"But before that, I will finish you!"
Sinestro's threat rang out, aimed directly at John Stewart.
"Try it, and we'll see who falls first!"
John's eyes burned with intensity as he clenched his teeth, refusing to back down.
"Enough."
Adrian, who had remained silent until now, finally stepped in, his voice cutting through the tension.
"If you want to decide who falls first, don't do it in front of me."
His gaze turned cold as it swept over both of them.
"All of you, be quiet before I lose my patience."
Sinestro shifted his attention to Adrian. "You don't trust what I say?"
"To be precise, I don't trust your words, and I certainly don't trust that emotional story you just told. I doubt how much of it is real."
Adrian's tone remained steady.
"If it weren't for your reputation as a villain, I doubt you would bother telling your past so earnestly. Drop the act and tell me what you really want."
A serious look flickered in Sinestro's eyes.
"It seems there's only one way."
Without hesitation, he removed his Yellow Lantern Ring and held it out to Adrian.
"Since you're so cautious, then take it. I place my fear in your hands."
The action stunned everyone present.
They all understood what that ring meant. Like Hal Jordan's Green Lantern Ring, it was the source of Sinestro's power. The difference lay only in the emotion that fueled it.
By handing it over, Sinestro was effectively surrendering that power.
Hal's eyes widened in disbelief. He had never expected someone as calculating as Sinestro, the leader of the Yellow Lantern Corps, to do something like this, especially not for Adrian.
The move felt wrong, and it made Sinestro's true intentions even more suspicious.
"The Guardians are nothing but controllers," Sinestro continued after relinquishing the ring. "They let your world suffer, your people die, your parents perish."
His voice grew colder.
"Across the universe, they have watched countless civilizations fall. Again and again, they chose to let them die instead of giving them a chance to rise again."
Ignoring the looks from Hal and the others, Sinestro turned and walked toward the exit of the Justice Society Hall.
"I'm no longer a good man. But when they come, you'll need me."
His voice echoed as he left.
"If we work together, we can end them."
Adrian watched him go, the Yellow Lantern Ring resting in his palm, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Adrian."
After a moment, Hal stepped forward.
"You need to be careful. He's never been trustworthy. Lies and betrayal follow him everywhere. Too many people have been burned trusting him."
"Whatever he's planning, I can handle it," Adrian replied calmly.
He examined the ring briefly before continuing.
"But giving up his ring says something. At the very least, I believe one thing, his hatred for the Guardians is real. It runs deeper than anyone else's here."
He closed his hand and put the ring away.
"Keep an eye on him. Don't let him notice you."
"Understood."
Hal and John nodded.
With Sinestro gone, the members of the Justice Society began to disperse. Adrian was about to leave when Mera approached him.
Her wine-red hair framed her face, her fitted suit accentuating her presence as she stopped in front of him.
"Do you have a moment to talk?"
Adrian glanced briefly at Diana, who was watching the interaction from a distance with a sharp, dangerous look. Then he nodded.
"Go ahead."
"I want to take a few days off and return to the sea," Mera said. "You won't need me during that time, right?"
"Something wrong in Atlantis?"
"No. Just personal matters." She gave a small shrug. "Things women deal with that aren't exactly meant for men to understand. It's the same, whether you're Atlantean or human."
"How long?"
"About a week, maybe a bit longer. No more than two weeks. After all, I'm technically your hostage, so I should inform you first."
Adrian paused briefly before nodding.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
Mera's gaze flicked toward Diana again before she stepped closer to Adrian, a faintly teasing expression crossing her face.
"Before I go, can I share a thought about what happened today?"
"What is it?"
"I don't know much about Sinestro," she said, her voice lowering slightly, "but one thing was obvious. You're walking a path very similar to his."
Adrian frowned.
"I'm nothing like him. We've never been on the same path."
"In his eyes, you are," she replied lightly. "And villains tend to recognize their own kind."
Seeing his expression harden, she smiled.
"I'm joking. You're not that kind of man."
She stepped back, creating distance again.
"I should leave before your warrior girlfriend decides to draw her sword."
With that, Mera turned and walked away, leaving Adrian standing there, watching her retreating figure.
Far from the Justice Society Hall stood the Tower of Fate, a place detached from the normal flow of time and space.
Inside, Cyborg, Nightwing, and Alfred remained at Batman's side. He lay motionless on the bed, still unconscious, with no signs of recovery.
A sharp sound broke the silence.
Beep, beep.
Nightwing pulled out his phone, surprised.
"There's a signal here?"
Cyborg raised an eyebrow.
They had brought Batman here for treatment under Doctor Fate, one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence.
Doctor Fate's origins traced back to the early 20th century. In 1920, an archaeologist named Sven Nelson explored the Valley of Ur in Egypt with his son, Kent. There, they uncovered an ancient temple, the dwelling of the Lord of Order, Nabu. The discovery cost Sven his life.
Out of regret, Nabu took Kent in and trained him in sorcery for twenty years. Eventually, Kent was given the Helmet of Fate, an amulet, and a cloak, becoming Doctor Fate.
Over time, the mantle passed on. The original Kent was long gone. The current Doctor Fate was someone new.
Despite Batman's lifelong distrust of magic, it had become his only hope.
As Nightwing prepared to answer the call, Doctor Fate entered the room, his golden helmet gleaming.
"We are everywhere, yet nowhere," he said.
Cyborg blinked.
Zatanna stepped forward from behind him, dressed in her usual magician attire.
"That's his way of saying yes, you have signal here."
She had arranged for Batman to be brought here. Despite her complicated history with Bruce, she wasn't going to let him die.
"You shouldn't answer that, Master Dick," Alfred said, pressing his fingers to his forehead.
"It's safe," Nightwing replied. "The call will be forwarded."
"Forwarded where?" Alfred asked.
"To somewhere you're familiar with," Nightwing said. "Her name is Oracle."
Alfred's expression shifted slightly, then he nodded.
"I see."
Nightwing finally answered, then looked up at the others.
"Another alien force has been taken down by him."
"Not aliens," Cyborg corrected. "The Green Lantern Corps. One of the most powerful forces in the universe. Their rings turn willpower into strength, into weapons."
He paused, his expression serious.
"Hal Jordan works under Homelander. He's one of them."
Nightwing frowned.
"How does he compare to Homelander?"
"I can't say for sure," Cyborg admitted. "But on this planet, only one person might stand a chance against Homelander."
"Who?"
"Superman."
Zatanna's expression shifted slightly at the name.
"Where is Clark?"
"Gotham," Cyborg replied.
"Gotham…"
Zatanna's thoughts drifted, her expression growing distant.