Author's Note: Another short chapter here, folks. But the next will be longer. I promise!

Chapter 5: The Spider's Wrath

Spidertor, the giant vicious Spiderborg, stood wounded on the ground. He had just been in a major battle with Ace Lightning, after he had just murdered Commander Blackout. The ground surrounding the mechanical arachnid was smoking, from lightning bolts which had missed Spidertor. Spidertor's sharp pike lay several yards from him. Spidertor had a large cut in his chest armour and there was a small crack in his mask.

Sparx and Thunderfoot watched from a distance, on a sloppy cliff. Thunderfoot was trying to memorise what he had read in a book about Spiderborgs.

Spidertor suddenly scuttled towards his pike and Ace dived at him. Spidertor grabbed his pike, but received a flying kick from Ace, which sent him tumbling across the battlefield. Ace approached him and raised his wrist cannons.

"It is over, Spidertor!" cried Ace.

"Guess again," replied Spidertor, as he leapt up and headbutted Ace in the stomach.

Sparx then seized her Sword of Jacob and ran down the hill shouting. Spidertor watched as Sparx backflipped over him and slashed her blade at his throat. She missed, but scraped a layer of metal off of his shoulder. Ace fired lightning bolts at Spidertor, at the struck his front legs, which bended back and the spider fell over. Sparx then jumped up into the sky and was about to bring her sword down on Spidertor's head, when his left arm lashed out and seized Sparx, tossing her and the sword away. Ace leapt up and punched Spidertor in the face, but the superhero then shook his hand in pain, as he had hit Spidertor's metal mask. He then launched lightning bolts at Spidertor.

"You are a fool, Lightning!" snarled Spidertor, blocking on of Ace's lightning bolts. "I have powerful defence".

"But what about your offence?" asked Ace obnoxiously

Spidertor chuckled and threw his pike. Ace moved out of the way as the sharp weapon landed. Spidertor quickly picked it up and slashed it at Ace. Ace battled back with the Lightning Lance. Sparx joined in with her blade. Ace and Sparx swung their weapons frantically as Spidertor scuttled backwards, his eight legs tripping over eachother.

Spidertor fell down and then pummelled Ace with his legs. Ace dropped the Lightning Lance and was pushed back into Sparx, and the two collapsed on the ground beside eachother. Ace was up in a shot, Sparx quickly afterwards. Spidertor lashed out and sent Sparx flying. He then grabbed Ace by the neck. Ace couldn't breath, so his electrical powers died out. Spidertor chucked and noticed Sparx running towards him like a runaway train. He spun his pike about and threw it at Sparx like a boomerang. It hit her and she spun about in midair and collapsed to ground, unconscious.

Ace struggled to free himself from Spidertor's grip. Spidertor snickered and his free arm moved into a giant gun turret.

"Farewell Ace Lightning," laughed Spidertor and was about to fire, when Thunderfoot dived down from the sky and cut the gun turret clear off with his Thunder Axe. Spidertor roared and dropped Ace.

"Ace, blast his chest, that is his weakspot!" cried Thunderfoot.

Ace then fired a Ring of Flame attack at Spidertor. The fiery blast hit home and Spidertor screeched and roared as his body started to burn. His remaining arm thrashed at the air around him as the flames spread over his body like locust. As the flames consumed him and smoke rose into the air, Spidertor glared at the Lightning Knights.

"Behemoth X…FFFFFOOOOOORRRREEEEEVVVVVEEEEEEEEEERRRRRR!" he shouted as his body exploded and engulfed in a dazzling firestorm.

Ace and Thunderfoot covered their eyes as the firestorm soared into the sky, almost reaching the peek of Mount Infinity. Ace then approached the unconscious Sparx and slowly started to walk up the hill to the ship. Thunderfoot noticed Blackout's pistol and picked it up. He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds and ran after Ace.

At the Carnival of Doom, Connector sat in the "throne room" of the Deathstrike. He has an energy link with his generals, and has felt Spidertor die. He heard footsteps and noticed that Lancelot had returned to the carnival, his armour cracked and battered from his battle with Sparx. He bowed before Connector, but his helmet fell off and clattered on the floor. Connector got out of his throne and used one of his red octopus tentacles to place Lancelot's helmet back on its body.

"I am sorry, master" said Lancelot apologetically.

"You are forgiven, Lancelot. The Lightning Knights are more powerful than I suspected. Spidertor's body may be crippled and destroyed, but his memory will live on!" said Connector.

"That is so beautiful!" sobbed Lancelot and started crying.

"Spidertor's death will be avenged!" cried Connector and turned to Lancelot who immediately stood up straight. "Get Nebulous and meet me at the haunted house, it is time to act!".

At the haunted house, Lord Fear played the organ and his minions sat behind him. Rotgut had his ears covered, and Kilobyte stood in the shadows, shaking his head coldly at the skeleton.

"Pathetic. The Master of Fear plays music than destroying Ace Lightning." he thought.

Lord Fear then started singing some pirate-like music on the organ and he and Savashark broke into song.

"Billy. Billy McCaw. Come give a tune on your moldy guitar. And Billy would strike up on his moldy guitar, and he did strike up on his moldy guitar. And then we'd fell barmy in each iron tear and emotions would make us all order more beer…" sang the two.

Kilobyte's tentacles suddenly lashed out and hit Lord Fear over the head.

"Silence! That infernal racket is enough to drive me insane!" snapped Kilobyte.

"Well excuse me! Maybe you should go visit a sushi bar!" replied Lord Fear, grabbing Staff Head.

Fear was about to blast the hell out of Kilobyte, when Connector's red octopus tentacle grabbed him around the waist and threw him to the floor. Connector approached Lord Fear, his red eyes blaring with anger.

"Lightning has killed one of my generals…" spoke Connector.

"Uh, good luck with that?" said Lord Fear.

"I believe it is time to launch a full invasion on Lightning's headquarters and slay every Lightning Knight there!" shouted Connector.

Kilobyte took this into interest and approached his "brother".

"That is an interesting idea, brother" said Kilobyte.

"Don't call me "brother"" growled Connector in protest.

"We shall attack Lightning's base, like you said, but we need reinforcements" said Kilobyte.

"But how and where are we supposed to get reinforcements?" said Lord Fear, still on the floor.

"Shut up!" cried Kilobyte and Connector.

"Sorry…" whimpered Lord Fear.

"Actually, I have a minion hiding in this carnival attraction," said Connector.

"What?" cried Lord Fear in astonishment.

Connector smirked and looked over to a small puddle of black liquid in a corner of the room. One of his tentacles slithered threw the air and poked the puddle and wave of energy flew over it. The puddle started to ripple and bubble, and it suddenly seeped across the floor and stopped beside Lord Fear and started to grow in length and width. Lord Fear gasped as his legs were engulfed in black sticky liquid and he was unable to move.

The puddle of black liquid began to form into a large mould which continued to grow taller. It then formed into an enormous black hand for several seconds, before the thumb and little finger became fat arms with large clawed hands, while the three other fingers bent downwards and melted into the liquid. A giant Cyclops eye snapped open in the centre of the new creature and a mouth appeared as well, full of sharp teeth and a green tounge. He laughed evilly and looked around at his audience.

"Meet the formidable Tar Monster!" announced Connector.

"Hi!" greeted the Tar Monster and shot out his right hand, which had a lot of dripping tar falling from its underside.

The minions all grimaced and waved at Tar Monster nervously. Tar Monster noticed Lord Fear, who was trying to desperately use Staff Head to pull his way out of the brute's sticky body.

"Help me, my sturdy staff!" pleaded Lord Fear.

"Careful, I'll splinter!" replied Staff Head.

"We now have enough strength to bring down Ace Lightning!" declared Kilobyte. "Let's move!".

Kilobyte was the first to leave. He whistled for his beloved wasp, Fred, and flew off in the direction of the Thunder Tower. He somehow knew which was it was.

Lord Fear, who managed to escape Tar Monster's body with help from Anvil, boarded the Doom Wagon and flew after Kilobyte.

The rest of the group went on the Deathstrike which floated up into the air and blasted off into the sky using rockets that were installed in the back of the flying fortress. The only being in the carnival was the mysterious Lady Illusion. She looked concerned as the Deathstrike vanished into the sky.

"I have to warn Ace," she said out loud and spun around until she disappeared in a flash of light.

Will Lady Illusion get to Ace and warn him in time? Will all of the Lightning Knights be killed by the forces of the Carnival of Doom? What powers does this new Tar Monster possess? Can Ace restore the Amulet and defeat Kilobyte? Find out next time on Ace Lightning: Wrath of the Master Programmer, Chapter 6, The Shocking Showdown.