Chapter Two: Athanasius

Peter and Ti'Gel entered the great cathedral of man with its ancient architectural Caesarian design and Suger's ribs. The roof caved. The rafters came through the pieces of ceiling, creating a large pyramid of rubble that reached into the unforgiving sky, and even though it was still daylight, to the old church, it was always night. Always darkness. The pews lay in a pitiful state, the ground was littered with soiled newspaper. In a corner was Victor Hugo's child, Cosette, but there was no Jean Valjean to save her. Instead there was a massive pile of rubble, that reminded her of past evils that mirrored present ones. The girl looked up at the sky and saw two towers of crystal. She smiled, "Is this heaven?" she asked. Peter and Ti'Gel turned towards her, upon seeing her Ti'Gel walked forward, removing his hood and kneeling beside her. He looked into her eyes and saw images flash before him. War, hatred, a man with a snake tongue leading a dark army towards the world, the assassination of a man who dreamt of the stars, the falling of two symbols, the war that started a downward spiral, and a doctor, issuing the era they were living in. He shook the feeling off and the girl looked back into his eyes, and also saw images, but hers were different. She saw the elimination of man by man's own hand, betrayal of arrows, the rebellion of the stars, the insistency of Earth wanting to stay in their light, the sun... the girl shut her eyes at the thought and cowered in fear.

"Parker," Ti'Gel said, looking towards his friend, whom he never called by his first name. "She has it."

"Has what?" Peter asked.

"Ti'Gel does not have a name for it that can be spoken for you, but it means Prophet's Eyes."

"You mean like Nostradamus?"

Ti'Gel nodded, "Exactly. Very powerful, yet very dangerous." the lizard looked towards the girl, "What do you call yourself?"

"I'm sorry?" The girl asked.

"Your name, what is it?" Ti'Gel asked, as innocent as he possibly could.

"I don't know sir," she said, "but I know that when I see things it hurts."

The lizard was surprised at this. He had never experienced pain before. "Often?" He asked. The girl nodded. Footsteps. Ti'Gel moved for his bow. "Don't fret Ti'Gel," Peter said, "I'll take care of it." The lizard nodded, but kept the weapon out just in case, and talked to the nameless girl about her predicament.

Peter crept slowly up the rubble, moving silently as possible, and taking a deep breath, his suit turned invisible. If one were to talk into the room, you would see nothing, hear nothing, and be able to feel nothing once Peter was done with you. He was that efficient, the suit was that good, and besides, Peter Parker is Spiderman.

Standing on the top of the heap, Peter scanned around the room, he didn't see anything. He stood up and reappeared. A draft moved in, Peter shivered a bit. The muttering of German. Peter looked down a dark hallway with a single candle burning. He jumped from the pile of rubble and did a three-point landing, and performed a silent roll into invisibility.

A man wearing a trench coat was near a candle kneeling in front of a stained glass window of St. Mark. " Himmlischer Vater, bitte beschütze und leite mich..." Heavenly Father, please protect and guide me. I beg of your mercy, your forgiveness. I know I am not worthy to ask of it, I am a devil in human form. I have murdered children, I have killed pleading fathers begging me to save their families, I unleashed Hell on Earth. I know I should be damned, but I know what I must do to fix this. Just don't let me die tonight!

Peter pulled his pistol. His finger on the trigger, Peter stood, revealing himself. "Was that a confession of genocide?" The German man looked at him through the reflection of the window. His face fearful, his eyes begging for the Lord's forgiveness. "Please," the German said, still on his knees, "it's not what you think."

"Oh really?" Parker said walking towards him, "then what exactly," he grabbed the German's hair and pulled him up to his feet. The German screamed. "is it?"

The grip was too intense for the German to keep quiet. "Alright, alright!" He said. "What do you want to know?" He asked.

"Your name would be a good start." Peter said putting the German in a chokehold. "W-w-Wolfgang L-Lam- Lammesfelder." Peter let the man go. "So you're the one who called me?" Lammesfelder nodded, "Yes, if you're Peter Parker that is." Peter removed his mask, it was no secret anymore. "Yeah, so you said something about people trying to kill you?"

"Shh!" Wolfgang said, he looked around, his eyes fearful, his knees weak, his thoughts clouded and uncertain. Movement within the walls. "They're here," he said, looking at Parker with death in his eyes. "We got to get out of here now!" He dragged Peter towards the front door. "Hold on Doc, what's going on here?" Peter asked, stopping the doctor in his tracks with his hand. Wolfgang pulled Peter close to him, either so that he can see the death in his eyes or the spine breaking fear in his voice. "Athanasius." Wolfgang's lips trembled, his skin grew cold. Peter felt the sudden change in temperature, he heard the walls creak and move. "What does that mean?" Parker asked.

"Immortal death."

####

In the sanctuary, Ti'Gel heard the movement within the walls. He sniffed the air. "Ti'Gel smells trouble," he looked at the girl, "don't move." The lizard stood silently and readied his bow. He drew back and walked up the rubble, towards the sky, which became dark with rain. Ti'Gel looked around and listened. The girl started crying, the archer looked over towards her and jumped down. "Hush now," he said comforting her to the best of his ability, "now is not the time to fear."

"When is?" She asked.

"Never." Ti'Gel answered.

The old wood and stone creaked, making conversation with itself. The rain began to rage war against the world. Wind battling against it. Ti'Gel smelled the air again. Sewage, grime, filth, the smell of flesh consumed by monstrosity and lunacy. A claw appeared from the hole in the ceiling, followed by a massive lizard, who was followed by several smaller ones. The alpha male stood on the pile of rubble. His scales shone in the rain, a metallic green, his eyes, a mystic yellow. A laugh straight from Hell. This was on what was left of Dr. Curt Connors, a scaled lizard with a demon's laugh, and bone-breaking strength. His companions were smaller in nature, and armed with similar weaponry as Ti'Gel, they were his people after all. Connors turned towards the archer, and looked him over. "Oh why do you reject your primitiveness, your wildness?" He slithered over, his yellow eyes shining in the dark shadow of the cathedral. Connors got into Ti'Gel's face, "It's so vicious isn't it?" He smiled maliciously. Connors looked at the girl, "Oh, what's this?" He said, taking a gallant step towards her, "a girl?" He laughed. Ti'Gel hissed, it was a mixture between a cat and a King Cobra. Connors turned toward him, "That's it," he looked at him, "defend her," he walked up the pile, the filth and grime on his tail secreted a trail of sewage water behind him. "Do all that you can," he turned back around, standing in the rain as if he didn't care. The light ironically shone on him, like a King, or better yet, a more visible target. "I doubt you'll be able to do it much longer anyway." The other lizards, circled around, trapping Ti'Gel in a suicide escape attempt if he were to try anything. The girl began to cry a bit. The closest of Connors' men placed a hand over her mouth. Ti'Gel turned towards him and pulled out a knife with his tail, the henchman didn't need any more explanation. For this particular henchman had fought with Ti'Gel and he knew that besides Peter Parker, was the most deadliest person in the building. With one finger this lizard could kill you. With one simple raise of an eyebrow this archer will have you crying and begging for mercy. The henchman stood down.

Ti'Gel looked over at Connors, "What do you want?" He said. Connors smiled, "What no brother? It's just 'you'?" He laughed again.

"We are not brothers!"

Connors nodded, "Oh alright," he said, standing near Ti'Gel again, "we're cousins then."

"We're not even that." Ti'Gel answered. "You forget," Connors said, "that you gave me the formula, the syringe, the beautiful perfection!" He lifted his arms high into the air, as if praising himself and roared with pleasure. "I thought you were a decent man," Ti'Gel answered, "I guess I was wrong." He aimed his bow, "But Ti'Gel should've known better to not entrust power to university doctors."

"Why's that?" Connors asked.

"Because university doctors have tenure, they can do whatever the fuck they want." Ti'Gel said. Connors laughed at the joke, he lifted his scaly hand and snapped his claws. Two henchman from across the room grabbed the girl and brought her to Connors' feet. The girl looked up at Curt, and Ti'Gel could sense her fear. The archer stepped forward, but he was stopped by three of Curt's men. Ti'Gel hissed again. This time, one of the henchman removed Ti'Gel's hood, revealing to Connors' his pissed off, 'I'm going to kill you' face. "Ooo," Connors said very sarcastically, "Someone doesn't like this, not at all." He laughed as he picked the girl up by the head. She screamed and kicked and hollered but to no avail. "Oh is someone frightened?" Connors said in a very sarcastic and snakelike way. Ti'Gel's tail was swaying back and forth in an aggravated frenzy. The sides of Ti'Gel's face, which had the defensive posture of a King Cobra stood up. Ti'Gel hissed again, this time showing his large set of lethal poisonous teeth. The archer sheathed his bow and braced himself for a lunge attack. Connors made a move to devour the child in a single binge when the archer backed up, charged, and jumped over the henchman barrier, tackling Connors to his feet. Ti'Gel stood atop his creation, and looked into Connors' eyes. "I thought you were a decent man," Ti'Gel repeated, once again pulling out his bow, this time, he fired it, the center of the chest. "Guess I was wrong." Connors laughed, unmoved by the bow. "You fool," he moved to stand up, bringing Ti'Gel into a grapple hold with his right. "you use your power for them, your abilities for them, when you could be bettering yourself."

Ti'Gel bit him, digging his fangs deep into Connors' fingers and hand. Curt screamed like a witch when exposed to water. It was still raining. "You bitch!" Curt cried, Ti'Gel smiled as he bit down harder, cutting through bone, veins, and arteries that although you can live without a right hand, it would be mighty difficult. Connors screamed for bloody murder, the girl screamed out of fear. "Kill her!" Curt bellowed. The henchman moved forward, two of them were brave enough to grab her and drag her across the floor. Ti'Gel closed his eyes, fading like a mist, the lizard disappeared. Connors looked at his hand, it was ripped open, tore to pieces. The Lizard looked around, caressing his hand, "So, the great archer uses darkness for the hunt." He laughed, "Interesting."

Silence.

Connors right hand redeveloped his senses heightened, his tail swayed back and forth. He looked behind him, towards the hallway. The execution of silk web. The Lizard turned back around, and saw two of his henchman, struggling with a tough web prison that they caught themselves in. Dr. Lammesfelder walked in, his head down, his body shaking. "Why Dr. Lammesfelder," Connors said with a devilish smile, "my old friend, how are things?"

"F-f-f-fine Curt." Wolfgang said, trembling in fear, looking in the eyes of death as he walked towards the door. Connors followed, slithering across the floor. "Is that damn Spider making a muck of things?" He asked, stopping Wolfgang in his tracks. The German looked at Connors slimly torso, it was wet, exposed, and rising and falling, like a beast, about to use his brutal force. Looking around the room, fully aware that the very person he was speaking about was in the room, Connors smiled. "I'll let him have his fun..for now."

"Goodbye Dr. Connors." Lammesfelder said, once again walking towards the door. Connors placed his right on Wolfgang's head, he lifted him off the ground, digging his sharp dagger like claws in Wolfgang's cranium. Spider silk began to fill the room. Connors looked around the room. "Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet," Connors said rather tauntingly, "eating her curds and way," he closed his grip on Wolfgang, the unbearable pain, made the poor German scream and curse to high heaven. He bled. Movement, in front, landing, silence. Movement from behind. Connors looked at Lammesfelder, "Expecting a few saviors hmm?" He cocked his head to one side, his smile grew. "Please Curt, don't do this." Wolfgang said. "Don't do what, kill you?" Curt asked, "I'm afraid I can't do that."

The preparation of a bow, the wielding of a pistol. Connors looked ahead of him and standing there, pistol pointed at his head, was Peter. The Lizard smiled and tossed Wolfgang to the side. "Why if it isn't Peter Parker my star pupil. Come to see your Professor do his work?" He laughed as he took militant strides toward him. Peter gave no expression towards him, he just stood there, pistol raised. "Dr. Connors," he said, "what do you want with Lammesfelder?"

"Oh but it's not what I want dear Peter, it's what we want!"

"We?" Peter asked, hoping that it wasn't a big conspiracy. Connors laughed, "Collaboration Mr. Parker." He said as he grabbed Peter by the neck, Connors showed his teeth and laughed sinisterly as he slowly choked Parker, ever so slowly crushing the larynx, applying slight pressure on the brachial plexus origin located at the base of the neck. Peter's vision began blurred, blood rushed to his head. An arrow flew through the air, screaming for justice. It expanded into a deadly trident of a sharp spike like hook that began spinning in a rapid, counterclockwise motion. Attached to this arrow was a thin but extremely strong rope. It hit Connors' back, sending an excruciating pain into his spine. The Lizard let Parker go, and collapsed onto the floor. He was then drug across the floor, being pulled by Ti'Gel, whose brutish nature and natural ability gave him the strength to do so. The girl was behind him, the henchmen who held her against her will lay still, neck silt, eyes gouged out, vocal cords clipped. Connors stood at the mercy of the archer, who let the deformed doctor stand up. Connors looked around and saw that his henchman, were all tied up, choking and slowly dying of suffocation by spider silk. Parker came up behind Connors and held him into a choke hold, deadly submission. "Alright," Connors said, "what do you want to know?"

"Start with Lammesfelder first."

Connors looked at him, "Why not just let him tell you himself." He smiled at the German who nodded, "Alright, look," he sighed, praying for a way out of this, he knew what he was saying was downright crazy, traitorous, and reason enough for Ti'Gel to kill him, and even more reason for Peter to resurrect and kill him a second time. It was that sinister. "It was a war that started the end of the world, but I'm getting ahead of myself here." He looked at Parker, "The first twenty years of the twenty-first century were basically the same, then a war happened."

Parker nodded, "The Disillusion of the United States, I remember having to do a paper on it in college."

"Of course you do," Connors said, "I assigned it."

"Anyway," Wolfgang said, continuing, "After that then things calmed down for a while, the world was at peace, the United States was the New Republic of America. Everything was fine, then there was another war, the United States was restarted." Wolfgang turned towards Ti'Gel, "The Separatists went to your planet Ti'Gel, and there, they lived peacefully." He looked back towards Connors, Up until about eight-hundred and sixty years ago there was peace. Then another war broke out, this time it was intergalactic." He turned towards the archer, his face was regretful, "Your ancestors wiped out humanity's greatest ally and then came down to Earth and destroyed half of the Eastern Seaboard, one third of the population was destroyed."

"How?" Ti'Gel asked.

"Devoured, burned, shot, exposed to extreme temperatures, labor force." Wolfgang answered. "Your people were the Nazis of this century Ti'Gel." Ti'Gel shuttered at the thought, for he had heard stories of that war, that devastating faithless war in the middle of the twentieth century. He had hoped that his people were honorable, that the chief would lead them to glory, he never knew, comprehended or even expected that his people could be provoked to such violence. In his time and a little before him, they were always a peaceful race, Ti'Gel just didn't see the need to look into history. He didn't want to repeat anything. He didn't want to remember his past either, he wasn't a rose, and if he was, there were deadly thorns around him. Connors saw this distraught, "Keep going," he said looking at Lammesfelder, "the archer's getting festered." Ti'Gel looked at him, "Fuck off Connors," he looked at Wolfgang, "you may continue."

"So you're telling me," Parker said, cutting Wolfgang off, "that the reason the world is so fucked up right now is because of Ti'Gel?"

"Ti'Gel's people Parker," Ti'Gel said, staring at him, "Ti'Gel had nothing to do with this."

"You know that reminds me of something," Connors said, as he moved his tail knocking Peter off his feet a moment, giving him time to stand up. Connors looked at the archer and the German, noticing that his henchman were dead. "When your people found me in the gutter they were easily impressed. They forsook their tribal instinct and were no match for my superiority so they submitted to me. All of them," he spread his arms out, like a king addressing his subjects. "everyone from your beloved Chief Zakto down to your son, and he was so much fun." Connors said walking towards the rubble again. Ti'Gel helped Peter up. "When Ti'Gel is done beating the shit out of him, you have my permission to kill him." Peter nodded. "Noted."

Connors laughed to himself, "A spider and a lizard, friends, how adorable."

Ti'Gel pulled out a knife, "What did you do to my son?"

"Nothing that isn't in your people's nature Ti'Gel." Connors answered, standing atop the heap, the rain still falling down. "We roasted him, burned him, and devoured his entrails, and even then," he sneered, "he was still alive so we decapitated his head."

Ti'Gel tightened his grip on his knife. "Correction Parker, I might have to kill him myself."

"I personally don't care, just-"

Screams of surprise and quick terror. Parker turned and saw Wolfgang, holding the girl at gunpoint. "Lammesfelder," Parker said, standing up in defense, "don't do this. It's not worth it."

Wolfgang nodded, "She's one of them, it's worth it."

"What are you talking about?" Parker asked.

"Save her Parker," Ti'Gel said, "she's important."

"Aren't all lives?" Peter replied, and walked towards the doctor as calmly as he could. "Give me the gun Wolfgang." He said, the doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, but she's part of this. In order to fix everything, she has to die." The girl looked at Peter, eyes watering, innocence fading, even with her ability she couldn't see this coming. How could she? It's her death, no one would be able to live through the trauma. Wolfgang put his finger on the trigger, the setting was plasma, contact with a plasma bullet met absolute obliteration. No exceptions. The weapon charged, green lights from the front to the back lit up, the plasma was ready to fire.

"Dr. Lammesfelder!" Parker said, "Don't force me to kill you." Wolfgang ignored him, "I'm sorry Mr. Parker, but I have to do this, for the betterment of man." His finger slightly pulled the trigger, before Peter had the German in a choke hold and the plasma weapon in his hand. Parker slowly made his way to the ground, Wolfgang got on his knees. "What's up doc?" Peter asked. "It's complicated." Lammesfelder said, "but it's worth the complication. You see, these people, are a product of mixed alien and human deoxyribonucleic acid, or in layman's terms, DNA. Some of these cross-breeders, as I've called them, are deadly, violent, prone to destruction. They must be eliminated."

"She's a young girl doctor, I'm sure she's fine."

"That's on what they said about Ti'Gel's brother." Wolfgang said.

####

Ti'Gel meanwhile, was busy beating the tar out of Connors, they brawled, bit, clawed, and punched each other senseless. Brute strength was equal, cunning was equal, the only thing that Ti'Gel had that Connors didn't was suitable weapons. Connors had a bigger brain, but it was clouded and full of stupid moronic ideas. It ended up to where Connors pinned Ti'Gel to the ground. "Well, well," Connors said, standing, pinning the archer down with his right foot. "This is interesting now isn't it?" Ti'Gel struggled to break free, to fight back, to do something other than submit. "That's it!" Connors said, "fight, show me your true nature, become the monster you were born to be, or," he looked into Ti'Gel's eyes, and saw him fidget, as if he were suffering from a mini-seizure. "The monster you are." He let Ti'Gel go and helped him to his feet. The archer was still having an episode, his vision became drunk, and his body began to teeter. Connors laughed and clawed Ti'Gel's face and stabbed him in the torso with the other claw, the deed done, he let the archer bleed on the floor, and with Parker occupied, Connors slithered out through the roof.

####

Parker still held Wolfgang in submission. "Anything else you need to tell me?" Lammesfelder nodded, "Yes, but all in due time Mr. Parker, we need to stop Connors before he releases Mr. Kasady and Mr. Kravinoff."

"Carnage and Kraven?" Peter asked. "What do they have to do with this?"

"A lot actually," Wolfgang said, "but like I said, we'll speak later." He grunted under Peter's extreme grip. "Can you please let me go now?" He asked.

"That depends," Peter said looking at him, pointing the plasma weapon at Wolfgang's face. "Are you going to try and do anything to the girl?"

"What do you think?" Wolfgang asked.

Peter grabbed Wolfgang's throat and squeezed slightly, knocking the doctor unconscious. He stood and heaved Lammesfelder over his shoulder. He sheathed the plasma pistol. The girl turned towards him, "Thank you." She said. Peter turned towards her, "Don't mention it kid." He looked over at Ti'Gel, who stirred. He struggled to his feet, staggered a bit. "Parker," Ti'Gel said, "a bit of help here." He took a step. Parker shot a web on him and pulled him. "You would fail the field sobriety test dude." Peter said. Ti'Gel laughed, "I'm going to need to go to a hospital Parker." He said as Peter drug Ti'Gel behind him. The girl followed, she looked at his wounds. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked sweetly. Ti'Gel smiled weakly, "Ti'Gel well be fine, he just needs a doctor is all."

Parker sat the unconscious Wolfgang in the backseat of his car. The girl sat beside him. Ti'Gel took the passenger again, when Peter was inside, Ti'Gel looked at his friend. "Did I hear something about Carnage and Kraven?" He asked. Peter nodded, "Yeah," he said as he drove to the only place he knew could fix a giant lizard attack, "apparently Connors got mixed up with those guys."

"Ti'Gel wonders what they're planning, do you think that Duke would know?"

Parker shrugged his shoulders. "Who do think I'm taking you to, some random hospital in the middle of New York City Hell?" Ti'Gel smiled, "Dr. Warren, a Ka'Dish of many talents."

"When you met," Parker said, "didn't you almost try to kill him?"

Ti'Gel laughed, the only time he would ever laugh about his past. "It was a different time, a different war. Now, Duke Warren is our best resource if Carnage and Kraven are really involved."

"By the way Dr. Kills-A-Lot over here said it and looked at me, they're involved." Peter said, looking back at the unconscious Wolfgang for a moment. "Do you think Duke will help us?" Ti'Gel asked as they drove down Wall Street towards Battery Park. "He's a diplomat Ti'Gel, I'm sure he's got other things to do, but it's worth a shot."

They stopped in front of Battery Park, looking out onto New York City Harbor towards Elis Island, or what used to be Elis Island. The famous turnstile of countless immigrants along with Lady Liberty herself were destroyed when the world decided that freedom was dead and that anarchy, Wolfgang's anarchy, was the best solution to all problems. The only evidence of Elis Island or the Statue of Liberty ever existing at all is a lone buoy with a red light on top that flashes periodically.

Parker, Ti'Gel, and the nameless girl got out of the car when a figure in a brown trench coat that dragged on the ground a little with a matching fedora, black combat boots, black gloves, and a cigarette walked towards them, appearing as if from nowhere. His face was snow white, on the side of his face were gills, his eyes were arctic blue that matched his disposition, cold and unforgiving. His footsteps made the ground crack like thin ice, and his breath was ice cold. This was Duke Warren, United Nations Ambassador for the planet of Ka'Dish, a peaceful, cold, desolate place where fishing, hunting, and the military are main exports. Duke looked at Peter Parker and Ti'Gel, "It's good to see you both," he said in his deep bass voice. "it's been too long."

"Skip the sentimental greetings for now," Ti'Gel said, suffering from pain, "Ti'Gel is not well." Duke looked at the lizard and placed his hand on his head, "Just hold still." He said, as he inhaled, absorbing all the pain, all the memories, all the darkness that was within the archer. Duke opened his eyes and looked at his friend. "You have a dark demon lurking archer," he said, "best get rid of it before the unthinkable." He said turning back around. "The unthinkable what?" Ti'Gel asked. "The death of Mr. Parker for one thing." Duke answered.

"Look we need your help Warren." Peter said. Duke continued walking away, "Oh really," he said, "you never seemed to need my help before."

"This time is different, this time," Peter sighed, stopping himself before he could continue, he looked towards the car, "this time its Doctor Lammesfelder." Duke stopped walking and without turning around said, "The Doctor Lammesfelder?"

Peter nodded, fully aware that Duke couldn't see him, "Yeah," Parker replied, "his life, and possibly the world is at stake."

"Who's hunting him down?" Duke asked.

"At the moment, it's Curt Connors, but it could possibly be Cletus Kasady and Sergei Karvinoff as well, but we're not sure." Ti'Gel answered.

Duke lowered his head and fished in his pocket, feeling the form of a cyanide pill. Duke looked out towards the water, "Not today." He muttered to himself and turned back towards Parker and Ti'Gel. "Tell me everything."