Chapter 61: Marvelous [MarvelxWorm]
Synopsis: An unremarkable man dies alone and is connected to something much greater than himself. Sent to Earth Bet to serve the Web, the man must decide what course his second life will take.
Author: OneSingleStep
Site: Sufficient Velocity
Word count: 97k
Prologue
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In a darkened room in the dead of night, a spider begins its descent on a gossamer strand towards the man sleeping beneath it. Delicate limbs clad in sleek black chitin, working in sync as it descends from above, illuminated only by a faint sliver of moonlight. Alighting upon the tip of the man's finger, the spider begins to skitter along his skin. The man shifts as a soft breeze brushes against his skin, as the man twitches just the slightest bit in his sleep. The spider reacts to the sudden movement of its perch and bites sinking its fangs into the sleeping man, venom coursing through its fangs, as the spider reacts instinctively against a perceived threat.
The man awakens with a gasp as his muscles seize and contract under the chemical assault to his system, unable to move as the potent venom courses through his veins, each beat of his heart spreading the poison through his form, beat by beat. His heartbeat slows, and his vision darkens and fades. His last sight being of the thin gleaming thread illuminated by the silver light.
The man dies in the dark, with only the spider, who killed him, as his companion. Unremarkable in life, as he appears to be in death.
The End...
At least in this world of ours, but not in all worlds. For you see, this spider was no ordinary spider and as the man's heart beat its last he found himself connected to something much bigger than himself, bigger than even the world itself. A great gleaming web that underpins the very nature of reality, connecting everything and everywhen not just in this world but in all worlds, even those believed to be merely fictional, true believers.
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Chapter One
Ensnared
You awaken, head pounding, as you struggle to take in your surroundings. You find yourself seated before a circular table clad in what appears at first glance to be lace before you take a closer look only to fling yourself back as you realize it's not lace but web, a web crawling with hundreds if not thousands of spiders. No matter how you struggle or twist you find yourself unable to leave your chair. Looking hesitantly towards the table once more. You find yourself shocked as the tabletop once more appears still and unmoving.
"Are you quite finished?" You hear, asked dryly.
You still as you lift your eyes from the tabletop to the woman seated across from you, seated precisely where you would swear to your dying day that no one was a moment before. Eyes flicking across her features as you take in exactly whose table you have found yourself before. The woman is clad in a dress of the deepest red with lines of gold emanating out from the gold circle decorating her chest. You pause as you make note of the simple band of cloth upon her face, concealing her eyes. Lips parting as you breathe out the title millions know her by.
"Madame Web."
"Ah you seem to remember me, that makes things easier. I was afraid after your devouring that you would have forgotten me."
"Devouring!?!?" You exclaim shrilly. As you move your hands over your form, not finding anything amiss until suddenly your eyes begin picking out details, you don't know how you missed before. Parts of your form seem ethereal and insubstantial. Hyperventilating as you try to understand exactly what happened to you and what you now are.
"Stop."
Flinching as the word resounds through the void, somehow resonating within you as your eyes unfocus and hands still. Finding yourself seemingly whole once more even if the memory of your tattered form lingers as if just out of sight.
"Be mindful of where your attention strays in this realm. This space exists outside of the physical and thus focusing your sight will show you things you are subconsciously filtering from your perception." Madame Web speaks calmly and frankly. "I suppose it would be best to get the basics out of the way. So be silent and still." She intones, her will being seemingly imposed on this otherworldly space as you find yourself in absolute silence and stillness, unable to even blink.
"You died and were drawn into the Web of Life and Destiny by the Bride, your soul was then devoured by the Great Weaver. They stitched the parts of you that endured back together and you were then touched by the Gatekeeper who endowed you with the power you would need to survive and placed before me to be given your task." She pauses and suddenly, although she is both blind and blindfolded, you feel her gaze pierce directly into your soul.
"Not all of you survived, but sacrifices must be made when a mortal transcends their nature. Just as I was once Cassandra Webb but now am Master Weaver. You are now a Totem of the Web and you will Serve."
Slouching in your chair as you suddenly find yourself able to breathe once more. Mind racing as you try to discern what exactly you've lost. Searching your memories as you encounter hole after hole in your mind. "…I was… I am… Who am I?" You stutter as your heart breaks as you realize how little you remember about yourself.
Eyes softening for just a moment as she considers you. "It doesn't matter." She murmurs with finality, "You are more than what you were. In time you will find your new identity, filling yourself with bits and pieces of impressions those who have come before have left on the Great Web."
Denial and curiosity driving you forward as you murmur. "You said I was to serve, what did you mean by that?"
Madame Webb, no… that's who she was, she is Master Weaver now. "The Web must be maintained and protected when necessary from those who would interfere either intentionally or by accident. The Great Weaver took great care to ensure that you would retain your memory of the universe you knew as Worm."
Suddenly her eyes flare in rage and disgust as she spits out. "Those… things... Those entities are gnawing at the Web and severing entire sections as they burn worlds and extinguish destinies. Pruning of the Web through the destruction of worlds is to be done only when permitted by higher powers, and the entities have been ignored far too long, so we Totems have decided to act and put an end to their idiotic cycle."
Paling as the depth of what you're being asked to do sinks in. "You want me to kill Zion?! How do you expect me to pull that off?" Mind racing as you contemplate the hundreds of stories you've read of those who have tried to do exactly that.
Master Weaver, raises one eyebrow as she considers you and declines to comment on your outburst. "You've been endowed by the Gatekeeper with great power even if, for now, your inexperienced with it. Also, Zion will die even without your input provided you don't change too much, your primary task is to ensure his demise. How that comes about is ultimately up to you, as long as you protect the Web."
You twitch as you suddenly hear a door slam nearby, "What?"
"Ah you're waking up, I suppose our time here is done for now. Remember you are an integral part of the Web now, so try not to die, and to use your power you must simply focus on seeing things as they really are, it will be harder in the real world but you were chosen for a reason. Good Luck."
You go to respond, only to flinch as you startle awake as another door nearby slams open. Finding yourself in a darkened room laying in a corner near a pile of damaged furniture. Hearing voices raised in anger drawing near, you frantically examine the room. You are in what appears to be a derelict office, a few cabinets along one wall, a desk along another, and a pile of broken chairs in the corner closest to you.
"Where the fuck do those cock sucking pricks get off?!" You hear yelled as you hear crashing coming from a nearby room.
What do you do?
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