SPIDER-MAN

Chapter 66: 66) Fire & Ice



Kenneth lifted his arms and unleashed a beam of fire towards Iceman with a wide smile, as Iceman also lifted his hand, firing a beam of ice as the two beams collided, forming a large cloud of steam. 

Iceman stamped his feet, and spikes of ice protruded from the ground one by one towards Kenneth. Kenneth groaned loudly as his beam of red fire turned a clear orange, pushing Iceman's beam back and melting the ice that neared him.

Iceman made a wall of ice and stopped his beam as the beam of fire quickly melted through. Iceman continued to hold up his wall as the fire wrapped itself around the wall, causing Iceman's body to decrease in size. Eventually, the assault stopped as Kenneth regained his breath.

"Now that was fun!" said Kenneth with joy as he grinned. 

"We clearly don't enjoy the same type of 'fun'," joked Iceman.

Kenneth started to run towards Iceman, as Iceman ran towards Kenneth like an ice skater. The two rushed together and clashed in the middle, punching and kicking each other like a brawl. 

Iceman grabbed hold of Kenneth's neck and frozen it in ice, but with his other hand, he held it near Kenneth's chest and fired a beam, making Kenneth yell in agony before melting the ice around his neck and being flung across the road.

Kenneth's fire started to partially turn white as he threw another set of metal balls across the ground near Iceman. Iceman skated through the metal balls as Kenneth started to set them off, explosions consuming his background, not looking back.

Kenneth reached into his satchel, pulling out a small vile with a clear liquid and pouring it into his mouth. Now his entire body was covered in a white fire as the concrete he stood on began to crack from the heat.

Kenneth threw the vile behind him, and it fell to the floor as a puddle, melting in the air due to his heat.

Kenneth showed signs of hyperventilating but still rushed towards Iceman before slipping and falling to the floor, confused and dazed. Iceman held his hands on the floor as a sheath of ice chased Kenneth before encasing him in a capsule of ice.

"I should thank Spider-Man for the Black Ice tip," muttered Iceman, getting back in position and anticipating Kenneth's escape.

The capsule of Ice quickly melted away, forming another cloud of steam where the outline of Kenneth laughing could be seen.

"What an interesting little trick you pulled!" he shouted at Iceman before rushing towards him.

Kenneth pulled his arm back, punching the air and releasing a beam of fire towards Iceman, who slipped into the splits, letting the fire fly over his head. Kenneth placed his hands on the ground, cracking the concrete road as a path of flames chased Iceman, who rose up on a pillar of ice.

Kenneth reached into his satchel once more, taking out another vial, opening it, and throwing the liquid across the air at Iceman. A swish of Kenneth's hands made the liquid turn into a sort of liquid fire that started to rain down on Iceman.

Iceman jumped down from his pillar before lifting it above him, catching the falling fire, and throwing it towards Kenneth. Kenneth raised his arm and pointed upwards, creating a wall of white flames in front of him, vaporizing the pillar. 

Through the wall of flames came Kenneth running towards Iceman, who turned his arm into a massive club. Iceman swung at Kenneth, who slid under and faced his palm at Iceman's chin, unleashing a beam of fire that turned the bottom of Iceman's face into steam.

Iceman turned his leg into a club and kicked Kenneth away, who rolled across the floor for a while before leaping back to his feet. Iceman stepped back, his back now against a building, glaring at Kenneth while transforming ice from his chest back to his face. His surroundings were now covered in ice and frost.

Kenneth laughed once again as his fire turned into dazzling white. "You like my fire!" he joked, raising his hand and firing a ray of fire towards Iceman, who raised an ice wall to block the incoming attack.

Kenneth stopped his ray and busted through Iceman's wall with a grin, to see nothing but the wall of the building now covered in frost. Kenneth turned around, confused as to where Iceman had gone.

From the frost-covered wall appeared Iceman, his hand a massive club, dashing to Kenneth's side. Kenneth looked to his side just in time to see Iceman slam him through the wall. Kenneth slammed into the back of the building, his back against it, as he started to get back to his feet.

Iceman created a large hammer of ice and swung downwards, destroying half the building as Kenneth desperately blasted fire through it and the roof, saving himself just in time. 

Kenneth grabbed a nearby wooden chair that instantly started to slowly turn to ash before throwing it at Iceman, who batted it away.

Kenneth rushed at Iceman as they engaged in hand-to-hand combat, both of them receiving heavy blows. The building was separated into two sections, one covered in white flames and the other with frost.

As they continued to wail at each other, Kenneth's arm stopped midway, now letting Iceman push him back. Kenneth tried to struggle, but more and more of his joints stiffened as he lost control of his own muscles.

Kenneth's legs gave out as he kneeled in front of Iceman, now placed under his mercy; his arms flopped to his side, his eyes distraught and in denial. Iceman did one last punch, laying Kenneth flat on his back.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" screamed Kenneth, glaring at Iceman, whose breathing was uncontrollable.

"It's called thermal shock, or cold shock in this case. When your body undergoes a rapid change in temperature, you begin to hyperventilate. Then you lose control of your breathing before you lose control of your muscles like you just have. I was just lucky enough that it happened to you first," replied Iceman, trying to control his breathing.

"What a lousy way to lose," replied Kenneth, whose flames disappeared, revealing his bright red skin and completely hairless body. 

Iceman waved his hand, trapping Kenneth in ice and putting out the fire that rampaged throughout the building before turning back into his human form, whose ribs became visible and who became noticeably shorter.

"If you don't mind, I need to go beat your leader now," said Iceman, slowly leaving the building.

"No matter what you do, you can't beat Vulcan; he's a completely different beast than any of us. He wasn't created to be defeated, no matter what you throw at him. It's a hopeless endeavour." said Kenneth.

"Well, there's no hope in not trying," replied Iceman. 

Kenneth smiled. "I always preferred the cold," he muttered under his breath.


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