"Hey guys, spring break is tomorrow." Harry said as he, Gwen, and Peter walked to the lightning rail station. "What are your plans? Dad's taking me to Paris. He's got some sort of business meeting there but...should be fun."

Peter often forgot that Harry came from a rich family. He was so humble. His father, Norman Osborne, pretty much owns all of the city - or at the very least, the parts of the city not owned by Lord Stark. He owned ethereum refining plants, ethereum being the fuel that allows people to harness elemental energy, which powers all runes.

"Guess that rules out hanging with you, then." Peter said. "I've got no plans. What about you, Gwen?"

"I'm going to be a little busy at the beginning of the weekend. Michael and I are working on a project that we'll be pitching to Lord Stark this summer." She said.

Peter raised an eyebrow. "You and Michael Morbius?"

"You and Cindy Moon?" Gwen countered.

"It isn't like that." Peter said quickly. "And hey, no need to get defensive. I'm just surprised is all. Morbius doesn't seem like the type."

Gwen shrugged. "He's actually pretty gifted at Arcane Geometry. He's crafting the Sacred Polyhedron that I need to close the circuit."

Peter's heart sank just a little. Was he jealous? Maybe a little. But what's more, he knew that this was normally something they'd work on together. Was Peter becoming out of touch with his friends? He knew he'd been wrapped up with Sorcerer Supreme training lately, but he didn't think about how his friends would feel, how Gwen would feel. Harry seemed the same as always, but Gwen seemed to be undergoing a shift in thinking. Maybe she was starting to see Peter differently.

Nah, it's nothing like that. Peter thought.

"Well, this is where I get on." Gwen said as the Lightning Rail heading south towards Queens approached. "See you guys around."

She boarded and the rail jetted through the tunnel. Peter glanced at Harry.

"Hey, don't look at me." Harry said.

"What's her deal?" Peter asked.

"Well uh...Pete, you've kinda been a deadbeat friend lately."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Peter...you start hanging out with Cindy Moon every day after school, don't even return our messages, and sure you sit with us and talk to us at school but...that's it. Not to mention you get ripped, girls are looking at you now...hell, you don't even wear glasses anymore."

That one had nothing to do with the training. May had finally gotten Peter the eye treatment she'd been promising to get him. She said he looks better without glasses. Gwen thought so…

"I get your point but…I'm busy, you know?" Peter said.

"Yeah, but busy with what? I mean, you said that you and Cindy are working on a project, but that's been for months, dude. Since the beginning of spring. And now you guys are joking with each other, actually talking to each other, she smiles around you…"

Ye Gods...I'm a bad friend. Peter realized. This entire time he'd kept them out of the loop. His intentions were good. He explained as little as possible to them so that he wouldn't be forced to lie to them. Like with his mom, he tried to be as open with them as possible. But now he realized that keeping secrets was as bad as lying.

Who was he becoming? Yes, he was a contender to become a protector of the universe. And that was...unimaginably big, and mind-numbingly important. Despite that, though, he didn't want to lose sight of what was important. His friends, his family. May, Harry, Gwen. Sure, he was on the brink of becoming a superhero, and yes he had magic powers now, but he had to make sure he didn't lose sight with who he was.

"Hey...I'm sorry." Peter said, defeated.

"Don't apologize to me, dude. I know you well enough to know you mean no harm." Harry said coolly. His train was coming down the tunnel now. "Apologize to Gwen. She's been talking about it a lot. Guess she couldn't muster up the nerve to confront you about it."

Peter was speechless as Harry entered the Lightning Rail, his train sliding off at hypersonic speeds.

He didn't want to admit it, but Harry was right. He'd been neglecting them. But whenever something had been made wrong, it had to be made right. Tonight was the Duel Arcane, and tonight would be the night that the new Sorcerer Supreme would be decided. After this night, he won't have to train as hard, whether he wins or loses. He'll have to take more time to spend with his friends.


"Tonight, the Gods will decide the fate of these four." The Ancient One said that nice, standing from his chair in the training hall of the monastery. "Master Cindy Moon, Master Peter Parker, Master Edward Brock, Master Robert Davidson. When the clock strikes twelve, one of you will be the victor, the Sorcerer Supreme."

Peter, Cindy, Eddie, and Robert stood in four corners, facing each other at the center of a magic circle. Each conjured their weapons: Eddie, his whip; Cindy, her nunchucks; Peter, his bowstaff; and Robert, his sword. The Ancient One rose his hands, a third eye of light opening upon his forehead. Purple symbols rose from the ground, blinking in and out of existence.

"Vishanti, Octessence, and Arachnocracy, no lesser," Ben began his incantations. "Begin the Duel Arcane, and decide the victor!"

Peter was expecting a lot of things. He was expecting his dad to fold matter, to expand the training hall into an arena. He was expecting to be charged at, and have to defend himself against three trained sorcerers at once. Yes, Peter was expecting many things. What he wasn't expecting, however, was to suddenly be falling through a bottomless, starry sky, the multicolored environment changing colors to the point where it was almost nauseating.

The other three were falling with him, and once they got their bearings, they knew that it was time to fight. Eddie shot a web at Cindy, zipping towards her and immediately attacking. Master Robert gave Peter a death glare, and Peter knew it was immediately time to go on the defensive. Robert shot a web at him, but Peter caught it, pulling him towards him. Robert used the momentum to throw a punch, but Peter managed to duck out of the way, wrapping his legs around his arm in an attempt to arm-bar him. He was interrupted by a web coming at him at the speed of a bullet, and while webs weren't really "hard" unless the spellcaster wanted them to be, anything coming at the speed of a bullet was bad news.

Luckily, Peter foresaw it coming. He constructed a magic circle that acted as an energy shield, which was sufficient distraction for Robert to punch Peter off of his arm. Peter fell back, and before Robert could do a follow up attack, he grunted as Eddie's large mass came at him at full speed. They swerved to the left and Peter looked to Cindy. He straightened his body, intending to ram her with his energy shield. Just before he collided with her, the environment changed again.

What was a vast, multi-colored sky transformed into a massive desert. Peter and Cindy were now tumbling over each other, down a dune that was the size of a large hill. Any attempt by either of them to stop their momentum or web each other was proving to be futile, as the dune would merely break apart whenever they tried to grab onto something. Cindy kicked Peter off of her, sending him flying further down the dune. She flexed her body, gaining control of her momentum until she was sliding down the dune.

Peter had to think quickly. Although he'd figured out he became more durable than the average human being, falling down from a dune the size of your average New York skyscraper wasn't going to be good for his bones. Peter flexed his body like Cindy had, gaining control of his momentum as well and sliding down to the end. He heard the sound of webs being shot, and his precognition reflexively kicked in. His body acted before his mind did, throwing itself to the side as Cindy's webs hit empty space.

Peter shot a web at Cindy, pulling her down. When she came down, she attempted to grapple him, but the environment changed again. They were launched off the dune, being sent flying in an alien-looking forest with a purple sky and five moons. Peter grunted as his back hit a tree, making it crack. Cindy pressed her fingers against the tree, sticking to it and holding Peter against it, punching him over and over again.

"Just-" - Cindy threw a punch - "-give up!"

Peter dodged one of her punches, and he heard the tree crack beneath Cindy's fist. He stuck to the tree as well, sliding down and grabbing Cindy's ankle, throwing her down to the ground. She grunted when she hit the ground, and he jumped down to drop on her, but was caught in midair, speared by Eddie.

"Hey there, outsider!" Eddie said with a murderous smirk. He and Peter were knocked back to a tree branch, making it almost break off of the tree. Eddie was about to throw a punch that would undoubtedly shatter Peter's skull, but his fist was webbed. He looked back and saw Cindy holding the other end, yanking him off of the branch. Unfortunately, because of his grip on Peter, Peter went down with him.

Eddie dropped down onto Cindy, sending her falling back like a falling tower. Peter landed safely in a roll, and was going to seize the opportunity to web Cindy and Eddie together, but his precognition kicked in. He narrowly dodged a wide slash from Robert, followed by a bolt of energy. Peter stepped back, blocking the slashes of Master Robert's sword with his staff, until he was back-to-back with Cindy, who had her hands full with Eddie.

"Temporary truce?" He asked.

"Truce." Cindy said.

Peter leapt into the air, flipping over her. Cindy moved under him, throwing a sweeping kick at Robert's feet. Peter spun his staff in the air, bringing it down on Eddie. Eddy dodged narrowly and threw a punch, throwing his weight in with it. Peter webbed beneath him, sliding under his legs and backflip kicked Eddie in the back, sending him stumbling forward and launching himself into the air. He then webbed the ground at either side of him, using it to sling himself downward and stomp on his back.

Eddie grunted as he was floored, but Peter knew this was temporary. He sprinted towards Robert, who had his hands full with Cindy. Launching himself with his staff, he dragon kicked Master Robert in the shoulder, though it was blocked with an energy shield. Master Robert was now fighting sword-and-board style, bashing Peter back with his shield. Cindy followed up with Peter's attack, throwing a flying punch at Robert's face. That managed to knock him back, but he landed in a backwards roll, webbing Cindy with so much force that she went flying back before she could attack again. Peter had just gotten up, but Cindy collided with him, and suddenly they were uncomfortably close, webbed to a tree.

"Um. Hi." Peter said, his face red.

"Now I've got you." Robert said as he stepped forward, ready to impale them both. Suddenly, Peter heard a furious roar. A few feet back, he saw Eddie, who had the tree they were stuck to webbed. He seemed to be pulling it down.

"No, no!" Peter screamed, forming a portal behind them and slipping through. Cindy and Peter fell back, re-appearing away from the trunk, but still in the path of the tree. Before Robert, Peter, or Cindy could react, the tree came down. Peter closed his eyes, throwing his hands up.

"Strength training, don't fail me now." He muttered.

Holding a tree that was about the weight of a school bus was hard. Back-breakingly, muscle-tearingly, bone-breakingly hard. Luckily, it bought the three just enough t5ime not to die. Peter dropped the tree, his muscles aching as they all moved out of the way.

"You crazy?!" Cindy yelled at Eddie. "You could have killed us!"

"The Sorcerer Supreme needs to be prepared and unafraid of death." Eddie said. "Besides, I didn't kill you."

Peter was furious. Even though his muscles ached, and he felt like he was going to hyperventilate, he webbed Eddie when the opportunity presented itself, launching himself towards him. He could see Eddie's precognition kick in, the blank stare and then the sudden reaction, but Peter was coming at him too quick. He'd have to have well above superhuman reflexes to respond now. Peter used himself as a cannonball, slamming into Eddie and sending them both tumbling backwards. Eddie grunted, attempting to move his legs to regain his footing, but Peter quickly arrested them by wrapping one leg around both.

Eddie threw a punch at Peter, which he caught. He pulled him forward, wrapping his arms around Eddie's neck. He tried to get them into a choke hold...but suddenly, the environment changed again.

They were each in a dark room now, inside of dirty metal cages that hung from an unseen ceiling. Below was a pit of blackness. Peter didn't want to find out what was at the end.

"How the hell are we supposed to fight now?" Robert demanded. "We're in cages!"

"This is a test." Cindy said calmly, sitting down and crossing her legs in a meditative position. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

Astral projection.

Peter quickly got into the same position, as did the other two masters. He closed his eyes and focused his will, envisioning in his mind's eye his mind separating from his body. He could suddenly see as if his eyes were opening, his perspective lifting. He could see his body below him, serene and calm as if meditating.

Eddie zipped right for Peter.

Unfortunately, there was no precognition in the Astral Plane. Peter didn't foresee it coming. He bodied the blow, sending them both flying as if they were both in zero gravity. Peter attempted to stop the momentum, using the subjective physics of the astral plane to slow them down. It worked only a little, and they were stopped right before they could hit the wall.

"It's over, outsider!" Eddie growled. He still had a good hold on Peter, which unfortunately made Peter unable to defend himself. He could feel Eddie's bulky arms wrapped in a vice grip around his neck. Peter felt like he was going to black out, his astral form slowly fading. He had to find a way out of this, and quickly. He elbowed Eddie in the thigh repeatedly, which made his grip loosen ever so suddenly. When it was loose enough, Peter pried one of his arms away, then tossed him in the direction of his cage.

His astral form was forced right back into his body, but Peter wasn't done. Peter flew towards Eddie's physical form, punching his astral form right back out of his body. Eddie went flying. Peter was going to do a follow up attack, but Robert quickly got him in a bind. He looked back and saw Cindy floating in midair, unconscious.

"Get him!" Robert told Eddie.

Eddie was about to fly and punch Peter, but the environment changed again. Now they were in New York City during daytime...which is strange, because it should be 8 PM in the city. Peter was forced back into his physical form, as were Robert and Eddie. Cindy didn't seem to come with them. They landed hard on top of a large building. Everything seemed...normal, which was strange given the alien environments they'd been in before. That is, until Peter noticed that the entire street, starting at the left side, was rolling in on itself, slowly making its way towards them.

"Not good…" Robert muttered. Eddie lunged towards him, but Peter wasn't going to let Eddie win this one. Not by a long shot. While he was in the air, Peter webbed him and yanked him to the ground, causing him to whiplash and slam onto the roof of the building. He leapt in the air and flipped, webbing the sides of him and slamming down onto him, breaking through the roof and into the floor below. The building was completely empty, as if they were in a ghost town.

Robert came down through the hole he created and did a follow up attack, flipping in mid air and bringing his heel down on Eddie's chest. Peter heard a brutal crack as the full force of Master Robert's heel-kick came down on Eddie, making him cough up spit and blood. Peter rolled back and webbed Eddie's arm to the ground, making him unable to lift one of his hands. He still tried to get up, but Peter slung himself with a web towards Eddie, kneeing him in the jaw. That was enough to knock him out cold. For good measure, Peter webbed him to the ground. Instead of staying there, however, his body disappeared.

Peter looked to Master Robert, who looked back at them. They knew they were the last two left. Whoever won this fight was Sorcerer Supreme. Peter's muscles ached, and his breathing was getting a little short. He might have broken or fractured something while he was carrying the tree, or when he collided with the dune after gathering momentum free falling, but he had to carry on, broken bones or not.

"Looks like we're the final two." Master Robert said.

"Yeah...who would've thought?" Peter asked. "Hey...I've never seen you around anyway. It's like you didn't exist until now."

Robert shrugged.

They both conjured their weapons: Robert, his sword and Peter, his staff. There was a short period of silence as they charged at each other. Robert thrust his sword forward in an attempt to stab Peter's center, but he dodged to the side, bringing his staff to Robert's side. Robert blocked and threw a front kick at Peter's face, which Peter only managed to barely dodge. Peter thrust the end of his staff at Robert's face and he parried, getting within Peter's reach which eliminated the distance advantage inherent in using a pole arm. Peter tried to defend himself, but his arms were too far away from his center. He was stabbed in the stomach.

Before Robert could make a follow up attack, they were both suddenly flipped upside down. When they collided with the roof, they crashed through, suddenly sent free falling through the partially folded city. Peter quickly webbed the roof they were falling from, grunting as it strained his shoulder. Ignoring the pain that shot through his body, he grabbed Robert to keep him from falling - Eddie might have been prepared to be a killer, but he wasn't - and swung with the momentum, slamming into the side of the building that was currently upside down.

Now Robert and Peter were sticking to the wall, their hands and feet stuck to the building. Robert shot a web at Peter to launch himself forward, but Peter dodged. While Robert flew forward, he grabbed him around the waist, sending him flying with Robert. They flew near the base of the building, but then the environment changed again. They collided with a stream of what looks like purple energy, with floating faces that appeared to be part of the environment looking down at them with many eyes.

A beam of blackness shot towards them both, but Peter managed to dodge. He webbed Robert, yanking him out of the way of the beam as well. As they both went flying to the side, Peter opened a portal, sending them back to the monastery. They landed in the training room, and Peter was on top of Robert. They were both exhausted clearly, put Peter pushed through, punching Robert in the face until he didn't move anymore.

When he didn't, his body disappeared as well, appearing beside Cindy and Eddie, who were both completely fine now. Robert's wounds disappeared as well, once he appeared beside them. Cindy seemed disappointed, and Eddie looked downright furious. Robert looked disoriented, but after he got over that, he looked disappointed as well. Peter realized he was the last man standing.

Peter was the new Sorcerer Supreme.

"And the Gods have decided." Ben Parker, the Ancient One announced. "The new Sorcerer Supreme...is Peter Benjamin Parker!"

Several monks cheered, and Peter felt like he'd been battered several times by an angry bull. He won, but he didn't feel like a winner.

"This is madness!" Came a booming voice.

Everyone looked in the room, seeing Eddie Brock standing up, furious.

"An outsider wins? Over me?! I have trained for this since I was seven!" He growled. "You're joking!"

"Master Edward-" Peter's dad tried.

"And you!" Eddie glared at Ben. "You let him win! Because you are weak! You must have rigged it in his favor...the Gods will not be pleased!"

Everyone went silent as Eddie had his tantrum. He simply growled to himself and stormed out, pushing past the crowd. Cindy got up to go after him, but Ben held up his hand.

"Let him go." He said. "He has chosen his path. We must be ready."


Peter and Ben walked into a tunnel that was beneath the monastery. Rock and dirt turned into polished cobblestone, with torches along the walls to light the way. Fire elementals danced in blue flames inside, making the hall look all the more ethereal. Ben and Peter came to a door with no knob or latch. No, it seemed that a special rune had to be activated to open it.

"So…" Peter said. "Is it true? Did you rig it in my favor?"

Ben shook his head. "Ye Gods, no. However, I did have a feeling you would win."

Peter tilted his head. "You did?"

"Yes." Ben confirmed. "You are my son. Though you may not be my blood, I have raised you as such. Your strengths are similar to mine."

"I see…"

Ben sighed. "I am very sorry I have ejected myself from your life in such a way. And I cannot apologize enough that I had kept this a secret from you and your mother...only to drag you back into it. I am a failure, truly...a failure of a Sorcerer Supreme, a failure of a father…"

Peter went silent for a bit, then he shook his head.

"You're not." He said. "What you went through...it's bigger than us. Bigger than everyone."

"Never let yourself think that the Sorcerer Supreme is bigger than your family. Bigger than your humanity." Peter's dad said. "I had allowed myself think that, and unfortunately you and May paid the price. And always remember, if you remember nothing else, that power begets responsibility. And there is no greater power than this one."

Power begets responsibility. Peter thought.

"Now...come." Ben said. "Your destiny awaits...and the trials that come with it."

They walked into the Sanctum of the Sorcerer Supreme. It was a library, about the size of the Ancient One's office, with various artifacts behind glass cases, books that Peter had read about, and various other magical trinkets that only appeared in legend. At the center, on top of a cobblestone staircase, there was a suit of armor. The armor appeared to be made out of some fine silk, yet so thick and dense as to appear like leather. It was red and black, with red web patterns all over, and the chest had a spider insignia. Next to it was a cloak that appeared to be silk as well, with similar patterns.

"Behold, the Armor of Anansi." Ben said ceremoniously. "The sacred armor to be worn only by the Sorcerer Supreme. He who pledges himself to the Octessence, the Vishanti, and the Arachnocracy, and all other gods, in service of the universe. Peter Parker, please kneel."

Peter knelt at the top of the staircase, his father standing over him. He placed two fingers on his forehead, a magic circle appearing over it.

"Do you, Peter Benjamin Parker, pledge yourself to the service of Eternity, the Living Tribunal, and the One Above All?" Ben asked.

"I do." Peter said.

"Do you swear to use the forces of magick, both good and evil, light and dark, for the protection of this universe?" Ben asked.

"I do." Peter said.

"Then take this power, Sorcerer Supreme." Ben said, closing his eyes. "For you are now Peter Parker, Master of the Mystic Arts."

Peter suddenly felt a massive influx of energy flow into him, power beyond anything he hadn't felt. It was as if raw potential was injected into his body, igniting his every cell. His fatigue was gone, and he suddenly felt stronger, faster. His vision went white for a split second, and when his view returned, his clothes had changed.

He was now clad in the armor of Anansi, a silken cloth weaving itself over his face, as if to obscure his identity.

"This is...amazing." Peter said, standing up. "What now?"

"Now, we train more." Ben said. "You may have been given the potential to master all mystic arts, whereas the average sorcerer can master three, you do not yet know all of the mystic arts."

Peter's shoulders slumped.

"Where does the whole…'saving the universe' thing come in?" He asked.

Ben laughed. "Soon, my boy. Soon. For now, we wait until I am given instructions from the Gods."


That night, Peter plopped down on his bed. He was strangely exhausted, but wasn't at the same time. He felt...energized, but he still felt the lingering weariness of an incoming crash. He stood by his window, his armor morphing into normal clothes, his gaze out to the noisy city. Below, people walked by their apartment complex, some conversing, some ready to engage in night life. Above, he could see the starry sky.

Looks like I'm responsible for all of this now. Peter thought.

He took what Ben said to heart. Power begets responsibility...and the stronger you are, the bigger the obligation to help people. That's what being a hero was, using your strength to help the weak. People like King Thor, Paladin, the Iron Knight...all of the Heroes Guild used their powers to help people. And now that he had become the Master of the Mystic Arts...he was going to have to use his powers the same way.

And I'd have it no other way. Peter thought to himself as he finally went to bed.


AN: Long one, I know, but at least there's a lot of action! Yeah, the duel arcane is a battle through all the multiverse, intended to test the Sorcerer Supreme on various alien environments and situations.

Feedback is always appreciated!