Chapter 13: Falcon's Den
Doom POV
The morning started early for Victor von Doom, having set his armor to wake him before sunrise. He got up and headed to the entrance of the Den.
“Why am I driven so?”
“If you ask me, those two became important to you.”
Doom turned hearing the voice of the Flight Mother. She was leaning on her staff as she approached. “Nonsense I rejected such weakness in me long ago.” His mind went to Valeria, the woman he once loved, the woman he sacrificed.
“These old eyes miss little. Tell me what was her favorite scent? All females have a favorite scent. Even if it's just a single flower in the hair providing it.”
Doom looked down, unable to draw the memory up. “It must be something I lost with my memory corruption.”
Then Doom notices something, her eyes are yellow with red pupils. “Or were the memories there in the first place? Are you sure you are Doctor Victor von Doom of Earth 616?”
Doom spins and grabs the fake Flight Mother by the throat. “DISCORD!” His scream got the others awoken, some rising to their feet as fast as possible, others just grumbled.
Discords flight mother disguise twists and flexes out of Doom’s grip. “Oh did I touch a nerve? Remember Doom, get rid of me and doom your friends. They are your friends, aren’t they? Go ahead then. Prove you hardened yourself against such weakness, free this little planet of me. I let you have a free shot.” Discord leans forward and taps his chin and closes his eyes.
Doom’s fist shook with his anger but he kept it in check. “I do keep my word Discord.”
Discord smiles “I know, I just wanted to know if you did. Now, how about we see what under the shell? Allow me.” Discord snaps and the boulders blocking the way turn into soap bubbles. One by one they popped till the path was clear. “There all…”
A hole in reality appears and a second Discord’s head comes through and whispers in Discord’s ear. “Where is he going? The sanctum, oh go and greet him it will be fun seeing how he behaves.”
The second Discord retreats into the hole, in reality, then it closes with a pop. “I am so jealous of myself. If you excuse me I have to prepare the surprise!” With a snap of his finger Discord vanishes.
“Did anyone understand that loon’s blabbering.” Grandpa Gruff snorts as lights an Oil lantern Kronk was holding.
The Flight Mother had a jar filled with a blue fabric and she adds another fluid before sealing the jar and shaking it. Soon a soft green glow from the jar starts. She ties the jar to her staff. “Alright, I’m ready and unlike stinkpot over there I won’t be smoking up the place.”
“Yeah, you're stinking up the place with your crackpot potions.”
“Crackpot! I'll show you a crackpot!”
“Silence! We have a job to do.” Doom cast his light spell and headed into the long-abandoned den. The rubble on the ground wasn’t cleared by the bubble effect, however, it was not so bad they couldn’t walk through it. Then Doom steps stop there in the light of his magic orb as skeletons. The onboard computer calculated over a hundred seen in the glow of the combined light.
“Are those skeletons?” Gallus asks looking around at all the bones. Faina moves up beside him and grips his hand barley keeping her shaking in check. “Ye...yeah, they look like Falconbloods.”
“How can you tell?” Gallus asks his grip on Faina’s hand a little tighter, he tells himself he is reassuring her.
“The beaks, they are like yours.”
Walking further into the Den revealed more bodies. Some were curled up in groups others farther apart. The Den itself was circular in a construction similar to the Grand Chamber where the Idol of Boreas rests. What was different was a fire pit in the center. Once Doom’s light fell on it he spoke out. “Kronk take the fledglings out.”
“Oh come on, we already saw the bones,” Gallus says with a pout in his voice.
The Flight Mother spotted the fire pit as well. “No arguing against our ruler. Kronk, lead the fledglings out of here now.” Grandpa Gruff snorts “Do, as they say, Kronk, don’t argue Gallus, Faina.”
Once the younger members are back outside Doom moves forward to light up the full fire pit. In the pit were more bones, some were cracked open and charred.
“They started eating the dead…” He looked around and evidence of the terror of those left inside was even more horrors. Some bones laid with weapons clearly in the bones. Behind him, Maud Pie was examining the ceiling.
“Arching structural support, very stable. The quake must have been very strong.” She points to one arch that broke. “That’s the weak spot, the area of the Granite has Gneiss Rock that produced a section where the structure was flawed. You can see the bands of different rock.”
She then turns to look at Grandpa Gruff and the Flight Mother. “Why did they build this underground? Being able to fly wouldn’t living above ground be better like you do now?”
It was the flight mother that answered “Long ago we were nomadic. Hunting and gathering as we moved. Then we started raising the animals we hunted, we tended the flocks of sheep and goats. To feed them we started planting feed plants, as well as plants for our food. We stopped being nomadic and built above ground.”
It was Grandpa Gruff who continued. “Most of the land around here is poor, the winds coming from the north hit the mountains and then continue south. So farmland and large flocks were signs of wealth and power. There were five major tribes, one for each of the Griffonbloods. Some offshoot tribes did form but those were just cast-offs of the larger tribe. We don’t know who started it; we think it was those offshoots that started the fighting. Young idiots full of hormones and driven by hunger started raiding other tribes for food, and mates, willing or not.”
Doom sighs “Misunderstanding that the raiders were part of the main tribe those who were attacked retaliated against the larger tribe’s village. Now the larger tribe already suffering enough they sent some of their members away was robbed, homes destroyed. They declared open war. There were now two hungry and suffering tribes, they went to the other tribes either to get allies or to raid for food and supplies. That continued the cycle of destruction. Sometime during this, a group of Griffons found caves to hide the young. From there they dug out the first den to live in. The rock provided shelter and protection. Until the great quake caused by Nightmare Moon using her magic to bring the Moon from the other side of the planet and creating her Eclipse. The Den’s were built to be fortresses only one way in or out, easier to protect, but the quake caused all five known dens entrances to be blocked, as well as other damage.”
Doom headed over and looked at the rubble. “It must have got very bad here. The rubble jammed up the water well.”
“They died horribly, but we knew that. I want to know what I can sell from this place.” Grandpa Gruff snorted as he looked down a passageway. “Looks like sleeping and family chambers might be down this way.”
“Coin grubbing nitwit. This is a sacred land, our kind died here. We should preserve it, it’s our history.”
“History that could help us recover from the council’s stupidity. The worth of Moon Silver is already starting to go down, we need new means of income for the nation.”
“Fight outside you two. Somewhere in this tomb is a clue Discord left behind.”
The four then headed down the passageway. It slopped down and was narrow forcing the group to walk one by one. Soon they came to another round chamber.
“Not as many bodies down here,” Gruff stated as he entered one of the smaller chambers to the side. “Family units, one room chambers. Looks like the ground floor was the living space.” He flaps his wings gaining height and looks into the loft above the family living room. “They slept in the loft…” He snorts and lands wiping tears off his face.
“You saw something up there?” Flight Mother asks.
“Younglings, three of them. One fledgling his remains were before two younger ones in the back. Looks like he was guarding them.”
The flight mother looked up. “Name’s Mona. You don’t have to call me Flight mother anymore.”
Doom looked at the two elderly Griffons then turned and left them to their introspection. That when he saw it, a doorway that wasn’t there a moment before. Bright red door no handles just hinges, the type of door one would see in a theater. “Well seems Discord is going to put on a show. Stay here if you wish, for whatever reason Discord is only interested in me.”
Doom then headed into the theater and sure enough modern style movie theater seats were set in front of a large IMAX screen.
Expecting to be alone Doom was surprised when not only did the Griffons join him but Maud Pie as well.
“What is this place?” Mona asks as she settles down in a seat.
“There's no rock, the walls are… something I never have seen before.” Maud Pie states as she taps on the wall.
“It is a form of construction from my universe called drywall. There are various kinds and I don’t have the desire to analyze what form that Discord chose to mimic. For all, we know we could be standing in what was a communal bathroom.”
Maud Pie thought about it then left the strange wall material aside and sat down.
Once everyone was seated the ‘Movie’ started. The screen lit up revealing the planet Equis then Discord voice broadcasted through the air.
“This small planet is one of the countless others in space, vast and immeasurable, but also a bubble of limited possibilities. A universe among countless universes in the Multi-verse. There is a space between the universes a Void where the logic of space and time has no meaning. The Beyonders you faced Doom were beings from this void, they in truth were minor bugs, barely even noticeable to the dwellers of the void. Other entities are Bat-mite and Mister Mxyzptlk. All minor insignificant nearly all-powerful beings. Of course in the list of beings that warp reality as they see fit, I am the grand and glorious Discord are among them.”
“Doom your first Prize is my History! How I came to being and now dwell on this little planet. Long ago in the realm of Chaos, I came to be. Even in a chaotic system patterns emerge, among those patterns was my brilliant mind.” Doom recognized Discord's pocket dimension he saw in Hans’s memories of the show.
“He has an ego,” Maud stated matter of factly as she watched. “Very boring.”
“Time and space have no meaning so saying how long it was before I was dragged out of my private home I can’t say. It happened one day when a point of light caught my attention. Once the light touched me I felt myself being dragged into darkness.”
“Bound, chained, and tortured! For over a hundred thousand years I suffered. The reason was the Alicorns… those who were the ancestors of the Unicorns. Every day, all day, all the time my power feeds the Sun and Moon keeping life living on this little pathetic world.”
Maud’s eyes widened, the only sign of shock she had as she watched the now crayon drawing animated movie.
“Over time I was able to whisper to the Unicorns, tempting them, luring them. Then one day one was stupid enough to listen. He dismantled the mystical device that kept me trapped as a living battery.”
“I was still weak, dreadfully so. I still wanted my revenge, so with what magic I could use I created three beings. The Windigos, one for each Tribe. Tools to get my revenge, my creations went out to bring turmoil and chaos to the Ponies.”
“That was a miscalculation on my part. The Windigos did their job too well. One can’t have vengeance without breaking a few eggs.”
“For the first time in two hundred thousand years, the Ponies were one group again. What was worse was the two Alicorns who moved among them. Celestia, and Luna the last surviving Alicorns.”
“When I recovered I began my version of revenge. The first reign of Chaos has begun. It ended when those very same Alicorns used those Elements of Harmony on me. That act of heroics solidified their rule and doomed me to being trapped by Alicorns for the second time in my existence.”
Doom noted a hint of shame in her voice as Maud asked a question. “Why did they trap you in the first place? If there were so many Alicorns they should have had the magic to do what they needed.”
Discord snapped his fingers and the room was now a classroom, he was now dressed in a woman’s blouse, long pleated skirt, his hair in a bun, and sporting wire-framed glasses. “Good Question Miss Pie.” He motions to the Chalkboard that appeared. Chalk drawings of alicorns appeared. They were talking and in speech bubble words appeared.
“We need a sun, without one life will die. To create a new sun would take all the magic we can get. This spell could drain more than one of the casters, perhaps even kill them.” A blue alicorn says in its speech bubble.
“What if it wasn’t us? If we find a magical source great enough we can channel that magic via a heavily enchanted artifact. One that could function all day to make sure it stable and won’t go supernova.” Said a Green alicorn drawing.
All the alicorn drawings nodded and spoke at the same time. “We make a grand device to help create a new sun and control it.”
“Of course it failed. The device they made tapped into the Chaotic realm and pulled in the magic it needed, me. The sun they made was too small and needed to be put in an orbit so the day and night will be normal. Its gravity disrupted the Moon’s natural orbit so they chained the Moon to the device as well. All using my magic, that is why I could control them during my reign. The Sun and Moon were chained to the planet by my magic.”
The teacher Discord snaps and the now Anime Cartoon style Discord came over and hovered in front of Doom. “You freed me Victor von Doom. Stripped those Alicorns of their oh so precious sun and moon. Brought Celestia to the brink of madness, and caused enough chaos to break my prison.”
Doom stood up to look at Discord who now appeared as a CGI cartoon version of himself. “Then why did you attack me?”
“Attack? Oh no Doom, I’m helping you. You were fiddling in your lab, running your little nation, and ignoring those around you when you could. Now you know they mean something to you. You can’t ignore you do care for Gilda and Hans, well maybe just Gilda. Tell me what scent of perfume does she like? Do you know?”
A violet leaf scent with a hint of strawberry came to his mind. “I… don’t know.”
“Sure” A knowing smile came to Discord's lips as he snapped and the theater itself vanished in a flash of light.
The four found themselves in a storage room.
“You sure you can’t kill that annoying thing?” Grandpa Gruff snorted as he looked around changing the subject. “Falconblood doesn’t seem to care much for art. This place kind of plain.”
“I like the plain rock face.” Maud Pie spoke her mind as she looked at the wall of granite.
Mona nods “I suspect it due to their active nature. Hard to focus on painting or carving when your mind is running so fast.”
Doom slams his fist into the wall. He knew the others were distracting themselves from Discord’s antics. He turned and cast his light spell, small bits of stone fall from the new cracks in the granite wall. Even Maud knew not to say something as the four left the Den.
“The Flight Mother is correct, Gruff. This is a historical site, and a tomb, it would be wrong to sell anything inside.”
“Not much to sell anyway. What we could sell was too degraded to be worth trying.”
Outside they saw Kronk cooking. “Breakfast is ready. Chilaquiles with Blistered Tomatillo Salsa and Eggs just like mama used to make.”
Gruff raised a brow “you cook?”
Faina and Gallus both nod, their beaks full of food.
“YAY food!” A voice called out from above the group looked up, seeing Gabby flying in. “Oh wait… duty first.” She turns and salutes Doom. “First class message to you, your majesty.” She then pulls out a scroll and hands it over. “It's from Greyworth.”
Doom takes the scroll with a nod. “Go eat and rest up.” He then unrolls the scroll.
‘Your majesty.
We have a possible candidate for the Raven’s Den. I started thinking about why the Raven’s have potions like the Zebra. Why would they have such a relationship that the Zebra would teach them the art of Alchemy? From this, we figured the Den would be in the Valley of Mist. It’s a valley that cuts through the mountains on the southern side of the ridge. Close enough to the Zebra lands that some trade could have been established.
Your servant
Greyworth’
Included with the note was a smaller map of the region showing the direction to the Valley of Mist.
Mona the Flight Mother looked to Doom. “Good news?”
“Perhaps, we might have the location to the Ravenblood’s Den.”
Her eyes widened hearing that, but it was Gruff that said something. “Perhaps they had something worth selling.”
Gallus, Faina, Kronk, Gabby, and even Victor von Doom flinched as Mona smacked Gruff over the head with her staff. “YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY ANCESTORS PROPERTY!”
------------------------
Hans POV
Hans ran out of the door. Nearly as soon as his feet hit the sidewalk the voice of the Sentinel called out. “Mutant detected. Operation capture and interrogation.”
The Sentinel reaches down but Hans leaped to the side. Behind him, Spiderman fired some webbing at the eyes of the Sentinel. “Sorry big guy, but wide load traffic is not allowed on this street.”
“Good move Spiderman. Now it’s my turn.” Strange/Discord smiles as he makes a complicated hand motion. “So unnecessary, behold the power of the Sorcerer Supreme. Bolts of Bedevilment!” Magical bolts were then flung from his hands as if he was throwing daggers. The energy bolts even took up the appearance of throwing daggers.
Hans made the razor-sharp blades on his tendrils. He moved behind the Sentinel as it focused on Spiderman and Strange. Then he started slashing at the back of the sentinel foot. He was aiming for the giant humanoid robots Achilles tendon. Or in the case of a robot the hydraulic system.
Perhaps it was because these Sentinels are the basic design for a cartoon his blades were able to cut through the metal. The towering figure then staggered and fell into the building across the street from the Sanctum.
“What the heck are you doing? You could have hurt someone!” Spiderman lands in front of him.
“Watch out, it's not deactivated yet web head.” With that Hans sprang up and landed on the Sentinel’s back. He could feel the machine trying to stand up again but he hurried to the base of the neck seeing the Doom-tech control disk and yanking it off. “Doctor Strange, fire on this spot I found Doctor Doom’s control disk!”
Levitating up Strange/Discord fires a magical blast at the now damaged neck. “By the flames of Faltine!” From the sorcerer's hands came blue flames that funneled into the base of the sentinel melting the internal components. “It is done.”
Spiderman then goes up to Hans “That’s twice now you put innocent people in danger, what the heck is wrong with you.”
“I told you I don’t care about them. Now either follow me or not it’s your choice.”
Spiderman sighs and even facepalms. “Doctor Strange, this being is from another universe. It’s your expertise. Are you alright watching him?”
“I shall keep an eye on him, you have my word, Spiderman.” Spiderman didn’t see the twisted smile on Strange/Discord. “You could say I have a personal interest in keeping track of Hans here.”
“Alright, I have to find out if those Spider-Slayers are going to keep coming at me. Please keep an eye on him. I don’t want to see that he killed someone on the News.” Spider-Man then shot a webbing and leaped into the air swinging away from the scene.
Hans looks to Strange “Well Discord going to lead me farther down this rabbit hole?”
A mad chuckle came from Strange. “Oh, this is just a game, a simple means to spend time. I could have just held you in stasis. You already know the next action in this drama. The Doom of this universe is heading to the X-men mansion for Gilda. If I were you I would hurry up. You do have about 50 or so miles to get there.”
“I hate you Discord.”
“For now perhaps, but I have a plan.”
Hans looks over “You have a plan?”
“Okay fine I’m making this up as I go. Thought I have a really good idea!”
Hans sighs and then starts running as police start arriving at the scene of the battle. Similar to how he was moving before he used his tendrils like large legs moving rapidly across Manhattan Island. “I just hope this plan is better than the cartoon’s Discord plan to reform the terrible trio.”
-----------------------
Gilda POV
Gilda looked around the medical room, not sure if it was better or worse than she was alone in the unknown environment. Then the door opened and a creature like Doom walked into the room.
“Hey! Beast said you needed new clothing. I’m Gabrielle by the way.”
“I’m Gilda. Yeah, I need something to wear that horrible outfit”
Jubilee laid down the clothing on the bed. “I can’t imagine what it would be like going to another universe and finding yourself in an outfit unfamiliar to you. Oh… how worse it could have been if you had a body you weren’t used to. Wait… that is your normal body right?”
“Yeah, this is me, and yes there is a whole species like me I’m nothing special.” She looks down sighing. “Can’t even do anything more than sparkling lights.”
Jubilee shakes her head. “You're not the only one. Some of the kids here nicknamed me, fireworks.” She waved her hand creating flashing lights and sparks of rainbow colors.
Gilda waves her hand and an orb of light formed in her palm. “So you can use magic too?”
“Magic? No this is my mutant ability. Sparkly light girl. Though sometimes I can make them more powerful if I’m in a stressful situation. Not like I try to get myself killed regularly to make my powers stronger. Not even the danger room can fool my subconscious.”
Standing up Gilda finally dropped the sheet covering her.
“Umm... Kind of revealing there aren't you?” Jubilee turns around.
Getting picked up the trousers she saw were some touch blue fabric with thick threads. Jubilee would have told her it was a pair of blue jeans but she didn’t ask. “From where I grew up, clothing was a luxury.”
Jubilee flinches “That bad?”
Singing Gilda put on the poncho-like top she noted it was designed with buttons on the side to keep the front and back connected. “Nice top.”
“Yeah, it was made for a guy named Angel. He has wings as well.”
A sound from Gilda’s gut alerted the two to how hungry she was.
She then claps her hands. “Alright let's get to the cafeteria. I'm guessing you want to meet the others.”
“This Cafeteria has food in it?”
Jubilee sighs “That depends on what you consider food. If Gambit cooked their gumbo galore, if Wolverine was cooking we have barbeque mystery meat.”
Heading into the underground complex Gilda saw only halls and odd round doors, but soon they entered another door and Jubilee opened it revealing a large room with tables and benches.
“Ah, our guests have arrived.” Beast states as he was once again hanging from the ceiling a bowl of Gumbo in his left hand.
“Gambit! Gumbo again? This is the second time this month.”
Gambit was smiling as he scooped Gumbo into a bowl. “It comforts food. A perfect meal to fill the belly and soothes the soul.” He then came over and handed the bowl to Gilda. “For you lovely. Don’t tell Rogue she might get jealous.”
Jubilee “You wish Gambit.” She shakes her head and motions to the others. “Everyone, this is Gilda, Gilda, you already met Beast, the shameless flirt is Gambit, The grump in the corner drinking a beer is Wolverine, Rogue, Cyclops, and Storm are out looking at those Sentinels that were attacking you.”
A side door opens and two more figures enter. One was a woman with red hair the other was a bald man in a wheelchair. It was this man that spoke up. “Greetings Gilda, I am Charles Xavier owner of this complex and founding member of the X-men. This is my assistant Jean Grey.”
Jean smiles “I hope you are doing well, Gilda. You can relax here, you are safe.”
“Why were they after me? I’m not a mutant… whatever that means.” She sat down and tried some of the gumbo.
“That's why Cyclops and the others went to examine the debris. The Sentinels shouldn’t have been going after you if you didn’t have a mutant X gene.”
The door opened and in came Cyclops with his trademarked red ruby glasses. “We have an answer. It is not the sentinels after her.”
“What do you mean Scott?” Jean asks of Scott Summers aka Cyclops.
“He means the Sentinels were being controlled. With this.” Rogue tosses a disk onto the table. Wires were still connected to the back where the device had drilled and integrated itself into the Sentinel’s computer. The Stylized D easily identified.
Gilda saw a dark skilled human woman walk in with white hair. “For one so brilliant, you would figure Doctor Doom wouldn’t mark his tech with obvious identification.”
Beast picks up the device. “Pride goes before the fall, and few have Pride as high as the elusive King of Latveria.”
“Doom! So he’s coming to rescue me!” Hope bloomed in Gilda’s chest.
Charles shakes his head. “I’m sorry Gilda, this is our Doctor Doom, the one from this universe. The Victor von Doom you know is another person.”
Gilda looks over “How do you know?”
“Please forgive me, I am a telepath. I can read minds, I saw your memories, I assure you this is not that man you remember.”
That hope swiveled up and died. “You sure? Perhaps he can help me get to my Victor?”
Professor X sighs the only thought in his head was ‘poor love-stricken girl’
-------------------------------
Location: LaGuardia Airport, New York.
The heavily modified private jet of Doctor Victor von Doom touched down on the tarmac and headed to the waiting terminal. Once all the end of flight checks were done the lone occupant stood up and headed to the exit of the craft. Once he was off the ship he took notice of the security, special forces, and Nick Fury of Shield.
“Ah, Nick Fury I did not expect to be given a grand welcoming.”
All business Fury went right to what brought him here. “What are you doing on U.S. soil Doom?”
“That’s Doctor Doom. Mr. Fury, I understand you Americans lack sophisticated manors, but if you must address me do it properly.”
“You haven’t answered my Question, Doom.” the brash leader of Shield made it clear he was not being civil.
“All the paperwork is correct, isn’t it? This is an official visit, I happen to be heading to a private school in Westchester County. A place called Xavier’s school for gifted children. He has a young lady that caught my interest. Everything is proper isn’t it?”
“Yes, believe me you know if the paperwork was invalid.”
“Then this talk is over. Have a good day Mr. Fury, I would say it was a pleasure, but Doctor Doom doesn’t lie.” With that, the ruler of Latveria passes the Shield agents.
Once he got into a waiting limousine he relaxed. The limo was custom made as well complete with beyond state of the art computers. He activated the system and looked at the figures the scenes showed. One was a strange black-bodied creature with tendrils. The other was a humanoid gryphon; both didn’t exist in this reality yesterday.
“Whoever you are, it seems the anonymous intelligence I received was correct.” He closed his eyes thinking. “A whole world with more magic than I ever heard of. Enough magical power to move the very heavens. That power shall be mine and mine alone.”
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Another great chapter! I loved the interactions between Mona and Gruff, as well as between Hans and Strange-Discord. I can't wait to see the next chapter, and congrats on being featured!
10365602
Thanks! Those two old Griffon are fun writing! Then and the interaction between Gallus and Faina.
10365604
Yeah, Gallus and Fiana do seem fun to write. Can't wait to see what happens next!
The second Doom is like a younger stupid brother, I see
Jaw? Don't you mean jar?
Movie
Faina and Gallus both nod, their beaks full of food.
10369481
Thanks I make those changes now.
Damn... That dirty laugh came out of me without my permission
Brilliant humor 
Damn... So as i suspected, romance will be between Gilda and Doom... There romance will end in a boom