Summary: While attending a funeral in New York, Xander encountered a Green Lantern from another dimension. Entrusted with a mission that could spell the end for his world, can the new Green Lantern be up to the task?
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU crossover with mild references to Spiderman (Movie), Smallville (TV Series), Naruto (Anime), Andromeda (TV Series), AU version of DC's Green Lantern.
Book Title: Green Lantern's Journey
Author: Wraithrune
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the vampire slayer, Spiderman, Smallville, Naruto, Andromeda and Green Lantern. This is just a work of fanfiction.
Chapter One: The Ring
A dream. Buffy thought as a familiar sensation washed over her even as she slipped into deep sleep. She had been a slayer long enough to be able to sense when she started dreaming and still maintain a grip on her reality even as she slept.
The acrid smell of things burning gave her an unpleasant sensation as Buffy opened her eyes. She gasped at the sight that greeted her. In a scene that screamed end of the world, she found herself staring at the hundreds of human bodies that littered the streets. A broken sign that said "New York" hung brokenly off its post. Among the dead, Buffy also found bodies of demons in various states of decapitation.
"Oh My God, what had happened here?" Buffy whispered in horror. The street was unnaturally quiet as the afternoon sun shone down. Buffy felt like retching as the decaying smell of the dead bodies threatened to overwhelm her. She felt desperately like throwing up. She started running, to just get away from this horror.
Her footsteps sounded loud in the deadly silence that seems to engulf the dead city.
"There is no where else to run." A young voice said sadly.
Buffy twisted around and saw a young boy stepping out of the alley behind her. A short crop of blond hair framed his forlorn face as he looked at the dead bodies around him.
"All life is consumed, too late for this world, too late for this dimension."
Buffy shivered. Her slayer senses were screaming at her. The amount of power just emulating out from the seemingly young child made her throat dry.
"Who are you? Why am I here?" Buffy asked, tensing for a fight.
The young child looked up, staring her in the eyes. Buffy gasped, taking an involuntary step backwards as she saw eyes as dark as night and within the black orbs are sparkles of white lights. She had a strange sensation of looking at the stars at night, of looking at the whole universe.
"Some call me the One Above All. Others call me the Light of Creation. Both names meant very little here now. This world is forever lost to me and with it this dimension."
A cold chill traveled down Buffy's spine. "What do you mean Light of Creation? And what do you mean this world is lost? Are you trying to give me a message? Am I supposed to prevent this from happening?"
The young child just looked at her sadly. "What you see had already happened, there is little you can do here now. Save your world slayer, prevent the darkness from crossing into your dimension."
"I don't understand." Buffy said confusedly. "What do you mean this had already happened? Are you saying New York is already destroyed while I am sleeping? And what do you mean by my dimension?"
"Life begins as a single source of origin that spreads out into different segments separated by the flows of time. They become different dimensions of what life would be." The young boy said. "Some dimensions are very different from one another while others are similar to one another but different in their own ways. You mortals call them alternate realities. Every decision that is made in the stream of time resulted in the segmentation of a new dimension, a new reality of how life goes on. This is not your world slayer, but it is very close to yours. And soon, after the darkness had consumed this entire dimension, it will move onto the next which will be yours."
Buffy licked her dry lips. "Isn't there anyone left in this world or dimension that can still fight? And what is the darkness?"
"There are some left on other planets, but even as we speak, the demonic armies are consuming them and they can do nothing. For the life core of this world has already been lost. It will only be a matter of time before they fall." The young child said and raised his hands. "Come I'll show you."
Green light sparkled around them in a soft dance and the scene around them changed. Buffy found herself standing on air looking down at a massive city with strange architecture that looks distinctively alien. Below them, a few creatures dressed in green outfits were fighting off a black tide of demons with what looks like magic. She could see green beams of light exploding from their fingers and striking the demons killing them but more would take the place of the fallen. They were losing.
"They are the green lanterns, protector of this universe, and indirectly of this dimension." The child said from his position beside her. "They are the last champion of light left…. And there is nothing I can do to save them. For the central power battery, the Life Core of this dimension is lost."
Buffy swallowed at the anguish in his voice. "Who are you really?... Are you… are you God? One of the Powers that be?"
The young child gave a dry laugh. "God… I have seldom heard that name spoken of in my presence now. And no, I am not one of the pantheons, the smaller races of Celestials that watch over your world. I am the beginning, born directly from the source of life, guardian and protector of all dimensions that still bears the Life Core."
"Please, I need to know more, how did so many demons arrived here and what are the Life Cores?"
"Beware The First child, she is born of the void and had grown in power, devourer of lives even as she needs life to sustain herself." The young child said. "For every dimension that is born from the life source, a Core of lifespring came into existence at the beginning, bearing the power of life so that time and life can flow differently in each individual dimensions. The First is a being of the void and she consumes the Life Core to gain more powers which she then passed a small portion to her armies of demons. As you can see, even with a portion of the power, the demonic armies are unstoppable."
Buffy looked at the dark tide of demons below and at the diminishing defenders left. "How do I stop her?"
The child looked at her. "Guard the Life Core in your world little one. As long as it pulse with the power of the universe, I may be able to lend some of my strength to the champions there and with it my protection."
"But what does it look like?" Buffy asked. She was distracted as a sudden burst of green light from the champions below filled her vision.
"It can take many forms. Find it and guard it well." The child paused and looked down at the green light which was consuming everything in its path and smiled. "And I'll give hope to your dimension with what limited powers I have over here. Gather your allies little one. Fare thee well Slayer."
A sudden tug at her naval pulled her down to earth at a terrifying speed.
Buffy opened her mouth to scream and gasped as she woke up in cold sweat.
"Buffy?" her mother's anxious voice sounded from the corridor as her door was pulled opened.
Joyce Summers switched on the lights and looked at her daughter worriedly. "Buffy are you alright? I heard you screaming in my room."
Buffy stared at her mother numbly trying process her dream.
"It's just a dream mom." Buffy said, getting out of her bed and looking at the clock. It read 6.00am. "I need to get to go to Willow's house early today, we are going through some homework."
"My little girl going through homework on a weekend?" Joyce said with a raised eyebrow. "Now, what's wrong with that picture? Anyway, I will prepare some breakfast before you leave, toast or pancakes?"
"Pancakes!" Buffy called as her mother left. She quickly dragged out a serviceable shirt and jeans. She had to get to Giles, fast.
Xander sighed as he walked around the streets of New York. He had just left the funeral of his God-father Ben Parker, his mother and father had returned back to their hotel saying they wanted to have an early night for their flight tomorrow morning. It was fine with Xander, he had no intention of staying in the small hotel room with his parents the whole evening.
He knew of his father's volatile temper ever since his childhood. Surprisingly, Anthony Harris had seemed pretty civil at the funeral; apparently he had a lot of respect for this distant uncle of his, willingly to rush down to New York once he got news of Ben Parker's demise.
Xander had seen Ben Parker and his family only a few times in his life. He had fond memories of riding on his God father's back and hanging out with Peter, Ben Parker's nephew who had lived with the Parkers ever since his parents died. Remembering his cousin's anguished face at the funeral, Xander sighed. The death of a love one was always hard to live with.
He had no idea where he would go for sight seeing, but anything would be better than staying in the same hotel room with his parents for the rest of the evening. He would only go back when he needed to sleep.
Child, come. Xander froze, hearing a soft voice in his head.
"God, jag lag is driving me crazy." Xander said with a weary chuckle, shaking his head.
Child, please come. Please. Xander shivered, feeling a chill down his back. He heard the voice and it sounded like someone in a lot of pain. His hand strayed to the stake hidden in his jacket as he started walking towards the less crowded area of the city, away from the shopping malls and restaurants. It's like something was guiding him, a gut feeling that he needed to be somewhere.
The voice did not come again, but Xander knew he had not imagined it. His legs brought him before a deserted alley cluttered with rubbish and abandoned furniture. Squeezing his way in, he paused at the sight before him. In the rapidly fading light of the evening, was a figure in green, wounded in various places. He had never seen wounds like this and knew that the green figure did not have much time left.
"Are you ok?" Xander asked.
The figure stirred painfully at his words and Xander gasped as she looked up, her hood falling away. The figure looked like a human except for her purple skin and pointed ears.
"Oh shit." Xander muttered, stepping backward and lifting his stake.
Rewana Nou Berna coughed painfully as the combined power of the green lanterns brought her to this world, another dimension, as she lay dying. The Green Lanterns were all in the final battle against the demon kind that have over run their dimension and knew that they could not win against the overwhelming numbers.
In a last ditch attempt, they had decided on one thing, to combine their rings' powers to send one of their kind to the neighboring dimension to warn the people there about the disaster that will soon fall upon them. They had also created an explosion to try to take out as many demons as they could as a diversion, but moments before Rewana was teleported from the planet, she received a fatal wound from a demon and moments later, she had materialized here among what seemed to be a dump.
She tried to concentrate her will to use the ring to contact the Green Lanterns in this dimension but was met with silence. As she slipped closer and closer to death, she knew that she cannot concentrate enough power to heal herself, not in her condition. Not that she could anyway, the power in the ring was almost depleted. But Rewana was damned if she was going to fail in her mission.
"Ring." She whispered painfully. "Scan this planet for a suitable ring bearer. Go to him and tell him everything, tell him to contact the Green Lanterns Corp in this dimension."
Energy reserve left 3. The ring said. Unable to do a planet scan with remaining power reserve and still have enough power left to reach intended ring bearer and contact the Green Lantern Corps.
Rewana bit her lips in frustration. "What about here, in this area?"
Scanning. The ring said in her head. Found one metahuman of unknown origin. Two feet away.
Rewana thanked whatever Gods that were up there doing her small favors. Perhaps if she could get the human to her, she could pass on her message personally and not let the ring waste more power to tell it. She spoke a few human tongues in her days with the corp. A small blessing now as she apparently landed on a human world.
Rewana tried to summon up her faltering will and mold the power left in the ring. She cast out her mind and found the target.
Child come. She said in a mind call. Her species were all moderate telepaths, and with a little of the ring's power, she could broadcast over a wide area.
She sensed fear and puzzlement.
Child come please. She pleaded silently.
Wrecking pain from the major wound in her liver caused her concentration to break. Rewana gasped as she felt darkness closing in on her. She had failed. But that's alright, the ring will leave her after she died, with the short distance this new ring bearer was, not much energy would be taken for the ring to fly there. But it was still too much. On its own without a bearer, a Green Lantern Ring tends to consume more energy to make individual assessments and decisions. She could only hope that there's enough power left for the new bearer to contact the rest of the Green Lanterns in this dimension.
Xander tensed looking down at the wounded purple demon wearing the green costume.
"You've come." The creature said coughing blood. "I am a Green Lantern. Please I have to warn you. A great danger is going to befall this dimension you must contact the rest of the Green Lanterns and get them to save this world."
"What are you talking about?" Xander asked. The demon appeared to be one of the better demons out there. After all, bad demons are the ones that tried to destroy the world, not save it right?
"A terrible entity, The First had been set loose in our world. It had escaped from its prison and led a horde of demonic creatures to consume all the worlds in my dimension." The creature said painfully.
"You mean you're not a demon?" Xander asked cautiously. He was surprised by the sharp glare he received.
"I am an alien from the planet of Rezurbim of the race Denrium. Do not compare me with…" She coughed weakly.
"An alien?!" Xander said stunned and then looked down at the wounded creature, no a wounded living girl-person who needed his help. Xander kneeled down quickly wondering what he should do. "We should get you to the hospital though I wonder what I should tell them."
"It's too late, I am dying. Remember my warning, contact the rest of the Green Lantern Corps. Please…." She closed her eyes and motioned him forward.
Xander leaned closer and start as he felt her putting her fingers on his forehead.
"This is what happened." She whispered.
Xander gasped as a mirage of images swamped his brain. There were millions of demons, a never ending army of them and they keep coming. She, Rewana, was there with a few others who remained. Fighting to protect their world, their dimensions and failing. Death, despair, heartbreak and destruction.
The images slowed and stopped. Xander blinked his eyes and found himself back at the alley in front of Rewana who was already dead.
"God I am so sorry." Xander whispered brokenly, the last memories of Rewana hovering in his mind. All the knowledge that Rewana ever possessed was now in his head.
The green ring slipped from her fingers and hovered in front of Xander.
"Will you take the oath and be a Green Lantern?" the ring asked in a soft demure voice that could be heard in the alley.
Rewana's memories surfaced in Xander's mind. The Green Lanterns were the intergalactic police force which protects all the planets in the galaxies. Each of them bears a ring which grants them enormous power to do what they have to.
"I will." Xander said, taking the ring in his hand.
"In the purest minds, and the darkest thoughts,
Let no harm be done, no evil be sought.
As I take this ring and might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
Xander felt a surge of power racing through his connection with the ring. He looked down sadly at the body, he cannot just leave Rewana's body here. With the ring on his finger, he aimed it at her.
A memory from Rewana was all he had to go on as he started molding the ring's small power reserve. A bubble encapsulated the body and shrink to the size of a pebble. Xander took a shuddering breath, sweat trickling down his forehead at the amount of willpower it had taken him to do it. Bending down, he pocketed the pebble.
"Once I found the Green Lanterns in this dimension, we will have a proper burial for you. I promise." Xander said, walking out of the alley without a backward glance.
Minutes later, a young boy walked out of the alley, staring at Xander's retreating back.
"Everything must have a balance. To counter a great evil, there must be a greater good." He said, lifting his hands. A soft glow burst from his hands and struck the ring, unknown to Xander who was walking quickly up the streets. "Grow strong."
"I tell you it's a Slayer dream." Buffy said. She was in the library. Giles was flipping through some of the books on old prophecies while Willow was trying to help.
"And I don't doubt you Buffy. It's just there is not much to go on." Giles said. "All the olden text of prophecies did not seemed to have anything relating to your dream and I have never heard of any creature called The First. Though the name probably implied an Old One of some sort. Which makes sense given the amount of destruction you saw in your vision."
"An Old One?"
"Yes, Old Ones are the first demon race, their powers unmatched during the time of their reign. Even one of them alone could destroy Earth given a few days time." Giles said absentmindedly as he browsed through the stacks of books trying to match the Slayer dream with concrete facts that they could work on.
"What else do you remember?" Giles asked as he direct Willow to more books.
"If only Xander was here." Willow said with a sigh. "There'll be more hands searching."
"Well the young boy I met said that what happened was in another dimension and I was to stop this First Evil creature from coming here and doing the same to our world." Buffy said chewing on a donut.
Giles sighed. "Buffy, this young boy is most probably a personification of one of the Higher Powers, try and be more respectful."
"Well what do you want me to call him? He didn't leave a name card you know."
"Never mind forget I said anything. Now to concentrate on the matters at hand, you said what transpired was in another dimension, an alternate dimension since you also saw the destruction of New York over there." Giles said. "And this Higher Power didn't say when the First Evil will arrive or how it will come here."
Buffy shook her head. "No, all he said was to protect the Life Core of this dimension."
"The Life Core… Hmm." Giles said in thought. "I seemed to recall reading something about it some where. Alright Buffy, Willow, look over those tomes and let me know if you find anything. I have to patch a call to England."
Willow looked at Buffy as Giles walked into his office shutting his door. "So how are you feeling? You look a bit pale."
Buffy shuddered. "I've never seen so much death in my vision before… This scares me, what if I can't prevent it?"
"Come on Buffy, we're on the case. With Giles, Xander, you and me, we'll beat the bad guys like we always do!" Willow said trying to be encouraging.
"I hope so." Buffy said doubtfully, shivering inwardly at the memories of the demon armies. "By the way, when is Xander coming back? I only heard that he's going for some uncle's funeral."
"His God-father." Willow corrected. "He went to New York, he should be back tomorrow."
"New York?!" Buffy croaked remembering her vision. She quickly blinked away her thoughts, the vision showed what had happened in an alternate realities of New York, it's just coincidence that Xander was at the same place now… or was it?
"Buffy? You alright?" Willow asked worried when Buffy seemed lost in thoughts.
"No no it's alright. Come on let's research. We have to work twice as hard since Giles and Xander is still not here to help."
Willow nodded as the two girls started browsing through the old tomes of prophecies.
Unable to contact the Green Lanterns in this dimension. Power level is now 2. The ring said with a decidedly lack of emotions.
"Damn!" Xander swore. He was seated in a café trying to broadcast through the ring to whatever Green Lanterns was out there but he had gotten no reply. "Is there anyway that you can recharge yourself?"
In normal cases I would need a power battery. The ring said in heavy voice in Xander's head. However the trip from my reality to here wrought some changes to me. Currently my energy output is too low for self analysis. However I could sense an energy source just out of reach which might be used as replacement.
"Well why don't you say so!" Xander said getting up at once, causing several of the occupants at the surrounding tables to look at him. Unabashed, he quickly walked out. "Where is this energy source?"
A few feet to your left. The ring said.
Following the ring's directions, Xander made several turns around the streets and ended up in front of a gift shop. Walking into the shop, he looked around curiously for anything resembling an energy source.
There. The ring said, an image of several meteor rocks by the shelf popping into his mind.Meteor rocks of extraterrestrial existence. Energy output reading similar to that of a power battery.
Xander walked closer and realized he could sense a faint energy reading from the cluster of green meteor rocks on the shelves. Not wanting to ruin his good fortune, he scooped up all the meteor rocks on the shelf, quickly calculating the price. He'll have to tap heavily into his savings but that was a small sacrifice.
"I see you're interested in the meteor rocks." The shop keeper said with a surprised lift of his eyebrows as he looked at Xander's purchase.
"Where are they from?" Xander inquired. It would be good to know where he could get more of the meteor rocks.
"Some town called Smallville in Kansas." The shopkeeper said. "Heard that the place was hit with a meteor shower a several years back. The place is filled with such rocks. Alright total purchase fifty bucks."
Xander handed over the money and took the bag the shopkeeper had filled with the meteor rocks. Nodding his thanks, he quickly walked out of the store into an alley. After making sure no one was around, he took out a small meteor rock and pointed his ring finger at it, praying it would work.
"In the purest minds, and the darkest thoughts,
Let no harm be done, no evil be sought.
As I take this ring and might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
A stream of green energy flowed from the rock into the ring, there was a flash of light and then the green meteor rock turned translucent.
Energy storage 78. The ring said. Enough for a universal scan of Green Lanterns location.
"Good do that." Xander said, feeling a pulse of energy emitting from the ring.
After what seemed like hours, the ring spoke in a subdued voice. No sign of Green Lanterns found. The Central Power Battery on Oa could also not be found.
"What how could that be?" Xander asked in surprise. Rewana's memories had made him aware that all Green Lantern's powers came from the central power battery on the planet Oa. If the central power battery was not found….
It may be possible that this reality do not have a central power battery. The ring said. The Green Lanterns' Corp may not exist in this reality, You may be the only Green Lantern in this world.
Author's Note: I've no idea if I am going to have time for this fic, this is just a plot bunny that danced in my head for many days before I wrote it a few months back. I've heavily edited it. But I can't promise fast updates, only that I'll try my best.
The Buffy verse is AU as well as the Green Lantern's verse. I've taken some libertities with the powers of the ring… so if it doesn't follows canon… you know why.
Thanks for reading, and drop some reviews when you have the time D