Disclaimer: I do not own Spiderman, Highlander or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This fanfiction is written because these three series have an impact in my life. I am a Spiderman fan!!
Chapter 2: Demon Hunters?
In the corner of the ever changing mist of ether which was her domain, the web mother waited patiently, spinning her webs quietly as she spins dreams and fates.
It was the howling that first alerted her to the presence of another, but she remained on her web. Magic flows around her as she sought out the intruder. It met the power of another, powers of a great many others and she relaxed, her allies have came.
Within moments, the First Pack of the Hyena prowled underneath her great web. Some sniffing the air, while others prowled the area, only one walked up to her, the Alpha, primal spirit of the Hyenas, gave a cry in greeting.
"So I see you had conversed with your chosen." He said with a chuckle. "What is the rush? I thought we had time?"
The web mother shifted on her web, facing downwards at the large Hyena male.
"That is part of the reason I had called you here, some things had changed since our alliances had been made." The web mother said. "I had seen parts of the near future, a great evil will soon visits the one in your favor and his friends. If my chosen is to be close to the avatar of your Pack, he will also come under attack. Thus I have stepped up his training, I see little time left."
The primal Hyena Spirit frowned. "What presence would have changed the future thus? We had peered in the very ether of the future after our alliance was shortly made and could find no interference."
"You do remember the Hell God banished to our world hundreds of years ago?" the web mother asked. "She remains outside the threads of fates and is one of the few that could not be manipulated. An action of hers is going to put the destinies of our chosen in danger."
"Glorificus." The Hyena primal spirit hissed as he pondered the implications of what the web mother had said. "Perhaps I have best approach my chosen, soon."
Peter closed his eyes against the pounding headache he was currently having. Gods, demons, dreaming that actually bears a bit of reality... all in all, it was turning out to be a bad morning for Spiderman.
The strawberry pancakes are great! Can I have more? The soft feminine voice said in his mind.
Peter turned to face the gigantic spider from his position in front of the stove. It was occupying half of his kitchen space, Its two front legs hovering over an empty plate. Peter just rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all.
"But I just fried 4 pancakes for you!!"
The black tarantula bob its head in a wince. This is the first time I had a physical form, and the sensation of taste is just so good. I'll like another one please? It said pushing its empty plate across the table.
Peter sighed. "Alright, give me a minute."
He grab the pancake mix and scope up a ladle of it onto the pan.
"So let me get straight what you have been trying to tell me all morning." Peter said as the smell of frying pancake filled the kitchen. "I have been chosen by the spider god to fight demons. At the same time the spider god has given me new powers which you are supposed to teach me."
She's called the Web Mother. The giant spider, Dreamweaver said. And no, she does not want you to go on a crusade against all demons, only those that works against her. If you so wish to destroy the rest of the demons, it is purely your free will, and their souls will go to the Web Mother.
The dreaming is one aspect of your new ability I am suppose to start teaching you intensively in.
Peter frown at the absurdity of it all. "But why now, you have been with me all these years, why does this... Web Mother approached me all of a sudden and wants you to start teaching me?"
Plans... changed. Dreamweaver said hesitantly. When I was sent to you, I was under the impression that I have all the time in your long life to slowly coach you without directly letting you know of my existence.
However, I was only just told that not long after you arrived in Sunnydale, the Web Mother was approached with an alliance by the Hyena pack. The alliance changed plans and the Web Mother foresee great danger for you and others you are supposed to work with if you do not master the dreaming fast. And thus she granted me a physical form to better aid you.
"Hyena Pack? Others?" Peter sighed pinching his forehead. "Let me guess, the Hyena Pack is some sort of God and the others are somehow related to this whole absurd mess of demons and Gods?"
You are very bright Peter. Dreamweaver said pleased. Yes the Hyena pack are the first pack of Hyenas. Unlike the Web Mother whose powers is hers alone, the first pack shared the powers of god hood among themselves. Though the leader of the pack is the primal spirit for the Hyenas.
The others are mostly other mortals, demon hunters that had recently came into the attention of the Web Mother and the First Pack. From what I heard, the First Pack consider these group of demon hunters as one of theirs, under the Hyena's protection.
"Oh great, so there are real demon hunters... I mean why not, after all I have just been told there are demons too." Peter said rolling his eyes as he dumped three pancakes onto the empty plate and pushed it to the spider.
Dreamweaver blinked its multi faceted eyes in pleasure. The opened bottle of strawberry jam levitated into the air as a liberal amount of strawberry jam was spread on top of the pancakes. It pierce a pancake with its front leg and lifted it to its mouth.
"So what now?" Peter asked looking at the clock. "I need to go to work soon and you most certainly can't go out in the streets, you'll cause a riot. I'll be back by 6pm so you just stay at home and wait for me."
There will be no problem. Dreamweaver said, cramping the last strawberry jam pancake into its mouth. I will accompany you.
Peter opened his mouth to object when a blue glow erupted from Dreamweaver. He watched in amazement as Dreamweaver shrunk to the size of his finger finger tip. The small spider moved amazingly fast for its size and in minutes, climbed up Peter's clothes, settling into his breast pockets.
Peter closed his open jaw with a snap. "Alright, while not? I guess all dream spiders can do magic stuff like shrinking their sizes."
Peter shook his head ruefully. His stay in Sunnydale is turning out to be more than what he expected.
The loud smashing of glasses, his father's ragged shouting and his mother's shrill screaming woke Xander up from his sleep. The wooden roof of the basement squeaked as his father started stomping the floor upstairs in frustration.
Xander rolled his eyes. And so begins the daily morning orchestra. He thought sarcastically.
As was his routine, he got up and rub the heads of the Spiderman and Batman figurines on his table.
"For good luck." Xander said to himself, walking past the table towards the bathroom. The aged newspaper clippings tabbed onto the soft board at the corner of his room flapped gently as he walked past, towards the bathroom.
Taking a quick cooling shower, he changed into his favorite hawaii shirt and made his way out of the house through the back door. Out of sight of his parents who were still quarreling loudly in the living room.
He quickly made his way to school. First class begins in an half an hour, he had agreed to meet Buffy and Willow at the entrance so they can go in together. His two best friends. Xander thought, savoring those words even as he picked up his pace. They had gone through so much together in the past year that Xander had began to think of those two as his girls. Buffy is the one with the super powers, but still, there is a part of Xander that just wants to protect her, protect his two best friends.
He pushed his way through the morning crowd of students loitering around the front of the school before lesson starts. He got sight of Buffy and Willow sitting at one of the study tables near the stairs. With a grin, he walked towards them.
Buffy and Willow were both in animated conversation and both were whispering to each other, so absorbed with themselves that they did not catch sight of Xander as he slipped beside them and shook their shoulders.
"Ah!!" Willow squealed.
"Argh!" Buffy cried out, lashing out instinctively with her right hand. It connected painfully with Xander's left arm.
"Oww.. Buffy, gentle with the non enhanced human being here?"
"Opps sorry Xander! You shouldn't creep up beside me, its not healthy."
"For me obviously." Xander grumbled rubbing his sore arm. "So what's with all the secretive whisperings?"
Buffy and Willow exchanged guilty looks.
"Well its probably nothing." Buffy said, trying to wave it off.
Xander's eyes narrowed. "Come on spill, I'm part of the gang right? Is it anything hellmouthy?"
Buffy blushed eyes darting everywhere except Xander.
"Well... how can I say... I have been feeling something very strange all morning since I stepped into school... and anyway, it doesn't matter, maybe I didn't get too much sleep or something." Buffy said quickly gathering up her bag. "Come on, computer lesson is first period, let's get there before the bell rings."
Xander frowned, following after Buffy and Willow who seemed to be avoiding his question.
"What kind of feeling?" Xander asked, trying a different track and turning to look at Willow.
"Its a ... a girl thing." Willow said awkwardly as they tried to follow after Buffy who was practically running towards the labs.
"Willow!!" Buffy hissed uncomfortably.
Xander wisely kept his mouth shut. Being best friends with two girls means sometimes there are things even he is not privy to.
They reached the computer lab that they are supposed to be in and paused as the door opened suddenly. A young man rushed out in a great hurry that instant, colliding with Buffy. There was a loud gasp from Buffy as her eyes rolled up and she sank onto the floor.
Willow cried out in shock kneeling beside an unconscious Buffy. Buffy's face was beginning to flush and Xander quickly checked her forehead. She was burning.
"Oh god, is that girl ok?" the young man asked kneeling down and laying a hand to Buffy's forehead. "She is running a high temperature. We need to get her to the sick bay."
"You're right, I better carry her." Xander said urgently, moving to carry Buffy when the young man waved Xander away.
"No offense, but I am stronger than you, run down to the sick bay and inform the nurse she has a patient, I will bring her there."
Xander swallowed, looking at Willow's scared face and Buffy lying unconscious in the stranger's arms and nodded jerkily, rushing down the corridors.
Xander and Willow waited anxiously beside the bed where Buffy lay as the nurse called Mrs Summers to take Buffy home. They had been ordered to go back to their classes but concern for Buffy override school rules.
"What happened Willow?" Xander asked. "Was Buffy not feeling well since morning?"
"No, no, she told me she felt very good." Willow said, her voice sounded anxious. "She told me she felt very very happy once she stepped into school almost like she is floating. We thought it was because she was having her period. Sometimes we have mood swings during that time."
Xander grimaced, this was information he did not need.
"That didn't explain the high fever..." He stopped as Buffy gave a moan.
Willow and Xander at once turned towards Buffy who had opened her eyes and looking at them with an unfocused look.
"Buffy, are you all right? You are running a high temperature." Willow said anxiously.
Buffy frowned lifting her hand to her forehead. "What fever?"
Xander gaped at her and pressed a hand against her head. It was cool.
"But you were burning up in the hallway just now before Mr Winters brought you here."
"Mr Winters? Who's he? And what do you mean by burning up?"
"Mr Winters is the brown haired guy you bumped into outside the computer lab remember? He's the new computer assistant."
Buffy's eyes widen and then narrowed as if she remembered something important. Quickly she swung her leg down from the bed only to be stopped by Xander.
"Buffy, what do you think you are doing? You are not well!"
Buffy looked at Xander in the eye.
"This Mr Winters is not a human. My slayer senses were overloaded the moment I came into skin contact with him. Probably why I burnt out. We need to find Giles at once."
Explaining to the nurse that her formerly sick charge wanted to leave was no easy task. But it was finally settled by Buffy placing another call to her mother to tell her not to pick her up and a promise to the nurse that she will take the rest of the day easy.
They had then rushed to the library to find Giles who was in the midst of doing a major revamp of the book catalog system.
"Buffy, Willow and Xander, what are you three doing here? I thought you have lessons right about now?" Giles said with a puzzled frown as the three of them burst into the library.
"We would if we could. There has being a problem. One of the teacher isn't human... again." Buffy said. "He overloaded my slayer senses the moment I came into contact with him."
Giles' eyes sharpen, settling down the books he was cataloging.
"Tell me everything." Giles said nodding to Buffy.
"It started this morning when I reached school. The moment I got near the school, I started having this incredible feeling of happiness flooding my senses as if I was feeling high or something." Buffy said. "I didn't really know what was happening until I bumped into the new computer assistant. Just touching his skin makes me feel like I am experiencing thousands of emotions from happiness to grief all compressed together and I fainted."
Buffy gave a shudder at that memory.
"What do you mean feel? Describe the feeling."
"Its hard to describe, I don't think he is evil even though he's not human. I just get this incredible feeling of peace and love and grief that was so intense until I passed out. Whoever he is, I can feel a lot of power in him."
Giles drew his mouth into a tight grimace at Buffy's description. His eyes stared into the distance as if lost in thoughts before he gave himself a shake.
"Do you still get the feeling now? Able to sense him?" Giles asked.
Buffy nodded her head.
"Yes, except the feeling is a bit muted now, like I had gotten used to it. It's just at the edge of my senses. Giles, do you know what we are dealing with?"
Giles gave a sigh and rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"I don't think there's anything to worry about if my suspicions are true. I'll place some calls back to the watcher's council." Giles said already making his way towards his office. "The three of you, go back to your classes or what's left of it, I'll handle this. Leave the man alone and avoid any skin contact with him."
"So what? We're just going to leave him alone like Giles said?" Xander asked Buffy as the watcher closed the door to his office, apparently to make some private calls to the council.
"Well, he didn't really feel evil, just not human." Buffy said uneasily. "When I touched him, I feel as if I saw a bit of heaven..."
The morning and afternoon passed quickly as Peter was sent by his superior, a Miss Calendar to maintain the computers in the computer labs, mark assignments among a dozen other stuff given by the Principal Synder. Everything seemed normal in the school though, well except for the incident in the morning when one of the student he had bumped into had fainted.
He had checked with the nurse during his lunch break about what happened to the girl and found that she had discharged the girl. According to the nurse, the girl seemed bent on going back to classes. Probably one of those model students who will push herself hard to learn. Peter snorted, he was one himself back in the old days, spending all his time in his studies and never missing a single lesson. But the past few decades had taught him to take his time slowly and enjoy his life.
As he made his way back home from work. He could sense someone following behind him. A discreet look back and he saw three students tailing him suspiciously. He recognized them as the three students he met in the morning. One of them was the girl who had fainted.
Peter frowned as Dreamweaver chuckled in his mind.
First day of work and you already earned your own fan club. The spider said.
"Argh, shut up." Peter muttered, turning down an alley and quickly scrambled up the wall of the three storey building, up onto the roof.
He looked down and saw the three students running into the alley. They paused as they realized he was nowhere to be seen.
"He's gone." The voice of the boy in the group drifted up towards Peter.
"But I can still sense him, he's near here somewhere." one of the girl said leading the group cautiously down the alley into the street on the other side. Peter silently followed them on the roof.
"Nope didn't see him anywhere." The boy said after they looked up and down the street at the other end.
"Drat! We let him get away!"
"Erm... Buffy, are you sure its ok to follow that person? Giles said to leave him alone." the other girl spoke up.
"Well he's obviously not human, so that makes it my business. Anyway we got to make sure he's not a threat." the girl, Buffy said as they started walking away.
On the roof, Peter frowned.
"Dreamweaver, what does she means by sensing me? I don't think she's an immortal so how can she detect me?."
Well, she could be one of those demon hunters that the Hyena pack was talking about. Dreamweaver said dubiously. Web Mother didn't tell me much about them.
"Her? She's a teenager!"
Or the girl could be a sensitive. There are humans born with the gift though very rare.
"Hmm..." Peter said looking at the three kids walking fast down the road. "Dreamweaver, you know anything that can stop others from sensing my immortality?"
Technically yes, you can use the Dreaming to apply a constant shield around your body to keep in the vibration of your body.
"That will be a big help, how long will I need to train to be able to conjure the shield?"
It varies on the person. I was going to teach you soon, but first we need you to be able to call up the Dreaming at will. Dreamweaver said as Peter leap down the building and walked into the streets. If you're going to be a demon hunter, you'll need to mask your immortality so the demons will not sense you.
"Yeah, thanks. It'll be a great help if I can mask my presence. I wouldn't have to worry anymore about luring other immortals to me too." Peter said, making his way back home. "So, you up for a patrol tonight? I want to see first hand these demons you're talking about."
I don't see how you are going to patrol when the demons can sense you a mile away. Dreamweaver muttered darkly. Fine just for tonight, I'll cast the shield over you. But it will be draining on my reserves so you'll have to handle all the fighting.
Peter smiled. "Thanks spidey, you're a real pal."
Darkness descended upon Sunnydale like the drawing of dark veils across the sun. On top of the roof of a shop house that had since closed for the night, Peter surveyed his surroundings. Now that he knew what hunts the town, he could almost feel the edgy atmosphere that surrounds the few residents that are still walking the streets after dark.
Leaping from building to building, silently and undetected, he realized something he had not seen on his first night of patrol. Almost very few residents walked the streets at night. A surprising fact for a town of this size.
"Do you think the people living here know about the demons?" Peter asked Dreamweaver who was currently hiding under his neck scruff.
I seriously doubt so or news of it would have reached even the human populations else where. Dreamweaver said. Humans do have a slight sense for the supernatural. Perhaps the overwhelming amount of supernatural beings gathered in this place is enough to put them on the edge, especially after dark when most of the darker creatures roam.
"So where will these demons usually gather? Any ideas?"
Hmm... I have no idea, I have never encountered one before. Dreamweaver said.
"Guess I just have to find them myself." Peter said, leaping onto another building. It might be easier if he used his web shooters, but Peter had long refused to touch it, along with the spandex spiderman costume he stored at the bottom of his travel trunk.
After he had finally destroyed the Green Goblin, Peter had swore off his Spiderman identity, he had wanted to throw even his costumes and equipments away but something had always stopped him. He could still see the smile on Mary Jane's face as he dressed up every night to go patrol the streets of New York as Spiderman. Still hear her saying the words "I love you" before he leap out of the windows as Spiderman. If nothing else, the costume still brings back bittersweet memories of her and also grief.
Peter ignored the pang in his heart as the past drifted into his memories. With an iron will, he pushed it away and surveyed his surroundings. If Dreamweaver sensed his distraction, he did not comment.
After surveying the town from several tall buildings, Peter gave a frustrated sigh.
"Are you sure you are masking my presence enough to stop the demons from sensing me? Cause either its not working or this town may not be a demon haven as you told me. Hell, I don't even see the typical muggers."
I am masking your presence well enough. Dreamweaver said touchily. And its not like I can hand cards out telling the demons to be punctual...
Whatever Dreamweaver might have said was interrupted by a scream off in the distance. Spinning around quickly, Peter launched himself into the air. Scrambling up the roof of the dry cleaner to his left, Peter's feet padded softly across the roof and he looked down at the edge.
In the alley beside the dry cleaner, a young woman with a bundle of clothes was being accosted by two burly biker guys.
"No one will hear you scream." One of them chuckled, twisting a handful of the young woman's hair jerking her head up. He then licked the smooth expanse of her exposed neck.
"Hey hey, no eating before me." The other man said, giving the guy a push. Then their face morphed into a monstrous visage, spikes protruding from their foreheads as they grinned at the frightened young woman who could only gave a frightened whimper, tears rolling from her eyes.
Peter sighed. There is no mistake that those two "guys" are not human. He had been hoping to prove Dreamweaver wrong, refusing to believe there could be monsters living right under his nose without him knowing it, even after seeing the powers Dreamweaver possesses. But now, now there was no turning back. Not when these creatures who are not human had taken it on themselves to harm innocents.
Laying the palm of his hand on the roof edge, Peter prepared to jumped down the four storey building when sounds of running footsteps from the streets echoed in the night. Three teenagers burst into the alley, two of them carrying crossbows and crosses stood guard at the entrance while another girl jumped head first into the two monsters, doing a good job of beating them up even though they looked much stronger than her.
Peter realized with a start that they are the three students that had been trailing him after work.
"So they are demon hunters after all." Peter mused softly. He watched as the only boy in the group swing his cross at one of the monster that stepped too close. The monster leap back with a cry, stumbling into his partner as they went down in a mass of failing hands and legs.
The red haired girl shoot a crossbow bolt into the tangled monsters and one of them exploded into dust. Before the remaining monster could move, the little blond launched herself at it. Stabbing his heart with what looked like a wooden stake. The unfortunate monster also dissolve into dust.
The three teenagers turned to the frightened young woman who was not much older than them. Her breathing grew labored as they stepped nearer to her position by the wall, where the monsters had dumped her when the fight began.
The boy picked up her laundry bags and handed it to her with a genial grin.
"Hey every thing's alright now. Here's your stuff."
"Who are you, what are those... those people?" the young woman asked shrilly, a hint of hysteria in her voice.
"That's a really good question, you want the truth or the lie?" the blond asked nonchalantly as if she dealt with hysterical women all her life. "The truth is those guys.. they are vampires and we just rescued you from them. Or in another scenario you can wake up tomorrow morning and pretend its just all a mugging incident and we rescued you from it. It's all up to you."
She twirled her wooden stake in her hand as she paused and gave the young woman a look.
"But honestly, if you really have to walk into the streets at night, here's some advice, always carry a cross, some holy water and a stake. You never know what may mistake you for dinner." She smiled kindly at the girl, pulling her up. "You may chose to think of it as a bad dream tomorrow, but for tonight, let us walk you home."
Peter looked down the roof as he watched the three teenagers helped the young woman out into the streets and walk her home.
"So... vampires." Peter said and gave a weary sigh. It seems that his life is beginning to get more interesting.
"How much do you want to bet these are the demon hunters that giant spider want me to work together with?" Peter asked the tiny spider perched on his shoulder as he leap from buildings to buildings, trailing after the small group.
I am not the betting kind and do not call the Web mother by that rude name. Dreamweaver said irritably. Though I am surprised the Hyenas take it upon themselves to let a group of young demons hunters into their pack. Except...
"Except what?" Peter asked, the wind blowing in his ears as he took a huge leap onto the street as the road thinned out into the suburbs where the buildings are spaced too far for Peter to leap without his web shooter. The small group was already out of his sight.
I do not sense the mark of the Pack on any of them. It could be that they are still not approached to be sworn into the Pack. Dreamweaver said.
Ah... as expected of a child of the Great Weaver, always deductive, spinning together the threads of facts. A voice of raw power sounded in their minds.
Dreamweaver gave the equivalently of a squeak as the hairs on Peter's neck stood on ends. He could sense a blast of power behind him. It is not setting of his spider senses but he could not help feeling a sense of dread as he turned around. The once desolate street is empty no longer. Phantoms of Hyenas in various shapes and sizes, billowing with bluish purple energy prowled the streets. The thin sharp cries of the hyenas filled the air.
Peter turned his eyes on the biggest hyena standing closest to him and quickly looked away. Unlike the Web Mother who looked daunting because of her big size, the hyena Prime was radiating a killer intent that makes it hard for Peter to look it straight in the eyes for long.
"I guess you guys must be the Hyena Pack." Peter said trying to keep his voice steady. "What do you guys want from me?"
Guys... the Primal spirit gave a laugh. Humans always talk in such unique languages. I am but checking out my allies and my charges... So what do you think of the children? Promising bunch aren't they?
Peter blinked hard to stop his eyes from watering as he took an unconscious step back to avoid being too near to the power emitting from the God.
"They are an interesting lot." Peter said not knowing what else to say.
Good, good. They are still young and I have plans for them. The Primal spirit said eying Peter. Peter frozed as he found himself unable to look away, drowning in those azure yet at the same time blackish eyes. He felt as if he was floating in the sky, among the stars. Spider's champion will you do me a favor? Look after the children for me, at least until the young male has agreed to be under my protection. They are still weak now, but they have the destinies to become stronger. Will you aid me?
"I will try my best." Peter managed to croak out through a suddenly tight throat. In the back of his mind, he could feel Dreamweaver gave a whimper as it scrambled to hide under his collar.
The Hyena Primal spirit gave a laugh and all the other Hyena spirits paused in what they are doing and joined in the eerie laughter. Then in a flash of light, they are gone.
The pent up tension left Peter as he sank onto the cold concrete, his legs suddenly unable to support him.
He's scary. Dreamweaver said in a soft voice. I am glad he is gone.
"So am I. So am I." Peter said comfortingly, even as his mind drifted to the promise he had made and wondered what he had gotten himself into.
Author's Notes:
Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story! It really spur me to update. Sorry for the late update for this story, I actually rewritten this chapter five times... so I am really glad that its finished at last. Because of work I'll be updating this once a month. Enjoy the story :) Take care.