The barren, fiery planet of Ysmault loomed in the vast expanse of space, its red, rocky terrain and active volcanoes visible from a distance. As a lone spacecraft approached the planet, the ominous glow of the Red Lantern Central Power Battery became visible in the distance, along with the crimson hue of the Blood Lake.
As the ship descended towards the planet's surface, the heat and ash from the planet's atmosphere made it difficult to see. But soon, the ship emerged from the thick clouds and into a clear view of the Blood Lake. The lake was an enormous body of red liquid, almost glowing in its intensity, and it extended for miles around the Power Battery.
The pilot looked down at the lake in awe, knowing the significance of the location. He had heard stories of the Blood Lake, and of the ritual that the Red Lanterns performed there to induct new members into their Corps. He felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of standing on the same ground where so much rage and violence had been born.
As the ship landed near the Lake, the pilot emerged and made his way towards the edge of the Blood Lake. The ground beneath his feet was hot, and he could feel the heat emanating from the liquid. He watched as several Red Lanterns emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a fierce red light.
One of the Red Lanterns approached the pilot and spoke in a low growl. "Attrocitus will see you." said the Lantern, leading the way. The visitor knew to follow.
The pilot nodded, trying to hide his fear. He knew that the Red Lanterns were not to be trifled with. He kept his eyes down, hoping to avoid any conflict. He could feel the gaze of the other Lanterns as he passed them.
The two made their way towards the end of the lake closest to the central power battery, where they found Attrocitus seated on a rock, surrounded by a few Reds. The visitor was surprised, he had expected a throne.
The leader of the Red Lantern Corps stood up and took in the sight of his guest. His muscular humanoid form towering over the assembled members of his Corps. His red and black armored suit seemed to pulse with energy. Attrocitus's eyes burned with fury, set in a face that was almost skull-like in it's appearance. His skin was a deep red and his hands, which ended in sharp claws, clenched and unclenched as he took in the stranger.
"Why do the Guardians send you?" asked the Attrocitus , standing up to approach the visitor. As he moved, the red energy that surrounded him crackled and sparked causeing the air around him to heat up. Even the air seemd to tremble in his presence. "Why have they not sent one of their own?".
"Many Green Lanterns were killed during the various encounters with Reds over the past few weeks" replied the visitor hoping not to offend. "The Guardians sent me because they hoped you would carry no animosity to me or my kind. They wish to discuss conditions for peace. I came because my world was caught in the crossfire and I hope to broker a ..."
"Peace?" interrupted the Lantern leader, who was now looking down at his guest. "The Guardians sins stretch back eons, yet they have never paid for them. They think themselves above us yet they have never learnt from their mistakes. And now the cowards send you."
"How old are you boy?" asked the Red Leader.
"207" replied the vistor "An adult in my race".
"You're too young to know what they've done... Boy. It's as if the universe has forgotten" Attrocitus paused, as if in thought.
"But I remember like it was yesterday. There will be peace" said Attrocitus turning his back to the visitor "Once I have served them justice".
"Lord Attrocitus if I may persuade you..." began the visitor but the Red Lantern leader raised a hand to silence the him.
"Go, tell the Guardians my conditions for peace. And tell them that the next to come to Ysmault on their behalf looking for peace will find only death".
The visitor made his way toward his ship, disappointed in the outcome of the mission that the Guardians of the universe had sent him on. He knew that if the war continued, more planets would be caught in the crossfire. More casualties would cause more anger, more fear. More Red Lantern rings would find more hosts and more because more bystanders would be angry. More fear in the galaxy would make the yellow lanterns more powerful. This war would stretch on.
The visitor entered his ship, which lit up and greeted him, "Greetings, Shon" said the ship's AI. "would you like me to set a course for Odym?".
"Yes please" said the visitor. All seemed hopeless.
Before the ship could starts it's engines, a fiery red portal opened the sky and a red lantern came flying through at an incredible speed.
"Incoming, Incoming, Incoming" the Red Lantern, Zilius Zox, shouted as he rushed past the ship and towards the blood lake.
Zilius had been one of many sent to follow the new rings as they soared through the galaxy finding avatars of rage.
Out of the portal, came flying another Red, eyes blazing with unbridled fury. He charged forward, the red aura of the ring leaving a trail of destruction in it's wake. The berserker Red had caught up to Zilius with unfathomable speed, grabbing him by the ankle and with a devastating force that none of the reds had seen before, throwing the round alien into the sky.
The sound barrier had broken and the shockwave caused the other Lanterns to appear.
Zilius reached the edge of the planets atmosphere in what couldn't be more than a few seconds. The heat caused by the friction of being hurtled into the sky at such a speed would have killed Zilius of not for the red ring's protection. The alien had almost reached the edge of the atmosphere before he could gather his senses enough to stop the acceleration.
"Anyone planning on helping?" Zilius yelled into his ring.
Six more lanterns emerged from the distance and flew towards the newest Red Lantern keeping their distance as they had just witnessed the display of strength.
"Kryptonian?" remarked Haggar.
"Could be. Maybe Daxamite?" replied Bleez.
"What are you doing!?" shouted Zilius. "Get him into the lake!" the Alien knew how strong this new Lantern was. Even with the protection of the red ring, he had almost met his end at the hands of this new Lantern. If not for the new Red swinging wildly without any thought, Zilius's ring might be scanning the galaxy for a new host.
Zilius, along with the six other Lanterns coordinated their attacks, the blasts they were firing seemed to have little effect other than irritation. Punching would be even less effective and much more dangerous, so they kept their distance. But the new Red was so fast that he'd be on them instantly.
He appeared before Haggar and back handed the alien into the blood lake with such force that the ground shook. Again, the protection of the red ring prevented a Lantern from dying. But the pain could be felt and Haggar had definitely had most of his bones broken. Luckily the blood lake was already healing him.
"His kicking our asses with one arm!" snarled Bleez who had been seized by the face and thrown into the visitors ship, breaking its wing clean off.
The Lantern known as Rankor constructed a giant hammer which he aimed at at the new Red. As the hammer swung down, the air which the hammer displaced felt like a gale. The impact sounded like thunder and sent ripples across the blood lake beneath.
Rankor had expected to knock the new Red into the blood lake but, instead, the hammer shattered. The new Red's gaze narrowed as he fixed his eyes on Rankor. A look that could freeze the blood in ones veins.
The new Lantern's lips twisted into a snarl, teeth bared in a feral display of anger. Fist clenched at the side, trembling with barely contained rage that threatened to spill over at any minute. The air began to feel dense and the ground began to shake as the new Lantern readied to charge.
"uh... Shit" said Rankor, wondering just what kind of alien this new Lantern was.
Suddenly, the liquid of the blood lake shot up, pulling the new Lantern down into the lake. Attrocitus had been watching and had had enough.
A few seconds of silence later, the new Red clawed his way out of vicious liquid gasping for air. It felt as if he had emerged into the world for the first time. He rose to his feet, skin slick with the blood of his new birthplace. He flexed his muscles then opened and closed his hand testing his motor control.
The other Red Lanterns watched in awe, unsure what to make of this newcomer, ready to attack once more if need be. They could feel the strength emanating from him.
Gohan had gained his senses back, and yet a seething anger threatened to consumed everything that he was. He looked around and took in the sight of the other Red Lanterns watching him with unease. He remembered everything that happened in the moments before, yet he felt as if that was someone else entirely. Yet, that same version of him was trying to claw his way to the surface, begging to be let loose upon the world.
As Gohan took his first steps out of the blood lake, the ground beneath him trembled. The anger was bubbling up. He had to actively control it.
It was clear that the new Red was a force to be reckoned with. As he stood there contemplating this newfound power, The other Lanterns knew that their world had just become a much more dangerous place.
Attrocitus, heading towards the new Lantern, smiled at his luck and the thought of how powerful the Red Lanterns could be with this new Red under his command.
"Where am I?" asked Gohan.
Back on Earth, The dimly lit internet café was a welcome relief from the scorching heat outside. The smell of stale coffee and cigarette smoke filled the air as customers huddled over computer screens, their faces illuminated by the glowing monitors.
In the far corner of the café, Android 17 sat typing furiously on a laptop scrolling through page after page of search results, his frustration grew. He had come to the internet café hoping to find some answers.
The new world that he found himself in was strange. He had wondered the unfamiliar city for hours, seeing countless images of this worlds hero's. He had to maintain a low profile while trying to find someone capable of repairing 18.
Frustrated, he typed the word "Android" and hit search. The first result was an article about an android called Amazo, who had given the Justice League one of their "hardest battles against a single enemy". The android nearly defeated Superman, this worlds most popular protector, and was the cause of just under a billion dollars worth of damages to the infrastructure of a city called Metropolis.
The android was said to have the ability to mimic the powers of the Justice League which is what made it such a formidable opponent. The scientist that created this Android would surely be capable of repairing the damages to 18.
The article went on to explain that the creator of the android, Professor Anthony Ivo, was held in isolation in a maximum security prison. Isolation due to the fact that the professor himself was not dangerous on his own and might be prayed upon inside a prison setting.
"That's it. The information I need." thought 17.
The rest of the time was spent finding out everything he could about the prison which held the Professor. The time had flew by and the Android was shoed out by the staff who needed to lock up the store.
When 17 left the store, the sun had begun to set, casting a blood red glow accross the city of Bloodhaven. The sky was a hazy mix of oranges and purples, and the air was thick with the scent of saltwater.
It was said that Bloodhaven was a city unlike any other, a place where danger lurked around every corner and secrets were whispered in dark alleyways. It was a city of extremes, with towering skyscrapers rubbing shoulders with rundown tenements, and pristine parks giving way to grimy industrial districts.
The abandoned warehouse was dark, with only the faintest hint of light filtering through the cracks in the walls. In the center of the room, the badly damaged Android lay on a wooden work bench.
Wires and circuits were exposed in the gap in the Androids abdomen. Smoke and sparks sputtered from the damaged components of the cybernetic enhancements that were forced upon her, filling the air with a bitter, acrid smell.
The android's face was a blank mask, devoid of any emotion or expression. Its eyes were dark and lifeless, and its mouth hung open in a silent scream of agony. Upon sustaining critical damage, her systems had gone into a power saving mode to preserve it's energy.
"Don't worry sis." said 17 "I'll get you fixed up."
About a week later, 17 stood on a nearby hill, looking down at the sprawling prison complex of Iron Heights Penitentiary below. From this distance, it was hard to make out the details, but he had studied the prison's layout and security systems in detail and knew every inch of the place.
As he surveyed the prison, his mind raced with possibilities. Breaking someone out of this place would be no easy feat, not with the layers of security and the constant patrols. He had the strength to bust his way through, but he couldn't risk an encounter with the hero's of this world. Not if he wanted to get his siter fixed up.
Reaching into a backpack, he pulled out a set of detailed schematics, carefully drawn by hand and annotated with notes and diagrams. The plan was complex and risky, but it would get the job done. Atl east that's what he hoped. The was also a plan B.
He studied the schematics for a few moments, making mental notes and adjustments.
With a determined look in his eye, 17 slung the backpack over his shoulder and began to make his way down the hill towards the prison. He moved quickly and quietly, staying hidden in the shadows and avoiding the searchlights and guard towers.
Finally arriving at the perimeter fence, he they took a deep breath. Once more he reached into the backpack and pulled out a set of tools, carefully selecting each one, laying them out on the ground before him and mentally ran through his plan once more.
"Okay" he thought one last time. "Cut through the fence, sneak past the outer guards, fly over the massive outer wall but low enough to...".
His train of thought was interrupted the the sound of a cocking rifle. He looked back to see a security guard six feet away with a riffle pointed straight at him.
"You know we've been watching you for the last three day right?" said the guard. "A piece of advice, next time, don't linger around the place you're planning to break into for days in clear sight". The guard chuckled. "Damn noob! You never stood a chance".
17 couldn't help but smile as he thought to himself "18 is gonna love this". He was never known for being the smart one but he had tried his best in planning this break in. "Time for plan B".
With a sudden burst, 17 leaped over the fence with a speed that the guard couldn't comprehend. He ran the mile to the outer wall in what couldn't be more than a few seconds.
The guard radio'd his update, the alarm sounded. Security began to move towards the commotion.
17 punched the outer wall of the prison sending a shockwave through the surrounding area.
The wall cracked and crumbled under the force of the blow, and 17 leaped into the air souring through the hole he had just created.
As he landed on the other side, he quickly assessed the surroundings, looking for any danger. Not that any of the guards could threaten him.
One guard had spotted him and started to open fire. 17 knew that the sound would bring the other guards to his location and so he sped to the guard and silenced him with a soft punch to the temple.
He made his way to what he knew was the solitary confinement block. With no idea which cell Ivo would be kept in, he proceeded to knock down each door until he found the right one.
At the third cell, with a single blow, he smashed the door off it's hinges causing the prisoner inside to jump up in shock.
"Ivo?" asked 17 who knew the answer as he had studied the professors face.
"No" said the prisoner as he began to cower. "Please. Don't hurt me."
17 wasted no time in grabbing Ivo by the arm and hauling him to his feet. He knew that they needed to move quickly if they were going to get out of the prison before some super powered, costumed hero would arrive. He'd seen enough new reports to know that they always showed up.
With the professor in tow,17 charged back towards the hole he had punched into the wall. The guards were closing in, but the Android used his immense strength and speed to fend them off, knocking them aside like rag dolls in the space of a few seconds. He made sure not to kill anyone in the hope that it would dissuade whichever organization, that would inevitably search for him , from allocating all their resources to the task.
As they burst through the hole in the outer wall, 17 felt the rush of fresh air on his face. He knew that he would accomplish his mission, but also knew that they weren't safe just yet.
With the Ivo in his arms, 17 took off into the night sky, flying them across the city at breakneck speed. He knew that he couldn't let his guard down until they were safely out of reach of the authorities. But he also knew that he had just done something incredible, he had saved his siters life.