Here's chapter twenty one!
Disclaimer: I don't own Green Lantern, just my OC's
Enjoy!
Rainbow Legend: Spirit of the Dragon
Chapter 21: Blue Miracle
On Oa, a force of Green Lanterns departs for Frontier Space while Guardians Sayd and Ganthet watch with concern.
"Our Green Lantern forces leaving Oa. Even in light of my concern, Appa swayed the council."
"Don't take it personally, Ganthet." Sayd softly said. "Like you, Appa acts only with the best of intentions."
"I only hope it was a wise decision. In their absence, Oa is vulnerable."
"Hal Jordan and the other lanterns have been alone in the Frontier. Now, in mere months they'll have help."
"In a year and a half, they'll have help." Ganthet corrected. "I may have a way to help them now. Even if Avian is with the lanterns, they still need more. Not to mention that his son is in danger as well."
"Ganthet, do you think that the prophecy we told Avian years ago might come true? Has he found the savior?"
"That I do not know. But for now, we must hope for their safety and success."
Hal contacts Oa from the interceptor and speaks with Appa, asking what they plan to do about the Red Lantern fleet.
"We're deploying the Corps to defend against the invasion." Appa informs him.
"What?" Hal is shocked by that. "You went right into attack mode?! Did you actually read my report or just skip it?" He points out that Atrocitus believes that the Manhunters acted on the Guardians' orders and slaughtered whole planets, but Appa dismisses it as propaganda.
"But if this whole invasion is based on lies, wouldn't that be a reason to try diplomacy?" Avian suggested in which Hal agreed.
"If we could convince them of the truth…"
"Do not presume to question us, 2814, and especially you, 3518! You of all people should know that the Guardians are the greatest minds in the universe and have come to this decision as one!" Appa sternly scolded them. Kilowog interrupted them with urgent news.
"Jordan, you got to hear this!"
"We have picked up an SOS signal originating from planet Betrassus."
Hal cuts off Appa and takes the signal, which is from Iolande warning of the Red Lanterns. "This is Queen Iolande of Betrassus. We are under attack by Red Lanterns and in desperately need of immediate assistance! Please come!"
After the message was terminated, Hal and his team took immediate action.
"I hoped to see Iolande again, but not like this." Avian admitted.
"We'll have our reunion later. Right now, she needs our help." Hal ordered.
When the Interceptor arrives at Betrassus, Hal and the others fly to the palace and bursts into the throne room.
"Iolande?" Hal called out to her, only to find Ragnar seated on the throne instead, wearing a Red Lantern outfit.
"Guess again."
"Ragnar!" Hal glared while Avian and Koren growled in defense.
"He's a red!" Kilowog pointed out.
"Like the outfit? I have you to thank for it after all." Then more Red Lanterns emerge from hiding while Avian and Koren transformed into dragons and snarled at the enemies. "I used to think being a Green Lantern would give everything I ever wanted, but I wasn't good enough, was I? Well it turns out my hate for the Green Lanterns did give me everything I ever wanted and more." Ragnar said and transforms his palace into a symbol of the Red Lanterns. "I rule Betrassus as it should be!"
"Where's Iolande?" Hal angrily asks.
"Oh, don't worry. She's perfectly fine. Or should I say perfectly confined?"
"We're not leaving here without the queen!" Hal declared.
"Ragnar, we could do this the easy way or the hard way. And please say yes to the hard way." Avian sneered.
"Kill them!" Ragnar orders the Red Lanterns to attack.
A fight breaks out between the red and green lanterns. Avian helped Kilowog and Hal using his wind beam and tail swipes against their foes while Koren helped Aya and Razer. Koren is fast on his reflexes as well on his fangs but even so, the red lanterns were stronger and Hal's team is soon outnumbered.
"Correct me if I am wrong, but is a withdrawal not in order?" Aya wondered.
"We're getting creamed out here!" Hal said.
"If we don't pull back now, we're dead and the mission's over!" Kilowog admitted as he shielded the others from an attack.
"Hal, we can't hold them off forever!" Avain shouted.
"Okay, let's blow this blowtorch stand!" Hal ordered.
"Hey, that's my line!" Kilowog complained. The battle had forced them to retreat.
"Razer, come on!" Koren called out as he saw the others retreating. Razer followed behind.
After escaping the throne, they hid quickly because they saw more Red Lantern soldiers guarding the Interceptor.
"The Red Lanterns have blocked our access to the ship." Aya confirmed.
"That's what we get for parking in a bad neighborhood." Hal sighed as this situation forces them to descend into the city. "Let's go."
As they landed on the ground, they were surrounded by the warrior Kothak and his rebels and prepare to attack. "Hello, Green Lantern. You made a fatal decision returning to Betrassus!"
"Kothak, after all we've been through, you still want to kill me?" Hal groaned.
However, the Red Lanterns arrive, forcing all of them into hiding. "I'm trying to keep us from being spotted. Come." Kothak take the team into hiding and explain that he's been leading the resistance since Ragnar took over. He warns Hal that things became worse when the Red Lantern Corps built a liberator bomb on the planet.
"I've heard them call it a Liberator. Can you imagine?"
Hal, Avian, and Razer recognize it with shock. "Yes. Yes, I can." Hal admitted.
"Not this monstrosity again." Avian stared at it with fear, knowing that the last time they dealt with it not only destroyed a planet, but also killed one of their comrades.
"We must do something immediately! That device will blow this planet to dust!" Razer said with a slight guilt in his voice.
"So, you dealt with these before? How did you defeat it?" Kothak asked.
"Uh, that one didn't go so good." Kilowog admitted.
"These machines are practically indestructible and heavily guarded!" Avian said.
Kothak growled at their weakness. "Then you are less than useless!"
"Not quite!" Hal declared. "I may have an idea."
"What do you have in mind?" Avian hoped for an answer.
"We're going to make a call."
-Guardian Council Room, Oa-
Hal, Kilowog, and Avian contact Sayd and Ganthet to try to find a solution to this problem.
"You must disarm the weapon before it destroys Betrassus!" Ganthet pleaded. "This is not a sparsely populated colony. It is a planet of two billion!"
"Maybe we can lessen this situation by not fighting in a war if we show the Red Lanterns that Atrocitus has been lying to them all along." Avian suggested.
Ganthet and Sayd stared with confused but worried looks. "What are you speaking off, Avian?"
"What Avian and I found out is that the Red Lanterns believe this crazy story where billions of years ago, you sent an army of killer robots to wipe them out!" Hal explained.
"Atrocitus told everyone so they want revenge!" Kilowog agreed.
"We can stop this war if we convince them that he's lying! Surely this couldn't happened for real. It's impossible!" Avian explained.
However the Guardians looked solemnly and their eyes filled with guilt and regret. So what they said next could not be expected from them.
"We cannot do that…because it did happen." Ganthet admitted.
Hal and the others were horrified by this. "No. It can't be true! Are you saying that you are responsible for all those deaths and destruction?!" Avian hollered in shock.
"The robots were real? And killed all those people?" Kilowog asked with slight anger in his voice.
Ganthet had no choice but to reveal their mistake. "The Manhunters were created by the Guardians long ago. They were the forerunners of the Green Lantern Corps."
"For a while, we thought the Manhunters were the perfect police force. They were never swayed by emotion, only right and wrong." Sayd continued. "But this is not a universe of absolutes."
"Their inability to understand and interact with emotional beings ended in tragedy. The Manhunters destroyed people, planets, and entire sectors, forming what we now call the Forgotten Zone."
"The Manhunters are our greatest shame and the Guardians' darkest secret." Sayd sadly added.
Ganthet decides that the Guardians must face their past sins and says that he'll talk to Appa while Hal and Kilowog disarm the liberator.
"We're counting on you, Ganthet." Hal nodded in agreement.
"And just so you know, even if some worlds such as mine were not affected by the Manhunters, we forgive you." Avian concluded and bowed his head in respect.
"You are an honorable friend, Avian, and a true lantern." Ganthet smiled and chuckled. "Sometimes you sound just like a Guardian."
After terminating the communication, Hal ordered Razer, Aya, and Avian fly to recover the Interceptor while he starts planning with Kothak to disarm the bomb and rescue Iolande.
Later on, Hal secretly breaks into the place with Avian. "Cool trick, Hal. If I could do that, fixing houses would a certainty."
"I'll teach you later. Right now, we're on a mission."
They found her cell and freed Iolande. She was happy to see them again.
"Hal! Avian!"
Avian shushed her, not wanting to alert the guards. "Come on, there's not much time."
Hal and Iolande rendezvous with Kilowog who spied on the guards guarding the Liberator. Once they regrouped, they headed for the liberator bomb.
"I'm sorry for getting you all into this mess." Iolande apologized.
"Ah, don't apologize. We love this kind of stuff." Hal assured her.
"It just makes our job in being a Green Lantern all more worthwhile and fun." Avian agreed.
Meanwhile, the Red Lantern Bleez informs Ragnar that the liberator is under attack and Iolande is among them. Ragnar orders everyone to fly to the liberator and counterattack... including the units at the Interceptor. After they left, Razer, Aya, and Koren returned to the ship.
"Your treachery threatens everything we believe in!" Ganthet angrily said as Appa escorts him to a banishment space pod after accusing Ganthet of the robbery of the Interceptor and placing an unauthorized prototype on the ship as well.
"I am not the threat here, Ganthet. You are!" Appa pointed out. "The citizens of Guardian space put their trust in us. Come to us for guidance! What would happen if they learn the truth about the Forgotten Zone? All order would be lost! There would be chaos and suffering beyond anything the Manhunters have done!"
"You maintain a lie! What about Hal Jordan, Avian, and the others? Are you willing to sacrifice them in order to maintain this dark secret?!"
"A tragic loss, but sometimes, sacrifices must be made." Appa answered. "Ganthet, you are hereby banished, sentenced to live out the rest of your days cut off from your species and civilization. I almost feel the base emotion pity for you."
"Only almost though, Appa? And there's the pity." Ganthet solemnly answered before he was sent off into space.
Hal, Kilowog, Avian, and Iolande attack the liberator, fighting their way past the soldiers and the automatic weaponry.
"It seems they upgraded their defenses since our last encounter!" Avian said.
"But we've gotten stronger since then as well." Hal added. When they're blasted back, Hal calls the Guardians and asks Ganthet for assistance. However, Appa informs him that Ganthet has been banished and cuts him off.
"What did they say?" Iolande asks.
"We're on our own." Hal warned the others. The others were shocked by this, but they continued on with their fight.
"We mustn't give up! We're still standing and we'll keep at it!" Avian proclaimed.
"Don't they run out of ammo?" Hal wondered as they continued being fired by the Red Lanterns.
"Lasers don't run out of ammo!" Avian reminded him.
Kilowog looked back and saw Ragnar and the others heading towards them. "They're closing in!"
"Then let's not keep them waiting any longer!" Avian declared as they all charged against the enemies. Avian went head to head with Ragnar, Hal fought against Veon, Kilowog went after Skallox and finally Iolande with Bleez.
Avian slams Ragnar with his tail and grabs him while blasting him with his wind beam attack. Ragnar recovers and fired at Avian, but stood defiant.
"Still think I'm a traitor now, you beast?" Ragnar taunted.
"No. I think you're just pathetic." Avian told him. Ragnar growls as they resumed attacking.
It wasn't long before Aya, Koren, and Razer arrived aboard the Interceptor and open fire, saving Hal from Veon.
"Excellent aim!" Razer complimented Aya for her fire.
"Thank you."
"Oh yeah!" Koren cheered as he worked on the lasers, firing on the guards. "I knew playing video games with Ollie would pay off someday!"
Behind them, Kothak and his men charged right into battle. Iolande and Hal were pleased for the reinforcements. "Calvary has arrived."
"Alright, Aya. Let's blow those defenses up!" Koren ordered as they fired on the lasers, giving their side an advantage.
On Oa, Sayd summons the banishment pod back, releasing Ganthet from his shackles.
"Sayd?"
"Ganthet, I've come to trust you. I've reprogrammed the ship's destination."
"You could be banished for what you've done." Ganthet warns her, even if he's pleased for her assistance.
"If there's a chance we can help Hal Jordan and especially Avian, we must try! It's the least we can do for him after what has happened before in the past."
"It's sealed!" Kilowog cried out as their only entrance to the Liberator is locked up. Ragnar confronts Hal's team as they get to the bomb.
"Get that door opened!" Iolande tells them while she fights her brother.
"Easier said than done!" Avian said.
Meanwhile, Bleez attacks the Interceptor directly, forcing Razer, Koren, and Aya to fly out to attack her. As they charged, Bleez single-handedly swatted them off the Interceptor.
"Man, she is strong for a Red Lantern woman…and deadly!" Koren groaned.
The soldiers blast Kothak's flyer out from under him, while Ragnar overwhelms his sister with the sheer force of his hate. "You've lost, dear sister. I am the ruler of Betrassus! Do you understand me? Ragnar of the Red Lanterns!"
"We mustn't give up! Not when we have others to defend!" Avian growled.
Hal and the others have all fallen, seconds from total defeat. The Green Lanterns were in deep trouble and knew that only a miracle can save them.
Suddenly a blue wave of energy sweeps out from the Interceptor. Hal and the other Green Lanterns are suddenly filled with vast levels of green energy and smash down their opponents.
Seeing his dad powered up, Koren activated his green energy and with the blue energy around him, he also became powered up. With his new power, he easily swatted Bleez off of Razer.
But then, Razer, on the other hand, discovers that his power ring has been neutralized and falls down.
"Razer!" Koren flew after him. As he plummets toward the ground, Aya rescues him just in time.
"That's never happened before." Razer was confused by this sudden failure.
"Are you alright?" Koren checked on his friend.
"I'm fine, thanks to both of you. But what about the Red Lanterns?"
They all saw the Red Lanterns retreating while carrying Ragnar and the injured away. "They're retreating, but I think they got the message to never bother Betrassus again." Koren smiled. "I'll be back. I have to help my dad!"
Hal and the other GL's gathered around as they studied their new power boost.
"And I thought I couldn't get any greener." Avian chuckled.
"You guys see this?" Kilowog cheered happily. "Yeah! It's like I'm super charged or something!" However, it was not over. The bomb suddenly activates despite the victory.
"Why is it doing that?" Iolande gasped.
"It's about to blow." Kilowog said grimly.
"Then are we too late?" Koren suddenly joined them while looking fearfully at that thing. However Hal has an idea.
"If we can't disarm it, we'll get rid of it!"
"How? Even if there five of us and supercharged, you can't expect us to lift it with our bare hands!" Avian said. As they flew towards it, Hal thought of a way to lift it up into space by using their rings as booster rockets.
"This is going to be a blast!" Koren excitingly said. They succeeded reaching into deep space and the liberator detonates. The Lanterns managed to save Betrassus from harm as the locals cheered for their victory.
Aboard the Interceptor, the blue power battery flies off into space and its influence fades.
"You don't think that whole blue light show was Ganthet, do you?" Kilowog wonders.
"I don't know what just happened." Hal admits but it came at a critical moment. "I'm glad it did."
"We all are." Avian nodded and smiled as Koren joined his side. "It truly is a miracle."
Later, Ganthet tells Sayd that he still must leave Oa. "Thank you for all you'd done, Sayd, but still, I must leave Oa.
"I wonder if what we did today helped." She wondered.
"It did. I can feel it!" Ganthet assures her that he knows they did.
"Telepathy, Ganthet?" Sayd smiled.
"No. Hope. And I have hope that I…no, we will meet our savior and have our reunion with our dear friend Avian once again."
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