Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Chapter 108: The Harbinger of Doom

Peter's chest heaved with the impact of the armored figure's strike, the weight of their presence crashing down on him like a storm. His mind raced as he quickly pushed himself to his feet, trying to regain his bearings. He had been hit hard, but his spider-sense was still firing, urging him to stay alert.

The figure didn't waste any time, charging again with blinding speed. Peter barely had a chance to react before a sharp, glowing blade extended from the figure's wrist. It was unlike anything Peter had seen before—a strange energy field enveloped the weapon, creating a crackling hum in the air.

"You don't know what you've done, Spider-Man," the figure spoke coldly as they swiped the blade toward Peter. "But I will make sure you understand."

Peter dodged just in time, rolling to the side to avoid the blade. His mind was racing—who was this person? How did they know about the multiverse, and why were they so intent on punishing him for it?

"You're not from around here, are you?" Peter grunted, shifting into a defensive stance.

The figure said nothing, only moving with an almost predatory grace, every strike aimed to incapacitate. Peter blocked a couple of blows, but the figure was relentless, outmatching him at every turn. The glowing blade whistled through the air, narrowly missing Peter's side as he ducked.

"You don't even understand the stakes, do you, Spider-Man?" the figure's voice was like gravel, each word carrying the weight of centuries. "You've opened a rift that should never have been opened. And now, those who should have stayed in the shadows are coming for you."

Peter's mind clicked, understanding dawning. "You're not from this dimension," he said between breaths. "You're—you're one of the anomalies, aren't you?"

The figure's glowing eyes narrowed slightly, the only indication that Peter's guess had hit a nerve. They stepped back for a moment, as if studying him.

"Anomaly? You could say that," the figure replied, their voice gaining an edge of bitterness. "But more accurately, I am what comes when the universe decides to correct its mistakes. I am the reckoning."

Peter's heart raced. "The reckoning? What are you talking about?"

The figure raised their hand, and the pulsating orb in their palm flared brighter, casting a harsh light across the rooftop. It was almost hypnotic.

"I am the one who ensures balance," they explained. "When you broke the barrier between worlds, the multiverse shifted. Forces began to leak through, realities that were never meant to touch. And now, I am here to fix it."

Peter's thoughts swirled, but one thing was becoming painfully clear: the situation was much worse than he had realized. This wasn't some petty villain trying to conquer the world. No, this was something far more dangerous. This was someone tasked with stopping the damage Peter had caused by opening the rifts—and they would stop at nothing to do so.

"I didn't—" Peter started, but the figure silenced him with a swipe of their arm, sending a shockwave of energy that sent Peter crashing into the side of a building. He groaned in pain, struggling to push himself up.

"You didn't what, Spider-Man?" the figure mocked. "You didn't mean to tear apart the fabric of existence? You didn't mean to let creatures from every corner of reality spill into this world?"

Peter staggered to his feet, trying to shake off the pain. "I didn't know it would happen. But I can fix this. I can stop it."

The figure tilted their head, studying Peter with an unreadable expression. "You're lying to yourself," they said. "The damage has already been done. The cracks are too deep. And now, the only way to restore order is to purge the source—the one who caused this chaos. And that's you."

Peter's heart sank. "You can't mean that. You can't just—"

"I must," the figure interrupted, the intensity in their voice sending a chill through Peter's spine. "And if I must erase you, then so be it."

Peter's mind raced for a way out. He couldn't let this figure—this harbinger of destruction—win. But he wasn't sure how to stop them. The figure was faster, stronger, and had powers Peter couldn't fully understand. And now, they were determined to erase him from existence.

But just as the figure lunged forward, their glowing blade aimed directly at Peter's chest, Peter's spider-sense flared. He had one last chance—one shot to stop them.

In a flash, Peter darted to the side, grabbing a nearby piece of debris and hurling it at the figure. It wasn't much, but it bought him just enough time to dart forward and land a powerful punch square in the figure's chest. The blow sent the figure staggering backward, their armored body creaking with the impact.

For a moment, there was silence.

The figure stood motionless, their hand pressed against their chest, as if stunned. Then, slowly, they looked up at Peter, their eyes burning with anger.

"Impressive," the figure hissed, their voice now tinged with something darker. "But it won't be enough."

Peter's chest tightened. This wasn't a fight he could win by strength alone. He had to think faster—think smarter. But before he could react, the figure's orb pulsed once more, sending a shockwave of energy that knocked Peter off his feet, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"You're out of time, Spider-Man," the figure said, their voice now more like a growl. "The multiverse cannot survive with your existence intact. And neither can you."

Peter's mind spun as he struggled to get up, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The figure was closing in on him, the blade raised high.

But then, in a sudden moment of clarity, Peter saw it. The crackling energy from the orb. The pulsing light. It was unstable—just like the rifts in the multiverse.

With a burst of determination, Peter leaped into action, flipping backward to avoid the figure's downward strike. As he did, he launched himself at the orb, his hand reaching out and grabbing hold of the energy source in a desperate move.

"NO!" the figure screamed as Peter yanked the orb from their hand.

The energy surged through Peter's body, but instead of destroying him, something in the energy responded to him—recognizing his presence. A strange, resonating hum filled the air, and the rift in the sky trembled in response.

The figure stepped back, eyes wide in disbelief. "What have you done?!"

Peter gritted his teeth, clutching the orb tightly. "I'm fixing your mess."

But before he could act further, the figure vanished, leaving Peter standing alone on the rooftop, the strange orb pulsing in his hand.

End of Chapter 108