5

Meanwhile in Apokolips,

Deep within the bowels of Apokolips, resided 'The Hound of Darkseid'. Born of the forgotten people of Krypton, The Hound was taken from the wreckage of a damaged ship. From the moment Darkseid held the Kryptonian infant in his arms, he knew he held the key to his conquest.

The myths of Kryptonians weren't wildly known, but the old god of Apokolips had heard some rumors. Allegedly, some of their noble households even claimed to be descendants of the elder gods of the universe, Rao. With that claim came great strength.

Darkseid believed the child he had found was one such descendant. He found the child shrouded in a blanket with a sigil of one of the known noble houses, an 'S' within a pentagon. Though Darkseid had some proof, he needed to test his theory. So the god of Apokolips tested the child for years. Brutal beatings lead to the child being riddled with scars until his skin grew as thick as steel.

Kept in isolation, the infant grew stronger each day. As he grew, the boy's strength nearly matched that of Darkseid's elite generals.

"My Hound," Darkseid called him.

As the young man's strength grew, he became Darkseid's most prized possession. He learned from the god of Apokolips, the last son of Krypton became the head of his master's armies. Fearsome in battle, the Hound wore his battle scars from his youth as a badge of honor. Those who saw them trembled as their acts bounced off him. Raged fueled him but it was a bottomless pit. He was lonely and empty inside. Battle didn't satisfy him.

We find The Hund standing in front of a window made of molten bars. Surrounded by darkness, there was sadness in his piercing blue eyes.

"Foolish," he muttered softly.

The Hund had been replaying his conversation with his lord and master in his head. Months had passed since the encounter, yet his master's words haunted him.

"Most fear him, my lord,"

"As they should," Darkseid replied.

Everyone feared him. Even the Furies avoided contact and they were some of his master's elite fighters. If his fellow warriors feared him, who wouldn't?

Lost in his mind in heard the faint hum of a boomtube behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw an open boomtube. It lingered open without anyone coming through. Something was off. The Hound rushed towards the open boomtube and reached into it. He grabbed hold of something. With a mighty yank, he pulled something through.

"Ooff…"

As he pulled his hand back, delicate fingers were wrapped around his massive forearm. He continued to pull until it revealed a woman holding onto him. She was beautiful. Raven hair and a curvy muscular frame. Through the portal, a voice called out, but it spoke a language he didn't understand. As the voice stopped speaking, the raven-haired woman looked up at me. Her eyes traveled up my arm until they reached mine. Her grew wide as they lingered on me for what seemed like an eternity. She looked in a trance as she slowly she reached out her other hand to my cheek.

"Sunlight…" she whispered as the boomtube closed behind her.

The woman's grip on his arm grew suddenly grew weak. Slowly she began to fall backward as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Swiftly, he gathered her into my arms. In his arms, her head landed on his bare chest. The Hound's heart raced. No one had been so close to him. She looked so peaceful in his arms.

"What matter of creature are you?" he asked.