I do not own the Smallville or Superman characters, and this story is written for pure entertainment purposes only.
Enjoy!
Clark was stargazing with his telescope, marvelling at the beauty of the heavens, and thinking about his long lost homeworld. He knew where Krypton was supposed to be. Once he had seen the map on Dr. Virgil Swann's wall, he remembered the star Kyla had pointed out in the Wolf's head and it all came together. Ever since that realization, he had kept his telescope pointed in that direction, hoping to catch some glimpse of anything that might turn up, or at worst to see a possible second meteor shower before just about anyone else.
It was the second thought, perhaps, that kept his attention towards the constellation Kara had pointed out more than anything else. He had already caused enough destruction, and if there was anything he could do to prevent that from happening again he would. Footsteps echoed off of the wooden stairs leading up to the loft, a soft creaking of nails giving marking every one. Clark turned and saw Lex Luthor walking up behind him. From his expression, Clark gathered that this would not be good news.
"Hey, Lex," Clark said, trying to force a smile against the bad news.
"Hey, Clark," Lex replied. The way he verbally slumped his shoulders reaffirmed Clark's suspicions. "I've got some bad news."
Clark's day instantly turned sour. He had a bad feeling he knew what this was going to be about. "What's wrong?" he ventured.
"I've lost control of the caves," he said.
Lana Lang set the last chair on the table, sighing as she walked behind the counter and began to count down the register. Something caught the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look, nothing was there. She furrowed her brow, but decided it was just headlights causing shadows to play against the wall.
After a few minutes, she finished counting down the register and preparing the deposit. Shouldering her purse, she started for the door, but was abruptly grabbed by her elbow and whipped around. Fear struck her heart as she came face to face with someone she knew wasn't supposed to be standing there.
Dr. Fredrick Walden's eyes were wide and wild, and his chest heaved with the labor of his breathing. "Where is Clark Kent!?" he demanded.
Lana shook her head, her mouth moving but no words coming out. Walden was supposed to be in a coma, wasn't he? How was he standing before her right now? The way he gripped her arm hurt, and she winced, trying to pull away.
"Where is he!?" Walden demanded again. "I'm not going to ask again!"
At that moment, the front door burst open and footsteps came running into the Talon. Lana turned, expecting to see Clark. Instead, however, she was shocked to see Lex Luthor headed in their direction.
"Let her go, Doctor," Lex said with the hint of a veiled threat.
"Lex, just the man I wanted to see," Walden said as he turned Lana loose. His face split into a maniacal grin. "I know. I know everything!"
Lex's brow furrowed. "Lana, I'll lock the door when I leave, go home," he said.
Lana's expression turned to one of angst. Who the hell did he think he was, telling her to go home like a child? "I'm not going anywhere. The door was locked and he should be arrested for breaking an entering and assault!"
"Lana! Go home!" Lex snapped. His glare was enough to cause her to take a step back.
She sighed heavily, looking daggers at her co-owner. Lana had half a mind to tell him off and stay right where she was, but she decided not to push her luck. "Fine, but I will contact the police about this tomorrow," she said. Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked out of the Talon.
Once she had gone, Lex turned back to Dr. Walden. "Now, Doctor, what was so important that you broke into the Talon looking for my friend, Clark?"
"I know about him. I know his secret, and he must be destroyed!" the doctor exclaimed. "I put the disc into the cave wall, and it told me everything."
"The suspense is killing me, Doctor," Lex said sarcastically.
"The Day is Coming, Lex, when the Last Son will begin his journey to rule the Third Planet. Clark is the last son."
Based on the hit television series Smallville
Forged of the Yellow Sun
Episode 3 - Naman The Devastator
The sun rose over the edge of the Smallville cornfields, offering its light and warmth to the cool spring morning. The sun wouldn't be out for long, however, as massive clouds rolled forth from the west to cover it, bringing with them a gentle Spring rain. It was time for planting crops in the small town, for most anyway. On the Kent Farm, however, it was a time of new life. The population of livestock had become half again as large as it was the previous spring, and things were looking to become brighter for the struggling farm.
Clark heard a knock at his door, and looked over at his alarm clock to see what time it was. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the smashed hulk that used to be his favorite alarm radio. Scrambling out of bed, Clark quickly got dressed and ran to the door, opening it just as his father was about to knock for the second time.
"Were you planning on getting up this morning, Clark?" Johnathan asked, lowering his hand awkwardly. "It's already seven-thirty."
Clark sighed, then pointed to his destroyed alarm clock. "I must have done it in my sleep."
Johnathan sighed, shaking his head. "Clark, this is the third alarm clock you've destroyed this month. We can't afford to keep this up."
Clark's brow furrowed, his curiosity and suspicion spiking. "What's going on with the farm, Dad?"
His father shifted a little, stuffing his hands in his back pockets. "We're having to pay for an exterminator to come out and make treatments on the house and barn for the next few weeks," he said. Seeing Clark's confusion, he continued. "I noticed some rotting wood in the barn, and when I checked closer I found termites."
Clark's eyes widened a little at this. "How bad is it?"
"I called the pest control place, and they came out and inspected it. They found termites everywhere." John replied. "The only thing we can do is wait and hope we don't have to replace everything."
Clark nodded, letting out a long sigh. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You can help out by getting to school on time, for once," John replied with a lopsided smile.
Chloe sat in front of her computer at the Talon, having forgone her lunch break to do more work on the paper, which as of recent had been falling behind. It seemed that Clark was a lot more help than she had realized, and with only Pete to help her, the paper was beginning to suffer. She had been working overtime ever since Clark left, and the strain was beginning to show.
What made things worse was the fact that he and Lana were now dating, which pretty much destroyed any chance she had with him, at least for the time being. Chloe couldn't help but feel that her entire world was falling apart around her with the way the torch was suffering, her relationship with Clark on the rocks, and the heartache of seeing the love of her life romantically involved with her best friend. It seemed like everything she did only made the situation worse, and it felt as though things would never get better.
The door to the Torch suddenly opened, and Chloe looked up from her computer to see Lionel Luther walk into the room. Her brow furrowed, and she immediately put her guard up. At the same time, however, she was curious to why he was there, and a little flattered that such a powerful man would have any interest whatsoever in a school paper.
"Can I help you, Mr. Luther?" Chloe asked as she stood from her seat.
Lionel smiled softly, but without mirth. "I've been following your column, Miss Sullivan, and I must say it is quite provocative and insightful. Have you ever thought of writing for the Planet?"
Chloe's heart leapt for a brief moment, then sank. The Luther's rarely did anything out of charity. There was always a price.
"What's the catch?" Chloe asked.
Lionel smiled again. "From what I've read you have a nose for investigation that only a few rare people do. I also understand that you're friends with Clark Kent."
"What do you want with Clark?" Chloe asked, her suspicions rising.
"Clark is a very special young man," Lionel replied, "and you are close friends with him. I want to know more about his family, and especially him."
"You want me to investigate Clark and his parents?" she asked incredulously. "I'm sorry, Mr. Luther, but I can't do that. I promised Clark that I would stop digging into his past."
Lionel couldn't help but grin. "Your dedication and loyalty to your friend is admirable. I wonder if he would do the same if the situation were reversed?"
Without another word, he stood and walked out of the room, leaving Chloe to her thoughts. She wanted the planet more than anything else in the world, but at the same time, Clark was her friend. She couldn't betray him like that, no matter how tempting Lionel's offer was. Why did he want to investigate Clark anyway? What secrets did a Kansas farmboy have that would interest a corporate tycoon like Luther? As she went back to typing, Chloe couldn't take her mind off of the last thing Lionel said to her.
Lana sat down across from Clark at the lunch table, setting her tray before her. She couldn't help but smile every time she saw him, her heart filling love and desire. He didn't seem to notice her at first, and the expression on his face as well as the fact he hadn't touched his food instantly told her something was wrong. She reached out and placed her hand over his, noting how much larger his was.
Clark jumped when she did this, but when he looked up and saw that it was Lana he relaxed. He put on his best grin for her. "Hey, Lana."
"Hey," she replied. "Is everything okay?"
Clark nodded, taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "I'm fine, just some money troubles with the farm. How are you doing?"
Lana gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm fine, Clark. I'm not the one who needs saving. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"It's just something we're going to have to pull through on our own," Clark replied. "Are we still meeting at the Talon tonight?"
"Of course," she replied. "Unless, of course there's something else that you need to do."
Clark shook his head again. "No, I'll be there."
Alexander Luthor sat behind his desk, his fingers interlaced before him and his elbows resting on the table. Pacing back and forth in front of his desk was Dr. Walden, a man who should have been in a coma. His cataracts had disappeared, but despite Lex's attempts to reason with him, he continued to be difficult.
"The day is coming," Walden said yet again. "The day is coming."
"What day is coming, Doctor?" Lex asked for what he felt was the thousandth time. "And what do you mean Clark is an alien?"
Dr. Walden rounded on him, his eyes wide and full of the madness that consumed him. A wicked grin spread across his face as he spoke. "The day is coming when the Last Son of Krypton will begin his quest to rule the third planet. Clark is the last son of Krypton, can't you see it!?"
Lionel walked into the room just as he said this, his eyebrows raising. Lex looked up just in time to see his father enter and let out a sigh. He certainly didn't believe what Dr. Walden was saying, but he knew his father might put stock in it. He didn't feel like dealing with his father's indulgences right now, especially since he had taken custody of the Kawatche Caves.
"What is this business about Clark Kent?" Lionel asked as he stepped farther into the room.
"Nothing, Dad," Lex replied. "Dr. Walden is mentally ill and having delusions. Now is not a good time for your visit."
"On the contrary, Lex, I think this is the perfect time for a visit," Lionel countered. He quickly made his way over to Dr. Walden and placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him around and looking straight into his eyes. "What do you know about Clark Kent?"
A wave of students rushed down the front steps to Smallville High as the final bell rang, each rushing to get away from what many deemed as their eight hour a day prison. Lana Lang watched as Clark emerged from the front doors with the rest of the throng, a smile spreading across her face. As he walked by, she placed a soft hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her.
"Hey, Clark," she said.
Clark, who hadn't seen her as he was walking out, grinned broadly when she stopped him. He leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Hey."
"Are you still coming by the Talon later for the study group with Chloe and Pete?" she asked.
Clark suddenly felt torn. He wanted desperately to spend more time with Lana, but at the same time he didn't feel like being anywhere near Chloe. He shifted uncomfortably, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze, but was forced to when he felt her small, soft hand against his cheek.
"Hey, what is it?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
"I can't make it, Lana," Clark replied. "We're having more trouble around the farm, and my dad really needs me to help out."
She knew he wasn't being completely honest with her, and it drove a dagger into her heart. She had shared everything with him, told him her darkest secrets, and yet he still couldn't be honest with her. She loved him more than anything in the entire world, and to have him pull away every time she tried to get close was getting to be too much to bear.
She shook her head, letting out a heavy sigh. "I'll see you around, Clark," she said. With a huff, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone yet again.
Clark mentally kicked himself hundreds of times on the drive home, both for his inability to be honest with his girlfriend and his unwillingness to be around Chloe. He knew the young reporter would come around eventually, but until then he just wanted to give her some space. Lana, however, was a greater mystery. Sure things had turned out well when he'd told Pete his secret, but he hadn't reacted well at first. There was also the added bonus of the death of Lana's parents being his fault.
He knew he was going to have to tell her soon, but until then he was just going to have to endure the pain of seeing the hurt in her eyes whenever he was forced to lie. He only hoped that when he was ready to tell her, she wouldn't hate him for it.
Clark sat in the loft, scribbling notes from his book in preparation for his test on Friday, but despite how hard he tried, he couldn't concentrate. He knew that he would be better off studying with his friends, but right now that didn't seem like the best idea with his and Chloe's relationship on the rocks. He was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
When he looked up, it wasn't who he expected to see by any stretch of the imagination. Dr. Walden, a man who was supposed to be dead now stood before him. The look in his eyes sent pure terror shooting up and down Clark's spine, but he didn't dare try anything until he was sure of the doctor's intentions. Dr. Walden stepped closer, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a malevolent lopsided grin.
"The day is coming, Clark Kent," he said. "But you won't live to see it."
Clark's eyes widened when Dr. Walden raised his hand with the palm towards him. A Kryptonian symbol appeared in the center of his palm, glowing a bright white. Before Clark could react, a massive beam of white energy lanced out, hitting him in the chest like a giant fist and sending him flying out of the loft window. There was a loud crash as Clark landed hard on the hood of Pete's car, which had just pulled to a stop in the driveway.
"CLARK!" Pete shouted as he jumped out of his car. "Clark are you alright, man?"
Clark groaned as he rolled off of the car. Much to his surprise, that beam of energy had actually hurt a lot. He put his hand against his chest, which was bare where the beam of energy had burned through his shirt, but didn't find any damage. With some help from Pete, he was able to roll off of the car and get back to his feet.
"What happened, man?" Pete asked.
"Dr. Walden," Clark replied weakly. He stayed doubled over for a moment until his strength returned, at which time he stood back up. "Pete, get out of here, he's trying to kill me, and I don't want you to get caught in the crossfire."
Pete nodded. "I'll go get help, you just take care of Dr. Crazy," he replied.
Clark watched him for a moment to make sure he got away safely, before turning back to face the barn. Just as he did, however, another blast of searing white energy lanced through his chest and arced upwards towards the sky. The beam lifted him clear off of the ground and several feet into the air. Pain burst through every nerve ending in his body, causing his lips to pull back over his teeth as a bellowing roar of agony escaped his chest.
"You will not destroy our world, Kal-El!" Walden shouted. "You will die by my hand! This is my destiny, to destroy the Last Son of Krypton!"
Clark could feel his strength waning, and he knew he had to do something to stop this before it killed him. Summoning what little strength he had left, he concentrated and sent his heat vision at his attacker. It scored the edge of his shoulder, but that was enough to break Dr. Walden's concentration and release Clark from the torturous energy bursting through his chest. The Kryptonian hit the ground with a hard thud, but with the presence of the energy gone, he quickly regained control of his facilities.
Clark looked up at the same time as Dr. Walden and their gazes met. Walden raised his hand again, but this time Clark was ready. He narrowed his eyes, and at the same instant heat and pure Kryptonian energy surged forth from the two combatants, and red met white in the center between them, bursting out with a massive shockwave that expanded outward like a ripple in a pond. The blast sent the two adversaries flying away from each other, toppled nearby fences, overturned Pete's car, and caused the air itself to shudder and quake in protest.
Clark landed hard twenty feet from where he previously stood, rolling to a stop in the Kansas dirt. Suddenly hands were on him, rolling him onto his back and moving over his body in frantic motions. He opened his eyes and saw his father standing over him. Next to Jonathan was Pete, and beside Pete was his mother. All three of them had worried expressions on their faces.
"Clark, are you all right?" Martha asked, her voice shaking.
"What happened, Son?" Jonathan asked, his brow furrowing.
"Dr. Walden," was all Clark could get out at that moment. He let them help him to his feet and dusted himself off before continuing. "He knows who I am, and he tried to kill me."
"Dr. Walden!?" Jonathan asked, dumbfounded. "He's supposed to be in a coma!"
"Trust me, he's very much awake," Clark said. He narrowed his eyes, looking to where he and Walden had been fighting, but found no sign of him. "He's gone now, but I think the cave gave him some sort of powers."
Martha took her son's face in her hands, looking into his eyes as if searching for something. "Clark are you sure you're okay?"
He nodded. "I'll be fine, but I need to find him and stop him before he hurts anyone else. You guys should watch your back for the time being; I don't want any of you getting hurt."
Jonathan shook his head. "Clark, I know I can't stop you, but be careful," he said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.
"I will," Clark said with a nod. A split second later, Clark became a blur and was gone.
I know this chapter is kind of weak, but I'm still trying to locate my Muse. Seems it's gone into hiding. However, when I find it, expect the same caliber writing as in the first two episodes. Once again, I apologize for the sub-par performance on this chapter, but I hope you still enjoy it.