12 Lanterns

The next day in the crown city's trading district, which had been leveled by Mongul during his rampage, Markus and Cir-EL both joined the people living within the city in their efforts to clean up the remaining rubble and rebuild.

Markus helped lift rubble and move buildings out of the way so that workers could clean up anything underneath, without having to move the rubble themselves.

" Two-hands? What are you doing?" Sideros flew in and asked the man.

Markus turned to Sid with a smile on his face. " The war is over. Now we make the peace." Markus looked around at the people surrounding him. " Mongul is dead, but his enemies still surround us. Virlal and Grog, I want you two to go to the fillians and negotiate a treaty. Arch-e and Dregg, you two go to the twisted woods and talk to the machines. Warbots, Wildebots, Manhunters all of them." Markus told the group.

" Ah Fratz!" Arch-e groaned.

" Don't worry Arch-e, I'm going with ya." dregg told the machine man.

" Fantastic." Arch-e replied.

" And Elara and Sid, you guys are gonna help me with the spikes." Markus told the two." But before that, we clean." Markus went back to helping the citizens clean up, with the help of Cir-El, while Virlal, Grog, Arch-e and Dregg all set out to complete the tasks given to them by the king.

But not all was nice in paradise.

While a good sum of the population were happy to have a king willing to help them. Others were not as happy to be put to work, rebuilding. In fact, it made them feel as though they were themselves slaves. Something that was bound to come up sooner or later.

After a good while, Markus, finally set his tools down and turned to Elara and Sid.

" Get ready you two. It's time to deal with the spikes." Markus told the two of them. He then grabbed them both and leaped into the air.

....

It took some time, but Markus gathered all of the spikes together in one place.

" All right, Sid! Tell the spikes to get inside the ship." Markus and Cir-El lifted one of the ships the spikes came on, out of the ground and placed it on the ground. " Then, we'll tow them right off this rock." Markus explained.

The spikes quickly began herding into the ship all at once.

" Doesn't look like they need to be told twice." Elara stated.

" Sid's chemming with the big one. But he's not speaking. He's just happy. Returning to the stars. Going home. Because two-hands listened. Two-Hands cared. Friends fighting for friends."

Markus started up his ship and anchored the broken desolate spike ship.

Cir-El watched from below as the two ships quickly disappeared beyond the skyline.

The ships pressed on, well into the void of space, but as they began to pass by the desolated moon, the ships both suddenly stopped.

" What's going on? Why did we stop?" Markus asked Sid.

" The big spike... He's saying their brothers are still trapped on the moon... Where the king sealed them in their ships. They need our help." Sid explained.

" Say no more." Markus told the bug. He grabbed the big spike and ran off.

" Wait, what are we going to do?" Elara asked. " We don't have any space suits."

" Space suits? Come on Elara...." Sid looked out the window of the ship and watched as Markus leaped from the ship's hull out into the coldness of space.

He made a straight line for the spike ships trapped on the moon, and one after another he started tearing them open, freeing the spikes within.

" That's right. All of you... Be free. You're family's waiting for ya." Markus told the creatures.

One after another the small spores began pouring out into space, following the call of the elder spikes,

" Do you feel that?" Elara asked Sid. The moment the spikes were freed, it was if thousands, no millions of souls were finally released from captivity.

" The spikes..." Sid muttered.

" Like a million voices all.... All finally home." Elara exclaimed.

Markus listened as the voices of the people floated down towards the planet, and as he sat there floating in space, he smiled. He turned towards his planet with a great big smile on his face, and as he sat there, drifting in space, he felt the strong hand of gravity take a hold of him and while he knew he could easily escape it, he felt the need to just let it happen. To just be.

" What's Vulcan doing?" Elara asked Sid.

" He's going home. The fast way."

Markus reentering orbit could be seen by everyone for miles. It was astounding, and many wondered what exactly it was that was about to hit the planet, even Cir-El.

But as the woman, looked closer at the object, she saw it wasn't even an object at all, but actually Markus himself.

" MARKUS!" Cir-El yelled as she flew towards the crash site. She landed just inches from the crater and as Markus was getting up from the ground she jumped into his arms.

From afar, watched Grog and Virlal.

" Something fell from the sky. But with all the smoke I can't see a damned thing." Grog told the man. He looked out over the hills with a pair of binoculars but couldn't see a thing.

Virlal on the other hand could see quite well. He placed a hand on Grog's shoulder and smiled.

" It's all right, Grog.... In fact-" Virlal spoke.

As the smoke cleared away, Markus and Cir-El rose together into the air, bathing in the warm glow of the sun as they embraced one another. His hand guiding her lips towards his, her hand locked firmly in his hair, pulling her up towards the man.

" It's perfect."

...

Markus and Cir-El walked back to the city, all the while the voices of those lost to the spikes fluttered down around them. The citizens, heard the wistful voices of their loved ones, and all of them began to wonder, just where were the voices coming from? How was it possible? And who did they have to thank for this wonderful gift?

" What's happening?" One of the many citizens of the empire asked.

" The spikes have returned to the stars. And the essence of those they consumed has been released." Cir-El explained. " Say goodbye to your loved ones... And give thanks to your king."

" Two Hands!"

" Vulcan!"

" Thunderer!"

" Great King!"

The crowd praised the liberty of the lord of the heavens, furthering Markus' want, no his need to continue protecting them. To be a king worthy of their love and respect.

" King Vulcan! King Vulcan!" A small group of children came running up to Markus and grabbed ahold his robes.

" What is it, little ones?" Markus asked the kids.

" Come with us. We have something to show you!" The kids chanted. They pulled on Markus' arms hard, tugging on them to drag him forward.

Markus laughed and allowed the kids to move his body.

" Okay, okay!" Markus chuckled. " I'm coming."

Markus followed the kids straight to the middle of the city, where standing in the center of the town the people had erected a statue of him, in his honor. He stood there with one arm raised to the sky, and the other with a spear in his hand. Depicting him when he was a gladiator in the arena.

" Whoa!" Markus gasped.

" Do you like it? We made it for you!"

Markus looked upon the statue, placing his hand on the side of his gigantic leg, and he started laughing.

" I LOVE IT!" Markus bellowed.

The kids, jumped with excitement. Some of them even took to climbing Markus, like he was a statue himself.

Markus played with the children, laughing like the jolly giant he was. That was until a bright green glow, shined down on his face.

" Hail! People of Valdr! My name is Soranik Natu. This is my partner Vath Sarn. We are members of the green lantern corps. We come seeking an audience with your king."

The one speaking was a woman. A woman with black hair and red skin and blue eyes.

Her partner was a man, who without knowing, one would assume was human. He had a singular scar across his right eye. He was an older male and carried with him the air of authority and experience. His hair was shaved off on both sides of his head, with a single strip being left on the top of his head.

" I'm rather busy at the moment. As you can see, we are in the process of rebuilding our home. If you'd like to, you are more than welcome to wait at my palace. I will return at the setting of the sun." Markus told the two corps members. He placed the children he was holding down on the ground and shooed them off to the side.

" Not happening, punk." Vath stated.

Soranik and Vath landed right in front of Markus, and the moment they did, the height difference between them became abundantly clear.

Markus towered over them both. Soranik was a strong 6'2 and Vath was a solid 6'4 himself. But Markus had the blood of a god running through his veins. More so than many of his other siblings. Markus stood at an imposing 7'5.

" Before you say anything else, know this Lantern. I have seen your people here before. In yellow. I killed them. Tread carefully." Markus told the man. He glared down at Vath. The skies above started to darken, and the bright exuberant sky quickly hid behind the clouds.

" Are you threatening me?" Vath asked the man.

" Vath, we didn't come here to fight. Knock it off." Soranik exclaimed.

" I would listen to your comrade, Lantern. Your people are not well liked around here." Cir-El spoke up. Her presence caused the Lantern to shift.

" I'd listen to her, if I were you. Now, if you have business with me, you can follow the proper procedures and await the return of my advisors. If not, then feel free to leave and come back another day." Markus explained.

" And what if I want to just take you right now?" Vath asked.

Cir-El placed one hand on Vath's shoulder and, as if he were like a child, she pushed the man down onto his knees, planting him firmly on the ground.

" You threaten to harm my husband?" Cir-El asked the man.

" We do not!" Soranik exclaimed. " We aren't with those other lanterns. They're our enemies. We were only sent here to verify whether or not the yellow lanterns were still around and to verify if the king of this world was using them, that's it." Soranik explained to the two.

" And you thought it was a good idea to try and confront me alone, without knowing if your enemies were still around? Not a very smart idea." Markus stated.

" We are not your enemies, okay. Let me take my friend here and we'll meet with you at your palace." Soranik told the man.

Markus stepped back, his imposing frame relaxed, and the skies started clearing once more.

" Okay, Cir-El let him go." Markus told the woman.

Cir-El nodded and the pressure Vath Sarn felt on his shoulder vanished. The man stood up, breathing slightly harder than before.

" Please, everyone forgive me! I know today was supposed to be a busy day for us all, but it seems I have some pressing matter to attend to. For now, rest, for those of you without a home still, please come to the palace. We will help you in any way we can." Markus spoke to the crowd of people.

The whole reason he was helping with cleanup was so that the citizens of Valdr could return to their homes sooner than expected. But now, it would seem that those plans are being put on hold.

" Follow me." Markus told the two Lanterns. He and Cir-El took to the sky, and together they led the two lanterns back to his royal palace.

...

It took some time, but Virlal and the others had returned by sundown, once they heard of what had happened.

In the great hall, the two members of the green lantern corps and Markus alongside his wife Cir-El, Virlal, Grog, and Dregg were sitting down together.

" Okay, all my people are here. So, who are you? And what is it you want exactly?" Markus finally asked the two corpsmen.

The first to speak was Soranik, her attitude and approach to the situation was much more appreciated than that of her friend.

" We are members of the Green Lantern Corps. Defenders of the many different space sectors in the universe. We are employed by the guardians of the universe to protect, serve, and uphold the laws of the universe as stated in the intergalactic communal. We recently received news of Yellow Lantern activity on this planet, and we were dispatched by the guardians themselves to scout and report back anything we find." Soranik explained. " We were also tasked with...."

" With what? Speak woman." Dregg stated.

" We were asked to bring back the current emperor to our home world on Oa." Soranik explained. " I want to say that it is merely a standard procedure, eh we just want to see who it is we're dealing with now. The guardians simply want to establish some common ground, a partnership if you would. Nothing more, nothing less."

Markus hummed and sat back in his seat.

" Okay, that all sounds good and well. But why should I care? What do these guardians have to offer me or my people? And what about those other Lanterns wearing yellow? And more importantly, just gonna throw this out there, why haven't you people shown your faces here before?" Markus asked the woman.

" The Green Lantern corps provides safety and security for thousands of planets throughout the known universe. We alone are the police force that protect planets from extraterrestrial threats. Our name alone is enough to keep others from attacking a planet. I think a partnership between you and the guardians would be wise in and of itself. As for the yellow Lanterns, they are the complete opposite of the greens. We harness the power of will. It's what gives us our powers and allows us to defend ourselves. Whereas the Yellow Lanterns, or the Sinestro corps, use the blinding yellow light of fear, to oppress and force their wills on those weaker than them. In other words, they are nothing more than criminals, blighted by the desires of one man. Their sole purpose is to spread fear and pain across the galaxy. And as for why we have not come to this planet before.... I do not know." Soranik explained. " The Guardians are the ones who decide where a Green Lantern is stationed. Why they have waited until now, to contact you, is unknown. But I am sure they have their reasons."

Markus listened as Soranik spoke. He hardly seemed to care about what she was saying at all, and that angered Vath just a little. But he kept it to himself, for fear that there would be a repeat of history.

" That's all good and well, Soranik. But I do not see any good reason to come with you, or to form a partnership with these guardians of yours." Markus told the woman. " But, if you step outside and wat, I will consult with my people and see what they think about your offer."

Markus gestured for Soranik and Vath to leave the room, having Grog open the door for them. Once they were well out of the room, Markus turned to the others.

" So? What do you all think? Does this seem like something worth pursuing?" Markus asked the group.

" I do not like the idea of you leaving so soon, after being crowned. It has only been a few days, leaving so soon would not look good to the people." Virlal explained. " On the other hand, however, a truce with these guardians, could at least ensure that if Valdr is ever in trouble we would have allies to call upon. I am as of this moment unsure."

Markus nodded and then looked to Grog and Dregg.

" You two, were conquers yourselves, were you not? Have you two ever heard of the Green Lantern Corps?" Markus asked.

" Yeah, I've heard of them." Grog replied. " Don't know if we can trust them though. My brothers and I weren't conquerors for very long. And truth be told I'm not too versed on politics outside of my own people. But I don't think I'd trust them to watch my back. It all seems shady to have them suddenly show up at this point in time." Grog explained.

" I've heard of them as well and fought a few myself. They are what they claim to be, in terms of police officers. I say you take it into consideration. At least hear what the guardians have to say." Dregg stated.

Markus listened carefully and nodded.

" And you, my wife?" Markus asked the woman at his side.

Placing both of her hands on his shoulders, Cir-El sighed.

" Whatever you decide I will put my faith in and follow. But I am not against having more allies. Perhaps just once." Cir-El muttered.

Markus grabbed one of Cir-El's hands and kissed the backside of it.

" Okay, then. I will hear them out." Markus spoke. " Grog, invite our friends in." Markus told the man.

" Right." Grog responded. He opened the door back up and invited the two lanterns inside to hear the decision.

" So, what's it gonna be?" Vath asked.

" I will hear what your guardians have to offer. And if I find it to be beneficial for the people of my planet, then I will accept. If not, then I will leave. That is all." Markus told the man.

" Glad to hear it." Soranik exclaimed.

" We will leave immediately Cir-El while I am gone; you are in charge." Markus spoke. He placed a small kiss on the woman's lips and hugged her. " Keep our people safe."

" I will, husband. Be safe in your travels." Cir-El muttered.

" Alright, let's go." Markus told the Lanterns.

Vath And Soranik nodded and raised their hands at Markus, a bright green light emanated from the ring and slowly created a box around Markus.

" What is this?" Markus asked the lanterns.

" A box. For travel. Space is a vacuum and there is no oxygen to breathe. You wouldn't last very long without this box for protection." Soranik told the man.

" I don't need it." Markus told the woman.

" Of course, you do." Vath stated. " What do you wanna die in space?"

" I can handle space, just fine. In fact, I can breathe and fly in space with no problems at all." Markus explained.

" How is that possible?" Soranik asked the man.

" I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling it has something to do with my biology." Markus told the woman. " Now, do me a favor and let me out of this box."

Soranik and Vath looked at one another, for confirmation. Neither knew what to think, only that if they didn't, they had a feeling that things would take a turn for the worse.

" Okay, if anything happens, we aren't at fault." Soranik told the man.

" Of course, not." Markus replied. The box around him disappeared within seconds. " Now, let's go." Markus flew out of the palace and into the sky, with the two Lanterns right behind him.

......

About six hours into the flight, Markus and the Lanterns were already well beyond Valdr's space. So much so, that the sun had seemingly changed colors.

" How much longer until we reach, this planet Oa?" Markus asked the two Lanterns.

" Oa is at least six hundred light years away from most planets, due to the fact that it's located in the center of the universe. At the speed we're going it should only take a few more hours." Soranik explained.

" Alright, so we got some time then. What can you tell me about these guardians?" Markus asked the woman.

" Well, the guardians have supposedly been around a long time. They've stated to have been some of the first intelligent life forms since the beginning of time. They're pretty smart, and sometimes they can be a little overbearing. But they mean well, even if they are misguided. When you meet them, show at least a little respect. Do that and they'll show you the same respect." Soranik explained.

" I see. What else can you tell me? Is there anything I should be worried about?"

" Not really. Other than the dangers of space, the Yellow Lanterns. But it should be fine. I don't think many people are gonna be crazy enough to attack a man your size. And as long as the guardians are in a good mood, things should go just fine. The only reason I can see them being aggressive is if....." Soranik spoke. She and Vath then looked at one another and sighed.

" Hal." They both spoke.

" Hal? Should I be worried about him?" Markus asked.

" His name's Hal Jordan. And no, Hal's good people." Soranik replied. " But he does have a tendency to run his mouth off at the guardians and he does more than his fair share to get under their skin. But he's good. As great as any Lantern could ever hope to be."

" Yeah, but if all people from earth are like him, then that place must be a nightmare." Vath muttered.

" Earth? This Hal's from earth?" Markus asked.

" Yeah, he is." Vath replied.

" I'm from earth, myself. Do you know anything about it? I haven't seen earth in years." Markus asked the two.

" Nah, I don't know much about it myself." Vath replied.

" I don't know much about it either, but if you want you can ask the guardians, or Hal if he's there. I'm sure he wouldn't mind catching you up. Though if you do meet him, try to be.... Patient." Soranik told the man. " What about you though? What's your story?" Soranik asked the man.

" Not much to tell, I was born on earth to an all-woman race of immortal warriors." Markus told the woman.

" That's.... Nice. How did you end up so far in space?" She asked.

" I was struck by a lightning bolt and sent hurtling across space for years, until I landed on Valdr and was made a slave. I led a revolt, overthrew the king, and eventually became king myself. All of that happened within the last month. So, hey, it's been a bit hectic. You can understand my skepticism when two people, who have similar powers to those who've tried to kill me suddenly show up offering their aid." Markus explained.

" That's fair." Soranik responded. " If it makes any difference, I want you to know we really only want to help. I promise you; we wish no ill intentions on you or your people."

" That's good. Personally, I don't care either way. I don't want to cause any bad blood between us either. But my people always come first. And I'll kill you if you try to harm them." Markus told the woman.

Soranik was visibly disturbed by his sudden statement of killing her if he needed to.

" Right. At least we know where we stand with one another." Soranik replied.

.....

A few more hours passed by and soon enough, Soranik and the others could see it, the beautiful green world of Oa. Home of the Guardians of the universe and their Green Lantern Corps.

" We're here." Soranik spoke up.

" This is it, huh. Well, there's certainly a lot of green." Markus muttered.

" Yeah, that's the idea." Vath stated smugly. " Come on, let's get this over with."

Vath took a turn in the air, heading straight for the giant statue in the middle of a section of tall buildings.

" What is that?" Markus asked as they approached the giant statue.

" It's our battery. The symbol of the Green Lantern corp." Soranik explained.

Markus nodded.

...........

Markus followed Soranik and Vath straight to the center of Oa, where stood a large compendium, and standing at the very top, were little blue men and women, Markus believed to be the guardians.

" Alright, remember, they can be a little confrontational, so just try to be respectful." Soranik told the man.

" Seriously, if they say anything that angers you, just bite your cheek." Vath stated.

Markus nodded in response.

" Green Lantern of sector 1417 Soranik Natu, and Green Lantern of sector 2682 Vath Sarn, please come forward." The loud booming voice of one of the guardians called out to the two lanterns and they quickly stepped forward, ushering Markus along with them.

" Green Lantern Soranik Natu, reporting."

" Green Lantern Vath Sarn, reporting."

The two Green Lanterns gave a slight bow to the guardians.

" It is good to see you've returned safely, you two. It would appear your mission was a success?" The guardian asked.

" Yes, sir. Lord Geras. We present, King Vulcan of Valdr." Soranik spoke.

Markus stepped forward and there was a collective gasp amongst the Guardians.

" What is one of your kind doing so far out in space?" Geras asked Markus.

" One of my kind? What do you mean my kind?" Markus asked.

" Ahem! Forgive me, I mean no disrespect. It is simply rare to see an Olympian so far away from earth, let alone Olympus." Geras stated, giving meaning to his previously rude question.

" Olympian?" Markus asked.

" Do not play us as fools. We guardians have been around just as long as you Greeks. We know a half-god when we see one. It was not Long ago, when Hera herself mingled with amongst the guardians for knowledge. And adding to that, you wear the armor of the Amazons. A Greek people that served the gods so long ago. And your bracers, forged by a god himself. Hephaestus, no doubt." Geras spoke.

" How do you know all this?" Markus asked the man.

" We guardians have lived for a very long time, boy. From the beginning of time. We have made contact with many different life forms throughout the known universe. For us to not know of those who would call themselves gods, would be a stain on our names." Geras replied smugly. The pride on his face, shined as brightly as his bald blue head.

Markus, on the other hand, had a lot to process. It wasn't that he hadn't had a feeling, but having heard it again, from someone supposedly much older than him, simply drove home the fact. He was a god.

" You seem to be slightly disturbed." Geras spoke.

" Sorry, just... A little much to take in. I mean it does make sense, I can fly, shoot lightning from my hands, apparently, I know every language. My father.... Is Zeus." Markus muttered. " It's nothing... Don't worry about it" Markus shook his head, pushing the thoughts coming forward back to the back of his mind. " We have business to discuss. So, what do you say we go forward? My people are waiting for me to come back." Markus told the man.

" Very well. We, the Guardians, have called you hear today to clear upon some rumors we have heard regarding your planet. First of all, the reports of Yellow Lanterns." Geras spoke.

" True. The former king employed these Yellow Lanterns to help suppress rebellions in his rule and used them as mercenaries. They were slavers and murderers and I killed them." Markus explained.

" You killed them?" Another guardian spoke, this time however, it was a woman with bright white hair.

" Yes. I was one of the former king's slaves, a gladiator forced to fight for his entertainment. During one of our bouts, he summoned his Lanterns, who called themselves the death's heads. I won't say it was a self-defense matter, I had every intent on killing them from the moment I walked into the arena." Markus explained to the group.

" And the former King, Mongul. What has happened to him?" Geras asked.

" He's dead too." Markus replied.

" Dead? Mongul?"

" Is that possible?"

" It couldn't be."

" It is true. I killed Mongul with my own hands. And after that the people elected me their king, a position I am still not sure I want, but a responsibility I will bear. For their sake." Markus explained.

" I see. Well, you've certainly done us quite the favor. I will not say I agree with your methods, but Mongul has been a scourge on the universe for years. And to hear he is gone will let me sleep easier at night."

" I have a question, Geras." Markus spoke up.

" Hm?"

" You seem to.... Know a lot about my planet, and you claim to know everything or so you claim. Let me ask this then... If you knew about Mongul's presence on my planet, and you preach that your corps upholds the peace and protects planets. Then why have my people never seen your lanterns before?" Markus asked the man. " Why is it, that now is when you show your faces to us?"

The guardians attitude seemed to do a complete 80, his pleasant and calm demeanor quickly shifted to one of displeasure.

" Simply put.... We could not risk it. I do not believe you understand the scope of Mongul's power. Mongul has conquered plenty of worlds. His military might was one of the largest in the galaxy and his weapons were massive. To risk taking him on, was simply too dangerous." Geras explained.

" So, simply put... You were afraid of him." Markus muttered.

Geras grimmaced.

" Simply put... Yes." Geras replied.

Soranik and the other lanterns present were speechless. The Guardian's taking responsibility was something that was uncommon to them.

" And we are sorry for that." Geras muttered. " Which is why now, we would like to amend any kind of rifts we may have. We would like to begin having Lanterns scout the sector within which your planet resides."

Markus took a moment to consider the option, it seemed like a genuine deal and the idea of having more of a local police force protecting the planet would mean that it was less likely for Valdr to suffer invasions.

" That sounds like a promising deal. But what do you want in return?" Markus asked. No offer came without its perks.

" We simply wish to extend our reach into deeper space. As part of the Intergalactic communal, we Lanterns are a key part of keeping the planets protected. The more we do that, the more people join our cause." Geras explained. " A win, win situation."

" That does sound fair. Okay. I can agree to. You send your lanterns if you want. But they only police the outside laws, anything that happens on my planet is my say." Markus told the man.

" Very well." Geras replied. " We will have a Green Lantern sent to your space within a few days, to help establish communications with Oa. This would allow us to answer your call if needed.

" If there's nothing else, I would like to return home. I still have much rebuilding to do, before I can afford to be taking trips away from home." Markus told the man.

" You are free to leave. We would like for Green Lanterns Soranik and Vath Sarn to escort you back to your home, if that is okay with you." Geras spoke.

" Fine with me." Markus replied.

He turned and walked away, with Vath Sarn and Soranik following closely behind him.

" See that wasn't so bad." Soranik muttered.

" Yeah, they were in a good mood today. Guess we got lucky." Vath stated.

" JORDAN!!!!!!"

The three heard the loud shouts of the Guardians, echoing across Oa.

" We better go!" Soranik exclaimed. She grabbed Markus by the arm and drug him off the planet as fast as she could.