NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43: The Dark Tide
Chapter 43: The Dark Tide
The creature's roar vibrated through the dock like an earthquake, rattling the nearby buildings and sending a ripple of terror through Peter's veins. It was a force of nature—a being that shouldn't exist, and yet, here it was, a terrifying reality. Peter's instincts kicked in immediately. His spider-sense screamed as the creature's dark tendrils lashed out, cutting through the air with a speed and force that defied nature.
"MJ, stay back!" Peter shouted, but he didn't even need to look to know she wasn't listening. The fight was coming, and it was coming fast.
The creature, a writhing mass of liquid black, seemed to ripple as it extended its tentacles. Each tendril was like a whip, snapping through the air toward them. Peter leaped into action, swinging between the docks, narrowly dodging the creature's first strike. The tentacles slammed into the water with a deafening crash, sending waves splashing high into the night sky.
Peter's mind raced. His hands were shaking from adrenaline, but he had to focus. This creature—whatever it was—was far stronger than any opponent he had faced. The way it moved, the way it seemed to be made of liquid darkness, it was unlike anything he'd ever seen. His spider-sense tingled constantly, a warning of every new movement it made. He couldn't let it get too close to MJ. She was already in danger just by being here.
A massive tentacle shot toward him, and Peter barely dodged it, his webbing shooting out to latch onto a nearby steel beam. He swung to the side as another tentacle crashed down right where he had been standing. The force of the impact shook the ground beneath him, and he could feel the power of the creature's presence, the hunger in every movement it made.
"Who are you?" Peter yelled, his voice cutting through the night air, trying to buy himself some time to think. "What do you want?"
The creature's glowing, sickly eyes fixed on him. It paused for a moment, as though assessing him, before responding with a voice that didn't come from its mouth. Instead, it echoed in Peter's mind, deep and malevolent.
"We are the Tide. We come from the void between worlds. We bring the darkness with us. You are… nothing compared to what's coming next."
Peter's heart skipped a beat. The Tide? That wasn't a name he recognized, but he knew one thing for certain: it wasn't good. The mention of other worlds, of the void—it was all too familiar to the experiments Oscorp had been conducting. The creature wasn't just a random force of destruction. It was part of something far worse.
The creature lunged, and Peter barely had time to react. He shot a web at the nearest light post, swinging around it just as the tentacle slammed into the ground where he had been. The creature was fast—faster than he'd expected. And with every second, it was learning his movements. Peter could feel his webs starting to slow, the monster's constant movement making it harder to land a solid hit.
Think, Peter. Think.
Then, the creature's voice echoed again. "You are Spider-Man, the one who has tangled with our kin. You think you can stop us? You will fail."
The weight of its words was suffocating, but Peter couldn't let that stop him. He had faced so many enemies—some with god-like powers, others driven by pure rage—but none of them had ever made him feel this helpless. The creature wasn't just powerful. It was a force, a primal wave of destruction. And now, Peter was standing in its path.
His mind flashed to MJ, still standing back, wide-eyed with terror, trying to stay out of the way. She was too close. If Peter couldn't stop this thing, it would come for her next. And he couldn't let that happen. Not after everything they had been through.
A plan began to form in Peter's mind. If this thing was from another dimension, it wasn't bound by the laws of physics the way he was. It didn't care about his webs or punches—this wasn't about strength, it was about strategy. Peter needed to trap it.
He swung higher, out of reach of the tentacles, and glanced around. The docks were old, unstable, with rotting beams and supports that had been damaged over the years. There had to be something he could use—something to his advantage. His eyes landed on a large, rusted crane standing tall in the distance.
If he could get the crane arm swinging, he could create a massive distraction, something that would give him enough time to think. With a plan in mind, Peter shot a web at the crane's massive arm and used his strength to swing toward it. The creature noticed his movement and launched another tentacle, but Peter was already in motion.
As he swung toward the crane, the creature roared in fury, its dark mass twisting violently in the water. The tentacle barely missed him, and Peter gritted his teeth as he landed on the crane's arm. He pushed against the metal frame, feeling it creak under the pressure. But Peter wasn't waiting for it to break. He shot a series of webs at the base, securing himself to the crane's arm and the nearby structure. Then, with a deep breath, he used all his strength to pull the crane's arm back.
The movement was slow at first, the crane protesting under his weight, but as Peter's momentum increased, the arm finally swung free. It built speed quickly, hurtling toward the creature that had been advancing toward him.
The creature saw it coming too late. The crane's arm slammed into it with a deafening crack, sending the monstrous form crashing back into the water. Peter heard the screeching sound of metal meeting flesh, followed by a chaotic thrashing. The creature roared, its tentacles whipping violently, but it was momentarily disoriented.
Peter didn't waste the opportunity. He fired a web to the nearest building and swung toward it, using the momentum to reach the creature's location. He had to keep it off-balance. The creature was recovering too quickly, and Peter couldn't afford to give it any room to breathe.
He landed on the creature's form, his webbing already firing into the dark tendrils. He clung to it, dodging a retaliating strike. With his webs tightly wound around the monster's limbs, Peter began to pull, trying to restrain it.
The creature howled in fury, but Peter's webs were strong. He didn't let go, pulling with everything he had. And then, something clicked in his mind—this wasn't just about stopping it now. It was about sending it back to where it came from.
Peter's eyes narrowed as the creature began to struggle, its body writhing, desperate to free itself. "You came here to conquer," Peter muttered under his breath. "But you won't. Not while I'm still breathing."
He shot another web to the nearby water, pulling himself toward a large, rusted chain attached to the dock. His plan was risky, but Peter had no choice. He needed to send this thing back to wherever it came from—and fast. He needed a way to sever its connection to this world.
"Get ready," Peter murmured, his voice filled with determination. "This ends now."
End of Chapter 43