Only a god can wield it—what nonsense. If Highfather could use it, Thea obviously could too. He'd simply moved faster and had the gall to abduct someone outright. The timing was calculated as well: everyone was returning wounded from the Marvel expedition. Highfather had created a fait accompli, never giving them a chance to negotiate or object.
"Your Majesty's wisdom and foresight are truly admirable." The words dripped with bitterness. Diana was furious, her tone turning cold.
After considerable deliberation, she still chose not to use the Grand Summoning to call Thea.
Highfather was observing her expression just as closely. When he saw her ultimately suppress her anger, he knew the matter was settled.
He was certain that Diana would grow distant from him after this—that was inevitable. With Thea in the picture, no amount of goodwill toward Diana would change anything. Not becoming outright enemies was the best he could hope for.
But this move had burned through every ounce of goodwill and accumulated favor he'd ever built with her.
"Kyle, what's your opinion?" Highfather turned to Kyle. Cutting off the man's finger and simply taking the ring wasn't an option—not with everyone watching. He needed the handover to appear "voluntary."
Diana closed her eyes and said nothing. Kyle read between the lines and began to grasp the dynamics at play. After a moment's thought:
"I can feel the ring gradually consuming me. It's trying to reshape me, turn me into something else... Maybe giving it to you is the right call." He met Highfather's gaze. "Can you guarantee the ring and that whatever-Equation you people keep talking about will be used for justice?"
"I guarantee it. I am Highfather, champion of justice. You need not doubt that."
Kyle nodded slowly. He could see that Diana didn't want to fight Highfather—had even sacrificed some of her own and Thea's interests to avoid it. To him, that was the mark of a true hero. Today had already brought too much bloodshed, too much suffering. He was exhausted. Let the ring go. Let the gods sort it out.
"Perhaps you could retain the White Lantern's power?" Diana suggested, testing the possibility.
Kyle shook his head. "I don't think so. I can feel them blending together. Let me rest for a few days."
He pulled the White Lantern Ring from the middle finger of his right hand.
The brilliant white light vanished. Without a bearer, the ring was nothing more than a band of faintly glimmering silver.
And Kyle Rayner instantly reverted to an ordinary mortal. The prolonged burden of channeling multiple emotions had drained his spirit to the breaking point. His legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed.
But he steadied himself and pressed the White Lantern Ring into Highfather's hand. "It's yours now. Don't forget your promise."
"Shall I take you back to Earth?" Diana offered.
Kyle hesitated, then produced his Green Lantern Ring and put it on. A measure of mental energy returned. He declined to leave—he wanted to see what Highfather would do with it.
Disregarding the vast gap in their power, he declared: "I'm going to watch him. I want to see what changes my sacrifice brings to the world."
Ugga [?], Highfather's trusted commander of the Cavalry Legion, let out a sharp, disapproving snort at Kyle's audacity in demanding to monitor Highfather.
But Diana stood firm, and Ugga held his tongue.
He knew better than to pick that fight. Diana had someone behind her, and it wasn't worth manufacturing conflict over a few words.
Ugga saw the situation clearly. Highfather had secured the prize. Letting others talk, letting them score a few verbal points—that was a small price to pay.
Highfather ignored his subordinate's reaction and accepted the White Lantern Ring with care.
The ring, predictably, rejected him. But he crushed its resistance with raw divine power.
The two forces entered a brief standoff. Without a bearer, the ring couldn't hold out. In less than a minute, Highfather overpowered it completely. The ring dissolved into a stream of white light and flowed into Highfather's Scepter.
"Ahh—!" A surge of overwhelming energy coursed from the scepter into Highfather's body. His aura climbed steadily higher.
Highfather, who had long been the weakest among his peers at the peak tier, rocketed upward with the Life Equation's infusion—reaching the pinnacle of multiversal power. The boost was somewhat unstable, but his overall strength had multiplied several times over.
The scepter, once golden, had turned silver-white. A long time passed before Highfather opened his eyes.
"At last, I have the power to enforce true justice! From this day forward, there will be no more evil in the universe. Crime will be eradicated, and all living beings will know peace." His voice sounded distorted, muffled, as if filtered through a layer of cloth. The compassion and mercy that had always defined him were gone. All that remained in his eyes was a blazing intensity—warrior's fire, and something else, a searing hunger that had been suppressed for far too long.
The assembled New Gods said nothing, each silently gauging what Highfather's transformation might mean.
Was he planning to attack Apokolips? The idea wasn't unreasonable in principle, but Apokolips was a warzone drowning in chaos. Bullying the Green Lantern Corps was one thing, but deploying New Genesis's soldiers to Apokolips? The numerical advantage would evaporate, especially factoring in the endless legions of demons. Striking now would be far from a wise move.
But Ugga [?] was the first to step forward. He dropped to one knee. "The Cavalry Legion awaits your command."
The Melee Legion and Archer Legion followed suit, pledging their allegiance. Diana stood ramrod straight, her gaze clear and unwavering as she watched Highfather in silence.
The remaining New Gods lacked her resolve. One by one, they stepped forward and voiced their obedience.
Highfather didn't so much as glance at Diana. He acted as though she weren't in the room.
"We will first conduct a test of my vision. Once you see the results, you will believe in my plan wholeheartedly!" Highfather was practically vibrating with excitement.
He opened a Boom Tube. The assembled New Gods exchanged uneasy looks—this was not the Highfather they knew—but had no choice except to follow.
"How is Thea doing?" Kyle asked Diana quietly, just before stepping into the Tube.
Despite his skepticism about Saint Walker's "blind devotion," Kyle found himself wishing more than ever that Thea—who seemed unreliable but always came through when it mattered—could be here right now.
"Her injuries need time to heal. After all, she bore the brunt of the battle against Krona. But even at full strength, she... can't easily intervene here. None of us can. So... I'm truly sorry." Diana's answer was deliberately vague. In her heart, she didn't want Highfather and Thea to go to war.
"It's not your fault. Not any of yours. You are heroes, through and through," Kyle said softly, then stepped calmly into the Boom Tube.
They emerged onto a planet with a moderately developed civilization. Its inhabitants were humanoid, just larger than Earthlings—heights of two meters, three meters, and more were commonplace.
Diana knew her time on New Genesis had reached its end. Highfather's actions had driven their relationship to a breaking point beyond repair. For now, she simply watched. If Highfather's next move didn't cross too many lines, she would leave quietly to avoid further confrontation.
Highfather stood tall, arms spread wide, his back to the assembled New Gods, the silver-white scepter raised high.