John was resting on the floor of his new house, just outside of Metropolis, with Lyla spooning against him. There were boxes scattered around the room with the nearest one acting as a table for two glasses of wine and a half-eaten box of pizza.
“The kids fell asleep harder than I expected them to,” he commented.
Lyla nodded. “When you said they could decorate their new rooms however they wanted it was game over. I’ve never seen them work that hard before.”
John wrapped his arm around Lyla, but before he could tuck his hand under her, she looked again at the ring that seemed to be permanently affixed to his finger.
“J’onn said it was a weapon?” she asked.
John smirked. “A weapon, but a lot like a crowbar can be a weapon when you need it to be. That last two nights it seems to be talking to me in my sleep and teaching me more about it.”
Lyla was suddenly concerned. “It’s reading your thoughts?”
John shook his head, “Not really. It seems to only want to teach me about itself. I think that for the ring to work, we have to be partners who are entirely in sync. The more I learn about it, the better it works for me.” He could see that his words weren’t making much sense to his wife, so he decided to show her instead. “Watch.”
He let Lyla sit up so that he could reposition himself before stretching his arm forward. A beam of green light came out of his ring and created an orb around a slice of pizza. The tension that had been building up in his brow released as his confidence grew and the slice lifted into the air before gliding into Lyla’s hand.
She took a bite as John relaxed and smiled. “We are totally going to get fatter with that thing.”
A movement at the front door caught their attention as J’onn J’onzz passed through it with his Martian abilities. He was wearing his Martian Manhunter suit but was still in his human guise.
“I apologize for the interruption, but you are in danger.”
Years of conditioning as both a soldier and member of Team Arrow had his hand out and aiming a green and glowing construct of a pistol at the Martian. Lyla had a similar reaction and was holding an actual pistol on the hero. They both lowered their weapons, and John’s disappeared back into the ring as he did.
“Danger? From what?” Lyla asked.
“Something is coming for you, John,” he explained. “Something you aren’t ready for yet.”
Diggle smirked and brought the gun construct back into existence. “I don’t know, I’ve been practicing.”
“While that is impressive,” J’onn explained, “this thing that is coming for you went toe to toe with Supergirl. Running today will protect your family and help you in your fight tomorrow.”
Lyla climbed to her feet as her husband followed. “J’onn, what is this thing?”
“It calls itself a Manhunter.”
“Like you?” Diggle asked.
“No,” Lyla answered as her mind began recalling information from her time as the Harbinger. “The Manhunters were the sworn enemies of the Green Lanterns.”
John raised an eyebrow. “You know that, but you don’t know what my ring is capable of?”
“My knowledge as Harbinger was only given to me on a need to know basis. Knowing your enemy was more important to the Monitor than knowing your allies. The Monitor didn’t want me running into Manhunters, whereas the Green Lanterns would have been on my side.”
“Great,” John exclaimed. “Then we know more about them then they know about us.”
Lyla shook her head. “I’ve told you everything I know already. They hunt the Green Lanterns and I was to avoid them.” She looked John in the eyes. “John, I had access to multiversal power and the Monitor told me to avoid them.”
Diggle turned to his Martian friend. “J’onn, are Lyla and the kids safe here?
“No, John,” Lyla argued, knowing where her husband was going with this. “We’re coming with you.”
“Lyla,” J’onn spoke up, “the Manhunter is tracking the amplified power of John’s will. If he leaves, you and your children will remain entirely safe.”
“This thing fought Supergirl, Lyla,” John hugged and kissed her. “This is strategy 101. I can’t fight this thing if I’m worried about protecting you.”
Suddenly the ring spoke up, in Lyla’s voice, “Power at 10%.”
“Wait,” John’s frustration was obvious. “This thing needs to be charged? How do I do that?”
A beam of energy leapt from the ring and a portal of light opened in the wall. Floating from it was a large green lantern, similar to those he had taken camping with his stepfather years ago.
Lyla’s voice continued from the ring, “Place your ring against the lantern and you will know what to say.”
“I’ve heard about this, but never seen it,” J’onn J’onzz looked almost giddy with excitement. “I have dreamed of this since I was a child.”
Diggle placed his fist against the lantern as it floated in front of him and the ring was right, he did know the words.”
“In Brightest Day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. May those who worship evil’s might, beware my power: Green Lantern’s Light.”
The ring flashed and the lantern receded back into the portal. The portal disappeared.
“You can call upon the pocket dimension to access your power battery at any time,” the ring explained. “Ring Power is now 100%.”
“Woah,” Lyla said and John noticed that she was looking him up and down. That was when he realized that the ring had dressed him in his newest uniform.
“Cool, huh?”
“From vigilante to complete superhero,” she smiled. “Oliver would be proud.”
He nodded to his wife and gave her another kiss before sneaking into their kid’s rooms and kissing them as well. Once the pleasantries were gone, he and the Martian made their way out of the house.
With a smirk on his face, John leapt into the air and flew into the night sky over Metropolis.
Author Matthew Davenport 