Black_Paladyn
patreon
Marvel: King of The Swarm Chapter 38: Ideological Clash (III)
🕑 Added 2025-06-17 21:23:48 +0000 UTCGwen stared at Gideon, as he spewed forth his rhetoric with absolute faith convinced that his actions were righteous and just, "You can't kill everyone who disagrees with you...that makes you not better than them!"
"Is that so?" Gideon asked as he slowly twirled his blade sizing Gwen up, "Does a judge become a murderer after sentencing a criminal to death? Should a soldier be held accountable for the lives they claimed during the war?"
"Those two scenarios aren't comparable to what you're doing!" Gwen exclaimed as she pointed a trembling finger at Gideon.
"You're right...I have even more justification for my actions," Gideon replied, "These men have invaded the kingdom of my god, planning to massacre innocent men women, and children who came here to escape the likes of them and their corruption. You seem to imagine me as some wanton killer, but I am a protector, a shepherd and I will not allow a pack of rabid wolves to prey on my flock."
For emphasis, Gideon slammed the butt of his crook into the ground sending a powerful vibration through the metallic staffing making it ring like a chime.
Staring at the man Gwen's gaze hardened as she realized there was no reasoning with a fanatic, "I can't let you do this."
"I understand," Gideon acknowledged with a dip of his head, "You are one of the few who has resisted corruption's taint and for that, the gods have spared you...But that does not mean you can stand against them without retribution."
Before Gwen could react her suit suddenly came alive, growing grasping tendrils that seized her limbs and pinned them against her body like a straight jacket.
"No, you can't!" Gwen protested even as she toppled over and onto the ground unable to move an inch as her suit vacuum-sealed around her, "Genesis!"
'Do not fret you will be freed in time and be able to leave unharmed.'
"Stop this Genesis, before it's too late!" Gwen growled as she continued to struggle against her treacherous suit.
'Too late for what? They have invaded my kingdom, and for that, they must pay.'
Gwen felt Genesis pull away from her mind leaving her stranded on the ground unable to do anything but watch as Gideon slowly walked out of her line of sight.
While Gwen and Gideon conversed the remaining three members of the sinister six had gathered to witness the confusing scene.
"We should just make a run for it!" Electro hissed, "None of this was in the damn job description!"
"Indeed, lest we turn from predator to prey," Kraven seconded as he glanced at the storm drain that stood as their only option for survival.
However instead of agreeing with his comrades Dr. Octopus snarled, "Cowards the both of you, I won't allow myself to be trampled on and then flee like a beaten dog. I demand vengeance!"
"Then come find it," Gideon taunted as he strode towards the sinister three, his crook held out and down to his left, "But I assure you that it is not all that awaits."
With a roar of rage, Dr. Octopus charged at Gideon, one of his limbs visibly lagging behind and still sparking from where Gideon had severed its internal wiring.
The two clashed as Gideon blocked Dr. Octopus' arm with the shaft of his crook only for the mechanical pincers to grab hold of the weapon.
Dr. Octopus let out a grunt as his mechanical arm strained trying to pull Gideon off his feet, only for the man to remain rooted to the earth.
Another one of Dr. Octopus' arms shot forward hoping to overwhelm Gideon but then unexpectedly the robed man let go abounding his weapon.
Gideon dashed forward aiming for the single arm responsible for keeping Dr. Octopus aloft. Liquid gold encased Gideon's hand forming a series of claws that sliced through the mechanical frame like butter.
Dr. Octopus's human arms flailed as he started to fall and before he could right himself twin sets of golden claws pierced through the doctor's body severing his spine and his connection to his mechanical arms.
With a stone-cold mask, Gideon ripped his claws out of Dr. Octopus sending blood flying and extinguishing the light from his eyes.
As Gideon landed back on the ground he was immediately tackled from behind by Kraven who wrapped his arms around Gideon's waist.
Both of them hit the ground and started to grapple as Kraven popped up with a knife in hand that he tried to slide in between Gideon's ribs.
However, instead of cutting through the seemingly thin robes Gideon wore, the blade was stuck fast like it had been plunged into tar. Karven looked down in surprise as the fabric around his knife changed into liquid gold, "What sorcery-"
Before Kraven could complete his sentence, Gideon's hand slammed into his jaw closing it shut with a painful crack as the hunter's teeth shattered. A muffled roar of pain escaped from Kraven's broken mouth, but Gideon wasn't done as his hand clamped down, and with one vicious pull he tore off Kraven's jaw.
Karven's hands shot up to clutch at his gapping wound trying to stop the bleeding but there was nothing he could do.
With a dismissive shove, Gideon pushed Kraven off of him and stood up while pulling the knife out of his side.
Gideon then turned to face Electro who flinched as they made eye contact, "W-wait a minute, y-you don't need to kill me! I-I get it now, it's the corruption! I-it's forcing me to do these things! B-but I can change, y-you don't need to kill me!"
Holding out his hand Gideon formed another bladed crook and began walking toward Electro his face impassive with nothing but the sound of his footsteps acting as his response.
"S-stay back, I-I'm warning you!" Electro threatened even as he took an instinctive step back, "D-don't fuck with me you piece of shit!"
Still, Gideon didn't respond and he kept walking toward Electro at a leisurely pace barely even disturbing the grass with his passing.
Gritting his teeth Electro raised his hand as a ball of electricity gathered in his palm, "T-that's it, I tried to warn you!"
The crackling yellow sphere shot forward like a bullet but Gideon didn't even flinch and with a lazy swing of his crook, he batted the projectile aside.
A look of desperation spread across Electro's face as he snarled and started to rapid-fire a barrage of electric spheres.
The sheer volume of attacks bathed Sanctuary in the neon yellow light, but still, Gideon didn't speed up or move, instead continuing to lazily swing his crook deflecting everything that came his way.
Electro's eyes were wide with fear as the distance between him and Gideon slowly shrunk even as he poured more and more electricity into his ranged attacks.
"I-I'm not dying here, I-I can't, I won't!" Electro roared as he cupped his hands together while his entire body was wreathed in an electrifying aura.
A tiny spark flared to life in between Electro's hands, a spark that quickly grew into a massive orb larger than Electro himself that he thrust forward with a grunt. The miniature sun flew towards Gideon like a cannonball leaving a furrow along the ground as it vaporized anything it touched.
For the first time, Gideon paused and for a moment it seemed as if he would try and jump out of the orb's way. Instead, the man tossed aside his crook and dropped to his knees, as his hands clasped together in prayer. While the words were inaudible with the hiss and crack of lightning Gideon's lips moved at a frantic pace as he prayed closing his eyes and subjecting himself to whatever fate had in store.
Seeing the ridiculous sight a manic laugh bubbled from Electro's lips as he realized he might make it out alive, "Y-you stupid idiot! I-I hope your god can save you from five million volts!"
Gideon didn't even flinch as he finished his prayer and bowed his head.
'What is he doing?!' Gwen screamed in her mind as she watched Gideon seemingly give up, but then the air around him shimmered with an intense golden light as a force field in the shape of a dome materialized in front of him.
The sphere of electricity slammed into the golden shield which flared with an intense light but didn't seem to shake or tremble in the slightest even as the orb exploded raining down arcs of lightning that crashed into the ceiling and walls.
The light show continued for a solid second before dying out to reveal the carnage that had unfolded, the once beautiful field of grass now scorched and smoking while the crystals decorating the roof flickered with countless cracks and fractures.
However, the ground behind Gideon was untouched and the man stood to his feet as the force field compacted itself into a golden javelin of light that he grabbed out of the air in a white knuckle grip, "You have sullied this Haven for the last time, in Genesis' name I smite the."
"Gideon no!" Gwen roared out of reflex as the man cocked back his arm and threw it at Electro who remained frozen on the spot realizing his time had come. The javelin split through the air without a sound despite its terrifying speed giving Electro no time to react as the bolt of golden light slammed into his gut and pierced through his body.
But the javelin didn't vanish instead glowing even brighter until it rivaled the sun and exploded in a brilliant halo. When the light receded, there was no trace of Electro left, not even a spec of ash.
