chapter 8:web of lies

I looked at the file Fury had given me. It had the details of Peter's problem. Apparently, Peter was kidnapped by an unknown individual and they specifically asked for me.

"This is suspicious, don't you think, Raphael?" I said.

Raphael replied, "Yes, it doesn't make sense why they would ask for you specifically. Chance of it being a trap is high."

I walked past a few SHIELD agents who nodded at me respectfully. In the days that had passed, I had earned some respect due to how strong I was.

I arrived outside and dove down, flying toward the place Peter was being held at high speed, breaking the sound barrier. I landed in front of a house. The street was quiet—too quiet.

I walked forward and opened the door. Inside was just an entry room, no corners, just an empty space. In front of me was a woman, and Peter was floating in a bubble of energy.

Standing in front of him was an old lady with white hair, wearing a long red dress with a diamond on her forehead. Her dress had a spider-like design.

I looked at Peter. "Hey, Pete, are you okay?"

The old lady turned to face me, wearing a red mask covering her eyes.

"Rimuru Tempest, you're here... good... I am Madame Web," she said.

I looked at her, my dark red eyes calm and calculating but with a bit of anger.

"Who are you, and what are you doing to him?"

She took a step forward, facing me fully. "Rimuru Tempest, an anomaly. I have seen your future, and I am here to help you fix it. I am the only one who can."

My dark red eyes stared at her coldly and emotionlessly. "I don't know who you are, but you're going to pay for what you've done to Peter."

I rushed at her at light speed to stab her, but the room turned to diamond, and she and Peter disappeared.

Madame Web's voice echoed, "You are a misspell in time, Rimuru Tempest."

I looked around and saw a path made of diamond. I walked forward and heard her voice again.

Madame Web said, "I know you're not from this world, Rimuru... or should I say, Alex."

My eyes widened in surprise. How did she know that? I never told anyone.

She continued, "I have two offers for you: let me sever you from Earth-616, erase your memories about your past world—no more glitches, no more chaos, just order."

I looked around, trying to find her, but I couldn't. Even my universal sense was useless.

"And if I refuse?" I asked.

I arrived at the end of the pathway and saw her floating, and Peter began screaming, fidgeting, tears leaking from his closed eyes.

"What the hell are you doing to him?" I shouted.

Madame Web said, "How many times should the child see Gwen die until he forgets her voice?"

My eyes widened in shock. I remembered Gwen from the comics—one of Spider-Man's greatest failures.

My eyes glowed with power and anger. "Hold on, Pete!"

Madame Web smiled.

"So, do we negotiate, Demon Lord? Or do I break your little spider just to prove I can?"

I looked at her with cold, angry eyes, gripping my katana tightly.

"I am going to kill you."

I covered my katana with Beelzebub and slashed around the diamond area, but it broke not from my attack—but from her laughter.

Madame Web crooned, "Ohh, little Demon Lord," her red mask falling to reveal her blind, glowing white eyes. "Anger will help you."

I looked around, seeing diamonds that held Peter's memories scattering around.

A memory of him holding Uncle Ben while he bled out...

Me smiling at him after our first team-up—then morphing into a grinning demon...

A memory of Gwen hitting the pavement...

Peter hung in the air, half his mask torn, mumbling,

"Rimuru... don't... she wants to—"

Madame Web moved her fingers, and Peter dreamt.

"Surrender your past, Rimuru Tempest," she said, extending her hand, golden threads of fate shining from it.

"Let me cut your other world away. You will be stable, whole, and the futures I saw won't happen."

I looked at Peter, who was still screaming.

I looked at Madame Web's hand.

Am I willing to sacrifice my past memories and knowledge?

Why am I even worried about keeping them?

They aren't even good memories...

Flashback: Alex's Past

In my past life, I wasn't cool. I was just an ordinary guy who loved anime and comics—they helped me forget about them.

My abusive father and older brother...

After my mother died, they changed. They ignored me or called me worthless. Why?

I don't even know.

My father made it clear he loved my older brother more. Always giving him better things: better clothes, better room, better life.

While I got nothing—or something cheap and worthless.

The only good thing I had were the memories... and the necklace my mother gave me for my 13th birthday, back when our family was still whole.

The memory of her smiling at me.

I looked at her hand.

"That smile... I don't want to forget it. But..."

I looked at Peter, still screaming.

"Why are you doing this? I don't understand—you're being cruel!"

She looked at me and leaned in.

"You think I'm being cruel? I have seen what happens when you remain unbound."

I stared at her coldly, my eyes glowing red.

"Those messes you saw? They're not me."

Raphael's voice cut in. "Notice: the magic disturbance is nullified."

I let Beelzebub devour her threads of fate, dissolving them before they could even scream.

Peter dropped down. I rushed forward, catching him before he hit the ground. I placed him gently on the floor, my eyes cold and emotionless.

I picked up my blade and flash-stepped in front of Madame Web, swinging to cut her in half—

STOP!

My blade stopped a few inches from her.

Peter wasn't unconscious anymore. His mask was fully off now.

Peter said, "She's not the real enemy. Look."

With a trembling hand, he pointed at the walls of the observatory, now dissolving like smoke, revealing the truth.

They were not in New York.

They were in the Astral Plane, trapped inside a self-destructive psychic loop—one feeding on my mana the whole time.

And Madame Web...

She was trapped too.

She wasn't controlling anything. She was a prisoner, just like us.

Raphael's voice again:

"Notice: that's a rogue fragment of the Phoenix Force. I think it was left behind by the clash between you and Jean Grey in the forest. It must have given Madame Web false visions and lured Peter here as well. It needs your dimensional instability to reincarnate itself."

In my mind:

"Transfer that information to Peter and the lady."

Madame Web, realizing the truth, sagged in her webs, her voice raw.

"I saw him burn the world... but it was never him. It was it—wearing his face."

Peter looked at me, still shaking.

"We need to get out of here now."

Without a second thought, I cut through the psychic trap with Beelzebub, freeing Peter.

But the moment that happened, the Phoenix fragment woke up.

The observatory collapsed into a maelstrom of energy and screaming voices.

Madame Web's powers flickered—and she did something I didn't expect: she pushed Peter into my arms.

"Go! I'll hold this off!"

I was about to argue, but Peter spoke first.

"She's right. We can't fight that—yet."

With a final, haunted glance, I flash-stepped out of there just as the Phoenix's fire engulfed Madame Web.

We were now falling from the sky toward the city.

I summoned my wings and descended slowly, landing atop a building and gently placing Peter down.

Peter looked down, shaken.

"What just happened?"

To be continued..

Hey guys just know this tool alot of thinking to not mess up madame web is character Hope I captured her nicely