a new doctor | doctor fate

[Ze Bawble]

The Dread Lord appeared on the top of a building in Hallowton with a burst of flame. He was certainly not amused with this... He had escaped the Dark Dimension only to find that Doctor Strange was nowhere to be seen. His old foe, who he owed a fate worse than death was simply... gone. It infuriated Dormammu to be so close to victory but, in the last moment, have it wrenched away from him by some sick twist of fate. Bah... It was no matter. With Strange out of the way, Dormammu was free to conquer and destroy as he saw fit. The Dread Lord surveyed the area, glancing around the building tops. Yes, this would make a good land to conquer... It was ripe with future subjects as well as many buildings he could use to create his castle eventually.

But still... The thought of Strange nagged at him. It was bothering him far more than it should have been. It wasn't as if he'd spent all those years locked in the Dark Dimension, searching for ways of escape for the sole reason of eventually destroying his rival. Surely it was an important factor, but it wasn't his only aspiration. Dormammu supposed that being deprived of his only worthy foe was a disappointment. But, the absence of Doctor Strange only made Dormammu come to the conclusion that the Sorcerer Supreme was dead. It was a good thought, the death of Doctor Strange... But it was still a shame that the so-called Master of the Mystic Arts didn't die by Dormammu's hand.

The Dread Lord stepped out to look the whole town of Hallowton over. Perhaps destroying the town would relieve some of the anger he had over not being the one to destroy Strange. There were so many options... Perhaps he could send a meteor hurling into the town, or send a few hurricanes it's way. The Dread Lord chuckled darkly as he imagined the possibilities...

{NOTE: Dormammu isn't going to actually cause destruction in Hallowton}

[Cap'n Failz]

The moment the so-called Dread Lord had appeared, Doctor Fate had been made aware of his presence. He stuck out like a literal beacon to the Agent of Order, and within mere moments Fate had swept open a portal and crossed the intervening distance to intercept the source of this alien magic. And within mere moments after Dormammu's appearance, the Dread Lord would find a golden glow splitting the air before him. It would spread into the form of an ankh, glowing golden and ringed with the distinctive royal violent of Order Magic.

The core of the portal would open, foldign back as if a tunnel suddenly sprouting through the air, and Doctor Fate leapt through. He hovered before the Dread Lord, some handful of meters away from him, and staring down the frightening countenance of the Dark Dimension's ruler without fear. Already the Helmet of Fate spoke to him, pouring information into his mind about what he now stood before.

It chilled him to the core, but he kept his courage firm as he spoke but one question: "What brings you here, Dread Lord?"

[Ze Bawble]

In a moments time, a golden, glowing Ankh appeared before the Dread Lord. From the Ankh stepped a man in a blue and golden outfit, a man who Dormammu sensed a large amount of magical ability from. The Dread Lord scoffed and crossed his arms as the man spoke. The Dread Lord did not fear the mystical powers of a mere man. Surely this man was nothing compared to the might of the Dread Lord!

"I am here for reasons that are my own, sorcerer." Dormammu replied, his voice loud and echoing. The Dread Lord would usually have been sizing up the sorcerer, judging his magical ability from what he sensed and judging if he were a threat or not. However, Dormammu's arrogance got the better of him and he was simply awaiting the inevitable fight between the two. After all, this man would not appear before the Dread Lord for any other reason.

However, if he were here for another reason, which Dormammu doubted, he would hear him out. "Now then, sorcerer. By what name do you call yourself?" Dormammu stepped forward, uncrossing his arms. Behind him, a dark portal opened. The portal faded, revealing a throne. Dormammu sat on the throne, awaiting the answer of the sorcerer.

[Cap'n Failz]

The countenance of the servant of Order grew more grim under his helmet as the Dread Lord responded, and his head was inclined forward slightly, his gaze lowering to match the motions of the Faltinian seat himself in his throne. Truly his arrogance knew no bounds if he was willing to underestimate a foe without even testing them. But the foolishness of a foe was to the benefit of Doctor Fate. It would not be the first time he had fought such a foe, nor would it be the last.

It might be the first time he had fought a foe of such power, however.

"I am called Doctor Fate." His tone remained level and even, showing no hint of the great sense of dread he felt as to what the Dark Dimension's ruler could do if his temper were raised. "And you would be the so-called Dread Lord Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension." The eyes of the Helmet of Fate glowed bright white. "There is no purpose for you here. Your foe is not of this world, nor is he here for you to do battle. But if you seek to become a threat to this world as you have to that in which you battle the Sorceror Supreme, you shall find me a most worthy foe to contend with in his stead."

[Ze Bawble]

Doctor Fate? Dormammu scowled. He had never had any good experience with mystical doctors, particularly those with odd last names. The Dread Lord briefly used his magic to sense the level of Doctor Fate's. His magic was very powerful - certainly equal to that of Doctor Strange. However, magic potential was within anyone. If Doctor Fate could not wield his magic with as much skill as Doctor Strange he would stand no chance against Dormammu.

"Stand down, Doctor Fate." Dormammu said, the fire surrounding his skeletal face flaring up. "Your magic may be great, but you are nothing compared to the Dread Lord." Dormammu rarely gave warnings to his foes, especially those who threatened him. However, he was feeling particularly generous towards this mortal sorcerer. He did find it so amusing when the mortals attempted to make themselves appear superior to him.

"This world is mine, Doctor Fate," Dormammu said, his hands suddenly becoming engulfed in flame. "and now you will die." In one snap motion Dormammu brought his arms up. Fire burst from his hands, creating a large, swirling torrent of flames headed directly towards Doctor Fate.

[Cap'n Failz]

"Do not underestimate a foe you have not yet faced, Dread Lord." That was all the warning the servant of Lord Order would give, for he knew Dormammu would not heed any others given regardless. When the Faltinian's hands erupted in flame, the glow in Doctor Fate's eyes blazed to an all-new intensity, his own hands letting off a flickering aura of golden light. When the torrent of flames came for him, Doctor Fate swept one arm through the air, leaving a glowing trail of runes in the path of his hands. The flames hit these runes and dispersed around them, blasting off to either side and leaving the sorceror unharmed.

Fate burst through the last vestiges of the flames as they died away, both hands glowing brightly. "You chose the wrong foe to engage so blindly, Dormammu." His voice was grim and hard. He knew just how powerful Dormammu was, but he did not know the full extent of his skill or ability; the only solace was that Dormammu was likewise blind. Though even now the Helmet of Fate whispered to him, filling in blanks and giving him clues and ideas as to Dormammu's abilities, it would be several minutes before he began to understand enough to soundly defeat the Dread Lord. He would have to keep thedark god on his toes until such time as he could.

Throwing one arm forward, Doctor Fate released a searing torrent of Order Magic at Dormammu in a concentrated wave, the very air around it distorting and writhing with the force of the power contained within the blast. Doctor Fate's other hand remained held back at his side to counter or nullify whatever the Dread Lord chose to do next.

[Ze Bawble]

"Do you expect me to fear you then, Doctor Fate?" Dormammu said, letting out a short laugh afterwards. "As far as I have seen you are little more than a child... A child who seeks to stand among gods." The Dread Lord was neither focused on the battle nor inattentive - he was simply waiting for his foe's attack. He had witnessed magic such as what the sorcerer had many a time. He did not fear him; the Dread Lord feared none.

As Doctor Fate let out his wave of Order Magic, Dormammu stepped back and put up a hand. Immediately, a dark energy burst from the Dread Lord's hand, creating an ultra-durable energy shield, which blocked the attack. Dormammu dispelled the energy shield and stepped forward. "Surely you don't believe that the power of Order will destroy me?" Dormammu said, crossing his arms once more. "I am far beyond that." The Dread Lord suddenly put his hands together and formed a ball of some malevolent, chaotic energy.

"I have told you before and I shall tell you once more. This planet is now the Dread Lord's - and all who oppose him shall be destroyed." Dormammu spread his arms, allowing the dark energy to form a platform underneath him. From the platform came bolts of energy that flew towards Doctor Fate.

[Cap'n Failz]

"I do not expect any such thing as that from one of your great ego, Dread Lord," the sorceror replied, his tone calm and even. "I expect you to excercise caution against the unknown. Even one so mighty as you is not invincible. As your many defeats at the hand of Doctor Strange have proven."

His attack was repelled easily by the Faltinian, a feat which Doctor Fate had fully expected. His mockery of the forces of Order brought a scowl to his face under the helmet which covered it, and his hands slowly curled into fists, the glow of magic around them inteisifying. More and more information slowly poured into his mind about the foe he now fought, and it disturbed him indeed. The amount of raw power Dormammu possessed might well be more than Doctor Fate had access to on his own. But the servant of Order did not fight alone, and he suspected that, should this battle be drawn out long enough, it would ultimately end in his favor. He had the entire forces of Order on his side, and could call upon a nigh-limitless well of energies to supplement his own.

"Do not underestimate the might of Order magic, dark one," he chastised. "Your power is great indeed, but before the full spectrum of Order it is but the merest speck." As Dormammu's hands lit up and formed a sphere of chaotic energy, Doctor Fate brought his hands up, holding them before him in a posture similar to a defensive martial arts stance. "Though this planet be not my own home, it shall not be conquered by one so dark and vile as you, Dread Lord." As the energy bolts came toward him, he swept one arm out before him, and a number of energy bolts of his own making speared forth from nowhere, each one colliding with a blast from the Dark Dimension's ruler.

And immediately afterward, Doctor Fate could be seen, arms spread wide, both a rms surrounded by a glow of blue and white energy, radiating a powerful aura of holy light. "A final chance shall be given you, Dormammu." He slowly brought his hands together, clapping them against each other with a noise like thunder, releasing a powerful pulse in the aura about him, before spreading his hands apart. A glyph, radiating blinding light, grew between his hands as he seperated them. "Leave this world now, or be sent from it by force, to wander a void between dimensions for the rest of your endless days." Such a thread was a broken one; he could not banish a being of Dormammu's might for any length of time approaching eternity, but the threat of banishment would surely strike a nerve in the Dread Lord.