The Prophecy of Rao - Season 1: Forbidden Verses


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.


AU/SML: At the aftermath of Dark Thursday, Cor of the House of El, presumed dead, leaves the Phantom Zone. He arrives on Earth and hopes to begin a better life but mystery surrounds him quickly. He sets to unveil this mystery and find the answers he craves for, guided by the spirit crystal of his mother.


Note:

Rao - the Red Sun God of Krypton and creator of the universe

Krypton - home world of the Kryptonians

Kandor - capital of Krypton

The Phantom Zone - prison dimension created by Jor-El


Collaris - the Blue Giant of Eerie and co-creator of the universe

Eerie - home world of the Yllyan Empire

Lux Eternis - capital of Eerie

Ventu Collaris - Highguard of the Yllyan Royal Court


Chapter 2

The One People

Cor woke up abruptly coughing hard. His chest hurt a lot. He tried to sit up but the pain was too much to bear. He remained horizontal closing his eyes to refocus his mind on something happy. His father, Van-El, used to say that at times of trial and pain happy thoughts can dull them for a while.

Happy thoughts – there were so few of them. However, Cor forced his mind in that direction. Unfortunately the more he tried the less he succeeded. Apparently, he had missed something of his father's wisdom. Then another thought of wisdom crossed his memories. It was Jor-El's – 'avoiding pain brings more pain – be like water. Water teaches us acceptance. Let your emotions flow like water'. This method however referred more to feelings than real pain.

His mother once told of the human method – 'if your arm hurts then slam your head into the wall at least you'll shift the pain to another place and the arm will not hurt anymore' but that was not useful either. And he suspected his mother's intention was to cheer him up and tell him this as a joke.

Cor was left with Major Zod's approach – 'get back to your feet, you lazy minx. Push through the pain and you'll get better'. Cor made another attempt to sit up but again the pain was unbearable. Clenching teeth however Cor sat up then titled to one side and fell off the bed. Cor gathered his strength and returned to the bed.

Now, he had more time to look at the room he was in. It was rather simple – nothing fancy – straight wooden walls, probably something the humans called oak, one chair where most of his clothes were, the bed he was on and a wash basin. The ceiling was of branches or wide planks placed and glued closely together. By all definitions, he was in a hut but the air was too clear so it was probably above ground. There was no door though. Instead, it was a cloth or pelt it was difficult to tell. The pain increased and Cor had no choice but lay down again. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.


Several hours or maybe days later, Cor woke up. He managed to sit up though the pain was still present. His strength was however replenished with good sleep. He pushed harder and stood up though it did last only a few seconds before he fell on the ground. Cor however was not of the giving up type. He placed his hands firmly before him and then pushed hard. Using the floor, he managed to sit again. Then he grabbed the bed's frame and rose up. He spread his legs so to keep up his balance. He reached step by step the wall next to the bed. When he was next to the wall he used it as support and stood with his back at it then proceeded slowly to the door's threshold.

He pushed aside the pelt and still holding to the wall ventured outside. His nostrils absorbed the healing power of the clean, pure air. He focused all his efforts on maintaining his balance. And slowly, one step at the time, he walked passed the wall.

He was right. His hut was on wooden platform with other huts that formed something like a village. It was perhaps sixty, seventy feet above ground. Wide branches and solid planks organized like tiles made the platform and the railings provided security for the many bridges crossing from tree to tree.

Cor grabbed the railings and continued to walk. The odd thing was that he could hear busy voices and footsteps but couldn't see anyone. It was like he was in a village filled with invisible inhabitants. He crossed from his tree to another but there was the same invisible dilemma.

As Cor discovered while walking his first assessment was incorrect. The pain was not only in his chest but in his right leg. Apparently he had missed the moment when Kafal had stabbed him there. But the funny thing too was that on his chest there was no scaring. He stopped and looked more carefully at himself. He quickly discovered the scar. It was on his left side.

But this was also very odd because he was on Earth. His wounds should have healed immediately. When he had spoken about his eventual abilities on Earth, Van-El had told him that he had nothing to fear. He would have all those abilities like any other Kryptonian on Earth. And when he came to Earth all these years ago he really did enjoy some of them. But now for some reason, he had none.

"Good morning," – A bright, gentle voice broke Cor's thoughts. He looked around and almost fell on the ground. He looked at a girl in simple green clothing who smiled at him with unearthly charm. Her long, blond silver hair fell graciously on her shoulders. "You're up, already." It was not a question but mere observation and a compliment streamed from it.

Cor was still at a loss of words. This girl had sprung like from thin air. But something in her captivated him. Was it the contagious smile or the internal strength he sensed, he did not know.

"Let me help you." – She said moving towards him. "Lean on me." She placed her had around his waist. "It is a wonderful, gracious day, is it not?" She said as they continued to walk around the village. Her look just like his absorbed the beauty around and the fresh aroma in the air.

They went around the village and then headed back to Cor's hut. She helped him get back in bed and tucked him in like a carrying mother. This one afternoon made Cor feel the warmth of care and home.

"Rest, you need it." – She said and left. Cor fell to sleep again.

"How is he?" – Another dressed in green figure asked as soon as she crossed through the bridge.

"He's strong and getting better. He'll soon recover." – She replied.

"Has he said anything?"

"No, he has not spoken but he doesn't have to."

"Oh, no, Alicia,"

"What?"

"You're falling for him."

"That's not true, grandmother. I simply admire his will."

"Yes, sure, his will…" – The grandmother noted jerkily.

"I…never mind." – Alicia said and disappeared quickly inside a hut.

The grandmother shook her head with a smile. 'Young people – so easy to predict…' She followed in. The days to come would certainly be interesting that much was clear.


Around the globe in Metropolis, at the Clock tower, a young man stood on the roof like a statue. His gaze turned to the city below. Somewhere there those thieves slept peacefully in their beds but the time of reckoning was fast approaching.

He moved inside the spacious apartment. Reached to the glass looking clock, touched a button and pressed it. A crevice appeared and revealed a secret room behind it. There on the walls, there were arrows, cross and compound bows, a small cabinet with cuts from newspapers in the drawers. The young man looked at them firmly and a tiny, almost negligible smile appeared on his face.

He reached for the wardrobe and pulled out a black green leather suit. He put in on, took the black sunglasses, put them on too, took a compound bow and closed the doors of the secret compartment. He ventured out on the roof, took out the bow, aimed and shot the special arrow. The arrow hit the target with perfect precision.

He jumped and slid to the other roof. Landing he took back his arrow and continued, running on the roof to the next target where he landed shortly after. With his specialized glasses he scanned the building. The security was tight but not so much. He found the weak spot, aimed and was soon on that building's balcony. He made his way in. The target object he was after was in a room with other interesting objects. A laser grid protected it.

He took an arrow he made specifically for the occasion. He aimed and the moment the arrow hit all the lasers shifted. He ventured in undisturbed, reached the desired object and took it out.

Just when he had finished he turned around and stopped dead in his tracks. There was someone in front of him in the shadows. He was in red jacket and dark blue shirt.

"Who are you?" – The guy in red asked.

"Haven't you read? I'm the Green Arrow!" – The young man replied.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed your cult status while it lasted."

"I think you're taking the neighborhood watching too seriously." – Green Arrow replied and moved out.

The guy in the red jacket however placed his hand before him stopping him and slightly pushed him backwards. Green Arrow lifted his head, looked at the boy in red and swung his fist at him but the boy blocked it and pushed him and he flew across the room smashing into the wall and activating the alarm of the diverted lasers.

Green Arrow redressed himself up. "That was fun. It looks like I'm not the only one with a secret. Hate to break to it you tough guy but you're on the wrong side."

"I'm not sure the police will agree."

"Look around you beef; the days of the good guys running the show are over." – Green Arrow said and took out his cross-bow, for the 'tough guy' and fired. Imagine his surprise when the boy caught the arrow in mid-flight.

In this moment a security guard entered. Green Arrow aimed at once and fired another arrow. The arrow passed by the boy and hit the guard in the shoulder for its design was to temporarily incapacitate its target. The boy had leant down to help the guard and Green Arrow used the moment to vanish. Green Arrow had no idea how his opponent moved that fast.


He reached the roof and headed back to his Tower. He arrived shortly after, put back the suit, placed the necklace in a drawer and went to take a shower. There was much to think of, for the last few days were quite interesting. He had met an intriguing girl – Lois Lane. She was perky, bossy with command complex but utterly charming. And then there was tonight's debacle – this boy in red and blue who was Clark Kent. He would have never thought him capable of such strength. He did throw him like a ragged doll.

After shower, he went straight to bed. This encounter however triggered a very odd dream. He was in the middle of a forest glade surrounded by figures in green hoods. Each held a big wooden bow. Oblong arrows in leather quivers protruded from their backs. Illuminated by moonlight, the shadow of the hooded ones was almost creepy. Their ranks separated and a figure in silver green robes stepped forward. His long silver hair was glinting on the moonlight. His grey eyes deep like wells seemed to penetrate in his soul thus leaving the feeling of being stripped naked.

Oliver tried to look away but the power of the figure's look was firm and unbending. When the figure pushed aside his hair, Oliver stared in disbelief. Everything in him was struggling with the unveiled truth, and then abruptly he woke up sweating in his bed. He went back to sleep remembering nothing in the morning of the dream though at times of trial and pain this dream came back to haunt him at every turn.


Cor woke up. The sun was barely on the horizon only its light. It was early morning. Cor stood up almost effortlessly. The pain had definitely subdued. He found his clothes and put them on though he was for sure to find something else to wear. His Kryptonian attire stood out among the simple green of the locals.

He ventured out. Everything around was quiet which was to say that his hosts were still asleep. He walked without the support of the railings. Seems he had managed to recover enough though he was far from top condition but it was a start.

He often wondered how these people got down to the ground and soon found out. As it seemed they used two ways: a rope ladder and basket. It was ingenious. The basket attached to a rope and it is then lowered inside a hollow tree. Once down, they exit through a small aperture leaving the illusion they spring out of the ground.

Cor used the rope ladder. Once down, he hid it behind some bushes so it is not so visible and found by mistake. Walking again on the ground rejuvenated him. Feeling the earth crack under your feet after you've spent some time suspended in the air was a feeling like no other. Cor's feet took him near a small pond some will dare to call a lake.

He put away his clothes and plunged into cold waters. The healing power of cold water woke his senses more effectively than the walk on the ground and the fresh air. He swam for an hour or two before getting out. Then he remained on the fresh grass naked letting the sunlight dry him up.

An hour later, he stood up put some clothes on while remaining bare chest. It was time to get better and what better way than the conditioning of Rao. It was a training that involved a series of breathing exercises, physical pressure and workout. The full program of it required more than two hours and as Cor remembered always under the narrow gaze of Major Zod. This time the major was not present but he could manage though it brought some pleasant and amusing memories back.

Major Zod, the hero of many battles with the forces of Black Zero, was his personal mentor. He was tough and was leaving no room for mistakes or bad behavior. He was merciless but forged iron will and discipline though he was not as lucky with Cor. Cor was a rather unfortunate pain in the neck. At the time, he was very far from disciplined and concentrated.

There was this one time Cor had arrived very, very late. He was previously occupied with Xen'Dar's daughter in you-know-what affair. Major Zod and all those that usually took part of the training session had been waiting for more than an hour.

"Cor-El!" – Zod called with rather stern voice.

"Major!" – Cor replied rather joyfully.

Zod's features drastically shifted a change Cor had noticed almost at once.

"Bow!"

Cor swallowed. 'This time I'm in the big trouble.' He obeyed though he was not military but had to follow the chain of command as all Kandorians did.

"Arise," – Zod walked behind him. "Hands forth."

Cor obeyed.

"One leg…"

Cor thus remained on one leg for the next half an hour. He did not complain.

"And get down."

"On one leg?"

"Yes,"

"I'm not sure…"

"NOW!"

Cor did try but on the first attempt he tilted sideways and fell on the Major taking him down with him. Cor was on the floor laughing his ass off. It was truly a comic situation though Zod hardly saw it that way. Cor then spent two hours more than the others training as punishment. The exercises were harder than anything before and when Zod finished with him Cor could barely move. Then he there was an unpleasant meeting with his father who grounded him Kryptonian style.

Oh, memories, they are always there. Some are pleasant others not so much. Cor focused as the conditioning takes time and effort. After that incident, Cor had become more focused and mature about its seriousness and application. The conditioning trained his mind and body, and after a time it was all that stood between him and total failure. That time he owed his life to this training and to the firmness of his master mentor – Major Zod.

So now, Cor focused and pushed aside all uncomfortable feelings and pain. And for the next few hours, he imagined he was back on Kandor training hard with the others – his friends. Seeing again their faces, he pushed himself harder and harder. And thus he did not notice the young woman watching him from across the lake.

The exhausting conditioning brought relief and rejuvenation. He was feeling now more clearly his body sensing every muscle and his thoughts were clearer than ever. His senses kicked in suggesting someone watched him but he did not give himself up. He maintained his balance and concentration.


Alicia who did watch Cor for the past few hours stood amazed by how quickly he has recovered from his wounds. Such wounds would have killed any normal human but Cor was far from being normal or human.

She moved as silently as the wind on the grass. She reached behind him and reached for his shoulder. At one palm distance, Cor suddenly turned around, grabbed her arm and flipped her over. She fell on her bum then Cor put his knees on her chest thus immobilizing her.

Seeing her under, Cor immediately let go though he found out that this act of mercy did not have the desired effect. The moment she felt free she retaliated and now Cor was under her. He smiled and responded very quickly. She was once again under his weight but this time he did not give up. Alicia stopped moving. Cor let go of her, pressed his ear to her chest – she still breathed. He got up and dragged her under the shadow of the nearby tree.

He got a palm of water and applied it on her forehead. She regained her vitality colors quickly. Satisfied Cor continued with the conditioning. When he finished he jumped into the cool waters of the lake. Getting out, he noticed she had come around.

Alicia opened her eyes just when Cor was getting out of the lake. It seemed he wasn't shy as he was once again naked. She averted her eyes to give him some privacy and as she was quite shy for her kind. Cor only smiled but proceeded dressing rather slowly. It amused him no matter on which planet one is.

Fully dressed he stood in anticipation. Alicia peeked again to check the situation and noticed he was all dressed up and waiting. The smile on his face enticed her and the look in his eyes was hard to resist. She averted eyes but stood up.

She reached him and offered a hand. He took it standing up. They walked hand in hand back to the village. Words were really not necessary. Their eyes said everything.


Alicia's grandmother, Ayla, had spotted them from afar. She shook her head but smiled as it seemed they understood one another, which was wonderful but the boy had not spoken yet. Maybe he did not know their language. It was very much possible. Well boy was a hard word though she was not very wrong. Cor, by Earth standards, was barely twenty-one years old. Space and time worked differently in the Prison Dimension.

They climbed up the ladder. Alicia took Cor to the elders. They presided on the largest tree. There the branches intersected forming an enormous circular space around the stem. Near the stem, there were eight more stools on which sitting were the village's elders.

Cor's strange clothes caught the eyes of the elders but the most staggering part was the crest. It was of diamond shape S in the middle and in its background a dragon with outspread wings.

"We welcome you in our village, Seyt," – The head elder greeted.

Cor's eyes slightly narrowed. They just called him Seyt – whatever that meant though it did sound familiar.

"We will help you as much as we can." – The head elder continued. "For as long as you want…"

"Seyt doesn't speak our language," – Ayla said.

A tiny, barely visible smile appeared on Cor's face. In truth, he did understand it pretty well but there was advantage in not showing it.

"This is something we will work on." – The head elder said. "Ayla, we chose you to look after Seyt."

"Of course," – Ayla said bowing to the council. "My granddaughter made some progress with him."

The elder's council smiled. The hint was subtle but obvious. They have all noticed their progress. It was difficult to hide.

"Come," – Alicia said though blushing. She was shy but only just a bit. She took him by the hand and they left.

"Are you sure he is the one?" – The head elder turned to Ayla and another elder.

"There is no doubt," – Valia, the other elder, replied. "He came through the crack in the sky and branded the ground with his symbol just as the prophecy says:

'In the days after the Day of Dark, a crack shall pierce the sky, and the second beacon presumed lost for ages, shall fall. His crest shall mark the sacred ground of Gallean, near the forest of Sylvan, and in its middle you shall find him – Seyt, the herald of Rao.'

It is him without any doubt."

"We shall see if he is truly the one."

The council left while Ayla followed Valia to her hut.

"There is more to the prophecy, isn't it?" – Ayla asked.

"Yes, much more, but now is not the time." – Valia replied. "You must take care of Seyt. He has much to learn before we let him go with the humans."

"I shall do my best."

"We can only hope to do as much."


In the next few weeks, Cor made significant progress. He was now openly communicating with his rescuers. The elder counsel stood astonished. They have never met anyone learning this quickly. He had absorbed a great deal of their culture.

"Alicia, where is Seyt?" – Ayla called.

"I don't know. He left early. He has not returned." – Alicia replied.

"Go find him. He must not roam around alone."

Alicia left the village. She believed she knows where young Seyt had gone. For the past one week, his mood had changed drastically. He was no longer joyful but rather thoughtful. He spent every waking moment atop the cliff near the Jolly Waterfall.

One day she caught him preparing to jump off the cliff. It terrified her. He stopped but she clearly sensed he has not given up. For some reason, he wanted to jump. She shared this dread with Valia but she only shrugged. Apparently she knew something Alicia didn't.

From this day on, Alicia kept Cor close.

"Seyt, don't." – She called as she reached the cliff.

Cor looked down with frustration. There was no escape from her. And every time, he would leave for the cliff, every time she'll come at that exact moment. There were times he wondered how she managed to beat him to the cliffs.

"Don't worry, Alicia, I won't." – He called back but mumbled. "Though, one day you won't be around."

"Why do you persist?" – She asked as she came up. "Why – explain it to me?"

Cor clenched teeth. He has not told anyone what he can really do on the Earth. The real problem lied with the fact that he still had no powers and it frustrated him. He kept thinking that he had forgotten something important and hasn't recovered it yet.

He kept thinking though that if he forces the issue his powers will come back. That's why he kept coming to the cliff. He had no fear of heights and every time he stood on the edge, clearing his mind and focusing, he was trying to…but nothing was happening. He did not feel any different.

"If you thought you have lost something and that the only way to get it back is to do something drastic, wouldn't you try?" – He replied.

"It depends on what you have lost." – Alicia said and stood before him looking him straight into the enticing ice blue eyes. "You can talk to me about anything. What is really bothering you? Why would you want to recover this, whatever it is so badly that you're ready to sacrifice everything?"

Cor smiled. She was so protective. And for some reason she thought he wanted to commit suicide for in her eyes what he kept trying to do looked just like this. If she could only understand but she can't, she couldn't.

He has made such progress though there was much to learn yet. He knew almost nothing of human customs, and blending in wasn't an option just yet. He had no problem with Alicia's people. He understood better their devotion to simple life avoiding technology as best possible. Of course, he did sense that they were hiding something about themselves.

"An equation has two sides, Alicia. So if one side remains in the shadows why would the other have to do the opposite?" – Cor replied.

Alicia stood perplexed. She wasn't sure what he meant as he had given to his usual way of cryptic replies.

"I…I…."

Cor thought as much. She did not understand his insinuation but Ayla most certainly will along Valia. He often thought she knows but keeps quite. Perhaps she doesn't want to spoil the surprise.

"We mustn't be late for lunch." – Cor said taking his effects. He offered a hand.

"We are not done, Seyt." – Alicia said but gave her hand.

"Life is an endless chain." – He said smiling.


Lunch in the customs of the local tree dwellers was an important part. They believe that the spirits of the forest gather to celebrate life as provided by the forest lord. Lunch thus consists of what the forest provides as food – wild boar roasted on fire with honey, water from the spring still saturated with forest aroma, wild strawberries and blueberries, all gifts of the forest.

Cor suspected the deeper meaning – all is energy – and the dwellers lived in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment taking what they needed and returning it when it was their time. This was also the philosophy of Rao.

He often wondered why they don't use technology but given what kind of life they lead he wouldn't use it either. It would only stand in the way. However for Cor who had grown with it, it was not as clear all the time. Some things could easily be done faster with the proper tools. But there was logic behind their motives and Cor learnt it the hard way. There was something liberating working hard to make something beautiful and useful with your own hands.

First the children get their share as they are the future, then the middle and at last the Elders. Everyone stands between their trees on the bridges holding his or her share on an oblong wide leaf. At first it doesn't seem possible to eat when you're straight up and with a leaf but with time one finds out it's not that bad and actually it is far healthier this way.

Cor stood between Alicia and her grandmother Ayla. They were his guardians and every time they fed him as though they feared he's going to die of starvation or malnutrition. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he was very slim like a crayon. But who could complain of that though Cor was quite moderate – he ate only as much as necessary.

Once everyone finishes eating the leaves get dispersed into the eight corners of the forest spreading the energy consumed and exchanged. And everyone could go by their chores.

Cor today had other plans. He managed to sneak out of the village. He headed towards an area off the premises of the forest.

He reached it under an hour of running. It was upland with caves. In them he had discovered pictograms. What he found intriguing weren't the pictograms themselves but the symbols around them – they were of Ancient Yllyan. It seems his people were all around the known universe.

The pictograms of course were also interesting. He has managed to decipher parts of them. They spoke of dark forces of an Ancient Cult that was to conquer the Earth. It said they possessed the powers of the Gods. They are like a plague and only the combined strength of the clans of Light and Heart can stop them. The pictograms described this mixture as the One People.


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Lordheaven