BATMAN & SUPERMAN: RANCID

Chapter V

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear,
and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."

-H. P. Lovecraft

On the largest possible scale, let me ask you, whom do you watches over us?

Oa, Green lantern headquarters:

At the very centre of existence, there exists a planet known as Oa. Though once barren and lifeless, became a new home to a surviving sect of beings who had migrated from Maltus. These Maltusians, blue of skin and dwarfish, had migrated here to make right an ancient wrong birthed by the ambitions of their kind. This sect later came to be known as the guardians

The Maltusians civilization, was by all means a perfect one; not only from a societal standpoint, but anatomically as well (they do not age, or they do, if not looked upon through a human perspective. With respect to an imaginary thing that does not age, they age very, very slow.)
The mistake earlier mentioned, though committed aeons ago was so grave it had resulted in the birth of the first evil and had fractured reality irreversibly (denaturing the universe, and permanently instilling a chaos that will throw it off bound whenever left unchecked).

Evil was their doing, and their duty to sort.

"Martin Jordan of sector 2814, step forth," Ganthet, a guardian, called from atop his high chair (our earth is a subset of sector 2814) .

Martin Jordan was human.

He was badly injured. He had arrived wrapped in a blanket, in the arms of his comrade, Kilowog (A Bolovaxian; humanoid in form, but pink of skin, tall, heavily built and had a fierce beastly visage).

Martin and Kilowog were Green Lanterns, two of many. The Lanterns policed the cosmos on the guardian's behalf. Graced by the guardians, they possess what are arguably the most powerful weapons in creation. Each Lantern is well equipped with a ring of power, a weapon fuelled by the wearer's will, a weapon that always serves its master well enough provided he or she has the will for it.
The glowing green armour donned by Kilowog, is an extension of the ring's power. The ring could produce anything (any object at its desired proportions), and is only limited by the wearer's imagination (and will, of course).

Martin Jordan, unfortunately, had not an ounce left in him, not even to cover his body. A cold ring slept dead on his finger. His men were slaughtered in a fierce battle. He had alone survived.

The blanketed shivering man was set on the middle of a floating circular dais, fore the council. The four seated guardians, for a moment, simply observed Jordan as they hovered and slowly encircled the dais.

"Kilowog, what has happened," demanded Appa Ali Apsa, the eldest of the guardians.

"Parademons! Bigger than I have ever seen. The lanterns of 2814 were all slaughtered. Jordan made it because we were fortunately able to respond to their distress beacon in time."

"What of lanterns Rayner and Stewart!?" demanded Scar, another guardian.

"They were (kilowog paused for a moment and looked down at Martin Jordan, resting petrified at his feet)...killed in action."

"Hmm...(Scar looked at the other three guardians seated along the circumference of the dais. Then they exchanged worried looks.)...What does he want in sector 2814? This is the third time this cycle. Thoughts? ,"Scar asked Ganthet.

"Kilowog?"

"They were escorting a pod. It made the jump before we could destroy it... was the same as the others we'd intercepted and destroyed in the other sectors, bearing the mark of Darkseid's legion," answered Kilowog to Ganthet.

Ganthet scoffed. "He thinks himself a god now," he spat.

"Sinestro of sector 1417, step forth," Roared Appa Ali Apsa.

At once, another humanoid being had made his way to the centre of the dais ( A Korugarian, and so, crimson skinned; he had a broad forehead, a thin moustache and wad also clad in glowing green armour, though more sleek than the one Kilowog wore).

"Ah, Sinestro, you were listening I see...(Ganthet smiled at him)...assemble a task force of capable enough lanterns and have them monitor sector 2814."

"Surely it would be impossible to seek and destroy that capsule in such a vast domain, if that's what you're asking," replied Sinestro.

"Surely if it concern's Darkseid, it will inflate into a proportion hard to miss," said Scar.

"I want you to inform the institute that new lanterns will be arriving in a few months," added Appa Ali Apsa, wearing an evident sadness.

This was the system: once a lantern dies, the ring itself seeks its new wearer, and the new becomes replacement for the old.

Sinestro looked down at the pale mess that was his former student, panting helplessly on the stone floor. Ganthet could understand the emotion.

"What must I do?" asked Sinestro to all four guardians.

"Ready yourself," replied Appa Ali Apsa "brethren, I think it is about time we tend to Darkseid."
To this, Kilowog smiled. The others agreed heartily.

"This matter would require much deliberation. We cannot lose any more of our men to that tyrant," added Ganthet.

-To be continued

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Note: This is a fanfiction based on BATMAN created by Bob Kane and other characters owned by DC comics.

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