Unlimited Legends #8 (Featuring Kyle Rayner)

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Unlimited Legends #8
Know Fear

Written and Edited by Daniel Dyer

Featuring... Kyle Rayner

My name's Kyle Rayner. I'm an average twelve year old. Well... if you don't count me being the shortest in my class. Man, I hate when I'm teased for being a "runt". Oh, well. Where was I? Oh yeah, an average kid. There's nothing special or extraordinary (excluding my artistic ability). So, I got to ask. Why me?

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Alcatraz Island.

An enormous spider has trapped some tourists who have come to Alcatraz on a school field trip. Blood rain pours from the sky like in a torrent.

"Kyle, don't be scared, everything'll be just fine."

That's my mom. She thinks I'm scared. She couldn't be further from the truth. Yeah, I'm terrified.

"Hear me, Lord Trigon!!! The Earth is yours for the taking... I call upon the spirits of Azarath to free you from your shackles!"

And that's the cause of this. Some kinda Tattooed Man. This huge spider-thing was a tattoo on his body. Not sure how, or what he plans. Wish I was in Metropolis. I heard about this guy in blue spandex (don't laugh). He'd free us.

"Hey, kid!" a voice calls from above. Kyle looks up, and sees a translucent green fist hit the "Tattooed Man", sending him flying.

"Wow! Cool!" Hey, the rain's stopped.

"How dare you lay your filthy finger on me..." This Tattooed Man tore off his cloak. He wore only black leather pants & boots. His exposed, gaunt frame, covered in hundreds of frightening tattoos, piercings and scars, his long, black , stringy hair dripped with blood. "No one touches me... I am the Lord Trigon's harbinger, I am the Tattooed Man and I will see that you burn in my Lords Hell for that... hero."

"It's Green Lantern pal."

Green Lantern, huh? I can see it.

"JEZZUS!" Green Lantern shouts.

Kyle looks over to the Tattooed Man. The mad man, now on all fours, screams in agony as a giant yellow Phoenix rips from his back. Kyle covers his ears as the screech from the "tattoo" echoes over the island.

Kyle Looks back, towards the Green Lantern. Oh, no! It's attacking him! Something's wrong. The Lantern's only dodging it. Why? Kyle looks back towards the Tattooed Man, seeing him climb back onto the wall, the blood rain begins to pour once more.

Not thinking, Kyle wiggles out of the web and runs toward the spider. Diving to the ground, he slides right under the large arachnid.

"KYLE!!!" His mom screams after him.

Ignoring her protest, the still terrified Kyle looks back toward the spider, luckily it stayed put, guarding the others. Whew. Guess I'm not a priority. He Looks up at the scary, tattooed freak. OK, Now what do I do?

Kyle gathers up handfuls of stones. It's worth a shot. Maybe if I distract him, his monsters might go away.

He hurls the stones towards the Tattooed Man… Unfortunately, his aim is lacking.

Dude, I suck.

He takes a deep breath and throws the last stone, hitting the villain in the side of the head.

Score!!!

The Tattooed Man turns his attention to the new attacker, the blood once again stops falling from the sky.

Oh, crud!

The Tattooed man Prepares to unleash another monstrous creature upon Kyle, when he is suddenly knocked to his knees with a searing pain… the tattoo of the Phoenix reappears on his back.

Huh?

Just then, a wave hits the Tattooed Man, knocking him from the wall, landing him in the prison courtyard.

"And Marilyn Manson wipes out." Kyle looks up and sees Green Lantern flying straight for him. GL scoops him up and flies him to the newly safe island perimeter. "You're so cool."

Green Lantern tousled Kyle’s hair and flies back towards the courtyard where the Tattooed Man was waiting.

"Wow."

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

On the San Francisco shore…

A young, raven haired girl (wearing a hood) watches the action unfold on Alcatraz. Green energy shines brightly as Green Lantern faces off against the Tattooed Man. Such odd names the girl would think, if she wasn't troubled. She knew what the blood rain symbolized. What it could very well mean for her if Green Lantern were to fail. She pulls off her hood, revealing a gem in the middle of her forehead and closes her eyes to say a silent prayer.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

A few weeks later.

Green Lantern completely owned that tattooed guy... with a little help from me, naturally. I was even interviewed on the news and everything. You'd think I'd get a little respect. Just as he finishes his thought, he falls flat on his face, dropping all his school books in the crowded hall. Kyle hears laughter all around him. Keep dreaming, Rayner. Keep dreaming.

"Yo, good going, Derek," a white (kinda skinny) kid says as he high-fives a taller, muscular black kid.

Another tall kid kneels next to Kyle. "Here, let me help you up, ‘hero'."

Kyle takes the guy's hand, but the tall kid yanks him up, and puts out his foot, causing Kyle to trip, just as Derek shoves him, head first into a locker.

"See ya later, Rayner," says the first tall kid as he joins the other two, laughing as they walk off.

Kyle sits on the hall floor, rubbing his head. That was Ricky Butthead... er... Butler. Ain't he friendly? Kyle then starts picking up his books. Those two with him are Derek Kilby and Jerry Thomas. The banes of my existence.

Kyle stands up, and begins to walk to class when a certain hooded, raven haired girl runs up to him. Slowing to walk beside him, she holds out a book. "I think you missed one."

"Uh... thanks." Kyle says surprised.

"I saw what happened. Why did they do that?" the girl asked.

"Do they need a reason?” Kyle replies venomously, looking in the direction the boys had walked off in. “Oh, sorry, I'm Kyle."

"Raven," she offers pulling her hood back.

Wow, she's pretty. Kyle stares at her noticing the gem on her forehead. "Interesting jewelry."

"What...?" she asks.

"Your forehead." Kyle replies nodding his head towards hers.

"Oh... That.” she says, looking at her feet, “It's a... family heirloom. Gift from my mom."

There's an uncomfortable silence for a moment. "So... are you new?"

"Yes. I am an exchange student," she says not noticing the approach of the bully Ricky from behind.

"Oh, that's cool. Maybe I could... like... show you aro..." but before Kyle can finish, Ricky pushes him down. Yeah, I'm Mr. smooth today.

Ricky puts his arm around Raven. "Hey, baby, what you doing with that loser?"

"You have exactly one second to remove your arm or I break it," she replies darkly.

Heh. My kind of girl. But no way Ricky'll take that and Raven can't take on Butthead. Kyle gets to his feet. "The lady said off!" Kyle grabs Ricky's arm and throws it off of Raven. Dumb, Rayner. Really dumb.

"Rayner, you're getting grabby,” Ricky says after the initial shock wears off. “I think I'll return the favor." Ricky grabs both of Kyle's arms and flings him headfirst into a nearby trash can, Kyle's feet sticking out of the top.

"Catch ya later, Rayner," Ricky taunts as he walks off.

"Guess I showed him," Kyle says as his feet wiggle out of the top of the trash can.

Raven helps Kyle out of the trash can. "My hero. Hehe."

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

A Middle School cafeteria. What a place. Where the school hierarchy is clearly evident. The jocks and cheerleaders. The student government. The glamour squad. The geeks. The freaks. And me. Alone. Always alone. What is it with me? Am I being punished for something I did in a past life?

"Mind if I sit here?" Raven asks as she appears, again, seemingly from nowhere.

"Huh? Raven? Sure."

She pulls out a chair and sits beside Kyle. "You took off fast after... what happened before. Why?"

"...late for class..." Kyle replies, concentrating a little too hard on the horrible cafeteria food before him.

"Oh." Raven sees a sketch under one of Kyle's folders. "What's this?" she asks as she pulls it out.

"Just a sketch I did."

The drawing is of Green Lantern when he fought the yellow Phoenix sent out from the Tattooed Man. "This was what happened at Alcatraz. You were there?" Raven's eyes transfixed on the artwork.

"Yeah, but I don't remember seeing you on that field trip."

"I wasn't..." she replies quietly.

Ricky, Derek, and Jerry walk by, smacking Kyle in the back of the head as they pass. "Man, I so wish I could pay those jerks back."

"You want revenge for what they did?" she asks with an oddly hopeful tone in her voice.

"Not exactly. More like teach them a lesson. They've harassed me for years. I just want it to stop." Kyle hangs his head.

Raven smiles as she puts her hand on Kyle's. "Maybe I can help... Can you meet me after school?"

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

After school, Kyle arrives at a rundown old mansion. He opens the gate and it falls off the hinges. Well, this is spooky. He looks down at the piece of paper Raven gave him earlier. It's the right address.

He walks up to the front porch, and up the steps to the front door. He pushes the door and it opens, creaking. "Gulp." Peeking through the doorway, he whispers, "Raven. You here?"

"Good, you found the place," Raven says brightly as she comes down the old, creaky worn stairs. "You just going to stand in the doorway or you coming in."

"I think I'll take option ‘C'. Wait for you outside." Kyle starts to turn away.

"You aren't scared, are you, Kyle?"

"Me? Are you kidding?" Stepping inside, Kyle's voice goes into a whisper as he looks on either side of the door. "Of course I am."

"Come now, it's not that bad." She smiles.

"Yeah, if you're Dracula."

Raven frowns at that.

"What does this have to do with those three jerks?"

"We're gonna teach them a lesson... in terror," Raven says ominously, as the gem on her forehead begins to glow.

Outside the old house, two sets of blood red eyes, one on top of the other, appear, yet are visible only to those who are sensitive to the supernatural.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The plan's an easy one. Raven invited the Three Stooges here. We've set this place up to scare the bejeezus out of them. But that's not all. I brought this camera along to capture the entire thing on video. Insurance to keep those jerkwads off my back. Now, if only I don't wet myself, we'll be cool.

There was a knock at the front door…

"Kyle, into place," Raven whispered.

Kyle hides in a closet under the stairs as Raven hurries up the stairs. Showtime.

The door begins to open slowly, by itself.

"ENTER!!" a deep voice shouts.

Wonder how she set that up?

"Yo, Rave, your future's here," Ricky announces as he enters.

"Uh... Yo, you notice the door opening by itself?" asks Jerry, tapping Ricky on the shoulder.

"And your future's two moronic friends," Ricky continues annoyed at Jerry.

Boy, are they in for it.

As the last of the trio walk all the way in, the door slams behind them.

"That’s it, I'm gone!" Jerry tells as he tries opening the door, but the door won't budge. "What the hell's going on here?"

That's when a vase lifts up off a table and levitates in front of them.

"Uh..." Derek stutters as he & Ricky back into Jerry (who‘s still furiously tugging on the door knob).

“Dude, what the…?” Jerry stops as he turns around. “Yipe!”

The vase smashes against the wall beside them.

"YOU DARE TRESPASS IN MY DOMAIN!!" the deep voice shouts again.

A table sitting next to the door begins to float. From the next room a chair, and a dusty old couch float towards them. The boys stare, speechless in terror.

This is good. They haven't even gotten out of the entry way yet.

"AAAHHHH!!!!!" Ravens voice screams from above.

And all the furniture falls to the floor.

Raven? This isn't part of the plan.

Kyle stumbles in the closet and crashes through the door.

"Rayner?" Derek asks, his terror turning to fury.

Uh-oh. Not good.

"Well, well, well, lookie what we have here." Ricky approaches and picks Kyle up by his shirt.

"Ricky, what a surprise running into you here." Kyle says nervously awaiting the wedgie that was about to befall him.

"Pound his face, Ricky!" Jerry shouted making Kyle suddenly think that a wedgie would be a welcome surprise.

"Thanks for the support," Kyle says sarcastically.

"What's your game, Rayner? You like getting beat?" Ricky demanded, spitting on Kyle in the process.

"Hey, Rick." Jerry picks up the video camera. "Looks like he was taping this."

Ricky pulls Kyle closer. "Is that so, Rayner?"

But before Kyle can answer, the entire house begins to shake, causing Ricky to let go of Kyle. That's definitely not apart of the plan. Kyle then hurries up the stairs.

"He's running for it. After him!" Ricky commands as all three boys run after Kyle.

Great. The goon squad are right after me. Some plan. The guys are gonna torment me even more. Kyle jumps up, pulling the string down for the attic stairs. He hurries up the stairs and stops dead in his tracks. The site before him is one of true terror.

Raven, hovering in the hair, with dark energy surging from her. Above her, a black hole… actually more like a glass portal, with a demon's head just on the other side. A demon with two sets of blood red eyes. Kyle stares, frozen with shock.

"K... Kyle... I... I'm sorry." Tears streaming down Raven's face. “I thought I… could... control…”

"Daughter. Apologize not to this mortal. Soon, Trigon shall rule. You, will be my princess of darkness."

As soon as the trio reach the attic, they scream in unison and run for it. Dropping Kyle’s camera in the process.

What's happening here? Raven's in pain. A demon claiming to be her father. Where's Green Lantern when you need him?

Kyle remembers back to Alcatraz. Remembers hearing the name Trigon.

Oh, no. This is the guy the Tattooed Man wanted to bring here. Raven's now unwillingly bringing this demon here.

"K... Kyle... the Ve... Venus Stone..."

It is then that Kyle notices a glowing red stone on the floor directly beneath her. He tries picking it up.

"OW!" It burns. So hot I can't even touch it.

"Kyle... just... just go." Raven barely is able to get out the words.

"Sorry, Raven. I'm not leaving you like this."

The portal begins to grow and the glass starts to crack.

"Kyle... I can't keep him back... he'll kill you." Raven pleads.

"I guess I'm just a gluten for punishment." Okay, can't touch the stone. But I don't need to touch it to smash it. Kyle grabs a nearby metal pipe and starts hammering at the stone.

"NO! Leave the stone alone!" Trigon demands, fire blazing in his four eyes.

"Sorry, Lucifer, no dice," as Kyle hits the stone one last time, smashing it in to pieces. In a flash of red and black, the portal, Trigon, and all of the pieces to the Venus Stone are gone. Kyle catches Raven as she falls from where she was hovering.

"M... my... hero...." Raven passes out.

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Apparently Raven's more than just an exchanged student. She's the daughter of a demon, with major magical powers of her own. That's how the door opened by itself and how the furniture floated. But something went wrong. As Raven was in the attic, that weird stone appeared. It messed with her magic and started to open a portal to some hellish dimension. From what I gather from Raven's explanation, this is what the Tattooed Man's intentions were, but he was missing one ingredient. Raven, herself. She's linked to her father. She's the key to bring him here. I'm not sure I understand all the mystic details exactly.

"The Venus Stone is a key ingredient too," Raven explains as if reading his mind.

"Then it's a good thing I smashed it." Kyle smiles.

Raven shakes her head. "The stone cannot be permanently destroyed. It'll be reformed."

"Oh..."

"Kyle." Raven pauses as he looks at her. "You're the only person I've told this to. I believe I can trust you. You are a hero."

"Yeah, we saved the world!" Kyle shouts.

"Hehe. Kyle, shut up." Raven turns Kyle's head to hers and kisses him softy on the lips.

Wow. My name's Kyle Rayner… I was an average kid. There wasn't anything special or extraordinary about me.. Pretty much a boring life, really. I have a feeling that's all changed now.

End.