Tony closes in on the area, spotlights lighting up the skyline.  It was then that he saw it... and actual dragon.

"Holy cannoli, it's a cotton-pickin' dragon!" he said, his radio still active.  And for better or worse, it was headed straight for him.  From his angle, Tony couldn't see the figures riding on it's back.

"Well, let's see how it handles a lead shower", Iron Man adjusted the power of his thrusters enough to hover in mid air, bringing both arms up to bear on the incoming dragon.  It would be best to get the thing grounded first, so he aimed the barrels of the machine guns attached to his forearms at the wings of the creature.  Given enough of a spread, they should manage to shred the membranes and bring the thing crashing down.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:23, Fri 08 Feb 2019.

Tyrone returns to the rooftop, releasing Tandy and Peter from his cloak. "What the hell was THAT!?" He says, looking at Peter. The normally stoic teen with the hint of hostility clearly had seen something so bizarre it threw him off his normally unflappable nature.

Toomes clearly wasn't human anymore, but Frank aimed for the torso hoping the thing could still bleed, and indeed it did. It lurched backwards in the air from each shot and finally dropped like a stone.

Already smarting from a hole in its membrane from the light-dagger, it pulled in its wings and dove. As it did it bellowed a torrent of white-hot energy from its jaws, the spread wide enough to catch Iron Man in its blinding heat and push the suit's heat tolerances to the limit.

Johnny flew into the line of fire, being shocked backwards as he pulled Tony out of range.

Reed Richards called out on the SHIELD frequency.

"Johnny! This creature's energy attack has the same signature as yours! It's FUSION energy! The Power Cosmic!"

"Are you saying my flames won't be able to harm it, Reed?"

Warning bells went off as Tony's suit reached critical temperatures after the dragon "breathed" on him.  He was about to power down and force the suit to drop out of the breath attack when a humanoid ball of fire grabbed him and they were both knocked back.

"Whew, thanks.  You literally just pulled my kiester out of the frying pan.  Let's hope it wasn't into the fire..."

The temps on his suit were coming down, but not without at least some moderate damage.  The thruster still worked, thankfully, so he wouldn't have to be grounded.

"Seems that regular old slugs do the trick on the thing, but we're going to have to find a way to avoid it's breath.  How's about we tag-team it?  See if you can distract it long enough for me to attack from it's flank."

It hovers before the two, snorting flames. Then it roars.

"TING!" It raises its claw, palm open and out.

"JING-GAO!" It points at the two with one claw, growling with added warning.

"FAN-HUI!" It points a claw due south, and turns its head that way momentarily.

It seems almost to sigh in desperation. "GAH-LAK-TUSSSS.."

It flaps its wings and and proceeds south as fast as it can.

Iron Man's head cocks to the side slightly and Tony's trademark, 'hmm' can be heard from inside the metal shell.

"My Chinese is a bit rusty, but I think he said 'listen, warning, return', and then indicated south.  Not sure where he's making tracks to, but if he's not bothering NYC, we're okay, right?" he said over the SHIELD frequency.

"And I could have sworn the last thing he said was 'Galactus'?  Do we know any big bad eggs named Galactus?"

He looked at the Human Torch, "Probably best I set down to make sure I'm not leaking or something."

Hidden behind his mask it was impossible to tell when Peter’s face paled at the sight of Kraven tearing the webs as if they were not even a nuisance.  Whoever this guy was he was unstoppable and he was unsure of what they could do to put this threat down.  Fortunately the problem was solved by someone, something else in the form of an insect like appendage pierce Kraven’s body. It appeared out of nowhere and completely undetected even by his sixth sense. Of course it would because even if it meant Peter harm he saw no reason why the being who cursed him with these powers would be unable to subvert them.

This was the second time he witnessed the Spider-God though now he could not chalk the first instance as only a dream or wild hallucination. It was real and it was just has horrible looking as he remembered. The presence of it caused him to freeze, unable to move though it was not due to any sort of power it held but his own fear. Even if he could move he would not have tried to stop it wrapping Kraven up in its webs. Instead he simply watched and silently gulped when the Spider-God’s prey stopped screaming. Its words a reminder of what happened when one stole from a deity and he wondered if that was also a hint to why he was this way now.

His contemplation and fear broke when the god addressed him, its warning clear enough and one he could not ignore.  Before he could respond it was gone in a loud rush of webbing as it spirited itself and Kraven away to wherever this Cytorrak was.  The darkness vanished and he found himself back under the New York night sky, the battle still raging on as fiercely as when they first entered that strange, dark dimension.

Immediately his head snapped up and he saw the dragon being accosted only for it to address its attackers then speak to them. At least he thought it was speaking since those did not sound like any of the roars it made previously. Whatever it was doing it was enough to give the pursuers pause. Maybe that would be enough  but it was better to be sure. “Tandy, Tyrone” he looked to the pair. “Find Daredevil, if she’s still in that flying car then tell them what we heard. Fing Fang Foom can’t die otherwise more than the city is doomed.” He glanced back up at the dragon. “I’m going to tackle the problem that all caused in another way.”

He shot a web out and swung away to get to his next destination. Thankfully it was not far, the side of the building where he left his bag which also held his camera. Spider-Man retrieved the device then moved into position to take the best shots he could of the dragon along with the lizardmen rampaging through the streets. Authorities would likely try to cover this up as best they could but the story needed to be told. Unless Fing Fang Foom was attacked again he would focus a little more on the photos before he stowed the camera away to help fight off the remaining reptilian ground forces. His body told him not to, it still ached all over from his tussle and adrenaline would only take him so far. Despite that he had to try, turning tail and running while these creatures were running was not an option until he was sure the military had everything under control.

In reply to Peter Parker (msg # 102):

"Wait a second! I want answers!" Tyrone said as Peter swung away, but did not even attempt to stop him. Mostly he was still in shock at what he had seen within the darkness of his cloak.

"It does not matter now! We need to get to Mary! Quick!" Tandy pointed out, tugging on Tyrone's now solidified arm. She always seemed able to reach his humanoid form, even when it was normally not present.

Ty nodded, and opened the cloak, once again transporting himself and Tandy. They both appeared in the fantasicar, right behind Mr Fantastic. Although Mary detected them just before Cloak manifested.

"You can't kill the dragon! It's not at fault! It was enslaved by Kraven! It's free now, you have to let it go! Otherwise the city is in real danger!" Of course, Tandy had no way of explain why that was the case...other than a spider-god made of human parts told her that. Which sounded crazy...

Frank sets the rifle down, more of a light toss so it wouldn't break. He did this with his left hand, his right popping the magazine out of the .45, the mag dropping to the ground with a clack. His left hand then moved over to his belt, grabbing a new mag and placing it in the old one's place. He pops the chamber back with a quick tug, keeping his distance from Toomes as he moves over towards the attacker. His aim rejoined back over towards the figure as he held with two hands and spoke, "If you're alive start talkin'." Frank pulls the hammer back on the handgun, "Or you're not leavin' this place." Sure, he might be dead, but Frank wasn't one to let someone attack him then immediately turn his back to get shot. He was making sure Toomes was either dead or giving information.

Her memories...

The words of the monster...

The words of her... friends...

"It is a creature named Fin Fang Foom, and I've have heard that is stands guardian against an entity known as Galactus. It protects a device of some kind, perhaps a weapon, something the planet eater fears."

Her words faltered as the sounds of suffering rose up from the streets beneath them. Ferocious lizard creatures, perhaps the results of a contagion that could spread, were spilling out of the stadium. Her city needed her. But if the scrolls had been correct, the world might need her as well. Could she let New York burn to ensure the planet survived?

Apparently, she could.

"Please follow it." she said to Reed Richards. She knew of him, Mr. Fantastic, like most of New York did. He was different, like she was, like Tandy and Tyrone were, but rather than hide the fact he had embraced it. And for all of the advantages that approach had provided, it still put him in an invisible cage. Mary wasn't sure she would have made the same choices in his shoes. "We have to make sure nothing else tries to hurt it or keep it from its vigil. And we have to ensure the nullifier has not been taken in the creature's absence."

"And if anyone catches sight of a flying man made of silver, it may already be too late."

From a safe distance, the Watcher drops his binoculars when he sees Mary mouth the word “Galactus”.

“Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?!? DAMMIT!”

There’s no reason a telephone should be on the ledge of the building next to his bagel, but he picks the phone up and doesn’t bother to use the dial. He casts a side long glance at the lizard man lurking on the other building that seems oblivious to his presence.

“Hello? Yes. We have a problem...”

He hears a scream and sees a lizard crouched the edge of the building next door where a mother and child are crouched in fear.

”Yes I’ll hold...”

He looks away and tosses his bagel behind him, over his head, which just happens to distract the lizard man so he loses his balance, and sends it slipping backwards off the building to fall to its death.

”That was an everything bagel, too...”

Dr. Richards turns to speak to Mary while he massages his now misshapen arm, wincing in pain as he starts to mold it back into shape. Reed's wife Susan takes the controls.

"Someday I might get used to doing this...so the dragon was acting as a guardian against a Destroyer of Worlds? That would explain some of the artifacts we saw..."

"Victor Von Doom won't take kindly to us re-entering the territory he's claimed so soon." adds Susan.

"Doubtless he's set up some perimeter defenses already. We'll drop you off on a rooftop, Miss, before we retrieve Ben and escort this...dragon."

There were some advantages to Peter sticking to the rooftops and the sides of buildings to take his photographs. The first being he was able to handle the lizard men who were scaling the structures while the military could tend to the ones in the streets. The second was no one was really paying him much mind thanks to the reptilian threat so he was able to take what he considered paper worthy photos. With this story he would be able to get the truth of this incident even if there was no hard evidence of ROXXON’s involvement aside from being the reason for the stadium being built. It would have to do since his only witness was now being whisked away through the ether to face judgement on a cosmic level. Oh how he missed the days when he was a simple reporter whose only concern was exposing corrupt city officials or mobsters.

There were some downsides to doing this with the main one being he had no one to help him deal with these lizard men and frankly the Spider-Man was running on fumes after how much he had exerted himself so far. It was mainly due to the fight with Kraven which while was short was brutal as the hunter could hit harder than anyone else Peter had ever faced against. His arm was still throbbing in pain from where it was gripped so tightly that it pained him greatly to even shoot a web from that wrist. This meant he had to stick to more conventional methods to deal with these monsters.

The camera was stowed away by it being webbed into a makeshift satchel that was strapped to his body, and with it secured he unclipped the strap that kept his revolver in its holster. He pulled the firearm free by the time the first lizard man made its ascent to the rooftop, the creature lunging towards him with its brethren following the same course. Six shots, seven targets. Won’t have time to reload, he assessed with the knowledge this was likely not going to be easy. The first turned out to be simple enough to dispose since it would reach him first, so when it pounced at him he sidestepped and kicked the back of its legs. Its knees were sent cracking into the rooftop, the sound of the revolver’s hammer being pulled back went unheard as the barrel was pressed against its scaly head.

A resounding bang erupted, the bullet tore through its target and exited out the other side. Blood and viscera flecked Spider-Man’s body as he disposed of one threat then turned to the others. The next three reached him at the same time, his body tensed for a moment before he sprang to the side. A shot of webbing caught one in the foot thus causing it to trip and taking it out of the fight momentarily. The next he took head on quite literally when it chomped at his face only for him to wrap his arm around its neck for leverage to kick lift up and kick the third lizard man. The one he was close to likely felt the gun’s barrel at its chin before the bullet pierced upwards and into its brain. The vibrations from the shot shook Peter’s arm and he winced slightly from the pain coursing through him.

Another lizard man jumped towards him and he landed on his back and kicked upward and away to send it flying off the edge of the building. Its companion took the opportunity to launch itself at the prone prey and was rewarded with the metallic taste of a revolver barrel in its mouth. Another shot and another enemy dead as the Spider-Man jumped to his feet to handle the next three. Two jumped at him from different angles and they were rewarded for their efforts when their teeth sank into flesh, blood gushing into their mouths. Unfortunately for the pair the crimson liquid belonged to their dead kin as their quarry had leaped straight up and used his webbing to put the recently slain lizard man where he was just standing.

He landed on the pair, delivering a kick to each to stun them long enough for him to feed each of them a helping of lead. One enemy remained and it seemed just as mindless as its fellows from the way it rushed in without a second thought. Maybe this was easier than he originally believed but it was dashed when his supernatural sense warned him of danger in the form of a lizard man charging at him from behind. It was the one he assumed was killed when he sent it flying off the roof. Now here it was raking at his back with its wicked looking claws. He managed to evade the blow but not the backhand from his other foe which sent him skidding across the ground.

The taste of blood pooling inside his mouth, the burn like feeling of his body being sent across the hard surface of the building and the other injuries he sustained this evening were all hitting him at once. Even so he got up albeit in a groggily, his foes were right upon him when he fired but he fell to one knee. The shot only grazed one of the monsters and once more knew there would be no time to reload. This was going to be the end of him. This was not the way he wanted to go but it was not as if he was living his life in any meaningful way either. Maybe this was for the best. Time seemed to slow down as he pondered what here was worth living for and the answer came from the battle raging below him. The soldiers fighting for their lives, protecting the civilians who were running for their own just like May would be if she was here.

That thought was enough to stoke the fire inside him again, he gritted his teeth as he glared at the lizard men charging towards him. “Come and get it you sons of bitches,” he whispered then stepped backwards and off the building’s rooftop. His foes were right behind him and the three began to fight in the air with Peter using his webs to take advantage of being able to fight with mobility despite being in freefall. Even so the monsters were able to get a few good licks in but the battle came to a halt when he shot a web back towards the building then used it as a springboard to send a mighty punch to each enemy. This sent them careening towards the ground but they never made impact.

The Spider-Man shot a webline from each arm while he stood on the side of the building. His targets were easy enough to hit in their current state so when each web struck they clung to the back of each lizard man’s neck. That coupled with the sudden deceleration was enough for their necks to snap cleanly with a loud, sickening crunch! He thought it was effective enough but something about this he found unsettling though whatever it was would have to be processed later. Before he returned to the action he paused long enough to reload his gun and to check to make sure his camera was still intact. After that was completed he returned to the fight, his wounds were catching up to him and he hoped to see the tide of this fight turn in the human’s favor. There was no telling how much longer he could keep this up before he either had to admit to his shortcoming and run or die defending the city.

The saurian growled and hissed as it coughed clots of blood from its muzzle.

"Paid to...catch Ssssspider-man...for Kraven..."

It gurgled as it craned its neck.

"All I wasss paid...not to deal with monsstersss...not to be a monssster!"

The creature that was once Toomes turns its face to stare back with a yellow eye.

"Adviccce...Don't let them bite you...or you end up like me...now do me a favor..."

He closes his eye.

"End thissss...before nothing is left but...the hunger..."

Ty vanished with Tandy in tow, both of them looking off the side of the fantasicar and seeing gaint lizards running around the streets of NYC. Spider Man already had jumped away and planned to start fighting for the people down there, and Tandy had gotten Ty's attension and he just nodded silently at her choice.

They both appeared on the streets below, in the midst of a swarm of the lizard men even as they tore into a crowd. Tyrone stretched out with the cloak, sweeping over the riot like nightfall. Tandy stayed with him, inside the void and held up the dagger. The light reaching the humans and not the reptile people.

Weather or not berserk reptiles had the brainpower to feel the fear of the unnatural void, they certainly had issues with cold. Most of them curled into a fetal position as whatever heat they needed to keep going was swiftly drained from their bodies. The humans, shielded by being mammals and Dagger's light, managed to restrain their screams long enough for Cloak's darkness to pass over them without harm.

Tandy noticed some of the humans had been bit, and from the injury scales where already starting to spread.

"Ty, keep them off me! I am going to try to use the dagger to cure this!" While indeed the dagger of light could cure poisons, plagues, and injuries-she had never tried to change someone back to a human being. It certainly could not do that for Tyrone.

Even as Ty used his cloak to block incoming attacks from other lizards as Tandy and the still humans stayed behind him, Tandy checked over the wounded. She willed the dagger of light into its energy form, and plunged it into the bite wound of one of the slowly transforming victims. If it was a normal wound, it would be healed...but this was no normal wound.

With this information taken to mind, Fran points the handgun at the creature's head, firing off two rounds. Two to make sure it died, though not of mercy, out of doing a job. He turns his head back towards the scene, holstering the Colt. He grabs the BAR off the ground, checking the mag. There'd only be 4 rounds left, but that'd be plenty. He takes up his position, scanning the area for something meaningful to fire at with his last few rounds.

"What a crazy night."

Indeed, while the physical cold of the Darkforce had a paralyzing effect on these creatures, they were immune to the psychic effects. There was no conscience left to exploit, only hunger.

The dagger flashed brightly as it entered the wound, stifling the transforming infection, but dispatching the remaining life force as well. This specimen at least was too far gone to save.

In reply to The Narrator (msg # 112):

Tyrone noticed the now dead but fully human Tandy was standing over. He noticed her eyes getting wide and filling with tears, and she looked from the body to the glowing dagger she held.

"Tandy! Tandy, don't look at it!" He said, and suddenly felt a clawed hand swipe at his darkness. It withdrew and the wielder of said claw, a lizard-woman in a torn dress and odd furry square hat hissed at him. Other started to swarm, trying to get past him yet unwilling to dive into that cold void. They would eventually get by him, as he did not know if he could consume them all. They had nothing to feed on, and his inner darkness vomited them out of its void due to lack of inner 'light'. Granted they could not hurt him ether, but he was standing between  them and Tandy and the group of normal terrorized humans behind her.

"Tandy, listen to me!" He said, expanding his cloak to create a wall of darkness between the living humans and the lizard horde. "You gave that man peace! You had to! There is nothing left of them, I know it! If you don't help me now, all those people behind you are going to end up like him!"

The lizards started crawling up the sides of the walls of the alley to try to get past the cloak. Cloak's darkness portal was limited somewhat to what his body should be. Granted he could take up more space than a normal body via the cape, but even it had its limits. There was just too many of them to keep them all out.

"TANDY, I CAN'T DO THIS BY MYSELF!" He said, surprised to hear it. He had never admitted that before.

It was then he saw a moving stream of light. Moving through the ones sneaking in along the edges of his cloak. At once being purified back into normal human bodies...dead ones anyways. Half a dozen fell to the flying glowing dagger as they where struck, and the rest where forced into the darkness of the cloak-only to be 'spit' out again, near frozen.

"I need you too." Her heard Tandy's voice behind him, a little sniff of tears and sadness still heard in her voice.

Tyrone nodded, gave her a smile-one of his rare ones. Then he gathered her up, and the other humans, and transported them to someplace much safer.

The battle for New York continued on into the night and Peter wondered if there was any end in sight. For every lizard man he killed there were two more to take its place and he understood why when he witnessed a man be bitten then become one of the very monsters that attacked him. The effect was immediate so he knew that he had to avoid their dagger like teeth of theirs at all cost while also keeping citizens from falling victim to them as well. On paper it was a simple enough plan, if they could prevent more people from becoming these reptilian horrors then all that was left to do was kill those that remained. It did not mean the task would be easy though and with each minute that dragged on the more he felt his body slow down. That fact aside he had to keep trying and accept whatever might result from his decision as it was.

He was now on a street in an attempt to turn back the tide of claws and scales that rushed towards some fleeing citizens. It was not going well at all. He was down to his last few rounds in his revolver and the number of monsters far exceeded it.  How he was going to do this was beyond him but complaining about it would not do him any good. He was a flurry of punches and kicks with a shot from his firearm sounding off every now and then. In his wake were dead lizards but the horde kept moving, the deaths of their kin did not faze them in the slightest.

A scream from off to the left caused him to turn and he saw a family about to be set upon by a pair of lizards. He only had two rounds left in his pistol and he could not guarantee those would be enough to stop the threat either. There was no way he could reach them in time to intercept the lizard men but he could bring the family to him. With a flick from his wrists webs enveloped the family and he pulled with all his strength. The lizard men crashed to the pavement, their claws only finding the cement of the street as the family was now beside the webslinger.

“Get of here!” He yelled at the family, a husband, wife and son while he freed them from the web. Just then his sixth sense went off and he saw what caused it to flare. The man he had just saved was bitten in the leg, Peter did not realize it until just now as the man became covered in scales. The newly made lizard man opened its maw and to sink its fangs into the woman, who screamed at the top of her lungs. A flash of blood, a cry from the boy followed by a gunshot ripped through the night.

The lizard man fell to the ground dead from the gunshot to its head and the boy opened his eyes to see his father turned monster looking at him with a lifeless gaze. The child looked up and saw his mother with a shocked expression but she looked from her husband’s body to Spider-Man or rather the wound on his arm. It was all he could do, put himself in the way to save the woman and from the boy having to suffer the loss of both parents. A lot of good it did him though. Looks like the Parker luck has struck again he thought grimly as he gripped at the wound.

“I said, GO!” Peter yelled at the pair which shook the mother from her stupor. No more words were said as she picked her child up and ran away as fast as her legs could carry them. He glanced at his wound, the pain burned and he wondered how long it would take for him to succumb to this affliction. For the moment he could still fight and at least now he could fight without any worry for his own life. He was bitten so there was no point playing it safe. He holstered the pistol after he made the decision to use it later. After all there was only one bullet left and he intended to be selfish by saving it for himself.

Frank looked over the streets, taking a thought of what to do. He drops the rifle and makes his way off the roof, moving to a warehouse he used as an armory. It wasn't too far, concealed in the basement storage part. It was a 15 minute walk, though taking 7 with a jog. Frank moved down the main streets, taking out two .38 revolvers from his trench coat. His belt carried bullets galore, different calibers for whatever he might be carrying. Any lizardlings which came up to him were immediately greeted with a revolver to the face, chest, or kneecap. He seemed like a mad-man, a skull on his chest holding two guns while chaos erupted through the area. Frank was an experienced shooter, making quick 1 or 2 shot kills was his specialty.

In short, Frank could be seen walking down streets holding two revolvers while blasting any creatures which came near him. The revolvers were double action, meaning he didn't need to pull the hammer back between shots. It was like the reaper himself was walking through a city.

The following is heard on a nearby radio as air raid sirens wail.

"I repeat, stay in your homes! Cover your windows and prepare to defend yourself if possible!

Gunshots echo through Lower Manhattan as we discover how many New Yorkers are secretly packing heat!

Costumed heroes and villains alike are emerging from the shadows to face this threat to the Natural Order!

The National Guard is sealing off Hell's Kitchen from the rest of Manhattan, especially around the Lincoln Tunnel. Do not attempt to cross!"

"The national Guard! We have some place to bring the people!" Tandy said, brighting both emotionally and literally.

"Bet they shoot at us first..." Tyrone grumbled, and Tandy poked him with a finger in the side.

"Stop complaining! We have the option at least! Let's go!"

Ty seemed to want to say something else, but held his tongue and proceeded to draw Tandy and the remaining humans with them into his void.

Ty appeared before the gathered National guard troops, and needless to say they started shooting. The bullets passed harmlessly into him, and he glared at the gun wielding men but did nothing. After they stopped shooting, noticing both Ty was not attacking and not a lizard, Tandy emerged.

Her light seemed to bring a sense of calm and peace to the area-for both the soldiers and the former victims she brought out of the void with her. The people ran to the soldiers, thankful to see rescue and help-both medical and otherwise. One child gave Tandy a hug before heading back to her mother.

She turned back to Ty. "There are still more in the city you know..." She pointed out.

"The smartest move would be gathering up the kids we rescued and getting away from here." Ty said, still watching the soldiers with hostility. They gave similar looks back, but where not pointing weapons at him anymore.

"Or, we could go back and ferry more people to safety. Like you would do without me being here. So don't use my safety as an excuse, ok?" She said, and kissed his cheek. He huffed, but nodded.

"Ok, ok..." He said with grudging acceptance. Tandy stepped into the cloak, and he melted away into shadow once more. Already headed back into the chaos to find more people.

Peter cursed under his breath as he dodged a swipe from a reptilian claw. These things were multiplying at an alarming rate which was bad enough but there was an equally pressing matter he needed to deal with. Somehow he had not turned yet despite the fact others he saw be bitten became lizardmen almost instantly. Maybe it was the curse of the Spider-God that was responsible for him being at the very least resistant to these monsters’ wicked bite. Well the plague they spread at least since they could still tear through him easily enough and he realized that made him more of a meal than a target to infect. Somehow that feels more comforting than becoming one of these freaks, he thought to himself as he gripped his foe by the neck then twisted hard until he heard a very distinct snapping noise.

He dropped the body to the ground then dropped as well to duck out of the way of another lizardman barreling towards him. It crashed through the storefront window of the shop behind him and from there over the sounds of chaos around him he heard the radio announcement.  The news others were fighting these things off other than the military was the push he needed to keep going. If others were still trying then he could not quit now. The only problem was how were they going to contain the situation when the other side could replenish its forces almost instantly?

For now the answer was to hold the line and keep anyone else from being bitten. If the civilians could be evacuated then that would slow down the number of people turned. From there they could begin to purge these monsters from the city.

Mary couldn't see the Sun rise, but that fact didn't mean that her sins were not, even now, being laid bare for all to see. She had not rescued the children. She had not stopped the man who had enslaved Fin Fang Foom. She did not know if the Nullifier was intact. She had not saved the people that had been turned into lizardmen.

But it was worse than that, so much worse.

She had fought them. She saw no other choice. Their bite spread some kind of foul disease and they were so resilient. There were so many of them. They were monsters, and she killed them.

And then they were not monsters any more.

Some other hero, a flying man in a metal suit, had sprayed an aerosol into the hordes, and they had slowly returned to normal, cured of their affliction. Someone else had saved them. The survivors at least. Because it wasn't just the living that returned to normal, it was the dead as well.

Mary stood upon the streets of Hell's Kitchen, her black wool clothing now saturated with the red blood of those she had killed. Around her the bodies lay; men and women, people she had sworn to protect.

The dead, the dying and the crippled. God in heaven, what had she done?