Hal Jordan arrived on Oa and was immediately confronted by Boodikka.
She stood tall and imposing, her pink skin and striking red and black hair marking her as a formidable presence. A seasoned warrior, Boodikka had mastered her Green Lantern Ring with remarkable speed, earning her place among the Corps. Her defiant nature often brought her into conflict with authority, and her long-standing rivalry with fellow Lantern Kory had once fractured unity within the Corps itself. Though those divisions had eventually been tempered under John Stewart's guidance, her fierce independence never faded.
Her respect for Hal had always been genuine.
Now, that respect was tested.
"You brought me into the Corps, Hal," Boodikka said firmly, her voice steady but edged with warning. "Don't make me hurt you."
Hal's ten rings pulsed with a subdued green glow as he regarded her, his expression hardened. "The Green Lantern Corps is a joke. The Guardians use us and discard us when it suits them."
His gaze sharpened. "Step aside. No one is stopping me from reaching Oa."
A faint smirk crossed his face. "And I'm taking your ring."
Before she could respond, a surge of energy erupted from him.
The shockwave struck with explosive force, hurling Boodikka backward through the air.
She recovered quickly, regaining control mid-flight and charging straight at him. Her fist collided with the barrier Hal formed, the impact reverberating outward.
Blood touched her lips as she was forced back.
"I am a warrior," she said through clenched teeth. "This ring is my weapon. I earned it. It is part of me."
Hal gave a slight nod, almost approving. "I agree."
Then he struck.
The blow sent her flying once more.
In the next instant, Hal accelerated, closing the distance with overwhelming speed. Another wave of energy crashed into her, leaving her disoriented. Before she could recover, he was already behind her.
His hand clamped around her throat.
"No one stops me," Hal said, his voice low and ferocious. "Not even you."
The ring on his hand flared brilliantly.
In a single motion, he severed the finger bearing her ring.
Blood spilled as both ring and finger fell away together.
Boodikka screamed, her body collapsing as she lost control.
Hal did not look back.
With her ring added to his collection, he turned and flew directly toward the heart of Oa.
The Guardians had anticipated his arrival. As he approached, their projections materialized around him, surrounding him in a luminous circle.
"Hal Jordan, cease your actions immediately," they commanded. "Disarm and surrender. There is still time."
Hal laughed, the sound sharp and humorless. "Surrender?"
He raised his hand, the combined power of the rings blazing.
"I've fought everything you've thrown at me. None of them could stop me. I'm here for your power, for the Central Power Battery. And I'm not leaving without it."
"The Central Power Battery belongs to us," the Guardians replied. "Its power is not yours to claim."
Hal's eyes narrowed. "We'll see."
Constructing a weapon from pure energy, he formed a firearm along his arm, channeling the full strength of his rings into it.
A blast tore through the air.
The Guardians' projections shattered instantly.
Inside the tower, the real Guardians watched in silence, their concern deepening. Ganthet was absent, and none among them possessed the strength to confront Hal directly.
Hal advanced without hesitation.
His uniform was torn, stained with blood and ash, yet his steps remained steady. Ahead, the immense Central Power Battery radiated its overwhelming energy.
That was his destination.
At last, the Guardians themselves appeared, forming a line to block his path.
"Hal Jordan of Sector 2814," one declared, "your actions have caused irreparable harm. You will be judged and punished."
Hal regarded them with open contempt. "By you?"
His voice carried a sharp edge. "You've forgotten what it means to act, to care. You hide behind rules and call it justice. I see you for what you are now."
They did not react to his words.
"Altering the past is a grave crime," they warned.
"Enough," Hal snapped. "I'm trying to fix what was broken. You could have helped me, but you chose not to. This is your failure as much as mine."
His voice rose with emotion.
"You talk about justice, but all you've done is betray me."
He seized one of them by the collar and lifted him effortlessly.
Tears streaked down his face, unrestrained.
"You think I don't know what I've become?" he said, his voice tightening. "I stopped caring a long time ago."
He threw the Guardian aside and shut his eyes briefly, struggling to steady himself.
"I swore to protect that city. Its people mattered to me."
His voice dropped.
"But it's too late. For me, and for you."
No matter how he tried to contain it, the grief surfaced, raw and undeniable.
"There's no turning back. What's coming can't be stopped. Not by you."
He lowered his head, wiping away the tears with rough impatience.
"Not even by me."
When he looked up again, his expression had hardened into absolute resolve.
Without another word, he walked past them.
The Guardians stood in silence as Hal entered the Central Power Battery.
Light intensified, flooding the chamber as its energy surged around him. A terrifying presence began to take shape, spreading across Oa.
Hal cried out, his body convulsing as an unfamiliar force flooded his system.
A foreign energy, steeped in fear, coursed through his veins, seeping into every cell. His body trembled as that yellow essence intertwined with the green energy he commanded.
Veins pulsed visibly beneath his skin, glowing with an eerie light as the power surged through him.
Then the green light returned, overtaking the yellow, yet not erasing it.
The fear remained.
It reached his mind in an instant.
Suddenly, he could feel it, the fear of countless beings across the universe, pressing against his consciousness. Every moment carried the weight of that emotion, relentless and suffocating.
He did not understand why such power existed within the Central Power Battery.
It no longer mattered.
What mattered was the strength now at his command.
His breathing steadied as he adjusted to it, his confidence rising with the overwhelming energy.
Even Adrian, he believed, would no longer be beyond his reach.
When the surge subsided, strands of white had appeared in his hair, though he paid them no attention.
He simply clenched his fists, feeling the power settle within him.
Moments later, Ganthet arrived on Oa.
The devastation was immediate and undeniable.
He moved quickly toward the Central Power Battery, where the Guardians lay scattered across the ground.
Suppressing the shock that threatened to overwhelm him, Ganthet knelt beside one fallen Guardian and lifted him carefully.
"Ganthet," the Guardian murmured weakly as consciousness returned.