Spider-Man

The Dark Goblin

by Lee Homer

Disclaimer: All rights go to Marvel Comics and Disney. The story is non Spider-Man canon and is based off of the limited series and one-shots of the 80's and 90's.

Chapter Four

Round One

Spider-Man struggled to regain his balance as he was hurled through a window of an office building. He body impacted with a series of computers and wooden desks. He skidded to halt in sheer pain. The people around him screamed in terror as they all made their way for the exits. Spider-Man couldn't see amongst the confusion. His line of sight was obscured by the panicking people all around him. He lifted himself up as in draft of cold hair brushed up against his face. His jaw throbbed, and his legs wobbled. He hobbled up against a desk slowly felt his strength return to his system. He looked on as The Dark Goblin hovered outside the window, glaring at him with his piercing red eyes.

"Look at him." he thought as clenched his fists."He hurls me through a building and thinks he's the almighty Goblin of them all. He's laughing at me. He's enjoying this. Well I don't intend to give him the satisfaction."

He fired two web lines and pulled himself back on them. He then catapulted himself out of the window and planted a punch on the Goblin's face. The Goblin spun out of control as Spider-Man continued to block his eye sight.

"Is that the best you can do?" The Goblin sneered as he spun around, throwing the wall crawler off balance. "You don't think you could stop me with the old anti-Goblin tricks?"

"Believe me, the old school stuff always works." Spider-Man replied as he fired a web line at the base of the glider and swung on it.

He bolted upwards and tried to kick the Goblin the jaw but his attack was countered. The Goblin threw Spider-Man into a billboard sign and followed his attack a barrage of machine gun fire. Spider-Man back flipped across the rooftop as he dodged the gun fire, taking shelter behind a metal vent. He waited to plan his next attack, but had to contend with the throbbing intense pain that he endured. The Goblin descended and slowly circled the roof top.

"Are you hiding already?" he taunted. "Shame. I guess you realised the strength of my power. Well good because after what you did to my family! After all the pain and suffering you caused them, you don't deserve to keep on living!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Spider-Man shouted. "I don't even know you!"

"You killed my Uncle and then he returned, you put him in jail!" The Goblin explained. "You also killed my Cousin and caused him pain by slowly ruining his life! Do you know what it is like to hurt a family so proud and loyal?"

"The Osborn family! Of course!" Spider-Man thought as planned his next move."The Dark Goblin must be in relation to them somehow."

"You have vermin in your blood! The Goblin continued. "The people love you but Jameson has the right idea. It's sickening to see you breathing after the atrocities you have committed."

Suddenly, Spider-Man emerged from cover and made his move.

"You've been reading far too many Bugle editorials haven't you?" He said as he fired web fluid in the Goblin's eyes. "You have to stop reading that trash, Jameson puts. Let me tell you how it happened."

The Goblin began to spiral out of control once more, diving towards the streets. Spider-Man had faced the situation far too many times and quickly began to act. He fired his webbing at The Goblin's glider, snagging it in one attempt. He fired another web line at the building behind him. The pain became intense as he began to use his strength to full effect.

"You see Gobby, Norman Osborn was deluded and wanted to take me down after I foiled one of his plans or something." He explained as he swung the Goblin away from the innocent crowd below. "He got his revenge on me, he learnt my true identity and killed the girl I loved. His son Harry died under truly different circumstances. He was a junkie and a Schizophrenic. He was poisoned by The Goblin serum when it was exposed to a fire. The chemicals poisoned his system. I didn't kill him!"

"You make up the most interesting stories but that doesn't convince me one bit!" The Goblin growled.

Suddenly, The Goblin grabbed onto a flag pole. He used his Glider to propel Spider-Man into the air with brute force. He then sped upwards and laughed as the wall crawler struggled to regain his balance. He hoped that Spider-Man would die real soon. He wanted to see him splatter all over the pavement into a pile of blood and flesh, but at the same time he felt as if it was all to easy. Apart of him wanted Spider-Man to survive his fall.

Spider-Man pulled his body into a dive position as he pushed his arms out in front of his head and straightened his legs together. He aimed for a flag pole where he could fire his web line. However his spider-sense warned of him of the reality of his situation. He was off target.

"I've got to...turn!" he screamed as he headed for a pent house glass roof. "Need to...use my back!"

The impact was sudden. Spider-Man smashed on through the glass roof but was lucky enough to cushion his fall with webbing. Unfortunately, he bounced off of the web cushion and smacked himself into a brick wall. He didn't move. He just lay there motionless. He was still breathing but each breath ached tremendously. The Goblin hovered above him, inspecting the damage.

"No. No I won't kill you. It would be too easy." he said as he grinned. "I'm going to hurt you. I'm going to find out who you really are and then I'm going to hurt your family just like you hurt mine. See you soon."

The Goblin took a One-Eighty Degree turn and sped off into the city, leaving Spider-Man to struggle in agony. It took him some time to pull himself up. He knew that the real challenge was to get home.