Part 11 - We Could Burn it All Down

Chapter 184 - Old Faces, New Enemies

A couple more days passed, in which time Miles' heavily bruised ribs healed. He had fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie when he was woken up by a loud pinging sound. It took him a moment to figure out it was the pager. He groaned, having dreaded this for the last couple of days.

"Gwen! The thingys going!" He said loudly, reaching forward to see what the message was.

Gwen emerged from a cupboard where she'd been searching for something.

"What do they want?"

Miles raised his eyebrows as he read it.

"The Volente Guard are attacking the military base here on the Island."

"That's bold."

"Free guns and ammo; there's nothing to lose."

"Let's move. Get ready to throw some punches."

"I'm always ready."

The military base on Dovah Island consisted of an airstrip as well as hundreds of different buildings housing everything from aircraft to food. Right now, however, a large amount of it was ablaze. Miles and Gwen arrived just as something tore straight through the base of the air traffic control tower. The structure crumbled, but the spiders were in no position to help the people crushed under it; they were being marauded by someone from the air. Gwen fired a web at them as they dived again, throwing them to the ground where she leapt at them and planted her foot in their face, pinning them down.

"Wow, it looks like you can catch a Vulture even three googolplex years in the future."

Vulture sneered and kicked her off just as the building next to the spiders was ripped apart. Miles turned to face the new aggressor and was just as surprised at what he saw as Gwen was at Vulture.

"I'd have thought all the Rhinos would be hunted to extinction by now."

"There is no such luck, spider!" Rhino roared.

"You take Rhino! I'll deal with Vulture!" Gwen shouted to Miles as Vulture grabbed her arm and hauled her into the air.

"OK. Let's see if you're really Rhino material. Come get me, Alexi!"

Rhino snarled, charging after Miles as he swung away.

"So it is chase of goose! I hate chase of goose!"

When the spider was a couple of buildings ahead, he swung back round and punched Rhino in the back. Alexi stumbled forward, digging his hands into the ground and ripping up a chunk of concrete which he hurled at Miles who dodged it with ease. He fired two webs and hauled himself in at his enemy, landing a kick and numerous punches before being grabbed and thrown towards a tank of jet fuel.

"You like fire, spider?" Rhino taunted, but prematurely as Miles skidded to a halt a few feet in front of the tank.

Rhino began to charge, but the spider leapt over him just in time, firing a web and ripping the tank open so it exploded in Rhino's face. Seconds later, he was laying into Alexi with punch after punch as fire burned around them.

"Stay still spider so I break your bones."

"Nuh uh. No way. You're nothing like your Earth version. What's even in this for you anyway?"

"I am paid good price to distract you."

"Doesn't look like you'll be getting paid in prison."

Miles leapt off, webbing a missile that was rolling on the floor, and spun the weapon into his enemy's face. The explosion was bigger than he'd anticipated and he was knocked to the ground by the blast, but he managed to escape the hangar before it collapsed.

"That was too easy."

Meanwhile, Gwen wasn't entirely sure how well she was faring against Vulture. She couldn't fight in the air without things to swing on, so she was reliant on Vulture for that but he'd developed an afinity for catching the webs and using them against her. She fired one after delivering a heavy punch across his jaw, but was spun around crazily until being let go. She began to tumble out of the sky, and Vulture streaked down to drive her straight into the ground. However, a chunk of concrete flew up and smashed into him causing significant damage to his wings. Gwen fired a web and narrowly avoided hitting the ground. Out of control, Vulture wasn't so lucky and found himself on the ground. Gwen swung back in and knocked him out with another punch. She landed, looking to see who had thrown the concrete. It was, of course, Miles who looked quite pleased with himself.

"Let's be honest, it was a good shot."

"Yes it was. Where's Rhino?"

"Under that hangar over there."

Gwen looked quite impressed by how quickly Miles had dealt with the brute. He picked up on it.

"Does this mean we can have a family?"

She raised her eyebrows.

"How did you even make that connection?"

"I'm kidding. I know you're too stubborn to change your mind on that."

"I'll work it out. Someone will probably come along and help me through it."

"Err…giving up friends is a bit easier to fix than refusing to have kids."

"My point exactly. Never going to happen, Miles. Never again."

Suddenly, they were aware of a shadow blocking out the Sun.

"Aww. How adorable. Arguing like a married couple. Oh wait…I forgot you are a married couple."

The spiders looked up at who was hovering over them. It was the person who'd given Miles the warning back at the Volente Guard headquarters, still wearing the red cape over their gold and silver armour. The black void with blue eyes still covered their face.

"Who are you?" Gwen demanded.

"You haven't worked it out yet? In that case I'll stick to my alias: the Void Warrior. Cool nickname, right? Better than 'Spiderman' or 'Spiderwoman', anyway."

"We know you?" Miles enquired.

"Of course. I'm sure you'll figure it out. In the meantime, you're screwing up my mission. Get out of here, or I'll make you."

"We get a hundred threats exactly like that every day. You're just another guy with a cape, and we'll deal with you just the same." Gwen replied, raising her fists to fight.

"Basil, remind me to change Urban Dictionary's definition of 'arrogant' to 'Gwen Stacy'."

"Reminder set." Answered a robotic voice.

"Why's everyone have a robot assistant?" Miles asked.

"Because it's better than pulling out your diary before crushing a couple of spiders." The Void Warrior replied.

"Any you named yours after a herb?"

"It's…a long story. Are you fighting me or leaving?"

Miles sighed.

"Oh what's another guy? You're not even as big as Rhino."

"I believe your son would have answered with 'size doesn't matter'. This is sad."

The Void Warrior floated down to the ground as Miles raised his fists too. Gwen ran at him, leaping up to kick the Warrior who took the hit straight to the crotch.

"Ooh…shit. I knew I should have reinforced that bit of the suit. You want to know how that feels?"

"No."

"Too bad. Eðafar sarotinilþ."

Suddenly, Gwen clutched the sides of her head and collapsed to her knees, screaming in agony. Miles stared in horror, then charged a venom strike as he ran forward. The Void Warrior threw a punch in return which narrowly missed his assailant's head. The venom strike hit, and he was sent tumbling backwards. However, he just laughed.

"Come on, Miles. You can do more than that. You've killed yourself with your own venom strike before."

Miles darted forward again, furiously throwing punches and kicks as hard as he could. One hit the side of the Void Warrior's head, knocking the hood down only to reveal more black mask. He charged another venom strike which clearly wasn't expected as it hit the Warrior square in the face. Through the crackling electricity, he saw a pair of eyes he recognised but not enough of the face to know who it was. A split second later, he was slammed into the ground. As the electricity fizzled away, the Warrior said something and Gwen stopped screaming, but was sobbing in agony. Miles crawled over to her and put an arm round her to try and give her some comfort.

"You're more trouble to deal with than Gwen, Miles. Fusis Þinutir…" Gwen cried out again. "…doesn't work on you. We'll meet again, and hopefully you'll take me up on my offer to let you leave. Or you'll join me, which I'd say is the advisable option given how quickly the Church is collapsing."

"Is that what you want? To destroy the Church of the High Elder Gods?" Miles replied, exhausted and worried about Gwen.

"Of course. We all know they just talk a load of crap. Their only goal is to maintain power; something they're struggling to do after all the High Elder Gods were murdered. Now is the time to show this world the truth not just about the Church and how breakable it is, but about the real High Elder Gods."

"And you think we'll join you after what you just put Gwen through?"

"It's called tactics. The first rule of war is to know your enemy and yourself. She's too fast for me to beat in hand-to-hand, so I took her out a different way. I didn't want you involved in this, but the Church forced my hand. Now get out of here before I kill somebody."

Miles helped Gwen to her feet and they beat a hasty retreat. The Void Warrior put his hood up again and turned to some of his soldiers who'd witnessed the exchange. They collapsed to their knees and bowed desperately.

"You're a God!" One cried.

"I'm not. Get on your feet, you moron."

Miles helped Gwen all the way back to their apartment where they arrived to find Jacob and Grace. Seeing Gwen was hurt, they helped her onto the couch. Grace went to grab some things in the hope that they'd help her, although her injuries didn't look severe. Miles knelt down next to Gwen's head.

"You getting better?"

"Slowly, Miles."

"Does that include…"

"No. That's not even funny anymore."

"Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood."

She covered her eyes, taking deep breaths, as Grace appeared with a bowl of water, a cloth and a first aid kit.

"I don't need anything. I just need to rest." Gwen said to her.

Grace nodded.

"OK. Let me know if you change your mind."

"Will do."

She disappeared to put it all away again.

"What happened?" Asked Jacob."

"The Guard's leader used some sort of spell thing on her." Miles explained.

"What sort?"

"One I've never heard before."

"Dovahzul?"

"Dunno. Wait…he said it was Fu…Elder Tongue."

"That's impossible. Only you and me can withstand it."

"Unless there're others?"

"It would make sense some people are born with some sort of immunity."

"Why?"

"Death wanted the Sword and Siege to be used to kill High Elder Gods. It'd make sense some people can use the HEG's powers against them."

"But where'd they learn it?"

Jacob shrugged.

"That's the question."

Grace returned, having overheard the conversation.

"Did the guy say anything else?"

"He said we knew him, and he didn't want me and Gwen caught up in his little war with the Church."

"What were you doing all the way out at the military base anyway?"

Miles bit his tongue to stop himself answering truthfully.

"It's complicated."

"Maybe he had a point?" Jacob suggested.

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked in a fed up tone.

"I mean he clearly kicked your asses, so what's the point in interfering in the war? Let the Guard and Church tear each other apart, then step in to keep the peace once they're gone. The world's spiralling into a civil war anyway. Nothing wrong with some stuff going on in the shadows."

"In the shadows? The Guard blew up nearly nine hundred people, Jacob." Gwen snapped.

"That I can't explain. All I'm saying is stay out the way of their fight and make sure nobody else is caught up in it either."

"We couldn't stop them blowing up the temple. What makes you think we can stop them blowing up the entire Island?" Asked Miles.

"Get Paarthurnax to help. He hates people hurting each other for no reason."

"He also hasn't left Max's tomb for five years." Said Grace.

"We aren't getting Paarthurnax involved. Can you two just go? I need some peace and quiet." Gwen instructed.

Jacob and Grace did as they were told leaving Gwen and Miles. Miles squeezed the former's hand.

"We'll figure this out."

"We always do."

Suddenly, the front door flew open and Jacob ran back in.

"I've figured it out! You said his mask is sort of like a black void. What if he doesn't hear himself saying stuff in Elder Tongue, so it doesn't affect him?"

"Let me rest." Gwen commanded.

"Right…sorry."

He left again leaving the spiders a little confused.

"We never told him what the Warrior looked like." Said Miles.

"That doesn't make any sense. How does he know? Unless the guy's all over the news?"

"He isn't. I've checked."

They went silent for a few moments in which time Miles stood up and walked to the window. Suddenly, clicked his fingers and turned back to face Gwen.

"I've got it. I think I know who the Void Warrior is."

"Who? Jacob?"

"Yeah. Think about it: Jacob said he wished people knew the real Max, and that's what the Void Warrior wants too. The Warrior said we knew him, too. And he said he wishes we didn't get caught up in this, which Jacob just suggested. Jacob also has the tech knowledge to make his suit, and he can withstand Elder Tongue."

"What about the terrorist attack at the temple? You really think Jacob would do that?"

"No, I don't think he would…"

"So it can't be him."

"Wait, there's a 'but'. I don't think the attack was the Guard. The guy you caught running away didn't have any weapons on him when the police searched him, and terrorists don't send spectators."

"You think someone framed the Guard? Who? Why?"

"I don't know. All I know is what I just said."

There were a few more seconds of silence, then Gwen asked:

"So what do we say to Jacob?"

"I'll talk to him. He likes me a bit more than you."

"That really seems to be a common theme, doesn't it."

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Skyrim