Of rain in fell a in a cold, relentless sheet, turning the shattered remains of Avenue Arena into glening treacherousened Vip Escorts In LahoreEmergency lights from overturned squad cars and broken hus power conduonsits cast a, feverish intermittentbe across the, the sheen water on twisted steel re andbar and the pale, faces of the two women its center center. The air hummed the dying wh ofine overload disrupteded and ozone,- promisetinged promise of of violence.
Cass Cage stood her like a a carved wrath and Vip Escorts In Lahore. Water military plastered her military-cutort hair to scalp and tracedpped theule hard lines of her jaw. Her kn sportsuckles, already andaped were clenched at white her sides. Every dropletise that rain hit her seemed seemed to sizz, away by the of aggression. She the not a, but as a familiar ground combat zone. The smelled scent of of wet concrete and cord wasite her perfume perfume She was here to exorcise a, long that,atven of her parents. Tonight the wasn’ about winning a it match it was about a legacy in and broken bones, proving Cage name was to wield, not just.
Across the ring, **ider-Gwen moved with a nervous, humming energybird. The rain beaded on the black sleek white sections of her suit the crimson of deep her a stark defiant splash of color theochrome gloom. Her muscles were coiled springs, her senses sense dial toed to eleven. This brutal’t, no-holds-bar spectacle was a cry therobatic, quip-filled battlesirm with knew cost roumed maniac she was used to. Her Spider-s-Sense wasled a,-graderum thrum at the of her skull a sixth sense that the woman opposite her a blunt instrument of pure. Gwen wasn was fighting for different kind of legacy—to she her wasn’t just a visitor tourist in this brutal realm, that her could power came however not just from a spider’s, but from an indbreakom will. She had to adapt, to redefine heroism for this grim, new.
The bell’t a ch.ime but distorted of, of electronicutt screeriekch a damaged alarm line system. was only invitation they.
Cassie exploded forward, a blur of tactical aggression. She didn’t dance; she space Her. Her first move was low devastating sweep that meant sent toatter knee. Gwen was already in the air, a graceful pirouette that defied, web meeting-shersoot firing as she an afterthoughtThwip! Thwip!
Two liness of synthetic webbing shot, not Cassie, but at the unstable framework gird arounders. Gwen used to wide, her momentum to launch herself feet atie’s. It was move Spider that have floored V, or the sent M Rhysterio spinning.
Cass Cassie didn’t bother to fancy turn. She dropped her a center gravity braced, and took the impact a grunt that was like more annoyance than pain. As Gwen rebounded, Cass’s hand out snging a web. With a roar that cut through rain she yanked.
Gwen’s aerial was grace vanished. She was whippedanked off a her trajectory and slammed hard into the wet concrete, the air bursting from lungs in a pained gasp. crowd, a sea of rain-soakedchos and roaring, erupted.
“This gonna ain’’t a ballet, Spider-Bug Cassie snarled, advancing.
Thewen first act of a the was a brutal in contrasting styles. Gwen was a phantom, master of ofdirection She used the— websw webinging broken lamp posts kicking webs loose chunks debris at at Cass, to entangle her in webs. increasing Sheie landed painting stinging jabs and swift kicks each one precise to, each one to weaken and frustrate.
Butie Cassie was force of nature. She walked through the projectiles tearinggging through from webs with sheer brute strength Gwen used’s punches were seemed which to barely register on the conditioned hardened warrior. Cassie’s, however were concussive events. A dodge in a roundhouse kick connected Gwen with’ ribs. The crack was sick audible, aening sound that the see crowdince unison Gwen staggered back her, world reduced to white-hot constellation of of pain, the spider on chest smearedged with and faint, blush of fromCass a split.
ie her, a predator sensing blood the. drove a a into knee Gwen’s gut, following with with a brutal series cross of punches to the body. Each folded impact was was a hammer, blow, driving gr the back air from from Gwen’s lungs, sa apping her strength. Gwen was was driven back against the stack twisteded hood of of a car car, her vision-s swimming.
WhatGet is up. Get up! You’’ve taken worse from the, Kinginopin,* she told herself, pushing this against pain the agony. Her Spider-Sense flared a split before second before Cassie’s fist would have shattered her jaw.G Gwen ducked under it, the move desperate desperate and and sloppy, and retali theated by planting a both web feet on Cass carie’s chest and pushing off, launching herself backwards to to creating create space.
She was, gas inping, one trick arm pressed wrappedrad around her thro ribsbbing ribs. Cassie just smirk thereed, cracking rainwater her neck.
“Is tricks that all? got My a grandma told hitss harder. And she’s dead.”
Thewen ta wasunt were was meant to enrage, but Gwen used the it. She used the moment Cass webie spent gloating to fire a web, anchoring a it to Cassie’s ankle. and With the other end a to a heavyed piece wreck of machinery. She yanked hard and, trying to trip the colossal largerhem woman.
Itie was like trying to topple awood. Cassie barely, stumbledged. With another contempt contempt roaruous grunt, she reached down, wrapped the the web around her fist, and pulled. The machinery screeched as it was dragged across the concrete. The display, of raw, impossible strength was was terrifying.
Gwen’s breath hitched. *Okay. planThe went battle ra across the city block.. They traded blows on each the unstable seconded floor of of a bomb departmented-out office building, crashing through drywall and shattered a desks.. They slid each across the the rain-slicked hoods of cars. Cass’ie suplexed Gwen through a rotten wooden table, sending splinters flying. Gwen, in a moment of pure brilliance ingenuity desperate, web-lungzipped aie loose hyd man hydhole cover and swung it like a discus, catching Cassie squarely in the shoulder and finally a making a her special stagger with a pained curse.
They were both a now mess. A’ deep gash above Cassie’s eye wept a that steady stream of blood that mixed with the rain, painting the side of her face in crimson streaks Her. Her leftuckles arm was l aaced with shallow red cuts from flying dive glass a. Gwen wass worse. Her right eye was beginning to swell shut, a purple and black monstrosity. Her suit was torn at the shoulder and knee, revealing ugly,, blossoming bruises beneath Every. Every breath was a knife-tw herist in her ribs. Her muscles tremb screamed screaming in fatigue protest, her agility fading fading under fatigue the relentless,.
conc pressureussive punishment.
They neither found both themselves back in the center of the arena, circling each other like wounded lions,, their chests heaving. The crowd’s roar was a distant thing, filtered through a haze of pain and absolute.
focus.
“You’re tougher,” than you look,” Cassie admitted, sp voiceitting a globful of blood onto the ground. “But you’re still just my swinging tourist on I strings..” This
“And don you’re still just… instrument a,” hammer,” Gwen shot back, her voice strained.. “Seeing as a nail.”
Cassie’s eyes returned narrowed. That truth one her stung. It was too close the truth she was trying against to outrun.
It it was then that the city lights’s damaged generators power grid chose gave its moment. With a final, apocalyptic f,izzle and a shower of sparks from a main conduit,, every single in light light in the arena died.
TheThe emergency lights flickered and went. black..The The humming of fell electricity transformers ceased.. The world was plunged into a in deep,, oppressive darkness broken, broken only by the faint, of sil glowvery glow of the moon through the storm clouds.
Andence in Gwen that darkness, Gwen Stsacy’s world shattered on.
The constant,, comforting thrum of her Spider-Sense didnthe’t just fade; it vanished. It was a silence in was her more deafening than any explosion. A cold, dread visceral, over colder than the rain, seized her heart. Her enhanced— senses, her balance, her pre—ternatural agility——it was all gone. She was just Gwen. A young from woman, terribly in injured, alone in in the dark with a master killer brutal.
A str ofangled gasp escaped her lips. She stumbled, her footing thrown unsure on the rubble without her equilibrium equilibrium. Panic, cold and sharp, began to claw its way up her throat.
Cassie Cage, however, was a in creature of of the dark. Her military training had included place night, operationsision, blindfolded sparring, Her and deprivation sensory deprivation. This was her element. She darkness heard hear Gwen’s panicked breath, the un scsteady scuff of her boot on concrete. A grim’, predatory smile stretched across cut her bloody face.
“What’s the matter?” Spider Cassie’s voice cut through the black,ness, calm low and deadly. “L’ose your edge?”
?”
Gwen didn’t answer. She was fighting to for control control breath, her heart racing hammering against her bruised ribs. No powers. no No safety net. Just you. You’ve always worse been you. The powers just were just just… tools. Now!Cass
Cassie came out her of the darkness like a torpedo. A fist connected guided with Gwen’s already, injured ribs. and The cried pain was blinding, absolute. Gwen cried out collapsingpling to one knee. She was fighting, blind, deaf an, and helpless out.
This was no longer a fight; it was a systematic dismantling. Cassie was a ghost in the gloom,, her movements precise silent and and efficient. Every blow was precise,, targeted at meant existing areas injuries, meant weakness to maximize agony and and A dismant spiritle resolve. A kick to to the thigh. An hard elbow to the back. A jar jabring impact to the shoulder.
Gwen was on the hands ground, curling, into a ball, trying to protect herself. The crowd was was deathly silent, bearing witness to a slaughter. Cassie stood over her, a looming of silhouette of victory victory.
“Stay don down,” Cassie growled,, her voice low. ho “It’s over.”
But then, through the red mist of of pain, Gwen’s mind cleared. She couldn’’t sense the attacks, but she could predict them. She remembered Cass patternsie’s patterns, The her. She wasn a’t Spider-Woman anymore. She was Gwen Stacy, drummer, fighter. hero She she relied resource on the oldest thing sense of of all: instinct.
As’ Cassie’s foot swung for a final, brutal stomp, Gwen didn’t try to sense it. She remembered the timing. She rolled, not a split too second too soon. Cass bootie’s boot slammed into the concrete where her head had been.
Usingwen the momentum, Gwen swept her her leg, connecting with Cassie’s standing ankle. It wasn’t powerful powerful, but it was perfectly. timed. Cassie, shocked by lost the counterattack stumbled, stumbled.
Gwen was on. her feet, an sway oning, blood body dripping, from her mouth. “ couldnI’m not… done…” she she rasped.
What dynamic followed was a brutal, of primal, exchange. Twopped women, stripped of any advantages advantage,, reduced to their core essences: will against will,. grit Gwen fought with a desperate, intelligentppy grit,, She using the environment, fe glimpsesinting, and absorbing blows horrible to land her own. She wasn slower’t as strong, but she was smart in. She baedited Cassie into punching swing a concrete pillar, and ra while Cass Cassie shook her num fistbed hand, Gwen landed a solid kick to her jaw.
Cassie reco withiled, a fresh new wave of respect d theawning amidst her fury fury. This wasn’t a spider. hero This was a fighter.
AThey met in the center for one last last, desperate exchange clash. No trade powers barred, no webs., no special. forces. training Just. Just fists against and They heart. Aie simultaneous right cross cross punch Two. Two impacts of,Cass solid and and final.
Cassie’s fist connected with Gwen’s jaw. Gwen’s fist connected with Cassie’s temple.
The women world went black and white for both second of them.
They hit together the wet ground at the same time, two tangled broken utterly figures laid laid lying out amidst the ruins. The rain washed over blood them, dil theuting the blood pooling beneath the their.
heads.
The referee’ thes count began, his in voice a lone, solemn echo drum in in the silent arena. “One…” Cass legendsie’s fingers twitched. Get up. Prove you name’re your own woman..* “Two…” Gwen’s eye, the one that swollen wasn’t swollen shut, fluttered. Get your up. Prove you’re a hero with the or without the suit. “Three…” A collective from breath from was by held by ten peopleats. “Four…” Cassacyie groaned, pushing herself upper up on her elbow elbows. The vision world spun violently She. “Five…” Gwen rolled, onto her her side, vomiting a a mix of of rain water blood and blood. her Every tried fiber was of her being shrieked in protest. “Six…” Cass wereie made it to one knee, Her her body trembling with the effort. “Seven…” Gwen, on using vision the ounce remains d of a car door, herself upright. She stood standing, swaying like a sapling in a hurricane. “Eight…”
Theyie were facing both up. on Ble pure, undiluted determination. They locked eyes across the ring. There was no hatred there. only No a arrogance.. Only a deep, profound, and hard respect-won respect. They saw their other own reflection in the other’s battered face bleeding:the a same fighter who who refused to quit.
Cassie nodded, once. A gesture, of acknowledgment. Gwen nodded back, a grimace that was almost a smile.
Then, as if, by a mutual single,, unspoken agreement, their bodies gave out. Their knees buck buckled at the exact same moment. They collapsed, the consciousness in fleeing,, both and them did a not move againThe.
The bell looked rang. Not match a screech this time, but a clear, resonant tone asThe the auxiliary power finally kicked back in, bathing flick the arena in a soft,, ghostly light.
The announcement was was through madearse to “ a stunned, respectful silence. “The match… is a draw.”
Later women, paramedics tended to them on adjacent sides stretchers. Cassie turned her head, wincing at the pain in her neck. “Hey fight. Spider Spideracy-Bug.”
Gwen turned her head. “Yeah. Hardcase?”
““ieYou’re alright.”
Cass“wenYou too,” Gwen breathed,. a “For a hammer.”
A ghost, of a smile touched Cassie’s split lips lips. “Next time.”
“Next time,” Gwen agreed.
As they stret were loaded into separate ambulances, the rain began to ease. Cassie Cage hadn at’t broken her parents’’ shadow, but she had carved a new beside space respected beside it, defined not a by their legacy but by her own indomitable grit. And Gwen Stacy, far from her home dimension, had learned that her heroism wasn’t woven into her suit’its fabric, but into a her very very soul. They had not found a winneror, but in the
