The Present.
The old man entered his master's study casually, though the one he served might strike terror into the hearts of nations and shake the very pillars of the world with his iron gauntlets, his faithful old servant had knew his master's moods well enough to not dread... Any more than was neccesary.
"Master, the preparations are ready.... Temporal displacers has been placed near the temporal nodes as you ordered... All we need is your command and the operation will proceed."
His master slowly turned towards his servant, the voice emanating from the iron mask, the mask he had forged himself in a tibetan monastery and he never removed in another's presence, was strong and commanding. The voice of a man so filled with confidence that it seemed he would (and indeed he had) challenge the very gods themselves.
"Excellent, Boris. Sadly the nature of this jaunt requires extreme precision, we will be unable to make use of our full resources where we are headed.... Though I have ways to make up for that... now Doom waits for our guest... The build-up in energy is sure to draw his attention."
Suddenly the entire castle, nay, the very Latverian mountains themselves shook violently, meteors streaked from the sky, smashing through the advanced defences of the castle with ease. One of the rocks came to a halt in the very study of the Latverian Monarch, hovering in the air twenty feet above the monarch. Upon the unnatural asteroid stood a being unlike anything born on earth, it's huge muscled arms wielded an axe many times greater than could be wielded by mortal men. Yet it was but a fraction of the power that dwelt inside the purple-skinned being.
"So, little human, what is the purpose of this? Such build-up of energy could well destroy the entire planet..." The sinister strange smiled. "Not that I would mind that.... What are you up to Von Doom?"
Doctor Doom remained unnaffected:
"The build-up was not for YOUR benefit Terrax. Doom seeks to snare another, and even that would be a simple bonus...." Behind their metallic slits his eyes narrowed. "Although your presence here could further ease the task I have in mind."
"What? You seek to use me as a pawn AGAIN von Doom?! I will not stand for it!"
"What you "will" matters little. It will be as I have said.... Now where is our guest, Boris! Anything on the sensors?"
The servant replies: "Oh yes, he is coming, moving slower than he could of course, I suspect he does not want to harm any innocents by exceeding safe speeds in an atmosphere."
"Yes, such weakness was ever his... No matter, he will come, and when he does there will be no one to stop me.... Not you Tyros, not the Silver Surfer, and not that damnable imbecile Reed Richards!"
At those very words there was movement, out of the sky like a silver flash came the Sky-Rider of the Spaceways!
"I was soaring through the stratosphere of this tragedy-stricken world when my cosmic senses detected an energy discharge of such enormous proportions that I cannot help but wonder at it's cause! And as my Silver Board brings me to this mountainous country who do I find at the core of this cosmic portent but the vile Victor von Doom himself! Know that whatever plans you lay they will be smashed! Know that so Vows the SILVER SURFER!"
"Ah.... I have been waiting for your Norrin Radd." Doom replied, without so much as flinching at the awesome sight of the Sentinel of the Spaceways.
"A trick! You lured me here for some nefarious purpose!"
"FOOL! Of course it is a trick! Do you think I would reveal my schemes without some purpose behind it! Boris! Throw the switch! Their Cosmic Energy will fuel the machinery! We go! LET THE MISTS OF TIME BE UNRAVELLED! Let the WORLD tremble before the might of DOCTOR DOOM!"
"Yes master." Was Boris only reply as he threw the switch. suddenly lightning arched throughout the castle, pulsing from the two former Heralds of Galactus, surging, draining, stealing their energy, in a blinding flash the web of lightning spread out, touched ever temporal displacer in Latveria, growing brighter and brighter the electricity crackled, becoming at last too bright for the human mind to find accurate words....
And then there was silence.
"Boris." Said the doctor "Status report?"
"Of what industry survived the transit much is inoperable at this time, it will take a few days to make them fully operational.... Stores of steel, oil, rare materials and such are here. Much of our arms except the very old ones were rendered unusable by the transit, a single division of Doombots, the oldest model, made the transit intact. We will have to face the denizens with little more than what they possess I suspect."
"Doom has no need for such things, all he needs is his keen mind."
"What.... Did you do accursed villain?" Said Norrin Radd as he staggered to his feet.
"A simple case of temporal transition, Herald. Easy for one with a mind of my own caliber. My problem was power, I required much of it, yours and Tyros' was deemed most efficient..."
"My Power Cosmic!" The Surfer Exclaimed "It is...."
"Not Gone, at least not permanently." The doctor interjected. "I suspect you will have to keep some of your more incredible displays to yourself, although even with the fraction of cosmic power you and the Tamer retain you are forces to be reckoned with.... Although I would not advise you to fight without support. No matter, we have much to do..."
"Do you believe I should join *you*?" The Surfer exclaimed "Your villainy is greater than any man of our time!"
"Perhaps...." said the Doctor. "But this is *Not* our time, Surfer! My genius intellect has transported us through time itself! Latveria might remain in part as it was in the 21st century! But the world outside our borders are those of 1936!... In order to return to your own timeline you will need power.... Power that only *I* can give you, and only at *my* sufferance! For here, at this time, I will fight, and I will RULE! DOOM'S DAY BEGINS NOW!"
The laughter of the Latverian monarch echoed through his mountains and it is said that it could be heard as far as Hungary and Yugoslavia.... A new timeline had been created, a timeline utterly belonging to DOOM!