"WHAT?!" Ranakar yelled. "YOU ENCOUNTERED A RIB-HUNTER?!"

"Yes," Sinestro answered, "a Rib-Hunter was on Kanjar Ro's ship. Out of the forty Lanterns you sent after him, we are the only seven that survived. Arisia was badly injured during the encounter, but our newest Lantern, Hal Jordan, saved her life. Never did I expect, or want, to meet one of them in combat again." He closed his eyes as he remembered the bloodbath all those years ago.

"This could not have been just a chance encounter," Tomar stated. "He said that he had been hired to keep the lanterns off of Kanjar Ro, which means he knew we were coming. I believe we have a traitor in our midst. That's the only explanation. I don't know who it could be yet, but with your permission, I would like to see what I can find out."

"I don't see a problem with that," Appa Ali Apsa replied, "but it should be put to a vote. All in favor?" His eyes glowed white and the guardians all around the circle made their eyes glow as well.

"Very well, Tomar Re, you will investigate all Lanterns that have been on the case of Kanjar Ro. Is there anything else that can be added?" He finished.

"There is still the matter of the Rib-Hunter," Ganthet added. "The last time we had a run-in with them was around five-hundred years ago when we ended their scourge. There used to be three Lanterns who fought in that war that live today, but now, there are only two. Sinestro, Arisia, are you absolutely certain that what you encountered was a Rib-Hunter?"

"We are. Based on his size, how he fought, and the fact that he could control the energy from the rings. He also shattered my construct when he jumped off the ship to fight us," Arisia explained.

"When he was finished with us, he opened a rip in the wormhole, took hold of the aura that we surround ourselves with when we travel and threw us out through it," Sinestro added.

"That's definitely one of them. What do you think Ranakar?" Ganthet inquired of the other Guardian.

"If it is one of them, and judging by their accounts it is, we cannot defeat this one like we did with the rest of them the last time." He crossed his arms. "I fear we may have to call on His help." The rest of the Guardians were obviously distressed to hear this. If you were there, you would've been hearing a lot of things, a few of which being….

"No, we can't."

"Not him."

"The Sword Wielder?"

"Yes, Him."

….and so on.

"The holder of The Sword of Kings, KokoRah. He is the only one with the necessary strength to kill a Rib-Hunter." Ranakar concluded.

"The Sword of Kings is one of the Maris Artifacts, isn't it?" Ganthet wanted to know.

"Yes," Appa Ali Apsa answered, "and it is the only piece of The Armor to appear since it vanished eons ago. Maris Thruum, The Karuan Destroyer, The Sword of Kings. If KokoRah has it, he is the only one who is able to take on a Rib-Hunter and win right now." He looked down to the Lanterns. "Arisia, go to Moroth in sector 3562 and retrieve KokoRah for us. He has based himself on the fifth moon from the surface. Inform him of our circumstances and if all goes well, he'll help us with our predicament."

"I understand. I'll do it." Arisia glowed green as she started to fly and took off through the hole in the ceiling.

"Unfortunately, Tomar Re, you will not have time for your investigation, as we have other problems to deal with." Tomar nodded.

"I understand."

"We must prepare for Kanjar Ro if he becomes a Yellow Lantern and decides to come here to take the Green. If there is nothing more to add, this tribunal is over." Appa Ali Apsa concluded.

…..

"What are the Rib-Hunters?" Hal asked Budika as Kilowog scarfed down what was left of his food behind him.

"The Rib-Hunters were part of a race of universal explorers known as the Dragonians. They have power over all matter. Their minds are one of the strongest in the universe and that's how they can control the elements. A few hundred years ago, there was a great war between the Rib-Hunters and the Lantern Corps. The only reason that the Green lanterns are the only ones known anymore, is during that battle, the rest were wiped out. There used to be three lanterns who were there, but now there are only two."

"That's what the Guardians said. Who were they?"

"Abin Sur, Sinestro and Arisia were the three who lived after that war, but after Abin Sur was killed, that left only Sinestro and Arisia."

"How are we supposed to beat these things if they're that strong?"

"The only way to destroy a Rib-Hunter without the help of another," Kilowog jumped in, "is to combine the power of different Corps rings, at least that's what Arisia said." He belched.

Sinestro appeared behind Jordan.

"Budika, I found something on that Rib-Hunter. We're going after him." She stood and followed him out the door.

…..

Arisia had been going through the depths of space for a few hours now. Thankfully she was nearing Moroth. She was a few solar minutes away now. She remembered the last time she had seen KokoRah. The man was terrifying, even for a Lantern.

She kept going nonetheless. She knew that he wouldn't attack unless provoked, but that didn't make him any less scary.

She finally saw what she was looking for in the distance. Moroth and its moons. Each moon was easily two to three times the size of Oa, but they were mere specks compared to the planet. The Guardians said he was on the fifth moon from the surface.

Since the moons all had different orbits and they were so small in comparison to the Dragonian homeworld, there was only one way to tell which one was the right one.

"Scan for the fifth moon out," she commanded her ring. It did and showed her the target. It was another minute before she touched down on the surface. She looked around the barren surface. Nothing but mountains, craters, the occasional footprint the size of Hal Jordan and, wait a minute. Footprints?

"Oh no, he followed me here." She realized that she had forgotten to check for someone trailing her. It was a fatal mistake.

Arisia felt energy wrap around her body and constrict, locking her in place. He was using the energy from her ring again. The Rib-Hunter lept from the top of a cliff and landed in front of her.

"Hello again. I missed you the last time." He deepened his voice for effect.

"Last time you nearly killed me. I wouldn't call that a miss." She tried to step away, but couldn't move anything but her head.

"I will not allow you to get to KokoRah. He will never know about this because this is the wrong moon. I changed the orbits of them and lured you here. I am the strongest one of my kind."

"Would you stop monologuing and get on with it already." Another gigantic figure fell from what would be the sky if there was one. He hit the ground a hundred feet away from her, about ten Morothian feet away from the Rib-Hunter.

This one had black hair that went down to the base of his neck, one red eye and one black eye. He had a sword on his back that was about fifteen Morothian feet long. (1 Morothian foot=10 earth feet. M-foot= Morothian foot.) He stood at a staggering twenty five M-feet tall. (These guys are REALLY tall.) He wore two shorter swords on his waist. His mouth was full of teeth that looked like spikes. A black metal plate covered the entirety of his torso. On his hands, he wore gauntlets that had blades on the back-sides of the fingers and sharpened points at the tips.

There were only two things more terrifying than a Rib-Hunter, and KokoRah was one of them.

"If you wish to have a fight, leave her out of this, and face me instead." The giant of a being towered over the Rib-Hunter, who only stood at five M-feet.

"No, no please, Almighty Creator, have mercy on me," the Rib-Hunter pleaded, but KokoRah would not listen.

"Why should I show you mercy? Give me at least one good reason why I should spare your life." The Rib-Hunter had no answer to this question, for there was no reason for his god to let him live.

"Very well than. If you do not answer, then you will die." He drew the blade on his back and held the tip at the Rib-Hunter's chin. An energy wave of an unknown color came down the sword from the guard and pulsed into the Rib-Hunter.

"Maris Thruum, purge this man's soul from existence, and annihilate everything that was him from this universe." The energy enveloped him and he disappeared in a hazy smoke. KokoRah re-placed The Sword of Kings on his back and looked to Arisia who had still been held by what was left of her combatant's will.

He held his hand out in her direction and a pulse went through the surrounding area. Arisia fell to the ground. She had never felt so constrained, so helpless when that monster had a hold on her ring. She hadn't been able to move and barely able to speak, but now, her task was standing right in front of her.

Author's note:Just to be clear, The Rib-Hunters, the Dragonians, Moroth, and KokoRah are all my own creations. If you are keeping up with my stories, expect the time between updates to be getting longer because school is being a major pain in my ass right now. End author's note.