating from the being. Lelei could only wonder where he came from.

(Doom Slayer)

Growling, the Hell Walker got to his feet. Cracking his neck, the Slayer made a mental note that the next time he saw that cyborg bastard, rip him apart piece by piece while he could still feel pain. The armor's HUD was still adjusting after the crash, as were the rest of the systems. Taking this chance, Doom Slayer took out the chip holding what remained of VEGA. Plugging in the chip, Doom watched as information and data began to appear on the HUD. Seconds later a voice spoke. [VEGA unit uploading. Files corrupted. One moment…]

Doom growled as he waited for VEGA to sort himself out. In the meantime, he checked his inventory. Whatever caused him to end up on this planet might have cost him the new weapons he acquired. Much to his delight, Doom Slayer saw that all his armaments were available. Furthermore, the runes and upgrades he gained were also present.

VEGA began to speak again. [Corrupted files fixed. VEGA unit now fully uploaded, operational and ready for duty. Greetings, Doom Slayer. All systems accessible, now initiating scan of surrounding area.] There was a line going across the HUD several times until a 'ping' noise was made. [Detecting nearby life signs. Human. Non-hostile, recommend contact to determine current location.]

Looking up, there was indeed someone staring down at the crater. It was a young human girl with blue hair staring down at them with innocent curiosity. His scanners were picking up an unusual energy signature from here. It wasn't demonic though, so she wasn't a demon or had any affiliation with them. That being the case, the Doom Slayer made his way out of the crater and headed towards her. She might have information or some knowledge that would be helpful for the slayer to return to Mars.

The difference in height became clear once the Doom Slayer had exited the crater. The young girl had to strain her neck in order to look up at the Slayer. A few seconds had past, nothing but silence until the girl spoke, "Hello. I am Lelei La Lalena. Who are you?"

Doom Slayer cocked his head to the side. He had already been blessed with the ability to understand any language, as was his armor's systems in translating written texts, so both he and VEGA understand the girl perfectly. However, he chose not to speak and thus left communication to the AI. [Greetings, Lelei La Lalena. I am VEGA, an Artificial Intelligence. And this is the Doom Slayer]

Lelei seemed a bit surprised by the voice. It didn't really match the person's appearance. And its voice lacked emotion too. "Artificial Intelligence?" She muttered, trying to pronounce the word. "Are there two of you in there?"

[Negative. I am an AI, thus have no form. Doom Slayer is the one currently wearing the Praetor Suit while I have been downloaded into it.] VEGA explained. He then spoke to the Slayer privately. [It appears that the planet we have landed on is primitive and the locals have no concepts of advanced technology. We should use fewer complex words and dumbing down explanations in order to make any process in communication.] The AI advised the Doom Slayer. The Slayer let out a soft grunt in agreement. So long as they didn't get in his way, nothing else was of concern.

Lelei didn't understand most of what VEGA had said, but the way he described himself made him sound like a spirit. "So, you're a spirit inside this armor?" Lelei asked as she current tapped against the metal, curiosity replacing caution.

VEGA computed Lelei's words. Though he wanted to correct the girl's statement, it would be best for the advanced AI and Doom Slayer to play along. [That is indeed one way to summarize my existence, yes. Also, I recommend you do not touch the Praetor Suit. The Doom Slayer would not appreciate it should damage be done to the armor] VEGA commented.

Seeing the large man nodding, Lelei retracted her fingers. She took to looking at it instead. "Where are you two from?"

[We were transported here from the planet Mars and are currently looking for a way back there] VEGA answered. [Do you know of any places where we might gain access to means of teleportation?]

Upon hearing that they were from another world altogether, Lelei had almost released a barrage of questions. However, she paused when VEGA asked about teleportation. "I do not know of any places that would be able to return you to your world besides maybe the gate. But the city of Rondel's archives might have information of such magic." Lelei explained.

Filing away this 'gate' Lelei mentioned, VEGA said, [Very well, where is this Rondel and how may we access the archives?]

Lelei chewed her bottom lip. You had to be a high ranked mage in order to have access to the archives. At her current station of 'master' she wouldn't be able to get in. And it was doubtful the sages of Rondel would allow Doom Slayer entry. Though, she had a feeling he would use force if he had too. That itself would be an unpleasant situation. However, there was one possibility. "My master might be able to help us get in there." Lelei explained. Cato was a famous mage despite some of his negative traits. As a Sage, he would be able to grant access to some of the more secure parts of the archives for the Doom Slayer to look at. "Please follow me."

Doom Slayer contemplated as he watched the young girl head back into the woods. While it was doubtful that she could be of any help, the girl gave off esoteric energy that is use quite often in magic. And he had been to plenty of worlds where magic existed. So, there could be a spell or some magical artifact that might send him back to Mars…where he could dismantle that robot and get back what was his. Having had that thought, Doom Slayer followed behind the girl.

As they trekked back towards the cottage she and her master were staying at, Lelei would now and then look at the one called Doom Slayer. She had to admit it was a gamble to bringing this man. Excluding his armor and height into his intimidation factor, he gave off a strange aura. Her senses were not as keen as more veteran mages, but Lelei could feel an unusual energy circling around him. It felt magic, but darker, combined with the feeling of rage in his every movement. And she had a feeling asking too many questions would not be wise at the moment.

A few minutes later they had arrived at their destination. It was an old cottage deep in the woods. Beside it was a dirt road that headed outwards, probably towards a nearby village. What caught their attention was the older man wearing similar robes as Lelei. Beside him was a carriage slowly being loaded with numerous objects. The old man seemed to be in quite the hurry.

"Master!" Lelei called out, getting Cato's attention.

Cato spun around at hearing his apprentice's voice. "Oh Lelei! Thank goodness you're alright! Quickly, come and-!" Cato's voice cut off when the Doom Slayer came into view. His eyes went wide, and his skin turned a little pale as he gazed upon the Hell Walker's intimidating figure. "Who…or what is that?!"

Lelei immediately hurried to explain what had happened, along with the Doom Slayer's and VEGA's request. The man seemed to have calmed down as Lelei spoke, rubbing his beard as the young mage told him everything. Cato sighed as he looked at the Doom Slayer, who had not moved from his spot. "I think I get the gist of the whole thing. Unfortunately, we're in no position to head to Rondel. I just got word that the Flame Dragon is loose." Cato explained.

Neither otherworlders understood the significance of this 'Flame Dragon', but it seemed like Lelei knew perfectly. Her eyes widened in shock, her face momentarily losing its stoic expression. "Master, is that true?" She asked.

"A messenger from Koda village confirmed it. Apparently, the beast attacked the nearby elf village, burning it down. We need to leave quickly before it comes here." Cato explained.

[Excuse me, Sage Cato] VEGA said. His monotone voice surprised the sage but listened as the AI continued. [If the Doom Slayer and I were to help escort you and your student to safety, would that allow you to help us gain access to the Rondel Archives?]

Cato scratched his beard, considering the offer. Honestly, they had little choice in the matter. Despite this man's odd appearance, if the Flame Dragon found them, they would be good as dead. And he seemed quite confident in his skills. "What do you think, Lelei?" Cato asked his second apprentice.

"I think we should trust them. They've given us no reason not to and they may possess skills that could possibly protect us from the Flame Dragon." Lelei reasoned.

"Well, if Lelei is okay with it, then I'm okay with it. And I suppose any help would be appreciated. Very well, Doom Slayer, VEGA, we welcome your services." Cato said as Lelei nodded in agreement with a smile.

With the deal made, Lelei and Cato got to work packing their things. Meanwhile, Doom Slayer kept an eye on the surroundings, ensuring no harm came to them. After thirty minutes, they had managed to fill the cart to the point it couldn't shoulder anymore weight. This caused some grief from Cato as there were still many books and other important items to pack. Seeing this, the Doom Slayer walked up to where several books and jars filled with various items were lying on the road. Watching with curiosity, Lelei and Cato's eyes widened as saucers as the Slayer picked the items up and caused them to vanish.

"W-w-what did you just do, Sir Slayer?" Cato asked in astonishment.

VEGA explained, [The Doom Slayer's armor possesses a dimensional storage device. Normally used to store weapons for battle, it can also be used to store other items should he choose so. However, it cannot store living beings but can for other organics and those of the deceased] The AI explained.

Lelei was immediately over the Doom Slayer, her curiosity peaked. She muttered to herself as she circled around him, looking at the Praetor Suit intently, the Flame Dragon forgotten. Cato was also interested in learning more, but the older mage came back to reality that they had to leave soon, less they risk the dragon finding them. The two mages got onto their carriage while Doom Slayer decided to walk as the Praetor Suit would be to heavy and would most likely break it. An interesting thing was that Lelei murmured some unknown words and suddenly the carriage began to levitate

The time from the cottage to the village was mostly silent. It was only broken when VEGA inquired Lelei about the gate she had mentioned earlier. Cato took over the explanation. The sole superpower on the continent they were own, called Falmart, was a Hereditary Monarchy called the Saderan Empire, named after their capital Sadera. It controlled much of the continent with various vassal kingdoms under its command. This relates to the gate, which would appear on what is known as Alnus Hill every few thousand years. From the gate sometimes new races would walk through and set up in Falmart. Its recent appearance caused the Empire to lead an expeditionary force through the gate. However, whatever was on the other side was clearly far superior than originally thought, as the remnants of the expedition were sent running back out in just a few hours.

[Interesting, this Gate may have a clue of how we can return to Mars. We should investigate when we can.] VEGA said to the Doom Slayer.

The group eventually arrived at Coda Village. Thanks to his helmet and his already impressive vision, the Doom Slayer could already see people running everywhere, rushing to pack as much of their belongings as they could into their carriages. This Flame Dragon must've been a serious threat if these folks were preparing to leave their homes.

As they entered deeper into the village, the Doom Slayer naturally attracted some attention from the locals. Now and then, villagers would stop running around to look at the tall green armored man following the mages. Obvious given how backwater they were and here was someone wearing advanced armor never seen before. Doom was used to stares like those and ignored them, merely continuing to walk behind Lelei and Cato's carriage. Plus, these people were not the Slayer's concern.

Eventually, they reached where what could only phrase as a traffic jam. Several carriages were not moving, the voices of people shouting in anger, fear and urgency. VEGA was going to suggest to Cato to find a different route when Lelei suddenly jumped off the carriage and headed towards what the source of the commotion was. The Slayer growled in annoyance; the girl was the key for him to return to Earth; he didn't need her to run off to what could possibly be dangerous.

[Sage Cato, please remain here while we retrieve Ms. Lelei] VEGA told the older mage as the Slayer raced off to retrieve the girl.

With enhanced speed, it was easy for the Doom Slayer to reach the girl. What he saw through his visor was Lelei trying to tend to a wounded, younger girl. However, the problem was that a nearby horse had gone wild, neighing loudly and raising its forward legs. Its hoofs shadowed Lelei who would not be able to move out of the way in time. Seeing that, the Doom Slayer raised his left fist and delivered a devastating punch to the beast's face. The impact broke the horse's neck, nearly knocking its head off.

Lelei looked at her savior with wide eyes. She had not expected him to be so strong or fast. But before she could respond, the Slayer lifted her up by the back of her clothes, so that the blue haired girl was now dangling from the ground. Lelei rose higher until she was even with his head, her face reflecting from the visor. The Doom Slayer let out a low growl that sounded like admonishment.

[Please refrain from leaving our view like that, Ms. Lelei. Your safety is our primary concern until we locate a way back to Mars] VEGA said, voicing the Doom Slayer's thoughts.

"…Sorry" Was all Lelei could say.

The Slayer nodded before gently putting her down. Before they could return to Cato, however, a new voice, female, spoke up. "Y-you can speak English?"

Turning towards the source, Doom Slayer looked down to see a young woman kneeling beside the wounded child, tending to their injuries. Ignoring her facial features, the Slayer noted that she wore green military uniform, with an old firearm slung over her shoulder.

[Uniform and Howa Type 64 assault rifle indicates she is a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Force. And she is from the 21st Century.] VEGA summarized. He then spoke through the helmet of the Praetor Suit. [Greetings, soldier of the JSDF. The one who spoke just now was I, VEGA, a sentient intelligence. I am also capable of speaking 180 other languages including Japanese. The individual standing before you, though, is the Doom Slayer]

The woman blinked, not expecting this, but managed to reply. "R-right. Sergeant First Class Kurokawa of the JSDF. Um, thank you for stopping that horse."

Before she could say anything else, a man's voice spoke up this time. Turning his head, the Doom Slayer saw a similarly dressed male soldier leading a small team of his fellows towards them. They all had their rifles raised but seemed nervous. Which was only natural when you were staring down a large man in advanced and mystical armor, whose helmet's visor obscured your eyes.

"I am Lieutenant Itami Youji of the JSDF Third Recon Team. While I'm thankful for your intervention, you mind explaining to me who or what you are?" The named Itami asked.

The Doom Slayer growled at the demand. Not liking when others gave him orders or threaten him, he pulled out his Combat Shotgun, startling the soldiers. Things were becoming tense and a few of the JSDF soldiers were nervous, having never seen such an armored figure. And his height also added to the intimidation. But before anything could happen, Lelei ran in front of the Doom Slayer, facing the JSDF with her arms spread out.

"Doom Slayer and VEGA are friends!" Lelei said loudly so the soldiers could hear her. Her words were easily understandable to the Slayer but the JSDF were having trouble understanding her language. Frowning, the one named Itami pulled out a red book. A language book the Slayer realized. He watched silently as the lieutenant talked with Lelei through the local language.

"This is the Doom Slayer. He fell from the sky. His spirit said he can deal with the Flame Dragon." Lelei said.

Itami raised an eyebrow. "Spirit?" He asked, more to the Doom Slayer.

[She is referring to me, VEGA, an artificial intelligence, or AI for short] VEGA explained. [I trust that Ms. Lelei's explanation satisfies your concerns about us. Though be advised, the Doom Slayer will only react if the situation calls for it. I recommend for your sake, and for the lives of your soldiers, it does not reach that point]

Itami stood there for a moment, looking at the Slayer, his weapon and then his team. He finally motioned to his fellow soldiers to stand down, which they did so reluctantly. The lieutenant sighed and took his helmet off, revealing a matted mess of brown bushy hair.

[Now, I am sure you have questions for us, as do we for you. Perhaps we can discuss in a more private location?] The AI asked.

(Coda Village)

"Let me get this straight. You, VEGA, are from a 22nd century version of Earth, working on Mars, while this guy, er Doom Slayer, is far older and from unknown origins. And following an event you can't say right now, entered a teleporter and ended up here, falling out of the sky?" Itami summarized what he had just been told.

It had been thirty minutes after the encounter between the Doom Slayer and Third Recon. While the rest of the JSDF soldiers continued helping the villagers pack, the Slayer and Itami moved to the side where VEGA gave the lieutenant a rundown of how the pair ended up on this planet. The AI decided to leave out the part of demons while explaining their story.

At the same time, Itami explained the JSDF's origins. In their world it was 2006. A gate appeared in the middle of Ginza, Tokyo where the armies of the Saderan Empire appeared. They suddenly attacked, killing many Japanese before swiftly repelled by the JSDF. In response, the JSDF were sent through the gate to explore Falmart, or the Special Regions as it was called, and prevent another attack from happening. The JSDF had been in this world for a few months. Itami's team was part of several Recon Teams to explore the nearby lands. Just recently, they came back from the remains of an Elf Village that had been attacked by the Flame Dragon, with only one survivor found.

[And thus, you are helping evacuate these villagers from the dragon] VEGA replied before adding, [May I incline as to where you are going to be taking them? Your team does not seem prepared to escort such a large group]

"Well…this was kind of sudden, so we haven't even contacted HQ about this." Itami said sheepishly. "Still, we can't just leave this people to die. What are you two going to do, VEGA-san?"

[Our original plan was to escort Ms. Lelei and her teacher Sage Cato to safety. They would then take us to a city called Rondel where means of returning to Mars. However, given the current situation, I would like to make a proposition] VEGA said. When Itami said nothing, the AI continued. [This gate is clearly a dimensional portal. In return for assisting you with the escort these villagers, you shall convince your leaders to examine the gate]

Itami blinked. "You can do that?" The lieutenant asked.

[I am an advanced AI designed for multi-tasking, with many of my functions revolving around trans-dimensional technology. Whatever I gather from my scans of this Gate would be sufficient and useful for your government too] VEGA explained.

To be honest, a lot of what VEGA said went over Itami's head. But it was obvious there was much the JSDF didn't know about the gate. Hell, they even devised a plan in the event they become stranded in the Special Region. And just looking at the Doom Slayer's advanced armor, the way he held himself, it was clearly obvious that he had faced some scary stuff. Having him helping would be useful.

'I'll definitely get into more trouble than I already am, but what the hell…' Itami thought as he got up from the barrel he was sitting on. "Well, I would have to see what my superiors said, but we could use the help with escorting these people. Guess what I'm saying is that…we have a deal." The Lieutenant said as he held out a hand.

The Doom Slayer said nothing. Instead he took the offered hand with his own armored hand and shook it, careful not to crush the lieutenant's hand.

(Sometime later, on the road to Alnus Hill)

The caravan had left a while ago. The recon team's Komatsu LAV, Mitsubishi Type 73 and Toyota High Mobility Vehicle were at the front of the line, moving at a slow pace so to stay close to the carriages the villagers were using. The Doom Slayer rejected the offer to ride with the soldiers and instead walked beside Lelei and Cato's carriage. However, said Slayer was the current discussion between the JSDF soldiers.

"Lieutenant, are you sure it is a good idea to bring that…man along?" Sergeant First Class Tomita asked. They haven't even seen Slayer's face, so the man was doubtful if the armored person was even human.

"He's offering to help us to escort these folks to safety." Itami said.

"I know that, but can we really trust him? I mean we barely know anything about him except he and that computer are from the future. And even then, we're not sure if that is true." The sergeant commented.

"He did save that girl from the horse. And he's shown no reason to be hostile unless we make him." Kurokawa said. "And he can't reach the gate without us. As long as we keep our word, I don't think he will be a threat."

Itami sighed. "Look Tomita. I get you're worried, but we really don't have a choice. If we do run into the Flame Dragon, we're not going to stand much of a chance against it. If that guy can really help us fight it off, I'll gladly take his help." He then added. "Besides, he doesn't really look like a guy who would take a no for an answer."

"I'm kind of curious to see what he can do. That guy just screams badass." A new voice joined the conversation. This was the busty Sergeant Shino Kuribayashi. A known tomboy and battle maniac, the others weren't surprised by her comment.

Suddenly the driver, Sergeant Takeo Kurata, hit the brakes, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt halt. Itami, who was sitting beside him, nearly hit the window. "Kurata, what the hell?!" Itami yelled as he adjusted his helmet.

The sergeant pointed forward. Following his finger, the others saw a flock of crows flying in the middle of the road.

Meanwhile further back, the Doom Slayer was walking silently alongside the two mages. In the beginning Lelei had launched questions at the Slayer and VEGA, wanting to know more about them, their armor and where they came from. Normally, the Doom Slayer would've been annoyed, but thankfully VEGA was fine with speaking on his behalf.

After Lelei was done asking, VEGA took the moment to speak with Doom Slayer privately. [I have looked up all records, and there is no mention of a gate appearing in Ginza, nor an invading force or the JSDF moving through the structure in the history of Earth. Thus, we could either be in a different universe, or the Earth the soldiers are from is a different universe, and this world is in the same universe as the UAC facility. Fascinating] VEGA explained, his tone taking one of curiosity. The Slayer rolled his eyes before his helmet's HUD began picking up something. It was an energy signal and it was close. At the same time the caravan came to a halt.

Not saying a word to the mages, the Doom Slayer began making his way to the front to find out what the commotion was. At the same time, he noticed that children and a few adults were getting off their carriages. They did not seem scared, but rather excited and relieved. VEGA was still busy trying to identify the energy source. Either way, the Slayer saw what, or rather who, had caused the caravan to stop.

Standing in the middle of the road, surrounded by children was a girl who couldn't be no older than thirteen. She had long black hair with a matching ribbon tied to her head. Her clothes consisted of a black dress and in her hand was a large purplish halberd, resting on her shoulder.

[I believe the attire is called a Gothic Lolita] VEGA mused as the girl talked to the children. [However, she is indeed the source of the energy signature. It is not demonic but something else I have not seen before. But judging by how the children call her 'oracle' suggest she is a religious figure]

The Slayer gave no response because the 'girl' was approaching him, with the children behind her. She had kept her eyes on him the moment the Slayer came into view. The girl, now standing right in front of him, eyed the armored demon killer up and down, nodding in approval. The feeling of rage, blood and violence were covering this man like a blanket. And that was something that made her lick her lips as she looked at the Doom Slayer's head, trying to see through his visor.

"Well, well, and who might you be?" She asked in a sultry voice.

One of the children answered. "This is the armored man! He came with Lelei and Sage Cato! They say he and the men in green are going to protect us from the Flame Dragon!"

"Oh? Is that true 'armored man'?" The Oracle asked.

The Slayer said nothing. He merely stared at her, trying to figure out if she was a threat or not. The girl merely continued speaking. "Well, I am Rory Mercury, Apostle of Emroy, God of War and Darkness. Please to meet you, armored one." Rory planted her halberd into the ground, doing a curtsy.

The Slayer took noticed that the halberd had left a large crack in the ground. VEGA, who had been scanned the halberd, said, [Scans of the halberd reveals it has the same weight as a car. Meaning her strength is on par with a Hell Knight, with equal speed after that display. Recommend caution for now until can fully assess her threat level]

The Doom Slayer gave a quiet grunt in response as VEGA spoke. However, that didn't mean he wasn't aware of his surroundings. To an outsider it looked like Rory had turned into a blur, disappearing from her spot towards jumping to grab the Doom Slayer's helmet and take it off. But to said Slayer, it looked like the apostle was standing still. It was no problem from the demon killer as he grabbed the girl's wrist, her hands inches from his visor, and then throwing Rory back. Said girl merely did a flip in mid-air before landing on the ground gracefully.

Rory giggled. "Oh my, how rude Mr. Green Knight. You know a girl might think you're rejecting them. I, however, see it as you are playing hard to get. And I do like to play." The apostle said with a lick.

Doom Slayer had been fighting for eons. He had faced many types of adversaries, mostly demons. As such, the Slayer knew that not only was this girl possessed with a unique aura, but what skilled too. The Slayer decided to eliminate this threat here and now, pulling out his super shotgun. But before he could fire, Itami came running out of the Humvee, shouting.

"Wait, Slayer-san! She isn't hostile!" The Lieutenant yelled.

Under his helmet, the Slayer raised an eyebrow at Itami's declaration. Not hostile? The girl was clearly a powerful individual that could kill everyone except for him and the JSDF officer believed she wasn't a threat. Furthermore, Rory was clearly using non-hostile figures as a shield, without the children knowing, clearly showing she had better insight than she showed. Still, if Itami wanted to risk his and his team's neck, that hardly mattered to the Doom Slayer. So long as he could get to the gate and then Rondel, Rory was not his problem.

Seeing how a fight wasn't going to happen, the children eagerly ushered Rory to the Humvee. The Apostle girl grabbed her halberd and followed after them. As she ran by the Doom Slayer, she gave a sly wink, but pouted when the Slayer was already returning to his post beside the two mages' carriage.

(Sometime Later)

Once the whole situation had calmed down, the caravan continued its trek towards Alnus Hill. Doom Slayer was back walking beside the mages. His helmet's HUD had also picked up Rory sticking her head out of the Humvee window, no doubt trying to spot the Slayer. Meanwhile VEGA was speaking to Lelei and Cato.

[Ms. Lelei, Sage Cato. Might I inquiry as to what an Apostle is?] VEGA asked.

Lelei blinked at the question but understood the reason for VEGA's question. To be honest, between the ride from the cabin to the village, and from the village to Alnus hill, VEGA was something of a kindred spirit for the young and curious mage. "The Apostles were once mortals before being selected by the gods to serve them and turn into demigods. As there are twelve gods, there are twelve apostles, acting as enforces of the gods' will. It takes about a millennium for an apostle to ascend into godhood."

[When you say enforcers, does that mean the gods are unable to take physical form and enter this plain of existence?] Asked VEGA.

"Indeed. The gods have ascended that they shed off their physical bodies and thus cannot actually communicate with us, hence why they select chosen people as their apostles, to carry out their will." Cato said, joining the conversation. "However, there is a means for gods to speak with mortals. The method is that they take over a living person as their host, mostly the priest and priestesses of their temples. It is dangerous though, as I've heard that people with weak bodies die."

[It seems like these gods are rather apathetic towards the mortals who worship them] VEGA noted privately to the Slayer. [Given my scanning of Rory Mercury, I assume that these apostles are given supernatural abilities] VEGA said to Lelei, recalling the scan he did on Emroy's Apostle.

"That is correct. Mostly, Apostles receive immortality, superhuman strength, speed and reflexes and powerful regenerative healing factors. However, some can use magic such as hexes. This makes them very powerful and dangerous to even the Empire's trained army." Lelei replied. "However, it is possible for an Apostle to lose their divinity should their god find them useless."

VEGA would've asked more when the Praetor Suit's HUD began to pick up something. The Slayer also noticed it and zoomed in his visor's FOV scanner. High in the sky was a large mass, a creature. The size of a helicopter, the creature had red scales and appeared reptilian in nature. And seeing how it was getting closer to the caravan, it could only be one thing. [Warning, creature matching description of Flame Dragon detected. Inbound thirty seconds]

True enough, the legendary beast soared over the caravan. The wind picked up from its presence, gust blowing against the villagers and their carriages. The Flame Dragon's appearance caused panic to rise among the caravan as it flew towards the back of the line. Immediately the Doom Slayer pulled out his heavy assault rifle, attaching the micro-missile launcher mod onto it. [Sage Cato, Ms. Lelei, please evacuate to a safe distance while the Doom Slayer deals with the threat. If possible, try to escort the villagers to safety] VEGA advised before Doom Slayer dashed off, moving at a speed that would surpass the JSDF Humvee at full throttle. Lelei seemed conflicted between following VEGA's orders and wanting to see the Doom Slayer face against a beast that was considered the equivalent of a natural disaster.

(Back of the Caravan)

The villagers cried out in terror as they tried to flee the dragon, but it was all to no avail. Wagons and carriages were consumed in a fiery inferno wherever the dragon passed. Ironically, those were the lucky ones, because anyone who had survived the initial onslaught found themselves lifted off the ground in its sword like maw. They didn't even get the chance to scream as they were consumed by the dragon. There was no organization now, merely fear and panic, people fleeing for the lives. Many wondered what had happened to the men in green and the green knight? Had they gone too far ahead.

In one scene, a woman's legs had given out and fell to the ground. Her young son and husband were to her side immediately.

"I-I can't go on…" The mother huffed.

"Get up mommy! We have to keep running!" Her son cried as he pulled her arm.

"Come on! We can't stop here!" The husband exclaimed as he tried to put his wife on his back.

The Flame Dragon was nearly upon them, opening its maw to release another torrent of flames. But before it could, small explosions struck the left side of the dragon's face, where an arrow was imbedded into its eye. The beast roared as it backed off from the family, now focusing on the one who hurt it. The villagers had also paused, shocked to see someone able to hurt the fearsome Flame Dragon.

As his father helped up his mother, the son, with his tear-stained face, saw the figure and shouted. "It's the Green Knight! The Green Knight is here to save us!"

Sure enough, the Doom Slayer was charging towards the dragon, not letting up as he fired an endless barrage of micro-missiles at its target. Roaring, the Flame Dragon swung its tail at the armored man, but the Doom Slayer easily jumped over the appendage, pausing momentarily from firing before quickly resuming. The Slayer began to move to the dragon's rear so it will move further away from the villagers.

By the time they were a safe distance for the Slayer to let loose his stronger weapons, VEGA had finished his scan. [The creature's scales are of the same thickness as Tungsten Carbide but is only 1/7th the density. In comparison to demons, the durability is equal to the Barons of Hell. Either the rocket launcher or the gauss cannon would be suited to terminating it]

The Slayer nodded as he pulled out the rocket launcher, the lock-on burst mod already equipped. Targeting the dragon's legs, the Slayer let loose a volley of rockets. The projectiles exploded upon contact, the impact knocking the dragon off balance and onto its back. Not letting up, the Slayer jumped onto its stomach, and fired several more rockets onto its exposed belly. Feeling the immense pain on its bony chest, the dragon roared and swung one of its arms at the Slayer. The Slayer wasn't fast enough and was soon in the grip of the Flame Dragon. The beast got back onto its feet. Glaring at the Doom Slayer with hate filled eyes, he brought him to its maw, intending to devour the Slayer, armor and all.

Unfortunately, the dragon had underestimated the Doom Slayer's strength, which was greater than that of an Apostle. Using both hands, the Slayer was able to open the dragon's clawed fingers, freeing him from the beast's grip. As he fell back to the ground, the Doom Slayer raised the launcher and aimed at the dragon's still opened maw. Without wasting a second, the Slayer fired a rocket straight into the dragon's mouth.

The results were instantaneous. The explosion inside its mouth caused the dragon to roar in pain. Blood and who knows what else fell out as the dragon puked. By now, the beast was a wrecked; numerous scales had been shattered by the Slayer's attack and several organs were damaged from that rocket just now. If it tried to breathe fire, it would probably hurt it then it would hurt the green armored man. This was not prey, the Flame Dragon realized through its instincts, but a threat that could actually kill it.

Knowing that it could not risk staying or face death, the Flame Dragon decided to flee. But the Doom Slayer would not allow it to escape as he charged at the beast. In desperation, the dragon swung its tail again at the Slayer, hoping to at least force it back. Instead, the Slayer grabbed the tail with both hands, stopping its movement. Realizing its folly, the dragon tried to shake the Doom Slayer off, but the Slayer would not let go. In fact, the Slayer tore off half of the tail with a strong pull, sending blood and scales flying everywhere.

In total pain, the dragon roared in agony, loud enough to be heard thirty miles. Despite this, this gave the flame dragon the chance to flee. Expanding its large wings wide open, the dragon began flapping as it took the sky. The gust of wind would've knocked off a lesser person, but not the Doom Slayer. Throwing aside the torn tail, the Slayer watched as the dragon got higher and higher into the sky, thinking it had escaped the Slayer's reach. However, the Hell Walker would not allow that.

Moving swiftly, the Slayer pulled out the gauss cannon. Siege mode ready, the Doom Slayer took aim. Then he fired, the ionized gas released as a plasma beam. The beam flew into the air and reached the dragon. It tore through the monster's left wing and arm and melting dozens of its scales. The searing pain was far worse than its tail being worn off, and the dragon roared loudly again, enough that the onlookers had to cover their ears. And since it only had one wing, the dragon could not stay in the air and promptly fell back to the earth. Its impact with the ground caused a large amount of dust to rise.

The Doom Slayer approached the flame dragon. The beast was a wreck. Both horns were destroyed, it lost both its left wing and arm. His other wing was also in bad shape, with several holes in it. Bleeding all over, the dragon would not be able to escape. The Slayer knew this as he put his foot on the dragon's head. Looking at the arrow stuck in its eye, Doom grabbed it and with a strong push, thrust the arrow threw the dragon's head. Not only did it pierced the flame dragon's brain, but the force made the arrow fly out of the other side of its head, taking its right eye with it. The terrifying Flame Dragon was now dead.

The onlookers were amazed. Having gotten to safe distance thanks to Cato and Lelei, the villagers had watched in awe as this mysterious green knight faced against the incarnation of destruction of their world. Not only was he staying alive, but he completely dominated the dragon, using his strange magic and staves to harm the dragon before finally killing it in a brutal way. Even the JSDF, who had just arrived to assist, could only watch with jaws dropped as the Doom Slayer finished it off.

Already the radio was filled with people talking.

"Did you see that?! He took on that dragon by himself and won!"

"A goddamn one-man army!"

"I'm glad he's on our side!"

"He's so fucking cool! A complete badass!"

These were just a few of the many words being said by the JSDF. The villagers were also cheering and crying in joy that the threat against them was finally gone. Some were crying at those they loss and hoped that they would be able to rest in peace. The village chief walked up to Lelei and Cato. "Sage Cato, Ms. Lelei. He came with you right? Just…just who is that Green Knight?"

Lelei paused from looking at the Doom Slayer, who did not seem to react to the cheering. Such power he possessed, with items she has never seen before, Finally, she turned to the village chief and said, "He is the Doom Slayer" She said in her usual monotone voice.

Hearing that name, the villagers shouted together. "Praise the Doom Slayer! Praise the Green Knight! Slayer of the Flame Dragon!"

Two other people were having their own thoughts. Though she arrived too late to assist, Rory saw that it wasn't necessary as the green knight, no, the Doom Slayer, already defeated the dragon. The efficient and brutal way he disposed of the beast excited Rory to no end. She had seen many warriors over the past centuries, but none even came close to this man. And the aura he gave off radiated one of violence, hatred rage and vengeance, like a mix of Emroy and Palapon, the god of Revenge, The Apostle of Emroy decided to keep a close eye on this one.

Tuka, the elf whose village had been destroyed by the Flame Dragon, had just awoken to see the final blow being landed to the beast that took everything from her. She watched as the mysterious man sent her father's arrow through the dragon's head and out the other side with no effort. Now the bloodstained object was lying on the ground…until the Doom Slayer picked it up.

Thanks to his enhanced vision, Doom Slayer saw the girl looking at the Flame Dragon numbly and then to the arrow. He was well familiar with the look she had; someone who lost everything and everyone she knew. The Slayer didn't know who the arrow belonged too, but it was clear that it was someone special to the girl. So, taking the arrow he wiped it across the grass. Once it was more or less presentable, he walked up to the girl. Doom Slayer ignored Itami and the other soldiers, the lustful gaze of Rory until he reached the sheet-covered elf. Not saying a word, he handed out the arrow to her.

She stiffened when she saw just how tall the Slayer was, adding to his intimidating appearance. However, Tuka's eyes went back to the arrow, the only thing left of her father. Slowly her hands reached out and took it by its shaft. The moment it brushed against her fingers, Tuka started to cry. Gripping the arrow, the elf girl held it close to her chest, still crying as tears fell down her cheeks.

The Slayer paid it no heed. With his job done, the Doom Slayer walked off. He was unaware that his actions would be engraved into the history of Falmart. Not that the Slayer cared.

And there is the first chapter! I hoped you enjoyed it and be sure to leave a review.