Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 119
by
Jason Richard
Superman felt frozen. Non had just gotten a boost of yellow sun energy, Zod was walking right for him, Ursa had her arm around Kara's neck, and Lytener had just been smashed against several feet of titanium, and lay on the ground, not moving a muscle.
"Kal-El," said Kara nervously. "I don't have any ideas. What..."
"Shut up!" cried Ursa, squeezing the girl's neck tighter.
Superman looked around. If he went to help Lytener, he'd be abandoning Kara. If he stopped to help Kara Lytener might run out of time. Who knew how bad his injuries were? Would he be able to help either of them? He was now at an energy disadvantage, so what was the best way to help either of them? What should he do?!
Kara tried to elbow Ursa in the stomach, but Ursa just struck her on the head with her other hand. The sound came like thunder and Kara's eyes rolled over.
"Kara!" cried Superman, aiming a punch at Ursa, only for Non to rush in and punch Superman to the ground, and it hurt like nothing Superman had ever felt before. Superman kicked up a cloud of dust and left a crater in the sand as he reeled from the pain. The next thing he knew Zod had his hand on the back of Superman's head and an elbow in Superman's back. Superman, his face pushed into the dirt, found he couldn't move. His body was trying to heal the damage Non had done, and his strength was leaving fast. Just how much energy had Non gotten?
"Non," said Zod. "Take care of the tanks."
Non grunted and flew in the air, his eyes glowing with heat vision. That blast of yellow sun energy must have been a massive amount of energy, as Non flew at astonishing speed, his heat vision decimating the tanks below. It only took a moment to leave the tanks a gigantic pile of molten steel.
Finally, Non landed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Looks like your friend overdid it with that yellow sun blast," said Zod. "Not that I'm complaining it about it now that it's turned in our favor."
"Please," said Superman, struggling to get up from under Zod's grip. "Let Kara go and let me help Edward."
Zod just shook his head, "I can't do that Kal-El. While I won't kill you and the girl, who are fellow Kryptonians, he's too much of a threat. He knows too much about how to manipulate Kryptonian power. But don't worry too much. His death will be quick. Non, you know what to do."
Non, still grinning, nodded and in a flash ran over to Lytener.
"No!" cried Superman, but Zod just buried Superman's face in the ground. He tried to move but couldn't.
How could things have turned around so quickly, and right when they had won? He had to free Kara and save Edward. He struggled as hard as he could...but to no avail. What could he...
He felt a spike of pain, a very familiar type of pain at that. It couldn't be. What was that doing here?
The pressure eased up as Zod stumbled backward. Ursa even lets go of Kara as both of them swaying, feeling the same thing that the others were feeling. Superman looked over and saw Non was in much the same condition, completely forgetting about Edward Lytener as he grabbed his head and screamed in agony.
"What...what is this?" demanded Zod. "What have you done Kal-El?"
"Oh," said a deep, charming voice. "It's not he that's done it."
Superman, still on the ground, looked over to see something strange. It was a man strolling towards them on the sands. This man's footsteps didn't make any sounds, but that wasn't the strangest part. He had a metal panel on his chest that opened to a device with a bright, green glow.
There was no question. This was a cyborg powered by Kryptonite, and Superman knew he was no friend of his. The look this cyborg gave Superman was downright sadistic.