Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 110
by
Jason Richard
Bigger and bigger the disk of light grew, until finally the center faded into the scene of an army and desert bathed in red light...or at least it was red light for the most part. The ground right in front of the opening portal turned a genuine sandy color, and that patch of color grew and grew. The red light in the Phantom Zone was giving way for the Earth's yellow sun, and as it kept going that Earthly sunlight bathed Zod, Ursa, and Non in it's powerful glow.
Zod felt that power and smiled, letting it fill him up. Ursa let that power in and basked in it. The best luxuries of Krypton were nothing compared to how this felt. Even Non, doing his best to hide the fear he had felt for so many years, felt that power and felt something change.
"Non," said Zod. "You've had the worst time out of all of us in this place. You go first."
Non didn't entirely understand what was going on, but ran forward as fast as he could, stepping through the portal. The moment he did the Phantom Zone wore off and Non's fear disappeared. Non felt better than he had in quite a long time.
And then Superman grabbed him and through him back into the portal.
Just before going back in Non felt anger, and as he landed he rolled back up and, screaming, ran for the portal again. Behind him Zod and Ursa smiled. This was closer to the Non they remembered, a proud, fierce warrior..
The army began running to follow Non into that new world, but before Non could reach the portal a wave of fire rose up in front of him as Superman's heat vision swept across the Phantom Zone's desert. All the army backed away, wary of the flames ahead.
"Patience men!" cried Zod. "Patience! You can feel it can't you?! The power coursing through us?! Soon we will have the power to plow through this army! Have patience!"
"I don't think so," said Superman as his eyes finished. "First wave, now!"
A few of the tanks shot their lights at the lowest setting, which merely bathed the Kryptonians at the edge of the portal in red light. Zod realized what was going on and grimaced as he felt the power begin to leave him.
"These humans are clever I see," said Zod. "At least the portal is growing. They won't be able to contain all of us for long."
And indeed the portal was getting bigger by the second. If it got big enough it was only a matter of time before this army of Kryptonian's couldn't be contained by the red sun weapons.
"Don't fret dear leader," said Ursa, grinning. "We wouldn't want this to be too easy. Where would be the honor in that?"
Non, meanwhile, just screamed at the wall of fire and the red light in a savage fury. He'd gotten out for just a second, and he wanted more.
The flames finally faded and Superman stood at the ready. Zod, however, was prepared this time.
"Squad Five," cried Zod. "Heat vision!"
About twenty Kryptonian men in the back shot heat vision at Superman at the same time, the red blast sending Superman flying away. Those Kryptonians lost their energy immediately, but Zod was betting that they'd gotten just enough energy for the rest to break through.
"Forward!" cried Zod as he ran forward, followed quickly by Ursa, Non, and the Kryptonians in the back.
They were stopped, however, by the tanks outside the Phantom Zone which shot red sun energy at them, blasting those in the front backwards and sapping their power. As the Kryptonians braced themselves against the force of the blasts some of them slowly moving backwards as their feet left lines in the sand while others fell over. Zod could practically feel what little power he had leaving as those blasts hit him. He gritted his teeth in frustration, trying to come up with his next move.
Out in space the benefactors that had opened this portal knew that the battle wasn't going well, so they decided to intervene. Moments later the same teleporter signature that these benefactors used appeared above them, dropping high powered laser rifles to most of the Kryptonian soldiers. Zod grabbed one out of the air as it fell and then ducked under the red sun laser fire, shooting a green blast through the portal and blowing up one of the robotic tanks with a single blast.
"I'm going to owe our benefactors much after this," said Zod with concern. He couldn't worry about his debt at that moment though, so with all his might he cried, "Fire with everything you have!"
Soon a barrage of green blasts came through the portal, blowing up tanks left as right, reducing the amount of red sun energy draining their powers. Zod waved his hand forward and the army slowly marched to the portal, which was now over twenty feet wide.
Superman, however, quickly flew back to the battle and shot more heat vision in a line, holding the army back. He then quickly flew back and forward, swatting green blasts away with his hand. When his hand struck one it looked like he was waving his hand through a green liquid that dispersed at his touch. Even Superman couldn't fly fast enough to stop all of the blasts, but he dramatically reduced the amount of tanks getting destroyed as he flew back and forth.
Even so, across that desert explosions kept going off, laser blasts went flying, and the portal just kept growing.
…
In one of Lexcorp's labs John Corbyn, a mercenary for hire, couldn't believe what Lex Luthor was telling him.
"Are you serious?" said Corbyn. "With the right cyborg upgrades even I could take on Superman?"
"Indeed," said Luthor with a smug grin. "You'll be able to demand even higher prices from your clients...barring myself of course. I'll expect a discount on all our future transactions."
"Mr. Luthor," said Corbyn excitedly. "You upgrade me with that kind of power and I'll do your jobs for free. Man, this is gonna be sweet! I assume since we met in your lab that we can start immediately?"
"Naturally," said Luthor.
And John Corbyn grinned.