Chapter 9: For Hearts Long Lost
The deserted rocky plains of Zamaron were utterly lifeless, a barren expanse of nothing leading away from the floating capital of Zamaros. It separated the city from the crystal plains and the ancient Zamaros underground, suggesting to any outsider that life might not exist on the planet. Of course, that was entirely wrong… but on certain occasions it came in handy for the Zamarons.
Into these said plains crashed a fiery meteorite. A not uncommon occurrence given the size of certain space debris too large to burn up in the atmosphere. But this landfall packed a deadly secret.
Crawling from the crater emerged a hand tipped with claws and guarded with many spikes. A monstrous arm followed, attached to a broad body of grey skin and covered with protective plates made from the same bony substance the spikes were made from. Dark eyes tinged with red surveyed its surroundings as the hulking being raised itself up on firm ground. Clawed toes dug in as the creature loosed heavy growls as it laid eyes on the floating spires home to the Star Sapphire Corps. Such architecture indicated life. This was the antithesis of life, the death and the end for all species. Murder was on its mind, destruction was in its heart, and as it began to make wide thunderous strides toward the floating cities, the fierce rage it felt towards life flared into a singular obsession that would not be sated until every living thing on this world lay dead under his feet…
For Doomsday had come to Zamaron…
Elsewhere in the cosmos…
Hovering in the space between Rann and Thanagar, Michael Ryker and Ghia'ta assessed the declining tensions between the two worlds. Hal Jordan gave them an update. "Without the influence of the Red Lanterns, Rannians and Thanagarians are sitting down to talk. Things are still tense, hell, after all this things might be even worse than before. But at least they understand what's at stake."
"Still a significant amount of amnesty." Michael mused with crossed arms.
"Perhaps we should linger here a while," Ghia'ta propose, "it seems to me the blue and the violet are needed here more than ever." Michael glanced her way, prompting memories of last night to surface. Her blissful expression… always smiling, always pleasured… The night before seemed less like a dream and more like a lucid experience this time. Some details were still foggy, some actions felt not his own, but he felt like more of a participant this time. 'I wonder…'
"Maybe after the negotiations are done, Ghi. These people need to get their affairs in order before they start working on themselves." Hal replied.
"We'll come back later then." Michael surmised with a shrug. "So long as you and the others make sure another war doesn't start up again."
A flashing tone emanated from Ghia'ta's ring and the princess turned away to answer it. "Ghia'ta! You must return at once!" The anxious voice of Queen Aga'po commanded from the other end. Never in all her years had Ghia'ta ever heard her aunt so shaken before.
"My Queen? What's the matter?"
"A monster has attacked Zamaron! I do not know where it came from, but the Star Sapphires cannot withstand its brutish power!" Aga'po quickly explained. "We need as many rings as possible if we are to best this creature."
"I'm on my way." Ghia'ta promised. She turned to Michael. "We have to go. Zamaron is in trouble."
"Sounded like it." Michael agreed.
"Hey, uh, not to be a third wheel, but beating up monsters is kinda my specialty." Hal offered with a grin. Ghia'ta nodded.
"I am sure the queen would be grateful for your assistance Hal Jordan." She replied. "We must leave at once. Zamaron is a long ways away."
"It doesn't have to be." Michael proffered, using his ring to generate another warp portal relying on his hope to reach Zamaron as soon as possible. Ghia'ta smiled for a moment before she bolted through and Michael gestured for Hal to follow. He brought up the rear and closed the vortex behind him, emerging within Zamaron's upper atmosphere.
Ghia'ta was appalled by what she could see. Smoke poured from Zamaros and the surrounding landscape had been decimated by what looked to be an Earthquake. One of the floating cities had collapsed to the planet's surface, others remained in their air with their buildings ravaged and wrecked. "Khu-fu! What happened here?"
"Some monster." Hal remarked.
"We have to find Queen Aga'po." Michael urged as the trio took flight and rocketed towards the surface. Skimming over the land, they found wounded and dead Star Sapphires dotting the scenes of intense battle. Some lived with bruises and broken bones, others had been ripped asunder and lay in pools of innards and ever-growing blood puddles. A hand fell across Ghia'ta's mouth.
"Such reckless violence…" She shuddered to think of what was responsible.
"Looks like the fight has moved to the crystal fields." Michael observed as he took the lead and Ghia'ta followed. Hal, however, slowed his pace and then shot upwards in the sky, surveying the damage one more time.
"I've seen this only once before…" he whispered to himself and lingered in place while he brought his ring to his lips…
The princess and her Blue Lantern cohort tracked the devastated landscape to the sight of total carnage. Among the shattered violet crystals scattered everywhere lay the corpses of dead Star Sapphires, as well as many wounded attempting to crawl away and find power batteries. While the strength of a Star Sapphire ring could heal even very grievous injuries, these corpswomen did not live long enough to summon that ability.
It spoke volumes as to their assailant.
The central power battery loomed in the distance, bright and glowing as dozens of Star Sapphires darted through the air like pink fireflies, raining down violet bolts upon a dark indiscernible figure. One thing was for sure, it's silhouette alone was massive compared to the Star Sapphires. Three remained together overseeing the fight; Queen Aga'po, joined by Miss Bloss and another veteran Star Sapphire: Nadia Safir.
"My Queen!" Ghia'ta called out as she and Michael arrived. The Zamarons turned to greet them but Michael was more focused on the monster roaring its way across the crystal plains, battering Star Sapphires left and right with brutish strength. It's features became clear and Michael recognized it to his horror.
"Doomsday!" He gasped. The Zamarons turned to him.
"You know this monster?" Aga'po questioned.
"It attacked Earth a very long time ago and killed one of our greatest heroes in the process." Michael answered simply.
"That is an ill omen." Miss Bloss muttered gravely.
"Yeah. Doomsday doesn't go down easy." Michael agreed. "We have to try. Enough concussive force might put him down long enough for us to move off-world." He suggested, trying to remember how the heroes of his homeworld managed to beat the thing last time.
"No Star Sapphire has been able to get close to him for long. This creature… this beast… it hungers for the death of living things." Nadia said. "Many have died. Many more have been injured."
"Regardless, it is clear this 'Doomsday' will not stop until Zamaron is laid waste." Aga'po decided. "Come, all of you. Let us try and lay this beast low!" She dove ahead fearlessly, flanked by her senior corpswomen, her trusted niece, and Michael. They all forged constructs; violet swords and spears hacking into Doomsday just long enough to free a Star Sapphire trapped in his meaty hand. Michael crafted a maul and bashed Doomsday on the head, earning a baleful roar in retort. The monster lashed out with a punch and Michael strengthened his aura. The blow still sent him hurtling back through the air.
"Michael!" Ghia'ta cried out only to be drawn back into the fight as a backhand sent Miss Bloss flying. Forging a whip, she lashed the monster's outstretched arm, binding its wrist in an attempt to hold it in place. But Doomsday merely swung his arm around and dragged Ghia'ta through the air before slamming her into the ground, her aura absorbing the damage but still channeling the concussive force that the Zamaron felt acutely. The monster lunged to try and stomp on her but Ghia'ta darted out of the way and took flight before Doomsday's clawed foot tore up the ground she had been laying on.
"With me, Ghia'ta!" Aga'po called out, summoning her ring to fashion chains around Doomsday's limbs. Ghia'ta did likewise, attempting to tie the monster down to the ground. Doomsday struggled fiercely, thrashing against the chains as the Zamarons tried to hold him down. More Star Sapphires joined in, adding their violet chains to the mix to keep Doomsday well and truly strapped. But the more they tried, the more Doomsday struggled. The Star Sapphires unleashed as much of their energy as they could only to see their chains begin to snap and break.
With a deafening bellow, Doomsday broke free, the chains snapping into glass-like shards that rained down around him. The Star Sapphires rebuffed, Michael dove back in with a battle axe and drove it towards Doomsday's skull. The monster recoiled but was otherwise unhurt. On Michael's next swing, his clawed hands reached out and grabbed the axe's handle, trapping him in a stalemate. Dragging him in, Doomsday slammed his forehead into Michael and sent him sprawling, his construct shattering into pieces of glassy light. A pair of bright green missile constructs exploded against Doomsday's back, pitching the monster onto his face.
"Sorry I'm late, had to make a call." Hal Jordan announced as he floated onto the scene. Several of the elder Zamarons looked up and a wave of relief could be felt through all power rings.
"Green Lantern Hal Jordan… Thank Chya-ra you're here." Aga'po breathed.
"I tagged along with Mike and the princess after we wrapped up some business on Rann and Thanagar." The human answered. "Wasn't expecting this thing to be here, though."
"Of all the monstrosities… I only ever saw this thing in the news." Michael commented as Doomsday started crawling back to his feet. "Where's Superman when you need him?"
"We've got dozens of rings here, we may be able to make it work." Hal suggested. "Michael, follow me in and follow my lead. Queen Aga'po, Princess, bring up the rear and hit him with everything you've got." He swiftly ordered. Michael fell in line and rocketed towards Doomsday after Hal. "Let's clean his clock!"
Doomsday roared as the Lanterns approached, rings flashing brightly. Hal unleashed a large jet fighter construct that slammed into Doomsday, the monster shrugging it off as the Green shot over him and Michael followed, generating a ballistic missile construct that slammed hard into Doomsday's head, bowling him over. As Michael flew over the monster, Ghia'ta and Aga'po slammed sword constructs into Doomsday as other corpswomen bombarded the monster with explosive power bolts from their rings.
Roaring furiously, Doomsday ripped out huge chunks of the ground and threw them at his assailants, knocking Star Sapphires out of the air. Lunging with a mighty leap, he intercepted another and slammed her down into the ground, shattering every bone in her body. Throwing her broken remains into another Star Sapphire, he loosed a bellow that nearly deafened everyone around him…
Only to be drowned out when Michael dropped a scale replica of the battleship IJN Yamato right on top of him.
"I can only hope that'll slow him down." He remarked with a sigh, already seeing his construct tremble and shudder. Despite his efforts, Doomsday broke free moments later, blue shards filling the air as the Yamato construct explosively erupted.
"Keep trying!" Hal called out, generating a suite of explosive sea mines from his ring. Each one rolled into Doomsday, erupting against his bone-plated arms and singing his skin black. More Star Sapphire's joined in to try and take him down, raining spear constructs upon the beast as Michael fashioned a hwacha to unload dozens of rocket-propelled spear tips upon Doomsday. The creature slid back under the barrage, Hal Jordan chipping in with an anti-air turret that blasted Doomsday over and over.
Lunging ahead with a thunderous stomp, Doomsday drove his shoulder first into Hal and shattered his construct, bowling the Green Lantern over. Michael was next, punched out of sight by a single blow that destroyed his construct. The Star Sapphires suffered next, pummeled out of the air with heavy fists that sent them tumbling across the ground. Ghia'ta swooped in to check on them.
"Savith! S'leen!" The Tamaranean of the two (her Star Sapphire garb resembling a bikini) was helped up with a groan. The white Martian remained unconscious on the ground. Another roar from Doomsday drew Ghia'ta's attention to the approaching monster, who was dropping down from above.
She ignited a protective bubble with a gasp, the force of Doomsdays landfall burying them partially underground. "No!" Aga'po cried, charging in fearlessly in with an accompaniment of her royal guard. They unleashed the full charge of their rings, drawing Doomsday's attention as ornate bows shot arrows that shattered against his bony skin. The monster took to the air, leaping with superpowered muscles. A single Zamaron pulled Aga'po out of reach, only to be intercepted by Doomsday and a powerful blow ripped her body in two. "Monster!" Aga'po rushed forward with a spear in hand, attempting to plunge it clean through Doomsday's heart.
Her construct broke against the bone-plated monster and the Queen found herself ensnared by Doomsday's clawed hand. He turned her body into an improvised weapon and beat her Zamarons out of the air before he began to squeeze.
Suddenly a blue clamp wrapped around the monster's head, blinding him. Tossing Aga'po away, Doomsday began to grapple with Michael's construct in an attempt to rip it off his face. Michael struggled hard against the flailing monster, spawning chains from his ring to pin Doomsday within a set of stocks. "Down, you bastard! Down!" He growled through gritted teeth. Pouring all his hope that they would keep Doomsday pinned into his constructs, Michael summoned chains and anchors to encircle the beast and pin him against the ground. Doomsday thrashed violently against his bonds, shattering the lesser chains and freeing the anchors until he finally broke free of the stocks with a triumphant bellow.
Michael recoiled from his concentration being wrecked only to see Doomsday hurtling towards him. His fists pounded Michael's protective aura and flung him into the ground. The Blue Lantern skipped across the ground and forced himself up as Doomsday pounced. Grabbing Michael, the brutish creature threw him down with enough force to bounce him off the ground, where the monster plowed into him with a powerful uppercut that pitched Michael through the air. Suddenly Michael was back in Doomsday's arms. The mighty beast grabbed his limbs in two hands as he held him aloft and began to tug, threatening to rip the human limb from limb. Michael loosed a scream of pain that echoed across the plains.
"Michael! No!" Ghia'ta pounced on Doomsday from behind, fashioning a whip and circling it around his thick neck and tugging. When that did absolutely nothing to deter him, she hurriedly fashioned knives and tried repeatedly stabbing him in the back until they fractured and shattered. "Let him go! Let him go!" She yelled, reinforcing her fists and punching Doomsday in the back of the head over and over again… and still the monster did not budge from slowly tearing Michael asunder. His protective aura flickered, threatening to dissipate as the pain mounted and overwhelmed him…
He was only saved when a blur of blue and red slammed into Doomsday with such precision that he and Ghia'ta were pitched free.
The monstrosity was powered into a nearby cliffside with an ear-shattering BOOM as a miniature rockslide ensued in its wake. Michael rolled across the ground, breathing heavily as his ring recharged his aura. "Abrasions detected to muscular system. Performing cellular regeneration." It announced as it began to heal his arms.
"Michael!" Ghia'ta was by his side in a flash. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live…" He groaned, forcing himself to roll over. A shadow fell over them and for a brief moment he believed Doomsday was upon them again.
"Need a hand?" A calm, deep voice inquired. Michael looked up to see a Caucasian hand offered to him, which was extended by a man clad in blue with a great red cape flowing behind him. A great triangular shield sat upon his chest; a framed red 'S' against a golden background. The human looked up in awe as he noted dark curly hair set above piercing blue eyes.
He knew him.
"You're Superman." Michael realized, eyes wide. The Man of Steel smiled.
"I wasn't expecting a human out in these parts." He replied. Michael took his offered hand as he was helped up.
"Michael Ryker. Blue Lantern." He stuttered in greeting. "W-What are you… How did you…?"
"Hal got in touch with us. The Javelin's fast but not that fast. We needed one of Cyborg's Boom-Tubes." Superman answered. The dull roar of of a vessel overhead drew Michael's attention to the knife-like spaceship descending through Zamaron's atmosphere. A forward boarding ramp descended from the nose to disgorge more occupants from within; Martian Manhunter led the way, followed closely by Shazam, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg as they joined him in flight. The Flash darted out and started sprinting down a nearby mountainside, quickly becoming a scarlet blur wreathed in electricity. Batman was the last out, grappling to the ground as he joined the rest in converging on Doomsday.
The Justice League had arrived.
"We've handled Doomsday before. We'll take him again." Superman promised, taking off and flying straight towards the embedded monster. Michael stood dazed for a moment, watching the Justice league go to work. Ghia'ta could sense the myriad of emotions coming off of him.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you were nervous." She commented.
"The Justice League are Earth's greatest heroes. They've saved the world dozens of times, everybody looks up to them." Michael said quietly. "And now they're here… helping us out."
Far ahead, Doomsday burst out of the rubble with a roar and lunged for Superman. The Man of Steel struck hard with rapid-fire blows, pummeling Doomsday out of the air. Flash moved in as Doomsday plummeting, running in circles at high speed until he generated a cyclone keeping the monster spinning in the air, disorienting him. Wonder Woman lunged to attack with a shout, her shield and sword slamming into Doomsday and knocking him to the ground.
"J'onn! Can you mess with his mind?" Superman asked over their shared comms.
"He is pure rage, Superman." Martian Manhunter stoically answered. "My last attempt did not end well. I can, however, aggravate him until Batman has the restraining materials in position."
"How much time do you need?" Superman asked.
"Not long." Batman grunted in response. "Manhunter, move him towards the Javelin." The Martian moved to stand before the rising Doomsday, tall and still with his blue collared cape rustling faintly in a planetary breeze. The monster roared and swung, J'onn turning intangible so his clawed hand passed right through him. Frustrated, Doomsday persisted, swinging hard and pursuing the faintly-visible Martian as J'onn stepped leisurely back to draw Doomsday in closer. To keep his attention, J'onn became tangible again and blasted Doomsday in the face with energy bolts from his eyes. The monster recoiled and roared in pain but, unsurprisingly, pushed through and grabbed the Martian. J'onn's polymorphic body slithered its way out of Doomsday's grasp as the monster began stomping and swinging. The ground trembled and quaked, bits of rock shooting up to pitch Martian Manhunter far away from the monster.
"Someone get on him!" Hal cried, creating a pair of clamps around Doomsday's feet to keep him restrained for a moment. Cyborg dove in with his arm morphed into power fist configuration, slugging Doomsday across the face and sending him spinning and into the clutches of Shazam. Electric-laced fists punched him back and forth, rattling Doomsday just long enough for Shazam to grab the monster and hoist him over his head. "SHAZAM!" A lightning bolt struck from above at the shout of the magic name, blasting Doomsday square in the chest before the hero threw him away, sending Doomsday rolling across the ground. The Justice League assembled before him, drawing the attention of the monster as it picked itself up. With sudden swiftness, Batman vaulted over Doomsday and slapped a beacon on his back. Landing in a crouch and toggling a control on the underside of its gauntlet, Batman rolled away from Doomsday's slamming fist just as the Javelin fired a pair of missiles at the monster.
The explosion produced a blast of electric light that blinded all observing. When it faded, Doomsday was frozen mid-stride.
"Stasis missiles work, Cyborg." Batman stated.
"He's right. His central nervous system is fully paralyzed." Superman confirmed after analyzing the monster with his x-ray vision. A collective sigh of relief fell across everyone present.
"Thank Khu-fu." Ghia'ta wiped her brow. She floated down alongside Queen Aga'po and a few other Star Sapphires.
"So this is who you called." Michael surmised as he looked to Hal.
"Nothing like the one's who beat Doomsday once before." The Green responded. "Oh! Intros. Justice League, meet Mike Ryker the Blue Lantern. Mike, meet the Justice League." Hal introduced. Michael waved sheepishly.
"I can't believe I'm meeting you all in person. I-I mean, I've seen you all in the news but… I've never been… On your level, so to speak." He proffered. Hal casually draped an arm around him.
"Pretty good for a rookie, eh? Standing up to Doomsday so fearlessly like that,"
"Speaking of which, we need to get ol' bone-boy moved back into deep space where he belongs." Flash remarked.
"Maybe a black hole this time." Michael suggested. "Something with an intense gravity field he can't escape from." As they spoke, little did they realize that Doomsday was still capable of sight and sound even with his body paralyzed. He could hear them, see them, know they were within his grasp… and the lone fact that he could not lash out and kill them nearly drove him insane with unbridled rage. His desire to destroy life in every form screamed at him to act, especially with such a gathering slow close at hand. But he could not move a muscle, let alone twitch, and thus his fury brewed…
So intensely did it brew that, out here, where the supernatural nature of the cosmos meets mere mortality in many a close brush, that his fury was answered as only the universe could. It was a nature none could have stopped even if they tried.
A bright light formed over Zamaron, descending lower and lower as it took on a distinct crimson hue. Doomsday saw it. Heard it calling to him in the most innate of ways. His mind, a web of rage and primal instinct, reacted like a stringed instrument plucked. This was meant for him. This wanted him.
Michael and Hal realized with suddenness (long before the other heroes did) what was happening as the red glow manifested into a small metal ring that hovered before Doomsday. "There is great rage within you…" a voice from beyond told him as the ring manifested brightly. "You belong to the Red Lantern Corps…"
"No, NO!" Michael cried, shooting towards the monster with his power ring ablaze. But he was too late. For in that moment the Red Lantern ring settled upon Doomsday's finger… and a blinding shockwave of red light blew everyone off their feet.
Within seconds of donning the ring, Doomsday was transformed. His bone spikes became like glassy rubies as veins of blood burbled across his chest, forming the symbol of his new Corps upon his chest. The green shorts, remnants of an old containment suit, shifted to a bright red and pitch black. His eyes began to glow as his bone protrusions grew wider and longer.
What was once an unstoppable monster was now a nightmarish brute of demonic proportions.
Freed from his stasis, Doomsday uttered a terrifying bellow as fountains of acid blood frothed beneath him and the whole of Zamaron trembled as his great rage was made manifest.
"Great Hera!" Wonder Woman cried. "What magic is this?!"
"Red Lanterns. Avatars of rage." Hal said. "Somehow the emotional spectrum reacted to Doomsday and saw fit to give him a red ring-" He was cut short as Doomsday vomited a colossal stream of napalm blood towards the heroes and they scattered.
"We need a new plan." Batman decided as Flash set him down. "Lantern, ideas?"
"We get the ring off his finger, that should slow him down." Hal replied. "Easier said than done, though, red rings aren't as technical as green rings. They're made with blood magic." Batman frowned.
"We have to try. Otherwise, Doomsday looks like he could rip the planet in half." Superman stated, diving in to try and attack. The monstrosity headed him off with a red-wreathed punch, his glowing fist powering Superman well into the distance where he crashed into one of Zamaron's mountains.
"There goes our big gun." Flash remarked.
"Not yet. Hal, Michael, restrain him if you can! Shazam, Victor, hit him with everything you've got!" Wonder Woman ordered. The two Lanterns moved to attack, fashioning chains and handcuffs from their power rings to try and bind Doomsday. Shazam brought his hands together and forged a Bolt of Zeus before hurling it at the monster. The lightning crackled against Doomsday's red aura, leaving him untouched. Cyborg converted his hands into sonic disruptors and blasted Doomsday with concentrated soundwaves while Shazam thrust out his fists to unleash twin bolts of raw lightning.
Doomsday roared, shrugged free of Michael and Hal with ridiculous ease and unleashed another blast of napalm vomit. Both Cyborg and Shazam dove for cover.
Meanwhile, Ghia'ta and Aga'po were helping their Star Sapphires rise. A unique effect of the violet light was its immunity to the red light as they were both on opposing ends of the electromagnetic spectrum. As such the infectious red rage would not harm them.
"I fear this monster is more than a match for even our new allies." Aga'po muttered quietly. "Even with our rings fully charged, we may not be able to safe Zamaron."
"No! We can't give up!" Ghia'ta insisted. Aga'po touched her face.
"My dear niece… do you remember what I taught you about picking your battles? This, I fear, we cannot win. That monster's strength is too much for us as we are and while we may be safe from the effects of the red light, our home is not."
"We have to try. We can't give up until we've tried!" Ghia'ta insisted, taking flight and barreling towards Doomsday as she fashioned a pair of oversized sword constructs. She met the monster's aura head on as she hacked against his wall of red. Doomsday swept aside her weapons and his ring reacted, growing his aura into a supersized version of himself that stomped down upon the princess. Ghia'ta shielded herself with a protective bubble but cracks quickly formed with each repetitive blow. Just as Doomsday attempted to crush her underfoot, Michael dove in and scooped her up, carrying her away from the miniature earthquake that followed.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'll live." Ghia'ta replied, sounding winded. "Aren't blue rings supposed to be more effective against red rings?" She asked, recalling their most recent encounter with the reds.
"Doomsday is nothing but rage. It's not just his dominant emotion, it's his only emotion." Michael replied. "I can try, but I'm going to need time. Lots of it."
"I'll get it for you." Ghia'ta promised. She took flight and squared off against Doomsday again as he backhanded Wonder Woman with a supersized red fist. "You like big things, monster? Try this on for size…" Calling upon every ounce of power in her ring, Ghia'ta created a colossal statue of a Zamaron warrior, pulled from her memories of the carvings scene in the ancient archives. The gigantic construct struck down upon Doomsday as the red-fueled monster tried to fight back against a supersized spear and shield.
"This might be our chance." Batman realized. "Flash, Manhunter, try to trip him up." The speedster darted in without a second though, moving just fast enough to generate a scarlet lightning bolt that struck Doomsday in the thigh as J'onn blasted his other leg with his Martian vision. Doomsday stumbled but did not fall even as Ghia'ta's construct stabbed at him with her oversized spear. It took Superman rejoining the fight to finally put him on his back, but even as the Man of Steel crawled up out of the crater he was blasted away by more napalm breath. Doomsday shot free, lashing out with his ring as giant fists slammed into Hal Jordan and Superman, sending them both sprawling. Batman threw a trio of batarangs, each one exploding against Doomsday's protective aura. Seemingly ignoring him, the monster made a beeline for Ghia'ta's construct, flying up to her head where a single red punch shattered it and caused the princess to collapse from the mental feedback.
It was then that the blue light caught his attention.
He turned to face it. Michael was attempting to enter his mind and capitalize on Doomsday's hopes, using such fuel to calm the red light of rage so much that the ring would leave him. But Doomsday was less of a sentient individual and more of a primal force of nature. And with a red ring fueling him, he discovered a newfound hatred… the blue light itself. Blue was the opposite of red, for hope quelled rage with the notion of imminent success, and the red light hated it. Fighting against the whispering light attempting to invade his head, Doomsday lashed out with a shockwave of crimson power erupting from his ring. Michael, his concentration broken, dove out of the way as he created a giant blue anvil for Doomsday to collide with. It rattled the monster but not enough to stop him completely as Michael tried again bathing Doomsday within his blue aura.
The monster bellowed and lashed out with a giant red fist, ensnaring Michael with burning, searing heat as he was flung into a nearby cliffside. Doomsday came barreling after him, his spiked shoulder slamming into Michael and propelling them both clean through the cliff and back onto the crystal fields. Michael tumbled, launched further by another raw blast from Doomsday's power ring. He hit a particularly large crystal and fell to the ground, silent and unmoving. The monster advanced, seeking to savour the kill, as fiery fumes belched forth from his eyes and mouth. From behind, Ghia'ta bore witness with a gasp and acted instinctively.
Just as Doomsday unleashed his napalm vomit, Ghia'ta flew between them and ignited a protective shield with her power ring.
The pink disc held its own, dissipating Doomsday's attack as Ghia'ta was forced to her knees under the onslaught. But Doomsday persisted. He would find death this day and no one would end him. The intensity of the napalm mounted and Ghia'ta began to sweat as she forced her ring to maintain her shield even as cracks began to form in it. More and more spread across its surface as Doomsday blasted her, until her construct shattered and Ghia'ta was consumed by napalm vomit.
Her pained scream carried across the crystal fields and jerked Aga'po's head towards its origin. It was enough to stir Michael back to consciousness who looked up just in time to see Ghia'ta blasted by the heated napalm. "GHIA'TA!" He cried out in alarm just as Doomsday's assault was disrupted by Superman crashing back into him and carrying the monster down the length of the field. Michael didn't care, rushing to cradle the princess in his arms. She was burnt, badly so. Her clothes singed black and her skin a mass of agonizing burns… worst of all, she wasn't moving. "Ghia'ta…?" Michael whispered, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he touched her once angelic face.
Aga'po arrived, flanked by Miss Bloss, Nadia, and others, and gasped in horror at the sight of her niece. Michael looked up, his eyes wide with fright and loss. He didn't know what to do. Panic was setting in as the Zamarons gathered around, trying to coax some life back into the grievously wounded princess.
And in the background, the dull roars of the Red Lantern Doomsday echoed, met only by the superhuman blows rained upon him as he battled the Justice League…