Part 1 - Fires of Revolution

Chapter 12 - The Mirror

Miles woke slowly. The first thing he was aware of was the pain in his foot. However, he couldn't feel blood running from the wound. The next thing he was aware of was someone holding something cold and wet to his forehead. After that he began to open his eyes. Following the darkness of Moria, and of being unconscious, the light was painful. He groaned and rolled over to bury his face in a pillow.

"Miles. Relax." Said a familiar, female voice.

His mind was too cloudy to place it.

"The light." He croaked.

He heard a chair scrape, then a soft clunk as a door was closed. The chair scraped again. He dared to roll over and open his eyes again. The room was almost pitch black apart from a flaming torch on a wall nearby. In the light of the torch he could just make out the person's features: blue eyes, blond hair. His mind was still too fuzzy to put a name to her face. He felt drawn to her, though. Miles tried to blink away his exhaustion. At last he recognised the person leaning over him as Gwen.

"What happened?"

"You were unconscious."

"I guessed that. But whilst I was out?"

"Your foot was infected. What happened to it? It looks like something bit it."

"An Orc, I think."

"You're getting better, that's all that matters. To me, at least."

"I feel so cold."

"You have a fever."

Gwen pressed a cold cloth to his head again. A thought suddenly occurred to Miles.

"What happened to the plate?"

"Thanos has it, or had it. Presumably he's handed it over to the resistance by now."

"He left?"

"Yeah."

"Where are we?"

"Minas Tirith."

"I guess we're alone again, since Thanos is gone."

"I don't know. I doubt the resistance will abandon us."

"They must have a lot of members. Why care for two spider people?"

Gwen sighed and shook her head.

"You need to rest."

She stood up and made to leave. Miles raised his hand towards her.

"Please stay."

"I'm going to find you something to eat."

Gwen disappeared through the door, closing it quietly. She walked along a corridor and came to a glassless window. She leaned on the ledge and stared out across the plains at the city by the river, which she now knew to be called Osgiliath. Not far from the walls, which were slowly being repaired, a massive fire burned destroying the evidence of the battle that had happened only a few days before. As the light began to fade away, she broke down in tears. She didn't know why, but the more tears flowed the better she began to feel. Slowly, she regained control of herself, wiped them away and looked up in time to see two things. The first was a bright display of colours in the sky over Osgiliath; a sleek white object zoomed away from it. The second thing Gwen saw was a group of horses, bearing riders, enter Minas Tirith. She turned away from the sight and went to do what she had said she would for Miles.

A short while later, perhaps a couple of hours, Miles was woken by something. He looked around, unsure of what had disturbed him. Gwen lay asleep on a bed opposite his. She looked peaceful. He slowly pulled back his bed covers and stood up. His foot ached, but was easily bearable. The night was pleasantly cool and rain pattered on every wall. Miles walked out of the room, guided by something he could not see. His short walk brought him to the throne room; a strange silver light lit the hall. In its centre stood a pedestal that had never been there before. Miles approached it, unsure of what it was. A bowl was embedded in its stone surface. His spidey sense alerted him to something on his left. Looking in that direction, he saw a woman draped in silver-white gowns. Her ears were not human shaped: they came close to a point at the top.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't..."

"Miles Morales." Said a gentle female voice in his head.

The woman had not spoken, at least her lips hadn't moved.

"Who are you?" Miles asked quietly.

"I am Lady Galadriel." Replied the voice.

The woman stepped forwards, slowly. She held a silver jug in her hand.

"Will you look into the mirror?"

"What will I see?"

"That is a question many have asked, but none but yourself can answer. The mirror shows things that have been, things that are, and things which are yet to be."

The woman slowly poured what looked like water into the bowl but to Miles, it seemed to flow far slower. He looked into the water as it settled, disturbed only by a gentle breeze. His mind slowly emptied, and all he could concentrate on was the bowl of water. Images began to form. The first that formed was one of Conall. Rage burned in his eyes. The reflection of his pupil slowly became magnified until Miles could see what looked like a huge sphere crumbling apart. Silent screams filled his mind. Around the sphere, hundreds of shapes burned. An image of a man Miles did not know appeared. He was young, perhaps in his late twenties. The image slowly panned outwards, showing a burning shape behind the man. As the image began to fade, a golden blade pierced the man's chest. The next thing to appear was Gwen. She was running, crying, clutching something in her arms like a child. It was a child. Behind her, New York burned. A shadow was cast over her. Where she had been wearing some sort of upgraded version of her spider suit, the white in it turned dark, the other bright colours grew dull. Scars formed on her face. She drew two silver katanas as the child faded out of existence. Miles realised he was breathing heavily. In an instant his concentration was shattered and the images faded. Galadriel stood over him. He looked at her with fear.

"What have I seen?"

"You have seen what may come to pass if your greatest enemy prevails."

"Who was that man?"

"That is a question only time may answer for you. Go, Miles Morales, for time flows with a prejudice towards all living things that cannot be slowed nor undone."

Miles didn't need told twice. He turned and limped away, terrified of what he had just seen. He wanted to wake Gwen and tell her, but something refused to let him. It would be his secret.

Miles was woken in a much more normal way when morning came. Gwen was shaking him awake. He looked around to see why, but they were still in their room in Minas Tirith. What was different, however, was the man in grey standing by the door. He wore a badge on his chest, and a pistol of some sort was holstered on his waist. Miles sat up.

"Who's that?"

"You'll see. Come on." Gwen replied.

She tried to help him stand up, but he refused the help. His foot was much better because of his ability to heal quickly. He stood up and yawned.

"Well?"

The man beckoned for them to follow, and they did. They followed him through some corridors to the throne room. There, a woman, also dressed in grey but this time with golden stripes, was standing. She looked at them.

"Good morning, Spiderman and Spider Woman. I'm Captain Lucille of the Sol Galactic Command transport ship Serene Wind. I have orders from my Commander in Chief to come and retrieve you and take you to the resistance headquarters."

Miles and Gwen looked at each other, not sure how to react. At that moment, Aragorn entered the room, accompanied by a still bruised Gandalf. They turned to him.

"I see it is time for us to part ways." Said Aragorn with a smile.

"It looks like it. Thank you for everything you have done for us, your majesty." Replied Gwen, getting down on one knee in respect.

Miles bowed as well.

"You are most welcome. Please come and visit any time."

The pair stood up.

"Thank you."

The captain gave a cough.

"We have to go or Conall will find us. Come on."

A short while later, the pair found themselves staring up at a machine about the size of a double decker bus, although much more streamlined. It was painted completely white, its colour only interrupted by a number and an insignia. A ramp extended from it to the ground. The captain showed them aboard and pointed to a couple of seats.

"Sit. The journey is short, but can get a little bumpy."

The ramp slammed shut and a moment later the small ship had left the ground, heading up into the sky. In a brilliant blaze of many colours, it disappeared from the sight of those in Minas Tirith.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Lord of the Rings
- Avengers