NOVEL WEB Arc Five. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four. In The Blood
As the hologram ended the group looked on stunned,
“Wait? You’re saying we’re fuckin' Gods?” one older man asked as the group turned and stared at him.
T’Challa smiled. “Not quite Mr Toombs. We are not Gods. The beings that created the universe were slain and their essence became the Gods that we know of. We are blessed by receiving their power, through the formula. But to steal that power is to bring misfortune upon ourselves. They are aware you are cursed and have tasked us, tasked Wakanda to fix it.”
The older man tutted, “Then so fuckin' what? Some weird monster shit decided we'd be their champions? I ain't doing shit for nobody without getting paid." Some of the other group looked at him. While he was blunt, he was right. The rise of the powered was coming and they refused to be pawns in another's game.
"Mr Toombs, you may not care about them but they chose you, they care about you. Do you wish to see a war in which one of these beings rises to power over the others? A war where the very planet rises up against us. Creatures with the same powers that we possess and with the same intellect you claim to have?” T’Challa spoke quietly to the scowling man, sat with his arms crossed, shaking his head
“Gods don't scare me, nothing scares me.”
“They should, do you think that flying and being strong are the limits to what they can do? What if you could throw lightning, or control the weather, Mr Toombs? The Gods may be quiet right now but if they feel they were being slighted or ignored? Well? Do you wish to arouse their ire?”
“So what? We gotta play some stupid game and get a nice pat on the head? Nah, fuck that shit, I ain't nobodies toy.”
T’Challa motioned to a Dora nearby who presented Toombs with a case, inside was a steel bar. “Go ahead, feel it”
Toombs shrugged and took the bar, waved it about for a few moments and then put it back in the case, “so?”
As the woman took the case back, she smiled, lifted the bar and bent it into an L.
“My personal guard are not blessed as we are. If we are Kings and Queens to the Gods they, sadly, are Pawns. Strong, fast but not chosen. If serving willingly isn't on the cards Mr Toombs, then many offer pure power. I do not think you are the man to say no to that, no one here is. A war is coming,”
T'Challa looked around the room at the faces still doubting his words.
“We have been warned and given a choice, fight or perish. If you wish to remain as you are then we will conduct the first ritual and then you may leave. The second will only be for those willing to embrace their true natures.” T’Challa paused, but no one said anything or moved to leave,
“While some of you are just avatars, others, including myself have been exposed to a drug. I will only call it that for now. But some of you are more, and we need to fix that. We are aware that the drug being developed by Oscorp, and by Howard Stark is not, how shall I put it.”
It was Aaron that interrupted him. “It's goddam poison, and if you can fix me, fix us,“ and he motioned to the larger man, “then go right ahead, I ain't living like a freak.”
“Yes Mr Davis, the transformation can be quite painful I imagine. But that is your gift, it was not the serum that caused that but your patron and you Mr Fisk, the Great White Gorilla’s mark is all over you. Your gifts are not to be removed but to be cleansed. Even you Mr Brock. I imagine the events of New York have left quite a mark on you, and you too Miss Moon, even if you are unaware of what you are.”
“Uh, me?” Cindy said pointing to herself, “I'm not, I'm not anything like you guys. Spider Gods or whatever, nope just a student.”
As she spoke, T’Challa laughed and shook his head, “Oh, among us you are the most in need of healing Miss Moon. You are host to both the spider and the great devourer. You must pick one or both halves will war and fight. Your powers will be great, greater than anyone else's but they will come at a cost. You will hunger, you will devour, and you will kill. You will wage war on yourself and your desires, losing to both.” T’Challa nodded his head, “but we can save you, we can let you choose who you really are, the spider or the monster.”
Cindy just sat back, staring at the plate of pizza in front of her. Since Oscorp life had gone downhill for her.
And now I'm a monster, she thought to herself.
”No, this is bullshit, I don't believe you. Spider-Man, really? Eddie Brock, hack journalist is Spider-Man? And you, you're some kind of wolfman? So what, baldie here is a half-giant and the old guy is a vulture? This is bullshit, some scheme, I’m leaving and you can't stop me.” Cindy grabbed her bag and stood to leave. She made it to the door but two imposing women with what she hoped were prop spears blocked her exit.
“I'm afraid Miss Moon that it is real, and it seems that for some reason your powers are dormant. If one of you would be so kind as to demonstrate your powers, I think Miss Moon might calm down.”
Eddie sighed, “hack journalist huh?" He nodded at Cindy's bag, shot out a web line and tried to pull it towards himself. Cindy squeaked as she grabbed the bag to keep it from flying away.
“No, mine,” she hissed and black flowed over her, covering her from head to foot. As she stood frozen the black faded to grey. A web design circled out from her chest with a singular white spider sitting in its centre. Her hair flowed free but the bottom half of her face was covered with a red mask. As she screeched at the group, it split into a rictus maw, filled with razor-sharp teeth.
“We are Silk, and you dare to touch us.” the newly formed symbiote hissed at the group which had recoiled in horror. Only Eddie, Aaron, and Fisk stayed sat. Aaron shrugged and went back to eating his pizza while Eddie just sighed. Cindy grabbed hold of her bag, and as she pulled, Eddie just let go of the web.
“Really? Two are bad enough, but now you too?” he shook his head and then looked over to T'Challa, “and you, you knew this would happen?”
T'Challa shrugged. "We only knew her totems, not her powers. Our meetings with our patrons are not like Wikipedia, Mr Brock. They tell us what we need to know and that is all.” T'Challa motioned to the two Dora Milaje guardians at the door.
“Miss Silk, you are in no danger here, please, eat, and we can continue. No one is your enemy, even if past differences are difficult to overcome.”
Silk hissed and nodded at Eddie, “We know the Spider-Man, we trust him but you will not touch us again.” As her symbskin retracted, Cindy shook and it reformed as the clothes she had been wearing. “That was fucking weird. What the hell did you do to me?” she yelled at T'Challa. “The food? Did you drug the food?”
Both the Milaje raised their spears at her. T'Challa stood and beckoned them to lower them.
“Please, calm down Miss Moon and no, the food is untouched. We received word the great devourer was on Earth and our agents discovered it was Oscorp. We know you were bitten, and then much later a friend of yours, Flash Thompson, became an Agent Webb. We believe it was during his fight with Venom that he infected you, Miss Moon." T'Challa sat down once more and motioned for her to sit as well. "I am sorry, we can remove it if you wish but the process is painful and may cause you harm."
“That sounds like your talking out of your ass and know shit all about what's happening.” As Cindy said that, one of the Dora turned her head and coughed to cover a small laugh,
“We might not have dealt with the creature directly Miss Moon, but our records have mention of them. Please trust us.”
Cindy sighed and sat down with the group, “And you,” she said motioning to Eddie. “Why do I suddenly know a shit load of stuff about you?” It was strange that she had glimpses of conversations and thoughts about Eddie. About how he was a do-gooder and the feeling he was holding back. Flash must have disliked him and it was bleeding through.
Eddie shrugged. “I have no idea. If you can find Flash, you can ask him.” He took a breath before taking another bite of the pizza in front of him. "What?" he said with a mouth full, "I really don't know about," he waved the bitten slice at her, "weird alien monsters, spider bites and formula, sure. Alien goop. diddly squat."
Cindy huffed at his answer and crossed her arms while the rest of the group stared at her. Superpowers yes, but strange slime monsters were something none of them had ever heard of.
“Now that the excitement is over, and you have all eaten, it is time for the trials to begin.” T'Challa motioned and several Dora Milaje approached,
“First, everyone will get a vial to drink, and to show you our good faith, I will go first. Once the serum takes hold, you will, well, I cannot say what you will experience as it will be personal. You will be safe and only dreaming. What the dream shows you, however, is for you alone.”
Each Dora Milaje, dressed in ceremonial battle armour of the order carried a silver box. As they undid the clasps, each box contained a small vial of the same purple liquid.
A ballet of movers and furniture sprang forth. The buffet was moved to one side and soon there were ten comfortable chairs, each with a small table next to it.
“Ah, Mr Fisk, sorry but we are waiting,” T'Challa apologised. Soon enough a much larger chair came in, lifted by two muscular women. T'Challa nodded as Fisk nodded in approval.
"You will find name plates on each table, please, sit and enjoy, and may the Gods be with you.”
The group all looked hesitant. While this all seemed like a lot of crap they also knew that their powers had come from somewhere. Not everyone had drunk a serum but still found an affinity with an animal. Looking at their guards, all armed, they figured that they didn't have a choice anyway. If one was powered, they all were, and they were suitably outnumbered that even Aaron and Fisk shared a look. One which said, no, we'd lose.
“Screw it,'' Eddie sighed. After sitting down the warrior woman by his side handed him a small glass with thick purple liquid in it.
At least this time it's my choice, he thought and drank the whole thing in one swig.
T'Challa frowned. He had offered to show in good faith the potion was safe but he sighed. Americans.
Eddie felt his eyes getting heavy and after getting comfortable, he drifted off to sleep.
“Now we have our first dreamer. You may check to make sure he is still alive if you wish. He is simply visiting the spirit realm, to see the source of his power. To us, he is asleep.”
As if on cue Eddie started to snore. Cindy, hearing this, covered her mouth and quietly chuckled to herself.
“Well, if sleeping beauty here gets a nap after a good meal then why the hell not,” said Toombs. He found his chair and took off his thick fur-lined jacket he made himself comfortable. “You know, If I wasn't married, maybe you and I could get a drink sometime eh?” he winked at the Dora Milaje as she handed him the glass. “Bottoms up,” and, like Eddie, swallowed the drink in one mouthful. “Taste like ass though,” he said and after he closed his eyes and relaxed, was soon asleep.
One by one the rest, seeing the sleeping participants, all made themselves comfortable. Once the room was completely silent, barring the snoring of a few, T'Challa motioned over to the Dora,
“Prepare my own chair, I must seek the counsel of the Panther,” and with that, he was seated and took his own vial.
He was unimpressed so far with the group sleeping before him. The Purple Heart Flower ritual was sacred and now it had been reduced to nap time with these, people. After reviewing the files on several of them he had been tempted to disobey, not just his father but the Panther. It would be easy to ensure that nobody learned of the formula or the dream realm. However, he knew the consequences of such actions would tear Wakanda apart. As he made himself comfortable, he drank the mixture. As it filled him with power, he slowly drifted into sleep and journeyed to the ancestral plane.
Once the room was sleeping the remaining Dora Milaje looked at one another. “Now we wait.”
The group studied their nerves. The future of Wakanda was vulnerable in this dingy American hotel. They would make sure nothing happened to their Prince, even if it cost them their lives.
