DISCLAIMER: Characters in this story remain the property of DC Comics, Inc. Movie copyrights and trademarks are owned by Alexander & Ilya Salkind, Warner Bros. Pictures, and TriStar Pictures. The story contained herein is meant only for personal enjoyment and no money is being made from the story. No infringement is intended. I offer this fan fiction as a tribute to the creative teams involved in the actual production of both the movie and comic. However, I reserve the right to any original characters I create for the purpose of fan fiction story telling.

The House Of El

In the darkness of inner space, Argo City stands in an almost crystal like dome surrounded by 4 power panes. But there is something different about the gleaming energy being emitted by the panels, it now lacks the strong glimmer and flashes of light that once radiated from the power mills of the city. While the remaining scientists tried to find other ways and means of keeping the city alive by adding power sources, Zor-El and Alura are preparing their only daughter Kara to deal with the prophecy that the elder sorcerer Zaltar had secretly entrusted to them before he banished himself to the Phantom Zone. The extent of this prophecy would have a life changing effect on Kara and the future of the city some of the residents called New Krypton.

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The Hall of Learning was the largest room in all of Argo City. Here, the history of Krypton and its people were kept in ancient crystal scrolls that they managed to escape with when their home planet of Krypton exploded. Although Jor-El had managed to store most of the crystals in his son Kal-el's spaceship when he was jettisoned to Earth, Zor-El collected those which were left behind and took it with him when Argo City detached from Krypton. Zor-El and Kara were now huddled over the crystals, carefully studying the contents of each one before placing it inside special blue and red boxes carrying the S emblem. The room had been sealed off from the rest of the population ever since the Omegahedron began showing diminished power output. Only the members of the House of El --- Zor-El, Alura, and Kara, were allowed to enter the hall ever since.

"Father, why do we have to pack all of the record crystals? Do the elders know we are doing this?" she asked as she sealed another container of crystals and carried it to the other boxes now lining the hall.

"Of course they know my child. Do you think we would be doing this without their approval?"

"I just find it strange that they would ask us to do this under such secrecy. They even have me attending special classes about Kryptonian history and science, I have taken so much notes in class that I feel like they want to turn me into a historian."

Zor-El looked up from the crystals laid out before him. He ran his hands through his daughter's hair with a visible sadness on his face.

"She is too young. This should not be happening to her." he thought to himself.

"Just remember everything that you are being taught is your family history, your heritage. You have to keep it alive within you."

At that moment, the heavy sliding door covering the entrace opened to reveal Alura carrying a tray of food and refreshments for her family.

"Time for a break Zor-El. Kara, put those crystals down and wash up. I brought some wet towels for both of you." she found a clear spot on the table that practically spanned the whole room and put down the tray.

"Finally! I am famished!" Kara put the crystal she was holding into a holder then joined her mother at the end of the table.

Zor-El seemed absent minded as the family shared the meal. He was pre-occupied with thoughts of how to best break the news of the prophecy to Kara. It had been over a year since Kara last went to Earth and it was probably much different from what she remembered. He would have to send her back there soon. He could only hope that sending her back after so long would prove to be the right thing to do in the end.

Sensing her husband's troubled thoughts, Alura signaled for him to join her at the boxes. Pretending to read the box tags, he asked her if she had heard anything more from the technicians at the power center.

"It does not look good Zor-El. They don't know how much longer they can keep it stable."

He looked away from the boxes, glancing in the direction of his daughter.

"I would do anything for Zaltar's prediction not to come true."

"You know there is no way to stop it. Zaltar paid for his mistake with his life. It is unfortunate that we must all be involved in the repercussions of his actions. I just pray that he is wrong. That most of us shall survive and can join Kara when she departs from here."

Zaltar's prophecy was known only to Alura, Zor-El, and the ranking elders of Argo city. His prediction was that due to the loss of the Omegahedron, an evil force shall come to possess the power ball and deplete its powers on many occasions. These events came to be true since Kara had previously done battle with the sorceress Selena on 2 occasions, the last one costing Selena her life.

The prophecy stated that at the end of the life cycle of the orb, all of Argo City shall be destroyed, the sole survivor of the catastrophe shall come from the House Of El. A prophecy that Alura and Zor-El took to mean that only Kara shall survive.

The exposure to black magic caused the once solely white magic possessed sphere to malfunction on many occasions since then. It had taken the full cooperation of the elders and vast amounts of white magic to bring the ball of power under control. Each time the ball malfunctioned, its power drained at an alarming rate. Argo City was a place living on borrowed time. It was only the capability of the elders to project and control illusions that prevented everyone else, including Kara from actually seeing the truth. Argo was a dying city and the time would come when the Omegahedron would finally destroy the city it once gave life to.

"We will have to tell her sometime Zor-El. We need to prepare her." Alura reminded her husband who was now busy realinging some boxes.

"Mother, father, come and eat with me." Kara signaled for her parents to join her at the table.

"Soon Alura. The time will eventually come. In the meantime, let our daughter remain innocent for as long as she can." he took his wife's hand and kissed it as he led her back to the table.

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Having retired to their family quarters for a night's rest, Kara was now alone with her thoughts as she sat on the corner of her bed with a box open before her. Before her were the mementos of her last visit to Earth. She smiled as she held up the blouse of her Frostee's unform. She remembered how Lucy Lane had helped her get the job and taught her how to cook hamburgers and fries. Jimmy Olsen had given her an old camera of his to take back with her to Argo City when he found out she was leaving. She never did get to use the camera. There was no need for such things on Argo City. The moving images of people were stored on the crystal sticks and viewed as wall projections whenever one wanted to. Kal-El had given her the communicator wand her father had used to contact him. All of these brought back wonderful memories of the people she had once called her friends on Earth. However, there was one bittersweet item in the box that always brought her near tears when she looked at it.

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Jimmy had taken a few pictures of her in the guise of Kara being held close by Ethan while they enjoyed a boat ride during the picnic in the park a day or so before Kara left for her home planet. Staring at the picture, she held it close to her heart as she closed her eyes, willing herself to relive the day the picture was taken. Opening her eyes and shaking away the tears, she picked up the picture of Ethan that Jimmy had taken at her request.

It was already late afternoon when she asked Jimmy to do her the favor. She and Lucy were busy putting away the picnic basket and they could hear the two men arguing over how Ethan should pose for the picture. Ethan had jumped onto the hood of Jimmy's car and pulled his leg up to balance himself. Jimmy was worried about his boots ruining the paint finish on the car. Ethan just wanted him to hurry up and take the shot.

The women had finished packing up the picnic basket and were on their way back to the car when Ethan suddenly looked up and saw Kara walking towards him, smiling and glowing. A look that he matched with his own beaming smile. She remembered it well. Jimmy had said "Hold that smile man." and took the picture that was now resting in her hands.

She wondered a lot about Ethan since she came back. Was he still waiting for her to return? Would she still be able to find her way back to him? Would he still love her? Or had another Jenna come his way and taken him away?

"Stop thinking like an insecure girlfriend!" she pretended that it was Ethan scolding her as she stared at the picture.

"I know you will wait for me." she told the image in the picture. After lovingly tracing the lips of Ethan in the picture, she placed it under her pillow, a practice she began upon her return to her parents home and then touched the wall behind her head to turn out the lights.

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Light years away from the inner space of Argo City, Ethan is working in the Midvale School for Girls grounds. As he rode the lawnmower across the Lacrosse field, Lucy called out to him and waved while she headed to her next class with a group of classmates. Waving back, he remembered how much he longed to be with Linda again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the bracelet she had given him and touched the crystal in the middle to his lips, tracing it the way he remembered Linda do. When would he see her again?