45 Elder Guardian's Guiding
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At first, Raiden didn't want to stay at Odym for too long. He wanted to get Cary to learn the basics and go back to Earth as fast as possible. However, over time, he realized that Odym was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In Odym, he didn't have to worry about any cooldown; his energy was infinitely regenerating while he was in Odym. As such, it was the greatest opportunity for training. He had planned on learning as much as possible from his servants, strengthening himself with skill, and raising their bonds to the point where he could seamlessly switch between two servants or three consecutively.
And as such, two years ended up passing on Odym. He was now almost twenty years old, Cary was almost thirteen as well. She had grown strong and learned how to use her ring. She was now a truly official member of the Blue Lantern Corps. Kori had also grown stronger, learning how to efficiently use her powers. Her martial arts and battle intuition increased, and she was now a formidable fighter.
Over the two years, Raiden and Kori joined the Blue Lanterns on many of their missions. He had ended up fighting the Red Lanterns on many occasions and sometimes even some members of the Yellow Lanterns, or as they call themselves, the Sinestro Corps. Raiden has yet to meet Sinestro, but everything he heard about him pointed at him being an awful person. Cary was now his official support. With her around, Raiden was able to stay far longer transformed than usual. He would usually transform into S-Ranked servants for about ten to twenty minutes, but with Cary around, he managed 2 hours as the great God-King of Egypt, Ozymandias. This helped him carry out a very difficult mission where he and Saint Walker fought against twenty-four Red Lanterns on the Ysmault System and won.
He ended up earning the respect of Ozymandias and gained Bond 5 with him. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing with the Blue Lanterns because, unlike Raiden, the Blue Lanterns were very much pacifistic and believed in giving villains a second chance. He even had a verbal fight with Saint Walker over him killing some Red Lanterns back in Ysmault.
However, surprisingly, Raiden ended up apologizing and conceding. This was due to the efforts of the Guardian Elder, Ganthet.
…
Six months ago
…
Raiden came angry from his mission on Ysmault. He ended up killing seven Red Lanterns in his fight, which earned him an unwanted verbal fight with Saint Walker.
"Young one, may I engage in discourse with you?" said Elder Ganthet, seeing the angry Raiden.
"Elder… Is this about the last mission?" asked Raiden.
"Indeed, your observation is accurate," replied Ganthet.
"Elder, I do not wish to speak about that incident," spoke Raiden.
"My child, I approach you with eons of wisdom, not to alter your essence but to expand the horizons of your comprehension. I implore you to permit our discourse, not as a battleground of conflicting ideologies, but as an avenue to forge a shared understanding. Join me in my abode, that we may unravel the tapestry of mutual understanding together."
Hearing the Elder Guardian's voice, Raiden lowered his head, sighed, then got up to join Ganthet.
Sitting inside his abode, Raiden received a tea-like drink from him as he sat.
"Pray, dear child, illuminate me with the events that transpired on Ysmault," asked Ganthet.
"The Red Lanterns were on a routine mission; they were burning farms and killing all who opposed them to strike fear into the populations so they remain fearful of them and their king. It was horrific; many people suffered. So, me and Walker went in, defeated all of them. I ended up killing seven of those scum," said Raiden, before he added, "However, Walker wasn't happy with that; he didn't like that I killed them."
"Hmm, I comprehend. Such an outcome aligns with expectations; his discontent is unsurprising, for it diverges from the path of the blue light," spoke Ganthet.
"That's what he said… I don't understand it, Elder Ganthet," said Raiden.
"The path of the light is one of pacifism, Raiden. We champion redemption, extending the prospect of self-correction even to those who have committed egregious transgressions. Each soul bears the right to redemption and a pathway towards atonement," said Ganthet.
"What about the people they killed? Were those poor villagers given a chance? Why must a killer be given a chance for redemption when he himself denied others the chance to live?" said Raiden.
"Hmm, it appears your mindset may need adjustment, dear child. Have I enlightened you about our third member, Razor?"
"I heard his name before, but that's it," said Raiden.
"Razor, a former Red Lantern, endured the loss of his homeworld akin to Walker and numerous others. Diverging from Walker's path, Razor embraced the volatile emotion of rage, aligning himself with the Red Lantern Corps in pursuit of vengeance. In the throes of his quest, Razor became an instrument of suffering, claiming the lives of countless innocents. However, a transformative moment unfolded as Razor, gripped by remorse, repented and acknowledged the anguish wrought by his deeds," said Ganthet.
"Across the years since the inception of the Blue Lantern Corps, Razor stands as our most accomplished member. He has salvaged thousands of lives, embarking on prolonged missions to rescue even more. His journey exemplifies the profound transformation and potential for redemption inherent in the path of the blue light," added Ganthet.
"Envision, dear Raiden, a scenario where you encountered Razor before our paths intertwined. A clash would have inevitably ensued, a battle where your victory was assured. Unlike our creed, your intolerance for malevolence might have led to his demise. Is this not a plausible assessment, Raiden?" asked Ganthet.
"Yes, I don't think I would have had the patience to forgive someone who killed hundreds," replied Raiden.
"Thus, through your imprudent actions, the potential salvation that Razor would have brought to thousands would be forfeited. His existence erased, leaving countless souls to endure suffering in his absence."
Hearing Ganthet's words, Raiden felt defeated; he didn't have an answer to that. What if he had killed someone that would have eventually saved a million?
"Dear child, I harbor no expectation for you to adopt our pacifistic principles, nor to embrace our patience. I understand the essence of your nature as a warrior, and the inevitability that confrontations and even killings may cross your path. My sole aspiration is that if the moment to take a life does arise, it emanates not from joy, arrogance, or hasty judgment. As a warrior, your actions should stem from necessity rather than a subjective determination of good or evil.
The perilous road of defining what is deemed evil and just often leads to tyranny. Gradually, dissent becomes a justification for violence in the name of justice, and the path becomes obscured. I implore you to tread carefully, considering every choice with discernment and a measured heart."
Hearing that
, a memory unlocked in Raiden's brain. Raiden was a massive fan of Fate, but DC; he only had basic movie knowledge and a video game, Injustice.
He remembered how in that timeline, Superman embraced the killing of villains and ended up becoming a tyrant that would kill even teenage rioters.
And although Raiden had convinced himself that he would be the same, that he was different, one memory remained in his mind. It was a scene, the scene where Superman killed Shazam for disagreeing with him. Shazam was a ten-year-old child in the body of an adult hero, but due to his messed-up vision and sense of justice, Superman didn't even hesitate to kill him.
Seeing Raiden contemplate something, Ganthet smiled and then said, "Your uniqueness, Raiden, lies in your capacity to ascribe value to the words of others, to seek understanding rather than harboring a closed mind. This quality sets you apart and contributes to the richness of your character," said Ganthet.
"Raiden, if you truly wish to defeat evil, then my advice to you is to get stronger," said Ganthet.
Hearing Ganthet's words, Raiden raised an eyebrow and said, "Strong?"
"Yes, formidable indeed. Your potential surpasses any I have witnessed, the capability to ascend beyond the confines of the emotional spectrum. You stand as the sole entity able to absorb its power without the tether of an emotion ring.
As your strength burgeons, so does the influence of your might. A future unfolds before you, radiant and promising. Whether you eradicate evil or merely constrain its reach, the trajectory of your journey promises greatness. I implore you, however, to safeguard against losing your way, to uphold the sanctity of your purpose, and to remain steadfast to your ideals," spoke Ganthet.
Hearing that, Raiden was filled with determination, to truly one day reach the level where he could completely eliminate evil, to reach the pinnacle of happiness and create a world where everyone is happy and content with their lives.
"Thank you, Elder. Your guidance is always what I need to become a better individual. I'm truly humbled each time I speak to you," said Raiden.
"There is no need for gratitude, dear child. It is my duty to impart wisdom to the younger generations. I only hope that my counsel proves beneficial to you."
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