Fear Ourself (part 14)
Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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20th January 2013
19:02 GMT
There's a thump-clatter as Hinon drops a large personal lantern shaped object on the floor next to me.
"Just… Why?"
"I had no idea that would attract Parallax. I'd have thought that giving Dame Carol the Star Sapphire was more likely to summon Predator, and that didn't happen."
"The Predator is firmly under Zamaron control."
"And I thought the Guardians had Parallax. Wasn't that part of why they let Larfleeze keep the Orange Light Fountain?"
"I thought that as well. And then I thought, 'if any man in the universe could break their prison by accident, who would it be?'."
"Sinestro? He's been using a yellow ring for a while, and he would have been told about the Entities when he was First Lantern."
She adopts a thoughtful expression.
"You think he's been planning this since he would have had access to Parallax's containment vessel? While he was still a serving Green Lantern?"
"I'm suggesting it as a possibility. I've got no real idea what draws Entities still in the wild to a particular location. It's a big universe."
"No, seven galaxies is not a big universe."
"An evasion? My Lady Controller, I thought better of you."
"They're usually perfectly content to exist within their… Honden, you call it? Because that's the view of the universe that they understand. Parallax moving to a place would flare that portion of the Honden, but the observable effect wouldn't be larger than those fears flaring for the people in the affected region."
"Or of the affected type."
"Yes, quite. Parallax was first brought into the material universe by Krona's experiment. Though, I… I would have done the same. At the time, such things were quite a curiosity."
"Did he bring it out just to study it?"
"Partially that. It was also… The few other intelligences that existed at the time were socially and technologically primitive. They were one of the few sophont beings around that had a power of any real significance. It was the first time we could talk to something that was… Not like us, but…"
"In your league."
"As it turned out, no, but yes. And as we learned more of their nature we were naturally disappointed. The Zamarons-. Proto-Zamarons, in particular. For them, love was community. Family. They didn't expect the Predator to be quite so possessive as it is."
"And since then?"
"The Ophidian was on Okaara. The Guardians kept Ion, and eventually moved it to the Green Central Power Battery once their Corps was established. The Proselyte travelled to a world that resonated with its colour and returned to its Honden. Parallax was kept contained by the Guardians due to its intensely malicious nature."
"The Butcher? Adara?"
"We rather lost track of them while containing Krona. We assumed that they copied the Proselyte, and given that we haven't seen them since that appears to be a reasonable conclusion."
"Nekron?"
"Oh, we know exactly where he is."
"Any advice on fighting Parallax?"
"Yes. It relishes fear, but it's not much given to physical aggression. It will fight and wound to make people afraid, but it won't want to have to work for a victory against someone who doesn't fear it."
"That's awkward, because I am afraid. There's a hugely powerful creature out there that wants to undo all my work, to ruin the lives of people I've helped just to make me afraid that it will keep going."
"Feeling fear will give it power. I suggest that you stop."
"That's the stupid thing. If Parallax just learned to take joy in little fears, there wouldn't be a problem. But if it rampages around slaughtering people so it can feel their fear as they die, it'll eventually run out."
"Logical, but wrong. You're underestimating the area involved. Even with a mere seven galaxies to work with, even destroying an inhabited world's worth of people each day, there would still be more than enough time for the population to replenish itself."
"I.. suppose that-."
Green flames flare into being besides me, spreading out to reveal a heavy wooden door construct. A moment later it opens and Lord Malvolio strides through, Lantern Priest a little behind him.
"Oh. Aren't you impressive."
Lord Malvolio looks at me for a moment, then turns towards Hinon, arms crossed. "What manner of mischief has this ungovernable Lantern wrought?"
"Thank you for answering, my lord. Events have conspired to bond the Fear Entity to a mortal man and he's planning on creating fear in me by threatening the worlds N.E.M.O. protects. I wouldn't ask you to fight the Reach with us; you have your own worlds to shepherd. But the Fear Entity is everyone's problem."
"Mine own fears are brought low and bound long since, unable to rise above their timorous and trembling station. Fear has its place, but not in the manner of a great and galloping beast, bringing rack and ruin as it runs. In this task, my blade is yours, 'til the brute is bested, beaten and banished."
"Thank you. Hinon, would it be possible to build a Yellow Light Fountain to-."
"No. That would take years of study at the very least, and it would need to be activated well away from Parallax. And I couldn't do it in any case. All this will do-" She indicates her lantern-prison. "-is contain Parallax if it is forced to leave its current host. And don't assume that it can keep it inside indefinitely."
Okay. I glance in the direction of Kalmin's laboratory. No large explosions, so I assume that he and Weaponer Lysis are getting on with things.
"In that case, Lord Malvolio, since we've got a little while before we need to depart, would you mind speaking with Jade about using green rings?"
"Doth your consort look with a covetous heart 'pon the rings of Oa?"
"No, she grasps with a determined hand 'pon the ring of Volthoom."
"And what manner of being is Volthoom?"
"A talkative one, who can power a ring without a personal lantern."
Lantern Priest shakes his head. "Personal lanterns are an unnecessary crutch, as both Lord Malvolio and I demonstrate."
"Alright, well, the training grounds are this way."
19:02 GMT
There's a thump-clatter as Hinon drops a large personal lantern shaped object on the floor next to me.
"Just… Why?"
"I had no idea that would attract Parallax. I'd have thought that giving Dame Carol the Star Sapphire was more likely to summon Predator, and that didn't happen."
"The Predator is firmly under Zamaron control."
"And I thought the Guardians had Parallax. Wasn't that part of why they let Larfleeze keep the Orange Light Fountain?"
"I thought that as well. And then I thought, 'if any man in the universe could break their prison by accident, who would it be?'."
"Sinestro? He's been using a yellow ring for a while, and he would have been told about the Entities when he was First Lantern."
She adopts a thoughtful expression.
"You think he's been planning this since he would have had access to Parallax's containment vessel? While he was still a serving Green Lantern?"
"I'm suggesting it as a possibility. I've got no real idea what draws Entities still in the wild to a particular location. It's a big universe."
"No, seven galaxies is not a big universe."
"An evasion? My Lady Controller, I thought better of you."
"They're usually perfectly content to exist within their… Honden, you call it? Because that's the view of the universe that they understand. Parallax moving to a place would flare that portion of the Honden, but the observable effect wouldn't be larger than those fears flaring for the people in the affected region."
"Or of the affected type."
"Yes, quite. Parallax was first brought into the material universe by Krona's experiment. Though, I… I would have done the same. At the time, such things were quite a curiosity."
"Did he bring it out just to study it?"
"Partially that. It was also… The few other intelligences that existed at the time were socially and technologically primitive. They were one of the few sophont beings around that had a power of any real significance. It was the first time we could talk to something that was… Not like us, but…"
"In your league."
"As it turned out, no, but yes. And as we learned more of their nature we were naturally disappointed. The Zamarons-. Proto-Zamarons, in particular. For them, love was community. Family. They didn't expect the Predator to be quite so possessive as it is."
"And since then?"
"The Ophidian was on Okaara. The Guardians kept Ion, and eventually moved it to the Green Central Power Battery once their Corps was established. The Proselyte travelled to a world that resonated with its colour and returned to its Honden. Parallax was kept contained by the Guardians due to its intensely malicious nature."
"The Butcher? Adara?"
"We rather lost track of them while containing Krona. We assumed that they copied the Proselyte, and given that we haven't seen them since that appears to be a reasonable conclusion."
"Nekron?"
"Oh, we know exactly where he is."
"Any advice on fighting Parallax?"
"Yes. It relishes fear, but it's not much given to physical aggression. It will fight and wound to make people afraid, but it won't want to have to work for a victory against someone who doesn't fear it."
"That's awkward, because I am afraid. There's a hugely powerful creature out there that wants to undo all my work, to ruin the lives of people I've helped just to make me afraid that it will keep going."
"Feeling fear will give it power. I suggest that you stop."
"That's the stupid thing. If Parallax just learned to take joy in little fears, there wouldn't be a problem. But if it rampages around slaughtering people so it can feel their fear as they die, it'll eventually run out."
"Logical, but wrong. You're underestimating the area involved. Even with a mere seven galaxies to work with, even destroying an inhabited world's worth of people each day, there would still be more than enough time for the population to replenish itself."
"I.. suppose that-."
Green flames flare into being besides me, spreading out to reveal a heavy wooden door construct. A moment later it opens and Lord Malvolio strides through, Lantern Priest a little behind him.
"Oh. Aren't you impressive."
Lord Malvolio looks at me for a moment, then turns towards Hinon, arms crossed. "What manner of mischief has this ungovernable Lantern wrought?"
"Thank you for answering, my lord. Events have conspired to bond the Fear Entity to a mortal man and he's planning on creating fear in me by threatening the worlds N.E.M.O. protects. I wouldn't ask you to fight the Reach with us; you have your own worlds to shepherd. But the Fear Entity is everyone's problem."
"Mine own fears are brought low and bound long since, unable to rise above their timorous and trembling station. Fear has its place, but not in the manner of a great and galloping beast, bringing rack and ruin as it runs. In this task, my blade is yours, 'til the brute is bested, beaten and banished."
"Thank you. Hinon, would it be possible to build a Yellow Light Fountain to-."
"No. That would take years of study at the very least, and it would need to be activated well away from Parallax. And I couldn't do it in any case. All this will do-" She indicates her lantern-prison. "-is contain Parallax if it is forced to leave its current host. And don't assume that it can keep it inside indefinitely."
Okay. I glance in the direction of Kalmin's laboratory. No large explosions, so I assume that he and Weaponer Lysis are getting on with things.
"In that case, Lord Malvolio, since we've got a little while before we need to depart, would you mind speaking with Jade about using green rings?"
"Doth your consort look with a covetous heart 'pon the rings of Oa?"
"No, she grasps with a determined hand 'pon the ring of Volthoom."
"And what manner of being is Volthoom?"
"A talkative one, who can power a ring without a personal lantern."
Lantern Priest shakes his head. "Personal lanterns are an unnecessary crutch, as both Lord Malvolio and I demonstrate."
"Alright, well, the training grounds are this way."
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