Lyssa Drak.
Depraved lunatic. Unhealthy attachment to inanimate objects. Mysterious past. And, she also dresses like a space vampire.
On paper, it sounds like the typical kind of scum you could scrape off the cosmic barrel that would be drawn to the Sinestro Corps. In reality, well...it’s a bit more complicated that that.
Not only is she a member of the Sinestro Corps, but she’s the Keeper of the Book of Parallax, a twisted version of the Book of Oa. Basically, think of her as an evil librarian. So instead of overdue books, just imagine her subjecting you to your worst fears and recording just how long you clung to your sanity before becoming a broken shell of a being. As the Lady to Sinestro’s Macbeth, Drak was clearly in the race to win over ol’ egghead’s affections. And when he would consider her over a mirror, well...there was a reason why he made her the historian of the Sinestro Corps.
After the war between fear and willpower, the Green Lanterns has imprisoned her, along with most of the Yellow Lanterns, in a sciencecell on Oa to await a full trial. But like always, the Guardians of the Universe had to waste time arguing about thousand-year old rules and other things that space smurfs usually do.
So naturally, she escaped from her sciencecell. Managed to catch Lantern Voz, the warden off guard. And when the warden is a talking grizzly bear, well that takes talent. Or in her case, teeth. He had underestimated her just as much as the Guardians, a mistake that won’t be repeated by yours truly. Amidst the crap currently hitting the fan, she found the Book of Parallax in lockup deep beneath Oa. Two rookie Lanterns tried to stop her once she got the hands on it. They were “green” beyond comprehension of the word, but followed the oath through to the letter. Kilowog is still trying to find what was left of their bodies. They weren’t the first she’s killed, but their deaths weren’t in vain. They can’t be.
No one else is dying because the Guardians chose inaction over action. The Corps is stretched thin between the Spider Guild reemerging in the Vega System, as well as Mongul’s recent coup of the Sinestro Corps on Korugar.
Lantern Salaak activated a tracer on the spacecraft she used to escape Oa. His last record indicated that she landed in Sinestro’s former sector, Sector 1417 on a planet named Ogoro. The Guardians asked for volunteers to take her in. One hand raised without hesitation, the one Lantern without fear. And his name was Hal Jordan.
“Salaak, I’m…..too late.”
Descending slowly on the deserted landscape of Ogoro, you couldn’t help but take a sorrow-laden breath as you witnessed the death and devastation left in the wake of Lyssa Drak.
A green aura surrounded your Lantern uniform, protecting you from the vacuum of space as well as other environmental deterrents. The uniform itself was an energized leotard, albeit one with a green/black/white color scheme. Your armored torso consisted of a bright green, with the symbol of the GL Corps emblazoned at its center. Surrounded by a white oval, the lantern insignia burned brightest even in blackest night.
Wearing green lightweight boots with almost rubber like soles, a sleek black flowed down your legs. The black undertones filled in your outer torso area while also coloring in your arms. This also contrasted with your white gloves. The “signature” motif of your costume was the green domino mask that stretched from eye to eye to conceal your identity, as well as your usual unkempt brown hair.
The Oan ring, powered by those who can overcome great fear, fitted comfortably around your right index finger. The source of your power, the ring glowed incessantly as it condensed your natural willpower into constructs of your imagination.
Lowering yourself, the pain in your voice was unmistakable as you glanced at the blood of innocents paving the streets of a now desolate town.
Dozens of Ogoroean people lay slaughtered where they stood, puddles of blue blood seeping out from underneath their eviscerated corpses.Those who took up arms against the Yellow Lanterns met a similar fate: their bodies torn apart by her constructs and mutilated beyond recognition. Food carts and other portable vehicles were overturned by those who survived her initial onslaught in a futile attempt to escape, but none were spared from the wrath of Lyssa.
The buildings, already dilapidated and ancient, were almost teetering on edge in her wake. Some even lied in heaps of rubble as Lyssa forged her own path forward, clearly not hiding her existence but flaunting it as if to taunt those who would dare try to stop what was right.
“Are there any survivors, Lantern Jordan?” Salaak’s inquisitive yet somber voice emitted from your ring.
Touching the floor, you instinctively scanned your surroundings, or rather what was left of it. The spaceship that she used to arrive in this sector was roughly parked on a nearby landing pad, its landing ramp still open. The bodies of those massacred were almost lined up as to indicate where she had gone, which just so happened to be west.
Holding your wrist in front of you, a holographic projection of Green Lantern Salaak materialized from the ring. His insectoid face could seem off-putting to novices, but you had grown to trust him even more than the Guardians over the years, which (admittedly) isn’t that hard to do. Four slender arms protruded from his chest armor as he peered at you, realizing from your body language alone that “all was not well.”
“None that I can see, Salaak. She knew we were coming. These people were just the paint she used to make a message. I can’t even imagine what she did to the children,” you answered plainly.
“Despite these rather foreboding conditions, perhaps we should simply weigh our options here, Hal Jordan. Not taking away from your previous accomplishment in the aptly-named ‘Sinestro Corps War,’ but this Lyssa Drak is a very dangerous woman, even without a Yellow Ring. With the Book of Parallax in her control, she could be nigh unstoppable,” Salaak pointed out, a common facet of his usual pessimistic nature.
“Which is exactly the reason why I need to take her down. She’s too influential to be left alone in this sector. No telling how many thieves and murderers she can convince to wear yellow by the time we get back with reinforcements. If I can’t stop her right here and right now, then these people’s lives would’ve only proven her point: that the Corps only hunts in packs because we can’t overcome fear individually. I need to do this, Salaak,” you replied stoically, glaring despondently at a gray-skilled Ogorean with his tunic in ribbons and his face literally sliding off his skull.
It was a visceral image, yet indicative of Lyssa’s unhinged sadism. She didn't just enjoy eviscerating and ending people; she craved it.
“I commend you for your tenacity, Hal Jordan. But even you must realize the ramifications of going up against someone capable of instilling great fear in even Kilowog. At least let me send Lantern Natu your coordinates,” he implored yet again.
Walking over an elderly Ogorean with blood still trickling down his lips, you nearly contemplated his advice as you simply witnessed the destruction that the malevolent ringbearer had wrought upon this quite innocuous planet. Then, you thought of what she could do to Korugar if Soranik Natu left it unguarded. Or what she could do to Earth, or to Carol. Unfortunately, you couldn’t just hope that she would remain on Ogoro while reinforcements arrived. You had to act.
And besides, you never were one to take orders from a superior officer, even a four-armed one.
“No one else dies because we hesitate to do what’s right. And if Lyssa still thinks that fear is the greatest weapon in the universe, then I’ll be happy to show her how willpower kicked Thaal Sinestro’s ass,” you declared with fiery resolve, your bold declaration reminiscent of your usual self.
Sighing, he reluctantly nodded in approval. “Unfortunately, if you neglect to pass that lesson on I won’t be able to provide reinforcements. Our reserve members have just been called in to detain Kanjar Ro on Rann. I hope you know what you are doing, Hal Jordan.”
“Hey, they don’t call me the ‘greatest Green Lantern’ for nothing, right?” you smirked, despite the severity of the situation.
“More like greatest ego,” Salaak muttered aloud before clearing his throat loudly. “Do be careful, Jordan. Even without her ring, Lyssa feels almost compelled to this Book, like it was an extension of her own being. On Oa, it was almost like some feral beast inhabited her body when she was separated from it. Now, I can’t possibly fathom what she’s capable of with it in her possession,” Salaak warned cautiously.
“Never liked books much, anyways. At least now I can give the evil librarian an ass kicking that’s long been overdue,” you grinned.
“Keep the light burning bright, Hal Jordan,” he nodded simply, before the hologram dissipated.
Sighing in characteristic anticipation yet somewhat uncharacteristic trepidation, you mentally commanded your ring to scan for any yellow energy residue in the immediate vicinity. Sure enough, your ring glowed as it sensed her handiwork west of your current location.
Lifting off into the air, you flew through the air with your right arm outstretched. As the ring continued to propel your body forwards, a sense of dread threatened to overwhelm your psyche but you blocked it out.
Inevitably, the ring stopped at a deserted metallic building, with its fortified doors literally ripped from their hinges.
“Ring, scan for any signs of life,” you commanded, aiming the Oan ring at the darkness. Scanning the entirety of the building, it reported back with a predictable albeit very depressing body count: 1.
“Ready or not…” Muttering under your breath, you entered the lair of the story witch, Lyssa Drak.
“Here I come.”
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author