The Man Who Would Be Doom...
Sergei Vleck was born in 2149 in the region of Prague within New Latveria. Prague still had a building from the 9th Century still standing amongst other buildings from the 17th century, a veritable time capsule rich in history. Sergei lived three doors down from his best friend Miroslav Havileck and they played everyday as children did, oblivious to the world around them
When the boys were ten, there was an accident. Sergei was chasing Miroslav through the Havileck home when the chase ended in the kitchen. The game of tag was extremely heated and when Miroslav flailed his arms to escape he knocked over Mamma Havileck's goulash from the stove and the boiling liquid landed on Sergei's back! His screams called Mamma Havileck to the kitchen where she quickly dunked him in the sink and clipped her idiot son over the ears. Sergei was okay but it left a reddish blemish on his back
The years passed and the pair grew into fine young men, each spurning the other onto being better and were practically inseperable. At the age of 18 they both enrolled in the New Latverian Imperial Army, as was mandatory for all Latverians. Being young, strong, handsome, healthy and smart they stood out from the others. They were presented to a panel which strangely included their ruler, Victor Von Doom. Both were inspected like dogs at a show and afterwards they were split up and Sergei never saw Miroslav again.
Sergei's first tour of duty was to the Chechyen DMZ. Back then it wasn't as horrid as it was today but it was at the height of it's virtual rape with both sides testing new, unique and experimental forms of weaponry on each other. Sergei took to the military like a duck does to water. He easily progressed up the ranks but the higher ranks meant less combat so he would often get into brawls and disregard orders just to be busted back down to an active service rank.
At 25 he re-enlisted and was sent to dangerous borders of Europe, where it was more cat and mouse netween The Iron Army and The New Latverian Imperial Army. Each time he got himself higher in rank he'd knock himself down, not because he was crazy, homicidal or stupid; he just knew his place was best protecting the borders of New Latverian than behind a desk.
At 32 he re-enlisted again and chose the lawless border of China. By now the higher ups had decided to stop trying to promote him and leave him as he was, after all he was one of the most decorated combat soldiers in the military. He'd recieved the Heart of Doom, a medal for bravery, twice and the Bronze Valeria, wounded in combat, a staggering fifteen times. It was here on the borders of China that Sergei once again met Victor Von Doom. Doom was touring the facilities and came to Sergei's barracks. He and the other soldiers saluted proudly as their lord inspected them. Doom approached him personally
"What is your name soldier?"
"Sergei Vleck my lord" he said proudly
"You serve me and our country with great passion and devotion"
"It is my pleasure, my lord" replied Sergei when he caught Doom's eyes and saw a familiar pair of eyes staring back "Miroslav?"
"...No" replied Doom, puzzled at the statement
"I know you my friend. Why are you pretending to be Doom" Sergei grabbed his sovreign by the shoulders. The room gasped in collective horror
Doom hurled Sergei backwards and through a table "YOU DARE put your hands on Doom!?!" The battalion turned their guns on the shocked, dumb founded and dizzy Sergei as he clawed his way out of the table wreckage "Take him to the brig!" The men responded without hesistation or question as the hauled Sergei away as he stared down his lord
Sergei sat in puzzlement in the dark, dank cell for several hours trying to piece together what was happening. Why was Miroslav Doom?It didn't make any sense? The cell door opened and Sergei squinted as the light poured in
"On your feet!" said the silohuette
Sergei stood as his eyes adjusted to the light
"You will be executed tomorrow at dawn Corporal Vlcek" he stated "I am sorry"
"Why?"
"You touched our lord without his express permission or consent. The penalty is death"
"He is not my lord, he is my friend from Prag..."
The soldier cut Sergei short as he backhanded him "He IS your lord! Obviously you are unworthy and deserve your punishment"
And then it dawned on him, he'd heard stories over the years of how Doom kept himself young by imprinting himself over people but these were just gypsy whispers, slander and Iron Army propaganda. But all those years ago...he and Miroslav stood before Doom and HE was dismissed. He and Miroslav could've been twins...except for the scar on his back. The scar caused by Miroslav's stupidity as a child. Miroslav had been chosen to be Doom over him due to a small blemish on his back! Sergei openly wept as it dawned on him
"You should cry" said the soldier "Your actions have tarnished your reputation"
"I cry because it is me who you should be saluting!"
He grabbed the guard by the chin and snapped the guards neck
"You will live, if you could call paralysis living. I am done with this. I should be Doom!"
He fled the barracks and into the wilds of China. And that is how Sergei then became one of the first people to willingly leave New Latveria for America. He wanted as far away from Doom as he could and living in the land of his sworn enemy seemed appropriate. He took to drinking and gambling and won a bar in the middle of nowhere when his opponent couldn't pay his debts. Sergei ran his bar like it was his own country, his rules and dreaming that he could be the man named Doom and how a simple act nearly forty years ago ruined his life. Sergei snapped out of his doldrums when three little goblin pukes pulled a gun on this guy and his pet bear-cat-person. Sergei looked about the room like a feudal lord surveying his domain and the eighty odd armed patrons pulled guns on the goblin causing him to rethink his actions
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