Our Darkest Hour
Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to Marvel or DC. I own Farrah/Persiana and Leon/Crisis.
Chapter 3: Dead Space
It had been a long time.
John Stewart, the former League member and space adventuring hero Green Lantern, lay on an asteroid, looking up at the stars. He had no idea how long he had been staring, but, his mind slowly drifted back to Earth. What was everyone doing right now? Were Superman and the others able to find that Daken guy and get rid of him? What about the new Howling Commandos? And Shayera?
The former marine sat up at that. Shayera. A woman he truly loved, and ended up in Hawkman's bed. John was asking himself the questions in his mind. Why did she do it? Did she want to? Is it because they are tied to the past?
A voice purred,
"Lost in your thoughts?"
That voice belonged to Fatality, a former Sinestro Corps member and now member of the Star Sapphires. She was kneeling on the asteroid, glowing in her violet aura. The martial artist asked,
"Are you thinking about her?"
John did not answer at first, but then said,
"My son. Hawkgirl and I have a son together and I haven't seen him since I left Earth. He must be old enough to walk now."
Fatality joked,
"Maybe he is learning how to be a hard-headed Marine."
John cracked a smile at that,
"Yeah."
His smile quickly faded as he looked up at Fatality,
"Are you sure it's right, Yrra?"
Fatality nodded,
"Of course it is, love. If you want, you can return to Earth. I admit, the planet has grown on me a little. And, we could see your son."
As John was about to leave, a horrible thought entered his mind. What if Shayera was there, too? What was going to happen? Fatality seemed to pick up on this,
"John, you do not have to worry about Shayera. I will be all-."
Just then, there seemed to be a loud buzzing noise coming from the vastness of space. Green Lantern and Fatality looked at each other. John asked,
"Do you hear that? It sounds like flies buzzing."
The member of the Star Sapphire Corps nodded,
"Yes, I do. It is a horrible sound and…there!"
She pointed to a large black ribbon that seemed to snake its way through the cold grip of space. But, as the two ring slingers looked closer, they could see numerous black rings flying in such a close cluster to each other. Fatality asked,
"What is that?"
John decided to consult his ring,
"Ring, what is happening?"
The ring replied,
"Numerous ring signatures of an unknown power source are converging on a single fixed axis in space."
John ordered,
"Display the coordinates."
A haunting voice said,
"That will not be necessary."
The two people turned and saw Scar hovering in her deathly black light. Fatality was surprised,
"A Guardian?"
John shook his head,
"But, it's decaying and dying."
Scar said,
"You are both correct. I am a Guardian, but one of the Black Lantern Corps."
Fatality asked,
"And, what is that exactly?"
Scar answered,
"…Death."
She then looked up,
"Xanshi rises."
The sounds of the undead moaned through the vastness of space, and the howls of those that had died were all too real. Fatality turned and gasped at what she saw.
It was truly morbid. The rings that had been snaking through had indeed converged into one spot, and, at once a planet of decaying earth and bones began to take shape. Shapes of the once proud inhabitants of the planet now were warped and twisted, perverted into serving as troops for the undead Black Lantern Corps. Several of them pointed bony fingers and stared with vacant eyes as they seemed to say in unison,
"Give us your hearts!"
Fatality covered her mouth in horror and tears started to form in her eyes. Her family, friends, and even neighbors and leaders were now all twisted life forms, if one were to call it life. John watched this and turned back to Scar,
"What have you done?"
Scar simply stated,
"It is recruitment, much in the way your Green Lantern Guardians recruit their troops. But, in this case, those that have died are my soldiers."
She then glowed and said,
"And you two have been ordered to join."
Fatality whirled around and lashed out with her violet ring,
"Let them rest!"
The blast did penetrate the force field Scar had up, but all Scar did was raise her hand and the blast became absorbed. John tried his emerald-colored energy attack, and it was able to penetrate with Sapphire's light. The two drove Scar into another asteroid, burying her deep within it. But, it was not a victory by any means. Scar shattered the asteroid and seemed to scowl,
"You shall join us, whether you are willing to or not. There are more on Earth."
Sapphire wanted to fight, but John grabbed her and said,
"We need to get to Earth. We can't win without help."
Fatality wanted to protest and keep fighting, fighting for the people that she loved. But, she knew John was right. There was no way there could be a victory here, not with them by themselves. They had to get to Earth.
With a flash, the two were gone. Scar looked in their direction and said,
"Run all you want. The Black Lantern Corps will rise and consume your hearts. Death is eternal."
Next Chapter:
The Howling Commandos come face to face with Black Lantern Corps members, including some familiar faces! Stay tuned, fellow readers!