Disclaimer: Based on DC comics' characters and the mythology created in Smallville (i.e. property of the CW network), and created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster but the words are my own. The characters of the Prophecy of Rao and the Four Orders are entirely my own.
AU: Supergirl/SMV: National City is under siege from the Daxamite forces. And on the day of triumph an old Daxamite foe returns ushering a new age.
ZOD
Chapter 8
Lena wondered how much longer they would spend in this perpetual darkness. It was worse even than space. At least in it, there was some light. As she thought about it, everything changed as an eerie green light filled the void. It grew in intensity and no longer only green. It was a weird mixture between green and yellow.
She could now see the stream like gigantic veins of pulsating water. But as the instruction went – it appeared to move in opposite direction. It was like being on a highway full of lanes some going in the direction of movement and the rest opposite of it.
Sometime later as she squinted the intensity grew exponentially. It was like a giant sun of pulsating green and yellow energy. J'onn headed straight for it and Lena hoped it would not burn them to crisps. But that did not happen.
Just as sudden, the intensity of the light dissipated. Water felt warmer. J'onn had released her from the bubble. She feared she would drown but did not happen either. The water was filled with increased amount of oxygen molecules and despite breathing it she could move and swim on her own.
She wondered what kind of technology can make this happen. It was against every law she could think of. Despite that she could now see much better. They were in some kind of conduit illuminated by something she could not locate. On the other side of the conduit the water continued to be its dark self.
They swam for what seemed an eternity until they reached the outskirts of the most magnificent city Lena has ever laid her eyes on. It resembled much the Kryptonian's structures but submerged. There were also buildings that looked like they were made of soap bubbles, towers of coral and sand.
J'onn slowed down and then simply stepped through a barrier. Lena followed him and to her surprise her clothes were no longer wet. Her eyes went in all directions. There was so much to see and she wanted to go everywhere.
The city was definitively not empty. They were people everywhere. So many, J'onn thought surprised. How did Rhea miss so many Yllyans?
A group of soldiers appeared out of a floor and headed for them. They stopped before them.
"Identify yourselves." – A Captain of the Guard asked.
"I am J'onn…"
"The Martian Man hunter,"
"This is M'Gann…"
"Leader of the rebel white Martians," The captain acknowledged with a nod.
"I am Kara Danvers and this is Lena Luthor."
"I see." The Captain said. "Seize the Kryptonian!" He ordered.
Before anyone could react, Kara took flight thinking she had the upper hand but she was mistaken. Nets of glowing green light fell on her and she fell. 'Kryptonite,' she thought and she was not wrong.
"And put the human with her." The captain added. He turned to the Martians. "Please do not interfere."
J'onn gestured M'Gann to stand down. "We were sent here."
"By whom?"
"That is what we have come to find out but definitively someone familiar with Kara Zor-El."
The Captain stopped for a moment. Zor-El, the name sounded familiar. He knew she was Kryptonian but he did not know who she was and now he did. That was most interesting but laws are laws.
"I see. But as much as I would like to accommodate, Martian, laws are laws. And our laws dictate that any Kryptonian that enters the premises of our city must be detained."
"Does this apply to humans?" Lena tried to appeal.
"Them too," The Captain replied. "Take them away!"
"But not Martians?"
"Martians despite their cultural differences one with another have always been considered neutral." The Captain explained. "A conjurer will come to collect you. Remain here."
He turned around and went away with the captives. J'onn and M'Gann had no other option but wait for this conjurer. She arrived shortly.
"Hello, I am conjurer Konini. Please follow me. "She greeted in perfect Martian.
The Martians followed their guide. They are a bit startled that an Yllyan spoke their Martian language but then again they were full of surprises.
"What will happen to our friends?" M'Gann asked.
"They are perfectly safe. It is just procedure." Konini replied.
She led them to another level a higher one where the entirety of the city was visible. It was a beautiful sight. From this point, they could also see the docking facilities. There were several ships. They were not as magnificent as a battleship but still.
"Cruisers," Konini said as she noticed their looks. "Civilian transport,"
'Civilian transport,' J'onn thought. That would imply they had somewhere to go, which suggested another settlement. 'How many have survived the onslaught? ' M'Gann wondered.
"Here, we are." Konini said and pointed at a building before them. It was not very high but had several floors. Their guide led to the second floor where she showed their accommodations. "I will come to collect you for dinner."
"Conjurer?" M'Gann looked at J'onn.
"Some kind of guide or other ceremonial title, I am not familiar with the inner workings of the Yllyans."
"Who is? I just hope that they are ok."
"I don't think they will harm them."
Kara and Lena were led also several levels up. If they had expected some kind of prison they were pleasantly surprised. The building was simple nothing fancy. Inside it had several very large apartments and they were put in one of them. The only security measure that they saw was a barrier that was erected around the building.
Kara tried it only to discover that it made her hand numb. It was not laced with Kryptonite although she did not exclude the possibility given the way they captured her.
"Are you nuts?" Lena exclaimed when she did that. "What if it was something worse?"
"I had to try."
"Come and sit."
Kara sat next to her. She was still not sure what to expect of her. Forgiveness comes with time not right away. But she suspected Lena was preoccupied with their current location and every geeky aspect of it.
Lena found a console and started taping though it was completely random as it was in Yllyan but that soon changed as the language shifted to English.
"That is so innovative." She exclaimed. "And so sensitive,"
"What exactly are you hoping to find?"
"Anything really," Lena was a like child that has just been given a new toy. She played with the controls and started browsing through the system. There was so much information of so many things she would need a lifetime or several to go through it.
Kara left her to it and walked around. The place they were in had many murals. They were telling the history of the settlement. That was interesting as they seemed to move. At first, she was not sure but then she knew for sure. It was uncanny.
Apparently, the Yllyans had the wisdom of colonizing other planets. They did not count only on their home world. This one was built over a thousand human years ago. Its population had learnt to mingle with the locals and lay low. They did not interfere in their natural development in any way or form. They kept their distance but chronicled everything.
As the settlement grew, they made a few more spread throughout the globe. They preferred larger lakes as changes to the terrain were less likely to occur than in seas or oceans. Kara found that weird as it was probably the opposite. However oceans and seas were the places where it was more likely to be discovered albeit accidentally by humans.
Then the view changed and it showed environment Kara was all too familiar with – Krypton and that surprised her. It was like the murals had scanned her. Krypton – there had been one settlement. How was that possible? Apparently the Yllyans made it two hundred years before the fall.
These Yllyans had managed to mingle with her own society posing as some remote village workers in the mines. As at the time, communication between the cities was not very optimal it was easily achievable and believable. But what this mural had to reveal to her was something entirely different.
It showed the crest of the house of El and one El in particular Seg-El. He had apparently had a relationship with one of the Yllyans. She had then returned to the settlement and stayed there until one faithful day when she left. Her voyage had taken her to Earth although much earlier in its history.
She had then her child. Kara saw the entire family tree. The tree then changed branches when the Yllyan married a human. And that tree became visible to her. It had many branches but the branch that caught her attention led to the new world – America. There it grew in size and shrank after some time. The last vestige on the branch was a name she currently bore – Danvers.
The Danvers branch in itself grew until it reached its current status, two parents (that she called Mom and Dad), and then its last descendant – Alex Danvers. Kara stepped back. She was in shock. It was her Earth sister that was now much more than that. She was her very distant cousin. They were blood related. Kara stood motionless and speechless. That was impossible. How could that be? How Kal-El could have known or did he know at all? As this was one heck of a coincidence.
The sudden alarms that went in the city brought her back from her thoughts. She and Lena stood at the windows. Part of the darkness in the lake swirled like a maelstrom and out of it emerged the battleship they had seen in National City.
"So, that is how they move in and around." Lena exclaimed finally understanding. She had been reading something about it but it did not make much sense to her. Now she got it. "They are using water warp drive."
"Ah, what?" Kara was not exactly paying attention to her.
"Their ships move from water to water whether on the same planet or another. This is fascinating." Lena seemed very excited. Looking at Kara however she said. "Are you alright? You seem like you have seen a ghost or an army of them?"
Kara was not sure how to convey what she had seen. She needed time to process it. It was too much. But she did not have the luxury of time as the Captain of the Guard returned. He was carrying a few attires.
"Kara Zor-El, Lena Luthor," he said and left the attires on the bed. "I shall return in an hour to collect you. Please make yourselves decent and presentable." And he left.
"Decent and presentable?" Kara repeated.
"I think he meant taking a shower and dressing nicely."
Kara protested a bit but Lena talked her into it. They found the facilities more than accommodating and comfortable. After taking a bath, Lena took a look at her attire. It was more like a tunic but one adorned with red sparkling gems and to her surprise the crest of the house of Luthor.
Kara's tunic was black with the crest of the House of El in its entire splendor and in sparkling white. There was white quartz infused with some kind of Kryptonian stone that she did not recognize. But it was definitively not Kryptonite. There was also a silver bracelet with the crest of the Kryptonian council as her parents were part of it.
"Wow, look at you." Lena exclaimed when Kara was finally dressed.
"Black is not my color."
"On the contrary, it is perfect for you."
"Yours is surprising."
"Yes, these Yllyans are uncanny."
The Captain of the Guard returned at the allotted time. He also had a change of attire – ceremonial. It was very contrasting to theirs – magenta.
"Kara of the House of El, daughter of Alura and Zor El. Lena Kieran Luthor, daughter of Elizabeth Walsh and Lionel Luthor, please, follow me."
"Kieran?" Kara couldn't help but whisper.
"My parents were eccentric."
"I like it."
J'onn and M'Gann also explored their accommodations. They both noticed the changing murals and the history of Mars in a way they had not expected. It contained details there were not familiar with.
Then as the alarms went off, they saw the arrival of the battleship. It docked on the east side. Columns of guards appeared and escorted those that exited. Minutes later, Konini appeared with two very large boxes that she left before them.
"Please make sure you are decent and presentable, I shall return to collect you in an hour."
"What does she mean?" M'Gann asked.
"I think they want us to take the hint and bathe."
"Repulsive, but yeah, sure."
The two got on it as the facilities were made for their Martian physiology. That suggested they expected them to maintain their original form. As they were out, they looked into the boxes.
"Wow," M'Gann exclaimed. "We are not usually for clothing but these guys are good."
"Agreed," J'onn nodded.
They changed into the presented clothing as it would have been rude not to accept. The murals around them reflected the gift they were presented with and the two understood that these robes were used at some point on Mars for ceremonies.
"I see now." M'Gann shared. "How do they know so much about us?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Konini arrived at the appointed time to collect them. "M'Gann M'orzz of the White Martians and J'onn J'onzz of the Green Martians, please follow me."
"She should have said the last of the green." J'onn whispered.
"Apparently, they did not get the memo."
"Very funny,"
They were led many levels down until they reached a very large and spacious area that contained the crests of all present (even theirs). The crest that caught J'onn's attention was one with the dragon and an S in it. The first depicted the Royal family of the Yllyans and the second the House of El.
The Royal family of Eerie as far as he knew was all but extinct. But apparently, he was wrong about that. But he knew not of a marriage between an Yllyan and a Kryptonian. The combination would produce an heir with extraordinary power, in his opinion. And he was not wrong. That heir was Corin Tassir.
He appeared in his usual attire of white green perfectly merging the two crests, representing both planets – Eerie and Krypton. Marching next to him was no other than General Zod, sporting a good beard, and his black attire.
The people bowed to them as they passed by them. They stopped at the pedestal that was elevated. Corin climbed the few steps and sat on the throne. J'onn noticed that he did not enjoy being on it but for ceremonial purposes he had ceded. He also noticed the glint in Zod's eyes. He wanted to be there too.
Corin had noticed that a long time ago. He snapped his fingers and a chair of dark stone appeared slightly under his chair. He motioned Zod to sit on it who did not wait to be told twice. He recognized the chair. It was the one he had chosen to use when he would have eventually conquered Earth. The attention to detail that Corin had was surprising but much appreciated.
"It is also the one you had when in the Military council." Corin whispered as Zod sat down.
Zod looked at its sides and had to agree with Corin. There were times he found the Yllyans extremely annoying and now he understood even better why the entire galaxy wanted them dead. Though it was not a bad thing to be represented well, it was still annoying the amount of details these people absorbed.
The presentation of everyone around began. Kryptonians bowed to Zod while Yllyans to Corin. Those that were not either bowed to both of them. Corin remembered with fondness the moment Kal-El had laid eyes on Zod when he came around after being subdued.
Kal- El had exploded on sight. The two fought for a time before Corin interfered and put an end to their kafuffle. His cousin had difficult time accepting his words. It took a lot of time to calm him down sufficiently so he could listen properly.
Corin had to remind both of them that while the ship they were on is very steady there was no need to sink it in their deliberations. When he finally managed to cool Kal off he proceeded explaining everything.
When he was done, Kal was still rather belligerent hence the reason he kept both of them away from each other. Near the end of their voyage, he managed to get them together in the same room without the need to wrestle them apart. He then had them dressed appropriately.
Corin then let him see Winn, Mon-El and Alex He thought that being with people closer to him would cool him off completely. And that worked. As they reached the Yllyan settlement, and disembarked they were led into another hallway where they had to wait to be called.
"What happened with Kara? "Kal asked.
"She left with Lena to come here. So, they should be here already." Winn replied.
"So, Zod, how is he even here?"
"Apparently, your cousin saved him from the Phantom Zone. He has been uncharacteristically normal." Mon-El answered.
"That is not a word I would associate with him."
"I know how you feel but both Winn and Alex can confirm it."
"Then he's biding his time. It is a ruse. Do not trust anything that comes out of him."
"You don't think he could have changed?"
"Some things never change."
"Funny, your cousin said something similar."
"I am still not convinced he is my cousin."
"He is." Alex said. "He is the son of Sarah Tassir and Van El."
Kal frowned. How was it possible that his father did not mention anything about another cousin? But then again, he had barely mentioned Kara too. It was that family feud he had with his brother and apparently a cousin.
To be continued…
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Lordheaven