Ult. GL Corps #6 - When In Warworld Pt. 2

[liquidsword34]

Ultimate Green Lantern Corps #6
When In Warworld Part 2 of 4

Warworld is located in an otherwise barren and desolate area of space sector 3601, it's inhabitants isolated from the universe at large. A shell of metal two miles thick covers the entire 'planet', keeping natural air and light out. Laser cannons, ballistic missiles and a small number of entrance hatches are the only protrusions to the otherwise all encompassing, smooth layer of metal which keeps Warworld and the outside universe divided. Warworld is an artificial planet with no natural resources and very little living space, but with at least double the population of Earth, creating poverty and over population on a massive scale. Free trade exists, but Lord Mongul has the right to carry out any actions he sees fit, up to and including confiscating merchants goods and money for his own uses with no warning. The economy collapsed several decades ago, leaving a society with no money, no jobs and no welfare system put in place by their absentee leader and dictator. Lord Mongul's appointed guardsmen of hired mercenaries from across the galaxy use any means to police the population, up to and including on the spot executions for any crime, whether it be a crime due to the word of the law or the discretion of the executioner, without trial.

Worst of all, with a population taken mostly from conquered planets, often pushing different species into the same section with nowhere near enough room, wars between different factions or species are common. With only artificial light and air driving the population towards madness, almost all production carried out by Warworld's mechanical functions and nothing in the way of entertainment, almost any dispute could turn into a blood soaked battle, killing entire families or sectors in a single day. Just the rumour of a vacant home results in a mob of thousands at the building, fighting tooth, nail and blade for a warm place to sleep.

Lord Mongul's solution to all these solutions is the same - gladiatorial combat. Whether it's clearing out a section by forcing its inhabitants to fight to the death, settling a dispute between traders or simply breaking the boredom which often turned to madness, Mongul will organise a battle in Warworld's arena. Below the arena sits a prison home to combatants from across the universe, brought to Warworld to fight or taken from the planet's inhabitants.

Overall, Hal Jordan has been to better places for Christmas.

After a lengthy dispute at the entry hatch which almost turned violent, Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, Thaal Sinestro and Arisia Rrab were allowed to enter Warworld, at which point they were taken directly to Mongul's palace. While the rest of the planet is composed of the same dull, dark grey metal, Mongul's palace is entirely marble, including multiple throne rooms, balconies looking out over both the arena and the populated areas of Warworld itself, and self-portraits showing a level of self-absorption which would make Caligula blush. The Lanterns stand facing Mongul's back as the emperor surveys his kingdom, gazing down on the tightly packed blocks and streets filled with citizens too far away to pick out. Mongul is flanked by alien mercenaries, one on each side. The pair stand at no less than ten feet in height, with hard scaly skin resembling a crocodile's, standing on their hind legs and clutching a rifle in their claw like fingers. Their mouths are pig like but with curved, pearly white teeth sticking out from beneath their lips, with narrow slits for eyes.

"You four made quite the scene attempting to get into Warworld. The weapons system was mere seconds away from launching an attack when it recognised you as Green Lanterns, and my guards are not very happy about the way you conducted yourselves. So you'll excuse me if I ask you to state your business quickly", Mongul declares without even a glance over his shoulder. He knows why the quartet are stood in front of him, but he makes them jump through hoops anyway, just to keep himself in control of the conversation.

"You claimed to have captured two people who could be my children", Alan says while stepping forward, causing the mercenary to the left to raise his weapon and grunt something unintelligible.

"Hold your fire and tongue, Kharg", Mongul whispers under his breath while raising a hand. "Let the man speak".

"I don't know if those two are my kids...".

"They are", Mongul interjects.

"...but you clearly captured them to draw me here. So what do you want?"

Mongul turns to face the Lanterns and steps forward a few paces to allow his intimidating frame to tower over Alan.

"My son was recently kidnapped by a group of terrorists who aim to overthrow me. While I have been able to track their location, they have found a way to disable any of my devices which get too close, and my mercenaries are not best suited for search and rescue missions", as Mongul says these last few words one of the aliens grunts a sort of garbled complaint, it's claw still resting firmly on the gun's trigger as if to show WHY Mongul doesn't want them trying to rescue his son.

"You have our sympathy, Mongul, but kidnapping these kids won't bring yours back".

"No, but you will. If you want your children to go free, you will find and return my son".

"And if I refuse?", Alan retorts without a moments hesitation.

"Well, we'll see how long two young humans can survive in Warworld's arena. The choice is yours, Scott".

Alan turns back to the other Lanterns, who have so far been completely silent. "I don't think we have any choice here", Alan sighs.

"Of course we do!", Hal's expression is one of pure disbelief. "We're going to be his lackeys? We're not just going to kick his ass and get your kids back?"

"First of all, Hal, we don't know they're my kids. And second, the four of us against all of Warworld? Unless we bring the entire damned Corps down on this place it wouldn't even make a dent. Our rings won't work within ten miles of Mongul, we'd get demolished. We're backed into a corner here".

"I'm with you", Arisia tells Alan, who forces a smile back at his partner.

"If it has to be done...", Sinestro sighs, before glancing over to Hal.

"Fine", Hal says. "But I don't like it".

"None of us do", Alan replies as he turns back to Mongul. "We'll do it. Where is he being kept?"

"The terrorists have him in sector nine-one-nine", Mongul says as the mercenary to his left shoves a map into Alan's chest, forcing the Lantern to begrudgingly take it from his hand. "Until you return, your children will entertain the people of Warworld, so I would be quick if I were you".

"Not happening, ugly", Hal cuts in. "We're doing this for you, so you're going to keep those kids safe".

"You dare command Lord Mongul?", the elephantine war lord steps up to face Hal, who doesn't back down.

"I do", Hal says sternly, staring Mongul dead in the eyes.

"Against others your lack of fear would succour your efforts, human, and I cannot say I am unimpressed. But you face a being who has laid down the hammer of god on creatures who you cannot comprehend. Yield".

"Is that supposed to scare me?", Hal laughs. "Some fancy little speech? You're not impressing anyone, and you're not scaring anyone".

Mongul's hands ball up into fists as he looks down his nose at Hal. "If I didn't need you, your body would be an unsightly mess on my palace floor. Fortunately for you, needs must. I will extend you the honour of serving alongside Scott's children as their protectors while your partners retrieve my son. That is as far as my kindness goes". Hal looks back at Sinestro, who's eyes are wide in shock. He can barely believe his young partner had the guts to stand up to Mongul, let alone that it worked.

"I'll take tha-", Hal starts, until Alan steps in front of him.

"If they're my kids, I should be the one protecting them, Hal".

"Interesting", Mongul cackles as he motions to his mercenaries, one of whom produces a pair of handcuffs from beneath one of it's scales like it were a pouch. Alan hands off the map to Sinestro before putting his hands out to be cuffed.

"Arisia, you're with me", Alan calls to Arisia, who charily steps forward and puts out her hands next to Alan's. "Thaal, Hal, try to make it quick".

***

"Enjoy yah new cell-mates", the short, chubby purple jailer yells at Jade and Obsidian in his nasal voice which seems to never leave the prisoners ears alone. Seconds later the metal bars bend to form a large gap, which a trio of Mongul's mercenaries shove Alan Scott and Arisia through unceremoniously while ripping off their handcuffs. The two stumble into the centre of the cell as Jade and Obsidian rise up to their feet. The two pairs stare at each other for twenty seconds or so, neither side moving, everybody unsure of how to start a conversation considering the circumstance.

"Dad?", Jade says hesitantly, wanting to get straight to the point.

"Mongul said I might be", Alan replies. "But he's a manipulator, until we can prove anything, we don't know for sure".

"I think you are", Jade walks towards Alan slowly. "Mongul said he knew who are dad is and..."

Jade is interrupted by the black shape of Obsidian stepping in front of her. Slowly, he removes his hood, revealing a head of hair which, aside from being slightly thicker and lighter, looks exactly like Alan's. Obsidian's facial structure is almost the spitting image of Alan's down to the smallest details. The two stand and stare at each other, allowing Alan to take in Obsidian's face.

"How...", Alan starts, but stops himself, unable to fully comprehend the situation.

"Our mother is Rose Canton", Jade explains to Alan. "We were born a few years apart, I'm twenty-two and Todd is twenty-four".

"Makes sense", Alan says as he sits down, leaning against the wall. Tentatively, Jade and Obsidian sit down next to him, while Arisia remains standing, deciding to let what is happening play out without her involvement.

"Right. Me and Todd thought, yah know, you might be our dad, because you two always seemed to have a love hate sort of thing".

Alan chuckles to himself softly. "Yeah, we did. Where is Rose now?"

"No idea", Obsdian says. "Me and Jen only met each other a few months ago, and we haven't really tried tracking mom down. After the police arrested her, when you stopped her hijacking that train full of gold heading to Gotham, and found us, we got put into separate foster homes. That was when we were both just babies. We only found each other because of my power, it sort of led me to Jen".

"Right..right, your powers", Alan says as he calms down, allowing himself to think. "I assume Mongul has blocked them".

"Yep, same for your ring?"

"Yeah. Mongul's got a handle on that stuff". Alan glances at Jade's outfit then turns back to Obsidian. "I've seen you two on the news. Jade and Obsidian, right?"

"Yeah. Following the family tradition, I guess". Obsidian laughs. "Before you ask no, we don't a clue where the powers came from".

"Great. I'm Alan, by the way", Alan says shakily, trying to adjust to everything in such a short amount of time, having being denying it since he was first told he had children.

"I was going to ask", Jade smiles contently. "It's weird, but considering an alien has kidnapped me and is going to force me to fight people, this is the happiest I've felt in a while".

Alan allows the comment to stew for a few seconds. "Yeah...yeah, this is good. I sort of didn't want to believe Mongul, when he told me. I always thought that if I ever had kids I'd get to see them grow up, be a dad to them. Instead it takes some crazy alien war lord for me to finally meet you, and I've missed out on bringing you up, and being a dad to you. Now I've met you though...I'm happy about it".

"There's worse things you could've got for Christmas", Obsidian jokes, making Alan crack a smile.

Jade climbs to her feet and walks over to Arisia, who has remained silent throughout the conversation, relegating herself to leaning against the bars and listening silently. "Who are you, my dad's team-mate?"

"His partner. We're part of the Green Lantern Corps. Like space police, really", Arisia explains while showing Jade her ring.

"How long have you been part of the Corps, then?"

"About three days", Arisia replies.

"Ouch, bad first week".

"And it's about to get worse", Alan calls over as he sees the chubby jailer approach, five mercenaries and Mongul in tow.

"The crowd is ready for blood!", Mongul proclaims as the bars open and the mercenaries step in, cuffs in hand. "When you reach the arena your respective powers and rings will work again. I expect an entertaining fight".

***

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Jade, Obsidian, Alan and Arisia are marches up a metal staircase, prodded from behind by guards with loaded rifles itching to shoot something. They climb step after step towards the solitary light in the distance, hearing the roaring crowd chanting for blood. The staircase is almost pitch black and every footstep echoes around for what seems like eternity as they climb.

"Whatever's up there, we stick together, and we communicate", Alan mutters to his allies as they take the final few steps out into the arena. Their feet come down onto hard, uneven stone covered in a thin layer of sand as the crowd's roar rings in their ears. The metal walls keeping the fighters inside go around thirty feet high, at which point it becomes a stadium like structure, filled to the brim with all types of alien lifeforms, dressed mostly in rags and torn, second hand clothes. The top of the arena is open, allowing Warworld's artificial lights to illuminate the battle field, and an almost transparent purple forcefield keeps the crowd and combatants separated, as well as preventing escape.

Up on his balcony, Mongul stands gazing down over the arena. Stood to his left side is a rat like creature known as Klongun propped up on its back legs, wearing a red gown and clutching a spectra in its three pronged pincher. Both Mongul's crocodile mercenaries and the rat king's guards are stood behind the two rulers, weapons in hand.

"I trusssst you have ssssuitable entertainment for me, Lord Mongul", Klongun hisses as he peers down into the arena. "I cannot negotiate trade when my taste for blood has not yet been ssssastisfied".

"Of course. In fact, I have a pair of Green Lanterns, the universe highest authority, ready to fight", Mongul boasts as he gestures to the four prisoners in the arena. "And then, I hope I may acquire the weapon you have promised me".

"Remember: No lethal force, whatever they throw at us", Alan instructs to the others as the floor on the other side of the arena opens up. A stampede of hooves echo through the arena as Alan and Arisia's rings light up, signifying that they can use them once again.

"My powers are back", Obsidian mutters as he closes his eyes, feeling the shadows throughout the arena one by one, "but I cannot extend them beyond the forcefield".

"Have we got a plan?", Jade asks as she tests her powers, finding she can once again use her abilities as an emerald stream spits out from the palm of her hand like a magnificent fireworks display.

"We'll make it up as we go along", Alan replies.

Dust flies into the air as a four legged creature as big as an elephant with the appearance of a sickly, demonic horse charges across the arena. The three mercenaries stood in the basket style structure on the creature's back blast wildly, forcing Jade and Alan to take to the air as Arisia creates a forcefield around herself and Obsidian slips deep down inside of the shadow cast by Arisia. Seconds later Obsidian reappears, grabbing one of the mercenaries off of the galloping beast's back and yanking him down back into the shadows. With it's tongue hanging out it's mouth and it's tail swinging wildly the creature bolts at Arisia, who stands her ground, baiting the animal towards her. As the creature draws nearer Arisia can hear its panting and the sound of the gunfire over the roaring crowd, but she still stays still, waiting.

With the beast seconds from reaching Arisia, Alan and Jade swoop in low. As Alan grabs the aliens from the animal's back using a net like construct, Jade tosses emerald green chains at its feet, tripping it up. In one move she ties the creatures legs together and, with the help of Arisia, keeps it from crashing head first into the ground by holding it up.

"That was easier than it had any right to be", Arisia calls out to nobody in particular as Obsidian comes back out of the shadows, throwing down the henchman he grabbed on top of the two others in a neat pile in the centre of the arena.

"Thissss issss most entertaining", Klongun tells Mongul gleefully, tapping his claws against the marble balcony ledge as his beady red eyes flicker. "Now...command their deathsssss".

The same style of drone which kidnapped Jade and Obsidian flies down in front of Alan and dramatically flashes blood red. "Lord Mongul has sentenced this battle's losers to death. You must carry out the execution".

Without so much as a second thought Alan creates a sledge hammer from his ring. "I will kill for no man".

The echo of the hammer smashing through the drone echoes throughout the arena, prompting a frenzied response from the crowd, a mix of boos in anger at the lack of blood and cheers from those glad to see somebody stand up to Mongul.

"THISSSSS IS AN OUTRAGE!", the rat-king growls at Mongul, who has driven his fist into one of his palace's marble walls in a fit of rage. "Your warriorssss do not kill?".

"It appears not", Mongul sighs, "but do not worry. We have others who will spill blood, even if they won't".

***

Sinestro and Hal float down into the catacombs of an asteroid which orbits ominously around an uninhabited planet within space sector 909, hunting Mongul's son and his kidnappers. The asteroid has a long tunnel drilled into it, which the pair glide down into with their rings outstretched, lighting their way.

"Think this entrance is natural?", Hal asks to pass the time as they meander through the tunnel.

"Not a chance", Sinestro replies as he speeds up, rocketing deep into the asteroid. The two lanterns spot the light at the end of the tunnel and put their arms out, ready for a hard and fast entry. The air whistles past Hal's ears as he exits the small tunnel and heads out into an open area containing a makeshift metal dome, surrounded by hundreds of aliens from dozens of different species. Some big, some small, some humanoid, some more plant like than anything, and all unprepared for a pair of Green Lanterns going at over two hundred miles an hour blasting into their stronghold. The entire make-shift headquarters shakes as Hal and Sinestro inpact with it, splitting open metal walls and sending creatures flying out of the way like a pair of cannonballs. After crashing into the ground unceremoniously the two pull themselves up out of the rubble, examining the damage around them.

"Not bad", Hal chuckles as he shoves a rusted metal sheet off of his leg and pulling himself up, Sinestro already stood up and looking past Hal. "I told you it would work".

"You did", Sinestro mutters into his partners ear, "and you were wrong".

Hal turns to see a creature resembling Mongul but slightly shorter and with less signs of age on his face, clutching a bazooka style weapon under his arm. He wears white robes, and unlike his father has no metal wear to show his status, instead opting towards modesty and simplicity. He raises the weapon and cocks back a leaver on the side, making it whirl into life, growling and roaring like an animal ready to pounce. "You shouldn't have come here".

-To Be Continued-