Ch. 2
Deep in the Antarctic, Clark stepped out of a chamber build into the face of a crystalline cliff that was inside of a huge cavern made of the same crystalline material.
Seemingly out of thin air burst a voice, "My son, you have finally united the elements and fulfilled the first part of your destiny. You now have access to all of your abilities and to some of the more … important information hidden within the stones. I will now send you back to the caves, allowing you to deal with the events that have transpired during your absence. There is a condition to this. You must return to this 'fortress of solitude' that you have built and learn more about both your destiny, and about your Kryptonian heritage. You cannot put it off for too long a time like you did with the elements. Remember, Kal-el, there are consequences not only to your actions, but also to your inactions. Next time the consequences will be even worse. You must return here within a year. No later. If you do not agree to this deal I will have no choice but to keep you here until you learn enough to guarantee your safety. This will take several months and will result in much suffering for those you care about."
"What events are you talking about and what do you mean the people I care about will suffer?" demanded Clark in a worried voice.
"For one, the house you have resided in for most of your life has been struck by a meteor, killing the one you call 'Jason Teague' and injuring your adoptive parents." Jor-el stated in a matter of fact tone of voice.
"How badly injured are they? Are they all right?" Clark demanded.
"They both sustained only flesh wounds and will be fine in a few of Earth's rotations (days). That however, is not were your concern should be directed. The true problem lies in a much different direction. The second meteor shower was used as a diversion by a group of 'aliens' to cover the kidnapping of humans to be used as slaves. These aliens have taken two of your friends, the ones you call Chloe and Lana. They have just arrived at the aliens 'mother ship'. If you agree to come back and continue to learn than I will tell you of a potential way to rescue them, and I will even assist you in doing so. Do you agree to this proposal, Kal-el?"
Clark didn't see much of a choice in the matter. Either he did as his Father asked or he could lose Chloe and Lana forever. But before he said yes, he had another question that e wanted answered.
"How long will it take to learn what I need to know?"
"That depends. It can be done all at once or in smaller increments, depending on how early you start. If you started coming twice a month, it would only take about a day each visit, but if you wait until the end of the year it will take almost a month."
"Then you have a deal. Now, help me rescue my friends"
As a guarantee that Clark would keep his word, Jor-el once again placed the symbol for the house of El on Clark's chest. Not only would it force him to come to the fortress when the year was up, it would allow Jor-el to talk to Clark telepathically when there was a need to do so. He then outlined his plan to his son, telling him how he could retrieve his soul mate from her abductors. Of course, he neglected to tell Kal-el the soul mate part. If he had learned one thing about his son, it was that he would brook no interference in his personal life from him. His son would never accept the truth about his soul mate from him. Kal-el would simply have to discover the truth for himself. It was actually amazing how similar they were in that way. He had had to find out the hard way that Louise wasn't his soul mate, for all he had cared for her. Instead it was exactly who his father had always known it would be, Lara, his childhood companion and friend, the one who had patently waited for him for so many years.
TBC.
