The Prophecy of Rao - Season 1: Forbidden Verses

Disclaimer: Based on DC comics' characters and the mythology created in Smallville (i.e. property of the CW network), and created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster but the words are my own.

AU/SML: At the aftermath of Dark Thursday, Cor of the House of El, presumed dead, leaves the Phantom Zone. He arrives on Earth and hopes to begin a better life but mystery surrounds him quickly. He sets to unveil this mystery and find the answers he craves for, guided by the spirit crystal of his mother.

Note:

Rao - the Red Sun God of Krypton and creator of the universe

Krypton - home world of the Kryptonians

Kandor - capital of Krypton

The Phantom Zone - prison dimension created by Jor-El

Collaris - the Blue Giant of Eerie and co-creator of the universe

Eerie - home world of the Yllyan Empire

Lux Eternis - capital of Eerie

Ventu Collaris - Highguard of the Yllyan Royal Court

Chapter 1

Pilot

In the distance stood the great city of Kandor, capital of Krypton, the jewel of the twenty-eight galaxies revolving around the red sun Rao. Its crystal pylons reflected the sunlight casting crimson shades all over its streets and the surrounding plain. The white lights illuminated the upper levels. Night has come and the majestic city stood as a flame in the wilderness, a beacon of civilization. It is a sight he cherished and loved. He also knew nothing lasts forever.

"General, it is time."

The general stood still. His gaze focused on Kandor. It was the place that held all of his hopes, all of his dreams, all he was. It was also the place where he lost everything. The ripples of that loss created someone else: a man he barely recognized, a monster.

The general felt a hand on his shoulder. With great difficulty he turned his gaze away from the city and fell on the man before him. He was young and yet the fire in his eyes had always suggested otherwise. He closed his eyes, inhaled the air and exhaled, opening them again.

"You really think your crazy idea will work?" The general asked, his voice filled with doubt and hope. Sadly he often hoped but most of the time he had always been disappointed of the result thus he had stopped hoping. Still hope, as the feeble humans would say, holds the universe together and it is the last flame to go out. "Will it?" The general stood surprised of his own voice. There was plea in it.

The young man across him only smiled. The general had trouble discerning that smile. Was it a good smile or a bad one? He could never tell. He always found it devilish.

"Come," The young man said firmly and turned around. "Destiny waits for no one..."

"Speak for yourself Cor-El..."

The young man named Cor-El stopped and faced the general. He locked his ice blue eyes into the general's and said:

"Change is always difficult and scary. I know but we have one chance to make everything right and we have to use it. There is no more time to lose. So what say you General Zod, hero of Krytpon, shall we save it once last time? Shall you follow me?"

"I will follow you, Dragon Herald."

They accepted each other hands in the traditional Kryptonian respect gesture and left the hill overlooking Kandor and merged with rising fog coming from the low marshlands.

Several decades after the fall of Krypton...

The Phantom Zone was a desolate place with only the basics to survive. Its greyish stone deserts were home only to the depraved, the outcasts, the most dangerous vagabonds, scum of the universe and some that do not know how they got there. There were also those who chose exile or who chose to hide either from justice, or failure, or something else. The Phantom Zone, home of shadows, was a place of secrets some good, some bad, and some outright dangerously mysterious.

Far away on the dunes of sand beyond the Ridge of Pain – there was a small building made of shining crystals. It was a sanctuary for a young man hiding from his thoughts and memories which were too painful to face. His home world was no more – it could not survive – despite the feeble efforts to the contrary. He probably had only one place to go to but for some reason he did not want.

A long time passed since he remembered who he was. And still the decision to leave this damned place did not come. When he arrived also a long time ago, he was just but a boy who did not remember nothing of his past. With time and patience, he remembered it all. His stay in the Prison Dimension taught him many things though he'd wished he never learnt them.

A few solar days ago, the portal had activated and prisoners escaped. He had heard the rumors that the son of Jor-El was there and it was he who released the prisoners though he did not have the choice. So his father's cousin Jor-El's son survived. For him, it meant he had family now – a cousin but a cousin is still family despite the old feud.

Cor-El had matured in this inhospitable area and he had to create his own family – a hologram of his mother – Sarah of Aerie using a hair follicle, the last he had of her. It was not easy but he managed. Now, he had to decide what to do. Does he stay or does he go to Earth to meet his cousin who probably knows nothing of his existence?

But the decision to leave was not an easy one. Though the Prison Dimension is a horrible and dangerous place it was also home. It was one of the few places where he felt more or less safe. Going to Earth after all these years is not the right call. Everyone thought of him being dead. He can't exactly go to his aunt.

"What shall I do mother?" – Cor turned to his holographic mother. "Shall I stay here or seek my cousin Kal-El on Earth?"

"Sooner or later, my son, you have to leave. Your destiny never lied in the Prison Dimension."

"I have no destiny. If it was not for the damned explosion I would have died on Krypton along the others."

"My son, you have a destiny." – Sarah said. "You were never meant to stay on Krypton. Van-El was to send you to the humans…"

"The humans – what for?"

"The humans are our distant cousins. They have great potential but they lack the light to guide them. Within the House of El, Jor-El and Van-El understood that it was up to either of them to bring this forth. At the time Jor-El had no heir so it was up to Van-El."

"And since I'm gone…"

"It came back to Jor-El. You know he sent Kal-El there for that same reason. The humans need someone to guide them."

"Why can't they reach it on their own?"

"They are a younger race. They are still cruel one to another and…"

"Like any other race, Mother. We were no different from them otherwise Krypton will still exist. It doesn't matter who you are or where you live all that matters is what you do and what choices you make. No, the humans are not so different from us. We are the same. The only difference now is the level of technology. The humans can take care of themselves."

"No, my son, they can't. They need this light to carry them through the darkness of their hearts and for that my son they will need both of you – Kal and Cor, light and heart. You will be there to help them, to inspire them, and be for them. They need you like you need them. The Prison Dimension has been your shelter but it is not a place, the place where you can have a family. The humans will be your family. Jor and Van always knew that a day will come when everything on Krypton will fall apart. Despite their best efforts they were but two lonely voices of reason in a world gone mad.

That's why they agreed sending their sons to Earth. At the time, you were that light. But now, when Jor had a son he has sent him there to become that light. They both knew that Krypton will never rise out of the ashes before the fire burns itself out. Sooner or later, it was going to happen. You underwent the training. You did not complete it because of the explosion but now it is time for you to go."

"I can't go alone."

"You won't. Van-El always anticipated everything."

"Just like Jor-El…"

"Yes, you have to find the disk of Dawn. Van-El left it on Earth for you."

"I gather without the knowledge of the High Council?"

"Yes, in that respect he was no different from Jor-El. They were both defiant of the Council's wishes."

"How can I find it? It could be anywhere not to the mention the humans could have found it before me."

"No, Van-El was prudent. He knew the danger in difference to Jor-El. He did not want to place his trust in humanity's honesty. The humans are curious and at times power-hungry. The disk of Dawn could give a human unprecedented power so he made sure that only a Kryptonian can retrieve it."

"Did he not consider the possibility I might turn on the humans? Don't I run the risk of doing the opposite and become…"

"Do you really think your father did not take this into account? He knows the danger."

"Alright, how do I find it?"

"You already know the answer."

"I do?"

"Yes, my son, you do."

'I don't understand."

"You will when the time is right."

"What of Kara – did she survive?"

"I don't know."

Cor sighed. It was still a difficult decision but his mother was right. This place was not a place where to stay with someone. It was a place of punishment, a place to hide but not a place to live. It was finally time to go but he had to exert care. His cousin let some of the prisoners escape. He couldn't make the same mistake.

He readied everything. Only one thing remained – what to do with his sanctuary – he decided to leave it – one never knows when it was going to come in handy.

He ventured out and headed to the mountains of the East. He, himself, placed an exit there a long time ago. He reached it by nightfall. No one had followed him as far as he could tell but he decided not to take any chances. He remained silent, still until morning.

He needed about a minute to make it work but the problem was that once activated it would stay active for a few minutes, and this is time more than enough for someone else to cross.

He took his knife and made a cut. He placed his bleeding hand on the console. It activated at once. An opening the shape of his crest appeared. But Cor waited for he wanted make sure he will not take others with him.

Sadly sometimes the devil does his work well. Near the end of the cycle two prisoners appeared. Seeing the portal they went for it but Cor stood on their way. They abruptly stopped.

"Get out-of-the-way, boy." – One of them said. "It is time we leave this hell hole."

"You were here for a reason, Kafal." – Cor shook his head.

"Who told you who I am?"

A dark smile appeared on Cor's face. "I'm the one who opened the portal."

Kafal stepped backwards. He did not expect this answer. He had shelter this boy in the past. And now, it turns out he was a member of the House of El.

"I saved your life boy."

"And I have saved yours more times than I care to remember but this change nothing. You are still a prisoner. What you did on Setey can't go unpunished. You will stay here."

"I told you of this."

"No, my father did after he shoved in here."

Kafal's features changed drastically for he knew all too well who placed him here – Van-El. So this boy was his son Cor-El.

"Then Cor, son of Van of the House of El, this will be your last resting place." – Kafal announced and moved to attack.

Cor took defensive stance. Kafal attacked fiercely. Cor blocked his attack and threw him aside. Kafal got to his feet and charged again. He was not going for the portal but for the kill. He was a dangerous opponent. Maybe, more than Cor could handle, but Cor had no intention of letting him pass. This place had taught him toughness.

The fight lasted just two minutes but they were very exhausting. Cor emerged victorious though Kafal managed to inflict a lethal wound but Cor stood his ground. He looked at the other one who took Kafal and ran away. Cor did not kill Kafal. He only knocked him down because despite everything he was not a killer.

Cor spit blood. He was dying. With one last effort, he crossed through the threshold of the portal that closed right behind him.

On planet Earth, home of the human race, a bright blue light suddenly flared. A bulb of bluish energy crossed the sky and crashed behind the far ridges of the horizon.

A woman stood on the edge of her balcony and her eyes stunned of the sight followed the bluish bulb's trajectory with anxiety.

"Jean! Jean!" She called out loud.

The man named Jean bolted out of the house. His was still in his jumpers as it was early morning.

"What? What is it?"

The woman just pointed to the fading trace of the bluish bulb of energy. Jean's eyes widened with surprise.

A few days ago this happened for the first time. Several bolts of bluish energy flared in the sky and scattered in different directions. What this meant they knew all too well. Someone had left the cursed prison dimension.

Jean knew who stayed in such a place – the depraved, the outcasts, the most dangerous vagabonds, scum of the universe and those that do not know how they got there. They were prisoners of one of the greatest lights in the universe – The Kryptonian civilization. Its light though faded suddenly, too soon in his opinion.

"Who do you think it is?" The woman asked him and he could see the hope in her eyes. He understood that hope all too well.

"I do not know, Mira." Jean replied. "I truly do not know."

"Only a member of the House of El can open the door and Kal-El is already home, Jean."

Jean shook head. It was not possible and yet the proof was right before their eyes. There was another of the Els but who the question was. Who? Jor-El and Lara died on Krypton along Zor-El. Van-El and his wife Sarah Tassir, Mira's sister, died on the walls of Kandor years ago defending it from the Black Zero's forces. Who? Who else was there?

"Kara," Jean said though he did not believe it. He doubted Zor-El would let his daughter die on Krypton or worse send her to the Phantom Zone.

"Or Cor…" Mira did not finish the sentence as it was her greatest hope he survived somehow, somewhere. She based her hope on the Prophecy, the Prophecy of Rao. She believed in it. She believed he was the chosen one.

"Oh, Mira," Jean moved to his wife and embraced her. "Cor-El died on Krypton…"

"His body was never found…"

"That's because there was nothing left of it. I'm sorry, dear, but he is dead."

"Then who escaped the Phantom Zone just now? Who else has the power to open the gate?"

"I do not know." Who or how? He had no answer to give his wife. But someone did just leave that cursed place. He has hopeful though as it was only one and whoever he or she is young Clark will find him and send him back.

His wife's hopes could take fruit as well for anything is possible. And if somehow, young Cor-El survived, great changes were to befall the world.

Near the forest border of the Czech Republic, the bluish meteorite crashed. The ground stood burnt and branded with a diamond-shaped crest with an S in it. In the middle of that crest lied Cor's body.

Two oddly dressed figures emerged from the forest. They looked in awe the crash site and the body in its middle. One of them made a gesture and the other nodded. They bent down and picked up the body and carried it inside the forest vanishing out of sight.

Later, one of them returned to cover the branded symbol. Turning to the sky, the figure mumbled: "Two beacons you shall have to guide you – Light and Heart."

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Lordheaven