On the outside looking in

There is nothing, just an infinite void just floating through the dark purgatory that endlessly expands.

But then I wake, no it would be more accurate to say I come into consciousness. There was no sleep to wake up from, there was oblivion and there is me now. I try to look around and see my body but all I see is that my body is a grey light. It is weird I feel but I don't. It's cold and there is nothing to see but I am not losing my mind.

It is there in front of me that I see a building, seemingly coming out of nowhere once I've finally gotten my bearings straight. Land forms beneath me as a trail leads me to that building. It looks like any old normal house, but why here, there couldn't possibly be a house here, no more accurately there shouldn't be a house here. As I ponder on what is going on as I walk closer to the house I see the door open and the opening is obscured by light. I don't want to enter but it's as if I'm being beckoned.

Well I guess it can't be helped, I look back to the nothingness behind me,"What shall I do, return to the nothingness and drift endlessly or," turning back, "I can see the possibility before me … … … so be it, the mystery intrigues me." I walk through.

I am only blinded for a moment, then I see books? Thousands to millions, when I look up I don't see an end, the shelves keep stacking until I can no longer see them. There are statues of people I think I know but no memories of before the void comes to me. As I wander throughout the area I see a statue that speaks to me. It is hard to explain it, but this figure was what my very being was drawn to. By the size the person is definitely a guy under the suit of armour, however it looks quite too advanced for just any old suit of armour. The weird thing is that he wears a tunic and a cape over it. Walking up to the statue I read the plaque, "Victor Von Doom" that was weird, just invoking his name feels larger than life.

It is then that I'm startled by books from Doom's shelf flying off, they circle around me before opening their pages. Knowledge begins flooding into me, unconsciously I start speaking, "The Baron of Iron, The Beast of the Balkans, The Doctor of all Dictators, Doom the Destroyer, God Emperor Doom! All this is Doom; the ingenious, the mad, the hero and the arrogant fool." I'm hyperventilating now. I can't stop all his memories forcing their way into my mind. It's too much there's centuries of equally great and dark knowledge, forbidden secrets. I don't know where doom begins and I end anymore; it just keeps going on.

"Well, I think you've experienced enough don't you?" A soft spoken voice calls out behind me, and just like that everything stops and the books fly back to the shelves. Staggering as I turn back I see where an old man with slick back hair, a moustache and glasses stand, "Who could you possibly be?"

He doesn't say anything at first, just silently observing me, it feels like my soul is exposed in front of his eyes. A big smile forms on his face as he laughs. When he calms down he begins to speak, and a gravitas builds as his monologue goes on. "I am THE ONE ABOVE ALL. I see through many eyes. I build with many hands. They are themselves, but they are also me. I am all powerful. My only weapon is love…" there is a pause as he looks me straight in the eyes and gives me a gentle smile, "… The mystery intrigues me."

Before he lets me speak he continues as he walks up to doom's statue. "He is quite the interesting figure isn't he? Wants to rule the world, only one that probably can, probably should. Alas if only he was tempered not just with pride and arrogance." Wait this can't be leading to where I'm thinking can it? Why would he do so… the mystery… oh no. "Good I see you putting it together, I'm glad you are quick on the uptake. Yes this will be the start of your journey." A portal suddenly opens behind me as I'm being dragged in I scream, "how can I possibly fill Victor Von Doom's shadow, how could I possibly live up to your expectations!"

"You don't have to, just believe and…" I spot just the slightest of a smirk on his face as my vision darkens.

"Excelsior!"

Then it all goes black.