Hi. So, I'm here once again. Thank you for your reviews and kind words, I really appreciate it. Here's the 4th chapter. Please, read and review, I would really appreciate it.


Chapter 4 - Not Alone

Hello, Kal-El."

Clark looked at the man who said it. Or, his hologram, to be exact. The hologram looked so real. It was like the man was standing right in front of him. He was tall, though not quite as tall as Clark is. The sincerity in his eyes shocked him a little. He had brown hair, brown eyes and a beard. Based on his facial structure, Clark had no doubt that the man in front of him was his father. He had the same cheekbones, nose, lips, jaw. If not for Clark's different eyecolor and haircolor, they would've looked like twins. Well, except for that he looked older.

He was wearing some otherworldly clothing. The best description could be that it looked like some kind of a robe. Though it was not exactly a robe. It looked thicker and stronger. Underneath, he could see a part of the ‚S' symbol. The same symbol like the one on the ship. The clothes were black, but the symbol was blue.

Hello, my son," said the woman standing next to him. She had a beautiful voice. Soothing.

Clark looked at the woman. She was truly beautiful. Her black hair and blue eyes complimented her olive skin and her high cheekbones. She wore something similiar to the man, ‚my father,' Clark corrected himself. Black kind-of-robe with the blue ‚S' symbol on her chest, though it was smaller and the symbol could be fully seen. The most shocking part were her eyes. The blue in them was almost inhuman. Otherwordly.

Of course it looks otherwordly, Kent. They are aliens. YOU are an alien,' thought Clark.

They were the exact same shade he had.

„Y-you are my.. my biological parents, aren't you?" Clark asked. Suddenly, his tongue felt heavy.

Yes. We are. Well, we are their shadows. Their consciousness. Or an A.I., if you will," said the man.

My name is Lara Lor-Van, and this is Jor-El. We are your parents, as you figured. I always knew you would be just as smart as your father," said the woman, ‚Lara, my mother,' Clark corrected himself again.

Clark looked at his parents. They were smiling. He thought they would freak out, although.. what should he expect? They took in an alien baby, some real-looking holograms wouldn't do anything. Clark looked at his father, Jonathan. He smiled and nodded. Clark looked back at his biological parents.

„I have a lot of questions," said Clark.

Both of them just smiled. „You may ask us whatever you want, Kal," said Jor-El.

„I suppose Kal-El, or Kal, is my name."

Yes, it is. In our tongue, it can be translated as ‚Star-Child.' Quite accurate, isn't it?" said the woman with an amused smile. Well, his biological parents had at least a sense of humor. It somehow calmed Clark down, seeing that his biological parents probably weren't bad people.

„Where am I from? Why did you send me here?" asked Clark. The amusement of both Lara's and Jor-El's eyes disappeared. They looked sad.

You come from a planet called Krypton," said Jor-El. Suddenly, the hologram of a world orbiting a red sun appeared. The world had oceans, lands. It looked familiar to Earth's. But Clark noticed it was bigger than Earth. A lot. Jor-El continued, „a much bigger, much more advanced world than Earth. Krypton was almost 30 light years away from Earth. It was was a world of militaristic, medical and scientific achievement. Our race, Kryptonians, which you belong to, as well, were one of the most advanced races in the entire universe. Kryptonians had 5 guilds, Warrior Guild, Thinker Guild, Laborer Guild, Artisan Guild and Mediator Guild. Each child birthed in the Matrix was assigned to one of these guilds."

Clark was just standing there, drinking in the informations. Well, at least he knew where he came from. Wait, something didn't add up.

„Wait. Did you say ‚birthed in the Matrix'?" Clark asked.

Jor-El and Lara looked at each other. Jor-El nodded.

Each and every Kryptonian was born in a device called the Birthing Matrix. Parents gave a sample of their D.N.A. The Birthing Matrix would then create a simulation with the combined D.N.A. and based on the simulation, they would ‚modify' the D.N.A. and assign the child to one of the guilds, before the child was even born. We believed Krypton lost something precious – the element of choice. You were the first natural birth in centuries. That's why we risked so much to save you," said Lara.

„Save me? Why? What happened to Krypton?" asked Clark.

Krypton had an unstable core. The core was made out of elements such as Uranium, as humans call it. I found out that Krypton was going to explode. I tried to convince the Kryptonian Law Council to evacuate the planet, but they wouldn't listen. They didn't believe me. No one believed me. Except for your mother. We knew we didn't have much time. I couldn't save myself nor your mother, but I could save you. I created a ship, a ship that would carry you to the most acceptable planet we could find – Earth," said Jor-El.

„So.. I'm alone. I'm the last Kryptonian," said a sad Clark. He thought he was ready to know who he really was, but nothing could prepare him for this. He was alone. The last.

Oh, my son, you are not alone. You are never alone. You are not just a Kryptonian. You are a human, as well. You are the bridge between two worlds. Or you will be. Humans have a lot of potential, Kal. They only lack the light to show them the way. We believe you can be that light, Kal. You can inspire them. You can give them hope. That's what the symbol means," said Lara.

„What symbol?" asked Clark.

Lara just smiled and looked at the ‚S' symbol on the ship.

The symbol of the House of El. The Kryptonian symbol for hope."

Clark looked at the symbol. Wow. That's a lot to take in.

„I have one more question... why am I so.. different... from people of Earth?"

Lara looked at Jor-El, who just smiled.

Kryptonians are evolutionaly evolutionary evolved millions of years ahead of humans. The Kryptonian D.N.A. is incredibly complex, so complex, in fact, that only the Birthing Matrix could decode it. As I know you've noticed, Krypton was a bigger planet with much greater gravity than that of Earth's. Kryptonians were forced to evolve their muscles and bones to extreme density, just so they can handle the gravity of Krypton. Our planet was also orbiting around a red sun, Rao, as we called it. When we sent you to Earth, we knew you would have abilities. You would be a god among men," said Jor-El.

Lara continued.

Every one of your individual cells, be it bones, muscles, skin, brain tissue, or internal organs, absorb the radiation of Earth's white sun. Your cells convert it to energy, which in turn gives you your abilities. Among the abilities are superior strength, speed, durability, vision abilities, heat vision, much stronger senses, the power of flight and much, much more."

„W-wait.. are you saying that the abilities I already have are but a friction of those I will eventually develop?" asked Clark, surprised.

Yes. By the time you are mature, which, by Kryptonian standarts, is 18 Earth years, you will develop all of the abilities your mother mentioned. You don't need to be afraid, my son. We will be here to teach you how to control them, and I'm sure your adoptive parents will help you with them as well. Know this, Kal-El. Your abilities are far superior to that of humans. I must ask you to use your powers well and wisely," said Jor-El.

„You don't need to worry. I would never use my powers only for personal gain," said Clark.

All four of his parents smiled.

„We did a good job raising him, Jonathan," said Martha. Jonathan looked at her, smiled and hugged her.

„We certainly did, Martha."

Whenever you need us, Kal, we will be here. You only need to touch the symbol of hope. We love you, son. And don't forget – you are not alone," said Lara.

Clark smiled at them and nodded. The holograms disappeared and Clark just stood there for a minute. He then turned around and looked at his parents, who looked proud. He went over to them and hugged them.

„I'm not alone."


Alright, this is all for chapter 4. I'll post the next chapter within the next few days.. I hope.

A.I. - Artificial Intelligence

'Til next time :)