C424 Spider-Man (Patreon)
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In the heart of the night, whilst Peter worked diligently on finding a way to help his teacher, a dark and sinister presence loomed over Kamar-Taj. The ancient compound, usually cloaked in an aura of tranquility, was now gripped by an ominous aura that sent shivers down the spines of its inhabitants.
Kaecilius, flanked by his devilishly empowered zealots, moved stealthily through the shadows, their footsteps masked by a veil of magic. With their knowledge of Kamar-Taj's defenses and the element of surprise on their side, they navigated through the countless secret passages and concealed corridors, steadily advancing toward their nefarious goal.
As they approached the secluded library housing the vast repository of mystical knowledge, Kaecilius signaled his followers to halt. His eyes glinted with an unholy fervor as he envisioned the power contained within those ancient tomes.
The librarian, a venerable sorcerer well-versed in the secrets of the arcane, was lazily guarding the entrance to the restricted section. Oblivious to the impending threat, he was engrossed in the study of an ancient grimoire, illuminated only by the flickering light of a candle.
With a silent command, Kaecilius motioned his followers to surround the unsuspecting librarian. Like specters emerging from the darkness, they closed in, their eyes gleaming with a malevolent glee.
In a heartbeat, Kaecilius materialized behind the librarian, his hand wrapped in a dark, ethereal energy. Before the librarian could react, the malevolent sorcerer struck swiftly, severing the head from the shoulders with a single, cruel stroke.
The room fell into an eerie silence, the only sound the echo of the librarian's lifeless body slumping to the ground. Kaecilius and his followers wasted no time, stepping over the fallen sorcerer to enter the grand library.
The shelves were lined with ancient manuscripts, grimoires, and scrolls containing knowledge that had been carefully guarded for centuries. Kaecilius, driven by his thirst for power and knowledge, began to meticulously select the most forbidden and potent tomes, which he knew the Ancient One would never allow him or any other Master to touch, let alone study.
Each book he chose was a forbidden fruit, and as he stole them away, he could feel the tendrils of dark energy coursing through his veins, empowering him further. His followers eagerly followed suit, their faces filled with a mixture of reverence and trepidation at the forbidden knowledge they were acquiring.
With their mission accomplished, Kaecilius and his followers made their way back through the labyrinthine passages of Kamar-Taj. The weight of their stolen knowledge seemed to cast an oppressive aura over the once-hallowed halls, a grim reminder of the betrayal that had taken place.
As they reached the courtyard, Kaecilius turned back to look at the imposing structure of Kamar-Taj, once his home and sanctuary. His gaze lingered on the tower where he had once trained and learned under the watchful eye of the Ancient One.
"We are free now," Kaecilius declared, his voice resonating with a mixture of triumph and bitterness. "No longer bound by the shackles of tradition, we shall forge our own path and wield the power of the Dark Dimension."
The zealots nodded in agreement, their faces filled with zeal and devotion to their newfound cause. With their stolen knowledge, they believed they could reshape the world according to their desires, heedless of the consequences.
Together, Kaecilius and his followers vanished into the night, leaving Kamar-Taj behind them. Their departure marked the end of an era and the beginning of a dark chapter in the history of the Mystic Arts.
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The next morning…
In the aftermath of their betrayal, the inhabitants of Kamar-Taj would awaken to a grim reality. The beheading of the librarian and the theft of many books in the forbidden section sent ripples of alarm throughout the compound, leaving the sorcerers to grapple with the security breach and the implications of Kaecilius's actions.
Even the students, like Strange, who weren’t privy to much information, heard about the theft. ‘Even the world of magic has its problems, I suppose…’ He thought.
The Ancient One, as ever, remained resolute and calm in the face of adversity. Though her heart ached for the loss of her trusted librarian, she knew that this was what needed to happen. It was her fate and only Peter was knowledgeable enough and willing to change it.
—————
The next morning, Peter woke up early to see MJ and Lily off to school. Lily was excited to study magic again today, but sadly she had to get through another day middle school first, while MJ playfully reminded Peter that he was welcome to grace the high school with his presence, despite his overwhelming absences.
Peter smiled. “Maybe I can spare some time to drop by for lunch.” He said, thanking god that his academic achievements gave him special privileges.
After seeing them off, Peter quickly changed into his Spider-Man suit and swung through the city toward the Avengers tower, enjoying the sights along the way. As he arrived at the tower, Peter made his way straight to Tony Stark's workshop, where he found the man himself tinkering with one of his Iron Man suits.
"Hey, Tony," Peter greeted as he entered the room.
Tony glanced up and grinned when he saw Peter in his suit. "Look who decided to show up to work today," he teased.
Peter smiled awkwardly, realizing his multiverse travel may have hurt his work attendance as well. "Come on, you know I'm always working." Peter replied, pulling off his mask and sitting down next to Tony. "In fact, I happened to visit two separate universes recently. I even managed to save a version of your sorry a*s from dying. You’re welcome, by the way."
Tony's eyes widened with curiosity and jealously. "Why do you keep leaving me out of all the fun stuff?" He asked in mock disappointment.
“Well, I didn’t exactly choose to leave in the first place.” Peter chuckled. "But don't worry, I managed to bring back something interesting," he said, reaching into his suit and pulling out a hard drive.
He plugged the hard drive into Tony's workstation, revealing the stolen plans and data from Olivia Octavius on multiverse travel. Tony's interest was immediately piqued as he browsed through the information.
"Wow, this is some high-level stuff," Tony remarked, his excitement evident. "Olivia Octavius, huh?." He read read name that was printed all over the research. “I’ve never heard of her.”
Peter smirked. "That’s because she doesn’t exist in this universe. Olivia Octavius, or better known as Doc Ock is a villain from the first universe that I visited. As you can see, she has some interesting ideas pertaining to multiverse travel. I thought we could work together on this," he suggested.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking for a partnership, Mr. Parker?" he said playfully.
"You bet, Mr. Stark," Peter replied with a grin. "I’ve come to realize that the multiverse is vast and filled with endless possibilities. With our combined brains, I think we can be safely traveling the multiverse by the end of the year."
Tony leaned back in his chair, considering the proposal. "Alright, you got yourself a deal, Webhead," he said, extending his hand for a shake.
Peter shook Tony's hand, feeling a surge of excitement. He knew that with Tony's expertise and the resources of Stark Industries, his dream of controlled multiverse travel will take place much sooner.
As they delved deeper into the data and started brainstorming ideas, Peter's mind was already racing with the possibilities that lay ahead. ‘I wonder if we’ll be able to visit non-Marvel universes?’
—————
In the depths of a hidden underground facility, Yelena Belova, once a victim of the Red Room's insidious mind control, now stood defiant against her former oppressors. The bloody corpse of a rogue Widow laying before her was a haunting reminder of the life she had once been forced to lead, a life of violence, manipulation, and heartless obedience.
[Insert picture of Yelena Belova here]
Yelena was sent by the General Dreykov, the commander of the Red Room, to kill a traitorous Widow, but in the process, Yelena was exposed to some sort of gas, which immediately freed her life of all foreign control. Her mind was free, her will her own. But sadly, it was too late for her target. The woman who managed to free her of her shackles was already dead.
And as the dust settled, and Yelena emerged victorious. The rogue Widow lay defeated, her body still and lifeless. A mixture of sorrow and relief washed over Yelena. She had killed the woman who helped her, acting as nothing but a puppet dancing on the strings of the Red Room's puppeteers. But now, she was free.
In the aftermath, Yelena felt a momentary dizziness, her consciousness clouded by the after affects of the antidote. Her mind experiencing freedom for the first time in a long while, leaving Yelena in a daze.
Soon enough, realization dawned on her, the gas she inhaler was an antidote, a serum designed to neutralize the Red Room's mind-control agent. It was a chance encounter that had freed her from the chains that had bound her mind and soul for so long.
With her mind finally her own, Yelena knew what she had to do. She couldn't waste this opportunity. She had to help others still enslaved by the Red Room's control.
Raiding the dead Widows supply of antidotes, Yelena packed everything up and ran off, disappearing into the night.
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Days later…
After a long and stealthy journey, Yelena Belova, a former Black Widow, stood outside the towering structure of the Avengers tower in New York City, her backpack filled with the few vials of antidote that she could find. Her heart raced with nervous anticipation, unsure of how her sister would react to her sudden appearance.
Taking a deep breath, Yelena walked into the lobby, her confident demeanor masking the turmoil inside. The receptionist looked up from her desk, a friendly smile on her face.
"Hello, welcome to Avengers tower. How can I assist you?" the receptionist asked politely.
Yelena's mind raced for a moment, searching for the right words. "I'm here to see Natasha Romanoff," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Tell her, her sister’s here to visit."
A/N: 1730 words :)