Green Lantern's Blight!

Green Lantern's Blight

Time: 1702 AA / 1818 AD

Location: Artificial Platform, Sector 3601

Sul-Da's eyes shimmered in awe, the glow of the orbiting blue giants reflecting off his young but determined face. He clenched his fists, and I could feel the barely contained surge of energy running through his body. The potential was palpable, humming in the very air between us.

"Wait," Sul-Da asked, his brow furrowing in confusion, "if you can set this up, why don't we just turn Stupendous McAwesomeface III's star blue? Wouldn't that be easier?"

I chuckled, a warm sound in the face of his youthful, simplistic solution. "It's not that simple, kid. Messing with a natural star carries risks. I designed this setup to be controlled. Our home planet's ecosystem is stable, and changing its sun could have unforeseen consequences." I ruffled his hair with one of my upper hands. "Besides, there's something to be said for having a dedicated training ground for this kind of power boost."

Sul-Da nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "So, this is where we come when we need to… power up?"

"Exactly." I stepped to the edge of the platform and gazed up at the swirling blue stars. Their gravitational dance was a miracle of precision, maintained by centuries of careful engineering, trial, and, let's be honest, a ridiculous amount of willpower. "This place is our failsafe. A secret edge when we need it."

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling as he absorbed more of the blue sunlight. His eyes sparkled with a subtle blue hue now, and I could sense the power coiling within him like a sleeping dragon, ready to unleash devastation or protection, depending on how it was wielded.

"Are you ready to test it out?" I asked.

Sul-Da's jaw set in determination. "I'm ready."

I smiled. "Then follow me."

With a single thought, I let the Ring's energy surge through me, lifting me effortlessly into the air. Sul-Da followed, his movements less polished but improving with each passing day. We soared higher above the platform, the air growing thinner until we breached the upper atmosphere shield.

The endless void of space greeted us, framed by the radiant blue giants. From this vantage, the platform was a mere speck below us, a testament to how small even grand designs could seem against the vastness of the cosmos.

"Alright, Sul-Da," I called out through the comm-link. "First test. Show me how fast you can go."

He grinned. "You're on."

Without hesitation, Sul-Da shot forward, a streak of light zipping away at incredible speed. I gave him a head start, letting pride fill me as I watched his form blur against the backdrop of stars. Then, with a flex of will, I followed.

The blue energy coursing through my Kryptonian-enhanced body was exhilarating. The speed was like nothing I'd ever felt. The universe stretched around us, the stars smearing into lines of light as we pushed faster, faster, faster still.

In less than a minute, we had crossed hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Sul-Da was still ahead, his determination driving him beyond his limits. I pushed myself to match his pace, feeling the thrill of the chase. The Ring fed me real-time data.

++ Speed: 98,763 kilometers per second and rising. Estimated energy output: 12% of maximum capacity. ++

We weren't at lightspeed yet, but we were close. I marveled at Sul-Da's progress. For someone so young, his potential was astonishing.

Finally, I surged forward, overtaking him. "Not bad, kid! But you've still got a ways to go before you beat me."

Sul-Da grinned through the comm-link, his eyes blazing with blue light. "I'm just getting started!"

Suddenly, a new voice cut through our comms.

++ ALERT: Unidentified energy signature detected at the edge of Sector 3601. Source unknown. ++

I halted mid-flight, the Ring's message freezing me in place. Sul-Da skidded to a stop beside me, confusion etched on his face.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Something's entered the Sector," I muttered. "Something… powerful."

I focused, letting the Ring interface with my senses. Data streamed into my mind—a ripple in the fabric of space-time, a distortion that didn't belong here. It wasn't just powerful; it was wrong. The kind of wrong that made your gut clench even if you didn't fully understand why.

++ Energy signature: Negative quantum fluctuations detected. Correlation with known threats: 67%. Possibilities include interdimensional breach or extraversal incursion. ++

"Interdimensional breach?" Sul-Da's voice trembled slightly. "You mean like… from another universe?"

"Possibly," I said, jaw tightening. "Or something worse."

The Ring highlighted a region of space far beyond the orbiting blue giants. Even from this distance, I could see the faint glow of the disturbance—a swirling vortex of shadow and light, twisting and writhing like a wound in reality itself.

I took a deep breath. "We need to check it out. Stay close, Sul-Da. This might not be pretty."

We flew toward the anomaly, the air of excitement from earlier now replaced with a cold, gnawing tension. The closer we got, the stronger the sense of dread became. It was as if the universe itself was holding its breath.

We reached the edge of the distortion, a swirling mass of energy that pulsed with unnatural light. The Ring's analysis continued to stream data, none of it reassuring.

++ Warning: Energy signature is destabilizing local space-time. Immediate intervention required. ++

Sul-Da swallowed hard. "What do we do?"

"First, we see if we can stabilize it." I willed a construct into being—a lattice of green energy designed to contain and analyze the breach. The construct shimmered as it touched the edges of the distortion, struggling to hold firm against the chaos.

For a moment, it seemed to be working.

Then, the distortion pulsed violently, and the construct shattered like glass.

A tendril of darkness shot out, faster than thought, and wrapped around Sul-Da's leg.

He screamed.

"Sul-Da!" I roared, lunging forward. My Ring flared, a blade of pure will slicing through the tendril. It recoiled, but not before a sliver of darkness had embedded itself in his calf.

Sul-Da's eyes were wide with pain and fear. "It burns…"

I caught him as he started to fall, cradling him in two of my arms while the others summoned a defensive shield around us.

++ Analysis complete. Dark energy infection detected. Immediate quarantine required. ++

The tendrils of darkness within the breach writhed hungrily, more of them reaching out toward us.

I set my jaw. "Ring, initiate emergency containment protocols. We're sealing this thing."

++ Affirmative. Deploying maximum containment field. ++

The Ring's glow intensified, a surge of green light flaring around us as a massive containment dome formed, encasing the breach. The tendrils slammed against the barrier, but for now, it held.

I glanced down at Sul-Da. His face was pale, beads of sweat on his forehead. The sliver of darkness in his leg pulsed ominously.

"We'll get you through this, kid," I whispered. "I promise."

He nodded weakly. "I… I trust you."

I looked back at the swirling darkness, my eyes narrowing with cold resolve.

Whatever this was, whoever sent it… they'd just made a big mistake.