SMALLVILLE

CHAPTER THREE, "ARRIVAL"

Clark ran out to the road as he made sure all the people were gone. There was only one person outside. It was Lana. Clark's eyes widened as he could practically picture the dream. Like he was living the nightmare he had been having over the last two months. It was coming. The meteor gained momentum as it came even closer to Lana. Lana was only frozen, she could only stare at the meteor. There was no time to react. But if Clark did act, Lana would know that Clark wasn't human. No human could travel that fast. Clark's heart seemed to melt as he knew there was only one second left to make a decision. Clark super sped over as fast as he could as the meteor caught fire, aiming directly for Lana. Pulling Lana out of the way, and he rose over her, shielding her completely with his body. Lana's eyes grew huge as Clark looked to the sky. The meteor was coming right for him. The meteor crunched against Clark loudly but Clark focused everything out, focusing only on protecting Lana. Opening his eyes seconds later, he saw that the meteor shower had died down. At least for now. But then reality sank in. He could feel that Lana was still scared. Her parents had died in the second meteor shower.

"Everything's going to be okay." Clark said. Rising up, Clark looked away while Lana looked at him in complete astonishment. Clark looked at her for what seemed only a second than began to jog away so she wouldn't see him when he supersped. Tears fell from Lana's face.

&&&&&

Lex walked to the cornfield, the same one he had traveled to as a kid. Instead of fear, he felt comfortable. Almost at peace. Opening his arms, Lex took a whiff of the sweet smell of fire. Closing his eyes, Lex drifted away to a world without pain. Without conflict. Where he mattered. Large meteors began to race all around him, dashing away some of the cornrows. Lex stood as he waited the meteors to take him away. From it all. With a deep breathe he hoped that there would be no more pain. But then he heard a sound in the sky. Two people were in the sky. Were they flying? The two began to descend rapidly. Lex looked like a stone. This was supposed to be impossible. Running as fast as he could, Lex hopped into the porsche the moment he reached it. This was unbelievable. Did they come from the meteor shower?

&&&&&

Lionel's pubils were gone. Several sheets of paper were in front of him. Suddenly, he looked up at the ceiling.

"The disciples of Zod." Lionel said surely. He paused. "They must be stopped!"

A clean-looking and clean-dressed businessman entered, carrying a suitcase.

"Mr. Luthor, a meteor shower has just occured in Smallville. Do you want me to page your son to see if he's okay?" He asked while he walked closer to his desk.

"Mr. Luthor?" He repeated.

"They will all be--eradicated." Lionel added. He looked up at his employee who quivered once he saw Lionel's eyes. Lionel looked to the skyline of Metropolis before scribbling down more symbols.

&&&&& 

"Non, you will let me do the killing of Kal-El." A skinny, short dark haired, light-skinned woman said who could have been a fourty year old woman.

"What about the other?" Non answered, the man who was the same age as her with even less hair and who seemed to be both happy and torturted.

"Kal-El is our main concern!" The woman nearly yelled. They both walked into the Cawatche Caves, their eyes trained and prepared. Walking towards the center of the cave, the woman smiled as she located the octagonal key easily. Opening her palm, the key flew to it briskly.

Lex watched in awe at the people in front of him. The octagonal key. He always knew the Kawatche Cave was the epicenter of it all. Suddenly, a whoosh sound began and then he looked behind him and saw the two people.

"You are not Kal-El, are you?" The man asked in disappointment.

"Who are you?" Lex asked, still astonished.

"He is not Kal-El. Just another weakling. But let's put him to the test, shall we?" The woman said with a disturbing tone.

The man made a lunge for Lex, but Lex used his reflexes and went for a punch. It was blocked by the man's palm. Within moments, a hand was wrapped around his throat while blood began to surge out. Then he was flung several feet away.

&&&&&

Clark smiled at another one of the people he had helped to safety or calmed down. In an instant it all vanished and he appeared in a dark abyss.

"Kal-El, my son. You have collected the three stones. Your destiny has not yet been fulfilled. A dark force has been awakened. It is up to you to destroy it, then return to me." Jor-El instructed.

"What do I have to do?" Clark asked. His black hair blew in the wind.

"The disciples of Zod have arrived on Earth. It is up to you to stop them. Then you will be able to come to me and accept the true direction of what is ahead."

"What if I can't defeat these people? Who is Zod?" Clark said loudly.

"You will learn these things in time. But you must defeat them. Immediately." Jor-El said as the darkness disappeared and Clark found himself back where he had been, but not before he was given something. Clark looked around, trying to find where these people were who he must battle.

&&&&&

Enterting the Kawatche Cave, Clark saw that Lex was hurt. He rushed to him.

"Lex?" Clark asked as he tried to wake him up. He woke up groggily.

"Clark. It's been too long." Lex said with a weak smile. Lex got up slowly. They embraced for a few seconds.

"How did you get like that?" Clark asked.

"I had this coming huh? Well, uh, I had a hunch they would come here. This is the epicenter. But Clark, I saw them fly. I know it sounds impossible but I could swear that they--flew."

"It does sound impossible." Clark said as he nodded.

"They said they were looking for someone named Kal-El. Doesn't sound familiar to you, does it Clark?" Lex joked with a nudge.

"No." Clark said with a superficial chuckle.

"It's good to see you Clark. I'm back to Smallville for good." Lex paused. "Things have been a lot different lately. I mean, since the divorce. I thought leaving Smallville would make me feel satisfied. Dining in the fanciest restaurants, meeting great businessmen, seeing the most beautiful places around the world. It was amazing. But then I realized that I was running away from all my problems. I had to face my father and my business. And I had to come back to the friendships I had. Your probably the biggest reason why I came back."

"I'm glad your back."

"Clark, when I was away I got to see something real. I got a good look at myself, or at least the part of me I've always tried to ignore. I was just wondering if you ever felt the same way. If it's normal." Lex said.

"Lex, I guess we all have to take a look at our dark side sooner or later." Clark answered.

"The problem is that if you stare at it long enough, it can get hard to tell the two sides apart." Lex responded with a hint of fear.

&&&&&

"Ursa. Should we waste our time laying waste to this city?" Non said, rolling his eyes. She had just demolished a police car with her heat vision. People rushed to run away from more violence.

"It is amusing. They will bow to us soon." Ursa answered. A noise erupted from behind them. A voice boomed.

"I heard you were looking from me. I am Kal-El." Clark said firmly.

"At last!" Non shouted. Clark began to walk towards them.

"I saw you all on the news. You can't hurt innocent people!" Clark shouted.

"The few must be sacrificed for the many." Non answered.

"They deserved to die! This is ours now!" Ursa chimed in. Clark studied both of them, looking for weaknesses.

"Sacrifice me. Because I'm not going to let you kill anyone else." Clark said confidently.

"You must join us, Kal-El. This can be our world. Our Krypton." Non offered.

"Rule alongside General Zod. Or you will be destroyed." Ursa shouted.

"This is my home! Smallville is my home!" Clark shouted. This was the one thing he had learned.

"So be it." Non said as he cracked his knuckles. Non appeared in front of Clark, taking a hard swing at Clark's face. Clark flew in the air and smashed into a cars windshield. Ura appeared by him.

"You have become weak. Just like the rest of these humans!" Ursa shouted as she punched at him furiously, slinging him to the sidewalk. Non appeared in front of him, but Clark managed to take a swing on his chest. Ursa reappeared and began to choke the life out of him. He was beginning to fall out of conciousness.

"Wait. Kal-El is holding back. He does not want these humans to see his true power." Non said as Ursa let go of Clark's neck.

"He is holding back for this inferior race?" Ursa screamed. Clark regained himself and thought up a plan.

"I'll join you. Don't hurt anyone I care for. The rest can be destroyed. Let me go a crystal. A crystal that will help me achieve my destiny. It will guide us." Clark spoke.

"We will go with you."

"No, let us lay waste to this city. Even if he does betray us, there is no where for him to run. It will be a game. We are the strongest Kryptonians." Ursa said with a devious smile. Clark vanished, preparing to use every second to come up with a plan.