Slowly Clark and Lar approached the caves followed by the Daxam army. As they entered the cave some of the soldiers began to stumble and fall. Clark quickly looked at Lar and noticed he too looked pale. "Lar, what's wrong?" Clark asked concerned for his friend.
"Lead…" was all Lar could say as he lost consciousness.
Before Clark could react he was thrown to the ground. He looked up to see the face of Dr. Swan grinning down at him. "Foolish boy! I am the destroyer of worlds. Did you really think you could win?" He lifted the limp body of Lar. "Should I finish him now, or allow him to suffer?"
Clark stood surveying the fallen Daxamite army. He was alone; there was no help this time. He turned sharply toward the Eradicator. "Let them go!" he demanded.
Laughter filled the caves. "If I refuse? What can you possibly hope to do?"
Clark felt the heat building behind his eyes. Rage overtook fear as slowly he lifted from the ground to hang in the air. "This ends now." He said with such authority that even the Eradicator was forced to pause. He took advantage of this as he rocketed toward the Eradicator driving him up through the cave ceiling and into the sky high above.
As the Eradicator recovered, they fought high above the clouds. The sound of their punches clapped like thunder. After what seemed to be an eternity Lar saw in his delirium a human shape crash through the caves, deep into the ground. Followed quickly by a blue streak to again join the battle. He wanted to help; he could not.
"You cannot win Kal-El" the Eradicator said triumphantly as he stood over Clark. "If you destroy this body, I will just take another. All you will succeed in doing is killing your precious Dr. Swan."
"Clark!" whispered Lar. "The computer. It houses the Eradicator Program…" coughed Lar
Clark smiled at that; his eyes grew red. "What are you doing!?" shouted the Eradicator as the computer table began to liquefy with the heat.
Dr. Swan fell to the ground. "Thank you." Were his last words as he passed out.
Lar smiled and felt himself lifting off the ground; he saw Clark's face as he spoke softly. "Hold on Lar… I'll get help."
As Clark carried Lar out of the caves he approached the leader of the Daxamite army. "Is there anything you can do for him?"
General Glor looked at the young hero and shook his head. "I'm sorry son, he has lead poisoning. It is too late." He paused and seemed to consider the situation. "There may be one way to save him…"
TBC…