Home Is Where The Heart Is

15

"Ned?" You say in shock.

This was the second time that had happened to you.

You were so surprised that you even forgot that you had to find Peter and the fact there was a dead creatures body in a truck behind you.

"It's sorcerer supreme to you," Ned corrects, smoothing down his robes as he walked, "You know, that's the third time I've been called Ned by you spider-people, do I exist in your reality or something?"

As he spoke his last sentence, you could just see Ned's happy character emerging from the serious and dull sorcerer supreme he was in whatever universe he was from.

It was a little saddening to see Ned so different. It was like he had suddenly turned cold.

"Sort of." You say, looking back at the truck behind you, "Have you come to take us home?"

"You and Peter?" He asks and you nod, "Yes then."

"You could've at least come earlier." You complain, before telling him about how you'd been stuck in this reality for hours after the creature died.

"I was told to get you at exactly this time by the elders," Ned says, looking at your annoyed face, "I don't know why though. Anything significant happen after the creatures demise?"

"Not unless you count Peter reuniting with his dead girlfriend." You kick a stone from the rubble.

"Then you best get Peter." Ned says, the portal still going strong, "You're going home."

You then shake your head as you remember the tag you'd just found on the beast. You felt stupid for not mentioning it earlier.

"Oh, actually." You add, "There was something."

You backtrack towards the lorry and wade through the creatures body, stepping over the many heads and necks.

When you got to the point, you lifted the tag, showing Ned the symbol.

"Woah that's so cool! That's not like anything I've seen before."

There he was. That was the Ned you knew well.

His eyes widened in awe as you rip it off from the beast and hold it in your hand.

"Do you think it's important?" You ask, tilting the metal and watching as the light bounced off of it.

"I'm not sure." Ned says, "We better take it to the sanctum."

"Alright." You say, leaping off the van after Ned who was gliding back towards the portal with his cape.

When he saw you waiting outside the portal, he looked back. He clearly was confused as to why you'd suddenly frozen as if you were in a trance.

"Are you okay?" Ned asks, looking a little worried to be honest.

"Yeah," You say, handing him the piece but not quite going inside the portal yet, "It's just-"

The portal started shrinking and you stopped speaking out of nerves.

"What?" Ned asks, time was running out.

"I need to get Peter."