"Hide!" yelled Nightwing. I didn't need to be told twice. We both leapt to the ground as Sinestro blasted his way into the Watchtower. Thankfully, barrier walls covered up the hole quickly, but Sinestro was inside nonetheless.
"Nightwing! We have to call the Justice League!" I hissed at him.
"No. They are busy dealing with the invasion. This is up to us." I looked around, hoping to see something we could use against Sinestro.
"So!" I heard Sinestro's voice shout from one of the monitors. "I hear that there's a new Green Lantern in town? Are you a particularly strong one like Hal? Or will I be able to show you the truth. Do you honestly believe that the people here have your best interests at heart?" I knew that I couldn't listen to him. I knew he was just working to manipulate my mind.
"New guy, we have to prepare for a fight." said Nightwing from under the computer. "You used that ring earlier when you hit Batman right? Will you be able to use it if Sinestro finds us?"
I nodded, hoping that it was true.
"Why are you hiding?" came Sinestro's cruel voice. "Are you afraid? Do you feel that yellow fear seeping in, corrupting your ring, making you feel weaker. I can feel it rolling off of you like waves. One has to question why that green ring went to you."
"Don't listen to him." said Nightwing. I wish it was that easy. Sinestro was right, I was absolutely terrified. I looked down at the ring on my hand. It's light was nowhere near as bright as it was when I first got it. Maybe it went to the wrong person.
"Carter Johnson of Earth," came the ring's voice within my head. "You have the ability to overcome great fear. Say the oath and feel the strength in the green light of willpower." The oath. Ok, I knew that. I had memorized it when I was bored one weekend.
"In brightest day," I started to mutter. "In blackest night. No evil shall escape my sight." The ring began to glow brighter again. I could feel a warmth travel up my arm through my body. "Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!" As I finished with the oath, the warmth was coursing through my body, and it seemed to eliminate my every fear. I stood up from under the computer.
"Ah, so you aren't as weak as I initially thought. Wonderful, I was a little worried that this would be boring. Why don't you come and face me now that you are all juiced up."
I pressed down on the speak button on the intercom that was sitting on the desk. "If you want to fight, why don't you come here. That is, if you aren't too scared." I watched on the large monitor as Sinestro's face pulled together in anger. I checked the map and Sinestro wasn't far from where Nightwing and I hid.
"I am going to crush your spirit young one." said Sinestro. "I will make you feel fear like no other. I will make sure that that ring of yours is absolutely useless to you, and only then shall I kill you." I checked the map again. He was here.
There was a loud slam as Sinestro began breaking down the door with a large yellow hammer. Nightwing got out from under the table to stand next to me.
"Are you sure you want to do this Carter?" asked Nightwing while gripping his escrima sticks. I nodded and formed a sword and shield in my hands.
The door was down moments later and Sinestro walked in. In his hand was a large, jagged axe. When he saw Nightwing, he smiled.
"I see Batman left a bodyguard for the lantern. Well, we can't have you messing things up, now can we?" Sinestro turned around and made a drill begin drilling into the wall. The wall that separated us from space. "The Lantern will be fine, but I've learned to be careful around you Bats. You always have a way of surprising me." The wall shattered and all of the air immediately began to be sucked from the room, bringing Nightwing with him.
I ran towards the hole and jumped through, a protective aura surrounded me as I entered the depths of space. I quickly made a bubble filled with air around Nightwing, hoping I wasn't too late.
"Do you think you can both protect Nightwing, and fight me at the same time?" asked Sinestro. "Even Hal Jordan himself wouldn't be able to do that." He was right. Keeping the bubble around Hal was taking all of my concentration. I quickly looked around, my eyes resting on the airlock that my ring had come through. I thrust Nightwing in and closed it, just in time to be hit with a massive yellow rock.
For a solid few seconds, my mind was fuzzy. When I finally got back in control, I quite a ways from the Watchtower, and Sinestro was barreling at me inside of a missile. I quickly spun out of the way just barely in time, but his hand reached out and grabbed my arm. He kept pulling me along through space until I slammed into a piece of space junk. I felt as blood began to pour down my face
"You don't stand a chance boy!" came Sinestro's voice, even though I couldn't see him. "I've already won." I knew he was right. There was no way I could take him. "But don't worry. Like I said, I won't kill you until you are broken. I hope you have a good nap." I glanced up just in time to watch as another yellow boulder smashed into my skull.
