Chapter 228: Savage Lands (5)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"You people are absolutely insane" Shanna muttered as she jumped down from a tree along with Ka-Zar and Zabu. 

"You took them all down in a matter of seconds…" Shanna said looking at them with an impressed gazed. 

"Aw shucks, I'm going to blush if you keep complimenting me" Spider-Man said as his mask showed a blush causing him to hold his cheek and sway side to side. 

"Keep on your toe–" Ka-Zar didn't manage to finish his words as they soon felt the ground shake, it was a stampede. 

"It's the carnivorous bird that these guys rode on," Ghost-Spider warned them, "They must have heard the commotion of our fight" 

They appeared in a manner of seconds charging ahead, the sound of twigs and branches crunching beneath them as approached. 

"I got these!" Shouted Scarlet-Spider she ran past everyone with a confident grin, she ran towards the coming stampede and jumped into the air towards them. 

She twisted mid-air and made two rock and roll hand signs before she began spinning like crazy. String of webs shoot forth from her as she spun becoming a blur. 

To Ka-Zar and Shanna she just appeared as a spinning top flying overhead through the creatures covering from head to toe in webs with a pinkish glow to them. 

She then corrected herself and stopped spinning midair but remained airborne. She made a triangle with her hand and thrusted towards the creatures below her that were tangled in her webs screeching and roaring trying to break free. 

"Sleep~" She commanded in a sultry voice. 

Slowly their screeching grew lower and softer while all of their eyes grew heavy, they began collapsing where they were tangled, falling on top of one another, snoring softly. 

With a flick of her wrist she shot a web towards one of the trees and swung over towards the other swinging over the mess she created. 

She landed with a flip and placed a hand over her hips puffing her chest proudly, "So what do you think?"

The others gave her small, rapid, claps. She bowed theatrically. 

Spider-Man and Spider-Kat then looked towards each other and let out a snort, and turned away to suppress their laugh as they were both thinking of making a dirty joke but chose not to. 

While Scarlet-Spider knowing them all too well felt her eyes twitch as she suddenly gained the indescribable urge to beat them up. 

Nightwing looked all around him as he asked, "Why do you think they were planning on ambushing us?" 

Firestar then looked towards Shanna and Ka-Zar, "They aren't cannibals, are they?" She asked both strangely and with a hint of fear. 

"They aren't" Ka-Zar said shaking his head, "But that doesn't mean they don't take and kidnap people for other nefarious purposes" 

Scarlet-Spider looked towards one of the broken and shattered weapons on the ground. She became curious and picked it up, she examined it closely before closing her eyes and using her brand new ability of Psychometry. 

Flashes of images came flying through Scarlet-Spider's mind. She saw all of the Swamp men standing in front of a cage, inside those cages were various people from different races. Although they were speaking in foreign tongue due to it being a psychic vision she was able to understand their intentions. 

They made a noise of acknowledgement and they all rushed out from where they were staying and jumped on top of creatures she had just stopped and knocked down and all rode off together. 

She was suddenly jolted awake with a gasp, causing the others to look at her worriedly, "What? What's wrong?" Spider-Man asked. 

"Back in their tribes…" She started off holding her forehead, "They had this cage with people who all appeared to be from different tribes… They mentioned something about sacrifice. I think they're planning on using all those people as sacrifices but to what that i don't know" 

Ka-Zar immediately got on top of Zabu with Shanna right behind him. "Follow us! We know where their tribe is located!" 

The others looked between themselves before they followed along. Nightwing and Spider-Man were seen sprinting beside Zabu keeping up with him with ease, "So I take it you know what's going on?" Nightwing asked. 

Ka-Zar nodded his head with a grunt, already getting used to their strangeness and weird abilities. 

"The Swamp men, they have this nasty problem of capturing people and sacrificing them towards their guarding as food" Ka-Zar informed them with a nasty scowl. 

"Their Guardian?" Spider-Kat asked as she swung overhead, keeping up with their speed as well.

"Yes, their Guardian" Said Shanna, "A Tyrannosaurus Rex…" Shanna had a grim expression. 

"It is the strongest and most furious dinosaur of the Savage Lands. The Swamp men feed it and the T-rex in turn protects them, thus they worship the creature, feeding it whenever it gets hungry so that it would continue protecting them" Shanna explained. 

Everyone got a brief understanding of what was going on. Spider-Man turned towards Ka-Zar as he asked, "Do you mind if you point in its general direction of where there are and we get ahead of you?" 

Ka-Zar shook his head as he in fact didn't mind, he pointed straight ahead where they were going and before they left Ka-Zar gave them a warning, "They built a resting place for the creature, it's the giant pyramid you will find in the middle of their village." 

Spider-Man nodded in understanding and Spider-Kat webbed towards Spider-Man and got on top of his shoulders, "You're clearly faster so let's go!" She exclaimed, pointing forwards. 

Spider-Man scoffed, grabbed onto her legs and turned into a blur along with Spider-Kat as they both disappeared with a sudden gust of wind that blew Shanna and Ka-Zar's hair back making them close their eyes. 

Spider-Kat leaned forwards grabbing Spider-Man's head as they rapidly moved in between the trees and jungle. 

Nightwing surprisingly wasn't far behind him, in his arms he seemed to be carrying Firestar. He appeared to be leaving a green and black blur trail. 

After a few minutes of weaving through the dense jungle, Spider-Man and Spider-Kat reached a vantage point atop a small hill. The scene below revealed a primitive village surrounded by muddy waters, its wooden structures fragile and weathered. Spider-Man came to a smooth stop, and Spider-Kat leapt off his shoulders with practiced ease.

She turned back to him, placing a playful hand under his chin to lift his masked face. "Thanks for the ride," she cooed before planting a light kiss on his cheek.

Spider-Man chuckled faintly, regretting his helmet for once. Would've been nice to feel that better, he mused as Spider-Kat skipped ahead.

She glanced down at the village, her grin widening. "It's time they learned what happens when you mess with karma," she declared, raising her hands. Intricate glowing magic circles appeared around her palms, spinning with a faint hum.

The tribe's sentries noticed her approach and began shouting warnings. The gates creaked as the guards rallied, weapons in hand. Spider-Kat strode forward, unfazed, her confident smirk growing.

Spider-Man leaned casually against a tree, waiting for the rest of the group. Nightwing and Firestar arrived next, the latter stepping down from Nightwing's arms.

"Why aren't you helping her?" Nightwing asked, glancing toward the commotion.

Spider-Man raised his hand and began counting down. "Three… two… one…" He pointed toward the village just as a massive plume of fire erupted, followed by panicked screams.

"What the hell?" Firestar muttered. "I thought setting stuff on fire was my job. How did she manage that?"

Spider-Man sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "My guess? Someone was cooking and their fire went out of control which led to everything else spiraling out of control. It's basically her superpower to turn chaos into a weapon."

In the distance, flames consumed the village. Swamp men ran in disarray, shouting and gesturing wildly. Moments later, Spider-Kat emerged from the chaos, humming cheerfully and effortlessly carrying multiple large cages of captives over her shoulder stacked on top of one another.

Ghost-Spider and Scarlet-Spider arrive to witness the remaining tribesmen rally, raising their crude weapons with guttural war cries. They charged toward Spider-Kat, only for their momentum to betray them. The muddy ground sent them slipping and sliding into each other, their weapons clattering and stabbing harmlessly into each other in non lethal areas.

Spider-Kat, unbothered, placed the cage gently before the group and gave a peace sign. "All safe and sound," she announced with a grin.

"What the hell did you do?" Ghost-Spider asked, eyeing the inferno consuming the village.

Spider-Kat shrugged innocently. "Those idiots both tried attacking at the same time, I only dodged but their weapons clashing creating a spark, which hit one of the wooden huts. One thing led to another, and well…" She gestured to the blazing scene with a casual wave.

The group stared at her, expressions a mixture of disbelief and exasperation.

"You are so broken…" Firestar sighed, shaking her head. 

"What are you talking about? A wave from your hand would have had the same result," Spider-Kat scoffed. 

"It's really not the same thing or as impressive…" Firestar scoffed, "Speaking of impressive where's–"

A deafening roar cut through the air, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

"RRAAWRRR!"

All eyes turned toward the burning village as a massive shadow emerged, flames licking its sides. The towering form of a Tyrannosaurus Rex stepped forward, its amber eyes gleaming with primal fury.

"I call dibs!" Firestar shouted, a wild grin spreading across her face. "you all had your cool moments, let me have mine and faced off against it" She combusted into flames, her fiery aura radiating energy. 

"Time to set my heart ablaze!"she shouted enthusiastically flying ahead. 

"Why does she keep saying that?" Spider-Kat asked, looking toward Nightwing with a raised brow.

Nightwing scratched his cheek, looking a bit sheepish. "She thinks she needs a cool one liner… That's what she chose."

"Yikes," Spider-Kat replied, shaking her head.

Meanwhile, The others exchanged looks and nodded, choosing to let her have her moment.

"Go get 'em!" Spider-Man cheered, leaning back to enjoy the show as all of the sacrifices were safe and sound.

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