a/n: hope this makes up for my two month absence 🫡

"Huh... so that's why Kilowog's so tough."

"Makes your training seem like a cakewalk, huh?"

"We're stopping the Sun from destroying the universe as part of my training. How is that a cakewalk?" I rolled my eyes and Hal grinned. "Did I shift back to normal?"

"As normal as you're gonna get for now. Horns went down, but your hair's still burning." He shrugged as we went inside one of the stations close to the Sun. "Zar's super charged. Hopefully we won't need it."

"Just in time too. We lost another Lantern." John said.

"So we just stay here until he shows?"

"We're coming up with a plan, Zaria."

"So we're doing nothing." I pointed out and rolled my eyes.

"Stop acting on instincts and use your brain, Red." Hal warned and I scoffed.

"One, I'm a warrior. I'm trained to act on instinct. Two, you have no room to talk when you don't even use your single brain cell most of the time."

"Thanks for the motivation, Zaria."

"You need to be brought down to size once in a while. I'm just happy to be the one to do it." I grinned, grabbing his hand and flew out of the station to patrol around the Sun. "How long have we been far from home?"

"I honestly have no clue. We could go back and have flying cars all over."

"Funny."

"I know, I'm hilarious."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

"Zar, heads up!"

"What the-" I was cut off by Hal pushing me away just as a black beam was headed my way.

"Always watch your six, Little Red." He teased and I nodded. "You alright? This isn't like the little missions you do with your friends. One wrong move and you're dead."

"What was that?"

"Antimatter creatures. Think of them as Krona's little henchdemons."

"And that's the thing that killed-"

"Yep."

"Damn... I've got my work cut out for me here, don't I?"

"You'll be fine." Hal assured and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You've got to stop doubting your potential and stop holding back. Remember that you're stronger than you've ever imagined."

"Then why am I being held back at home?" I grumbled and he raised an eyebrow.

"Batman giving you trouble again?"

"He hates it when I train with the Team, Hal. How am I going to get accustomed to fighting humans if I can't train with them?"

"He just hates it when he doesn't have control. He doesn't know the full extent of your powers and it ticks him off because he's never seen you when the Ring takes over."

"Is that why he hates me?"

"I'm not a mind reader, Zar. But I think it's just one of the reasons." He shrugged. "I honestly have no idea who beefs with a thirteen year old... but then again, he's always arguing with Robin."

"I sometimes think Robin is scared of him. It worries me."

"It worries me too, don't worry."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

"Hal? HAL!?"

The demons quickly overpowered us.

Hal and I were just about to head back when hundreds of antimatter demons started swarming us and the Lanterns nearby.

"Keep your shield up, Zar." Guy called out, appearing next to me with Laira.

"Where's Hal!?" I yelled, feeling my fangs and horns begin to grow again.

"We'll find him, Zaria." Laira assured.

"Heads up!" Kilowog yelled and we all thickened our shields. "Where's Jordan?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. But for now, we must focus on the battle ahead."

"Holy shit... that guy is huge." Guy whispered and we all turned to see Krona emerging from the Sun. "He's as big as a moon!"

"And he'll destroy everything if he gets past us." I said.

"Hal said that if we can't find him, you're in charge."

"Me!? I'm thirteen!"

"But you're the only one who has brought creatures such as Atrocitus to their knees."

"But never something like this!"

"Neither did Avra and look at the legacy left behind." John said and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Stop holding back. You're not on Earth."

"Okay... my friend Wally has been teaching me about anti-matter. The only thing that can destroy it is matter itself. Only question is how we're gonna get that much... matter can't be created or destroyed, only transformed."

"Our rings can't-"

"Our constructs are made of light... though it could be enough if we all do it at the same time. Anti matter is essentially dark matter." I realized and John proudly nodded. "Everyone follow my lead! Hopefully we can stop this before Krona fully wakes!"

Hal, where the hell are you?

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

"Zaria, got any other bright ideas!?"

"I... I don't know! Hal always comes up with the plans and I can't find him!" I cried out, dodging demons left and right as we all watched as Krona fully emerged. "He'll kill everything in its path if we don't stop him!"

"Zar, we need a plan!" Guy yelled.

"Everyone fall back. I want to try something." I mumbled, flying up to Krona and thickened my shield as much as possible. "Let's just hope I don't die in the process."

I used most of my Ring's battery to create a blast strong enough to distract him while the rest of the Lanterns attacked from the side.

However, the demons shielded him and Krona managed to kill a good portion of the Lanterns.

"Okay, that's enough! Someone hurl a planet at this guy!" I yelled and widened my eyes. "That's it!"

"What is?" Kilowog asked and I grinned.

"He's anti matter and the only way to destroy it is with matter like I said before! We just have to hit him with something of greater or equal mass."

"Like a planet!" He realized. "Kid, that's crazy talk!"

"If he wants Oa so bad, let's give it to him."

"But-"

"All of you head to Oa now. We've got one chance and one chance only. I'll keep him distracted long enough."

"How do you plan on doing that!?" Guy exclaimed and my smiled widened, fully showing my fangs and they all flew back a bit.

"I've got a lot of penthouse up rage I've been dying to get rid off."

Once all the Lanterns left, I turned to Krona who was already staring me down.

"I'm not my anger... I'm not my anger." I repeated to myself as I flew up to Krona and pointed my Ring at him. "With blood and rage of crimson red, ripped from a corpse so freshly dead, together with our hellish hate, we'll burn you all, that is your fate."

"Warning. Battery level: Five percent." The Ring warned just as I shot a beam and managed to engulf Krona.

My chest started to hurt and I coughed into my free hand, revealing dots of blood and black goo.

"Battery level: Three percent."

"What's taking them so long!?" I groaned, clutching my chest and watched Krona slowly tried to break the shield. "Just a bit more juice."

"Warning: Power level approaching zero percent."

"Red, get out of the way!" I heard Hal yell and a green hand pushed me aside but I was already losing consciousness.

"Warning: Power level zero percent."

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

"Zaria... come on, poozer. Wake up."

"Come on, Red. You're okay." Hal begged and I felt my body be lifted. "Come on, Zar."

I slowly opened my eyes to see all of the Guardians looking down at me in worry and Hal without his mask and tears streaming down his face.

"I certainly felt the aster with that one." I groaned and everyone sighed in relief.

"Don't ever do that again or you're grounded until college." Hal breathed out and hugged me tight. "You're fully charged. We found your Lantern in the chaos and the Guardians helped... We do have to go back to Ysmault so you can fully charge and then we can go back home."

"Welcome back to the land of the living, poozer." Kilowog smiled and helped me stand. "That was some quick thinking you did back there."

"It actually worked?"

"It did." Hal said and wrapped an arm around me to keep me standing. "I doubted when I heard it from Laira, but then once we started moving Oa, it became the most brilliant plan I've ever heard."

"Until a new Oa can be constructed... Mogo has been kind enough to serve as our temporary base." Ganthet called out as we all circled around the Book of Oa. "Once again, the diversity of the corps has proven to be its greatest asset...whether it be represented by a planet... or a young woman with the ingenuity to turn one into a weapon."

I widened my eyes as the Book opened to reveal its newest chapter.

"Looks like you've got your own story now." Guy elbowed my side.

"Considered me whelmed." I gaped and Hal laughed.

"What is it with you kids and that whelmed thing?"

"Ask Robin. I'm not even sure it's a word."

"I suppose we all owe you an apology, Zaria." Dennap said and stood in front of me. "You are not only a hero, but some might say an agent of destiny."

"Destiny?"

"There was a prophecy about zia's destruction. It would appear you have fulfilled it."

"But the darkest night-"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Red." Hal assured and I nodded.

"Can... can we go home now? I've had enough excitement for now... and I kinda miss my friends."

"Sure thing, Red... let's go home."