The Blackest Night

This is tried on the caged Lanterns.

"AAIIEE!" screams one that is tested on.

"CONNECTION SEVERED"

The Black Lantern is reduced to ash and does not regenerate.

And so, Shein finds Albel now that the test worked. "You should have stayed dead, Nicolai. Or eaten the bullet I suggested you do." With that, he smiles faintly as he shines the light on Albel. He's assuming Jenova will do the same. If not, Arren will take the shield and do so for her. Both Shein and Arren want to see Albel turned to ash. Yep. After all, Albel threatened Shein and his family both.

Jenova really doesn't care who kills them, as long as they're dead. She has Teresa do it.

"Shut up, Prolin. AAIIIEE!"

"CONNECTION SEVERED"

Shein just raises a brow at the comment. "Well, you got one thing right at least." He chuckles to himself. The hatred and pleasure in his eyes are unmistakable when Albel finally turns to ash. He hands the thing over to Arren. He was about to speak when Kennah shows up looking for Shein to make sure he's safe. When he sees her, in that moment, nothing else matters to him and it's clear. He's by her side, her hands in his, and just staring at her. Now that they're out of danger, he's returned from the land of the emotionally dead.

Arren ignores Shein and Kennah and looks at Teresa. "Shall we?" He inclines his head toward the rest of the captured Lanterns.

Teresa shrugs and follows Arren to demolish the remaining Lanterns.

Aaron receives the message and passes it on to Joseph, who figures out a fairly coherent method of recalibrating any Selathorni energy weapon. The knowledge is dispersed to all technical teams, and military squads with modified weapons begin hunting down Black Lanters (and destroy the ones in stasis)

And all over Selathorn, "CONNECTION SEVERED" is heard and Black Lanterns crumble to dust.

On Ysmault, Black, Green and Red Lanterns attack each other before they are interrupted by four more Black Lanterns, specifically the four reanimated corpses of four of the Five Inversions of Ryut, survived only by Atrocitus, now the lead Red Lantern. Atrocitus rages against them as they tear his heart from his body. Instead of killing him, the act merely inflames his hatred - the red power rings keep the Red Lanterns alive and thus have no need of hearts. While they are surprised, he turns on them.

On Korugar, GL Hal Jordan, Sinestro, Carol Ferris and Indigo-1 are attacked by the Black Lanterns of Abin and Arin Sur. Together, the representatives of four Lantern Corps manage to sever the connection the black power rings have with their master and the two Black Lanterns are destroyed. With that done, Jordan takes control of the group and, begrudgingly, Sinestro calls a truce between his Corps and the GL Corps.

On the resurrected planet of Xanshi, Joh Stewart finds a discarded green power battery while being observed by a figure who wears both a green and a black power ring.

On Odym, Saint Walker and the other Blue Lanterns fight against the Orange ring constructs of Larfleeze who attempt to steal the Blue Central Power Battery. Jordan and his team arrive in time to help but the Orange Lanterns vanish mid-battle, leaving the Blue Power Battery behind.

The reason for the Orange Lanterns disappearance is revealed on Okaara as Larfleeze, Agent Orange, runs from the Black Lanterns of those he has killed to create his ring constructs. Finally accepting he needs help to fight them, he is surprised to find Atrocitus appearing, demanding his battery.

-----------------------------------

Mordred wanders around the remains of Coast City, one of many incinerated during the war.

"POWER LEVELS 93.55%"

"Do you think because Superman and the Flash and Green Arrow cheated death before, they can cheat it again? They cannot escape my Lord. The will not. "Let there be light" sparked the beginning of the war. Our Blackest Night will end it. And even the brightest of lights will be blown out."

In Metropolis, Lex Luthor (the one from Earth) contemplates on all the people he had killed over the years as he secures his laboratory and suits up in his armor.

Outside, the final heart is plucked out.

"POWER LEVELS 100%"

-----------------------------------------------

On Oa, the Black Lanterns there stop attacking the Green Lanterns as a command of "POWER LEVELS 100%. DEVOUR WILL" is heard. They come together to form a gigantic black construct that starts pulling the Green Central Power Battery off of its moorings, countered only by Green Lanterns Vath and Isamot, and Indigo tribe Munk. The other Green Lanterns rush forth to assist them while Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner retrieve and release Red Lantern Vice on the Black Lanterns, burning them faster than they can regenerate. It saves the Central Power Battery, but being Lanterns, they never have good luck.

Alpha Lantern Chaselon, rigid programmed shell of his former self that he is, mistakes Vice for an escapee and kills him, which causes the Black Lanterns to regain their hold on the Battery.
The Black Lanterns descend upon Chaselon and tear the Alpha Lantern's power battery from his body, rupturing its casing. Salaak reports this to Rayner who snatches Chaselon's battery from the Black Lanterns, using it as bait for the undead. Luring them towards him, Rayner quickly erects a force shield around him and the Black Lanterns.

Sending messages of love to both Soranik and Guy, Rayner is killed in the explosion of Chaselon's battery, taking many of the Black Lanterns with him.

--------------------------------------------------

Back on Earth, the Flash, sensing something wrong, runs towards Coast City, telling all to move there on the double.

In Space Sector 666, the planet Ryut, the Scarred Guardian states: "The light awaits."

The big black battery: "TRANSPORTING. SPACE SECTOR 2814."

As the Flash reaches Mordred, the Black Central Power Battery lands, sending forth even more black rings. Mordred takes a knee and encants, "Nekron. RISE."

A scythe emerges from the ground. A skeletal man emerges.

A nervous Barry says, "Hal... where the Hell are you?"

Nekron speaks, "Coast City. RISE." Addressing Barry directly as millions of Black Lanterns claw their way out of their graves, he says, "Barry Allen. You owe me your life. You all do."

"Uhh, guys, a little help?"

Elsewhere in the universe, the Black Lanterns gradually pull away from their attacks and move towards Earth, prompting the Rheans to do the same. They urge to Rutians, the Burninites, the Selathorni, and all others who can join them to help.

Selathorni ships immediately warp towards Earth/the MT Planet and the first thing they do is, interestingly enough, assisting Hew with recalibration of their energy weapons and destroying any Black Lanterns there (They don't really want one of the few bastions of civilization on North America to fall). Once they do, they begin moving troops to help keep the incoming lanterns back, while Generalissimo Roald sends a radio message to the Enclave.

***

To: Aisha and Jericho Derscon
From: Gsso. Roald Walker

Will you permit Municipal troops to enter Enclave territory to help clear out the new "Black Lanterns" from your nation? I will respect any decision you may make and I will keep them out if you wish it so.

~Gsso. Walker

When Arren and Shein hear about the call to help Earth, they're immediately concerned. The Enclave has too many dead to fight off alone if they've been raised. A quick explanation of why they're leaving to Jenova later, and Arren and Shein are off. They leave Kennah and the children in Jenova's care, though Kennah complains about it before resigning herself to being left behind.

Arren and Shein meet up with several thousand Rutian soldiers before landing on Earth in Enclave territory. They're recognised by their power armor and not fired upon by Enclave soldiers. After all, the Rutians are where the Enclave got their power armor.

The message from Hew is picked up by Eden rather than Aisha.

**********************************

To: Gsso. Roald Walker
From: President Eden

I'm sorry that I've intercepted your message. It seems that we've already received help from another source. Should you wish to work with them to wipe out this Black Lantern threat, I'll leave that up to you. No one will fire upon your soldiers.

President Eden

To: All Heads of State of Earth
From: Chancellor Raphael Bertinelli

For all the good our army can do with bullets, we pledge our support to the warding off of this Black Lantern threat. Our metahumans are fighting them as I write this.

-Chancellor Bertinelli

--------------------------------------------

The heads of houses are besieged by the Black Lantern version of their ancestors. The few energy weapons they have, such as lasers on C-130s, and Rhean blaster rifles, are modded to kill Black Lanterns. The rest just pump as much lead into them as possible in attempts to slow them down.

Imagine a switchboard with a series of different warning lights. Each warning light stands for something else; some different emergency than the previous light.

And just about every single light is blinking.

"What the hell is happening?" High Priest Radon demands.

"We don't have a clue. Our radar screens just went bonkers."

"Is it a glitch."

"No."

"Well then what the hell is it?"

"We think it's extra-terrestrials."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TO: Extra-Terrestrials
FROM: High Priest Radon, Bismouth

Greetings space travelers. What brings you to our humble planet?

Sincerely,
High Priest Radon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Imperial Family is offered the choice to remain on the Craftoworld, which will not be going to Earth. Only a few Motherships, Starships, and Jumpers make the trip. All cloaked, and all with their guns primed. No energy weapons, but they are now all equipped to beam a simmershield barrier around single Lanterns. They can trap one at a time.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Following Rayner's death, both Soranik and Gardner rush to their fallen friend, Gardner attempting to prevent Rayner's ring from leaving the planet. Failing to do so, he is overcome by grief and rage whereupon the ring of Red Lantern Vice finds him, transforming him into a Red Lantern. Using both green and red power rings, Gardner attacks the Black Lanterns, taking vengeance for the death of his friend.

Soranik attempts to revive Rayner as another power ring, this time a black one, attempts to raise him from the dead. Despite her best attempts, the black ring manages to secure itself but before it can enlist him into the Black Lanterns, Munk of the Indigo Tribe arrives and destroys it. The respite is short, however, as more black rings arrive to claim Rayner. Munk is joined by other Green Lanterns including Kilowog and Arisia who help defend Rayner's body while Soranik returns to helping him.

Elsewhere on Oa, Kryb of the Sinestro Corps finds, along with the Star Sapphire Miri, the children that she had been seeking, all of whom are dead and raised as Black Lanterns. Blaming Miri and the other Sapphires for imprisoning her, Kryb attacks her just as Miri is alerted to an instance of true love being threatened by death. Miri leaves Kryb to her fate just as the Red Lantern Gardner arrives, killing her children. Kryb attacks him but Gardner tears off her arm, forcing the hand that still wears her yellow ring into her own mouth.

As Soranik struggles to revive Rayner while their fellow Lanterns defend them, Miri arrives and, aware of their love for each other, links their hearts, shocking Rayner back to life. In seconds, Rayner's power ring returns to him. Told of Gardner's rage, Rayner and his friends plan to get the red ring off him. As they fly off, a vast shadow covers Oa's surface as the planet Green Lantern, Mogo, arrives.

(OOC: Yes, there is a sentient planet who is a Green Lantern.)

------------------------------------------------------------

Pursued by Black Lanterns, Atrocitus and Larfleeze, Agent Orange, fight across the surface of Okaara, both trying to hold on to the Orange Power Battery while at the same time escaping from the Black Lanterns. They are both saved by the arrival of Saint Walker, Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, Sinestro and Indigo-1 who use their combined force to sever the Black Ring's connections.

Together, the various Lanterns argue over the Guardians of the Universe's attempts to prevent the War of Light which spills into another fight between them all with Atrocitus attempting to kill them. Jordan attempts to win Atrocitus and Larfleeze over to their side, to combat the Black Lanterns with them but Sinestro goes further. He threatens Larfleeze with the loss of his possessions and offers to join with Atrocitus to destroy the Green Lantern Corps. Atrocitus refuses his offer, however, and Larfleeze reveals he doesn't care about his possessions, his greed now focused on having his own Guardian.

At that moment, they see an image of the death of Damage and the Black Power Rings reaching 100% of charge. Indigo-1 channels the Black Rings, sensing where their power emanates from and transports them to Ryut in sector 666. It was here, on Atrocitus's home planet, that the Manhunters, fore-runners of the Green Lantern Corps, massacred the entire population.

Atrocitus agrees to help protect life from the Black Lanterns but vows to destroy the Guardians once that is done. Larfleeze in turn agrees to help but only if he has his own Guardian; to Ganthet's dismay, Sayd agrees to serve Larfleeze after the Black Lanterns have been dealt with. Indigo-1, meanwhile, realises that the Black Power Battery has vanished from Ryut.

Ganthet: "The Black Lantern is not here."

Sinestro: " 'The Black Lantern is not here.' A remarkably astute observation, Ganthet."

Larfleeze: "This hole is empty. There's nothing worse than empty!"

Atrocitus: "Where is the Black Battery, Guardian slime?"

Carol: "Say it, red, don't spray it."

Ganthet: "I sense the Guardian who betrayed us is within the Black Lantern's presence."

Sayd: "We can take us to here. And together we can destroy the darkness behind this."

Hal: "Then let's all shut up and light up."

They all chant their respective oaths as they charge their rings, except Larfleeze, whose only statement is a confused "Eh?"

Upon realizing that he hasn't charged up because he's still hungry, St Walker, the Blue Lantern, assists him in assuaging his hunger. Green Lantern then, forming giant hands with his ring, smoosh Larfleeze's face into his battery.

"POWER LEVELS 100,000%."

Hal: "The Rainbow Rodeo's locked and loaded, Ganthet. So where'd this big, bad Black Lantern go?"

------------------------------------------------

Arriving on Earth are Diana of Themyscira and Kal-El of Krypton, raised in Thanagar.

In Coast City, the Flash wades his way through the hoards of undead. "What you've done to my friends and these poor people has gone way beyond sacrilegious."

"Your death was the first, Barry Allen of Earth. And your rebirth the last. So says Nekron."

Mordred leaps up, grabs him, and says, "It's instinctual for people like you to fight against the darkness, Flash, but dying is inevitable. We age because we aren't supposed to be here."

Barry accuses him of spewing philosophical nonsense.

"I'm happy now, Flash. I'm dead. Like you were."

Barry recognizes the skull Mordred was clutching on to. "That skull? You were the one that dug up Bruce's grave! Get your damn hands off -- AAAHH!"

"EMOTIONAL TETHER MANIFESTED"

He has to be rescued by his nephew, Wally West, also dubbed the Flash. They retreat for a bit to allow their allies to come in. Amazingly, one of them, Dawn Granger, aka Dove, the Avatar of Peace, acts as a magical bug zapper and destroys Black Lanterns simply by being in their presence. The two Flashes, plus Barry's grandson, Bart, aka Kid Flash, try to free the trapped Guardians floating above Nekron. The Scarred Guardian wounds Barry, vomits on Bart and is ready to attack Wally. During this, she says, "They are ours to drain! These 'Guardians' fight to preserve order in a universe that will never find balance. The pendulum always swings between order and chaos. Between love and hate. Between life and death."

"You're getting a little pale for a Guardian," quips Hal, as he appears with the Rainbow Rodeo. "You look like you could use some color."

Sinestro: "You have no idea how much I've been looking forward to this."

The Scarred Guardian shrieks, "LANTERNS! You will feed our Lord Nekron!"

As he blasts her with a blue bolt, St Walker comments, "Your wrangle does not deserve the title 'lord.' And you do not deserve to be called a Guardian."

Atrocitus says as he vomits red plasma, "None of them do."

Larfleeze gets really excited. He says, while clutching her, "A Guardian? I want THIS one! She's different from the others. And what's different is worth more!" The Scarred One's response is to choke him by wrapping her tongue around his neck.

Hal quips as all of them blast her, "Hey, Larfleeze, I'd send that one back to the kitchen. She's overcooked." The Scarred One explodes.

Barry: "Hal! You're late!"

Hal: "That's MY line."

Barry: "You know anything about this Nekron?"

Hal: "The Corps has faced him before. Some kind of undead creature who uses the deceased as puppets. But the black rings are new. No worries though. I brought the color-coded cavalry."

Indigo-1: "There it is. The Central Black Lantern. We destroy the Lantern and we destroy everything connected to it."

Sinestro: "What do we need to do?"

"We must recreate the white light that gave birth to life, Sinestro. It is the antithesis of the death powering the Black Lantern."

As they pour it on, Carol jokes, "I think I saw this on a Saturday morning cartoon."

"Me too."

Nekron speaks again. "Guardians. Your lie is about to be exposed."

A black power ring flies out of the Central Black Lantern.

Hal: "Is it just me or is this not doing a damn thing?"

Mordred: "It is, Green Lantern. It's making Nekron stronger." He holds up the skull and the black ring flies to it.

"BRUCE WAYNE OF EARTH. RISE."

Hal: "My God. Bruce?"

"EMOTIONAL TETHER REGISTERED"

Nekron continues: "Many of you died. But you came back. And though some have questioned why they escaped death, you ALL failed to realize you did not escape death. You are still connected to it. To me. I put myself between you and everlasting death. I allowed your numerous resurrections. You will help me expose the Guardians' greatest secret and return this universe to a place of quiet dark order."

The Black Lantern Bruce Wayne, as a Batman, vomits black power rings.

"Buddy Baker of Earth."
"Tora Olafsdotter of Earth."
"Shein Darson of Rutia."
"Dmitri Medvedev of Rhea."
"Kal-El of Krypton."
"Diana of P'Taria."
"Oliver Queen of Earth."
"Bart Allen of Earth."

"DIE"

The rings start converting those it attaches to into Black Lanterns.

"You have served your purpose, 'Bruce Wayne.' Back to rest."

"CONNECTION SEVERED"

"The light awaits us!"

A pair of black rings seek out the Flash and Green Lantern.

(OOC: Shein, whom I assume would be in the Coast City area, as that's where the most action is, could simply mistake him for Baruch Wane, who is identical to Bruce. In the comic, it turns out to be a Bruce Wayne clone, anyway. This should turn Shein for only five minutes or so before the Rutian gods bring him back to normal, though he'd feel as if he's been trapped inside his own head as his soul withers away.)

Oddly enough, Kennah is no longer on the Craftworld. It would appear she's just as stubborn as her husband. The children are there with a Rutian guard that tagged along to help protect the family.

****************************

"Oh, fuck," is all Shein gets out before he falls prey to the ring.

Arren is truly at a loss. He's torn between wanting to protect Shein or turning on him due to the fact that he's about to become that which they're fighting. Of course, the other Rutian soldiers are just as torn.

One Rutian soldier comes running over in power armor. The helmet comes off and reveals Kennah. Yup, just as stubborn. She's practically freaking out.

All Rutian telepaths, everywhere, are momentarily stunned before they all start screaming. Even those across the galaxy. They can feel what Shein is feeling. Shouldn't be possible according to everything known about Rutian psionics, but it's happening.

The Rutian guard on the Craftworld with Shein's children? Telepath. He can't explain what's happening or why either. Can't get a single coherent thought out. If he's asked what's going on, all he can say is 'Shein' and 'Black'.

At about the five minute mark, Shein's wedding band begins to shine. The power that the Rutian Gods put in there to protect him kicks in, reverting him back to normal. As he returns to normal, so do the telepaths.

Shein just starts laughing after it's over. "Failed again, Nekron." That's when he spots the soldier close to him. "Kennah?"

Kennah just smiles at him. "Can't let you have all the fun."

"Arren, get her out of here!" Shein growls, glaring at his wife. "I'll be fine. Just get her out of here."

"No." Both Arren and Kennah speak simultaneously. They don't bother explaining their reasons.

Shein just rolls his eyes and starts fighting against the Black Lanterns again. A little green here, a little red there, some yellow and blue tossed in for good measure.

Some 10,000 Municipal troops move into the Enclave to support them. The Selathorni help set up defenses on the ground while a few spacefleets release fighters with recalibrated lasers to hunt down any Black Lanterns entering orbit, if they find any.

Rayner and Salaak discuss Mogo's appearance in a brief lull in the fighting, wondering what the planet Green Lantern is planning to do. Munk of the Indigo Tribe brings their attention back to the problem of the Black Lanterns attacking the central power battery and the fact that Gardner is still possessed by the red power ring.

Despite Gardner's attack on the Black Lanterns, they are able to bring the power battery down, toppling it into the ground. Despite Vath Sarn recommending that Gardner be left alone as a Red Lantern (due to his efficacy against the Black Lanterns) Rayner attempts to remove the red ring. Gardern's rage is too great, however, and he attacks Rayner.

Salaak makes contact with Mogo who informs him of his plan - to purge Oa of the threat against it. By increasing its gravitational pull, Mogo pulls not only the Black Lanterns but all the Lanterns from Oa towards its own surface. The planet drags them across space towards itself, though far from the site of Iolande's makeshift infirmary. The Black Lanterns (but not the Green) are consumed by Mogo, drawn ever downwards towards the planet's core where they will be unable to reform.

With all but the main Green Lanterns sent back to Oa, Rayner states his need to find Gardner and remove the red ring. Before they can set out, Gardner finds them.

------------------------------------------------------------

On the resurrected world of Xanshi, John Stewart has discovered the power battery of the long-deceased Green Lantern Driq who had been kept alive following his death some years before. Now Driq appears wearing both black and green power rings, along with the citizens of Xanshi, all of whom want Stewart dead. Using Driq's battery as a bomb, Stewart manages to destroy many of the Black Lanterns at once, only to see them reassemble themselves. Before he can react, the Black Lantern version of his dead wife, Katma Tui, launches herself at him.

She reminds him that when married, they had shared each others' fears, prompting him to remember a time when Stewart was a Marine, caught in a firefight during a war. When his friend and fellow soldier fell victim to the enemy, Stewart killed as many as he could before they fled, leaving the body of his friend. Katma tells him she knows his fear is not of dying, but of dying alone far from home.

Katma's gambit misfires, though, and Stewart rallies himself, fighting until he realizes the Black Lanterns are there only as a distraction. He leaves Xanshi behind, the Black Lanterns following him, but is shocked to find the planet so close to Earth and sends out a warning.

"If anyone on Earth can hear me, this is Green Lantern John Stewart. You've got incoming."

(OOC: Incoming is an understatement, to say the least. Half a trillion, give or take a few billion of them.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earlier, Jean Loring, the Atom's wife, used the Atom's shrinking ability to reduce them both, along with Mera, and drag them into Damage's black power ring, where Jean tells them both of Nekron's origin, of how the universe was meant to be dark and that the light wielded by the Guardians of the Universe is actually the invading force. The dark universe created its own Guardian - Nekron who is seen by the Black Lanterns as peace, not death. She reveals that Nekron had prevented other heroes such as Superman, Flash and others from dying permanently so that he could use them to attack the light. Confident that no one can stop them, Loring takes them deeper into the darkness, unaware that Deadman is following them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Coast City, the heads of the seven Lantern Corps are bewildered at what has just transpired.

Carol: "What just happened?"

Saint Walker: "A swarm of black rings is trying to take control of the living as well as the dead."

Hal disagrees, saying "Not the living Walker. The resurrected."

Three black arrows from a Black Lantern Green Arrow (OOC: Black Arrow?) strike him in the back, causing Hal to lose his concentration and allow a black ring to break his shield construct.

"Hal Jordan of Earth."

He's dogpiled by a mass of Black Lanterns.

"Barry Allen of Earth."

Below, Nekron walks off, saying to his army of Black Lanterns, "Come. I hunger."

Hal is rescued by the other Lanterns.

Sinestro: "I've started the fire burning, Jordan, but a Green Lantern is the only one capable of the kill shot."

Larfleeze: "I want the kill shot, too!"

Sinestro: "Finish Superman off before he kills someone. Namely you." (OOC: Yes, they know him as Superman, even though he ended up on Thanagar instead of Earth in this universe.)

Hal refuses and says, "No. Superman's not dead, Sinestro. He can't be."

"If you're intent on keeping your ring holstered, we might as well lie down and die. Contrary to Indigo's bright idea, we don't have the power to destroy the Black Lantern," replies Sinestro, with more than a touch of annoyance.

Barry gets tripped by the Black Lantern Kid Flash, his grandson. "I knew there was something wrong about your return, Barry. I felt it because I'm just like you. I'm still dead. You were the first lifeline Nekron created. He kept you from truly passing on. We came back because he wanted us to, but we belong to Nekron."

At this point, Wally comes in to rescue Barry. To escape the two black rings chasing them, Hal throws Barry a construct of a line to him and the two run away from the battle nearly at the speed of light and transports them two seconds into the future.

"CONNECTION SEVERED"

Barry: "Without a cosmic treadmill, time travel is guesswork at best, but I was hoping it'd be enough."

Hal: "Time travel?"

"Mordred and Nekron reanimated Bruce and used him to trigger an emotional reaction in all of us that the black rings latched on to. I ran us two seconds into the future to break it. As long as we don't jump out of our boots again, the rings won't have anything to grab onto."

"But why was Bruce the only Black Lantern that combusted on its own?"

"I don't know."

Inside a Black Lantern Ring, Ray Palmer and Mera are fighting against the Atom's resurrected wife, Jean Loring. Suddenly, Deadman appears and takes possession of Jean.''I've been leaping into these Black Lanterns trying to learn a thing or two, which I think is doing some damage. To me. You and fish-woman being the only things still alive inside their network drew me right to you."

"CONTAMINATION DETECTED. REROUTING."

"I c-can't stay in this bag of bones any longer, b-but you've g-got to get out of here and w-warn them. I can hear their directive. Every Black Lantern in the universe... Every one of them... is coming to Earth."

At this point, all would hear John Stewart informing them of incoming Black Lanterns from space. Hundreds of billions of them. So yes, the Selathorni and Rhean fighters will have plenty of targets. And yes, they've arrived, too.

Fawkes the supermutant shows up to rescue Mera and Ray as they pop out of the Black Lantern ring from the Black Lantern Diana. (OOC: Fawkes recognizes them as one of the few who have treated him right. This is after the Swiss rescued him, which was not RPed out.)

Meanwhile, the surrounded group of Lanterns suddenly see the ones immediately around them disintegrate in green light.

Sinestro remarks, "You escaped the black ring?"

Barry: "We outran it."

"Too bad."

Carol: "What now, Hal? Even together we did nothing to the Black Lantern powering these things."

Hal: "Because even together we're a fraction of the white light."

St. Walker: "Green Lantern is correct. We may be able to unify to destroy a single Black Lantern, but Nekron himself--"

Indigo-1: "Will require everyone channeling the light of life."

Ganthet: "We need all our corps to unite and use every beam we have to destroy the Black Lantern battery."

Indigo-1: "My tribe can gather them, Ganthet, but it will take time."

Ganthet, as he telepathically removes Hal's ring, says, "Then I will join this fight not as a leader removed, but as another living being fighting for his life."

Hal, shocked that Ganthet took off his ring, says, "What are you doing?"

Ganthet: "Your ring has been able to replicate itself before in times of great need. It will again. I am Ganthet of Oa. I welcome myself to the Green Lantern Corps. We can double our efforts to halt Nekron until the others arrive." And Hal's ring goes back on his finger.

St Walker: "Tell us how."

Ganthet: "Although you each wield different light, your rings are all based on Oan technology. And thus, unknown to you, they all contain the same safeguard: According to the Book of Oa, in the shadow of the Blackest Night, the rings are capable of deputizing an individual for twenty-four hours."

Atrocitus yells, "You don't control our rings!"

Ganthet calmly replies, "Nor do I wish to, Atrocitus, but as my last act as a Guardian, I've already triggered the process."

"SCANNING FOR RAGE"
"SCANNING FOR FEAR"
"SCANNING FOR LOVE"
"SCANNING FOR COMPASSION"
"SCANNING FOR AVARICE"
"SCANNING FOR HOPE"

The blue copy immediately signals "SENTIENT LOCATED. BARRY ALLEN OF EARTH. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO INSTILL GREAT HOPE. WELCOME TO THE BLUE LANTERN CORPS."

Larfleeze, annoyed that his ring was duplicated, tries to catch it before it can escape. "On, no! No, you don't!! Get back here! I don't share with anyone!"

Fighting for his life in an underground bunker, Lex Luthor is trying to hold back dozens of Black Lanterns, and surprisingly, his own father, Lionel Luthor. The orange ring appears.

"LEX LUTHOR OF EARTH. YOU WANT IT ALL."

The yellow ring flies on and attaches to Arren.

'ARREN KELICH OF RUTIA. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO INSTILL GREAT FEAR. WELCOME TO THE SINESTRO CORPS."

An indigo ring flies to Ray Palmer as he freaks out that so many of his friends have turned into Black Lanterns.

"RAY PALMER OF EARTH. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO FEEL GREAT COMPASSION. WELCOME TO THE INDIGO TRIBE."

As Fawkes and Diana fight, a red ring and a violet ring come in.

"DIANA OF P'TARIA. YOU HAVE GREAT LOVE IN YOUR HEART."

"FAWKES OF EARTH. YOU HAVE GREAT RAGE IN YOUR HEART. YOU BELONG TO THE RED LANTERN CORPS."

Diana, in her current state of Black Lantern-ness, tries to fight off the violet ring. Carol feels it struggle.

"What is it, Carol?" asks Hal.

"I can feel the ring searching. It's having trouble. The ring can't take her. She needs to accept it of free will. The light is bursting inside her, Hall. She's beyond anyone else. There's no one on this planet who loves it more than her."

Just as she finishes that sentence, the violet ring is able to attach to her finger, courtesy of Greek/Rutian god intervention inside her head.

"WELCOME TO THE STAR SAPPHIRES."

"CONNECTION SEVERED."

A smiling Barry runs in with the others in tow. "No more worries, Hal. All will be well."

(OOC: Yes, that includes Arren. I assume he'll fly in after I assume the ring gives him a five second tutorial or something like that on how to fly without crashing into the ground or a wall.)

(OOC: Nothing new happening here. No reaction to Shein's thing because no one was around when that happened.)

(OOC: Nothing new on my side as well.)

(OOC: No reaction to hundreds of billions of Black Lanterns?)

(OOC Besides fighting them, that is...)

(OOC: Burn, you had a Rutian telepath with Shein's kids. No reaction to that even?)

Arren does go off, much to Shein and Kennah's surprise. He's a little confused, but he's not questioning it.

Shein and Kennah are joined by several Rutian soldiers who seem quite concerned about the two now that Arren has gone off somewhere else.

(OOC: Oh)

"What's going on?" is the general response there. Sort of like what the Rutian response was when all the Burninites suddenly collapsed.

Facing the Green Lanterns, Gardner struggles with his Green and Red power rings, before attacking his former team mates. Trying to help, Star Sapphire Miri attempts to open his heart but it requires the aid of Mogo himself to drag Gardner down and force him to face the fears and troubles of his past, seen through both the green and red.

The other Lanterns help Gardner fight his personal demons and constrain him again, with Rayner determined to take him back to Oa to save him. Kilowog reminds him that the red rings cannot simply be removed and that Gardner's last sane instruction to his friends was to kill him should all else fail.

Refusing to do that, they watch as Mogo subsumes Gardner's body into a nutrient bath, using microbes to clean his entire body of the red ring infection at super speed. Restored to health, the Indigo Lantern Munk informs the Lanterns that members of the Indigo Tribe are gathering at the Central Power Battery on Oa.

Returning to Oa, the Indigo Lanterns bring them up to speed on what has been happening on Earth and, with their power rings recharged, they are transported to Earth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hal Jordan leads the attack against the Black Lanterns not only with the representatives of the other Corps, but also their new back-ups who all take to their new roles all too easily.

As Jordan performs the kill shot on another Black Lantern, he says, "This isn't exactly what I pictured when I thought of backup, Ganthet."

As they continue blasting apart Black Lanterns, Hal expresses annoyance at the fact that a power ring went into Lex Luthor's hands. Upon being told by Sinestro that the rings choose who they choose, he replies, "I don't care WHO the rings choose. I want it off that psycho!"

Larfleeze jumps at Lex and yells, "What do you think I'm trying to do, Green Lantern? Share?!?! Gimme that back, you thief!"

Lex, with a smile at the fact that he gets to blast apart those he's killed over the years again, says, "No. S'mine."

Hal, exasperated, says, "Dammit. We need to regroup and hit Nekron not each other. We've got billions of Black Lanterns in space right over our heads--"

He's interrupted by a loud voice. "Hal Jordan." He turns around and is grabbed by the Wrath of God himself, the Spectre. "You have the ability to overcome great fear. You will be judged."

Hal escapes by forming a spiky bubble and exploding it and the Spectre's hand with it. "It won't be the first time."

Undaunted, the Spectre continues. "You spend your life without considering consequence. But there is consequence. You will rejoin me and deliver the consequence of living to everyone. Death is inevitable. Judgment must be made." Tentacles emerge from the Black Lantern emblem on his chest and latch on to Jordan.

"HAL JORDAN OF EARTH. WELCOME TO THE BLACK LANTERN CORPS."

"Release him!" yells Sayd as she forms as blue hand to catch Hal while Ganthet severs the tentacles. The Spectre swallows them as he says, "The Spectre releases no one."

"Guardians?" Hal makes a big hammer and swings it. "Say 'AH!'"

The Spectre's lower jaw is entirely ripped off. "Ganthet! Hold on." After he flies in to grab them, he remarks, "Whew. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside."

"You cannot escape judgment, Hal Jordan!"

Sinestro impales him and says, "You think you're the first one to condemn us, Spectre? I don't care HOW tall you are. Get in line with everyone else."

Arren sticks a giant fork into the Spectre's eye, causing him annoyance. "Arren Kelich. You have the ability to instill great fear. You will do that as your namesake." Arren gets bound in a skeleton outfit and constricted.

Atrocitus vomits on the Spectre. "I sense great rage within this Black Lantern. What is it about this one? What is inside it?"

Diana replies, "The Spectre is one of the most powerful forces in the universe."

Carol: "I'm always up for a challenge."

Hal: "We know their weakness, Carol. Like a vampire. Light."

Ganthet: "And it is burning with all colors. It is time to strike this aberrant creature down."

With a big green stake, they stab the Spectre.

"CONNECTION --"

"No. Not this time." The Spectre pulls the stake out of his and throws it back.

"Why the Hell didn't that work?" asks a frustrated Hal.

"The Spirit of Vengeance is being held within this Black Lantern. The power the Spectre contains -- it nearly eclipses our own," says Ganthet.

"It does eclipse your own, Guardian. The Spirit of Vengeance is absolute rage fused with death. It must belong to us, Fawkes."

"Ganthet, you can summon my power battery, right?"

"Yes."

"John's too? Kyle's and Guy's?"

"Why?" asks Sinestro.

"Because we need the one thing that might be able to beat the Spectre. When I was possessed by Parallax and then merged with the Spectre, I was trapped in an endless tug-of-war between the two. But when we were finally separated, the first thing the Spectre did -- was leave. He was scared of Parallax."

(OOC: When the Wrath of God is scared of something, you probably should be, too.)

"Parallax is inside your power batteries?"

"After we yanked Kyle free, we divided Parallax and imprisoned him in four different locations. We thought one of our batteries might fall into the wrong hands, namely yours, but never all four. You can free him, Sinestro."

"Then what?"

"Then I can become Parallax and get the Spectre out of our way."

"You don't know how to control Parallax. I should be the one. I will be the one." He points his ring at the batteries.

"Free. FREEE!"

Hal tackles Sinestro. "No way. I'm not letting you near Parallax."

"Nor I you."

"Last time you destroyed the Corps."

"Last time was different. I lost my city. Now I'm protecting it. I made a vow. No fear. Never again."

(OOC: Also, Sinestro was the one who sicced Parallax on Hal in the first place.)

"Hal, stop! Please don't do this."

"I have no choice, Carol. The Spectre has to be stopped."

"I don't want to lose you again."

"You get me free as soon as I'm done and you won't. Now there's no more time to-- mmMMMfff."

She grabbed him and kissed him. Her ring registers "LOVE."

"Carol, I--"

"I love you. Now go."

(OOC: Yes, Star Sapphire uniforms are basically monokinis. And when you go back to your civilian outfit, you end up naked. Or at least, maybe that was when it was a gem that attached to your forehead or if the ring leaves you.)

He flies and grabs onto Parallax.

"All right, Fear-asaurus. Let's try this again."

"With pleasure."

Hal thinks back to his witnessing of his father's fatal plane crash as a test pilot.

"FEAR."

Parallax forces himself down Hal's throat.

"You don't know what you're doing, Jordan! JORDAN!"

There is a big explosion. As the smoke clears, a caped and armored figure is visible.

"Jordan's not here anymore, Sinestro. It's just me. So... ...Spectre."