Chapter 11: The Ancient One
"Good thing I've dealt with enemies who wrecked my web-shooters before. At least I've had practice handling equipment failure."
Spider-Man pulled out a spare web shooter, snapped it onto his right wrist, and tested the fit.
Just as he was about to leave, a ring of golden light flared open behind him.
In the dark rooftop, the shimmering portal stood out like a beacon, instantly catching his attention.
He spun around and recognized it at once. It was the same style of portal Doctor Strange always used.
"Looks like I don't need to track down the Doc after all. He found me first," Spider-Man muttered.
To his surprise, the one stepping out wasn't Doctor Strange but a bald figure draped in yellow robes.
Spider-Man blinked. "Okay… I'm never making fun of the Doc's goatee or weird fashion choices again. The version in this universe actually has Nick Fury's haircut."
"Doctor?" he asked tentatively.
"I'm not the Doctor you're referring to. The man you're looking for is currently performing surgery fifteen blocks away."
"So I'm early?"
"More precisely, six years too early."
"Hold on… how do you even know what Doctor Strange will be in six years?"
"I saw it." The Ancient One answered without hesitation.
"You… saw it? As in literally 'saw'? That kind of 'saw'?"
"Mm." She gave a quiet nod.
"And you are…?" he asked carefully.
If she could see Doctor Strange's future, then maybe she could help him return to his original universe.
"I am the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme of this generation."
"Great!" Spider-Man felt a spark of hope.
"Before you get ahead of yourself, I should make it clear. I can't send you back to your universe."
"You know I'm from another universe?"
"That's exactly why I'm here."
"But… you can't help me return?"
From her abilities, it made no sense that she couldn't.
"I can," she corrected. "But I'm not allowed to."
"Why?"
"Your destiny in your original universe has been erased. Your fate is now tied to this one. You've taken the place of this universe's Spider-Man. For all intents and purposes, you are the Spider-Man of our world now."
Spider-Man's thoughts drifted to the Hameno Stone. It must be its effect that caused his destiny to disappear from his original universe.
"Is it because of this?" He took out the stone.
The Ancient One's eyes widened with rare astonishment. "This stone carries the power of destiny."
She studied it closely, clearly intrigued by an artifact capable of altering fate itself.
"Can it send me back?" He clung to a sliver of hope.
"Unfortunately, no. Nothing can restore a destiny that's been erased."
"So you're saying I can never go back?" His voice dropped.
"That's right."
"Not even for a day? An hour? I just… want to say goodbye to my friends and family."
"Not even a second. If you return, your universe will erase you instantly because your destiny no longer exists there. And our universe will fall into catastrophe due to the disappearance of Spider-Man's fate here."
"I came to warn you. Don't attempt to go back. It won't end well for you or for this world."
Spider-Man fell quiet.
He turned to look at the night view of New York. The city was ablaze with lights, but not a single one shone for him.
The Ancient One watched Spider-Man's back, knowing he understood the gravity of the situation, and silently departed.
"On the bright side… at least Jameson isn't calling me a menace every day," Spider-Man muttered to himself.
He looked over the bustling city, unsure where he belonged now.
After half an hour on the rooftop, he finally swung off into the night.
20 Ingram Street, Forest Hills Gardens, Queens.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A rapid knock rattled the front door.
At the dining table, the Parker family exchanged puzzled glances.
"Ben, did you invite someone over?" May asked.
"No," Ben replied.
"I didn't either. And Ben, Queens hasn't been very peaceful lately," she cautioned.
"I know."
Ben picked up a wrench from his toolbox and walked to the door with steady caution.
The lock clicked open.
Standing in the doorway was a young man in a torn Spider-Man suit, an Iron Spider backpack slung over his shoulders. The mask was damaged, revealing part of his face.
Ben could tell right away that he was just a kid.
"And you are…?" Ben asked.
"Uncle Ben… I… I…" Peter stammered.
Spider-Man had nowhere else to go. After circling the city with nowhere that felt like home, he ended up at the address where he'd lived for eighteen years.
Even though this universe's Ben and May didn't recognize the young man beneath the suit, Peter still felt drawn to them.
"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just… I just wanted to see… both of you," he said, unsure of what to say.
Seeing Uncle Ben alive, standing right in front of him, hit him harder than he expected. His instincts picked up Ben's tension and the wrench hiding just behind his leg.
"You know us?" Ben's brow furrowed.
He tried to search his memory but couldn't recall ever meeting someone like this.
"No, no, we've never met. Tonight's our first time crossing paths," Peter replied.
"Do you want to come in?" Ben asked.
Ben could hear that this person's voice was young, and he assumed he was just a young man who liked to dress in unusual clothes.
"That'd be great… thank you," Peter answered quietly.
"Sure."
Ben stepped aside, letting him in.
Just like that, Peter walked into the house he had once called home, though now only as a guest.
"Ben, who is he?" May asked.
"He… he's a friend of mine," Ben replied awkwardly.
Ben wasn't good at lying, and May could tell he was being dishonest.
"That suit looks awesome!" the little Peter at the dinner table chimed in.
"Yeah… I think so too," the older Peter answered with a bittersweet smile.
The warmth of the scene hit him hard.
He had once had this. A family. A home.
Now all of it was gone, and he was the only one left.
Ben watched the young man carefully and, seeing no threat, finally lowered the wrench. He gave May a small reassuring gesture.
"Would you like to join us for dinner?" May offered.
Since Ben seemed to trust him, she didn't feel the need to worry either.