Prologue

Hey guys, this is my first story. Also this is unbeta'd, so hopefully it still looks good.

So I've been a bit of a fan of Speed Racer: the Next Generation when it first came out. Its not the best show, but I still find some enjoyment in it. I've also gotten into Ghost Rider recently. And after an intense brainstorming session, this is what I came up with.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Rider or Speed Racer: the Next Generation. Ghost Rider is owned by Marvel Comics. Speed Racer: the Next Generation is owned by Larry Scwarz and Lions Gate Entertainment.

In the beginning, there was darkness.

Till a higher power bestowed light, creating every known thing and creature in the universe. One of the last creatures to come into existence were humans. Unlike other creatures, humans were given a sense of free will. Angels oversaw these new creatures, ensuring that peace remained. For a time, the newly formed universe lived in peace and harmony.

However, nothing lasts forever. For somehow, someway, sin found its way into the world. Acts such as war, murder, thievery, etc. all plagued humanity. This caused many to turn their backs on their creator, as they believed their creator had abandoned them. For them, all hope seemed loss.

Then came Mephisto.

Not much is known about Mephisto's origins. Some say Mephisto was a fallen angel, while others say that he was born from the darkness that originally cloaked the universe. What is known is that Mephisto provided a "way out" as he referred to it, to those who had turned their back on their faith. All they had to do was worship him, and they would get "what they deserved".

These humans agreed to the deal, but found they had to pay the price. For the wickedness in their souls had transformed them into monstrous beings: the world's first demons. These demons preyed upon innocent humans, harvesting their souls to fuel their power.

A fierce battle broke out between the angels and demons. The battle devastated the Earth's surface, with multiple angel, demon, and human casualties. In the end war eventually ended in stalemate, which resulted in both the angels and demons being sent to separate dimensions. These dimensions have gone by many names, but the ones you are most likely familiar with are 'heaven' and 'hell'.

A peace treaty, as you may refer to it, prevented both factions from setting foot upon the mortal realm. Despite the cost of the entire battle, sin only continued to persist, even worse than prior to the war. The angels, who had once been the champions of humanity, could not interfere, as they had no choice but to honor the treaty.

Meanwhile in hell, the demons began to grow restless, as they were hungry for souls. Finding weaknesses in hell's barrier, small groups of demons could invade the mortal realm to reclaim souls. Only Mephisto could return the demons back to hell, but not before the damage had already been done.

Enter the Ghost Rider, a being of immense power and infused with a Spirit of Vengeance.

There were those who believed the Ghost Rider was an agent of heaven. However, some called the Ghost Rider the 'Devil's Bounty Hunter', believing that he captured evil souls and gave them to Mephisto to be tortured. One thing that is certain is the duty of the Ghost Rider: to punish the souls of the wicked and avenge the innocent. Further, the Ghost Rider could track down and return demons back to hell, before any human souls could be taken. The presence of the Ghost Rider ensured that the balanced between Heaven and Hell remained intact.

Centuries have passed, and the stories of the Holy Battle, Mephisto, and the Ghost Rider are regarded as little more than legends. Now, here's the thing about so-called 'legends': some of them are based on truth.

A young boy, roughly around the age of five or six, was seated at the end of a small dining table. The boy fidgeted in his chair, playing with the shirt end of his race car pajamas. On the other end of the table, was a man with pail skin and slick black hair. The man was formally dressed, with his attire consisting of dress shoes, dress pants, and a jacket with coattails. Perhaps the most peculiar aspect of the man were his eyes; they appeared almost catlike, watching the young boy in front of them with amusement.

"Well," the man responded in a playful tone. He gave a wide, almost inhuman smile as he drummed his long, bony fingers on the table. "What do you think?"

The young boy jerked his head up, looking at the man with wide, naive eyes. "A-all I have to do is sign," the boy shuddered as he clutched the small teddy bear in his arms, "And you'll give me what I want?"

"But of course, I'll give you what you want." The man gave a wide, cat-like grin. From seemingly out of nowhere, he produced a piece of paper in his hand, before placing the sheet in front of the boy. "Just be sure you're willing to pay the price…."

So this is a bit of backstory and buildup for events to come later on in the story. You'll get to see more of the characters in the following chapters. Please let me know what you all think.