{Chapter: 78 - Fusion of Two Powers}
The glowing power ring hovered above Abin Sur's motionless body, pulsing faintly as if reluctant to part from its previous master. Aiden stood silently over the fallen Green Lantern, his heart heavy but his mind sharp. The silence was eerie, filled only by the distant echo of wind and the low hum of energy still radiating from the ring.
Then, something expected happened.
A yellow crystalline object, small but impossibly bright, slowly emerged from Abin's chest. It hovered in the air like a sinister ghost, exuding a chilling presence. Aiden's gaze sharpened. He recognized it immediately. It wasn't just any energy crystal—it was a Fear Crystal, a fragment of Parallax's essence.
The air around it distorted slightly. This wasn't just a container of fear; it radiated it. Aiden could feel the shift, subtle yet suffocating, as the crystal seemed to tap into the ambient fear of the planet. The hairs on his arms bristled.
"System," he said, warily. "Is there any use for this? If not, I'll destroy it now. I don't have time to babysit galactic nightmares."
So the best way to deal with it is to destroy this thing and Parallax won't come to earth and there naturally won't be any danger.
[The host can devour it. Absorbing the Parallax Crystal will yield significant energy and may awaken unique fear-based abilities. It can also be stored safely in the system inventory.]
Aiden frowned, considering. "Devour fear energy... that sounds risky. But also useful."
Fear was a double-edged sword. It corrupted many, but in the right hands, it could fuel unimaginable power. Still, absorbing it wasn't something he could do casually. It would take time—possibly days—of careful integration, and even then, there would be risks of mental backlash.
The power of fear was terrifying; as long as someone was scared, he would gain great power. Like Cul Borso.
"Store it in the system for now," he ordered. "I'll deal with it later."
The system complied, and the glowing yellow crystal vanished from sight.
"Also, take Abin's body. Aside from being a hero, he was an alien. There may be secrets within his biology or memories stored in his neural patterns. Later, when I have time, I'll dissect every layer."
As he prepared to leave, he took a mental inventory. Inside his system's space were numerous powerful relics: Graviton, the Aether, the Casket of Ancient Winters, and now the Yellow Crystal of Fear. He had a small armory of cosmic chaos locked away, and yet, much of it remained beyond his current level of control.
But not for long.
A sudden sound broke his thoughts. Helicopters.
Bright searchlights swept the sky. Emergency response teams and possibly military reconnaissance had already arrived. Without hesitation, Aiden cloaked himself in a burst of flame and shot into the sky, soaring over the treetops like a comet and vanishing into the clouds.
---
Back at the hotel, Aiden stood by the wide window of his suite, staring down at the power ring and the compact Green Lantern. They were resting on the desk like precious artifacts from another age. He could feel the faint hum of dormant energy from the ring. It was low on power, but not empty.
He sat down, crossing his legs, and stared at the ring with a contemplative expression.
Soon, the ring would activate and take him to Oa—the Green Lantern Corps headquarters at the center of the universe. There, he would be officially inducted, provided the Guardians approved. He would be given the suit, the training, and the responsibilities of a Lantern.
But Aiden wasn't interested in wearing a green spandex uniform. His own abilities already granted him unmatched regeneration and durability. He didn't need the suit. He needed something else—a vessel. A container strong enough to hold the volatile Aether.
In an instant Aether appeared in front of Aiden, the moment it came out, it headed towards Aiden's body.
He glanced toward the floating red mist behind him—the Aether. One of the six Infinity Stones. A liquid form of reality manipulation that had once driven mortals insane.
"Come," Aiden whispered.
The Aether surged forward.
It moved like sentient blood, twisting and warping the air around it. The moment it neared Aiden, it lunged for his body.
He didn't panic. He knew its tendencies. He reacted instantly, slamming the Green Lantern ring between himself and the Aether. The Aether recoiled. At first, it didn't seem affected, but then it shuddered. Especially in a different universe where it holds little true law.
The power ring emitted a faint pulse of energy, as if it recognized the Aether's nature and opposed it.
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "So, you are afraid of the ring."
He took a deep breath and began using telekinesis to push the Aether closer to the ring. The two forces clashed violently. Aiden's veins bulged from the strain. Sweat dripped from his brow. His nose bled, and he gritted his teeth.
The Aether resisted fiercely. It wanted to retreat. It screamed silently in his mind. But Aiden refused to relent. He would tame it. Harness it. Force it into the power ring, where it could be both controlled and utilized.
"Obey!" he roared, slamming his full will into the act.
The Aether, shaken by the overwhelming dominance of his will, surged forward and crashed into the ring. The ring glowed a fierce emerald as it absorbed the chaotic reality liquid. Sparks of green and crimson scattered across the room, and the ground shook.
Then silence.
Aiden collapsed.
---
It was unclear how long he remained unconscious. Hours, maybe longer. When he finally stirred, his head pounded with dull pain. He groaned, propping himself up and looking at the ring.
It was no longer the same.
The pure green glow had deepened to a darker hue, nearly blackened in places. The once-pristine Green Lantern emblem now had dark streaks through it, like veins of shadow entwined around its center.
It had changed.
"You're not just a Green Lantern ring anymore," he whispered.
He raised the ring to his eyes and smirked faintly. "You're something else now... something new. The power of will and the essence of reality—merged. A hybrid."
He chuckled. "Let's call you... the Aether's Reality Ring."
And with that, Aiden Graves took his first step toward reshaping the universe itself.
*****
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