= Chapter 190. Goodbye, Spider-Man =
Commentary on Chapter 190. Goodbye, Spider-Man If anyone would like to support your favourite and invaluable author with deeds rather than words (though I appreciate comments with your detailed opinion no less), you are welcome to do so: 5469980470822129 - Sber I open my eyes quietly.
My vision isn't blurred, my head isn't splitting, and there's no sign of fatigue or pain.
Is this how the dead feel? - I ponder ironically.
Well, if that's the case, I'll check out my resting place.
Surprisingly, I found myself in an ordinary-looking office. The usual desk, soft armchairs, book shelves against the walls. Except there were no windows. And, yes, perhaps not quite ordinary furnishings. A little richer, like the dean's office at Oxford or something.
- You awake? - came a good-natured voice from the side.
I look away from the décor and turn my gaze to the chair opposite.
A man is calmly writing something on a sheet of paper. He's wearing a shirt with a black windbreaker thrown over it. Ordinary jeans. His hair is long and dark, and his eyes are an inexpressive grey.
But there's an inner wisdom in them.
- No one was sitting in that chair when I looked," I said, voicing the first thought that came to mind.
- So I can either command time or become invisible or very, very, very, very fast, right? - the dark-haired man said with a chuckle.
- Maybe," I sighed, leaning back in my chair. - But to be honest, due to recent events, I'm tired as hell, and I don't want to play riddles.
- Whatever you say, Peter," my companion agreed softly, nodding.
Checking.
I'm not wearing a mask.
Well, that's right.
- So. to whom do I have the honour? - I arch an eyebrow.
I must be really dead, and this is some sort of analogue to the heavenly office or Purgatory.
At least Mephisto wouldn't be playing games with me after our meetings...
- You're not dead," the stranger said in the same friendly tone. - Oh, and, of course, where are my manners," he approached the table and held out his palm to me. - I'm Ab, I've been looking forward to meeting you, Spider-Man.
And I was covered in goosebumps.
Ab...
Of course, those clothes, the looks...
- I... - I swallow my saliva, wetting my parched throat - I apologise for the 'devil'.
- Oh, come on, Peter," the brunet said calmly. - I am not offended by the mention of those who are supposedly my 'antipodes'. But I thank you for your kindness.
I respond to the handshake slowly and nervously.
Even through the fabric of my glove, I can feel the heat from HIS limb.
There was silence for a moment.
- Benji's fine," he said with concern in his tone.
I lift my head sharply and look into his eyes.
- It's as our treaty intended," the man nodded, explaining. - Your son has fulfilled his mission, done everything he could to prevent a threat to his family. Helped you.
- But that threat... the other me. A role in the Web of Life and Destiny," I jump up sharply from my chair, resting my fists on the tabletop, towering over... the Almighty. - What was his mission?!
- To help you break the circle," Ab answered sympathetically. - To reject these vise, these frames. To reverse fate. To break the boundaries. To become something more.
The calm words calm my anger a little. But sympathy makes me sick...
- Benji's alive?
- He's alive," the brunette nods. - He's healthy and back at home.
- Then that's the most important thing," I answer and turn away.
There's a quiet, uncomplicated silence for a while.
I'm still out of it.
It's hard to process what happened. To get my thoughts together.
Suddenly I open my eyes wide and turn to HIM, who is still sitting in the same position.
- YOU ARE THE ALMIGHTY!
- That's right, Peter," and the same kind smile plays on his lips.
- I mean," I tap my fingers nervously on the armrest. - It's you!
- Yes," I said, nodding a soft affirmative.
- We're talking," I point my fingers alternately at me and my rather unusual interlocutor. - But I'm not dead... How so?
For the first time in the entire conversation, Ab sighed heavily.
- It's complicated, Spidey...
- I'm an attentive listener," I nod calmly, scooting up in my chair.
With HIM, I certainly don't plan on getting hysterical... More than I already have...
- First of all, I'm sorry it's come to this," the brunet continued sadly. - You see, who you are, what you do... HOW MUCH you've done, and how much you had ahead of you... it really was important. And inspiring.
- Everything sounds past tense...
- Yeah," Ab sighed. - You're not dead. But you can't go home.
- WHAT?! - I'm jumping out of my chair. - No. No, no, no, no, no, no... what do you mean, I can't! - I'm pointing my hands at the man. - You're- You're- It's YOU! And you're telling me you can't bring me back?!
- Omnipotence is a very fine line, Peter," the Almighty looks down at his palm. - I can't do something, not because I don't want to or can't... but because you can.
- What?
- You can't go back. Now," the brunet stood up and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the office disappeared and a long sandy beach appeared, with noisy sea waves lapping against it on the left side.
- Let's take a walk," the Almighty pointed along the shoreline and we walked. - The sea is beautiful, isn't it?
- Yes," I answered, and impatiently asked a question. - What did you mean by 'Can't go back now'?
- When you began to absorb the energy of the Threads of the Web of Life and Destiny, you broke the spiral of fate. Your destiny. The thread that connected you to the Web... My thread," the Almighty began to explain, putting his hands behind his back. - But the amount of energy you absorbed was enormous... that explosion in the interworld was only a residual trace that erased the pass," the brunet turned his head in my direction. - You became the thread, Peter.
- What do you mean, "became the thread"? - I don't understand what he said.
Or rather, I don't want to understand.
- Energy cannot be created or destroyed," Abe continued. - By renouncing your destiny, your role in the universe, you have absorbed that energy. You cannot return to your world, because that power, that thread, was bound to it. Because it was connected to you, - the Almighty waved his palm and an infinite space of golden threads appeared around us, in the compartments between which gaped shards of different dimensions. - Your energy is now too powerful for your body in your world to withstand it. The thread has broken. A new one must be woven. And that can only be done on other worlds.
- So my doppelganger was right? - I ask the question, looking across a small fraction of endless space. - Are there really an infinite number of different worlds and other dimensions?
- I'd say more like a quintillion hundred, but considering that one person's decision can generate a completely different branch of events, yes," the man nodded. - Their number actually reaches infinity.
Putting aside all the silly philosophical or near-scientific questions, focusing on what really matters.
- How do I get home?
- Find a way. On your own," said the Almighty. - I'm really sorry I can't help. This power is your responsibility now, and when you find a way to tame the power that's bubbling inside you, then you'll come home.
- I don't even feel any power! - I exclaim helplessly.
- Right now and here," he nods. - But in time you will learn to feel it. And you'll be amazed at the power you'll discover.
- No, I-" I put my hands behind my neck. - There's so much to do at home... so much I haven't had time to do, so much to prevent! So many people to help! The deed of incorporation! And Thanos? The apocalypse? How can I disappear?! - I turn my gaze to the man looking at me sympathetically. - What about my family? I can't just disappear! I can't do that to them! - I cover my eyes. - Not again...
- I'm sorry, Peter," the Almighty put his palm on my shoulder. - But that's the price of heroism.
- Heroism? - I snort, pulling away. - What's heroic about what I did?
- You didn't give up," the brunet said confidently. - You made your own decision. And took responsibility for it.
- Just an act of desperation and unwavering stubbornness," I explained in a broken voice.
- In your own opinion," he smiled softly again. - I see the deed of a hero and a devoted man, a loving son, husband and father.
- I won't see them again, will I? - I lower my eyes.
- I believe you'll find a way to come home," HE replied streamlined, dodging the question.
A most eloquent answer.
- But it could take years, decades, right? - I look at the man, who averted his eyes. - My kids... They won't even remember me...
- They'll have something much bigger.
The Almighty waved his palm and other images began to flicker in the web.
Growing up girls and boys, turning into young men and women.
- They would have loving mothers.
MJ and Fey, raising twins...
- relatives, always ready to help.
Del, Cain, Ben, Natasha, Johnny, Reid, Sue, Tony, Jessica, Steve, Debra, Flash, Betty...
- And they will always have their father's example.
Children in spider suits look up at an erected monument in Central Park dedicated to Spider-Man.
- And that's enough," the Almighty nods confidently. - Until you come home.
- "Enough." ... - I feel a tear running down my cheek. - You know... when I got the Sense signal, I rushed straight to Benji's. There was... There was a thought to look to the girls, to the nursery... but I pushed it away, - I clench my eyes, holding back tears. - And this is my next mistake, which I will regret forever... - I whisper.
- I sympathise," the man tilts his head. - And yet, no matter what, it doesn't mean you'll be alone," Ab adds.
- What?" I look at God in surprise.
- About Ani, I'm sorry, her energy is now part of your core," the Almighty spoke, approaching me. - But I can get your other partner back.
Ab placed his palm on my shoulder and I felt the return of a familiar presence.
Bearer? - came the symbiote's lost voice. - How much have we had to drink?
RAJ! - The muffled murmur of my partner's voice in my mind brought tears to my eyes. - How happy I am to hear your voice!
What's going on?
Later.
I lift my head and look at... God.
- Thank you.
- I'm sorry there's so little I can do," the brunet nodded.
- You have no idea how much it is," I squeeze my palm.
I'm no longer alone in all this...
- Your partner will also feel some changes afterwards," the god added thoughtfully. - I feel that this kind of... reverse effect will come in handy for you.
- What? - I ask in surprise.
- Never mind," the brunet said. - Actually, I can try to do something else for you, Peter," the Almighty said thoughtfully. - If you agree.
- What is it? - I asked interestedly.
- Your memories... of your aunt, your children, your friends... of Mary Jane and Felicia," the man sighed. - They can be your beacon and motivator... as much as they can be a soul-crushing rock that plunges you into ennui and despair.
- Yeah, probably the latter.
- I can create in your mind... Let's call it a block," the Almighty added, gesturing with a few fingers to his head. - It won't make you forget your family, your home... but it will muffle those memories, preventing you from being distracted from your goal by unnecessary mental torment.
- Why do you ask permission? - I arch an eyebrow. - Sounds lovely, what's the catch?
- Possible... A skewing of some emotions," the Almighty sighed. - As I said, energy cannot be created or destroyed, you can only redirect it, change polarity, but not destroy it. Emotions are energy.
- Meaning...
- Instead of fear, reckless courage; Despair will be replaced by anger; Longing will turn to constant joking and so on.
- Do it," I nod firmly.
- Are you sure?
- If this block will allow me to act, to focus on the goal instead of despondency at the mere memory of Fey and Fey, with the further desire to hurt or kill myself, then yes, I'm sure.
- Okay," Ab stepped closer and put his palms to my temples.
I can feel a pleasant emptiness forming in my mind.
- The process will be complete when you leave," he nodded. - One more thing," the brunette snapped his fingers. - This is from me.
I feel a cloth appear on my face.
I looked first at my hands and then at the rest of my body.
Instead of the mangled Boundless Armour, I'm wearing my classic red-and-blue cloth spider suit, except with nylon webbing between my armpits.
- I guess you can't count on a couple dozen Spiderbots, can you? - I joked back, savouring the pleasant feel of familiar fabric.
Ab only shook his head, smiling softly.
- I should have known," I exhaled. - "So, how do I 'start the journey'?"
In response, the brunet swipes his palm and a golden spatial glow appears to my right, a few metres away.
- Your door," the Almighty said.
- I see," I nod and walk nervously toward the portal.
- Peter," God called out to me.
I turn round.
- Nothing was pointless," Ab said heartfelt. - All the people you've saved, all the people you've helped, all the things you've done and the people you've influenced-it's all been worth the effort.
- Thank you," I nod gratefully and turn away to the door. - Wish me luck.
- Good luck, Peter Parker.
- Well, let's go," I whisper, stepping through the portal.
When the golden door closed, the Almighty had only one thing to say:
- And goodbye, Spider-Man. Commentary on Chapter 190. Goodbye, Spider-Man Phewhhh! Honestly, I can't even believe we're finally here...
First of all, I wanted to say thank you to all those who have been with me since almost the beginning of the Arachnid story: Chester700007, Dakeiras, Xart, Litteron, Shinigami Loki, Mitri Orb, I'm Just Smith (almost a special thanks here), Nekron, Zalmand, DiaReim, Misha Voroshilov, of course, Leon, Theo Volk.
In fact, I could mention many more, including those with whom our paths diverged halfway through the work, but whose opinion influenced me, but then we'll be here for a long time, and I didn't want to stretch it out).
So, yes, the final chapter.
I know a lot of people might think it's too abrupt, because even Pete was thinking about how much was left unfinished, but I realised that if I tried to fit all the ideas into one piece of work, it would just be bigger than me alone. And anyway, that's what I was originally aiming for, so that's fine).
Anyway, the idea of a sequel visited me almost as soon as I started writing Arachnid (well, definitely when the chapters passed 70 pieces). Maybe I'll start releasing it soon, maybe not so much. But it's in the plans and the stakes will be raised there)
Also, the Epilogue will appear here. Definitely will appear.
Until then, let's let go of expectations and enjoy the realisation that we've come all this way together. Let's savour this very moment. I mean, sometimes that's all you need in life, right?
Just enjoy the moment.