"Retreat?" After receiving Hal's message, Tomar-Re quickly relayed it to his fellow Lanterns. However, Sinestro was hesitant, unlike the others who were eager to pull back.
It wasn't simply a lack of self-awareness on Sinestro's part; rather, he was more ambitious than the others. Witnessing the intense battle between Parallax and the Avengers could both expand his knowledge and help him sharpen his own willpower under pressure.
After all, wielding either the green or yellow power rings required a strong will. For the Green Lanterns, their training had always focused on strengthening their resolve.
Sinestro didn't want to miss this opportunity, especially since the Avengers were restraining Parallax, giving him the chance to observe the fight closely without attracting Parallax's direct attention, thus ensuring his safety.
"Aren't you leaving? We're only a burden here!" Tomar-Re urged Sinestro, knowing that the other Green Lanterns who had just been struck by fear energy were dead, and he didn't want to share their fate. If they stayed, it could only hinder the Avengers.
"How can we just stand by and watch the Avengers fight Parallax while we flee?" Sinestro countered righteously. "Don't forget, Parallax was our creation. Not only have we failed to deal with it, but should we flee, we'll lose even the right to witness his defeat!"
"Are you sure that staying won't just make things harder for the Avengers?" Kilowog questioned, shaking his head. "If you really want to see Parallax fall, we can observe from Oa. Why insist on staying here and risking interference with their fight?"
In Kilowog's mind, Sinestro, the reputed successor of Abin Sur, shouldn't be acting so recklessly. What he didn't realize was that Sinestro's desire to lead both the Green and Yellow Lanterns drove him to seek greater strength—even if it meant taking risks.
"I'm not interfering; I'm assisting the Avengers," Sinestro replied smoothly. "After all, we know Parallax's abilities better than they do!" And with that, he nodded toward Hal. "Besides, if Hal can participate, why can't I?"
Before anyone could argue further, Sinestro flew straight toward the battlefield.
In his observations, Sinestro had already noticed that Parallax had sustained significant injuries from the initial encounter with the Avengers, meaning he wouldn't have the focus or energy to target him. Getting close to the fight, or even participating, would allow him to feel the battle's pressure more directly and broaden his horizons.
"What the…?" Watching Sinestro charge into the fight, the remaining Green Lanterns exchanged baffled glances, unsure what to make of his intentions. Most of them, driven by fear of Parallax and Hal's warnings, wanted to leave.
"We should head back. If Sinestro is confident enough to stay, then let him," Tomar-Re said, glancing around. No one objected, so they turned and flew back toward Oa.
After all, Sinestro was already nearing Parallax's body, and none of them were willing to risk getting close to Parallax to talk him out of it.
"Why have you returned?" The Guardians on Oa questioned the Lanterns impatiently upon their arrival.
The Guardians didn't know the specifics of what was happening in space, but they could sense that Parallax's presence was still outside Oa and was growing stronger and more volatile.
"The Avengers are handling Parallax. We don't have the strength to participate and didn't want to become liabilities," Tomar-Re explained. "If you want to know what's happening out there, you can observe from the main control center instead of just waiting here..."
Recent events had eroded the respect the Green Lanterns once had for the Guardians. Even Tomar-Re could see that the Guardians themselves feared Parallax, which shattered his image of their supposed invulnerability.
"Our duty is to guard this forbidden palace. If Parallax attacks, this will be his target, so we can't leave," one of the Guardians explained. Like Sinestro, he was determined to stay.
"Fine. We'll monitor the battle. If Parallax does make it here, we'll notify you," Tomar-Re replied, and he and the others headed toward the main control center.
Outside Oa, the Avengers noticed Sinestro approaching the battlefield, prompting confused, dissatisfied glances from the team.
The Avengers already knew who Sinestro was from Hal's earlier explanation. They held little respect for someone who had been willing to sacrifice Earth for his own gain and now had the audacity to involve himself in the fight. After all, he hadn't demonstrated any special abilities or contributed to the battle so far.
Sinestro flew over to greet Hal and find a way to join the Avengers' ranks, unaware of their disdain. Meanwhile, Parallax, oblivious to the Avengers' internal dynamics, seized this momentary lull to launch an attack.
Among those present, Hal and Sinestro were the easiest targets. Although Hal was at the center of the Avengers' formation, Parallax couldn't reach him directly. Sinestro, however, was in a vulnerable position…
A massive mouth appeared on Parallax's body, and a blast of fear energy shot toward Sinestro, who had no idea that the Avengers' temporary pause had left him exposed. Caught off-guard, he was blown away by the attack.
Unlike other Green Lanterns struck by fear energy, Sinestro survived, though severely wounded and terrified.
"I'm… still alive?" Sinestro muttered, staring at his blood-covered hands and at his chest, where his yellow ring glowed faintly.
"Could it be that my yellow ring absorbed Parallax's fear energy? But why didn't this happen to the other Yellow Lanterns?"
Before he could make sense of it, another wave of fear energy surged toward him. This time, Sinestro managed to conjure a green shield in front of him.
But his skill couldn't bridge the power gap between him and Parallax. His shield shattered in an instant, and he was flung through space, his body nearly destroyed, tumbling back toward Oa.
"Sinestro!" Tomar-Re and the others, watching from the control center, cried out as they rushed to retrieve his shattered form from Oa's surface. Despite Sinestro's risky behavior, they still extended a hand to help.
However, when they reached Sinestro, they found him almost fully healed and clad in a Yellow Lantern uniform.
"Sinestro, are you alright?" Tomar-Re asked, noticing something odd about him.
"I'm fine. I didn't expect Parallax to be so powerful, even against the Avengers…" Sinestro sighed, glancing toward the Guardians' stronghold. "But we can't let him win. I'll speak to the Guardians; you keep an eye on the battlefield and update me if anything changes."
Back in space, the Avengers renewed their assault, regaining control over Parallax. Three Avengers, each nearly as strong as Parallax, spearheaded the attack—Peter Parker, now bonded again with Venom; Johnny Storm, supercharged by the Extremis virus; and, of course, the Hulk.
Among them, Johnny, with his flight and space-capable flames, inflicted the most damage, leaving deep, smoldering wounds on Parallax's body, which resisted healing.
Peter's fight went smoother thanks to Venom, which adapted to the space environment, allowing him to maneuver effectively. His lightning powers also proved effective against Parallax.
However, the Hulk had it rough. Needing assistance just to reach Parallax's surface, he began pummeling Parallax's massive body with his fists, delivering what amounted to a full-body massage.
Parallax's enormous physique had high physical resistance, so despite Hulk's efforts, he inflicted less damage than Lorna.
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