[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZfvPPwT.png[/img][/center][b]Castle Doom, Latveria[/b]

[color=#ffffff]The six armed guards stationed outside of Ben Grimm’s cell gripped their guns anxiously as another explosion shook the castle. They were right to be anxious. An array of vibranium fastenings had been set up to keep Grimm immobile but that didn’t stop him from raging against them noisily. Even if the castle was under siege, it was the “golem” kept captive inside that they feared more than anything else. It had hospitalised twelve of their colleagues at the crash site.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Little did they know that it was Susan Storm that was the real threat to their health. Masked by one of her constructs, Reed and Sue made their approach. When they were within three feet of the guards, Sue dropped her shield and fired a battery of hard light spheres in their direction. Beside her Reed’s fist swelled to the size of a small car and struck the remaining guards. They were out before they knew what had hit them.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Once they were inside Ben’s cell, Reed fashioned his finger into a key and unlocked the fastenings.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Grimm spat out the gag in his mouth and sent a warm smile in Reed’s direction. [/color][color=#f6b26b]“What kinda time do you call this, Stretch?”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“Don’t thank me, Ben,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Richards smiled as he gestured towards Sue. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“I’d still be every bit as indisposed as you if not for Susan.”[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“Heh, I should have guessed.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The three of them made their way out of Grimm’s cell and stalked through the subterranean passages beneath Castle Doom in search of Johnny’s cell. A chance encounter with three more guards resulted in the “golem’ dispatching them with a vicious thunderclap and they pushed on through the darkness.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Behind a locked lead door the sound of Johnny roaring with anger drew them in. Ben knocked the door free from its hinges with a punch and they poured inside ready for a battle. There were no guards inside. Only a beaten Johnny Storm, left eye all but clamped shut with swelling, tugging against his restraints while attempting to ignite his powers.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]He was mid-”flame on” when his sister noticed his bruised face. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“Johnny! Are you alright?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed helped Johnny out of his fastenings and lifted him to his feet.[/color]

[color=#ea9999]“I’m fine,”[/color][color=#e06666] [/color][color=#ffffff]Johnny mumbled through bloodied lips. [/color][color=#ea9999]“But I can’t promise I’m not going to burn that double-crossing son of a bitch Doom alive when I get my hands on him.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Of the four of them, Johnny had coped with Darkseid’s reign of terror worst. His famous sense of humour and easy charm had all but gone. Now there was only anger in its place. It made him all the more difficult to contain. Reed was worried about him and he was even worried about what Johnny would do if they found their way out of this.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“We don’t know that’s what has happened yet, Johnny. Any number of thing could have gone wrong. Mine and Victor’s calculations could have been wr-”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]There was another explosion. This one was louder than the last and where once the castle had shook it now seemed to crack under the force.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Sue gestured to one of the large cracks that had appeared in the ceiling above them. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“I think this debate can probably wait until after we’re not at risk of being buried alive, boys.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Ben cracked his large orange knuckles.[/color]

[color=#f6b26b]“You want I should smash our way out of here, Stretch?”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“No, this place is already coming down around us. There’s no telling what will happen if we start punching holes through walls. We go out the old-fashioned way,” Reed said as he broke towards a stairway in the distance.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]With the help of Sue’s forcefields the four of them crept through the castle’s myriad underground tunnels. At Reed’s insistence, Johnny had used his powers to feel for heat signatures as they travelled through them so as to avoid any more unnecessary violence. Eventually they managed to creep out through a sewage tunnel that lead into a Doomstadt sideroad.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The streets were filled with pink and black-clad soldiers loyal to von Bardas clashing against civilians of all creeds garbed in deep, royal green overalls. At every turn the soldiers were pushed back. They were better equipped and more organised, but the sheer numbers amongst the green masses forced them to retreat.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]So momentous was the occasion that Reed, Ben, Johnny and Sue were paid no attention by the swarming green civilians. They streamed through the streets of Doomstadt towards the city centre and against his best instinct’s Reed urged his friends to follow after them. The explosions seemed to halt as they grew closer to it and the last few volleys of gunfire fell silent.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The soldiers set down their weapons when it became clear their cause was defeated. In the centre of Doomstadt they were pelted with rotten fruit by the green-clad civilians but great care was taken to ensure no harm came to them.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]In the distance Castle Doom, where the Four had been captive all but twenty minutes ago, loomed over the crowds. The pink banners tousled along its walls came tumbling down and deep green ones were lowered in their place.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]The crowd roared and Sue looked to Reed with a confused look. [/color][color=#9fc5e8]“What is happening?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]On the castle’s main balcony a broad-shouldered man with facial scars appeared. He was greeted with a roar of approval from the crowd. The roars turned to jeers when he presented to the crowd a woman in regal pink.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]With a wave of his hand he silenced thousands.[/color]

[color=#45818e]“Lucia von Bardas, you stand accused of betraying the people of Latveria.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Von Bardas spat in his face and the scarred man’s dismissive backhand in response was met with approving roars from the onlookers.[/color]

[color=#ead1dc]“I am the people of Latveria,”[/color][color=#ffffff] von Bardas growled from her knees. [/color][color=#ead1dc]“I could no sooner betray them than betray my own flesh and blood. You have no authority here, Karadick.”[/color]

[color=#45818e]“I don’t,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Karadick said with a satisfied smile. [/color][color=#45818e]“But he does.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Reed and Sue’s eyes met nervously as a sense of mutual dread set in between them. The curtains on the balcony began to part slowly and a figure walked through them. The roar of the protesters turned almost deafening as a handsome brown-haired man lifted his fist to greet them.[/color]

[i][color=#ffffff]DOOM.[/color][/i]

[color=#ffffff]Ben Grimm’s rock-like features twisted with confusion and he squinted at the scruffy, bearded young man. [/color][color=#f6b26b]“Who in blue blazes is that?!”[/color]

[i][color=#ffffff]DOOM.[/color][/i]

[color=#ffffff]This time the chant was so loud that it felt like the entire city was rocking. Richards squinted in the young man’s direction and inspected his features. It had been so long since he had seen the dictator’s face. They had been rivals at Metropolis University long before the two duelled for the fate of the world. He tried to look through the beard at the face beneath it. It was the brown obelisks masquerading as eyes that confirmed his fears.[/color]

[color=#ffffff]There was no replicating that kind of ambition.[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“That’s him,”[/color][color=#ffffff] Reed said as he felt that gnawing insecurity in the pit of his stomach that only his nemesis could induce in him. [/color][color=#3d85c6]“That’s Victor.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]Doom placed a grateful hand on Karadick’s shoulder and then silenced the crowd once more. He stepped forward to address the crowd. His mouth opened to speak but he faltered for a moment. For half a second the obelisks met Reed’s eyes in the crowd. There was no hostility in the look. In fact, Victor offered him a knowing smile and then set about delivering the most important speech in Latverian history.[/color]