What he was doing was the height of his own foolishness.
In the centuries since he had first taken up his duty, not once had he ever carried out a plan that could even be considered to be anywhere near as foolish, but despite that, this was what he felt he had to do.
That which. he felt, he had no choice but to do.
He had to know.
When he had been ordered to arrest the members of the Five Inversions, he hadn't known what to think of it. In truth, he hadn't thought anything of it. He had been given the task directly from the Guardians, and it was his task - his duty - to see it carried out.
And carry it our he had.
It was over a decades' worth of constant work, but one-by-one he'd captured each of the five members, hunting them down, defeating them in battle, detaining them as prisoners and then transporting them to the prison planet of Ysmault, which was waiting for them, and where he had seen to it that each one of them had been placed into a cell, specially designed to contain each of their unique biologies and abilities.
He hadn't been back since.
Until today.
And as he touched down, the very first step of his foot crossing the threshold that separated their containment units from the rest of the prisoners, he was heralded by a cacophony of amused calls and dark chuckles.
"And you have returned, as we knew you would".
"So many questions on his mind, desperation pours from his pores, and yet, he must learn that escaping your fate is impossible".
"You know that already, though, don't you? Deep down, he knows that his fate has already been written, and that one day, when he needs it the most, he will look to his magic ring for help".
"Yes… and he already knows to believe in our prophecies, and he knows, that on that very same day, when he needs it the most, his special ring will fail him".
"Enough", he took a breath, as the leader of the Five Inversions stepped forwards, right up to the wall of his cell, which was easily filled by his imposing frame of scarlet skin, "these secrets are for us, and us alone. You have shared too much with this one already".
A moment later, all five celled occupants were slammed against the front of their cells, squashed against the forcefield that functioned in place of tempered glass, as he held them all in place with the power of the emerald light that spewed from the ring that sat upon his finger.
The greatest weapon in the known universe.
Willpower made manifest.
Will made into power.
And power unmatched.
"ENOUGH!"
They struggled futilely in place for a few moments, before he dropped four of them, letting them scurry back into the darkness of their cells, as he stepped forwards, bringing him as close to their exalted leader as was possible without breaking into his cell.
He was no less unattractive up close.
Tall and bulging with thick, corded muscle, his open maw showed off a row of bright white fangs, and his eyes, naturally a bright yellow in colour, burned with his own hatred.
"You do not get to choose, Atrocitus, when you will talk to me and when you will not", with barely a thought, he tightened his grip on the man, squeezing his sides, until they felt fit to burst, even as he took a moment to look around at the other prisoners as well, "I will know everything that you know, demons. You will tell me what you know about the fate of the universe. You will tell me what you know about the coming cosmic revelations", he tightened his grip even further, until even the mighty Atrocitus was squirming in pain, "and you tell me all that which you know about the Blackest Night".
=== === === === ===
"Earth, my friend? I've looked it up on our database. It's nothing. A primitive ball of dirt. I know it's in your sector, but what in the name of the Guardians would you want to venture there for?"
He sat back on his control chair, tapping away at the controls, as he made sure that his ship was safely continuing on its course and was preparing to begin the process for decelerating out of the hyperspace lane, "It is my destiny".
"Oh, not this again. I told you before, there's no such thing as destiny".
An amused smirk tugged at his lips at the note of derision in his friend's voice, "We must agree to disagree on that one, old friend, because according to my sources, Earth is, or at least, will be, the birthplace of the Black. The very antithesis of our emotional spectrum, and that which is said will one day consume all light from the universe".
"Not the 'Blackest Night' again. I am beginning to worry about you. Your obsession with this stories, these lies, if you will, is becoming somewhat troubling. I am of half a mind to report you to the Guardians".
"I am fine".
"And yet, you have chosen to pilot your private vessel, rather than rely upon your ring".
He sighed, his eyes settling on his hand, "It was foretold that my ring will fail me when I need it the most".
There was a scoff over the line, "'Foretold'. Foretold by what exactly? A group of foolish prisoners on Ysmault", he didn't look behind him, but he felt, more than heard, the growl at the insult, "those would-be demons weave their tales and false prophecies in an attempt to instil fear and doubt into your heart. Do not allow them to control you. Focus only on your will, and you will be fine".
"The Guardians have forbidden any further discussion of the inevitable Rise of Darkness, but I will find proof, and then, we can begin to properly prepare the Corps".
"Should there even be proof to find, how exactly do you propose to find that which even the Guardians themselves could not?"
"With the leader of the Five Inversions, Atrocitus. He will lead me to the place that will birth the Black".
"I WILL LEAD YOU ONLY TO YOUR DEATH!"
Since he'd been brought on board his personal vessel, less than an galactic standard half-day ago, Atrocitus had spewed many death threats at his back, and he had already become well-practiced in ignoring them, but his friend merely raised an eyebrow, "Please tell me that you did not remove Atrocitus from his cell on Ysmault".
Abin Sur smiled, "Then I will tell you nothing of the sort".
"The Guardians will have your ring for this".
"Then perhaps you should wish me luck".
"…Even if I am… wary of this venture, and I do not believe in the validity of any of it, should you find something and believe that you are in need back-up, then know that not even the Guardian's territorial edict will keep me out of your sector".
"Thank you… you are a true friend Sinestro".
"A better one than you deserve, at any rate".
He smiled, "Indeed", his gaze snapped to his instruments, as his ship's panels lit up with an alert, and he nodded to himself, aware of what needed to be done, "I must go now. My ship is about to drop out of hyperspace".
"Be careful".
"Am I not always?"
"I will not deign to answer that", they shared a smile at that, before his friend's hologram reached out, no doubt for his own controls, "and Abin… good luck".
"Thank you, old friend", he smiled again, but this time, he could feel the strain on his features, "this is Abin Sur, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, signing off".
=== === === === ===
The ship exited hyperspace with the same ease as that of which it had entered, bringing the ship into Earth's upper atmosphere, where he immediately engaged its jamming technologies, which would no doubt render it all but invisible to the primitive technologies of the Earth.
He waited a handful of moments to be certain, but after no alarms blared signalling weapons fire or detection, he instructed his ring to find a quiet, discrete place to settle down, and then guide the ship there, ignoring his own sense of disgust, when he saw the amount of debris, both large objects and small pieces, that littered the planet's immediate orbital plane.
Earth was a planet that had abandoned its attempts to look beyond themselves, thinking they were the only life in the universe, and their waste was as disgusting to look at, as their sense of arrogance was simply offensive.
Still, that was not why he had come.
With little difficulty, his ship course corrected itself, and with confirmation that they would make a safe landing, Abin Sur fought back the urge to breathe a sigh of relief, simply relaxing his shoulders, but as minute as the action was, it did not go unnoticed, and from his place imprisoned behind him, Atrocitus chuckled with what he recognised was his usual amount of dark amusement.
"You will not find what you seek here, Green Lantern".
He spat the last word with a growl, as though Abin Sur's calling was the vilest insult he could think of, but he simply shook his head, refusing to allow himself to be rattled, "I seek only the truth".
Atrocitus simply chuckled once again, "No… no, you seek a way to avert your own fate. To avert the fate of the universe. You seek a way to stop the Blackest Night", he shook his head, as Abin Sur turned to face him, "nothing more than a foolish idea, born of your arrogance".
Despite his better instincts, he couldn't help his own innate curiosity, "Foolish? Arrogance?"
"The Blackest Night cannot be stopped. You can't stop it. You can't delay it. You can't prevent it. You can only face it".
"Please, do forgive me if I don't take your word for it".
"You can only face it… like your own death. It looms over you, even now".
"As I told you once, Atrocitus, all those years ago, I am a Green Lantern. I do not fear death".
"But you are afraid, Green Lantern. Ever since you encountered my brothers and sisters. The vision we showed you, your ring failing you, right when you need it the most", the behemoth chuckled again, "and now? Now you choose to pilot a ship, one armed with weapons and covered in defences. What's the matter little Lantern… don't you trust your own equipment? Your own will?"
He grit his teeth, not wanting to rise to the bait, and yet, he felt compelled to respond all the same, "I am simply taking suitable precautions. The Black remains an unknown to all of us, even you. Only a fool would face it head on, with no attempt at a plan, or a back-up".
"Heh. Your faith in your own power is crumbling down around you. You are afraid. Afraid to rely on your ring. Afraid to rely on its strength. Afraid to rely on your own will. You don't believe your own ring is strong enough to save you. It makes your mind weak. Your mind makes your willpower weak… and your willpower… makes your constructs WEAK!"
And with a roar, Atrocitus shattered the restraint holding him prisoner; and broke himself free.
=== === === === ===
"Your fear", Atrocitus lunged at him, "my freedom", his clawed hands raked across his chest, cutting through the protection of his uniform with ease. Years of combat practice kicked in and he retaliated, aiming for his throat, cutting off his access to oxygen for a moment. The blow was glancing against Atrocitus' muscle and thickened skin, but it was enough to put a few units of distance between them.
The mauve of his blood seeped from the wound he'd been dealt, and he focused on healing for a moment, willing his ring to help staunch the flow, but the effort took more than it should have, and then he realised that Atrocitus had been speaking the truth.
He was afraid.
Atrocitus lunged again with an almighty roar, and he conjured a protective bubble on instinct, but it was futile. The crimson colossus punched through it in a single blow. A defensive technique that had more than once protected him through the explosion of supernovae shattered, as though it were made from nothing more than common plant wood and sent him slamming backwards, his own head colliding with the wall of his ship.
"Ngh… no", he gasped, as a wave of nausea gripped him, and he fought back the urge to vomit, "I cannot allow you to escape".
With extreme effort, he brought his arm up to fire off a blast of energy, the most basic attack he could think of, but his constructs remained weak, desperate even, and Atrocitus simply swatted it aside with his hand, letting it tear a hole in the hull of his ship.
Alarms began to blare as they rapidly decelerated, dropping into the planet's airspace, and with another bout of force, he pushed himself upright, only for him to find one of the villain's foul claws in his wound, as he ripped away some of his tissue. Had he not bitten down, clamping his jaw together, he would've done nothing but scream, as bits of blood, skin and even pieces of his internal organs were sucked away from him and tossed into the planet's atmosphere. It was only the power of his ring that kept him from losing all of the air he needed; he could feel it trying to provide him with emergency medical care, but despite its best attempts, he knew that it was too late.
He had given into fear, and in doing so, he had doubted his own will.
He had doubted his own will, and in doing so, he weakened the power of his own ring.
And now? At the moment he needed it most, his ring would fail to save him.
He was about to die.
Just as the prophecy had foretold.
"Good luck, Green Lantern… and goodbye".
He blinked, which took far more effort than it should have, and watched on, helpless to stop him, as Atrocitus leapt out of the breach he had created, and into the skies of the planet below.
"Fool", he murmured, "he's leapt to his death", before dragging himself to his control chair and feeling its systems engage beneath him, "Ring, what's this ship's projected point of impact?"
'We are currently aimed at the city of Tokyo, in the country of Japan. Initial loss of life due to impact is estimated at approximately twenty-eight hundred terrestrial life forms. Secondary explosions and damage due to impact will claim significantly more. Total loss of life estimated in excess of ten thousand'.
"Then… I cannot abandon this ship… I have to land elsewhere… help me… find a safer path".
'Affirmative'.
"…and records these next words… my last words… and the file information… for Thaal Sinestro, Green Lantern 1417".
'Affirmative'.
=== === === === ===
Abin Sur would like to say that he faced his final moments with a quiet dignity, but he was unsure how much of that could be said to be true. Pain and injury closed his eyes as the ship crash landed, but as he forced himself awake, presumably for the last time, he acknowledged that it had chosen an excellent spot to force an emergency landing.
It was a beached area, far enough away from the nearest inhabited city to remain private, and while from the skies, it looked beautiful and welcoming, from the ground, he realised that the waste that seemed to have piled up on it would help to hide his presence, before he could be safely found.
Hopefully, his ship's jamming systems had been able to prevent its detection too, and his successor would be given the time needed to see that his remains were taken care of. He could be returned home, to lay beside his wife in their eternal rest.
He'd like that.
He smiled at the thought, even knowing that he now had had little time left, which would become even less at the moment when the emergency medical protocols that were helping to keep him alive were disabled, but he couldn't keep them going forever.
Earth was a primitive world, far removed from the politics of the galaxy, and the native humans were such a young species.
He simply hoped that whoever was chosen, would be ready for the honour that he was about to see bestowed upon them
And the responsibility that came with it.
Reaching down, he removed the ring from his finger.
The moment it was removed, more blood burst out of his wound, and he bit his lips to hold back a scream, before raising the ring to his mouth.
"Find them. Find the one. Bring them to me… and let them be worthy of you".
'Ring status report: New user required… Space Sector 2814 scan for replacement sentient initiated… New recruit located'.
Breathing was growing more difficult by the second, but despite it all, he managed to smile, "Yes. Go. Bring to me, my successor. Find me… the next Green Lantern".
=== === === === ===
Author's Notes:
Hello once again, and welcome to yet another corner of the Deku-Verse!
For those of you unfamiliar with the lore of the Green Lantern comic books, we won't get into too much detail here, but a lot of Part One of Volume One, will be meeting the other members of the Corps and learning about the Corps itself, as Izuku finds himself in desperate need of some training, and we send him off to study Ring-Slinging 101 with the Green Lantern equivalent of a Drill Sergeant.
It'll be fun… just not for the poozers.