"I know. Von Doom has begun to realise his purpose in the universe. This is not good."

"We should never have brought him here."

"We had no choice, if we were to save the Earth and prepare for the Ascension. Doom alone was the one person who could defeat the Phalanx."

"He should not have survived the encounter."

"No, he should not. We underestimated him, and the nanites in his body. They restored him, brought him back from the brink of oblivion and now he is the only one who can stand in our way."

"Can we defeat him?"

"I do not know. However, we must give to him the heinous one, he who betrayed us. If the Phalanx had come, then it would have all been for nothing."

"So how can we arrange it so that he finds the traitor? How can we show him where to find Guiseppe Balsamo?"

"Doom will find soon enough. The master versus the apprentice... how apt."

Victor Von Doom sat in his Domicile and focused his attentions to the world below and beyond. He was the Sorcerer Supreme, master of the mystic arts and defender of this reality and there was a threat out there, watching and waiting and he would find whomever had betrayed Earth to the Phalanx.

There had been a barrier between this galaxy and the rest of the universe, a barrier that could not be crossed by normal means. It had been in place for decades and yet the Phalanx had passed it with ease. Or gone around it and to do that meant that great power had been used and those who possessed such power were few and far between and it would not be long before they were revealed to him.

The temptation to use the many and wondrous items in the Domicile of the Watcher was tempting, but temptation was for lesser men and he had sworn not to use the technology because that was not part of his life now. He reached out, touching every facet of the mystical plane and opened up to any influences that were out there but he could not sense anything wrong and he broke the trance.

He was angry, angry at himself for not being able to do anything about it, that he was limited in what he could do, that he was good at it, that he could make a difference but it just wasn't enough and if it wasn't enough then how could he do anything to save reality and it got to him. He was Doom and he would not be denied and he let the anger drain from his body. He would regain his calm, the centre and he would try again.

There were many other considerations in his life. Xina for one. She had become a part of his life, an important part. There had not been much of his life dedicated to love, because he had always considered it to be a weakness, but he had come to realise that is was also a resource. His belief in himself was absolute, but to have another believe in him as well, not because of he commanded it or because of his presence but because they wanted to... it gave him something he never knew existed, or never truly believed in. It gave him hope.

He had never needed hope before, never wanted it because he was Doom and he would do, but after living in 2099 for a time, he had realised the man he had been once was no longer the man he was. His plans, his choices had always been made with one ideal in mind, the deliverance of his people and suddenly everything had changed. The killing of the Phalanx had taken its toll on him and he had drifted, wondering, wanting nothing more than to be left alone to live out the rest of his days in solitude. There were no battles left to be fought and nothing to fight for.

However circumstance moved against him and the world still needed Doom, even though Latveria was in the hands of his named heir and Reed Richards was working to further mankind, brokering peace with the Atlanteans as well as working on a space program with Miguel O'Hara. Magic had been his next calling and he had accepted the responsibilities of it and other areas and Xina gave him the strength of mind to continue and do what he could to fight on.

Then there was Sarah, the latest Moon Knight, his warrior, his messenger. She was a survivor, and that was not just the one thing that marked her out. He kept her at a distance because in her he had found a daughter he had never had. He had indeed changed and he had gained a family that he had never needed or wanted but now he had them he treasured them all the same, and that was why he had to find the person who had threatened this world, because they would do so again. He focused himself once more and opened himself up.

Then he felt an incursion and he opened his eyes. Other dimensional beings were entering this universe and he needed to know if they were a threat of not. He gestured and opened a portal. What he saw on the other side astounded him and he stepped through, leaving the former home of the Watcher and entering an alien world.

"The X-Men," he said, as he looked at the missing mutants. "You are harder to kill than the mutants I once knew. Your presence has been missed these few weeks."

"Weeks?" said Krystal. "Not days?"

"I'll explain about the time differential later," said Henri and Doom smiled.

"You are lucky that I am currently searching for dimensional anomalies," he said. "Otherwise your fate may have been to stay here."

"What's going on?" asked Tim.

"I do not know as yet, Timothy Fitzgerald, however be assured that I will find out. The presence of the Phalanx should not have been. Earth was betrayed and I will enact vengeance on those responsible for this act." The team felt a shiver as he spoke. He may have been the Sorcerer Supreme and his acts were altruistic in that sense, but he was still Doom and his presence was all. "Let us return home."

The X-Men said their goodbyes and they all entered the portal, however Doom altered the spell so they were returned to Xavier City and he to the moon, where Xina was waiting for him.

"My love," he said, kissing her hand.

"What was that about?" she asked as the portal closed.

"The return of the X-Men," said Doom. "Do you have it?"

"Yes," she said and held out the amulet. "Is this it?"

"Yes," breathed Doom, in awe at its presence. "The Eye of Agamotto. The Eye can radiate a blinding light of immeasurable mystic force. Under the brilliance of this so-called 'all-revealing light,' It will make its wielder able to penetrate disguises, invoke images of the immediate past, and track both corporeal and ethereal beings by their psychic or magical emissions."

"Impressive," said Xina and Doom smiled.

"Even more the Eye enables the wielder to more easily probe the minds of sentient beings. When used thusly, the amulet opens and releases a representation of a golden eye, which affixes itself to its wielder's forehead, allowing them to 'see' into the mind they wish to probe. The Eye also can be used to provide a gateway into other dimensions. When called upon under the proper incantations, the amulet will separate from its backing, seemingly enlarge to a size several feet in diameter, and then open, revealing a portal to other worlds. However I mastered the art of doing so long ago."

"How does it work?" asked Xina.

"As the amulet is controlled chiefly by thought and force of will, the wielder of the amulet establishes a psychic link with it. Indeed, when the wielder leaves his body in astral form, as astral duplicate of the amulet-capable of nearly all of the amulet's functions, albeit at slightly less powerful levels-travels with him. However it also acts as a conduit and can focus incantations making them that much stronger. As an object of 'white magic' it can be only operated by a person possessing pure thoughts and a clean soul."

"A clean soul? Victor, I know your history and the deal with the Phalanx."

"Yes," said Doom. "However it was given to me by Strange himself, and as such my validation should not be in question." He touched the Amulet for the first time and he felt the power of it as he did so. It accepted him not because of who he was, but because he had earned the right to do so. He lifted it from Xina's hand and placed it on the edge of his cape where it mystically affixed itself and Doom smiled. "The quest continues."

Guiseppe Balsamo opened his eyes, feeling the realm of magic shake. The Eye had come in to new possession and that was something that he needed to examine. If he was to save this world, he would need allies and the last he checked the creature Garokk was the Sorcerer Supreme. The defeat of the Phalanx had meant that this world was defenceless against the Ascension and he needed another way.

He had made a promise, that this Earth would not be taken as so many others had fallen before and he intended to keep it. He had hoped the powers of the Phalanx would have kept the world away from their prying eyes, eyes he could feel watching them always but his plan had failed. He had watched as Victor Von Doom of all people had defeated them and he had died in the effort. The fall of the man had pained Balsamo, but he should not have interfered in the plan.

There were worse things out there than the alien parasites and the world was not ready for them and he had been resting, building his strength to take on the Sorcerer Supreme. Garokk had great power and he was not a man to be trifled with and then Balsamo learnt of what had happened. Doom had returned and taken the title from him.

"Impressive work, my disciple," said Balsamo and now Doom he held the Eye. Perhaps he had found the ally he was looking for. He would find Doom and reunite him with the sorcerer known as Cagliostro. Together they would be able to prevent the rising, and save this reality from being consumed.

"Cagliostro rises."

"Yes, as we knew he would. Agamotto is long gone, but the power of his Eye is still potent. Cagliostro knows it will make a weapon so as you see, Doom will find him and then he will enact revenge on our behalf."

"Doom will oppose us."

"In the end, but it will be too late and he will share the fate of his counterparts in every other reality. He will die, defiance in his eyes as his world his taken from him."

"To the beginning of the end."