Chapter 116 : Assemble

Author note : Hey guys ! A new chapter here and you can find the 3rd chapter of 'Reborn as Lex Luthor', as well as 'Splinter's Tale' (no relation to a rat in a kimono)on my Patréon page. Search for Cathbel on the website or use this link if you want to check it out : https://www.patre*n.com/user?u=66371596 (o instead of *)

Have a good read !

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The human Green Lanterns floated side by side over the surface of Oa, silently watching the betrayal of the people they had faithfully served for years. They didn't serve them because they were loyal or trusted them. What they trusted in was their goal : enforce law and order in the universe. This was something each and everyone of the Green Lanterns believed in, in addition to their undomitable spirits… Otherwise, their rings would have never chosen them.

To find out that the Guardians had created something to replace them, to replace every single sentient in the universe, it was a betrayal of the highest order !

« Never trusted the little blue freaks… » Guy Gardner grunted. « Always thinking they're above it all. Thinking they can judge us. »

Guy had always had a complicated history with the corps, the guardians, and authority in general. He was brash, prone to anger and had often butted heads with the Malthusians in the past. In fact, he had joined the Red Lanterns for a while because of his anger. Some even said he was their greatest warrior.

John Stewart, always the military man, rebuked the man :

« Put a lid on it, Guy. There must be an explanation. Perhaps they've been mind-controlled… »

« You saw the reports, John ! You saw the kind of havoc their 'army' unleashed against those worlds ! They wiped their entire populations ! Men, women, children ! They're monsters ! »

It was Hal Jordan's turn to try and defuse the situation :

« You might be right, Guy. But don't take your anger out on us. We'll deal with this like we've dealt with everything in the past… »

When the fighting finally started, the three of them separated to deal with the onslaught of enemies right on their doorsteps, soon joined by other Green Lanterns. However, it quickly became apparent that their prided tool and weapon, the green ring they all wore, wasn't as effective as they'd hoped. Short of a particularly sturdy and well designed construct, the members of the third army shrugged the energy off like so many mosquito bites. Moreover, they didn't seem to know fear… or any other emotions for that matter. In a sense they were worse that the Legion of the dead, better known as the Black Lantern corps, led by Black Hand.

In addition, their morale started to decrease quite quickly when one of their own was scratch by a member of the third army. The Green Lantern in question reported feeling something encroaching upon him and his ring reported an unknown virus spreading fast in his veins… At first, he believed he could beat it, as his willpower was strong and managed to hold at bay. At first…

However, soon after, like a tide briefly slowed by a small levee, the Green Lantern yelled in pain, drawing the attention of every Lantern close to him. They saw how his flesh was overtaken by the metallic sheen of the Third Army's own skin. They watched with abject fear and confusion how his mouth, nose and ears were quickly covered in skin. Soon after, their former colleague and friend was nowhere to be seen and only another member of the third army stood in his place.

Needless to say, morale fell quickly when they witnessed such a scene. Had it not been for Kilowog and John Stewart rousing their spirits up, they probably would have lost a lot more of theirs at this time. Still, even with this, everyone of them felt like the battle was already lost…

* * * * *

Atrocitus was angry, as was his default setting ever since the loss of his home world, his wife and children. After the recent attack on their central power battery, which was revealed to be a plot from the Guardians, the embers of his hate had been rekindled anew. He no longer cared about their little green puppets. In fact, since their battery's power had been tainted, the Red Lanterns were dying. If he was to die, he would have his vengeance against the Malthusians !

And for this, he would use everything in his power. As he stood beside the blood lake of Ysmault, he considered his newest recruit coldly : Rankorr. Like the thrice-blasted Green Lantern fools who opposed him several times, and the one who joined their ranks for a brief period before betraying him, Rankorr was human. Moreover, unlike the rest of his Lanterns whose rage made them stupid and inarticulate, Rankorr had been able to suppress the feeling enough to formulate coherent thoughts even before dipping into the blood lake. Another, more noteworthy difference compared to his other lanterns… The man was able to make construct with the red light of Rage, something not even he, the creator of the Red Lanterns, was capable of…

This would change today, however ! Atrocitus watched with slight annoyance and rising anger as his subordinate stood defiant.

« I won't give you my blood ! »

This was what Atrocitus needed to give himself and the other lanterns the power to make constructs. And if Rankorr was unwilling to give it to him, then… He would just have to take it. On his left shoulder, Dex-Starr hissed, his hair standing on end. It seemed his dear pet too didn't like the human's defiance. It brought a slight smirk to his face, only with his particular face, it was downright terrifying. From a human's perspective, at least…

« You believe it wise to defy ME ? » Atrocitus asked, in a dangerous tone of voice. After he said this, Dex-Starr jumped off of his shoulder and starting prowling slowly around Rankorr, taking a wide berth. Meanwhile, Atrocitus decided to simply rush the Red Lantern. There was little the others, or even him could do to hurt him after all. His rage was unending, powerful. It fueled him. Protected him.

Still, the monstrous construct the human birthed from his twisted mind was… adequately powerful. It stopped him in his tracks and pushed him back slightly. After a couple of punch however, the construct exploded and the leader of the Red Lanterns was free to continue his way forward… Only to be stopped by two other constructs. As Rankorr used his power, Atrocitus saw how he became more proficient quite quickly.

He growled, lava dribbling down his mouth and sizzling on the ground :

« You will not stand in the way of my vengeance against the guardians ! I will take your power, even if I have to stand on your smoldering corpse for it ! »

While Atrocitus took the brunt of Rankorr's attention, Dex-Starr had made his way to his back slowly. The other Lanterns, understanding the potential of the constructs' power, decided that they too, wanted to take his blood for themselves. They readied themselves, their rage turning them gradually dumber and more feral.

Just as they were getting ready to attack him, Dex-Starr, in his stealthy feline way, approached the human, leapt at him and used his sharp claws empowered by the red light to gouge into the man's chest. As soon as he did that, he licked his bloodied paw and Atrocitus' smile widened even further.

« This… was unexpected. »

Atrocitus was always pleasantly surprised by Dex-Starr's resourcefulness. Like Rankorr, the cat also came from Earth. He had been chosen by the ring after his owner had been brutally killed and, as he was trying to avenge her with the feeble means of a domesticated feline, he was thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious. Later, the law enforcement threw him out and two lowlives, probably drunk as skunks or high on drugs, decided to throw him over a bridge. It was then that the ring sensed his rage at his and his owner's fate. That's when he became Dex-Starr. And now, it seemed the good kitty would give his new owner a nice present !

« I'll have my vengeance ! »

* * * * *

Carol Ferris soared through space alongside Kyle Rayner, the White Lantern. She was lost in thought. Conflicted over her feelings. Her Star Sapphire ring worked off of the feelings of love she held. And for a long time, those feelings were for Hal Jordan. But that had changed ever since she started to accompany Kyle in his quest to master all the lights of the emotional electromagnetic spectrum. Now, she knew that, although she was still very fond of Hal, a flame had been lit up in her heart. A flame for Kyle Rayner…

She shook her head off those thoughts. Now that Kyle had finally mastered the ring, it was time to confront the Guardians and the man's former mentor : Ganthet. At the time, Carol didn't know what the Malthusians had been up to, but a recent transmission sent to Kyle's ring had them worried. Now, they were making their way for Oa.

But why were they flying again ? She asked himself.

« Can't you just teleport us there ? »

The indigo light allowed their users to teleport across the universe. A very handy power to have…

« Oh ! Right… Sorry, I forgot ! » The man said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Carol found it endearing… Soon after, a portal opened and the both of them flew through it.