Green Lantern's nightmare

"Don't talk like all the villains in Gotham City are my twisted fans," Batman said irritably.

"Isn't that right?" The other three looked at him together.

"I admire your optimism, superheroes," John Dee's corpse said. "But I wonder if you'll still be able to laugh when Nightmare engulf you."

"You're pretty arrogant, kid." Roland was taken aback. Apart from Batman, there weren't many people in the entire Universe who dared to mess with the three of them: the Progenitor Vampire, a member of the Endless, and an ordinary Priest.

"Batman, the Dark Knight, a world hero." John Dee's corpse floated up, uttering an eerie, inhuman voice. Ignoring everyone else, he stared intently at Batman: "You don't operate in the shadows—you're just hiding there. You think you're the protagonist of Nightmare, yet you know nothing of it."

"The person you care about most right now is me—" Batman said with a hint of helplessness, "Who exactly are you?"

"The world will eventually see superheroes the way I do, not as heroes, but as terrors. Don't you know that? The dream has come true."

"It sounds like he was hurt by a superhero, and it was Batman who did it," Roland analyzed.

"Your analytical skills are quite impressive at times like this," Batman couldn't help but remark.

Just then, John Dee's body suddenly softened and transformed into a gentleman in a tuxedo who looked somewhat like the Sandman.

"Holy crap, this isn't a corpse. It's an incredibly powerful Dream Construct, something extremely rare in the real world," the Sandman exclaimed. "Well, that's really bad luck. My magical artifact—"

"Tsk." Batman glanced at Sandman with disapproval.

"Batman, your efforts go unnoticed. This is the world's goodnight. My Sleepless Knight will face all who dare to defy me," the gentleman said to Batman. With his words, an invisible yet powerfully Hypnosis wave, capable of distorting the very air, suddenly spread out from his mouth. "Sleep!"

"Achoo~" Roland stretched, "Not bad, even I got hit."

"I'm sure this is because you stayed up late playing games last night." Cain handed Roland a cup of Coffee at the opportune moment.

The other three weren't sleepy either. The Deadman were long gone, Batman was in his primordial state, and as for Sandman, he was the embodiment of dreams; Hypnosis him was just nonsense.

"Oh? You're immune to my Hypnosis? That's amazing!"

"You have no idea what kind of opponent you're facing." Roland raised his hand, Psionic Lightning shot out from his fingertips, blasting the gentleman in front of him to pieces.

"Elegant." Cain clapped his hands.

"What powerful lightning! No wonder it's a superhero!" The fragments on the ground glued together, turning into a slime-like shape.

"Strictly speaking, I'm not a superhero," Roland corrected.

"That's wonderful! While the world sleeps, you can join me and become Insomnia's friend. I'll grant you any wish," Insomnia said. "As long as you can help me find the Nightmare Stone and make those heroes pay for their actions!"

"You can't grant my wish." Roland shrugged. "Alright, now you can collapse."

"That's not necessarily true." Insomnia waved her hand, and the monstrous version of Deathstroke that appeared in Rose's dream materialized out of thin air, charging towards the three of them. "I am the God of Nightmare!"

Cain snapped his fingers, and countless petals fell. The monster that had appeared in the dream was instantly sliced to pieces in this sweet killing intent. "Tch—what a weak god."

"Let me try to invade his mind," the Deadman said to Roland. "Perhaps I can find some clues."

"Leave it to me." Roland used his Holy Power to form chains and bound Insomnia tightly.

Nightmare Stone.

It originated long ago, stemming from a sacrifice.

John Dee's mother once possessed the Nightmare Stone.

John Dee stole it, turned it into something broken, and twisted it.

But he feared the Nightmare Stone —so he hid it.

You've been searching for clues to its location in your Nightmare, but it all begins with— the Lazarus Rain.

Your abilities do not come from Nightmare, but from the magical power brought by the Lazarus Rain.

This ability initially allowed you to peer into people's minds while they slept. At first, you only peered into the minds of other patients at Arkham Asylum, such as Doctor Destiny.

Then recently I started peeking into superheroes—but in your dreams, they're all monsters, why?

Wait, you're hiding something else, a buried memory—

"Stop! Get out!" Insomnia roared, driving the Deadman out of his consciousness.

"How interesting. You can invade other people's minds, but your own mind is a taboo subject?" The Deadman's tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "But what's puzzling is that I've entered the minds of some people, and usually they hide their worst memories, but you, you've hidden your happy memories? Why?"

"Shut up! How dare you intrude upon God's thoughts?"

"You're not a god, just an ordinary person." The Deadman shrugged. "And an ordinary person destined for greatness."

"Heh heh—you think you can really trap a god?" The Insomnia figure faded away. "The Nightmare Realm is pulling me back. Without the Nightmare Stone, I can't stay here for long—you lot, just you wait. I'm going to observe your friend's Nightmare now."

Just then, a dazzling green light shot into the sky from the direction of the Coast City. The Insomnia who had made the threat suddenly changed his expression and disappeared from reality.

"Looks like he's in big trouble." Roland shrugged. "Nightmare also exploit fear. Can anyone be better at playing with fear than Sinestro?"

Hal Jordan's dream.

Green Lantern appeared in a Church, the environment of which gave him a sense of déjà vu.

What happened? I was just on a plane, and now I'm at a funeral?

Green Lantern frowned. Had he forgotten something?

"Hal, Hal, come to me," a woman wearing a black veil called to Green Lantern.

"Mom?" Green Lantern was taken aback. She looked so young and tall, just like... in his childhood memories.

"You're here." Green Lantern's mother embraced the shrunken Green Lantern. "I know it wasn't easy, darling, but—"

I need you to Courage —we must say goodbye—to your father.

"Dad? "Hal was taken aback, looked around, and began to ponder.

Carol looked very sad, I think it was because of me.

My mother was also very sad. She tried to appear strong, but I could hear her crying at night.

What's that? Coffin —why is it open? He was burned beyond recognition after the plane crash—I can't look at this—

"Sinestro, is this never going to end?" Green Lantern suddenly yelled, looking at the monster crawling out of the Coffin. "This is too much! You always bring up my dad, treating me like Batman!"

The Green Lantern Ring materialized out of thin air on his finger, emitting a dazzling light that pierced through the dream.

"Damn it, what kind of monster is this!" Insomnia sensed something was wrong and instantly used most of her power to create another dream for Green Lantern.

"Why isn't the test flight complete yet?" Carol asked Green Lantern at the airport.

"I—I—" Green Lantern paused, then thought, "Right, why?"

"Let me guess—distracted?"

"You certainly have that charm, Carol," Green Lantern said with a smile.

"Hal, I need you to get the job done." Carol's expression softened upon hearing Green Lantern's words. "We promised to deliver results to our investors next month."

"I will get it done." Green Lantern nodded.

"I've had enough of that." Carol rolled her eyes.

"If you ask me, if you're willing to spend this weekend with me, I guarantee we'll get the test flight done before then," Green Lantern said jokingly, winking at Carol. "What do you think?"

"How about we change the terms? If you finish your work by the end of this weekend, I promise I won't fire you from the only place in the world willing to pay you a high salary," Carol said irritably.

"Well----"

"Jordan, before this weekend!"

"Okay." Green Lantern shrugged helplessly and sat on the model airplane. "Let me start this up first, and then—hey! I've already floored the accelerator before I even started it—but that's impossible. This thing doesn't even have an engine!"

The model airplane suddenly went out of control, flying straight into the sky before crashing into something and falling into the desert.

"Hal Jordan, I, Abin Sue, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, request your help." Beside the wreckage of the plane, the dying Alien Abin Sue spoke to Green Lantern.

"Of course—I—I need to stop your bleeding first," Green Lantern said somewhat flusteredly.

"No—no—there's no time. Take this Ring, wear it—I will give you all the wisdom, experience, and memories of my life," Abin Su said weakly. "I've scanned this planet, searching for someone—someone who can help me."

If someone who enjoys reading fantasy novels were to think they were about to be possessed by an old monster, their first reaction would be that Green Lantern was about to be possessed. But Green Lantern clearly didn't think that way, accepting the Lantern Ring and saying, "I'm honored, but I'm not a hero."

"Of course you're not," Abin Sue suddenly revealed a sinister smile, "I am the real hero!"

"No—stop—it hurts!" The Green Lantern Ring on Green Lantern's hand sprouted roots like a plant, piercing into his body, extracting his life force and injecting it into Abin Sue's body.

"Of course it hurts, that's how it should be." Abin Su's voice grew increasingly sinister. "I will absorb your life force, giving me the power to continue protecting this pathetic civilization you call home."

Please—don't—

"Yes, I need a weakling, someone the world will abandon, and that's you!" Seeing this side of Green Lantern, Abin Sue laughed heartily. "Rest in peace. Know that your death is far more valuable than your own life. Do you know how terrifying the Universe is? How much have we sacrificed to protect you?"

"You bastard, who gave you the right to say such disgusting things with his face on your head?" A yellow light suddenly appeared on Green Lantern's chest, Sinestro, a half-human, half-insect creature, emerged from it.

Beware that your fears may be transformed into light!

"Let those who attempt to obstruct the righteous path—burn to ashes by his power!" -The Divine Might of Sinestro!

"Sinestro? How did you become Parallax? And you're hiding inside me?" Green Lantern exclaimed in surprise.

But Sinestro ignored him, roaring out some unusually Qward that were out of character as he attacked Abin Su.

A dazzling yellow light tore through the dream, Insomnia groaned, forcing herself to concentrate and create the next dream.

Oa.

"Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, we have only one purpose in holding this meeting," the Guardians said to Green Lantern. "Your report regarding your partner's death in Qward has given the Guardians much to consider."

"I want to take a team back to that planet. We need to figure out what happened, and I hope we can find—"

"Request rejected." Green Lantern was interrupted by the Guardians before he could finish speaking.

"What do you mean? A murder occurred there, and it's our duty to investigate!"

"That's right, but you're no longer a member of the Green Lantern Corps."

"No—who are you guys?!" Green Lantern roared furiously as he looked at the crowd around him.

"I have to admit, you performed better than anyone else on Earth, you know? I changed your environment so many times in order to find the perfect fear," Insomnia sighed, "But I still failed."

"Oh, buddy, all I can say is you chose the wrong planet and scared the wrong person." Green Lantern shrugged, a brilliant green light shining from his fist.

"The daytime is bright, the night is dark."

"Demons and monsters have nowhere to hide."

"Dissidents and rebels fear my divine light."

"Green Lantern's Light shine forever!"

"What are you doing?" Insomnia exclaimed in surprise.

"My friend Kilowog once said, 'Fear means what is said to be true, but is probably false.' What you've found isn't fear. It's moments when I faced choices: either sit and wait to die, or—stomp the gas pedal and soar into the sky!"

"Bang!" The green fist blasted Insomnia away, and Green Lantern continued to attack him.

"Damn it, who are you?"

"I am Green Lantern, your Nightmare!" Green Lantern laughed and chased after Insomnia. "The Nightmare flew away in fright!"

He really wants to run away? Looks like he's never heard of the saying, "Demons and monsters have nowhere to hide"—hey, you little Nightmare! Wait for me!

Hal relentlessly pursued Insomnia, using the power of the Green Lantern Ring to conjure a Chainsaw that looked utterly terrifying.

Insomnia had never encountered anything so absurd before; he was actually being hunted down in the realm of dreams?