Chapter 9: Kneel Before Zod
Metropolis Lutor Corp 2005
"This is it no one can stop us now!" claimed the countess's handmaiden who inhabited Chloe.
"Careful Human" Zod spoke up "Things can turn awry very quickly if you become to confident"
Phantom Zone
"AND THIS IS FOR ME MISSING YOUR FATHERS DEMISE!" Non-Zod again smacked Clark down into the barren sands as more and more phantoms arrived sensing their jail break is near.
"Non" A feminine form pushed through the crowd followed by a hulking form who glared from the captured Raya to the beaten Cal-El
"Lyca?" Non-Zod turned to the form and appreciatedly took in the form. "you grace us with your presence"
"Pathetic!" the stunningly beautiful Lyca hissed as she walked around to Cal-El as her bodyguard lingered not far. "You have Jor-El's blood and have Jor-El's assistant to find the keystone for you yet you have taken no action to obtain freedom" she cocked her head inquisitively at him. "your pathetic Kryptonian logic makes no sense to me" she chastised Non-Zod as well as the other Kryptonian Zoners but received several grunts of agreement from the Alien congregation of zoners. "Do you not wish to be free? Explain yourself" She ordered the son of Krypton's 'most heinous villain'.
"W…w…w…Wa…w…What?" Non spluttered back in shock.
"Did I stutter" she took a threatening step forward dividing the circling zoners into sides
"I am the son of ZOD!" He managed all the bluster he could manage "I will not be spoke to like this!" he spoke to Lyca in such away her body guard stepped inbetween the two.
"You are not your father" she said quietly but loud enough for everyone to hear.
"aaw poor baby gunna cry?" came a voice from the crowd "Does he want his mommy?" the crowd parted to reveal a cloaked figure but a shining steel tip was peaking through a low parting. "Or do you jus want to die with embarrassment" and with the last word the figure shrugged off the zoner robes wielding his Tonfa Blade and charged into General Zod's son. "Get up Clark!" He shouted as he sliced at two Zoners lunging at him.
"Markus?" Clark wheezed out as he struggled to his knees.
"SUPERBOY!" Markus screamed as he flipped his blade around and stabbed several times the oncoming Zoner who fell to the floor. "Lets duck out kidda" He said as he turned round pulling an almost upright Clark with him. "Come on we need the keystone and your blood." Markus and Clark pulled away as the Kryptonian faction warred with Alien's.
"Raya" Clark fell and looked back "Raya" he said more sternly now.
"What?" Markus glanced back then stopped with a sigh. "Raya the Kryptonian?"
"She has Jor-El's crystal" He sat up watching the skirmish unfold "Save her" He half ordered.
"What? Why me? If you want her so bad you should bloody…" Markus drifted off as Clark gave him a look "Alright then" Markus then jogged back blade at the ready as two figures approached him…Lyca and her big friend who was now wielding his own crude short sword.
"Your not Kryptonian…half breed?" Lyca stated as Markus rolled past Lyca ducked the big guys swing then side stepped his chop down wards stabbed him quickly in his side where the kidney would be but he didn't drop.
"Earthling, love" Markus smiled and he quickly stabbed him two more times in his side this time lung height. "I'm not half anything" he stood up arrogantly until Lyca's disdain turned slightly to an imperious smirk. Her body guard was still standing, still swinging. Markus put all his weight on his back foot arched his back backwards letting the primitive weapon glide harmlessly over past him he then counter stroke bringing his tonfa blade all the way up from the guards left thigh through out his bowels torso and left ear, pirouetting and then arced the blade decapitating the foe. "I stay til' the job's done" his English accent adopting a more Irish in that sentence.
"Java" Lyca interrupted "One of my best" she nodded in approval.
"Really?" Markus asked this time cocking his own head "If ya Say so" he smirked snapping Lyca into attention
"I do" shed seethed but Markus had turned into the fray before she had time to do anything. "I'm a Time-Lord I bend the universe to me! Who is this peon!" she raged as she turned her attention to Cal-El.
"RAYA" Markus shouted and then saw the only white robed female about. "Raya?" he asked as she turned getting her attention, unfortunately gaining the attention of some one else he slung he tonfa blade high forcing the oncoming foe to defend high but then slipped the crude blade of the fallen body guard in and out of his chest cavity. The turned swinging the blade into the throat of the fiend chasing Raya who had ducked under his swing.
"Lets go" she shouted as she sprinted past the stalking Lyca.
"Hey I'm meant to be rescuing you!" Markus quickly followed until Lyca dropped to the floor and swept out his legs. "You BLOODY HARTLETT!" he his anger mounted and he threw his patented green fireballs in her face…well he tried to but he forgot the zone negates all powers. "Eerm bout the hartlett" Lyca kicked him in his face then followed through swooping herself back up to her standing position.
"Hartlett?" Lyca seemed to question his slumped form.
"aargh" Raya grabbed the crude blade and swung it at Lyca who grabbed both of Raya's arm's bringing them down in front of her.
"I'm not Hartlett" Lyca almost whispered to Raya "I am the true ruler of the 28 known Galaxies" she head butted Raya down to her knees but still held the weapon wielding hands. "I will have my time again. No one will stop me" she in true megalomaniac fashion gloated.
"Well how about two then" Markus leapt up tonfa blade twirling but his lead hand was effortlessly grabbed by lyca and bent him backwards almost off his feet, almost.
"How a bout three" a breathless Clark stood up eye to eye with Lyca.
"Jor-El's son" she hissed with a bit of bitterness, and intent which too her mind slightly off Raya and Markus. Markus ever the opportunist turned his failing balance into a strong swing with his foot planting itself directly into Lyca's solarplexus with a soccer kick forcing the mad woman back half step which allowed Raya to swing the crude blade upwards knocking Lyca over.
"Run!" Clark shouted and turned as the three ran over the next sand dune into a sort of plateau.
"In the centre of this plain is a black stone touch it with the crystal and Jor-El's blood and it will open!" Raya tried to explain before. "But whoever is in the ridge…" she was cut off by Lyca tackling her.
"You think you could hurt me" she pounded on Raya's face "Even in here" she gestured to the barron land. "You are insignificant"
"GO!" Raya screamed to the startled Earthlings as she tossed Jor-El's Crystal toward them.
"You heard her Superboy" Markus bent down to retrieve it "GO!" he turned and ran with Clark towards the black stone.
"We cant just leave her."
"We cant go back either"
"Cal-El!" The other Zoners had sorted their differences and now coming over the ridge … not as many as before but a few.
"Clark" Markus stopped running and handed him the crystal of his father "Save the day" Markus half smiled then turned back to the oncoming horde. "I don't hear running." He said as they got nearer.
"Markus' we can both make it" Clark said sternly not wanting to leave another behind. "I'm not leaving you here for ever!" With this Markus turned as the oncoming zoners were ever so near now.
"I don't plan on being here forever mate so sod off" he smiled back as he turned his full attention back onto the rabble.
"You have got great blue eyes" Clark said before he ran off to the stone.
"Sodding poof" The ridge surrounding the black stone was eclipsed in bright light.
Flanders Field, Smallville
"Organinic copy?" Pete unsurely said as Brainiac 5 took a step closer towards Krystal. "Then this must hurt you!" He then unclasped a lump of glowing green meteor rock from his belt and shoved it nearer the organic android.
"I'm not Kryptonian" Brainiac 5 simply stated. "Wait!" he quickly snapped as he turned to face the sky.
Metropolis Luthor Corp
"Countess" Zod turned to Lana's body inhabited by Isobel. "If I believed in luck, I would ask for your maiden's head" a Slight smirk appeared on Luthor's possessed body.
"aaargh" Came a howl from the terrifying banshee which is Angel of Vengeance aka Andrea. "Take this you alien scum!" she landed on Chloe's body and lashed out against the closest which happened to be Madeleine in Lois' body sending her sprawling. "Come on, stop hiding behind your chica's" she went to step towards Zod but a sharp kick from Isobel blind sighted her knocking her back.
"I'll deal with this" The countess smiled to the General. "I'm no one's 'Chica' chica" Isobel concentrated back on Angel.
"There…is a problem" Zod looked skyward
Moscow Tsar Palace Russia
"That's it" Alicia turned to Bart "That's every one" She continued as the flash looked up at the flickering lights and all the Russian politicians arguing.
"You heard from AC?" Bart asked becoming increasingly nervous as all the computers in the world are now infected in the Kryptonian computer virus.
"Aqua? Hasn't checked in" Orb's tone became a warning to the young speedster, then all of a sudden the systems came back online and orb could here both AC then Bullseye and finally Lionel Luthor.
Metropolis Luthor Corp
The House of El contains many great accolades, one of them being Zor-El a great scientist of Krypton granted not as great it would seem as Jor-El the Scientist who created 'The Orb' containing cloned copies of Kyrton's greatest heores, he also created the knowledge crystals who gave the master of them the knowledge of the 28 known galaxies unfortunately with unforeseen side effects with both items, he did also create the phantom zone to which housed only the most heinous and dangerous criminals whose crime's needed more punishment than death. But Jor-El's perhaps most favoured creation is his son Cal-El, hero of Earth, champion of the downtrodden, the light in the dark, some claimed the boy was softened by his 'human' upbringing but part of being human is knowing that even though there is no chance of winning that the odds are against you and you might surly find death yet if it is something that really matters humans will still fight, fight for what they believe and even die for it.
"Cal-El"
"Zod!"
"General Zod" Lex's voice was slighted at the infraction.
"Clark Kent" Clark then leapt towards the former general and hero of the Krytonian army.
Clark was forcing the issue in this fight he was swinging his fists at speed towards the face of Lex Luthor but was still connecting with military trained Zod who was taking steps back under the force of Jor-El's son alas he was luring Clark into the trap and when his chin was suitably reached out enough the General counter punched knocking Clark flying.
"Impressive" Zod stalked the downed Clark. "You escaped the phantom zone, very quickly let me guess" he paused for thought as Clark managed to get back up to a kneeling position "Raya?" Now it was Clarks trap as he had let Zod talk until he was with in striking range, as he lunged with a back hand right, unfortunately striking distance doesn't mean your able to strike and Clark found this out as his wrist was grabbed and Zod's elbow smashed through Clark's dislocating it. "Unimpressive now though" Clark tried to rise to his feet but Zod stamped on his knee making his bone poke through his skin. "Jor-El could of put up more of a fight than this." Zod taunted as he kicked Clark in the chest which sent him rolling backwards. "You're too human" Zod then zoomed behind the rolling Clark and landed a strong knee into the Earth raised Kryptonian's spinal column the zoomed back and delivered and expert blow to Clark's shoulder perhaps separating the join but defiantly dropping him to his good knee. "Kneel Before Zod!"
Flanders Field, Smallville
"Whoa! Where did he go?" Krystal asked through a hoarse voice to Pete about Brainiac.
"Hopefully back to where ever in the hell he came from" Pete responded sternly. "And guessing from he flying back into the sky I'm gonna say that outerspace is where he is heading."
Metropolis Luthor Corp
"ZOD!" Isobel shouted as she downed Angel to see an aluminous green fire ball send him flying.
"Now my query is?" The chilling British voice approached Lana's body. "Is if Fine made Lex Kryptonian-like-esq sorta?" Zod now rose showing that lex's body was severely burned but healing. "why give him kryptonian weaknesses." Markus quickly lashed out knocking the stunned witch down. "Surely he could of engineered it differently no?" He then sank into fighting position.
"I'll pass it on" Zod was in front of him in a flash.
"This can't be good?" Markus was hoisted effortlessly up in the air and then he saw the fist of Lex's controlled by Zod sent hurtling into his face, he felt the bone groan and crack and twist under the strength of a full contact Kryptonian punch, It was so hard the grip was broken between him and Zod's other possessed hand. "Mmmrrrr mmmrr mmmmmph mmmble mmrm" Markus was trying to scream as he flew across the urban battlefield but his muscles and bones wouldn't let him and now the force from his flight was becoming a concern as his conscious was slipping. Finally and almost thankfully he landed into a roll at last he stopped, his reprise was short lived as his eyes widened in fear and some what annoyance that Zod was standing above him.
"What?" The Alien General asked while thrusting a stamp into the Earthling's midsection "No more queries?" The arrogant question hung in the air as Markus's was spluttering blood onto his legs as he was trying to clamber back to his feet. "Disgusting" Zod commented while giving the surroundings an unappreciative look. Markus then sprung into action flaming his hands and aimed them at the face of Luthor only to be stopped short by Zod grabbing hold of Markus' forearms. "You cannot win! Do you not realise that yet?" Now Zod was annoyed. He studied the Earth champions' face, whose left cheek was lacerated up to his eye where Zod's initial punch made contact, Markus' left eye was swollen shut with major swelling under the cut and minor swelling over his eye but it wasn't the blood streaming profusely out of the damaged face with no signs of stopping which held Zod's intrigue it was Markus' good eye, the black depth orb with swirling dark green. "You still defy even in death?" he then smashed his forehead into the Earth's champion nose. Markus' legs wobbled and his fire engulfed hand lost their flame but as he fell over his left hand grazed Zod's grip burning the alien controlled man into letting that arm go. "You scum!" the arm still gripping Markus yanked the earthling towards the extraterrestrial as Zod unleashed a whipping back hand making the British American yelp. "You will learn your place" Zod repeated it and once more until the backhanded slap was so ferocious it broke the grip of the super powered son of Krypton. "At my feet, on your knees" as Markus rolled to a stop Zod flashed on top of him. "Have you learned anything yet?" Zod inspected Markus's good eye while the three cuts from his slaps poured into it. "Your desire to fight is dying as is your desire to live" Zod readied himself for the killing blow.
"ZOD!" Clark shouted near inaudibly on his hand and knee half crawling half dragging himself towards his fathers former friend. The Alien General turned and strode confidently over to Clark leaving the Earthling alone but when Cal-El looked up, kneelin, at Lex Luthor, Dru-Zod, Two flying forms landed hard twenty meteres away from the two kryptonian's.
"Brainiac?" Zod had turned away from Clark to look upon the new comers one who looked an exact replica of his Brainiac robotic servant and an African-American man in a long coat. "Martian!" he snapped quickly but before he could do anything clark had attacked and slammed his House of El crystal onto Lex's Body controlled by General Zod. "AAAAArgh" the scream became inaudible as Lex Luthor Regained control of the body forcing the alien back to the phantom zone.
"It's…its…it's over" Clark was able to breath out as Brainiac and the one who Zod called Martian came over to Lex.
"I will mind erase the human and double check The General was returned to the Zone" Martian said to Brainiac. "He is his fathers son" He now indicated Clark.
"I have files which confirm" Brainiac nodded
"Who are you?" Clark asked as he winced trying to stand straight up. "Well I know you Fine" His expression became stoney.
"This is Brainiac 5 he is my partner to replace your father to police the zone" The Martian stood up face to face with him. "I'll also expel your magic problem from those possessed" Nodding to the three downed witches.
"You Knew Jor-El? He is a good Brainiac?"
"An organic one with the ability to choose between morality. Your Friend…" Martian responded now gesturing Markus "…the earthling, escaped the zone so did several others. All over this planet, Will You help us retrieve the prisoners Cal-El?"
"My name is Clark, But yes I will reset the wrongs which happened because of me" Martian smiled at the reminiscence of Jor-El.
"Call me John Jones" The Martian passed him some alien beeper "I'll be in touch" he then swept round to show brainiac 5 had lined up the three girls and Lex where John Jones' eyes glowed and went silently still.
"I also have much to atone for, yet it was not personally me debt" Brainiac 5 said to an almost fully healed Clark.
"Don't your face still causes pain, maybe in the future I can trust you as a hero" Clark Responded while watching the Martian still standing still.
"Your admirable to even do that"
"Its time to go" John said to Brainiac 5 "We have to get started on recapturing the zoners."
"Well they do call you the manhunter" They both thundered off into the skyleaving Clark and a destroyed city.