U.K.

Issue # 2

"In the Spirit of Vengeance, Part Two"

Written by Barry Reese
Part of the Pendragons Universe

London, England. The Slimelight Club.

The sounds of Trance music made Daniel Ketch's teeth ache. It wasn't that he disliked the musical genre, it was merely that the incredibly powerful sound system was capable of reducing one's brains to mush. "Are you sure you wanted to talk here?"

Topaz, the mysterious beauty who literally appeared on his doorstep hours before, sipped her drink and smiled. They were huddled together in one of the booths along the wall, overlooking the massive dance floor. Goths of all colors and sizes were wildly gyrating to the music. She leaned forward and yelled "As long as we're in here, the chances of anyone eavesdropping on our conversation is very slim."

Dan had to admit that was true enough. "Okay. How about you start by telling me what dire threat you're here to warn me about?"

"What do you remember of your time in Hell?"

Daniel felt as if he'd been slapped. He turned away, the throbbing in his temples increasing. "I remember that we found out Ghost Rider's origins... or at least what Blackheart and Mephisto wanted us to believe."

"Nothing else?"

Dan frowned. "If I remembered anything else, I would have mentioned it! What does that have to do with anything?"

Topaz blinked back, surprised by the anger in his voice. She could sense his emotions with her empathic powers, feeling him sliding between fear and anger. "You really don't remember dying?"

Dan's face turned ashen. "I... do. I died while ending the curse that bound Noble Kale's bloodline to the spirit of vengeance*."

(*In Ghost Rider # 93.)

"And do you remember how you came to be alive once more?"

"No. No, I don't. I was in New York when Ghost Rider went on his little rampage, though. We bonded again because GR was too weak without me*."

(*In Peter Parker # 93.)

Topaz reached out and clasped Dan's hand. "There was a reason why I called you Noble when I first saw you...."

Dan pulled away, starting to rise. "I'm starting to think you're nuts, lady. Go somewhere else and play mystery woman. I'm not interested."

"Stop playing this game, Noble. I'm sorry for you but we don't have the time for this. Stephen has been struck down. So has Jennifer. All the major sorcerors of the world are being dispatched by someone or something of great power. The last thing I need is for you to play games with yourself."

"I told you before -- I'm not Noble Kale. And neither is Ghost Rider. That was a lie."

"Was it? Or are you really Noble Kale, the man who tossed aside rulership of Hell so that he might return to the relative safety of his mission? A man who would revive a mystic simulcra to pose as his dead companion? A man who, after restoring Roxanne Blaze to mortal life on Earth*, escaped from his responsibilities by falling back into the habits of old?"

(*Roxanne had been resurrected as the demonic Black Rose during the final issues of the last Ghost Rider series.)

"You're crazy...."

"You know that I'm not. I'm an empath. I know. The strain of ruling Hell became too much for you and you fled back to the mortal realm. But you were confused and frightened* -- it was only when Daniel Ketch conveniently returned that you felt restored."

(*As he was for much of the aforementioned Peter Parker tale.)

Dan stared at her for a long moment before whispering, "You're saying I'm not real? That I'm just some magical clone created by Noble so he wouldn't feel lonely?"

"I'm saying it's time for Noble Kale to find himself a true host. The reason for the confusion, the uncertainty -- it's because the Ghost Rider isn't inhabiting a true human form, the way it needs to. The reanimated shell of Dan Ketch is not enough. You must bond with your new host before you confront the coming darkness, or you'll be destroyed."

The man who wore the face of Dan Ketch stared down at his hands. When he spoke, it was with infinite sadness -- and with a voice as ancient as time itself. "You are correct. I desperately sought to cloak myself with familiarity, to lose myself in my mission. But I have always known, through all the conversations with Dan's mother and his family... I have always known that I was not really him."

"Then throw away the facade, Noble Kale. Toss away the magics that you've carried with you since fleeing Hell."

Flesh began to burn, the awful stench filling the club. As the first flames flickered on Ghost Rider's head, a nearby dancer began screaming. Most of those unlucky enough to be within viewing distance backed away in horror -- the sight before them would remain with them, in their nightmares for eternity.

Noble Kale, the Ghost Rider, staggered forward before regaining his strength. His clothing had been transformed as well as his flesh and he clenched a gloved hand in both despair and resolution. "It is done. My self-delusions are no more. I am he, Noble Kale*, that was cursed long ago thanks to a pact between my father and the demon lord Mephisto. Though Daniel has passed on, I remain. And still vengeance must be served...."

(*See the Author's Notes for more on Noble.)

"Of course. But first things first -- you need a new host."

Ghost Rider stirred. He was pointedly ignoring the frightened murmurings of the crowd. They were not criminals and did not deserve his wrath. "You know of someone?"

Topaz flashed her smile. "Of course I do, otherwise I wouldn't have put all this in motion. Though the curse is supposedly broken, I still have a few doubts about that -- I'm pretty sure that only someone in the Kale bloodline would be able to bond with you for long."

"So I am to inflict this mission on another my kin?"

"Unfortunately -- but I think this union will be quite unllike any you've had before. For one, you have your memories. That means you'll be much more dangerous as Ghost Rider. Two, this host... won't be like any you've ever had before. Trust me."

Wanda Maximoff found herself floating on the Astral Plane, her body far away at Avengers Mansion. For a moment, she felt only confusion - how had she come here? Memories slowly returned to her, of a terrible storm and of a lightning strike that brought searing pain. All of New York had been afflicted by the strange weather and Wanda knew now that it had been summoned mystically. But by whom?

"I see the Scarlet Witch has joined us. Good. Welcome, Wanda."

Turning towards the familiar voice, Wanda smiled at Stephen Strange. The Sorceror Supreme of Earth hovered nearby, seemingly at perfect ease with his surroundings. Behind him were a number of other mystics, some familiar to Wanda. She recognized the man known as Brother Voodoo, for instance, as well as her old mentor, Agatha Harkness. "Stephen, what's going on? Were all of you attacked, too?"

Agatha smiled, taking the initiative. "Yes, child. We were targeted because we posed a threat, obviously. Now it is up to us to find a way back to our bodies."

"What do you mean? Why can't we just return?"

Strange stroked his beard. "The ones behind this are quite powerful -- and very well prepared. I think this is related to a prophecy I recently uncovered, though exactly what it all means still escapes me. Regardless, we have been forcibly exiled from our bodies. We're trapped here on the Astral Plane until we find a way to either combat the magicks at work or someone in the real world is able to defeat the cause of our problems."

Wanda floated more than walked, approaching the others. "Perhaps we could contact the Avengers or one of our more mystically inclined associates? Surely we can send a message to them somehow."

"If only it were so simple, Wanda. The magicks involved are very old and complex. So far, not even our combined wisdom has been able to find a solution."

A pretty young blonde woman cleared her throat, catching their attention. She wore her hair short and, from her mode of dress, had apparently been working out when the attack had come. She wore spandex shorts and a sports bra, her toned body reflecting years of physical fitness. "Sorry I don't know all of you all ready, but my name's Jennifer Kale. I was visiting an old friend in the Everglades when all this happened, but I definitely recognized my attackers. They were Doom-Bots*"

(*As mentioned in Black Mass.)

"Doom!" Wanda couldn't mask her surprise. "But this sort of thing seems so unlike him...."

"Indeed, though he is quite adept in the mystic arts." Strange tilted his head, as if listening to something from afar. "Do you sense a sudden shift in the fabric of this place?"

Agatha Harkness concurred. "Someone is attempting to summon one of us."

Jennifer Kale suddenly let out a cry. "It's me! I can feel myself being pulled away...."

Stephen reached out to her. "Don't fight it, child! If I recognize the forces at work here, you will be unharmed! Use this as an opportunity to seek help for us!"

Jennifer's reply was lost as she suddenly disappeared without a sound.

The Scarlet Witch touched her old friend's arm. "Where has she gone, Stephen?"

The sorceror's reply was chilling. "To meet her unfortunate destiny, Wanda."

Highgate Cemetery, Midnight

"She comes. I have managed to reach her, even through the strange barrier. Our family connection is strong enough to overcome almost any magick. But what if she refuses?"

A strange look in Topaz's eye made Ghost Rider curious, though her words were plain. "She shall not. Now go! I must plead this case for you."

Ghost Rider faded away, his bike remaining. The glowing medallion that covered the gas cap flared brighter. Topaz let out a small sigh as Jennifer Kale materialized before her. The young sorceress immediately raised her hands in a warding gesture. "Who the hell are you? And I better like the answer or you're going to be very sorry."

Topaz took a small step forward. Now wasn't the time to be timid -- this was, after all, the moment she had foreseen. The very reason she'd come to London. "Jennifer, my name is Topaz. I'm an old friend of Stephen Strange -- and a new associate of the Ghost Rider."

Jennifer seemed to notice the bike for the first time. She relaxed slightly. "Noble and Dan are here?"

"Only Noble. Dan is dead -- leaving the spirit of vengeance without a mortal host."

Jennifer touched the bike's handlebars. "My God... Dan's dead?"

Topaz pressed on. Darkness was beginning to creep in, meaning time was running short. "Noble has to bond with a member of the Kale bloodline. They're the only ones who are strong enough to house the spirit of vengeance for any length of time."

"Oh, no." Jennifer shook her head. "I'm not doing it. I can't and I won't. Contact John Blaze or somebody else. My first priority is getting Strange and the others out of limbo. Then I'm going back to school. I don't have time for this."

"Please, Jennifer. You have to! Noble is needed here! A great darkness is coming!"

To punctuate the point, a cloud of darkness rushed over the two women, enveloping them in an impenetrable mist. A male voice purred, "Well now. Isn't this interesting. I come here on the scent of the Ghost Rider and I find two tasty morsels just waiting to serve me dinner. Shame about old Daniel. I always wanted to be the one to take him out. Ah, well."

Jennifer whispered a word, "Shirak." A mystic flame suddenly surrounded her right hand, but it barely pushed back the darkness. She felt the cold, clammy touch of fear and it made her knees weak. She'd been trained in magic since childhood, but it didn't mean she couldn't be frightened of something like this. "Who are you?"

A short scream made Jennifer jump. A second later, Topaz tumbled out of the darkness, falling into Jennifer's arms. Blood ran thick and wet from her neck. As she slid to the ground, Topaz managed to force out the words "Blackout. He's.... You have to do this, Jennifer. I knew... it would happen... this....."

Blackout appeared, his white features stained with red. His tongue flicked out to lick away the blood from his upper lip. "Don't listen to her, girl. You don't have to do anything, except give in. I'll make it quick."

A horrible compulsion began to overtake Jennifer. The smell of blood filled her nostrils and the motorcycle seemed to rev its engine behind her. She stumbled back, almost falling over the deadly vehicle. Its medallion glowed. "Innocent blood... Just like Dan always said...."

Blackout began to move forward quickly, his teeth flashing in the glow of the medallion. "It ends now."

Jennifer Kale looked at the dead body of Topaz, then back to the monster approaching. She reached a hand back slowly, tentatively. "No... It's only beginning."

A second later, flame shot forth around her. Her flesh peeled away painfully and her back arched as raw bone began to appear. Leather garments slid over her form, a long chain wrapping itself lovingly in her hand.

Blackout cursed.

Ghost Rider, the eternal spirit of Noble Kale, stood before him. "Innocent blood has been shed. Vengeance must be served!"

Next Issue : "In the Spirit of Vengeance" continues! The new Ghost Rider and Blackout renew an old acquaintance! Plus : Howard the Duck! The strangest book in the Pendragons Universe is only going to get stranger....

AUTHOR'S COMMENTS

For those of you who don't know Noble Kale's story, here 'tis :

Noble, born in the 1800s, was the son of Pastor Kale, an abusive man who was secretly in thrall to Mephisto. Noble himself fell in love with a young black girl named Magdelena, who worked for the Quentin Carnival. Because of Magdelena's race, Noble kept his relationship with her a secret from his father for as long as possible. The truth came out, however, when Magdelena gave birth to Noble's son. Pastor Kale, outraged at this, accused Magdelena of witchcraft and had her burned at the stake while Noble was locked away in the basement of Kale's church. Magdelena, with her dying breath, summoned the Furies to take revenge on Pastor Kale and his town. Pastor Kale, fearing for his life, offered Mephisto a deal -- he would give the Lord of Lies his own son's soul in exchange for help. Noble became the avenging spirit of vengeance and banished the Furies. Learning of his father's actions and that Paster Kale had murdered Noble's son as well, Noble committed suicide. When Mephisto went to claim Noble's soul for eternity, the archangel Uriel appeared and demanded that Noble be spared. The compromise that was reached was this : Noble Kale's soul would be claimed by neither heaven nor hell, but would instead be called upon by his descendants. Thus began the legend of the Ghost Rider. Over the years, he's been a part of such luminaries as the Blazing Skull and the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider. John Blaze, despite being Daniel's long-lost brother, was actually inhabitated by another spirit during his days as Ghost Rider, however.

Hey, I never said it was simple, folks.

Jennifer Kale, very briefly, is a sorceress in training. She was helpful in restoring Noble Kale's memories and has worked with both Howard the Duck and Man-Thing in the past. She used to wear a metal bikini, but nowadays dresses a bit more casually.

See all of you next issue,

Barry