Ult. GL Corps #4 - The War of the Lanterns Pt. 4

[liquidsword34]

Ultimate Green Lantern Corps #4
The War of the Lanterns Part 4

Hal Jordan, Thaal Sinestro, Alan Scott, John Stewart and Kilowog stand before the Guardians of the Universe side by side, staring up at the twelve blue creatures which float above them ominously.

"Lanterns Sinestro, Scott, Stewart and Kilowog, you are the most powerful of your kind", one Guardian says before the Guardian to his left takes over speaking.

"You have fought for us in any time of need, and there are no Lanterns we trust more so".

"For this reason we have chosen you to lead an assault on Ryut".

"Ryut is the Red Lantern's home world. We believe out best chance of overcoming this evil is with a head on attack such as this".

"It will be more difficult than any other fight you have faced",

"But your will is your only limit, Lanterns", the sixth of the vocal Guardians concludes.

"Is that it?", Sinestro asks. "You simply wish us to attack? Without any sort of strategy or plan?"

"We trust you to find your own way, Lantern Sinestro", a Guardian replies.

"Between you, we believe you can pull the power away from Atrocitus once again". With the conversation over the Guardians seem to float upwards into the darkness high up within the dimly lit blue chamber room. Although used to the Guardians vague style of communication, it still angers Sinestro that they reply to his questions with riddles and ramblings instead of simple answers. He and the Guardians are very different in many ways. The five Lanterns turn and make their way from the chamber along a walkway heading back to Oa.

"Are the Guardians always that..." Hal starts before trailing off, allowing John to butt in.

"Weird? All the time. You get used to it eventully, but the first few times the whole mad-libs thing they do with each other will make you want to hang yourself".

"Indeed", Sinestro mutters. "Scott, Jordan and I will survey Ryut from close up, while you two gather any available Lanterns. We will meet on the nearby moon of Inficiunt-6 once enough Lanterns are ready to fight", Sinestro says to John and Kilowog, who nod and break away down a hallway. Sinestro proudly strides through the halls of Oa with Alan and Hal trailing behind.

"Is it always like this?", Hal says to Alan. "One moment I'm drinking coffee with my wife, then about five minutes later we're invading a planet".

"The universe is a busy place, Hal", Alan explains as he picks up his pace to keep up with Sinestro. "And Sinestro savours any chance he gets to avenge a fallen Lantern. The only thing more important in the Green Lantern Corps than the book of Oa and its laws, is loyalty to your fellow Lanterns. Whatever corner you find yourself backed into, your fellow Lantern will always be the best tool you have. Some of these guys might not look like much, but the day you stop caring about each and every Lantern in this Corps is the day they stop caring about you. Remember that".

***

As he stands in his decrepit stone temple, Atrocitus looks out over what used to be his home city. With a population of ten million people, this region of Ryut was the centre of most trade on the planet, and was where Atrocitus was born, raised, and became who he is today. Ryut had long foregone ideals such as factions and names for separate regions, instead coming together under one banner as the most democratic and advanced planet in all of sector 666. Now, Atrocitus's temple is the only building that stands on the planet. The soil is dead and grey, covered in a layer of ash, the trees burnt to stumps. Ryut's once great rivers are as dry as can be. Seven moons circle the planet, all smaller than Earth's and formally colonised when Ryut was still populated, now as uninhabited as the planet they circle. A sun sits off in the distance, creating enough light for Atrocitus to make out where the buildings once stood. Sometimes he wishes he could simply swipe the ball of flame from out of the sky and not be reminded of what once was.

On the lower floors of the temple below Atrocitus members of his corps fraternize, occasionally coming to blows over one thing or another, as is the case now. Atrocitus can hear all the sounds of battle, and it does not surprise him. When that many beings possessed by their fury are in close proximity for too long, something is bound to happen. Somebody bumped into somebody, somebody gave somebody an odd glance, or somebody just wanted to rip all six eyes off of the seven foot tall insect sat in the corner that is now splattered all over the wall. On the scorched terrain below Dex-Starr prowls slowly with it's nose pressed to the earth, looking for a cubby-hole to curl up in and wait until called by his master.

"Is everything going to plan?", Bleez muses as she struts across to Atrocitus, her heavy shoes clicking off of the stone floor while she licks sizzling green insect blood from her hand as joyfully as a child might lick the beater after baking a cake.

"Of course my angel", Atrocitus mutters. Although most Red Lanterns are controlled by their rings, only capable of anger in its various forms, that did not always make them psychotic monsters. Bleez in particular had shown herself capable of independent thought beyond what the ring dictates, but remains loyal to Atrocitus. "All seven of Ryut's moons have been installed with mining devices, peeling away at their insides and carving up our empire, bit by bit, stone by stone, as we gather the resources needed to convert this forsaken universe to our way of thinking. Your scheme was most ingenious, my dear". Atrocitus doesn't love Bleez, he physically cannot with his emotions being constantly focused on his anger. But he respects her, both as a warrior and an accomplice in his plan.

"I sense something, Atrocitus", Bleez says as she walks to the edge of the upper floor of the open air temple, putting her head back and sliding closed her eyes as her mind sweeps the entire sector. "Three life forms moving into our sector, headed towards...Inficiunt-6".

"Can you read any particular brain activity?".

"It is difficult to pick out one set of thoughts from the group, but I recognise all three. Green Lanterns, most likely".

"Excellent".

"Excellent?".

"We shall cut their numbers down before our plan is put into action. The fewer of them around to trifle in out affairs, the easier the transition will be. Go to Inficiunt-6, destroy them. We shall display their skulls on our standard to mark the changing of the guard in this universe".

Bleez raises off of the stone floor into the air while letting out a blood curdling roar, summoning Dex-Starr up to her. The two shoot off side by side towards Inficiunt-6, yearning to avenge their corps recent defeat at Oa.

***

"This is it; Sector 666", Sinestro tells Hal as Ryut and its seven moons come into view. In the distance Hal can make out what could be the remains of other planets, or simply chunks of asteroids, he cannot tell. Sinestro leads Alan and Hal towards one of the moons in particular, Inficiunt-6, as fast as possible to avoid detection. Seconds later the trio land on the surface of the moon, looking down at Ryut from a distance.

"It's...it's desolate. Nothing", Hal whispers as he gawks at the planet. With its entire surface turned to ash, Ryut looks more like an old cue ball than an inhabited planet to Hal.

"It's been like that since before the Green Lantern Corps existed", Alan tells Hal as Sinestro raises his ring, projecting a green light that hits the ground and seems to spread as far as the eye can see. "Nobody knows exactly what happened, but Atrocitus remained there after whatever killed everybody else. If I was a betting man, I'd put money on him being the o-"

"This moon is hollow", Sinestro declares matter-of-factly.

"What?", Alan says in surprise as he walks over to Sinestro, who is still projecting green light from his ring onto the surface of Ryut.

"The outer shell is six, maybe seven miles thick. Beyond that the planet is being hollowed out in some way far beyond simple mining. I believe something is down there", Sinestro states as he creates a gigantic drill as large as a skyscraper, pointed straight down into the moon rock. The green drill rotates quickly and drives down, followed by the three Lanterns who hang above it. Chunks of rock are thrown aside as Sinestro works away, eventually hitting pay-dirt as the planet's outer shell is penetrated, revealing what looks like a mine shaft. Hal, Alan and Sinestro glide inside, finding themselves in dark tunnels lit up only by their rings and simple torches placed on the wall.

"Stay close to me, new blood", Sinestro orders Hal, who obliges. The Lanterns glide down through the wide open tunnel, the walls made of a sort of smooth, blood red rock which feels warm as Alan runs his hand along it. "I placed a beacon with my ring, so if Stewart and Kilowog arrive they will now where we are".

"Not the first time I've been inside of a hollowed out planet", Alan says to Hal to pass the time.

"Any advice?", Hal half-heartedly replies as he gives up looking into the darkness, instead turning to look back at Alan.

"If a thirty foot tall nine legged lobster king tells you to take his daughters hand in marriage, save yourself the trouble of having to escape a space ship aimed into a collapsing solar system and just say yes".

"I'm sure that will come in handy".

"If you two are through slacking off", Sinestro spits at his companions, "you may want to take a look around".

Hal and Alan look ahead past Sinestro into a wide open cave made up of the same red rock as the smaller passages. Unlike the passages, however, the cave is not dark. Instead a light so bright it forces the Lanterns to shield their eyes shines away in the centre of the cave, around six hundred meters from the entrance. As his eyes adjust, Hal recognises the light source as a power battery, but not like he has ever seen it. Although shaped the same as the one he was given by Alan, the power battery he sees now is larger than an apartment building and pulsating madly, very much unlike an apartment building really.

Surrounding the power battery are thousands of Atrocitus's faceless humanoid drones, made up of a blood red mucus like plasma with no distinguishing features. The drones are digging down into the ground with their curved hands of sorts, pulling up chunks of rock and tossing them at the power battery. The Green Lanterns look on in horror as the debris hits the power battery and seems to get pulled inside, each time making the battery pulse and spark.

"What in the name of all that is holy is happening?", Alan gasps as he walks to the edge of the tunnel, looking down at the work being carried out below him.

"What is happening, sweet naive Alan, is the future of this universe is being drawn up by Atrocitus's might", Bleez hisses from behind the Green Lanterns. Bleez stands, skeletal wings spread, just feet away from Alan Scott, with Dex-Starr by her side.

"What are they doing?!", Alan roars at Bleez, who smiles in such an unsettling manner Alan takes a step back just in case.

"Well...I see no harm in telling you now my dear, as it is far to late for you to stop us. As you know, your power rings are made from oaite, a metal found only on your Corps headquarters of Oa, which has been almost completely been used up. The moons of Ryut contain a similar element Atrocitus has named exitium, which is one of the few metals in the universe capable of creating a power ring. It's not as...shall we say stable as oaite, but it does what we want it to do".

"And what is it you want it to do?", Sinestro calmly asks, making sure not to get angry and give Bleez the reaction she is looking for.

"Is it not obvious you brainless old coot?", Bleez taunts. "Using this new power battery Atrocitus has created with our corps combined power, we can create as many rings as we want! We've hollowed out most of Inficiunt-3 and 4, and we already have enough exitium to forge almost a million rings! What will happen, do you think, when we send those rings to find hosts? When we finish mining the other moons of Ryut? Atrocitus will have a force of pure burning anger at his finger tips, ready to crush all those who stand against him, starting with your idiotic Guardians whom are too blind to even know what my love has been doing! We currently only have this battery available, but once we have more soldiers for our cause we will be able to create as many as we need. Unlimited power for an unlimited army. Just imagine it!".

"You think we will allow this?", Sinestro barks in a voice full of authority. "You think the Green Lantern Corps will not strike down this scheme?"

"I don't think you have time", Bleez retorts as the battery pulsates harder than ever, shaking the moon like a rattle. With the Green Lanterns off balance Bleez swoops in, knocking Alan off his feet with a mace like weapon created with her ring.

"Jordan, take care of Dex-Starr while I try and shut off that battery", Sinestro orders before flying over to the battery, his ring poised at the ready. With his allies otherwise engaged Hal is left to face Dex-Starr one again, and this time without anybody to take him to Mogo if it all goes bad. Hal takes up a fighting stance, staring at the hissing creature with a sword and shield conjured up into his hands. Dex-Starr takes it's time eyeing up it's enemy, it's blue tail waving back and forth gently as it bears it's menacing fangs.

"I'm not scared of you!", Hal bellows from his chest, raising his sword, looking deep into Dex-Starr's eyes with fierce concentration. Despite the razor sharp teeth, long jagged claws, powerful legs and their past history, Hal doesn't even consider that he may lose to Dex-Starr. He closes his eyes for a second, picturing Carol and remembering what he said to her.

"As long as I know that you're here waiting for me, I'll have all the willpower I need".

Hal lunges in at the rabid beast, swinging his sword overhead with surprisingly good form. His feet tap gently against the hard rock floor as he moves and dances, blocking Dex-Starr's attempt at slashing across his chest using the shield and responding by kicking the creature in it's underside, prompting a loud shriek which echoes through the canyon. Defeat doesn't even seem possible. Hal feels completely invincible.

"And as long as I have that willpower, I won't get hurt again. I promise"

Dex-Starr jumps again, this time latching onto Hal's shoulder with it's deadly bite. The long teeth miss hitting bone or muscle and instead rip through tissue, tearing skin away like it were orange peel. Hal doesn't yield, instead turning his body around and slamming Dex-Starr into the ground as hard as he can. The feline-like creature's body cracks the hard rock as it impacts the smooth surface before being covered by Hal with a blanket of light to hold it down, effectively keeping it trapped and unable to move. Hal surveys the scene in front of him: Alan Scott fighting Bleez in mid air as the two shoot blasts of light at each other, neither able to land a hit, while Sinestro holds off the Red Lantern drones with one hand and tries to pull the power battery down with the other.

"It's not going to move, Jordan", Sinestro calls over as he gives up attempting to move the battery alone, turning his attention to the drones while summoning up a gigantic spider like creature of green light to keep them at bay. "Whatever Atrocitus has done to create this battery, it has been very effective".

"So what do we do?", Alan Scott chimes in as he catches Bleez in a giant fishing net, ignoring the violent threats she continues to utter from her blood soaked lips as he fights off the Red Lantern drones which are converging on the trio of Green Lanterns.

"You accept this universes fate!", a cannon of a voice booms through the catacombs of the hollowed out moon, followed by the walls caving inward.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!", Alan yells at Hal, who dodges just in time to avoid Atrocitus crushing him while slamming through the rock wall overhead. Without hesitating Atrocitus hits Hal across the face hard enough to fling him across the cave back first into the power battery, which Hal grabs onto to steady himself. In unison the sickly drones stand to attention, allowing Sinestro and Alan to regroup to Hal.

"The Guardians plague has only minutes before it is sterilised, and yet it still attempts to fight?", Atrocitus says. "Do you not understand what is happening? We will finally be free from the chains of law and order, instead able to allow our primal urges to roam free".

"Right now, my only urge is to rip your damn head off!", Alan barks to Atrocitus, who simply laughs at the threat.

"With that attitude you will be one of the first to receive a ring, Scott. What an honour that will be. That is, if you live that long". Without further ado at least a dozen Red Lanterns crawl out of some of the various offshoots from the main cave, many with weapons conjured up by their rings in hand and a grudge to settle in their hearts. Hal manages to pull himself up off of the power battery, shaking his head like he'd just woken up from a bad dream.

"Do you even know why I fight, Green Lanterns? What you Guardians did to me?".

"Surprise me", Alan says, while Sinestro looks up. Since Atrocitus's first appearance, the Guardians refused to inform Sinestro as to why he wants to slaughter them, and now Atrocitus simply gives the tale away? Something is amiss, and Sinestro knows it.

"When I was just a child a criminal gang entered this sector, having just committed a chain of crimes. Murder, theft, everything your self-rightous rulers despise. And they were followed by the Guardian's appointed protectors before your Corps, The Manhunters. Mechanical beings of no emotion, carrying out their orders with no question. They carried out their orders. Sector 666 was home to trillions of beings, on Ryut and beyond. Now? I am the only survivor".

"BULLSHIT!", Alan spits at Atrocitus.

"Your Guardians, your so-called leaders, had The Manhunters commit genocide on my home world! They killed us all down to the last child, and then continued on further. And when the Guardians stepped in, what did I get? LIES! Apologies about malfunctions and glitches, simply because they wanted to save face, was it? Have me believe it was not them, and allow the universe to carry on in delusion? NEVER! I do what I do not out of sadness for my homeworld's fate, but out of rage due to the arrogance of The Guardians!".

"And you expect us to believe a word of this!?", Alan yells back.

"No, I expect the peasants to keep fighting for the tyrant until the bitter end", Atrocitus retorts as more Red Lanterns fill the chamber, awaiting Atrocitus's signal to attack.

"We've faced worse, right?", Alan whispers to Sinestro while creating an oversized sledge hammer.

"Oh, I think things could be much worse", Sinestro replies as he floats forward towards Atrocitus. The giant raises a hand to his corps, allowing Sinestro to come face to face with him. The two mighty warriors float inches a part, nostrils flared and fists clenched.

"Are you so arrogant as to duel me from this distance, Thaal?".

"Of course not", Sinestro smirks. "I'm just waiting for it".

No more than a second later the moon starts to tremble. Footsteps echo through the tunnels and caves like thunder claps, making the rubble quake.

"Clever little Lantern, but not clever enough", Atrocitus growls as a horde of Green Lanterns, led by Kilowog and John Stewart, flood into the mining area. Anarchy reigns as aliens do battle for the fate of the universe, weapons and fists clashing while in the centre of it all the power battery pulsates away. Sinestro doesn't have time to move, allowing Atrocitus to slam his fist straight into Thaal's gut with all his might. The pain rips through Sinestro's body like an electric charge, his eyes feeling ready to pop out of his skull, but he does not yield, instead constructing a staff and defending himself.

"What the hell's going on!?", John Stewart says to Hal while kicking a wolf like Red Lantern off of the rookie with both feet.

"Atrocitus has been mining material to create hundreds of thousands, maybe even a million rings. Pretty soon they're gonna get shot out of this power battery all over the universe and we'll have even more of these bastards to deal with".

"And I assume from the fact you were letting Michale J. Fox over there go all teen wolf on you, you have no idea how to stop it?", John says while looking the power battery up and down.

"I sort of had one idea", Hal says with very little conviction as he keeps Bleez away using a spear, giving the rock being Hannu time to dive on top of her and slam one of his battering ram like hands into her face. "When I get thrown into the battery...it felt like there was something in there, laughing at me".

"So your plan is...", John asks, seemingly unfazed by Hal's claim.

"Rip this sucker open and see what's inside, but I do-".

"Ch'p!", John calls, causing a small chipmunk creature, complete with a Green Lantern uniform and domino mask, to fly over, whizzing around in the air like a popped balloon. Ch'p is much larger than a chipmunk from Earth and has a dark brown coat, but if Hal saw the animal scurrying around the park he wouldn't think twice but for the Green Lantern ring placed on it's tail. John nods towards the battery, prompting Ch'p to hover in front of it, his tiny beady eyes bouncing back and forth nervously.

"But won't ripping open the ba-", Hal starts, but is cut off for the second time, this time by Ch'p raising his tiny fur covered arms up.

"We're not pulling it apart, that would just release the rings early", John explains as Ch'p's eyes light up purple. "Ch'p here's got a talent for sniffing out sentient life. If that Lantern has anything in it, he'll find it".

"Can't our rings just scan it?"

"Not like this little guy. He looks all cute and cuddly but trust me, he's got dark magic coming out the yazoo", John says without a hint of sarcasm, making Hal back away from Ch'p a few feet. Ch'p shudders a few times like a vibrating phone before there is an audible popping sound.

"GOT IT!", Ch'p squeals out in a voice which reminds Hal of Woody Woodpecker. "It's faint, but something's in here!"

"Right then", John says while backing away. "Put him in".

"Put me i-", Hal starts, but is cut off yet again by Ch'p hitting him with a beam of light from both his ring and his eyes. A second beam hits the power battery and Hal feels like his mind is being ripped from his body chunk by chunk. His head feels like somebody is sticking their hands in and clawing at his brain. And just when it feels like it can't hurt more, it stops.

***

"So...where am I?", Hal asks what looks like a ball of red smoke which hangs in front of him. He can't see anything, or really hear anything. Everything seems to be filtered through his mind telepathically and not actually real. Around him he can still hear the battle, but muffled by something. "Hello? Anybody there? I swear if I get out and see that damn rode-".

"Hal Jordan of Earth, you dare intrude into my solace?". The words echo through Hal's head, crashing into his ear drums like tidal waves against rock walls.

"Your solace?", Hal calls back, at least he thinks he does. Hal can't even work out if he's in his body or not. He can smell a sort of bubbling, rotting scent, like burning wood but with a spice of sorts, and all he can see is the same cloud of red smoke. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am one of the nameless immortals from before when beings such as yourself existed. Before the elements and thoughts were born, before the gods dared whisper into nothingness".

"You...you're rage?", Hal guesses.

"I am The Butcher to your kind, human. When the first life was created, I was conceived. And when that life was torn away due to an act of rage, I was born. Rage makes me stronger, Hal Jordan. I feed off of the anger in this universe, and soon Atrocitus will give me all I could ever want".

"Look, Butcher, I...I don't know where to begin", Hal mumbles as his mouth goes dry and his hands go cold. The Butcher has no physical form, Hal knows that, but he can feel him. Long, sharp claws. Slits for eyes on a demonic skull, staring through the mist into Hal's heart, trying to take control. "You need to stop".

"Stop my ascent to the throne in the centre of creation, through the hands of my servant Atrocitus? I can be all that is felt! I can control all that exists or will exist! Why would I want to stop!", The Butcher roars. "I sit and wait, and need only for my might to be unleashed. Soon it will all be MINE!".

"But if all we feel is rage, what will be left?", Hal says with as much conviction as he can. He knows he cannot show weakness and allow himself to be pulled deeper into the grip of rage than he already is.

"What do you mean?", The Butcher replies, showing at least a hint of curiosity.

"Rage is great, because it's unexpected. Rage hurts. Rage shows us ourselves at our worst, at the times we really need to be at our best. But we get past it. And you'll always have that. There will never be a universe without rage. Until all emotion is gone, there will forever be rage. But if Atrocitus wins, how long do you think this universe will last before it rips itself apart? Sure, for a while it'll be great. You're stronger than ever, everybody is doing as you wish, but then it's all over, and then what? You sit and wait for another big bang? Fat chance. Emotions need to be balanced. If the scales tip too far to one side, they just topple over".

"Interesting...", The Butcher mutters, its grasp still circling Hal's feet as the elemental weighs up its options. Slowly but surely, Hal feels the grip relinquish itself from him, and the mist parts, leaving a dark tunnel ahead. "I thank you, Hal Jordan, for you have stopped me making a grave mistake. Now leave this place, before I change my mind". Needing no further encouragement Hal walks down the tunnel into the darkness, eventually coming back out into the cavern where his fellow Green Lanterns are holding the Red Lantern Corps captive, including Atrocitus, whom Sinestro has captured in a cage of green light. The former gigantic titan looks smaller, his eyes now a bright blue instead of blood red and his chest covered by red skin instead of filled by the power battery. Many Lantern from both Corps are being treated by St Walker, who expertly repairs their wounds and injuries as much as possible.

"What did you do, Jordan?", Sinestro asks, having already got some details from John Stewart.

"It's complicated", Hal sighs as he slumps down against the now lifeless power battery.

"Simplify it then".

"The Red Lantern of rage has been extinguished", Hal mutters to Sinestro, who seems to find this answer acceptable.

***

Guy Gardner sits alone at a table in the Warrior's Bar sipping a glass of water slowly while staring off into space. Guy is wearing a simple black jacket and jeans, while his hair is an uncombed mess of ginger strands still speckled with dirt. Within an hour of the Red Lantern rings losing their power source Guy and any of the other Red Lanterns whom had not committed crimes before joining the Corps were released from the Oa cells. Most had left Oa as soon as possible, either using natural flight, being transported by a Green Lantern or sending a message to somebody who could take them away. Almost every Green Lantern has been called away for one reason or another due to recent events, so the bar is completely empty aside from Guy and one other person, who makes their way over to Guy slowly.

"You okay?", John Stewart asks as he sits down across from Guy, who has his arms folded up on the table in front of him as though to shield him.

"I just spent...I don't even know how long, trapped as some sort of monster, forced to kill people I fought alongside for almost ten years. How do you think I feel?", Guy snaps back, more fed-up than angry at the question. "And now I have nowhere to go. My entire life was this Corps, I didn't HAVE anything back on Earth".

"Can't you rejoin?"

"The Guardians shot that one down as quick as they could, said it would be bad for moral. I can't really blame them, I guess, but it still hurts, you know?".

"I know", John says as he leans back in his chair. "Can I just ask you something, Guy?"

"What?"

"How did it happen? I mean, I heard rumours, but I wanna hear it directly from you". Guy puts his head in his hands and takes a deep breath in response.

"Guess I've got to tell somebody?", Guy chuckles. "Lashoor and I were backing up Hannu and Boodikka chasing down some criminals. Organ harvesters from some god forsaken asteroid, they angled their battleship so it collided with smaller, more vunerable ships, then looted the occupants of their internal organs. I've faced some sickos in my time, but these guys? Just hearing about them made me sick. There were maybe a dozen of them, weird arachnid looking creeps they were. Hannu and Boodikka had managed to track them down, but they were putting up a fight and we were called in. Now aside from being fast and strong, these guys seemed normal, OK? Hannu and Boodikka could've handled it themselves maybe, but they wanted us to help round them up. And we did.

You remember Lashoor, right? Six arms, two legs, beautiful long red hair that went down to her ankles, voice of an angel, and a great Lantern. We'd get eleven of the runts in the bag no problem, but one of them ran off. This was on a drifting piece of rock, uninhabited with all sorts of craters and stuff. Lashoor was right after the little bastard, all happy go lucky, yah know? So I followed her, keeping my distance, all that junk. She dipped out of site for a second, and...and it got her. I heard her screaming out for me to help her, and I flew over as fast as I could, but it'd already done it's work. The thing had ripped her open like it was nothing. like Green Lanterns were just some expendable toy to throw away, and not something to be respected. So I...I lost it. I wanted to rip the damn things head off. Last clear thought I had was hearing my ring turn off, saying something about lethal force. Then the Red Lantern ring came out of nowhere, like it'd been stalking me. I got that ring and just...I don't even know. I should have done something".

Guy puts his head back in his hands, almost in tears, as John stands up. "It sounds cliché, Guy, but it's not your fault. We all have moments of weakness. Yours just came at the worst time".

"What was the singular moment of weakness, John?", an irate Guy replies. "When I let Lashoor die? When i tried to kill a perp? When I let that ring control me?". Instead of replying John simply pulls an envelope out of his pocket.

"You're a good man, Guy, so I left some things in here for you. A flight ring, a few different sorts of money, just to last you until you know what you want to do. Just try and do something, man. Don't mope about here for the rest of your life, you're still one of the best men I've ever met, ring or no ring". Silently John turns and leaves Guy alone once again to ponder his fate.

***

Alan, Hal, Sinestro and Kilowog stand before the Guardians, still tired from battle but for the most part unhurt. Alan is a few paces in front of the others, looking up at the Guardians.

"Alan Scott of Earth. During the recent crisis, you helped the Green Lantern Corps in its time of need".

"And for that we are very thankful".

"For that, the universe is thankful".

"But we have one more favour to ask of you".

"We lost many good Lanterns to Atrocitus and his men,"

"And will need to rebuild".

"In light of all this, we wish for you to rejoin the Green Lantern Corps".

"We can give you time to think abou-"

"No need", Alan interrupts, "golf and daytime TV was getting boring anyway, and I can't say I didn't miss the old costume".

"So you will rejoin the Corps?", one of the Guardians asks.

"As soon as possible", Alan beams.

"Very good. You will be assigned a partner soon".

"We thank everyone of you for your service to the Corps on this day", another Guardian concludes, before they rise up into the darkness once more.

"John said all this pass the conversation stuff would get easier to listen to", Hal grumbles to Alan, who laughs heartily.

"He lied to you, kid. Cheer up, you just saved the universe!"

-The End-