A beam of light shot into the sky, and the shockwave shattered the windows of the surrounding buildings.
Mage Morquill stood high above the city, looking down at the terrified, fleeing crowds.
She shouted, "This world belongs to me, you foolish humans!"
Meanwhile, lying in a hospital room, Antonson Lehr was knocked off the bed by the shockwave.
He slowly stood up, looked at his fully healed wound, and then felt his neck begin to twist uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside his head:
"Join forces with her. Together, we can conquer the world."
Antonson looked around fearfully.
"Who's there!?"
The voice continued,
"I am you, and you are me. With that ugly witch added to the team, this world will be ours. Hahahahahaha!"
As the laughter faded, Antonson's expression changed. A sharp, sinister look took over his eyes—as if something else had seized control of him.
Elsewhere, Peter (the version from the "Epoch Spider-Man" universe) stepped out of a portal.
He saw John Davis's dead body on the ground, then quickly fired a web and swung away.
The scene shifted to Mage Morquill, who stood with her staff raised, staring at the darkened sky.
Suddenly, Peter appeared beside her.
Looking up at the sky, he asked, "What are you doing? What is happening?"
Without even looking at him, Morquill asked,
"Back so soon, time traveler?"
Peter replied sternly, "Stop this. I don't want to fight you."
Morquill scoffed,
"You couldn't even defeat him."
Just as Peter frowned in confusion, Green Goblin Antonson flew straight toward him on the glider.
Peter reacted instantly, leaping up and knocking Antonson off the glider.
Antonson kicked Peter away. Peter rolled several meters across the ground before standing up, shouting angrily,
"Who the hell are you!?"
Antonson made a sad face and said,
"I'm your best friend. Did you forget?"
Peter stared at him in confusion.
Antonson continued,
"If you forgot… then take this!"
He threw two pumpkin bombs at Peter.
A series of explosions erupted. Smoke engulfed the area as Antonson watched quietly.
When the smoke cleared, Peter was gone.
Suddenly, Peter appeared behind him and kicked him hard, sending him flying.
Antonson stood up, removed his mask, and yelled,
"Come on!"
He stepped toward Peter. Peter fired a web and pulled himself back, launched forward like a slingshot, and kicked Antonson in the face. Antonson grabbed Peter's leg and pulled him down, then delivered a hard kick to Peter's stomach.
Peter groaned in pain, clutching his abdomen. Antonson pinned him down and began punching him repeatedly in the face.
Peter kicked Antonson in the groin.
Antonson collapsed to the side.
Peter crawled toward the edge of the rooftop and stood up.
Antonson charged at him. Peter reacted instantly—jumping off the edge and clinging to the side of the building. Antonson failed to stop and fell off the skyscraper.
Falling rapidly, Antonson tried desperately to activate the glider—but it was broken beyond repair.
Peter saw the sparking glider and remembered Antonson's earlier words:
"I'm your best friend… did you forget?"
Peter jumped.
But it was too late.
Antonson crashed violently onto a car. Peter landed safely nearby and pulled off his mask.
His eyes were wet as he whispered, trembling,
"Antonson… I remember you. Antonson."
Using his final breath, Antonson said,
"Peter… end this."
His eyes went lifeless.
With shaking hands, Peter gently placed a hand over Antonson's eyes and slowly closed them.
Peter climbed back up the tower. He and Mage Morquill looked up simultaneously as a plane flew overhead.
Peter looked at her and shook his head.
"No… don't do this!"
Morquill raised her hand and used her magic to break the plane's braking system. Inside the plane, the pilots began to panic.
Peter flipped her off, then shot a web at the aircraft and swung after it.
Morquill smiled.
Inside the cockpit, the co-pilot said,
"The brakes are gone… should we go around again?"
The captain shouted,
"Not at this altitude! We're committed to landing!"
Just then, a note stuck itself onto the windshield.
It read:
"Turn on everything that can slow the plane.
I'll help from behind.
—Spider-Man."
The captain and co-pilot exchanged a hopeful look.
Outside, Peter crawled across the plane against the fierce wind. Suddenly, the plane hit the runway, the impact shaking Peter loose.
He got back on his feet, ran after the plane, and fired multiple webs, pulling with all his strength. The force dragged him across the runway, cracking the pavement.
Inside, the captain deployed the spoilers and activated reverse thrust.
The airplane slowed—but it was still five meters from the end of the runway.
Peter fired even more webs. Passengers inside prayed desperately.
The plane broke past the runway edge.
It was about to crash into an apartment building—
Peter pulled with every muscle in his body, nearly tearing himself apart.
The captain stared at the building, then at the slowly dropping speed indicator—
The airplane scraped past the building, knocking off a single roof tile, and came to a stop.
Everyone on board erupted into cheers.
Meanwhile, Morquill's staff was almost fully charged. Peter ran toward her and shouted angrily,
"What the hell are you trying to do!?"
Morquill said,
"When the entire sky turns black, this world will reshape into one I desire. And you side characters will simply die! Don't bother trying to stop me. Once the spell is cast, it cannot be undone.
Unless…"
Before she finished, Peter punched her straight in the face—only to be blasted backward a hundred meters.
Morquill looked at the sky.
"It will take a bit more time. I'll visit another universe first.
As for you… die here."
She opened a portal with a wave of her hand.
Peter grabbed a pumpkin bomb from the broken glider and fired a web at her as she stepped halfway into the portal.
Morquill turned her head slightly.
"You can't kill me with that."
BOOM!
The bomb exploded beside the portal.
Damaged, the portal began collapsing.
Morquill realized too late—
The portal violently snapped shut, slicing her in half.
One half fell into another universe, the other dropped in front of Peter.
Peter raised an eyebrow.
"Unless I kill you."
Sunlight pierced through the sky as the darkness faded.
People on the streets looked up and cheered.
Before long, Spider-Man made the news headlines:
"SPIDER-MAN IS OUR HERO!!!"
Two Months Later
Christmas music played: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."
The host shouted,
"Please welcome our Santa Claus!!!"
Peter, wearing his Spider-Man suit, stepped out on stage.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Meanwhile, in Several Other Universes…
Year 810 — Tang Dynasty
Ze stood in the bustling market, looking at a photo in his hand as he searched for his next target.
2021
Mirror Woman, with help from her boss's experiment, finally returned to her normal human form.
Tears streamed down her face.
Spider-Man 2004 Universe
Peter sat in a café with Doctor Austin, chatting happily.
Behind the counter, MJ watched them quietly.
2005
Crew Mark stared at himself in the mirror and wiped away the Joker makeup.
Then he stood up and walked out of the room.
The door shut with a loud "bang."
— END —