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OA -
The Hall of Guardians glowed faintly beneath Oa's emerald light, the hall's high arches and ancient glyphs casting long green colors upon the floor. The circle of Guardians floated in their customary place, their faces drawn with an uncharacteristic heaviness. The war had stretched far beyond what even their foresight had dared to predict, Blackest Night had not only arrived, but it was also consuming every corner of the universe.
"The sectors are in disarray," spoke a Guardian, his voice a thin echo that carried across the hall. His ancient eyes flicked to the great map of the cosmos projected before them, each pulsing point marking a skirmish. Many of them flickered weakly, some extinguished entirely. "Reports come from 1417, 2208, and 3542 all the same. Our corps are holding the lines with the Blue Lanterns' aid, yet still the black spreads. Their numbers… swell with every fallen."
A low murmur rippled among them, the sound not quite argument but the unease of a collective mind fraying. Another Guardian raised his hand, his gaze sharp behind the wear of ages. "Each victory is pyrrhic, each loss a feast for them. For every Lantern fallen, another Black rises. The balance is slipping, if there was any in the first place."
Ganthet, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice neither resigned nor yet hopeful, but measured. "And yet… on Earth, it is not so." His fingers twitched slightly, the faintest sign of relief in an otherwise stoic figure. "There, the Shadow Lantern has turned the tide almost single-handedly. Reports state he has driven the black ring-bearers back with ease. As an ally… he is formidable to have, we were misled by Scar to go to war with him, massively so."
That drew the eyes of more than a few in the circle. Some nodded, others frowned with the quiet unease that often followed the mention of this new force. One Guardian, leaned forward just enough for his cloak to ripple. "Formidable… yes. But unpredictable. The Corps has always been wary of powers that do not answer to its light."
"Unpredictable or not," Ganthet returned evenly, "he has done what many sectors could not. For now, that must be enough, surviving the Blackest Night and defeating Nekron is the most important thing at this moment."
A pause, then another Guardian broke spoke again, his gaze shifting to another flickering point upon the galactic chart. "And what of Jordan? His pursuit of the Orange Lantern continues… but he has stumbled upon an unexpected opponent."
A faint, almost imperceptible tightening of lips passed through the group. "A shame," murmured Sayd, her voice tinged with something like regret. "But Hal Jordan has weathered the unthinkable before. He will do what he must."
The map shifted, dimming as another Guardian turned the subject. "And Scar?" The question dropped like a stone in still water. "We still cannot locate her, she is responsible for many crimes we must uphold justice."
The chamber grew still. Even the soft hum of the central battery felt heavier in that moment. No one answered at first not because they had not heard, but because the silence itself was the proof of their failure, a failure to anticipate Scar's betrayal.
At last, Ganthet's voice came again, quiet and grave. "No trace. She remains… hidden. Which troubles me more than her open defiance ever did. Again, stopping this crisis is the priority, all in due time."
Their eyes lingered on the empty point where Scar's essence should have burned bright among them. No one spoke again for a time, and the war map pulsed softly in the void between them, the black spreading ever outward.
****
DEEP SPACE – SECTOR 2814
Emerald constructs shattered in a spray of fragments as Hal Jordan was thrown back by a jagged spike of black energy. The cold expanse around him lit up with clashing lights sickly black energy weaving like serpents and emerald beams carving them apart in desperate arcs. He steadied himself, boots scraping against a floating fragment of a meteor.
Ahead, the figure that had once been his predecessor moved with unnatural speed and precision, each strike colder than the void of space itself. Black Lantern Abin Sur's form was gaunt yet terrible, his features stretched by the grim mockery of life the ring sustained. His voice carried the echo of the man Hal had respected, twisted by the emptiness of the grave.
"You never learned, Hal… I'm disappointed..."
Before Hal could retort, a surge of red and blue tore across the darkness. A streak of twin-colored light spiraled in, colliding with the black constructs and forcing Abin Sur to recoil. Hal narrowed his eyes as the figure came into focus a lean, sharp-featured being with one ring burning with red fury and the other glowing with stubborn blue, defiant hope.
"Razer?" Hal's voice carried both surprise and a touch of wariness. "You? Out here? In the middle of nowhere?"
Razer inclined his head slightly, his voice measured yet tense. "Forgive my intrusion, Green Lantern, but I am also fighting against what is unfolding. The Blackest Night does not spare anyone no matter who we belong to or who we fight for. I came looking for you, because I've heard of the earthling as well."
Hal's ring flared as he fended off a whip of black energy that lashed out at them both. "The earthling… you mean.."
"Yes," Razer said, his gaze briefly hardening. "But unlike the others, I have no wish to cross him. I seek his aid. I know what he has done..Atrocitus lies dead by his hand, and the Sinestro Corps is no more because of him. He's torn the old balance to shreds… but perhaps that's exactly why we need him."
Hal gave a short, grim chuckle, spinning a construct shield to deflect a barrage from Abin Sur. "Maybe. But right now, we've got bigger problems."
Razer nodded once, the dual glow of his rings brightening, red rage coiling like fire, blue hope glowing just the same. "Of course, I'm here to help."
As they lunged forward, the fabric of space itself rippled behind them. A violet-tinged portal tore open like a wound, spilling a cold shadowy light across the battlefield. From within, a Shadow silhouette emerged, its presence oppressive, its aura unmistakable. Claws of darkness curled into blazing constructs, and in an instant, they smashed into Abin Sur with terrifying speed, tearing through his defenses and forcing him back with a howl that rattled the void.
'One of Arthur's Shadows ?!' Hal's breath caught. He steadied himself in the wake of the shockwave, eyes widening as the figure became crystal clear to his eyes, and radiating an all-too-familiar greed now bound in shadow.
"…Is that?" Hal whispered, almost to himself. His mind raced, disbelief lacing his words. 'It can't be..'
Beside him, Razer's rings pulsed uneasily, his tone low and wary. "I am not sure… but this Shadow certainly looks like someone we both know very well."
Hal's eyes narrowed, his voice tightening as the realization struck. "Larfleeze?!"
The creature turned briefly, its violet eyes burning, and then returned to tearing through the black lantern constructs. Hal exhaled sharply, his hand tightening into a fist.
"He's dead.." Hal murmured. The truth of it settled like lead in his gut. "And here I was… chasing his trail across three sectors. He must have known I was tracking him. Led me on a damn chase to nowhere, while he went directly to earth.."
The green light on his ring flared, his jaw set as he watched the Shadow rend through what remained of his predecessor's corpse. "But he didn't count for Arthur.. He didn't understand the kind of power that man wields."
Razer's rings pulsed again, the blue overtaking the red for a flicker as his voice came out low, almost in awe. "He must be pretty powerful if his constructs are strong like this."
Hal didn't look away, his voice a bit grim. "This is no construct."
He swallowed, watching as the shadow dragged Abin Sur down with terrifying power. "These shadows are far worse."
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want