"Where is this place? Did you bring me here?" Hal quickly gathered himself, ignoring the fact that he somehow looked worse than a chicken-like alien, and probed with a question.
"My name is Tomar-Re. This is Oa, the center of the universe and headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps," Tomar-Re explained. "You were summoned here by the power of the Lantern. It's clear you've been chosen by the Lantern, though you haven't yet mastered its power, which we will train you to use. Afterward, we'll swear to defeat Parallax."
"Wait! You guys already know about Parallax?" Hal asked, stunned. The last thing he expected was that the Green Lantern Corps would already be aware of Parallax, considering that Abin had tasked him with reporting it to them before he died.
After all, if the Green Lantern Corps could defeat Parallax, wouldn't that mean Earth might not have to face the threat? Hal found himself hopeful. The Green Lantern Corps, stationed at the heart of the universe and calling themselves its guardians, should be more than capable of handling Parallax, right?
"Yes, Parallax escaped and has already attacked several of our members. Some managed to relay information about Parallax before they died," Tomar-Re explained. "That's when we realized Abin may have fallen victim to Parallax as well, though we couldn't be certain until you showed up."
Tomar-Re gestured to Hal's ring. "The ring in your possession belonged to Abin. Sinestro, his student and close friend, was instrumental in defeating and imprisoning Parallax before. Given his bond with Abin, Sinestro may not treat you kindly."
"So, what if I just give him the ring?" Hal looked down at the ring, considering.
"Don't even think about it!" Tomar-Re's expression shifted, his birdlike face displaying a hint of alarm. "You have been accepted by the Lantern. While Sinestro may be a bit hard on you, you're now a member of the Green Lantern Corps, even if still a recruit. Surrendering your ring would mean rejecting the honor of the Lantern—a betrayal of the Corps!"
"I just thought… since it was Abin's ring, maybe it holds special meaning for you all. You all have your own rings anyway, right? So maybe you could just give me another one? Or make a new one?" Hal noticed Tomar-Re's odd expression and shrank back slightly, speaking carefully.
"Uh…" Tomar-Re was taken aback by Hal's question, as this kind of suggestion had never come up in the Corps before. He wasn't sure if it was even possible.
In theory, Abin was a significant figure within the Green Lantern Corps—a mentor and a powerful warrior whose legacy influenced many members. While his ring looked similar to others, it did indeed hold special meaning.
Sinestro, who had been visibly cold toward Hal since his arrival on Oa, had already petitioned the Guardians to allow the Corps to rally against Parallax. Confident in his own strength, Sinestro believed he could defeat Parallax just as Abin had done before, perhaps as an homage to his mentor.
"The Corps is gathering for the battle speech; let's go." Tomar-Re, unable to figure out whether Hal's idea was feasible, led Hal to the assembly area, where Sinestro was already rallying the Green Lanterns.
"Parallax has slain our great mentor, Abin Sur, the leader and guide of so many of us here…" Sinestro held up his ring, inspiring the Corps with a powerful speech. As his words stirred up emotions, green beams shot into the sky from every ring.
"Since the founding of the Green Lantern Corps, we may not excel alone, but together, we are undefeated. We are the Green Lantern Corps, born for this moment—to uphold our honor!"
Looking around, Hal felt completely out of place amid the fervor of his fellow Green Lanterns. He felt like a stray dog among wolves, sticking out like a sore thumb.
Adding to his unease, he noticed the diversity around him. The Corps consisted of creatures of every conceivable form: bird-headed beings like Tomar-Re, fish-headed aliens, and even entities resembling bees, jellyfish, and other species he couldn't recognize. Hal suddenly felt a pang of foreboding.
"Did they choose me because I'm an oddball among humans?" Hal mumbled under his breath. Just then, Sinestro approached him, frowning at his distracted demeanor.
"The Green Lantern Corps relies on willpower and imagination to fight. If you can't even focus, how can you be worthy of Abin's ring?" Sinestro snapped, clearly irritated by Hal's inattentiveness.
"Willpower and imagination?" Hal muttered, taking in Sinestro's words. He then replied, "I was actually just telling Tomar-Re… if Abin's ring is so significant, why not give me one without that importance attached? I mean, it's the same to me, but for you guys, Abin's ring has a special meaning, right? It'd be better in the hands of someone experienced, not a rookie like me."
Hal wasn't trying to prove himself or show off in front of Sinestro. He wasn't interested in starting a conflict with the Green Lantern Corps, especially not on their turf. He didn't even know how far this Oa was from Earth, and in the case of a confrontation, no one could save him.
So Hal figured he'd lie low for now. Once he got a handle on his abilities and returned to Earth, he'd be free from the Corps. By then, Parallax would be defeated, Earth spared, and he'd have gained superhuman abilities—all wins for Earth.
Yes, Hal had already realized Earth was a victim of circumstance. To the Corps, Abin was a hero and a leader, but by dying on Earth, Abin had also brought potential disaster with him. Even if Parallax was dealt with, the government's possession of Abin's remains could lead to other consequences, especially if they managed to extract alien technology.
"Is that possible?" Sinestro, like Tomar-Re, was surprised by Hal's suggestion. The Green Lantern rings were essential but could be produced in quantity, explaining the Corps' expansion.
Realizing Hal's proposal might actually work, Sinestro found his hostility toward the newcomer lessened somewhat.
"Why not? Don't you have any spare rings?" Hal asked, puzzled by the idea that the Corps might restrict access to what seemed like a mass-produced item.
"Actually, that might work! Tomar-Re, ask the Guardians for a new ring. Kilowog, help train this rookie, and take it easy," Sinestro instructed, looking to Tomar-Re and then Kilowog, a massive, pig-headed creature who stepped forward.
"Well, great… We're definitely not in the same weight class," Hal muttered, eyeing Kilowog's massive frame.
"Quit whining! Use your imagination; training starts now, kid!" Kilowog's gruff voice matched Hal's expectations of him.
Before Hal could fully gather his thoughts, a green light from Kilowog's ring surrounded him, transporting him to a specialized training field. Two green shackles appeared at Hal's feet, binding him in place, and no matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free.
"Swoosh!" Kilowog raised his ring, and a massive boulder materialized in mid-air, plummeting toward Hal.
"What the—?!" Hal's pupils shrank in panic as he instinctively created a large green shield to catch the rock. However, the shield bent under the weight, threatening to buckle.
"Your strength relies entirely on your will, and it's clear your willpower is pretty weak!" Kilowog scoffed, raising his ring again and conjuring another boulder, which crashed into Hal's shield, pushing him to his knees as he struggled to hold it up.
Desperate, Hal conjured four pillars at the shield's corners to brace it, though this did little to ease his burden.
"I'll keep training and attacking you until you're strong enough to join the Corps. Don't think surrendering Abin's ring will give you special treatment. The Corps has no room for weaklings!" Kilowog tossed several iron disks at Hal, which shattered his makeshift pillars, toppling his shield and rock. A final disk hit Hal, sending him sprawling but preventing the weight from burying him.
"Don't worry, rookie. The next lesson starts now!" Kilowog shouted as Hal gasped for breath, barely managing to stay on his feet. Another green light appeared above, dragging Hal upward.
"Ahhhh!" Hal let out a scream as a strong gravitational pull hoisted him into the air.
"Snap!" Reacting quickly, Hal fired a hook to the ground, anchoring himself just enough to avoid being sucked into what he now recognized as a miniature green sun.
"Feel that? It's similar to the gravitational pull of your sun. In space, this would be fatal, and the larger the body, the stronger the pull…" Kilowog instructed from below. "So, keep your distance from stars when you fly, or you can imagine the consequences!"
As Kilowog spoke, the green sun vanished, and Hal dropped to the ground, nearly winding himself as he landed awkwardly.
"Here, let me help you up!" Kilowog approached, extending a large hand with a friendly smile that belied the rigorous training he had in store.
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