E8: Green Lantern #1

[Spider-Man Beyond]

E8: Green Lantern #1
Emerald Dawn
Part 1:
Ignition

Written and Cover by Jason Blankenship
Edited by Daniel Dyer

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Where did we go wrong, I wonder? Was hubris our sin? When one is at the end, one often finds themselves thinking about the beginning. We were so very sure of ourselves. Ourselves and our grand plan to maintain the safety of the universe.

We had divided all of space into 3,600 sectors, and to each we were to assign a knight. A member of our order pulled from the sentient life of that sector to police and support his brothers. Armed with a ring of power that was limited only by the bearer’s willpower, our Lanterns would’ve lit the dark places of the universe.

What good, I wonder, is light without the shadow to oppose it?

The being was called Parallax. He was one of the great evils that we saw in the universe. One of the many we had hoped to fight. We were… unprepared for the beast’s assault on Oa.

Many of my brothers died in the ensuing battle. It seemed like Parallax would win his battle against us. But hope came in the form of a miracle. My brothers gave up the last of their life force to me, and with the energy I banished Parallax to a prison on the fringes of space, and forged one power ring. I then sought out a champion.

For over a thousand generations, a Green Lantern has sailed through the space ways, acting as a protector, a guardian and a guide. I was there, always there to act as his teacher, instructing him on the use of his power. And when he fell in battle, I was there to comfort his last hours and begin the heart wrenching job of searching for his replacement. But always, the Lantern’s light shined over the dark places where evil dwelled, and they feared the power of my ringbearer.

And that fear proved to be the beginning of my end.

Parallax fed off that fear, growing ever stronger, and ever more violent. And finally, Parallax’s rage turned into willpower. Resolutely he turned our weapon against us and destroyed the barriers which had kept him in place and began his rampage through space, headed for Oa.

I called my champion, Medphyll, to defend Oa and to be the line which Parallax could not be able to cross. I cannot relate to you the sorrow I felt watching Medphyll fall to Parallax, his energy absorbed and his ring broken. Parallax turned on me, but using the last of my energies, I have fled, knowing what I must do.

I have created a final ring, the summation of a thousand generations of heroes. Sector 2814 is home to the last Kryptonian, and under that yellow sun, he has flourished. I can only hope he will use the ring to defeat the monstrosity, if not, the universe is doomed…

I know that this journey will be my last, and that I will have only moments to find the Kryptonian…

He will be the last line of defense in the universe…

He will be the last of a long line of champions I have chosen…

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rayner, but we can’t offer you the job.”

Kyle Rayner sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Can I ask why not?”

“You told your last boss to, and I quote, ‘Piss up a rope’.”

“That’s completely out of context.”

“You then told him to go fuck himself and gave him the finger.”

Kyle grimaced, “Yeah, that’s not so out of context.”

“Kyle, you’re a talented artist. You are. But until you get this attitude of yours under control, I’m afraid you’re just not Banks & Pelletier Designs material. I’m sorry.”

Kyle tried his best to smile and not make a scene.

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Kyle hit the ground and rolled a bit as the large security guard threw him from Banks & Pelletier’s building. He stood and grabbed his portfolio and threw a defiant finger into the New York night, aimed at the HR woman he was seated across from a few minutes ago.

“Yeah, well, I need you a lot less than you need me. Fuck you!”

He sighed, his anger spent and dejection starting to set in. He wasn’t looking forward to getting home.

Alex is gonna kill me.

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“What do you mean you didn’t get the job?”

Kyle sighed, “You remember when I got a little fed up with Mr. Stewart and his stifling my creativity and went a little ballistic?”

Alex glared, “You mean when you lost the only decent job you’ve had since college because you had to act like a immature two year old?”

“Yes, Alex, that was the time… anyways, seems Mr. Stewart didn’t give me as good as a reference as he could’ve.”

Alex pulled her blonde hair back and looked at Kyle like she was getting ready to throw something at him. “You told him to piss up a rope!”

“That was taken completely out of context.”

Alex gave Kyle a glare that would’ve brought any man to his knees. She grabbed the stack of bills off the table by the door. “Kyle, you need to stop acting so immature and get your act together. You have student loans to repay, rent, electricity, and I can’t keep helping you out. I mean, I love you to death, but you’re bringing me down with you. You have to get your act together, grow up and realize that you’re not special. The laws of the universe apply to you as much as anyone else.”

“So, what? You want me to put on the suit and tie and become yet another corporate drone?! I won’t do it. I’m an artist, Alex. If I can’t express myself, then I’m nothing.”

“No Kyle, you’re already nothing. You’re just a nothing who spends more time with a sketchbook than he does making money.”

The instant that the words were out of her mouth, Alex knew she made a mistake. Without a word Kyle grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the apartment.

Alex sighed as she heard him thunder down the stairway.

“Dammit…”

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Kyle smiled at his old college roommate and favorite entrepreneur, Guy Gardner, who was tending his bar about 3 blocks from Kyle’s place.

“Hey Kyle, what brings you to Warriors tonight? Another fight with DeWitt?”

Kyle nodded and sat down at the bar and proceeded to explain everything to Guy.

“You told your boss to piss up a rope-”

“That always gets taken out of context.”

“-and then when you didn’t get hired you called the HR woman a sanctimonious bitch?”

“Maybe just a little…”

“Damn, Kyle… nice to see you haven’t lost your edge.”

“That’s just it Guy… I’m 25 years old, and I feel like I’m drowning. I mean, you at least fell back on your Mom’s old bar after your knee gave out, I… all I have is my art and Alex… and she’s about a hair’s breath away from leaving.”

Kyle downed another glass of Crown Royal and Guy sighed, “Kyle, you want my advice?”

Kyle nodded, “Anything will work at this point.”

“Realize we’re not in college anymore. And figure out who you’re job hunting for. If it’s just for Alex and her mother henning, then that could be why you’re not having luck. Do it for yourself, and everything else will fall in line. And do it because you love the job… after all, ‘money is just-’”

“’-how people without talent keep score.’ How could I forget? Gimme one more for the road, Guy. I need to do some soul searching.”

Guy poured another round, grinning at his friend, “What would you do without me, loser?”

“Stay sober.”

—

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Kyle stumbled into an alleyway, more than a little tipsy after leaving Warriors. He leaned against the cool brick wall for support while hazily musing over Alex’s argument and Guy’s advice.

“Guy’s right, I do need to find my own reasons for having a job, and I need to have a job… but on the other hand, Alex is right. I am immature, and I really don’t have any idea on a direction for my life. Hell, I don’t even know where my next rent check is coming from. Maybe Alex is right, maybe I’m not as special as I thought I was.”

Kyle’s reverie was broken by a bright green flash of light. When the light faded, Kyle clearly saw the form of a small blue midget, wearing the tattered remains of what looked like a red dress.

“How many drinks did I have?!”

“I don’t… have the strength… to find the Kryptonian… you shall have… to do…”

Kyle’s eyes widened as he noticed that the midget was looking at him. Kyle glanced around, hoping that maybe he was hallucinating or perhaps there was someone else in the alley. No such luck, Rayner.

“This ring…” the midget held a green ring, crested by a stylized lantern, in his up turned palm, “take it…”

Kyle reached out and grabbed the ring, It feels real enough.

“What’s supposed to happen?” he asked the blue midget, the uncertain feeling in the pit of his stomach growing.

“What… must…”

“Okay, but what do I do with it?”

The midget smiled, and in the smile there was a mixture of mirth and finality, like the midget had succeeded in some great final task. “What… you… must….” There was a final sigh and midget’s eyes fluttered closed and he vanished in a wisp of green smoke.

Kyle looked at the green ring in hand, and noticed that it shimmered in the light, and there was something about it. Something that seemed like perhaps it was destiny.

“This has got to be the weirdest dream I’ve ever had…” Kyle slid the ring onto his middle finger and gasped as his clothes immediately shifted into a streamlined green, white and black uniform. Just left of the center of his chest was the same symbol that crested the ring, glowing with a radiant green light. The black of his uniform looked like it was made of space itself and he felt the power flowing off his finger as he stared at the green light emanating from the ring.

“Oh man… I have a feeling my life just got a lot more complicated.”

He will be the last Green Lantern…

Continued...