Marvel: King of Mythology Chapter 23

Chapter 23: I am HERCULES!


[[Peter Parker]]


“No!” He yelled, seeing the building’s one side crumble down.


“Focus here, Spider-Man!” 


He barely dodged the punch, the punch that could end any human.


“We will handle it here, Spidy!” He heard this team shout as they all attacked Juggernaut –the villain responsible for him being late, the villain responsible for him not getting any time and the villain responsible for him being left with no choice but to take a S.H.I.E.L.D item for the exhibition.


The same item that was wreaking havoc at his university.


Peter –Spider-Man– nodded and rushed towards the university, praying that no one was hurt.


He knew Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman were there to protect others, but he had a horrible feeling about this.


He swung past the rubble and entered the building, only to see a struggling hero duo against a stomping android.


“I-Is everyone safe?” He asked, nervous at the mess he created. 


“No…” Susan said, gritting her teeth as she tried holding the android with her powers. “Please remove the rubble!”


She pointed at the wrecked place with her eyes, “Two students are stuck there!”


Peter felt his stomach turn, the possibility that two students got crushed because of his stupidity horrified him.


But he wasn’t going to be blindsided and allow the android to hurt more.


Steeling his heart, he shot at the crumbled ceiling with his web fluid and pulled.


There was too much, he felt his heart drop.


There was no way that anyone could have survived that hit. 


Did he kill innocents because of his stupidity?


Was he the reason for another death after Uncle Ben?


‘Please… Please be safe.’ He wished, aware that it was not possible.


“Dodge!”


Hearing the yell, he gritted his teeth and stood protecting the already crumbled ceiling.


He didn't dodge.


“Ugh!”


He let the concrete piece hit him, hurting him. But he couldn’t let more weight be put on the people that were hopefully alive inside the rubble.


Just as he tried going back to pulling through the destruction, he heard a voice.


“Help against the android!”


He froze, the voice came from the rubble.


And immediately after, an arm smashed through it –revealing a tanned and muscular body.


The hand slowly swept away the rubble, making sure that the girl that was next to him was unharmed.


He didn't know the bulky man, but he knew the girl.


“Gwen!”


“Shut up and get that android out of here!” The man yelled, not bothered by the rubble he was under just a second ago. “The more he eats these scraps, the bigger he will get!”


Peter didn't have time to process the situation as he saw the android ‘Andy’ grabbing Reed and throwing him a dozen feet away from them.


“Go!”


Spider-Man knew what he had to do.


With a stronger will and a bit of relief seeing the two people safe, he immediately shot his web fluid at the android.


“Invisible Woman, help me!” 


Seeing spider-Man build a sort of catapult behind him with his web –Susan understood immediately what he was trying for.


She created smaller force fields on the ground, tinier, which caused the android to lose its balance as he kept his feet over them.


“Move!” Peter yelled as he threw his body towards the android.


The superhuman strength that he possessed allowed the android to be thrown out of the destroyed wall and come crashing on the empty grass field.


Leaving only Susan, a knocked out Reed and the bulky man alone with Gwen.


…

…


{Moments before Peter’s Arrival}


“A-Are you alright?” I asked, the scared Gwen barely nodding.


“Don’t move,” I requested, “It might make the rubble fall on you.”


I couldn’t just throw away the concrete. There was too much, if I moved forcefully it would all come crumbling down on Gwen.


I didn't care about myself, the weight couldn't hurt me. But Gwen wasn’t the same.


“Are y-you alright?” Even now, when she was scared, she asked about me.


“Yeah.” I assured her, holding the weight. “Don’t be scared. I will get you out of her.”


I didn't know how, but I still promised.


She nodded, still not asking me how I was doing all this.


“You must be confused.” I said, “This might all seem surreal to you.” 


It would be crazy for anyone, not just her.


She didn't say anything, instead stayed close to me.


“I will explain once we are out of this mess.” I promised, “So, don't be scared.”


I didn't keep my identity hidden because I was scared.


I kept it hidden because it was too annoying to have all the attention.


And I cursed myself for not thinking that something like this might happen. I should have worn the mask way earlier. 


I just wanted to help Peter, but things are never that simple.


I should have known.


“Are you like them?” She asked, referring to Reed and Susan.


She wasn’t angry at me for hiding the truth, she wasn’t scared either.


She just seemed… curious.


“I am.” 


I wasn’t, but to others I would look similar.


“Were you worried that I would act differently if I knew?” She asked and well…


“Maybe.”


Maybe.


Even I wasn’t sure. But I did feel a little scared that she might not talk to me if she knew.


My life was already a mess, and she accepted me despite my past. I just… didn’t want to make it worse for me.


Worse for us.


Whatever kind of friendship we shared.


“Idiot.” She muttered, surprising me. “You are such an idiot.”


“Save them!” 


But before I could ask her what she meant, I heard Susan yell.


“Save them, Spider-Man!”


Spider-Man? Shit.


I had no choice.


“This might surprise you even more.” I said, “And I promise to explain after all this. But for now… Please don't be scared.”


She didn't understand what I meant, but still… she nodded.


‘System! Mask of Loki, NOW!’


<<Affirmative!>>


<<Mask of Loki equipped!>>


And in that instant, her eyes widened as my entire face and my build changed in front of her eyes.


“I will explain.”


I promised as she saw my body grow bigger.


It wasn’t big, it was all an illusion.


But I slowly changed to appear like what I thought Hercules would look like in the modern world.







“This look is just an illusion.” I whispered, “So, it is still me.”


I told her as I felt the weight on my back lowering.


The rubble was being removed.


“Hold tight.”


I said, and with that I punched the rubble –cracking through it and exposing my arm. 


“Help against the android!” I yelled at him, the weight was manageable now.


As I felt the movement on my back stop, I broke through the junk –letting us free and exposed to the light.


“G-Gwen?” I heard Spider-Man’s voice, surprised as I didn't know he knew Gwen.


But Gwen didn't seem to have heard him.


And seeing how Susan was facing the android alone as Reed was lying unconscious to the corner –I yelled.


“Shut up and get that android out of here!” I yelled. “The more he eats the rubble, the bigger he will get!”


This made him understand what was important at that moment.


He stood confused for a moment, but in a sudden change of moment –he nodded.


“Susan, help!” He yelled as he shot at the android while simultaneously constructing a massive web behind him.


I still held onto Gwen, making sure she wasn’t hurt.


Susan surprisingly understood what he wanted, possibly from being an experienced hero.


She immediately constructed translucent orbs on the ground which caused the android to stumble down.


And taking that chance, Spider-Man shot at the android using his entire body –with the help of the web.


This allowed him to throw the android out of the building, alongside himself. 


Letting everyone a chance to breathe, at least for a moment.


“M-Michael?” Susan looked around, confused to see Gwen but not me.


“It's me, Susan.” I assured her. “Still me.”


She didn't believe me, I didn't look like myself.


‘System, show my real face just for five seconds ‘


<<Affirmative!>>


And that's exactly when Susan’s eyes went wide.


“You are…”


“It is just one of my abilities,” I lied, it was an item not my ability.


“I-I see.”


I finally looked at Gwen, “Are you alright?” 


She nodded.


“Susan, please keep this a secret.” I didn't care about some of the heroes and my close people learning the truth. But I wasn’t ready to tell it to the entire world just yet. “And I hope Reed can do the same.”


She looked at the unconscious Reed, before making her way towards him.


“I will make sure of it.” She promised.


But we didn't have time to relax.


“Spider-Man!” I heard a yell outside, “DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME, GAHAHAH!”


Looks like Spider-Man just cannot catch a break.


But neither can I.


“You stay here.” I said, looking at Gwen. 


“And Susan, help Gwen and Reed. Spideman and I will do the rest.”


“But–” Susan wanted to say something, but I stopped her.


“Trust me.” I said, “I can handle this.”


It was time.


It was finally time to use the full strength of Hercules.


It was time to see what the Olympian hero was capable of.