Disclaimer: I do not own Green Lantern: The Animated Series or Green Lantern. It all belongs to DC comics.
Authors Note: The world isn't ending, but I'm still updating.
"Updates should be pretty regular now :D"
Geez, don't trust anything that comes out of my mouth, all right...? 'Cause it'll probably never happen. Well, as to the out-of-the-blue update, you guys can thank a couple of super enthusiatic reviewers and a mass increase of follows and favorites this mudpuppers got. I just woke up this morning, sat down in the car for about seven hours for holiday traveling, and wrote this chapter. Thank you so much to everyone :D This truly is a case where the interest in this story has truly kept it alive. So, for you, have some extreme Razer!Whump. 'Cause I know you all lurve it xD

At first there was complete silence. No one dared to say anything, and no one dared to breathe. Then Atrocitus broke the silence, repeating what he had said before.

"I wondered where you had wandered off to, Razer."

The ring in Razer's hand was pulsing so violently that he was sure a circular scar would remain from the ring's indentation. He wanted to throw it back to his former leader, renouncing every horrible act that the man ever made him do and resigning himself from that monster's evil service, but he was afraid that the pathetic charge left on his ring would be desperately needed if it came to fighting. Instead, he allowed more of his hidden snarl to bubble to the surface of his face.

"You no longer control me, Lord Atrocitus." Even though his insides were queasy, his vision was starting to blur, and he wasn't sure if he both feet were planted on the earth, a grim smile flickered across Razer's gaunt face. "I've stolen back my free will."

A catlike smile flicked across Atrocitus's scarred mouth. "Is that so?" he all but cooed down to his former servant. He studied Razer for a moment, his gaze briefly flitting across Razer's friends, before landing firmly on the young Red Lantern. His yellow leer started at Razer's feet and traveled up the young man's body with such an oppressive deliberateness that the Red Lantern felt nearly frozen and almost violated by the time Atrocitus's golden glower met Razer's defiant blue glare. "Is that everything you've stolen back from me?"

Razer suppressed a shudder than ran down his spine. He's just trying to get to you. Don't let him.

For the first time, Hal finally spoke up. On his feet and beside Razer, he sort of nudged the younger Lantern behind him while in a protective stance. "I don't know what you want, Atrocitus," he started in an even tone, "but you and your rage Lanterns have to atone for your crimes."

Perhaps on purpose, perhaps not, Kilowog also blocked Razer from Atrocitus's view, completely concealing the Red Lantern behind his large girth. "There's an entire planet that lost their home," he added with a growl. And their hero.

Atrocitus's smirk grew into a wicked grin at the Green Lanterns' pathetic attempts to shield Razer from his sight, but he decided to humor their little "justice" claims anyway. "What are you going to do, Green Lanterns? I only see three of you."

Hal glanced to his side, not sure if whether he could consider Razer among their ranks yet or not. Quite frankly, even if Razer did side with them, the human doubted the Red Lantern would even be able to muster up a working offense, let alone a basic defense. If it came to blows—something which Hal was not looking forward to repeating—Razer was worse as a liability if he tried to help and failed.

However, Razer was not going to be shoved aside, even though he was swaying slightly on his feet—which he later realized were planted on the ground, although not so firmly. "Four."

"Red, maybe you should sit this one out," Kilowog started uncertainly. It may have been the first time he had showed any consideration for the kid. "You still look like unearthed glowworms."

Aya also imputed her opinion for the first time. "Razer, you still seem unwell. Perhaps Sergeant Kilowog is correct in his assessment of your physical appearance."

Atrocitus waited patiently for the others to stop their squawking before finishing his sentence. "As I was saying, I only see three of you to take on my army." From the still churning, angry cloud above him, various Red Lanterns descended and lined up behind Atrocitus with expressions ranging from haughty sneers to uncontrollable rage. "Razer is mine," he growled softly to his troops, dropping a hand and signaling for them to attack.

Bleez shot off first, her dark wings whistling in the dry air. Aya watched her with a calculating blue stare before launching into the air with a zvship. The two females swirled in the air with green and red streaks, trying to knock the other from their lofty heights. Zilius Zox was next to attack, shooting towards Hal with a demented expression on his face. His stubby arms were wind milling with his hands curled into talons as he bounced headfirst into the lead Green Lantern, crying foul variations of the word "death" and "kill" as he went. Hal jumped to the side, punting the screeching Lantern away with a boot construct. Kilowog was also engaged in a very physical match of wrestling against a Red Lantern twice his size. Grunting and wiping the ground with the Red's face, he was muttering something along the lines of "how's that feel, Poozer?".

While the other Reds hovered beside Atrocitus, waiting for their chance to fight, the Red leader still did not remove his stare from Razer. Equally unnerved, the young Red did not tear his frosty gaze from his enslaver.

In a voice meant only for Razer to hear, Atrocitus called down a scathing taunt: "Would you like to know how I knew you were here?"

Red flames sprouted around the slender frame of Razer. With slightly glowing eyes and a trembling body, he demanded another answer. "How did you get into Aya's programing? How did you get Ilana?"

A smile curled across Atrocitus's face. "Did you enjoy that little party trick?" Razer's stony face betrayed no emotion. "It actually was you who put her there."

A flicker of uncertainty passed quickly across Razer's face before morphing into controlled anger. "What do you mean?"

"Your infection is starting to spread to the others. That computer must have had closer ties to you somehow compared to the others." Atrocitus's sweeping, all seeing gaze returned, inspecting every inch of Razer's face and body. "She does look familiar," he remarked evenly.

A growl erupted from Razer's throat. He was too distracted by that comment to notice what Atrocitus had said previously. The white rage that had briefly flooded through his sense made him lose his balance and bearings for a moment. Rarely had his anger ever been this powerful, and never for such small references to Ilana, however painful it was. He glanced back up to see Atrocitus smiling down at him as if he held a little secret that he was keeping from Razer.

Razer wobbled briefly on his feet. "What have you done to me?" he snarled.

Falling quickly through the air, Atrocitus landed heavily on the ground, creating two small craters where his feet hit, and causing an explosion of dust to rise around him. Although the red dirt stung his throat and eyes, Razer did not blink or pull his eyes from the Red Lantern in front of him.

"How's your fighting, Razer?" Atrocitus asked offhandedly. "It seems the Guardians pet Lanterns have allowed you remain off of a leash. Do you help them fight Red Lanterns too?"

Razer's ring pulsed gently, reminding him that it didn't have enough juice to fight for long, but it would try to gather as much energy as it could. Feeling another inexplicably powerful surge of energy well deep in his gut and course violently through his veins, Razer felt his head clear and his strength return. His light feet slowly left the dry dust until he was barely hovering about his former leader, staring down at Atrocitus with a flicker of triumph. Around him, it sounded as if his friends were successful in their fights, but he refused to tear his gaze from Atrocitus's yellow orbs to find out for sure.

Atrocitus watched him rise without a change in his expression. If he was intimidated by the young man's new source of power, he didn't show it. Slowly he began to rise. "Do you wonder why your ring was able to last for long without a new charge?" He was at eye level with Razer. "Do you wonder how you are suddenly filled with power?" Razer tried to rise further, but he was stuck in place as if an invisible hand had grasped him and held him tightly in place. He looked back up at climbing Atrocitus, trying hard to fight the rising panic in his expression. Atrocitus saw all, however, and chuckled lowly. "Do you wonder how I can control you?" Atrocitus reached forward and carefully grasped the lifeless air in front of him. He curled his maimed hand into a tight fist. Instantly Razer's face morphed into an expression of discomfort. Twisting slightly in the air, he felt as if something was crushing the air from his lungs. The young man tried to pry his arms from his sides and gasped painfully. Atrocitus dropped his hand and the Red Lantern plummeted, slamming into the dusty dirt with a low groan. He struggled to get back up, but the strength that had overpowered him before now deserted him. Razer laid in his small crater, too weak to even cough at the dry air that was coursing back through his lungs and body.

Still in the air, Atrocitus waved his hand and signaled at the rest of his troops. "Bring the others here." Within moments, the once evenly-matched and well-going fight for the Green Lanterns turned into a near massacre when three more Red Lanterns interrupted each individual fight. Hal and Aya quickly were slammed to the ground in front of Atrocitus, but it took another two Lanterns to finally knock Kilowog unconscious. Hal glared up at the leader of the Reds, his own blood smeared across his forehead.

"That wasn't very fair," he growled. Hal quickly accessed his crew. Beside him, Aya was scuffed up and it looked as if someone had tried to pry her control box on her back open. Kilowog was unconscious, but breathing evenly and he had no obvious surface injuries. It took only one glance at the young Red Lantern to know he wasn't doing well. Razer's pale body was limp, and Hal could barely see a slit of blue through one of the boy's narrowed eyes.

Atrocitus settled softly on the ground beside Hal. "Are you now aware, human Lantern, how dangerous I am?" he murmured. "Do you see how we punish those who go against my will? Or do you need further proof?" Hal braced himself for something of Atrocitus's to slam into his gut, but it never came. When he refocused on the Red giant, he saw that Atrocitus was already beside Razer.

Hal jerked against his Lantern bonds to no avail. "Get. Away. From. Him. Atrocitus," he grounded out at the Red leader. Aya was also struggling against her captors, but she too was not having any luck. Kilowog was starting to wake up, but the moment he shifted, five conscious Lanterns were sitting on his chest and his limbs.

Ignoring Jordan's demands, Atrocitus nudged the prone Razer in the side, turning him over on his back. Stirring slightly, the fallen Red was barely able to pry open his eyes. They slowly fluttered shut, much to the horror of the Green Lanterns.

"Open your eyes, Razer," the leader demanded. Razer possibly didn't hear him, ignored him, or was too weak to comply. Atrocitus frowned slightly, as if he were dealing with a stubborn child. He plopped a boot down heavily on the boy's barely heaving chest. "Open. Your. Eyes." Atrocitus growled, pairing each punctuated word with a firm press against Razer's lungs. The last step to the chest was so hard that it brought Razer out of his unconscious stupor. Gasping loudly, his arms travelled sluggishly to Atrocitus's boot and his light fumbling fingers desperately tried to pry the heavy weight off of his chest. Razer grunted and gasped, as his eyes opened slightly.

"I'm glad I finally got your attention, Razer," Atrocitus remarked. He dug his foot deeper into Razer's armor and chest. Pained gasps were ripped with choppy breath from Razer's throat. His weakly defiant glare slowly morphed to panic as Atrocitus's foot slowly traveled from the young man's chest to the base of his throat. As Atrocitus's firm foot was planted deeper in Razer's windpipe, the boy's frantic attempts to free himself weakened.

"Stop!" Hal shouted, horrified at what the monster was doing to his reluctant crewmate.

"As you wish, Green Lantern," Atrocitus smirked as he lifted his boot from Razer's throat. The young Red Lantern rolled to the side, gasping as the air rushed painfully back into his lungs. He tried to scuttle away, but Atrocitus's heavy boot came at him again, slamming so forcefully into his side that Hal could hear a crackling as if bones were splintering. Razer let out another pained cry and collapsed again as his shaking elbows and knees refused to hold up his light frame.

"Leave him alone!" Hal strained against his bonds, pouring every ounce of his will and power into trying to get free. Unfortunately, the deadly and rare energy of fear was trickling into his veins, preventing him from blasting the Red Lanterns apart with positive will.

Glancing to the side at the tortured Green Lanterns, and then down at the critically damaged Red Lantern at his feet, Atrocitus suppressed a smirk. Not only would his plan make the dissenter pay for his crimes, but it would also teach the Guardian's lapdogs the true meaning of rage. He knew that it would be easier to kill the Green Lanterns at that moment, but he held back from dealing out his "swift justice." Although they would be powerless for a long time, eventually Atrocitus knew they, especially the human Hal Jordan, would be back as a threat again. Already two of the Green Lanterns in front of him were supposed to be dead already, but they had somehow managed to survive the planet's explosion. However, the pain they'd have to go through with their newest crew member would be delicious and worth any trouble they'd cause later. Besides, judging from the horrified expressions on each of their faces, and the limpness of Razer, they were going to be busy for a long time.

"Very well, Green Lantern. I just wish to bestow one last parting gift to Razer." Extending out one of his scarred arms, a dark red light engulfed his palm and lifted a limp Razer in the air. As Atrocitus's gnarled fingers curled closer together, bringing his ring closer to his marked palm, the light pulsed even darker until it was crimson.

Within the fiery orb, Razer arched his back, letting out a hoarse cry of pain. The same crimson liquid, which Hal somberly remembered wasn't supposed to be that color, leaked slowly from the corner of Razer's mouth, running down in a slow rivulet and disappearing somewhere in his armor. Suddenly, Razer's eyes flew open, and the normally light blue irises darkened to a cold pitch black. Razer writhed in the fire again, trying desperately to free himself. Barely above the boy's weak screams, Hal heard the unmistakable sound of more bones shattering.

"Leave. Him. Alone!" By this time, the fear had drained from Hal's body, replaced by a boiling rage that even Atrocitus would envy. With a single toss of his back, four of the Red Lanterns that were holding him down spiraled back into the angry, twisting red cloud above them. With eyes glowing a brilliant shade of peridot, the human Lantern also shot off the surplus of Reds on Kilowog. The former drill sergeant ruthlessly shook off the others, himself also glowing a violent shade of emerald. Aya had also managed to free herself with a bright flash of light.

Job already finished, Atrocitus rose back into the air with a triumphant smirk. He released the unconscious Razer from the fiery orb, tossing the limp body back to the Green Lanterns. Instantly, Hal shot out a construct to gently catch the young man. Kilowog reared back to completely decimate Atrocitus with a blast of energy, but the Red Lantern leader was already floating out of range.

"Have the dissenter back," Atrocitus sneered as he disappeared back through the swirling vortex. "He won't be any use to you now though."

Grunting in fury, Kilowog shot the poorly aimed burst of light after Atrocitus's dismembered voice, but there was no indication that he hit anything.

Most likely the Reds were already gone, leaving behind a deathly silent trio of Green Lanterns and a dying Red Lantern.

Well, hope it was semi-worth the wait. I'll try to get up a little shot for S&H up before the end of 2013 (harhar), and maybe another YJ fic, since I know you guys are big fans of that too. Thanks to all those who have stuck with me :'D
(On an almost related note-JAN. 5th!)