Heralding a New Day

[corps_of_death]

A flash of white light.

Nekron stands before a white being, composed of white light, curled up as if asleep -- or afraid.

"Your lie has been revealed, Guardians," Nekron swears... then swings his scythe towards the creature.

As the scythe connects, every being in the universe is hit with a sharp stab of agony.

Comments

[lanternslight]

Hal staggers. "What was that?!" Hal demands.

[corps_of_hope]

"That... is the first entity of the universe," Ganthet explains, catching his own breath. "Hidden here on Earth, the Entity has been hidden, for its very existence allows life within the universe."

[rageofthered]

"You *knew* it was here and you refused to tell us? If I were not preoccupied with stopping Nekron I would remove your head from your shoulders!" Atrocitus yelled as he recovered from the strike at the White Entity.

[batinthenight]

Atrocitus' reply was far more atriculate than Batman's. The Red Lantern Bat simply snarled in rage even has he held his middle. How dare the Guardians keep something so important from them?!

[corps_of_life]

Sinestro fires again and again, though Nekron appears to ignore him.

"Nekron!" Sinestro bellows. "You will leave this universe! MY universe!"

[corps_of_death]

But Nekron swings his scythe once more, and once again every being in the universe feels agony.

Sinestro collapses as the white light leaves him.

[lanternslight]

"'Your' universe, Sinestro?" Hal asks with a snarl.

[corps_of_hope]

"The light of the Entity cannot be unlocked by one," Ganthet points out, furrowing his forehead in thought. "We must have those who have touched the emotional spectrum -- and not merely by these transient deputizing rings. One for each of the colors."

[super_shrink]

Heart rate was steady, music flowed through the ear buds making her work harder, faster. She was working up a good sweat now, not much further, almost there

[corps_of_hope]

Sayd breathes out with surprise. "No... you have an Indigo ring... and it's not a deputy ring." She looks up at the woman. "You can help save the world."

[super_shrink]

Her eyes were closed, she calmed her breathing and forced her body to accept that she was not truly seeing or feeling what she thought she was.

But that voice seemed to beg to differ.

"Yes, well, see this isn't really mine. It just sort of showed up. If it's yours I'm happy to give it back and then I'll just head off home."

She was still trying to apply logic here, but coming to the end of it rather quicker than she'd hoped.

[corps_of_hope]

"You have been chosen, Sasha Baranova," Sayd explains. "You have great compassion. And you can use that today to save every living being in this universe... and perhaps beyond."

[corps_of_hope]

Ganthet looks at the gathered humans.

John has touched rage.
Travis has touched greed.
Hal has touched fear.
Both Kyle and Guy have touched will.
Hugh has touched hope.
Sasha has touched compassion.
Carol has touched love.

"Focus on the emotion you represent. Allow yourself to feel it. What you fear; what you love; what you hope."

[buildsgreen]

He's warm and comfortable. A bright light shimmers like a heat mirage, filling his whole being.

But he can't stay. He dimly recalls Katma, rallying his sorry butt once again to go deal with the whole problems of the universe. He's more than earned this peace and quiet and again he's not done marching just like a good little soldier should. Again he has to come back and go kick some bully in the shins, put a bullet in his head or engineer something to send the bully packing for one more day.

Nothing stays fixed. Not the Corp. Not the JLA. Not even love stays around for him.

So when he feels gently prodded away from Katma and any sort of heaven he might have earned, he'll be a man about it. When something starts pulling him past that sense of well-earned peace he could use to heal from a lifetime of abuse, he's more than a might grouchy. When he begins to feel like his very soul is being slapped awake by something more powerful, something that keeps wanting to break everything he's ever stood for...everything he ever set

[blind_will]

This is easy. All his life, Travis has wanted. There was this big empty pit inside him that could never be filled. He never ate well enough. He could never identify quite what that horrible anxiety that replaced fear was, when he had to sleep behind a dumpster, listening to sirens and gunfire. He needed to fight, to do something, and yet he couldn't.

And he hungered.

And then when he had the power, it was never enough. There was always another mugging. Another person starving. More drugs, more poverty, more horrors that he had never seen, and yet knew better than he knew anything else in the world.

And he wanted.He had to have more. Somehow, his will could do anything - except make a dent. Except let him go home

[lanternslight]

The fear...

He remembered it. He remembered it insinuating itself into his heart. Changing him. Making him different.

No. That was in the past. Memories of fear aren't feeling fear.

He was without fear.

He'd touched fear in the past, but he has overcome it. He has been given a new shot at life -- something few people ever get -- and he's doing it right. He's married Carol. He's with the Justice League again. He has Henry.

Henry.

And suddenly, he knows fear again.

Every strike on that white being causes excruciating agony to every being in the universe... including his son. And the Black Lanterns went after family members... including his son.

If Henry lives, he's in pain because of this monster. And he might be dead.

Hal lets the fear of this wash over him, even as he knows, he'll do whatever it takes to set things right.

[flash_fact]

The battlefield was chaos. Millions of dead returning to life, Nekron at full power, the scarlet speedster was at a loss.

All he knew was his friends were in danger, and he was here - hopefully just in time - to help.