NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71: Into the Abyss
Chapter 71: Into the Abyss
The rift continued to pulse above them, its dark energy wrapping around the surrounding buildings like a suffocating cloak. The air felt charged with an ominous force, heavy and thick, as if the very atmosphere was ready to collapse under the weight of what was to come. Peter swung through the broken docks, his webs slicing through the air as he tried to keep his focus on the creature in front of him.
The creature hissed, its glowing red eyes fixed on him. It was fast, faster than anything he'd faced before. It lashed out with claws that seemed to distort the air itself, cutting through the night like a blade of pure darkness. Peter barely managed to dodge one swipe, his spider-sense buzzing frantically in his head.
"I'm starting to miss the good old days of just fighting burglars," Peter muttered under his breath, narrowly avoiding another attack.
Doctor Strange's voice came through his earpiece, calm but urgent. "This isn't just a creature. It's a soldier from a dimension beyond our own, one that thrives on destruction. We need to close the rift, or more of them will keep coming."
Peter shot another web at the creature's chest, attempting to restrain it. The webbing stuck, but it was no use—the creature's form flickered again, its body turning into a mass of shadows, slipping through Peter's grasp. It let out a screech, its unnatural voice sending a chill through Peter's spine.
"You're going to need more than webs to hold it down," Doctor Strange said, stepping forward and raising his hands. Ancient symbols appeared around his palms, glowing with arcane power. "I'll contain it. You find the source."
Peter nodded, his eyes narrowing. He trusted Doctor Strange, but he knew that stopping the rift wasn't going to be easy. There was a reason why these creatures were so powerful—the rift itself was a wound in reality, and whatever came through was only a small glimpse of the chaos waiting to spill out.
He lunged forward, shooting another web at the creature's back and pulling himself towards it. The creature twisted in mid-air, its shadowy form flickering like smoke. Peter gritted his teeth, flipping backward just as the claws slashed at him, narrowly avoiding them.
The rift's energy was so intense now that the ground seemed to quake beneath Peter's feet. The once sturdy docks were beginning to crumble, cracks forming in the pavement as if the very foundations were being ripped apart by the rift's influence. Pieces of buildings around them began to shift and collapse, creating a maze of rubble and debris.
"Focus, Peter!" Doctor Strange called out, his voice strained as he held back the creature with a wall of light. The magical barrier flickered as the creature's claws scraped against it, but it held.
Peter's eyes darted around, scanning the area for any sign of the rift's epicenter. He needed to find a way to close it, to stop the flood of these shadowy creatures from invading the city. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as his spider-sense tingled again, but this time, it wasn't the creature. It was something else.
A chill ran down his spine, and a voice echoed in his head. "You cannot stop it, Spider-Man."
The voice was deep and cold, reverberating through Peter's mind like an ancient whisper. He spun around, but saw nothing. It wasn't Doctor Strange—this was something else. Something darker.
The creature lunged again, snapping Peter out of his thoughts. He dove to the side, avoiding its claws, but he knew he didn't have much time. He couldn't keep dodging forever. He needed to find a way to stop the rift—and fast.
Then, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head, he saw it.
In the middle of the rift, nestled in the center of the dark energy, was a shimmering core—a pulsating, glowing orb of pure blackness. That was the heart of the rift. If he could destroy it, the rift would collapse.
Without hesitation, Peter launched himself at the creature one final time, using his webs to swing around it and land behind it. He fired a series of rapid webs at the creature, binding its limbs and holding it in place long enough for Peter to make his move.
"Doctor Strange!" Peter shouted, not taking his eyes off the creature. "I need a distraction. I'm going for the core."
Doctor Strange, sensing the urgency in Peter's voice, nodded and raised his staff. He muttered an incantation under his breath, and a powerful blast of magical energy surged toward the creature, forcing it back. It screeched, its form flickering as the magic pushed it away from Peter.
Peter took the opportunity to spring into action. He shot webs at the ground and swung toward the rift. As he neared the pulsating core, his heart raced. He could feel the power of the rift, the gravity of the energy that seemed to pull at him like a magnet.
The moment his feet hit the ground near the core, the rift began to rumble, sending shockwaves through the air. The energy was building, faster and faster. Peter knew he didn't have much time. He pulled a small device from his utility belt—a specialized grenade designed to disrupt magical energies. He didn't have time to test it, but it was his only shot.
He threw it at the core.
The grenade exploded with a flash of bright light, and for a moment, everything went white.
Peter's world was a blur of white light and swirling energy. For a split second, he felt weightless, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling around him. He couldn't hear anything, couldn't feel anything. He was suspended in the chaos of the rift, everything twisting and shifting around him.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over.
Peter gasped for air, his body slamming against the ground as gravity returned. He felt disoriented, the energy of the rift still swirling around him, but weaker now. He quickly scrambled to his feet, looking around. The rift had collapsed, but there was no sign of the creature.
Doctor Strange appeared beside him, his face tense but relieved. "It's over," he said, his voice calm but worn from the battle. "The rift is sealed. The creature is gone."
Peter nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. But as he looked around at the destruction, his heart sank. The rift might have been closed, but the damage had already been done. The docks were in ruins, and the city had been shaken to its core.
"We can't rest just yet," Peter said, glancing back at Doctor Strange. "This was just one rift. There will be more. And I don't think we've seen the worst of it."
Doctor Strange met Peter's gaze. "You're right. There are many more rifts out there, and more dangers to come. But tonight, we've stopped something that could have ended it all."
Peter's mind was already racing. The threat of the rifts wasn't over. And the cryptic voice he'd heard, the one that had warned him—he knew that wasn't the end. It was just the beginning.
End of Chapter 71