Before the words even settled, several more short, blue-skinned aliens appeared around her. Thea counted—seven of them in total.
"Welcome to Planet Oa, Earthling. We are the Guardians of the Universe."
The one in front repeated himself gently, as if afraid she was still shaken.
These were the Guardians?
The so-called ancient beings who had lived for countless ages?
They didn't look special at all.
Thea didn't even bother using the Eye of Horus—she simply observed them while talking. No magic. No divine power. Barely a meter tall. Zero physical threat. Their only unusual trait was their form of life itself. Aside from that? Nothing impressive.
"Were you the ones who brought me he—"
Her words were cut short.
A streak of green light shot down from the distance. From it stepped a purple-skinned alien in the traditional Green Lantern uniform. He didn't even glance at Thea. Instead, he pointed accusingly at the floating Guardians.
"You're recruiting another Earthling? Wasn't Hal Jordan lesson enough? Earthlings have weak wills—they're not fit for the Green Lantern Corps!"
The Guardians let him vent. When the purple alien finally stopped, they slowly explained:
"Sinestro, she was not recruited by us. She was brought here by yellow energy. We have only just learned this ourselves."
"Yellow energy… the Yellow Lanterns?!"
Sinestro froze for a few seconds—then realization hit him. He turned sharply toward the Guardians.
"You've already completed the Yellow Power Ring? My will is strong enough to master fear—give me the ring! I'll destroy Parallax myself!"
But the Guardians did not respond to his declaration.
Because another streak of green light arrived.
"I absolutely refuse to let you sacrifice Earth! Earth may be young, but—eh??"
Hal Jordan, rushing from Earth, stopped mid-speech—his brain derailed the moment he saw Thea.
A girl from Earth?
Looking like that?
Who was she?
He opened his mouth to keep talking… and forgot all his lines. He simply stood there, staring like an idiot.
As expected of "Er-Ha"—the Two-Dog—Hal Jordan.
How could he be this dumb?
Thea felt zero excitement at seeing a fellow Earthling. All she felt was that she had been dragged into a cosmic-level disaster.
"You're from Earth? And you're breathing here without a ring? No enhancements? How are you adapting to Oa's gravity and atmosphere?"
Hal Jordan completely forgot why he came. He lifted his ring and scanned her.
Human.
A real human.
Not a humanoid alien.
Impossible.
His worldview, barely reconstructed after recent events, collapsed yet again.
Are Earthlings all this strong? Or am I the fake Earthling…?
"Sinestro, Hal Jordan," the lead Guardian finally said, "this Earthling is Thea Queen. She was summoned by a Yellow Power Ring. The ring was completed only three minutes ago, so…"
Hal Jordan didn't hear a thing. He was still stuck in existential crisis mode—If I'm not a real Earthling, why am I breaking my back to protect Earth…?
"You're joking. Why would she be chosen by a Yellow Ring? She's not only a weak Earthling—she's an Earth woman!"
Sinestro pointed at Thea, furious.
The Guardians exchanged thoughts silently.
"Sinestro, you are indeed the strongest warrior of the Green Lantern Corps. We trust your will. But this Earthling was personally selected by the Yellow Light. If you want the ring, you must prove you surpass her. Only then will the Yellow Light acknowledge you."
Of course Sinestro understood—they feared him wielding both Green and Yellow rings. He would surpass their control.
Still, their sudden change of stance enraged him.
"Prove it how? This woman—does she even have combat ability? Or do you expect two Earthlings to fight me together?!"
"The birth of the Yellow Ring is an inevitability of history," the Guardian said calmly. "We created the Green Lantern Corps, but the Yellow Light is also part of the universe. There is no need for concern—we will not obstruct it. Only facilitate it.
"The arena will decide.
"Earthling—what is your answer?"
Thea's mind raced.
A Yellow Ring.
Choosing her.
Wasn't it supposed to choose Sinestro at first sight?
To be honest, she had no affection for emotional-spectrum powers. They were too vague—no direct strengthening to one's existence. Every Lantern was still a mortal; even Sinestro wouldn't outlive his species by much. When their time came, the ring simply flew away. Honor, achievements—gone in a blink.
Everyone treated the Yellow Light like it was inherently evil.
But as a magician, Thea saw differently.
Light wasn't justice.
Darkness wasn't evil.
Fear could grant conviction—look at Batman.
Moreover, she wasn't even sure she could "control fear." She feared plenty of things. Her will was nothing like Sinestro's iron resolve.
But the ring was right in front of her.
No quests required.
A free artifact.
A true transmigrator's philosophy:
Even if you don't use it—take it first.
So she agreed to the duel.
The Guardians flew toward a nearby mountain. Sinestro followed, face dark as ash.
"You can fly? If you want… I can carry you," Hal Jordan offered awkwardly, still dazed—eyes drifting to her exposed waist and long legs.
"Don't touch me. I can fly myself."
Thea waved him off.
After Parallax's psychic suppression, her mental strength had risen again.
And Oa's magic density far surpassed Earth's.
With her own magic, flying was no problem.
She wasn't as fast as a Lantern, but the distance was short. She landed lightly in the arena.
Hal arrived last—because he had been standing there dumbfounded by what he saw.
She flew.
On her own.
No ring.
No tech.
It took him a full half-minute to regain his senses.
Earth is way deeper than I thought…
The Guardians didn't think much of her independent flight, but Sinestro's expression changed.
He'd traveled countless star systems and seen extraordinary lifeforms before—but this woman's existence demanded respect. Even if he still looked dismissive, internally his threat assessment rose sharply.