Chapter Thirteen: With This Ring…
CXVI
The Universe's Most Wanted
Stepping across the morning desert of Kahndaq, the short, blue-skinned Guardian called Ganthet walked confidently towards Barbara Gordon, her Green Lantern Power Battery now hovering in an emerald glow before him.
Mere feet away, still unconsciously rebuilding himself in the sun, lay Clark… In a supreme twist of fate, the Kryptonian's life had been given back to him by the weapon Lex Luthor had constructed to eliminate the aliens of his past. Princess Diana, Bruce and Raven stood and stared at this new, shorter, blue alien who had nonchalantly appeared out of nowhere to address Barbara.
"That was most impressive Barbara Gordon of Earth. In the entire history of the Green Lantern Corps, we have had only sixteen recorded instances where a Lantern was able to fully drain their Power Ring in a single, all-powerful beam as you have just done. Until moments ago, the number of Lanterns who had done such a feat on their very first attempt was zero. Your will was able to override all internal protections built into the ring... Amazing!
However, if you insist on emptying the ring of its entire charge in the future, it would be wise not to place the Power Battery in a pocket dimension, as Abin Sur had done. Otherwise, you will not be able to retrieve it. To be clear, a trip to section 2804 is a substantial burden for an old Guardian such as myself, and consumes much power from the Central Battery on Oa. But these are extraordinary times, I suppose…
Now Barbara Gordon, please place your appendage with the ring into the Power Battery right here… Good. Now, you must repeat this oath with me and mean it in your heart for the ring to recharge. The Corps is all about conviction, my dear…
In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
After finishing the oath, Barbara felt an immense surge of power travel through her ring and connect directly with her conscious mind. And then, the Universe was alive with possibility again. Suddenly, a green glow surrounded her entire body as she tried something she had only dreamed about, letting her feet leave the ground…
She could fly!
Landing upon the Earth once more, she wore a smile that she thought she'd never wear again. Ganthet eyed her patiently, like an old man beholding a child with a new toy, while he continued…
"Yes, there are many new things the ring will allow you to do…"
"Is it magic, Ganthet?" Staring quizzically at the ring, Barbara couldn't help but inquire. She had to know how it worked.
"…Magic? No, certainly not! It's very technical, an interface between your conscious mind and the power stored on Oa with the Battery as a transformer. Your will is the catalyst. You are bound by the laws of the Universe, I assure you. Normally, you would be taken to Oa for extensive training and education as to the nature of the ring's power and your responsibilities, but as I had mentioned, these are extraordinary times. And I'm afraid your immediate responsibilities are very close at hand…"
"Is Trigon still alive?" It was Bruce.
"We are uncertain. Trigon is a multi-dimensional entity who has access to all known realms of existence… and those that are unknown. The Guardians will continue to monitor for his presence across this Universe. But still, the full discharge of a Power Ring should be sufficient to destroy or severely incapacitate any known demon…"
"He's not a demon," corrected Bruce.
"The readings from Abin Sur's ring clearly indicated a demonic presence... "
"He is a God," Raven spoke this time. "The God of Revenge… A member of what you may know as the New Gods, the lost, older brother of Darkseid, ruler of Apokolips."
"That is a name I do not care for... Still, whatever he is, Trigon has broken the laws which were decreed for the Universe, and as its Guardians we are sworn to uphold those laws. This brings me to my second matter… I'm afraid the council of Oa has voted to detain the young lady known as Raven. She has been deemed a threat to the order of the Universe and is to be held on Oa in custodial stasis until this threat has been confirmed to be contained or eliminated…"
"…What?!" Barbara was incredulous.
"The evidence is very clear, young Green Lantern… as is your duty. The criminal called Trigon has clearly indicated that his daughter is a part of his calculated design for the destruction of this Universe. Thus Raven, Trigon's daughter, is a threat to the Universe. The council has voted it so. If it makes you feel any more comfortable, I voted against that resolution, but it still does not alter the outcome. Raven must be delivered to Oa."
"But she's my sister… Ganthet, I can't."
"The decisions of the Council are binding and absolute until such time as they are appealed by the Council."
Diana placed her firm right hand, clutching her golden lasso, upon Raven's shoulder. The Amazon spoke softly to Trigon's daughter.
"Is it true? That demon was your father?"
"It is true. He disguised his form and raped my mother. I was born from that union."
Diana then removed her hand and stepped in front of Raven, shielding the young woman, to speak to the Guardian directly.
"Have you declared this young woman guilty for the sins of her father? Has she broken any of your laws?"
"She has not. But she has been judged to be the key to the destruction of the Universe. We need only to remove the key…"
"In the Amazon tribe, several of my sisters are the daughters of male Gods who seduced or raped Amazon women. We judge these half-daughters for their own actions and natures - not for the crimes perpetrated by their fathers upon their mothers. Many of them have risen to be mighty warriors, oracles, and gifted artisans. By what right do you to declare Raven a criminal?"
"Not a criminal, Diana of Earth, a threat. All logic will arrive at the same conclusion. The issue has been fully debated and decided by beings that were wise before your own amorous Gods ever emerged from the Source millennia before. The Guardians of the Universe will protect all life as per our prerogative…"
Bruce interrupted in his wife's defense…
"You grant your Green Lanterns one of the most powerful weapons in the Universe. Do you deem them to be a threat as well?"
"They are a tool of order, Mr. Wayne; their conduct is continually assessed and judged by the Council of Oa. Truly, this was a difficult decision for us, I assure you, but one that is necessary to maintain the safety of the Universe from immediate, extraordinary danger… There are simply threats that are too large - with a very small window of containment - presented to us every handful of millennia. Your wife, I regret… is one of them."
"Ganthet… I can't." Barbara Gordon removed the Power Ring from her finger. "Raven has done everything in her power – and even beyond her power - to save us, to save this world. She has borne her pain, her tragedy, her struggles, with the distinction of a true hero. In the time I have known her, she has been an inspiration to me. I owe her my life… I can't repay her like this…"
"This is the price of duty, Barbara Gordon. It is sometimes very steep... But as I said, you have yet to be indoctrinated into the roles and responsibilities of the Green Lantern Corps, so the Council will not hold you accountable for this decision. Indeed, due to the Universe-altering consequences of this decision, there was a resolution to send reinforcements…"
"…Reinforcements?"
Each of them watched as six aliens shimmering with green power suddenly appeared from the sky, dressed in the apparel of the Green Lantern Corps. Each of these six aliens pointed their ring at Raven, hovering in the blue sky as the day's heat started to swelter upon the sands. For a second, there was absolute silence… until Ganthet continued.
"And now, Trigon's daughter… Will you accompany us willingly to Oa?"
The elder Guardian was answered only with two sulfurous, crimson puffs of smoke - as both Raven and Bruce disappeared…
Next Chapter: Join us next time when we find out what happened to Scott, Barda, Orion and Lightray! Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-URL!