Exiles #3

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Exiles #3
Exiled
Part 3
Weeping Willow

Written and Edited by Daniel Dyer (Spider-Man Beyond)

Ben Reilly, his mask pulled back and rubbing his temples, asked, “So... you’re the... gatekeeper? Of an entire multiverse?”

“Yes,” I answered. “I got my powers during the big royal rumble between universes. At first, I only knew of the two universes. It was years later that I discovered there were actually hundreds... if not thousands. Some slightly different. Others vastly different.”

“Oye... I wonder if Peter ever had days like this.”

“Yeah, Webhead,” stated Cyborg as he stepped forward. “And now, the multiverse is in danger. My universe was one of the casualties.”

I looked around. Ben hung his head, not sure what to say. Kurt Wagner, the mutant Nightcrawler was uncharacteristically quiet. The Predator, his helmet set beside him, continued to look out a window, at nothing. Yrra was the one to step forward, putting her hand on Victor’s shoulder. She may have been a hard as nails soldier, but I could tell that she had heart.

Ben was the first to speak up. “So how do we stop it?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. There really doesn’t seem to be a pattern. The only connection is that beings of great power destroy their own universes. So far, I’ve been one step behind, playing catch up.”

“Vhat if they are unconnected?” asked Kurt.

“It seems too coincidental. As soon as one universe is destroyed another becomes endangered.”

“So, you don’t know if it’s random or not?” asked Reilly.

Yrra stepped up. “They are not random. The Guardians of... my Universe mentioned a threat to the multiverse.”

“But we have no clue what this threat is?” questioned Spidey again. “So, what are we supposed to do? Go to each one of the thousands of universes... ONE AT A TIME?”

“Should we just do nothing?” asked Victor, as he stepped up, getting in Ben’s face.

“Ve need to attack the cause, not the symptoms,” stated Nightcrawler.

“Which is why we must visit these endangered universe,” Yrra stated. “The one behind the devastation should be witnessing his handiwork.”

The Predator then stood, his mouth spread wide as if some hideous flower blooming and roared, “KI’CTE!!!” and slammed the end of his spear to the floor.

“What did he say?” asked Reilly.

“Enough?” suggested Yrra.

The alien hunter’s electronic voice box repeated, “Enough.”

“Guess that settles it,” Ben stated and turned to me. “Where to, boss?”

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Willow Rosenberg did not stay in Sunnydale after Xander died. She did not even remain in California. She had already traveled two states over and set in a diner. Who knew what was going through Willow’s head. Sorrow? Regret? Anger? Maybe all of them. She knew she could no longer face her friends. She didn’t think she deserved friends.

>>Willow Rosenberg,<< echoed a voice within Willow’s head, >>you have shown great power.<<

“D'Hoffryn?” Willow muttered.

>>No, no no. I am much more than a simple demon.<<

“Who are you?!” screamed Willow as she stood to her feet. Those seated around her in the small diner looked on, thinking she was crazy.

>>I am one who can help you.<<

“How...?” she asked as she set back down, those in the diner watching her as she talked to herself.

>>By undoing your mistake,<< said the voice.

“NO!” Willow screamed, a surge of magic energy erupting from her and she fled.

A figure, shrouded in shadows, watched as Willow ran out.

“Fine. Then I’ll just have to guilt you into it,” the figure stated and vanished in a burst of light, too bright for the human eye to stand.

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The swirling, bright cosmic doorway opened in thin air in front of the diner which Willow Rosenberg had ran from minutes earlier. Stepping through it was Cyborg (I figured he was the most qualified to lead this team of heroes without a home. These Exiles), Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Nightcrawler, and the Predator. I had opted to remain behind and monitor the situation from Haven.

“So, we missed her?” asked Spider-Man.

Yrra had just exited the diner. She had on a plaid shirt and jeans, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “It appears so,” she answered as she used her ring to reform her Green Lantern uniform. “The locals said she was talking to herself and then left screaming.”

“Sounds like someone nice and sane who would make a great addition to the team,” Spidey retorted sarcastically.

“More like a threat to this universe that must be stopped,” Cyborg said in a serious tone. “Access said she almost destroyed this world.”

Kurt stepped up, “But she didn’t.”

“Right,” Cyborg stated, “but not before she killed her best friend.”

“Ve mustn’t condemn this woman. There is no telling vhat may have influenced her.”

The Predator knelt down in a dirt path. He put his ear to the ground and then headed down the path.

“Uh... Pred, wait for us,” Spider-Man called out as he shot a web-line to a tree and swung after him.

Yrra then formed a green bubble around Kurt and Vic and followed the alien Predator and web-slinger adventurer.

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Willow set on a bolder, in the cover of a cave. She was pondering the events that led her here. The past year had been tough. It began with her going deeper into the dark arts, starting with her resurrecting a hero. Buffy Summers, this generation’s Vampire Slayer. The Slayer died saving the world but Willow couldn’t bare the loss. She took it upon herself to bring the Slayer back.

Willow succeeded where most had failed, pulling Buffy back to this world. Pulling the Slayer back from Heaven. As time went on, Willow found herself using magic for minor things, abusing the power. She was warned by Rupert Giles about her abuse, as was she by her love, Tara Maclay. Willow, fearful of losing her girlfriend made her forget. Forget the fight. Forget being angry. Forget being worried. Willow should have known then, but she was too far gone.

When Warren Mears tried to shoot Buffy, it was Tara who received the killing shot. This is what drove Willow over the edge. She ended up skinning Warren alive and then going after Warren’s partners, but she ended that pursuit once a better idea came to her mind. If she must suffer, then the world must too.

Willow set out to raise an ancient temple. A temple she would use to destroy the world. She ended up killing Xander Harris instead.

“AARGH!” screamed Willow as she sent out a magical bolt, disintegrating a rock.

>>It’s all your fault, ya know,<< stated the voice in her head once more. >>If not for you, Buffy would be in paradise. Xander would still be cracking his little jokes.<< The voice is silent for a moment, then it continues, >>If Tara never met you...<<

“DON’T TALK ABOUT HER!” screamed Willow as magical energy surged from her fingertips.

>>Hit a sore note, did I?<< asked the voice. >>It is true, though. Tara would be living happily if not for you.<<

Magic poured from Willow. The young Wiccan was angry, but was it anger towards the voice... or herself.

>>They would be more happy without you. The world would benefit more.<<

“Uh... guys,” started Spidey as he entered the cave besides the Predator, “I think I found her. And she don’t look happy.”

Willow turned to the intruders. “DEMON!” she yelled and hurled magic lightning at the Predator.

The Predator was ready to strike, when a green wall appeared before him, saving him from the blast. “Lou-dte kale?” he questioned.

In flew Yrra. “Handsome, we really need to translate that.”

“Who are you?” questioned Willow.

Cyborg steps up. “Friends.”

>>Don’t trust them. Look at him. Resemble anyone you know?<<

“Adam,” Willow said through clinched teeth and blasted Cyborg.

Nightcrawler then teleported beside the angry with. “Ve only mean to help.”

>>This group allies itself with demons.<<

Suddenly Willow let out a burst of magic and binded Kurt, Cyborg, and the Predator. “Die!” screamed the witch as the trio started to feel like they were being squeezed. Crushed.

Spider-Man crawled along the cave wall. “Yrra, any ideas?”

“It almost seems like she’s being influenced.”

>>Kill them. They want to do worse to you.<<

Yrra continued, “See, look. It appears like she starts to waver and then intensify.”

“So Access is right. The beings are being influenced.” Spidey began to look around. “Keep her from killing the tem on our first mission. I’ll be back.”

“Wait,” Yrra says but it was too late. Ben was already swinging out of the cave. “Great.”

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Reilly was swinging in circles around the outside of the cave. “He’s gotta be here somewhere.”

>>Ahh,<< Spidey heard in his head.

“Who’s there?” Spider-Man asked as he swung to a tree branch.

>>I am the destroyer of the multiverse. I am Oblivion,<< answered the voice.

Ben, having scanned the area, sees a dark figure on the ground. “Ah-ha!”

As Spidey shot a web-line to the figure, Oblivion vanished in a burst of light.

“Gone?”

“Boo,” came a voice from behind Ben.Spidey turned and saw the face of Axel Asher. Me...

“Have the witch,” Oblivion stated. “Consider it a gift. Next time I won’t be quite so generous.”

Ben then covered his eyes as the man calling himself Oblivion vanished in a flash of bright light.

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“We... are... not your... enemies...” Cyborg tried to get out as he felt the squeeze, almost as if he was being crushed by two large hands.

Yrra is unsure what to do. Willow is only a pawn in this. She isn’t a villain. The Guardians sent her on this journey to think before she acted, but the only thing she can think of is action. “Screw this!” the Green Lantern said as she hit Willow with a concentrated emerald blast, knocking Willow down and causing her to drop her spell on the trio of heroes. “We are not your enemies. We are here to help you. We came to save your world.”

“Tactful,” stated Nightcrawler as he got to his feet.

“Kiss my ring,” she retorted.

Willow set up. “The voice. It’s gone. I...” Willow looks around and remembers. These beings never attacked her. They appeared to genuinely want to be... allies.

Cyborg stepped up. “We know what happened. We came to offer you a chance to join us. A chance for... redemption.”

“Begone. I am beyond redemption,” the witch said sternly.

“That’s what they all say,” Spidey stated as he swung in. “But we could use your power.”

Willow pondered this and finally, after a long explanation as to what was happening, agreed to join there cause.

Before the team decided to leave the world, Reilly turned to the rest.

“Guys... I think we may have a problem, though. The big bad. It’s Access...”

Continued...