CHAPTER 194

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[David Lance POV]

Having successfully recruited Wioska to aid in my mission, I followed her lead, and within short moments we managed to locate the last remaining Guardian of the Universe.

Sayd.

Sayd was one of the few female Guardians of the order of Oa, a powerful guardian that shared the same views as Ganthet, but perhaps was a bit more gentle than the latter.

"What do you seek with me," Sayd asked, her eyes burning with an emotion I quite couldn't understand. It wasn't hate what her eyes spoke, but it sure wasn't something good, that much I could tell.

"You know very well why I'm here, but if you want me to say it, I will. The fate of the Universe hangs in a thin thread, and I need your help to save it," I replied.

At my words, Sayd's tiny figure stood tall; her blue skin reflecting the light of stars across the empty sky of the planet she had been hiding at, her eyes burning into mine.

"Tell me one thing, human, why should I trust you? I remember well what you've done, I remember well the pain and suffering you've caused to thousands of innocent souls simply because of your hate," Sayd said calmly. "You killed thousands of innocents, innocents that had been there to aid your planet in the first place, and all because you were too blind to see anything but the object of your hate."

At her words, I looked away for a moment, searching for words that wouldn't come out. I knew well, very well that the accusations she was throwing at me were true, as much as they pained me.

I didn't regret killing Superman, but I regret the path I took to achieve my goal.

"I can't deny what I have done, and all the pain that has come from it," I said slowly. "I deserve your hate, your ire, I deserve it all a thousand times. But don't make the same mistake I made, don't let your hate for me stop you from seeing the bigger picture."

Sayd looked at me for a while, her eyes searching for an answer that perhaps wasn't there. "You have changed a lot."

"I merely gained a new perspective of things," I replied, remembering the reason I had been sent to this universe in the first place. Perspective.

"Without the aid of the lanterns, all the lanterns, this universe will succumb to Darkseid or Brainiac," Wioska interjected, taking a step forward. "Does he deserve your trust? No, but ask yourself, are his words true? You don't have to believe him if you know the truth yourself. So, what are you going to do, Guardian, are you gonna protect this universe, or let it rot like many before have?"

Sayd looked at Wioska, then at me. She didn't answer right away, which I supposed was a good sign. Instead, she sighed and spoke her words carefully. "We share a common enemy, and a common goal it seems," Sayd said slowly. "I don't have much of a choice, so I will help you. However, know that once the universe is saved, I will see that you answer to your crimes."

I nodded solemnly, understanding that was the best I could get from her. "Of course."

"One last thing," Sayd said, her voice stern and icy.

"What?" I asked.

"You say you seek to save the universe, well... I want to see if you have the will to do so," Sayd said, her eyes fixed on mine. Then, after a moment or two, Sayd slowly opened the palm of her hand, revealing a Green Lantern ring. "This is the first Green Lantern ring I made, I forged it eons ago in order to protect this universe. Prove you have the will to use it."

I looked at the ring in Sayd's hand and asked. "Why are you offering me a weapon? If you don't trust me this isn't the best way to approach it, you're just giving me more power."

Sayd smiled, her eyes softening for the first time since she appeared. "You're right, I don't trust you and I never will. So don't mistake this test I'm giving you for a lapse in my judgment, this power I'm offering you is only yours for as long as I will it so."

Fair enough.

"As you wish," I said, as I slowly and carefully took the ring from Sayd's hand.

"Defeat me and my warriors using only the power within that ring, and the Green Lanterns will stand by your side," Sayd said, her eyes burning into mine. "Show me the strength of your will."

As I put on the ring, multiple Lanterns began to appear, one by one standing behind Sayd, their eyes fixed on me. Some with hate, others with anger.

"Do remember what I taught you, and end this quickly," Wioska said, her voice low. Having said that, she walked away with Dex-Starr, leaving me to face the Lanterns and the last Guardian.

"Remember, you can only use the ring I gave you for this fight," Sayd said, her eyes glowing green.

I nodded and focused on the ring, feeling the power coursing through me as I focused on turning the other rings off or as inactive as possible. Having done that, I took a deep breath and willed the green lantern ring into action.

Seeing my aura change colors, Sayd rushed to the attack with a massive torrent of pure willpower, which I deflected to the side with the back of my hand remaining in place. This power was easier to use than I imagined.

At least easier than using hope.

"Attack," Sayd ordered her warriors.

Taking Wioska's advice to end this quickly to heart, I zoom past Sayd, defeating two of her warriors with one blow each. Seeing this, one of the warriors moves forward and with all her power tries to attack me.

However, as her attacks were about to connect with me, I weaved through them all at the last moment, dodging her every strike before smashing her into the ground head-first, and out of the fight.

"Enough!" One of the remaining Lanterns shouts as the power of his ring envelops me in chains.

Looking at the chains around my body, and how incredibly fragile they felt, I simply turned around as if the chains weren't even there to begin with, and delivered a powerful blast at the Lantern, taking him out of the fight, much too Sayd's surprise. 

I had already taken most of her warriors, there was just one remaining. One that was currently sneaking behind me, ready to launch an ambush. So I waited, my eyes burning into Sayd's, and when the attack came, I spun around, grabbing the remaining warrior by the throat before throwing him against the ground, knocking him out.

"So it seems you have the will to use our ring," Sayd said, her voice low.

"Is the test over?" I asked.

"It is," Sayd nodded.

"That took far too long," Wioska said, her eyes fixed on me. "You should've taken them all out before they had the chance to realize their mistake."

I defeated them in less than a minute. I'm proud of that time, I didn't waste time. 

"The Green Lanterns will stand by you in this war," Sayd said, interrupting my thoughts. "Remember my words, human, once the war ends, our alliance ends."

I nodded.