CHAPTER 142

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[David Lance POV]

I can't escape this hell.

No matter how many times I tried.

My grief had sealed me in a prison of rage, a labyrinth without escape. I knew that; I knew that the ring was empowering my darkest emotions and numbing everything else to the point of non-existence.

And while I had tried to fight this cage of crimson, I had willingly accepted, at least since I was defeated by Superman, my attempts had been in vain because, on a fundamental level, I wanted this, this power, the rage I felt, the hatred, was addicting beyond comprehension.

The funny thing was that I didn't feel good.

Addictions are supposed to feel good. That's how they hook you, but this? This didn't feel good, not even a single bit.

I mourned Dinah in a perpetual state of rage and hatred; I had no positive thoughts or calming ones, just rage, pure rage. That was all I had, alongside a bit of logic that I had somehow managed to retain through this evolution of sorts.

Suffering, hate, and rage were the only emotions I could feel. And somehow, I was addicted to them.

Pain without love.

Rage, I couldn't get enough.

I was becoming a monster.

Little by little, I could feel it.

I had almost killed the ones that had saved my life just because I could. I remember seeing their faces, their dread, and I remember enjoying it; I had only stopped because the doctor had managed to somehow reach me.

The worst part was that, beyond regret, I felt annoyed he had interrupted me.

"Are you ready to start your training, recruit?" Atrocitus' voice suddenly boomed around me, shattering any and all thoughts I had been entertaining before his interruption.

I glared at him, clenching my fists so hard that my knuckles turned white. I knew his game, he thought me a fool, but I knew he was planning to use me for his own benefits, to complete his vengeance.

I refused to be used.

However, I could see the benefit of learning whatever he has to teach, so while eradicating him from the face of the universe would've been my first choice, I had begrudgingly decided to learn under him.

"Remember our deal, Atrocitus," I replied, using my ring to speak.

Atrocitus chuckled a deep and guttural sound. "I remember our deal very well. Though we have yet to discuss what do I gain from this arrangement."

"You get to keep your life," I replied coldly, my power ring glowing red as it transmitted the message.

Atrocitus' smile widened. "If your attempt at my life will be as poor as the one you did on Superman, I like my chances."

Red aura bursting to life around me, I took a step forward, glaring at him in blinding rage; I wanted to eliminate him. I wanted to tear him limb from limb and watch him bleed out, but by some miracle, I resisted the urge.

"Don't push your luck Atrocitus, don't bet on my control," I replied, the voice my ring was playing dripping with venom. "With each breath I take, I feel my rage grow, and while I try to keep it caged, I can't control it. I can feel my wrath scratching on the walls of my psyche like a wild animal demanding to be released, so unless you have a death wish, behave."

It was hard to keep it together; I wanted to lash out, to hurt him. I wanted to make him untold pain, unmeasurable anguish; I wanted him to feel the way I felt. But I couldn't give in; I wouldn't give in. I was better than that, stronger than that. Or at least I used to be.

The ring, in a way, was corrupting me, making me into something I never wanted to be. But what other choice did I have? Only with it, I would be able to fight Superman, meaning my only choice was to fight tooth and nail for every ounce of control.

"I suppose your words carry some weight," Atrocitus conceded with a growl. "So, for now, I will play by your rules. However, know that, should your rage ever wane down, should your hatred become weak, I will be there to reclaim what is rightfully mine."

An empty threat, the weapon of choice of those who are powerless to change their situation. Pathetic, utterly pathetic.

"I don't care what you tell yourself, but stop wasting my time," I growled through the ring.

"You might feel your rage is without equal, that only you feel the way you feel," Atrocitus replied, walking around me. "But you are wrong. There are many who wear the red, many who have been consumed by hatred. You are not alone. We all share the pain that is to wear this ring."

"Is this going somewhere?" I asked, my patience wearing thin.

"Yes," Atrocitus said with a smile. "Everyone in the Red Lanterns has lost everything. Our rage burns bright because our reason to love was taken from us."

"It thrills me to hear you speak about philosophy instead of training me; IT THRILLS ME!" I glared at him, my ring glowing red.

"You are unbearable," Atrocitus said, his face contorting in anger. "The point I was trying to make is that while you feel the way we feel, you are a special case. Because you still have a reason to love."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. Where was he going with this?! Could it be that he had learned something about me through the ring's link?!

No, it couldn't be.

I was certain his control over my ring was very limited, only allowing him to locate me; other than that, I was in control or as much in control as I could possibly be.

"I might not be able to subjugate you, not yet," Atrocitus continued. "But I have more than enough power to sense a few things."

I bared my teeth at him as my ring glowed brightly. "Care to elaborate?! Because it feels like you've been shopping around where you shouldn't have!"

"Don't make a big deal out of nothing; I didn't read your mind," Atrocitus said dismissively. "Butcher knows I tried, though, but your mind is annoyingly well-protected. You have mental blocks I doubt anyone can penetrate."

"Then elaborate on what you meant, in a concise manner," I growled through the ring, my patience at an end.

"Every power ring, no matter the color, grants the user the ability to perceive a vast array of emotions in the emotional spectrum," Atrocitus replied. "When you were unconscious receiving medical care after I saved you, I was able to feel something within you, something faint, very faint, but peculiar enough that it contrasted with the rage in your soul. Love."

I see.

I had lost a lot in this world.

But at the same time, in a way, things remained the same for me.

My sister, my Dinah, was still alive.

Raven was still alive.

Oliver was still alive.

Hopefully, they were still alive.

....

"So I was right," Atrocitus said as he stared into me.

Meanwhile, I remained frozen in place, trying to make sense of the new feeling that had invaded me for a brief moment, hope.

I had felt hope for the briefest of moments.

"Disgusting," Atrocitus said as he walked toward me. "Within you, there should be no room for hope, only rage!"

Having had enough of Atrocitus, I darted forward and grabbed him by the throat before slamming into the ground with enough power to force some blood out of him in a cough. "Go on, keep wasting my time, and we'll see how it ends."

Atrocitus grinned in rage and something else I couldn't quite read. "That's it! That's all you should feel, RAGE! HATE! NOTHING MORE! Hope is long forgotten for us!"

I tightened my grip on his throat, momentarily severing his ability to talk. He struggled, using both hands to grab mine, but no matter how much he tried and how much power he used, my hand wouldn't budge. "Let me remind you of our agreement. You teach me what you know about the ring and how to use it, and I let you live," I said through the Ring as I loomed over him before releasing him of my grip.

Touching his throat gingerly, Atrocitus glared at me in a mix of rage and amusement as he coughed a few times. "Very well, let's get started then."

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[B'dg - POV - Elpis Planet]

In a sea of rage and despair, I felt one ray of hope shine bright for the briefest of moments. Not enough to be a bringer of hope, but enough to receive salvation and release.

"You felt that?" Bro'dee Walker said calmly yet with a hint of excitement as he stared at me from his meditative position.

I nodded, still trying to comprehend what I had just experienced. "Yeah, for a second there, I felt something more than crimson red within the heart of a Red Lantern."

"No matter the situation, hope never dies. It remains strong through all adversity," Bro'dee mused as he leaned back, a sad expression dawning on his face. "I can't help but feel sad about that poor soul, to be trapped in a state of perpetual torment. I can't imagine a worse fate."

I agreed with him. "But now that we know of him, we must help him."

Bro'dee nodded sagely. "Yes, we must. The question is, how?"

I sighed. Unlike the other corps, our numbers were not as plentiful, which made taking tasks a difficult decision as, more than not, we didn't have the numbers to assist those who needed it. "I know our numbers are tight, as per usual, but I can't in good conscience let this be. I will take on this mission alone if that's what it takes."

"You won't be alone in this, dear friend; I will accompany you. Elpis can survive a few days without us, though to be sure, I will call back one of our friends to fill in for us," Bro'dee said with confidence as he stood up. "For now, though, we must rest. We have a long journey ahead of us, and we need to be prepared."

I nodded.