Part 1 - Fires of Revolution

Chapter 27 - The Magenta Gates

Exactly one hour after the meeting ended, Miles, Gwen and a small strike force of Sol Galactic Command soldiers boarded a transport which took them out to a Quintari vessel. The vessel was miniscule compared to ships such as Sanctuary II, or even SGC Resurgence, but its only purpose was to carry the team to 01, then most likely be destroyed whilst supplying air support.

The vessel touched down in dimension 01 near the ruins of Conall's skyscraper. As soon as the last person was clear, it took-off again. But, as it turned towards the rubble, a beam of golden energy slashed through it, causing it to crumble in two pieces. Gwen formed the Plate and took the lead, Miles close behind with the strike force bringing up the rear. They walked briskly, knowing that every second wasted was a chance for Conall to prepare. A small plume of smoke was rising into the air behind the rubble. The team closed in. Gwen stopped as she rounded the corner, and raised her hand to signal the others to do the same. Conall was all alone; it looked like he was toasting a marshmallow on the fire. She drew one of her katanas. Miles noticed that it glowed magenta now instead of silver. It concerned him given the recent revelations, but he decided to forget it for now. All that mattered was apprehending Conall. Those were their final orders. He would face judgement and be executed in front of the rest of the resistance. Gwen approached slowly. Miles charged up a venom strike. The soldiers raised their guns at the target, their fingers on the trigger. Conall took his marshmallow off its stick and popped it in his mouth.

"At least I'll have had one nice thing before I'm murdered in cold blood." He said to himself, turning his head slightly towards Gwen.

She pointed the tip of the blade at his neck as he stood up slowly.

"Don't you dare try anything."

Conall chuckled.

"After all of this, you expect me to come quietly?"

"It would save a lot of people from getting hurt."

"You really think I care? I thought you knew me by now."

A golden gateway appeared, which Conall ducked through. Gwen raised her wrist and began typing in numbers. Miles tapped her shoulder.

"Which dimension?"

"9633. I recognised the Comic Con stuff."

"I still have no clue what Comic Con is."

"You're about to find out."

She hit the warp button and disappeared in a flash of colours. Miles held his finger poised over it, turning to the soldiers.

"Finish up his marshmallows. It'll be a waste otherwise."

He warped after the girl he loved and worried about so much.

Miles arrived to see chaos. A hot dog stand was in flames. A golden beam of energy exploded through things around him. He ducked under it and heard the clash of swords. Gwen and Conall were locked in a vicious duel which civilians ran from, screaming. Miles planted his venom strike in the small of Conall's back, sending him tumbling over Gwen and landing on the ruins of the hot dogs. Gwen gave Miles an angry look and turned back to her enemy. Conall darted forwards again, but before he struck, he raised a hand and hurled debris at Gwen. Miles leapt upwards and webbed it, pulling it upwards then arcing down on Conall's head. Magenta energy crackled from Gwen's hand. Conall noticed and cartwheeled backwards, summoning a shield to block the charged punch. Bolts of energy ricocheted in every direction. Miles just managed to dodge one, before attempting to web Conall up, taking cover behind Gwen. Conall raised his free hand and clumped the webs up into a sticky ball which he pulled into Gwen's back. She swiped at them, trying to free herself. Miles leapt on the immortal, grabbing him around the neck. Conall turned his empty hand and telekinetically choked Miles, hurling him into the hot dog stand. He circled Gwen, his golden cape and battle armour gleaming in the light. Miles crawled out of the flames and stood up. Why had Conall not finished Gwen while he had the chance? Gwen was free of the webs now and watched Conall, equally confused. Conall began to speak:

"You know, Gwen. There's something the boy you hold so dear isn't telling you."

"I'm aware. He's allowed his secrets. What do you want?"

"Look Miles, it's already taking over her."

For once, Miles agreed with Conall. She was a lot more touchy, but it couldn't be the Plate; it was still in its slot. Conall did something Miles did not expect. He sheathed his sword and stopped circling, keeping both his enemies in front of him.

"It will take a lot more than that to beat me when I'm actually trying, Gwen." He said, nodding at the Plate.

Gwen narrowed her eyes. What was he doing? He kept speaking:

"That Plate limits its full power. Contained in that is the soul of a Quintari. If you unleashed its full power you could defeat me, once and for all. I can help."

If Gwen could narrow her eyes even more without closing them, she would have done. He was offering to help her defeat him? He pulled out a blade with an angel carved into the handle.

"The Subtle Knife. It can cut between worlds, or can release the restrained power. Miles knew all about that."

Miles' blood ran cold. Conall had just told Gwen exactly what she couldn't know. She glanced at him with a confused look.

"Why should I believe a word you say?"

"Cut it, try it."

Conall handed Gwen the Subtle Knife, making extra sure not to touch either edge of the blade.

"Gwen! Don't do it!" Miles shouted, running towards her.

Conall hurled him back into the flames; all he could do was watch. She took a number of steps back from Conall, who also walked backwards. She slowly removed the plate from its gap and placed the knife tip to it. A strange noise rang through the air and up the knife growing steadily louder as the tip cut into the plate. For a moment, nothing happened. However, after a few seconds, magenta energy exploded from the cut, striking Gwen in the chest and seeming to embed its power ever deeper in her. Nearly a full minute passed of this happening, until it finally stopped. In Gwen's hand lay the colourless remnants of the Ethereal plate. She double tapped the side of her head. Magenta flames burned from her eyes, just as the gold ones did from Conall's. A grin spread across Conall's face as Gwen dropped the knife and the shattered the remnants of the Plate. The knife embedded itself in the ground. Gwen felt more powerful than she could possibly imagine. Nothing could ever stand in her way. Conall would pay for everything he had done, and after that, every single person like him. She hurled herself at him, striking out ferociously. Conall seemed shocked by the burst of agility. Punch and kick after punch and kick landed on him, cracking his armour more and more. He tried to fight back, to protect himself, but could not. There was no way for him to free a hand to open a gateway and make an escape. There was a thundering crack sound which rolled out across the world like a tsunami. His armour fell around him. A split second later, a blazing magenta blade was held against his neck. Conall was on his knees, his face battered.

"Pick your last words carefully." Snarled Gwen, the katana blade pressing ever deeper into his skin.

Conall breathed heavily. He looked at Miles, silently begging that his former enemy might see reason and help him. Miles was dumbstruck, but he managed to get some words out in Conall's defence.

"Gwen, our orders are to bring him in alive."

"Shut it, Miles. I'll talk to you about lying later."

"I'm not lying about that!"

"I don't care! Conall is going to die here and now. He will not escape."

So this was it. The absolute power of the Ethereal Plate unleashed on someone Miles had once held dear. It had transformed her into a merciless creature in an instant. He frantically set his watch to send him to headquarters. As he pressed the button, he saw Conall open his mouth to speak.

Conall took a deep breath and closed his eyes as Miles warped away. What had he done? His prolonged life flashed before his eyes. Images of every person he had killed in cold blood appeared as the katana began to dig into his flesh. At last he opened his eyes again.

"My last words are these: do not do this, Gwen. I just made a mistake. I wanted a worthy opponent for once, none of this massacring defenceless innocents. If you kill me now you'll just be another me."

Gwen had heard enough. She drew the blade across, severing Conall's head from his body. She would never be like him. She would use this power to protect people, not to harm them. She sheathed the magenta katana on her back, discarding one of the old silver ones. Time to go and have a talk with Miles.

Miles sprinted frantically through headquarters to the nearest lift. He spammed the button until one arrived. When it did, he ordered it to the High Aether's room. The doors rumbled open. He hit the panel next to the High Aether's room in panic. The calm 'come in' caused the doors to hiss open. He took a few steps inside and collapsed to his knees, pulling his mask off.

"She did it." He gasped between sobs.

The High Aether stood up. Miles noticed his company: Edward. They had been enjoying a meal, discussing things as friends. Edward knelt down in front of him and grasped his shoulder firmly.

"Who did what?" He asked calmly.

The High Aether had bowed his head solemnly, understanding what Miles had said without question.

"Gwen has unleashed the absolute power of the Plate of Infinity. It's merged with her, just like the Plate of Power merged with Conall." The Quintari king explained to Edward.

Edward turned and looked at him, confused but also a hint of fear in his eyes. Miles realised it was fear that harm had come to Gwen rather than fear of her.

"Is there something we can do?" Asked Edward.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not. It depends on you, Miles."

Miles lay on his back and screamed.

"Every time something falls on my shoulders I mess it up!"

"You are the only person she may open up to, Miles. She must be taught to control the temptation to use her power excessively."

"She won't open up to me. She knows I knew about it. Conall told her."

"And what has happened to Conall?"

"I think Gwen was going to kill him."

Suddenly, the door gave two beeps. Miles stood up and wiped the tears from his face, scared to expose his emotion to whoever was on the other side.

"It's her." Whispered the High Aether. "Come in."

The door hissed open. Gwen's eyes fell on Miles. Anger blazed in her eyes, seeming to burn holes through his heart.

"I think you and me need to talk, Miles. Let's go back to our quarters."

"I'm not sure I want to."

Her eyes narrowed, but she looked at the High Aether and Edward. She gave a small bow and held out the golden Ethereal Plate: the Plate of Power. The High Aether took it from her and placed it in amongst the food, out of sight.

"Come on, Miles. Unless you want to be executed for being disrespectful in the presence of the High Aether."

The High Aether stepped towards her.

"If he does not wish to go, he will not go. You have no control over him."

"Really?"

A magenta spark appeared in Gwen's eyes. Miles clutched his head and gritted his teeth, realising the Plate of Infinity must grant some form of mind control, perhaps through inflicting pain. Edward stepped between the two spiders.

"Gwen! Release him!"

The spark disappeared and Miles stumbled backwards into a chair, choking on his breaths.

"I guess we'll do this here, then. Why did you lie, Miles?" She demanded, pushing Edward aside.

"I didn't lie."

"Why did you hide the true power of the Plate from me?"

"Because of this! Look at you!"

"This power is good, Miles. Nothing but good. It can save so many lives. You've broken my trust, keeping something like this from me. We're done."

Miles gritted his teeth and stood up, bracing for another attack on his mind.

"Good. I don't want to love a raving psychopath. I will remain loyal to Gwen Stacy, not whatever you are."

Magenta flames ignited in Gwen's eyes. Edward tapped his com badge.

"I want every security person to the High Aether's quarters immediately."

Gwen drew the Subtle Knife and held it at her side.

"What did you just say?" She sneered.

Miles backed away. She wouldn't...would she? She lunged at him: she would. Suddenly, a bullet struck her in the arm, followed by another in the leg. She tumbled to the ground and looked at Edward who had a pistol pointed at her head. She didn't hesitate. A magenta ring of flames appeared in the room which she lunged through. It went out with a hiss like fire being extinguished, and a shower of sparks. Edward pocketed his weapon and rushed to Miles. The spider wasn't hurt, at least visibly. However, he guessed he was shaken up quite badly. Miles pushed him away and stood. He sprinted out of the room, most likely to his quarters. Edward got to his feet again and looked at the High Aether.

"My god...what just happened?"

"We are back to square one, I believe is the saying, my friend."

Crossovers in this Chapter

- His Dark Materials (that's where the Subtle Knife is from)