Chapter Ten
xxxxx
The force of the impact was enough to knock Kyle's breath from him, even with the reinforced shield. A glance to the side saw Walker clinging to his daughter as the shield just about held. He looked as breathless as Kyle, maybe more so with Peesh clinging to him for dear life.
Walker looked over, guessed his question and nodded. "We're fine! Keep going!"
Beneath them, Reds plummeted to the ground, having definitely taken the worst of the impact as planned.
Kyle kept his eyes on their target, Soranik's medical centre. It was close now, but a dozen or more targets were still in their way. He hadn't even known the Red Lanterns had so many - had Atrocitus been recruiting? Was it even him, or a splinter group?
Looking down, he saw a flash of yellow and grinned despite himself. If this ever got back to Sinestro, Arkillo's reputation would never be the same. He'd clearly killed a few of the Reds, rather than simply bringing them down, but Kyle wasn't about to shed tears over that.
"Arkillo! A little help up here?"
The Yellow Lantern looked up and snarled a curse so obscene the ring refused to translate it. The massive Yellow Lantern then flew up, without hesitation taking on the Reds surrounding the failing shield.
Kyle winced as he heard bones shattering and flesh tearing. Arkillo got the job done his own way and there was no convincing him otherwise. His friendship with Saint Walker had not changed his basic nature - that was a force no person or ring could touch.
Next to him, he saw Walker shield his daughter's eyes, trying to protect her from the sight of the carnage. She pushed his hand away though, reminding him gently that she had already seen far worse. That was something he would be dwelling on when they were not fighting a battle to the death.
With Walker's ring boosting his own and Arkillo's aid, they made it at last to their destination and raced through the doors. Soranik barely acknowledged them as they forced their way in, her hands full with dozens of wounded Green Lanterns.
Looking around, Saint Walker shuddered at the sight of so many good Lanterns injured and maybe dying. He wished so much to stay, to boost their ability to heal with his own power. But he knew, if they did not stop the Red Lantern invasion, there would be little point. "Peesh... This is the safest place. Find a quiet spot... Stay within sight of the staff. They'll look after you." The whole building glowed slightly as every lantern still standing used some of their enemy to protect their wounded.
Peesh nodded, scared and unhappy but knowing it was not the time to argue. "Daddy, I don't want to lose you again."
"I know, Peesh. And if it is within my power, you will not." It wasn't a promise. He couldn't honestly give her that. But it would have to do.
The doors slid open again and three Green Lanterns stumbled in, their rings flickering. "Is there a battery here? Our rings are almost out and we can't get to the central battery!"
A doctor turned, shook his head. "I'm sorry, there isn't." They were using all they had to keep the centre running under siege.
"Let me help you." Walker didn't hesitate, his own ring already glowing. As soon as the Lanterns agreed he bathed them in the blue light, hearing the numbers go up as their rings recharged.
Peesh watched, fascinated, having never seen this before. When the numbers hit one hundred she expected him to stop - but he didn't. Instead, despite the strain on his face, he charged all three of them to two hundred percent. She could see how brightly they glowed, how others turned to stare. They grinned and with a word of thanks, flew back into the battle at twice their usual strength.
"Now if only you could do that for the whole corps." Kyle sighed, watching them fly off.
Saint Walker was silent for a moment, thinking. "Perhaps I can," he said slowly. He looked over to where Peesh was huddled on a chair a in corner. "My friend, you still possess the power of the life equation, yes?"
Kyle frowned. "Only a part of it, why?"
"You can reignite a spark of life?" The Blue Lantern asked.
"Bro'Dee, I don't like the way this conversation is going." Kyle crossed his arms. "What are you planning?"
Walker glanced over to make sure Peesh couldn't hear. "I have an idea. It has never been done before but in theory - If I can get to the central battery, I may be able to boost it to send out a recharge to every lantern on Mogo. But I am quite sure it will take everything I have." He looked over to his daughter again and then to Kyle. "Do not give me that look. I am not suicidal. I am the furthest thing from it. But we are losing this battle. We must do something."
"That's insane!" Kyle threw his arms up. "That's pretty much guaranteed to get you killed!"
"No," Walker insisted. "Drained, yes. But you are the White Lantern. If you are there I believe I stand a good chance of surviving."
Kyle shook his head. "I hate this plan."
"Do you have a better one?" Walker asked softly.
Kyle sighed, his shoulders slumping. "No."
"I have faith in you, Kyle. You will protect me." He smiled at his friend.
"I still hate this plan."
"I know. But I believe it is the best chance and will work if we work together." Walker seemed so confident, but Kyle had his doubts.
Going over to his child, Bro'Dee knelt by her chair. "Peesh, listen to me. Whatever you see, whatever you hear, believe me. All WILL be well. Do you understand?" He met her eyes with determination. "This will be over soon."
She looked down, eyes wide with fear and confusion before throwing her arms around him. "I love you." She closed her eyes, trying to be brave, to not cry.
He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too." He tried not to show the barest hint of fear, though he felt plenty. His plan was extremely dangerous - nothing like it had been tried before. But the Red Lanterns were overrunning them on their own territory. They had to be stopped.
Head held high, he turned back to Kyle. "Let's go, before the battery is overrun." And before he changed his mind and stayed here with Peesh. If his plan failed she might be alone again and that was not an option. All would be well. He'd told her that now he had to believe it.
Kyle nodded, still reluctant but resigned. "I thought we were over this with the Reds."
Walker took one last look at his daughter as they flew out. "So long as there is hate and injustice, there will be rage. I would rather heal them than fight them, but we have little choice." They flew up high and set their sights on the battery. "Though perhaps this will help." He smiled slightly. "Anything is possible."
"Sometimes your optimism scares me," Kyle said dryly. He narrowed his eyes as two Reds flew at them, despite having Arkillo and - damn but the world must be ending - Kilowog on their heels. The moment was a welcome distraction from the task ahead.
"Me too," Walker agree with a wry smile. "But we can discuss that later. For now, let us deal with the matter at hand."
Kyle nodded. He only hoped there would be a later. For both of them.
They pressed on, through the Red Lanterns that swarmed the planet like flies. Towards the central battery, trying never to stop moving, no matter what was thrown at them.
"Are you ready?" Walker dodged a blast as he spoke.
"I suppose so. I still hate this plan." The White Lantern blasted a Red out of the sky. "What if... What if I can't do what you think I can?"
"I have faith in you, my friend. Have faith in yourself too." Walker eyed the battery with grim determination. I need you to believe in yourself as much as I do."
"Okay, okay." Kyle took a deep breath. It had to work, didn't it? Despite all his experiences, he couldn't believe that Walker and his daughter would be parted again so soon. He didn't believe the universe was quite that cruel. "Let's do this." He ignored the fear that gripped him.
He caught Walker give the briefest glance back before narrowing his eyes and flying at top speed directly towards the battery.
Kyle shielded him as he flew, keeping the Reds off him and trying to stop them realising what was going on. Mogo pushed the central battery to the limit and the light pulsed as he offered a charge to any Green Lantern within range. If Walker's plan worked, that'd spread a lot further.
Walker didn't dare look at Kyle or anything other than his target. There was still a chance this would go horribly wrong, he just had to pour all his hope into hoping that it wouldn't.
"Stop him!" The voice came from behind and Saint Walker knew they had caught on. But he couldn't stop to fight. Trusting that Kyle would do that, he focused on the battery that was now within reach.
He dodged an attack and forced his way past another - and suddenly he was there. The entrance to the vast battery before him and open. Without hesitation he flew into it, barely noting Mogo's shock as he was surrounded and consumed by green light.
Xxxxxxx
The burst of light was more than Kyle had been expecting and he closed his eyes as the flash nearly blinded him. When he opened them again, he could no longer see Saint Walker, but the blue-tinged green light that the battery was putting out was proof that it was working. The light covered everything and all around him, Green Lanterns reached, and then exceeded, their full charge. Something only the blue light could make happen.
He was worried and kept his fights to near the battery, but he still fought, the Reds now weakened by the effects of the blue light and easily taken down by the now over-charged Green Lantern Corps.
Kilowog flew by, chasing half a dozen off the planet, while down below an unfortunately de-powered Arkillo wasn't letting his failing ring stop him, using blades to good, if gruesome effect. The Reds were fleeing now, the tide of battle turned by Walker's actions.
It seemed impossible, but within minutes, the battle that had raged all over the planet was nearly over. Most of the Red Lanterns had fled or been captured - or killed in the case of the ones who had tried to go against Arkillo. There were many wounded and dead Green Lanterns and it hurt to see rings flying off in search of new owners - but the battle was won.
As peace returned, the bright light coming from the central battery began to fade. The hint of blue vanished entirely and fear so great Arkillo could have recharged from it gripped him. "Walker?" He took a breath. "Mogo, is he?"
"I am unsure, Kyle Rayner..." Mogo sounded dazed, confused even and that was not reassuring.
Hal flew up to him, having realised how the fight had been won. "He okay?" He asked anxiously.
Kyle chewed his lip as he looked towards the battery. "I hope so."
Xxxxx
From the window in the medical centre, Peesh had watched the battle. Though she couldn't see everything, she had seen the flash of blue and white head towards the battery and the resulting intense light.
With no one available to offer even the slightest reassurance, she could only watch in horror as she realised exactly what her father had done in order to give the Green Lanterns the advantage. His words came back to her, his assurances that all would be well and she clung to them desperately. He wouldn't leave her again. He wouldn't.
And yet, she was unprepared when the light sputtered, faded and threw and pale, limp figure from the centre, to be caught by the White Lantern.
She ran.
Behind her, she heard Soranik call after her, but she ignored it. They were too busy to chase her and she had to get to him. She ignored the carnage all around, the bloodied, broken bodies. She couldn't let the horror in, not now. Only one thing mattered.
"Daddy!"
Her feet hit the ground hard as she ran. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she headed toward the battery. Only now did she realise how far away it actually was. It didn't matter. She had to get there. Ignoring the pain in her chest she kept going - until someone picked her up and soared into the sky.
She gasped and twisted to see who it was. Soranik gave her a slight smile. "I said to wait. I was going there anyway."
"Oh. Thank you..." She blinked back tears. "Will he be okay? He... He said he would be..."
"I'm sure he wouldn't lie to you." She smiled but didn't share the hope. What Walker had done... It had to have taken everything he had. But maybe if she got there quickly enough...
With flight they soon approached the battery. "Peesh!" Soranik was forced to land quickly as the girl squirmed in her arms, desperate to to get to her father, who lay terribly still, cradled in Kyle's arms. Kyle's ring was glowing, surrounding the Blue Lantern.
"Soranik! Help, I don't know what I'm doing..." He winced as he realised Peesh had heard that.
"What are you trying to do?" She asked, kneeling next to them.
"Walker knew what would happen. He said my ring could revive him. But I tried already and nothing happened..." There was a rising panic that he fought not to give in to. Walker's ring was dull and unresponsive and the plan seemed to be falling apart. A quick look at Peesh and he gathered his will for another try. "I'm the White Lantern. Life is what I do. So what's wrong?"
"You're not trying hard enough, human." Arkillo's growl came as a surprise.
Soranik nodded in agreement. "Maybe try again..." She ran a constructed scanner over Saint Walker, hiding the results from Peesh. "There... This is beyond me." She sighed, kneeling next to Kyle. "Try again, please. There's a little girl over there who can't take much more loss."
"I know..." Kyle looked up. "Okay. I can do this. I have to do this. He saved us, now we save hin. That's how it works, right?"
Soranik didn't answer and Kyle looked back down to the prone form of Saint Walker. He'd trusted him, believed him him. He couldn't let him down now. His ring glowed as he called on his power and bathed the Blue Lantern in the white light again, trying to bring him back to life.
It wasn't working.
END CHAPTER TEN