Chapter 30
Early that morning, they built funeral pyres for the fallen sentries and Red Shard knights. Everyone bowed their heads as the flames consumed the bodies until all that was left was ashes.
Clark and Lois ascended the ramp to the Queen Mera; however, Clark was now limping. All the veins down his right leg were now green from the poison. They walked to the stern of the ship. The sun was rising and Clark closed his eyes as he felt the sun's rays against his skin. He could feel the powers of the stone growing stronger.
The ship pulled out of the docks and into the Grand River. The river would soon join the Argean Canal and then the Argean Sea, the fastest route on water to Metropolis. Arthur joined them at the stern. "A beautiful sunrise." Arthur said.
"Yes… I just hope this is not one of the last ones I see." Clark said and Lois rubbed his arm. "Let me ask you something Arthur. Why exactly would you name a warship after your wife?" He asked.
"It is simple, really. This warship is a lot like my wife: beautiful, smooth, quiet before a battle, and then loud and hostile with a very good chance of winning." Arthur replied and Clark chuckled. "Unfortunately, Mera was not laughing." Clark patted Arthur's shoulder.
"I am not surprised since you compared her to a warship." Lois said and the two men chuckled. The Queen Mera was soon floating smoothly down the river and soon the army was in sight of the Kryptonians waiting for a send off from their king.
Clark wore his red gambeson and dark gray chest armor with his red knight's cape. The chainmail was too heavy for him now. He was at a good enough distance so his soldiers would recognize him. Kal-El raised his good left hand and the soldiers saluted him as the ship sailed by. General Fine and Princess Kara were leading the march of the army in his place.
Clark remained on the stern of the ship, soaking up the sun's rays. The more time he spent in the sun, the less the poison spread throughout his body. That would buy him some time but not much; maybe an extra day.
That night, the league met on the Queen Mera. They sat around a small round table in the captain's quarters. "If there was a time for an all out assault, that time is now." Carter said as they debated on the plan to attack Metropolis.
"But what will happen to the men we plan to send inside the city. Going in would then be suicide for them. Bruce will be in there! Are you willing to sacrifice him?" Oliver said.
Lois watched Clark. He was right arm was limp and his was holding a cane in his left hand. Earlier the poison had spread to his right foot and it was uncomfortable to walk on it now. Clark sighed and lowered his head. Bruce noticed this as well so he took charge. "ENOUGH!" Bruce slammed his fist down onto the table and the room became silent.
"We are wasting time with all this bickering! And not just our time, but what time Clark has left." Bruce said and everyone lowered their heads. Bruce looked at Clark, who nodded. "Now, one side believes a full on assault will be best and the other a sneak attack." Everyone nodded and Bruce then began stroking his chin. Then he grinned. "I have an idea."
General Lane and Tess Mercer marched to the city gates of Metropolis with the Genesis troops. "Open the gates! It is General Lane and Baroness Mercer!" A sentry on the wall yelled down below. The gates opened slowly but the troops soon entered the city.
General Slade Wilson was waiting for them. "General Lane." Slade nodded his head to him.
"General Wilson." Lane nodded in return. It was no secret that neither man liked each other nor approved of the other's battle tactics. "I need to speak to His Majesty." Lane said and Slade nodded. As the troops reported to their posts, Slade mounted his horse. Lane and Tess followed him back to the Metropolitan Palace.
The three entered the throne room and bowed before Alexander. "Rise." He ordered and they did. "I assume that Baroness Mercer has informed you of the incoming invasion, General Lane."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I heard rumors throughout Central City that the leader of the Resistance was preparing a massive attack. Before I could find out more, Baroness Mercer came for me. I brought back what troops I could muster." Lane explained.
"Good. General Wilson has made all the necessary preparations for a siege but I am confident that Metropolis will not fall. It has never been conquered and I will see to it that it is not." Lex said.
"My men will fight to the last man, Your Majesty." Lane replied.
"As will mine." Wilson said.
"We still have plenty of time to prepare. The army was last seen at Grand City and with their size; they will be here in perhaps two or three weeks, if they plunder Hub City and Central City. We will send scouts to track their movements. You may go." Lex said. They bowed and left the throne room.
"I have been studying this General Wilson's tactics since I departed from Gotham City. All his victories tell me one thing that we can use to our advantage. He cannot resist a close confrontation. He will not wait behind the city walls when he can slaughter dozens with his sword." Bruce explained and turned to look at Carter and Shiera.
"I understand." Carter said and stepped forward. "The battle will be a diversion to draw out a majority of Luthor's army."
"Exactly. With the soldiers guarding the wall, the city will be lightly guarded. My men and I will enter the tunnel into the Metropolitan Palace, where we will capture Luthor and force him to order his troops to stand down." Bruce explained.
"Do we actually expect Luthor to just order his men to stand down? He could turn it around and order them to slaughter us." Diana said.
"I know Lex. He may appear strong and defiant but underneath it all, he is coward. He will give the order but Wilson may fight to the last man." Clark said.
"And that is why I sent General Lane back into the city. He is our reinforcements in case everything does not go to plan." Bruce said.
"How do we know that Luthor has not unlocked the powers of the stones?" Kara asked.
"We do not know. We have to hope he has not." Clark answered.
"Now all that is left is the navy. Arthur that is your task." Bruce pointed to him.
"No instructions necessary, Bruce. We Atlanteans know what to do when it comes to a battle on the water." Arthur said.
"Then we attack at dawn." Bruce said. He licked two fingers and extinguished the candle filling the room with darkness.
Lex watched Helen feed baby Alexander. She hummed to him a melody that he recognized for his mother used to sing the same lullaby to him as a child. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. Helen stopped humming when she saw him out of the corner of her eye. "Good morning, husband." She said with a small grin.
Lex nodded to Helen, who returned to feeding their son. Lex had been distant since his father died and Helen could not figure out why. He had not touched her since Alexander's conception. She assumed it was stress of becoming king so she did not pressure him.
Helen finished feeding Alexander and rocked him back to sleep. She rubbed his head gently and smiled at the softness of his dark hair. Soon the baby was snoring softly so Helen lay him down gently in his cradle. Lex and Helen left the nursery and closed the door quietly.
"I still do not understand why you will not send us to Thanagar. It would be safer there than here with an invasion coming." Helen said as they walked through the hallways.
Lex sighed. "I have told you before, Helen. It is a perilous journey to Thanagar. I will not risk you and our son. At least here I know where you both are at all times." Lex said.
"Yes but we are still vulnerable here! Think of Alexander! You sent all the people away. You should have sent us with them." Helen exclaimed.
They stopped walking. "Do not question my decision, Helen! You are my wife here and that is all! You are queen in name only and only for as long as I see fit!" Lex snapped. Helen was taken aback by his harsh comment but he ignored her hurt feelings and stormed off.
Her eyes filled with tears and she leaned back against the wall breathing heavily. Helen then heard footsteps so she composed herself and decided to go back to her chambers since Alexander was sleeping.
Lex stared at his father's portrait on the wall in the throne room. "Let me guess, you would have never allowed this invasion to happen, would you?" Lex said scornfully to the portrait and took a sip of wine. He rubbed his eyes and turned away from the portrait. Then he threw the wine goblet at the portrait and yelled out of frustration.
Two knights rushed into the throne room with their swords drawn. When they saw the king was unharmed, they put their swords away and stood erect. Lex took a deep breath and composed himself. He was wearing black pants, a white shirt, and boots. He motioned for them to leave. They bowed and left the throne room.
Lex walked to his throne. He stumbled a bit but he made it to his throne. He sat down and covered his eyes with his left hand. He heard the doors open and the sounds of footsteps. "I thought I might find you here." Tess said.
Lex lowered his hand and Tess bowed. "Leave us." He ordered the guards. They bowed and left leaving only the two of them in the room. Lex stood but too fast so he fell back down onto the throne.
"Have you been drinking?" Tess asked. "Now is not the time to let the drink console you, Lex. There is an invasion coming and we are not nearly prepared." She lectured and Lex began to chuckle. "And what I might I ask is so funny?"
"How you pretend to care for me… when I know that you have been a spy for Krypton for years." Lex said and Tess grew pale.
Tess took a breath. "Have you gone mad? Krypton is responsible for the deaths of our brother and my husband. I would never…"
"STOP LYING TO ME!" He shouted and shot up. Tess flinched. "I know everything, Tess." Lex said and descended the Dias his throne was seated on. "I did not want to believe it at first but I eventually had to open my eyes to your treachery." Tess held her head high but her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Lex, you are not yourself. Stop this madness." Tess said and he smacked her across the face. Her head turned with the force of the slap and she caressed her cheek.
"I said do not lie to me!" Lex said fiercely. "I have had Wilson watching you since you returned to court with a message from Kal-El. I grew suspicious of why Kal-El would ask you for such a task. He even followed to your secret peace summit with Kal-El."
"Lex, I can explain…" Tess said and held out her hand to him.
"SILENCE!" Lex shouted and smacked away her hand. "My fears were then confirmed when you returned from Central City alive."
"What?" Tess asked quietly.
"I ordered Corben to kill you and Lane while you were preparing to ride back to Metropolis but you both returned alive. I take it Sir John is dead then." Lex said and Tess remained silent. Lex then unsheathed the dagger on his sword belt.
"Lex, please… my daughter." Tess pleaded.
"Do not worry, my dear sister…" He said spitefully. "I will take great care of Mia." Lex said and raised the dagger. Tess took a step back. "I gave you everything when our father just discarded you like his other bastard children. Why would you do this to me? WHY?" He held the dagger up. Tess took a step back with every step he took forward.
"What is the point in telling you my reasons? You are going to kill me regardless. My only comfort is knowing that Metropolis will fall and Peter Ross will force you off the throne. He may kill you where you stand or imprison you. I do not care really for your well-being but only that of my daughter and my nephew." Tess said.
Lex lowered the blade. "You are so confident in my downfall that you do not fear death. What have I done for you to hate me thus?" He asked.
"You killed my brother." Tess replied.
"What are you talking about? Julian and Lucas did not die by my hand." Lex said.
"Not them but you, Alexander. You always took care of me, even when we were children and you did not know who I truly was. But then you went away to war and with each year that past, I saw a piece of you die more and more that I soon could no longer recognize you. Then, all you cared for was power and you forgot all about your loved ones. I pity you, Alexander. I pity you more than anything." Tess said.
Alexander took a deep breath and put the dagger back in his waistband. "What is it that you want, Tess?" Lex asked.
"Something I shall never have." Tess answered.
"Clark?" Lex asked.
"Redemption." Tess corrected him.
Lex took a step toward her and began to caress her cheek. For a second, Tess thought she saw the big brother she remembered in his eyes. Lex then embraced her and she slowly returned the embrace. "I love you, my beloved sister." Lex said.
Tess gasped as she felt the blade of his dagger penetrated her lower abdomen. Her blood felt so warm on Lex's hand. She then felt loss of some feeling in her legs and she collapsed into his arms. Lex lowered Tess slowly to the ground.
She stared at him, her eyes filled with surprise and sadness. Lex placed the bloody dagger down onto the stone floor. He wiped her blood off onto his shirt leaving a bloody handprint. He then carefully removed every stray hair off her face.
Lex caressed her pale cheek. "Just know that I am doing this to save you. I cannot let you become me." He said and she chuckled weakly. "What is it?"
Tess placed her hand on his left cheek. "You are too late. Clark already did." She said and then a piercing scream was heard throughout the halls of the palace.
"Helen." Lex whispered and Tess grinned. "What have you done? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Lex shouted.
"I want you to know that I, not Kal-El, have taken everything from you. And not just your kingdom, but I have taken your son from you as well." Tess said and a tear rolled down her cheek. Lex's hands started shaking.
"Alexander... Where have you taken him? WHERE?" Lex demanded.
Tess clenched her jaw shut and whispered, "Mia." Lutessa Mercer took her final breath. Her head fell limp and her eyes wide open.
"No!" Lex exclaimed and began shaking Tess. However, her lifeless eyes continued to stare back at him. He swore, stopped shaking her, and then gently placed her down onto the ground. Her eyes continued to stare at him and he it unnerved him so he closed them with his fingers.
Lex then stood, drew his sword, and ran out of the throne room. Two knights drew their swords and ran after him. Lex ran through the hallways to his son's nursery. Shocked handmaidens were crowded outside of the nursery. "Move!" Lex shouted and they ran off fearing the king's anger. "Where are the guards?"
They found Helen inside the nursery crying and cradling Alexander's blanket. "Alexander is gone! He is gone!" Helen wailed.
"I want this whole castle searched NOW!" Lex shouted and then the knights ran out the nursery. "And you… you lost my son!" He yelled at Helen.
"I was only gone for a few moments because Tess asked me to check on Mia for her." Helen said between tears. "How could this have happened?"
"Tess betrayed me to the Kryptonians." Lex said and then forced Helen to stand. "Go to your chambers and prepare for a long journey. We are to sail for Thanagar immediately." Lex said.
"And what of Alexander?" Helen asked as he pulled her out of the nursery.
"If he is not found, then you just have to bare me another son after I amass more troops to reclaim this realm and to avenge his murder." Lex said.
"What? He is our son, Lex! We cannot just leave him to the mercy of the Kryptonians." Helen protested.
"Silence! You will do as I command!" Lex ordered and applied pressure to her wrist. Helen gasped at the pain. Then the sounds of the large bell in the bell tower on top of the palace echoed throughout the early morning sky. "What now?" Lex exclaimed. "Go to your chambers and wait for me there." He ordered to Helen and ran off toward the nearest tower.
Lex ran up the spiral staircase and reached the top a few minutes later. He opened the door and stepped out onto the tower. "There, Your Majesty!" A knight said handing a telescope to Lex and pointed to the hills. Lex looked through the telescope and double-checked to make sure he was not seeing things.
A massive army marched from the hills into the grasslands. His heart raced as he recognized the flags of Krypton, Gotham, Star City, and Thanagar being carried by ensigns. He handed the telescope back to the knight roughly and stormed back inside the castle.
"My armor and prepare my horse!" Lex yelled and servants ran off in different directions. He stormed into his private chambers. He and Helen had not shared a bed in months. A servant had already brought his armor and began to help him put it on.
Alexander soon exited the castle in full silver colored armor and with black tabard bearing a red dragon. He made sure his sword belt was fastened tight and he kept his right hand on the hilt of his sword as he walked. For some reason his war crown felt heavy on his head today. He mounted his black war stallion and rode off with ten knights to the wall.
Throughout the city, soldiers were preparing for battle but they still bowed as King Alexander rode past them. The wall was in sight. "The King!" Someone yelled and the soldiers bowed. Alexander dismounted his horse and ran up the stairs of the wall to the guard tower.
Alexander burst into the guard tower, where Lane and Slade were debating battle tactics. They stopped bickering and bowed to Lex. "An army that is supposed to be days away is suddenly at our door and you two are BICKERING LIKE CHILDREN!" He yelled. The generals held their ground while the knights flinched.
"Forgive us, Your Majesty. General Lane and I just cannot agree upon what shall be done." Slade said.
"How many troops do we have?" Alexander asked.
"A total of 8,538 men, Sire." Slade answered.
Lex sighed. "What do each of you propose?" Alexander asked and removed his war crown. He rubbed his temple.
"I propose that with this army's size, it would be best to barricade ourselves in and prepare the city for a siege. We have enough supplies to help us last for more than a month." Lane said with his hands behind his back.
"Which I believe is peer cowardice, my lord." Slade said with his arms crossed and Lane rolled his eyes. "With the artillery they have brought, the city walls will not last for a month. It would be better to attack them head on to give Their Majesties time to escape to Thanagar, where their walls are better equipped to withstand any type of siege." He said.
"You are prepared to go against the armies of Krypton, Gotham, Star City, and Thanagar with only eight thousand men. You will be crushed." Lane said.
"If it means that the King escapes to safety, I will gladly sacrifice myself and so will my men." Slade said. The two generals glared at each other.
"Do you both believe that Metropolis will fall regardless of what is done? And be truthful." Alexander said. Slade nodded and then Lane followed suit reluctantly. Alexander stroked his chin and paced back and forth through the guard tower. "Then, I agree with General Wilson." He said and Lane sighed. "Is there a problem with my decision, General Lane?"
"No, my lord, for I am Your Majesty's humble servant." Lane replied.
"Good. Your men will remain to defend the wall. Man the catapults and cannons. And have all the knights and archers report to the wall." Lex ordered and the generals bowed their heads. "How soon until my ship is ready to sail?"
"At least one hour, perhaps two, my lord, and we still have been unable to find the prince. They are loading and searching as fast as they can." A knight answered.
"The prince? What has happened to the prince?" Slade asked.
"Prince Alexander, my son and your future king, has been taken by the Kryptonians." No one spoke. "Baroness Mercer has betrayed us. She was a spy for the Kryptonians." Alexander said and everyone had surprised looks on their faces. "The Baroness has already reaped the rewards of her own misdeeds." Although Lane kept a straight face, his hands went numb behind him.
"I can dispatch more soldiers to aid the knights in the search, Sire." Lane said.
"Only what you can spare. The wall must be defended at all cost. Once the queen and I are safely away, set fire to the city to mask our escape and all soldiers report to the ships. We will all regroup in Thanagar, where two infantries await us." Lex said.
"If I may, Your Majesty…" Lane said and Alexander nodded. "If the prince is not found, what then?" Lane asked.
"Then I will to face the possibly that he is dead and I will hold the Kryptonians responsible." Lex answered. "Lane, Wilson, you both will ride out with me to meet the kings in order to give us more time to prepare for our escape." The generals nodded.
"Raise the flag of truce!" Wilson yelled out a window and some men scrambled about outside. "Today is a good day to have a glorious death.
My co-writer and I are trying to get back on a regular update schedule, especially since our story is coming to an end soon. However, we would also like to publish a Author's (or Director's) Cut, basically War of Dissension with new and extended scenes. Anyone interested in reading it?"