Chapter 193: Set Your Heart Ablaze

[Third Person's PoV] 

*Slam* 

The door to the Ancient One's chamber burst open, revealing Spider-Man with Spider-Kat clinging to his back like a mischievous backpack. Her legs were wrapped securely around his waist, and she flashed a cheeky peace sign, her eyes gleaming with playful pride. "I fixed him!" she declared, her voice full of mischief.

The emoticons on Spider-Man's mask shifted, the wide eyes narrowing into an exaggerated roll, matching the exasperation on Peter's real face beneath. "The only thing that needs fixing is your sudden clingingness that you seem to have developed," he muttered flatly, the fatigue clear in his tone.

Spider-Kat huffed dramatically, leaping off his back with effortless grace and landing beside him. "Ugh, you're so boring now that you're all serious and responsible," she teased, stretching lazily as if to emphasize her point.

Ghost-Spider and Scarlet-Spider exchanged a knowing glance, their silent communication more expressive than words. In perfect sync, they both sighed deeply, shoulders slumping as though sharing the mutual exhaustion of dealing with their team's antics.

As the door gently swung shut behind them, Spider-Man's mask retracted, revealing Peter's tired but determined face. He turned to the Ancient One, his tone laced with a practical concern that hung heavy in the air. "Look, I get that you're going to teach us magic—and believe me, we're all for that—but we've got a serious problem. We're barely keeping up with everything else. Between school, internships, and nightly patrols, we're running ourselves ragged. And don't get me started on the mountain of school work piling up. Our attendance is tanking, and we're jeopardizing our futures."

Felicia, now unmasked and standing beside him, groaned audibly. "Ugh, please don't remind me. Parent-teacher conferences are coming up, and my mom is going to freak when she sees how many classes I've missed."

The group collectively groaned, the weight of their everyday lives suddenly crashing down on them, their frustrations bubbling over. Each one of them tugged at their hair or rubbed their temples in shared annoyance.

"I got it!" Nightwing's sudden exclamation broke the tension, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he smacked a fist into his palm. "We build robots! Hear me out—they'll go to school for us, handle all the boring stuff, and at the end of the day, we download their memories via VR capsules. We'll experience everything like we were actually there, and no one will ever know the difference!"

The girls stared at him, their expressions flat and unimpressed. "That's dumb," they deadpanned in unison, their voices dry and unimpressed.

Peter, however, perked up, his mind racing. "Actually… that's genius!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with newfound admiration. Felix echoed his enthusiasm, nodding rapidly in agreement.

Felicia rolled her eyes so hard it looked like they might get stuck. "There are about a hundred ways that could go horribly wrong. What if the robots develop consciousness and think they're the real us? What if they try to replace us?"

Nightwing held up two confident fingers. "One, we're way stronger than any robot we could build. Two, we'll have Aria monitor them to make sure they don't go all 'take over the world' on us."

Ghost-Spider, shaking her head at the absurdity, raised a hand to interrupt. "Or... hear me out. Couldn't we just use temporal magic?" She turned toward the Ancient One, her expression serious. "You managed to control the time energy affecting Felicia's wounds, right? Couldn't you, I don't know, split us into temporal duplicates? One version of us could handle school, one could do superhero stuff, and another could focus on magic training. At the end of the day, we merge back together, fully aware of everything we experienced. No robots. No weird consciousness problems."

Nightwing shrugged, unfazed. "My idea's still better."

"Babe, it's really not," Firestar said with a disbelieving shake of her head, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

The Ancient One, who had been listening quietly, rested her hand on her chin, considering Ghost-Spider's suggestion. "Splitting you into multiple temporal versions of yourselves…" she mused softly, her voice thoughtful. "That could be risky. Fracturing time like that isn't something to take lightly. The potential consequences are... unpredictable. However…"

She trailed off, her fingers tapping lightly against her chin as she muttered to herself in deep contemplation. "There may be a way to craft a spell that achieves this... but it will not be simple. And time, it seems, is the very thing you're lacking."

The Ancient One raised her hand, and with a subtle flick of her fingers, a shimmering portal opened before them, revealing an expansive library that seemed to stretch into infinity. Thousands of ancient tomes lined the towering shelves, their spines worn with age and knowledge. From the portal, books began to fly through the air, landing in each of their hands with soft but purposeful thuds.

Each member of the group suddenly found themselves holding a stack of at least ten books, each brimming with intricate knowledge of magic, chi, and witchcraft. The weight of the knowledge, both literal and figurative, pressed down on them.

The Ancient One expression was calm yet resolute. "You have two days to master everything in those books," she said firmly, her gaze sweeping over them. "And don't tell me it's impossible. I know of your advanced Virtual Reality capabilities. Use them to accelerate your learning, but be mindful of what you attempt. Magic is not something to be trifled with."

Her voice grew more serious, her eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity. "In two days, I will return for you. Be ready. And do not concern yourselves with the Time Lord's interference for now—he will be recovering for quite some time."

"Mask on, everyone. I'm sending you all back to your city," the Ancient One warned, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.

Peter and Felicia slipped their masks back on, just as a swirling portal opened above New York City, hovering above a familiar rooftop. The Ancient One waved them off, a subtle gesture of farewell as they leaped through the shimmering gateway, landing smoothly on the rooftop below.

As the portal sealed shut behind them, Spider-Man glanced at the group and issued his command. "Stash these books in your bags and drop them off near the school. Afterward, meet me on top of the World Trade Center."

Firestar blinked, confused. "Huh? Why would we go there?"

Nightwing smirked knowingly, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he turned to Firestar. "Your initiation ritual."

Her face lit up with excitement. "Eh? Is it finally time?" she asked, practically bouncing on her feet. Spider-Man and the others all nodded in unison.

Felix's eyes widened in anticipation. "I can't believe I'm about to witness the OGs doing it!" he exclaimed, the thrill clear in his voice. His excitement, however, earned him a couple of side glances.

Realizing the stares, Felix blushed and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "In my time, this initiation is still a thing, but it's done on top of another building. It's kinda like a family tradition now—like a superhero coming-of-age ceremony. We climb to the highest point, then jump together… I remember mine. That was a great day," he said, the memory drawing a nostalgic smile.

The group returned his smile, sensing his pride.

"Alright, let's meet in a few," Spider-Man said before launching himself off the rooftop. In one fluid motion, he webbed the books into a makeshift backpack and swung into the city skyline. Scarlet-Spider mirrored his movements, joining him mid-air as they navigated the busy streets of New York together.

Soon, they arrived at a familiar back alley, where their bags were stashed. Spider-Man landed first, shooting a sly grin. "I still can't believe you ate dry toast."

Scarlet-Spider, already tugging at the webbing on her books, shot him an unamused glance. "I'm going to punch you. You're getting on my nerves," she said flatly, ripping the webs apart before shoving the books into her bag.

Spider-Man's mask shifted, revealing a mischievous smirk. Leaning over, he lifted his mask halfway, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. "You know I love you," he teased, his grin widening.

A blush crept onto Scarlet-Spider's cheeks, but she rolled her eyes, trying to hide her flustered reaction. Grabbing her bag, she jumped and swung away, heading toward the school, with Spider-Man quickly following suit.

...

They all gathered at the top of the World Trade Center, standing on the edge as the wind whipped around them. Spider-Man turned to Firestar, his voice steady but firm.

"This is it, Firestar. This is your leap of faith. An initiation to your new lives as a hero. There is no doubt there will be challenges ahead of us. There will be close calls where we put our lives at risk, but it's in those moments that we'll find our true strength. Remember, being a hero isn't just about having powers or abilities; it's about having the courage to stand up for what's right, even when it's difficult.

Look down. What you see is a city filled with people who need us, who count on us to be their shield and sword. They might never know our names, and some might even hate us, having nothing but detest in their hearts for us, but they'll feel our presence in every act of kindness, every injustice we fight, and every life we save.

Take this leap, not just as a test of your bravery, but as a commitment to your new path. Trust in yourselves, trust in each other. Together, we are unstoppable."

The rest of the team exchanged glances, their faces a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

Spider-Kat raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Firestar, wide-eyed and inspired, looked confused. "What? What's wrong with what he said?"

Nightwing couldn't suppress his smirk any longer. "It's word for word what he said last time. The only thing he changed was adding your name."

Spider-Man shrugged, his smirk still in place. "Why mess with perfection?"

The team laughed, tension dissolving into camaraderie. Spider-Man straightened up, taking the lead. "Alright, is everyone ready?"

"YES, SIR!" they shouted, grinning widely.

"Then let's goooooooo!" Spider-Man yelled before leaping into the air, arms spread wide, the wind catching his suit as he descended.

The rest of the team followed suit, laughter filling the air as they soared through the sky. Firestar was the last to jump, but instead of following the others' formation, she tucked her limbs close to her body, diving past them with a burst of speed.

"SET YOUR HEART ABLAZE!" she shouted, her body igniting in a blaze of flames as she streaked through the sky, leaving a fiery trail in her wake.

The others whooped and cheered, their excitement palpable as they watched her soar. 

************************************************

+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3