Chapter 32
Slade made it back to his troops and collapsed into the arms of a soldier. He pushed the soldier away and stood back up. Captain Morgan Edge rode up to the wounded general with a horse. "General!" He called out. Slade removed the dagger from his hand and threw it down onto the ground with a frustrated yell.
"Are the ships ready to sail?" Slade demanded.
"Most of them, yes, but a good deal of the fleet is still at the port in Keystone City." Edge replied.
"Once the king is safely away, we will make way to Keystone to meet those ships." Slade said and mounted the horse. Many of the soldiers gave him horrified expressions because of the mutilation done to his face.
Slade tore off a long piece of cloth from his knight's cape and wrapped it around his head so it covered his mutilated right eye. He tore off another piece to wrap up his hand and then he discarded his torn cape. A soldier handed him another sword. "The Draconians need us! We must defend the city! FORWARD!" Slade ordered. The army then began to march.
Carter and Clark reappeared a few feet from the fighting. A Draconian tried to spear Kal-El but Carter grabbed the spear by the shaft and broke it with the talons of his gauntlet. Carter then flipped the spear head and stabbed the cavalrymen.
Clark looked like he might be sick and dropped down to one knee feeling the poison spread. He groaned as he stood. "You have to get away from here." Carter said. He grabbed the reins of a horse without a rider and handed him the reins. "You will only get yourself killed out here. Now go." Carter said. "GO!" Carter ordered and used the shield he still carried to deflect a spear.
Carter threw away the damaged shield. He pulled the cavalrymen off his horse and bashed in his skull with one strike of his spiked mace. Carter spotted Shiera in the fray fending off two Draconians. He made his way to her striking down every enemy soldier in his way.
A soldier rushed Kal-El. He quickly drew his sword and dodged the thrust of his spear. He let go of the reins and the horse ran off. He blocked his thrusts with his sword. The soldier grew frustrated with the spear and tossed it. He drew his sword and rushed Kal-El. Kal-El parried the soldier's blows but he was not at his best so he was slower and weaker.
"Kara, protect the king!" Milton shouted. Kara quickly dismounted her horse and super sped to the battle. The soldier kicked Kal-El's right knee making him fall. Kal-El removed his boot dagger and stabbed the soldier in the leg. The soldier fell down to one knee and he stabbed him in the neck with the dagger.
Kal-El sighed not noticing the soldier behind him. Kara suddenly appeared and pushed the soldier into three others. She put Kal-El's arm around her neck and they disappeared in a blur. They quickly reappeared below the hill. "Are you mad? You could have been killed!" Lois exclaimed.
Kal-El was breathing heavily and tried to stand but Kara pushed him back down. "Your recklessness has helped the poison spread. You need to rest." Kara lectured him. Kal-El sighed and sheathed his sword.
"When this war is over or when I am dead." Kal-El said and Lois helped him up. He shook off his dizziness. "Archers stay with the army!" Kal-El shouted and an ensign waved a green flag and pointed at the marching army. "Kara, you know what to do."
"Are you sure about this? You may not be strong enough." Kara said.
"I am strong enough for this." Kal-El said and took a deep breath. Kara and he then took running postures. Milton watched the army through his telescope. Once they were in range, he nodded to them. Kara and Kal-El disappeared in a blur.
The Genesis Army was in perfect formation when a great fire erupted splitting them down the middle. The whole left side was then trapped in a large circle of fire. The right side of the army halted and moved away from the fire.
"Take your aim!" Oliver ordered and over a thousand bows were raised. Oliver raised his bow and aimed. "Release!" He ordered. The sky was filled with arrows and all the smoke from the ring of fire blocked the trapped soldiers' view.
The arrows hit their targets. The trapped soldiers screamed as the arrows penetrated their armor. "Release!" Oliver ordered again and a thousand more arrows filled the sky aimed for the trapped soldiers. Soldiers tried to run through the ring of fire only to be burned alive. Other soldiers were trampled by the panicked soldiers and panicked horses of their officers.
There were still over 4,000 troops marching onto the Thanagarian cavalry. Kal-El and Kara reappeared before the league of armies, who cheered for them. Kal-El leaned against Kara feeling the poison spread up his left leg. He looked up at the sun and breathed heavily.
Two Red Shard knights approached them with their horses. They mounted them and went back to the Kryptonian troops. The kings at the front unsheathed their swords. Bruce nodded at each of them. "Cavalry!" They each shouted raising their swords.
The cavalries raised their spears, halberds, or lances in the air. The kings then lowered their swords pointing them at the advancing army. The cavalries made up of almost five hundred men charged.
Inside Metropolis
Lex made it back to the Metropolitan Palace, where two knights helped him off his horse. Curtis Knox was waiting for him. He followed Lex into the palace.
Lex banged opened the door to his private chambers and stumbled down into a chair. He clumsily poured wine into a goblet. He downed the contents of the goblet and then nodded to Knox. Knox securely put his hand on the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out making Lex scream.
"We must get you out of this armor, Sire." Knox said and Lex nodded. His manservant and Knox began to remove his upper body armor. They first removed his gauntlets, then pauldrons, and then the chest armor. They removed his chain mail and then his gambeson.
Knox went to work to stop the bleeding. He placed a piece of cloth over the wound and then wrapped a bandage around his chest to hold the cloth in place. "Where is the queen?" Lex asked.
"I do not know, Sire. She went to the tower to watch you fight and we have not seen her since." A servant replied.
"What?" Lex exclaimed. He grunted when Knox tied a tight knot on the bandage. "Help me put back on my armor." He ordered the servant.
"Your Majesty needs rests. I do not suggest…" Knox said.
"I do not need your suggestions! But I suggest that you and your wife get to my ship before we set sail without you. Good day physician." Lex said. Knox bowed and then left the room to collect his wife. Lex put back on his armor. "What of the treasury?" Lex asked.
"We still have yet to empty half of the treasury, Sire." A knight said.
"By Draco's hide!" Lex swore. He rubbed his hand over his bald head and stood. "Tell the men to abandon the treasury and prepare to burn the city. We still have a great deal of wealth in Thanagar." He ordered and the knight nodded. "What of my son?"
"We have yet to find him. I fear he may be lost, Sire." The knight said. Lex placed his hands on the top of his head and took deep breaths. Then he lost his temper and kicked over a table, which made him groan in pain. He was breathing heavily but then he composed himself. Lex grabbed his war crown and left his chambers.
Lex and two knights made their way to the south tower of the palace. It had the best view of the field. He told the knights to wait for him at the bottom of the stairs and he ascended the stairs to the tower.
Helen watched the battle. First, the charge of the Draconians and the Thanagarians, and now a fire split the army in half while arrows filled the sky. "Draco, be merciful." Helen said. The door then banged opened and she did not even have to see who it was for she knew who it was.
"You are wasting your time up here, my love. We must flee the city now. Come." Lex said and held out his hand to her but she did not respond or move. "Helen... Helen!" She turned her head to him. "Come."
"Why? What is the point in fleeing? Peter Ross will follow us to the ends of the world. He will not stop until your head is on a pike… And now we have lost our son. We have lost Alexander." Helen said.
Lex grabbed her by the shoulders. "Stop this. Thanagar's impenetrable walls will protect us. Consider this as a second chance. We can build a whole new life, a whole new kingdom in Thanagar. So please free yourself of this madness and come with me." Lex said and then caressed her cheek. The first time he had shown affection to her in months.
Helen placed her hand over Lex's and closed her eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she kissed his knuckles. "I love you, Lex, but I cannot go with you. I cannot follow you down this path you are taking." She said.
He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Enough of this… Come with me. We will have other children. We can be happy again." Lex said.
Helen caressed his face and then kissed his lips. Lex returned her tender kiss. "No…we will not." She said and then backed away from him.
"Helen?" Lex said and she backed to the opposite side of the tower facing the sea. "Helen." He said again. She shed a fear more tears and then she backed off the tower. "HELEN, NO!" Lex exclaimed. He tried to grabbed for her and but only caught air.
Lex dropped down to his knees with a somber look on his face. The crashing of the waves masked the sounds of her crashing into the sea. He stood to only see the waves crashing on the rocks and no Helen. But there on the ledge of the tower, was her wedding ring. It was gold with a large pearl in the center.
Lex picked up the ring and held it in his hand. "Helen." He whispered and clutched the ring closing his eyes. Then he opened his eyes, which were now filled with rage. "Kal-El." He said forcefully.
Lex then removed the two stones from a pouch concealed on his person. Two stones would just have to do. He held the stones up to the sun and squeezed them. He gasped as he was consumed in a bright light.
Their combined cavalries rode around Slade's troops trapping them in a circle. They speared every soldier that came close to them. A group of cavalrymen were armed with bows and arrows and were shooting enemy troops.
Then Kal-El saw the bright light from the south tower of the Metropolitan Palace. He looked at Kara and then Bruce. Something was not right. Oliver quickly rejoined them at the front. Kal-El raised his sword. "Soldiers of Krytpon!"
Bruce raised his falchion. "Soldiers of Gotham!"
General Ch'al Andar of Thanagar raised his sword. "Soldiers of Thanagar!"
Oliver raised his bow in the air. "Soldiers of Star City!"
"FORWARD!" The kings and generals pointed their swords to the battlefield and the league of armies began its march. All marched except Bruce with a small group of Gotham knights and Kal-El with Lois, Kara, and knights of the Red Shard. The smoke from the fire masked their departure from the battlefield. They were riding with all haste to the secret tunnel in Metropolis to end this war.
Lex cracked his neck and his knuckles. All of his wounds were healed. He could feel the power inside of him and it was a pleasurable feeling he had never felt before. He smiled evilly and descended the stairs. The knights were still their waiting for them. "Where is the queen, Sire?"
"Queen Helen is not coming and there is one man I need to kill before we depart. And if I know this man, and I do…he will come to me." Lex said.
General Wilson and his troops were fighting off the cavalries when the bell started ringing from the city. Slade was in the middle of another duel with King Carter when he heard it. It distracted him long enough for Carter to strike him with his spiked mace in the left shoulder.
Slade feel down to one knee and slashed at Carter's legs. Carter jumped back to avoid it and ended up bumping into an enemy soldier. Carter quickly striked him down but he could see Slade mounted a horse. "The city is breached! Back to the city! BACK TO THE CITY!" He shouted orders and took off to the city.
The league was forming a circular perimeter around the enemy troops. Oliver and the archers shot any enemy soldier in their sights as the enemy retreated.
Half an Hour Earlier
Bruce, Dinah, Lois, Kara, Kal-El, and the Red Shard and Gotham knights walked with torches through the old escape tunnel. Soon, they could see light at the end so they moved up their pace to a light jog. "Diana!" Kal-El called softly.
Diana stepped forward. "We are waiting for Sir Jason to signal us. We have heard movement above us but it has been getting quiet. We believe that they have abandoned trying to empty the treasury." She said quietly.
Then at the moment, there was four knocks on the trapdoor. They threw down their torches and the trapdoor opened. The Amazons climbed the small ladder up into the palace. Sir Jason Blood kept lookout but it was all quiet in this corridor. One by one they ascended from the tunnel and crouched alongside the opposite wall to stay out of sight.
Kal-El was the last to ascend and Bruce and Kara had to help him up. He was breathing heavily. The poison had spread even more when he and Kara used their super speed and heat vision. His legs felt heavy and his heart was pounding in his ears. Lois put his left arm around her neck and he leaned on her for support.
"We need to get the stones now." The Amazons readied their spears and shields, and everyone else readied their swords and shields except Kal-El. "Where is Luthor?" Bruce asked Sir Jason.
"I saw him enter the throne room not long ago, Sire. He has not left and ships are preparing to set sail for Thanagar." Sir Jason replied and Bruce nodded. Kara and Diana ordered everyone to quietly move forward.
"Where is General Lane?" Kal-El asked softly.
"He is surrounding the palace with his troops but he says they cannot get to the harbor without being seen." Sir Jason answered.
"Cam-Zel, make ready to go with Sir Jason. Make your way up to and secure the towers. When you have done so, signal King Orin and his fleet to begin their attack." Kal-El ordered and Cam-Zel nodded.
"All the guards and knights are on the other side of the palace carrying treasures to the ships. We should come across no resistance." Sir Jason said. They followed him as quietly as possible until soon the great doors of the throne room were in sight.
Two knights guarded the throne room doors with spears. Kal-El nodded to Kara. She disappeared in a blur, along with the knights guarding the doors. She reappeared seconds later and nodded to Kal-El. He nodded to Cam-Zel and Bruce nodded to Sir Jason.
Sir Jason and the Red Shard knights split up into groups and went down different hallways to different towers of the palace. Outside, they could see General Lane forming a perimeter discreetly around the palace.
The Amazons went around the corner to the second entrance of the throne room. Then Chloe appeared. "You did not have to take care of those knights. They are with us." She said. She was in silver Genesis chest armor over her black gambeson. The rest of her men wore silver chest armor over their gambesons as well.
"Where did you get the armor?" Lois asked.
"From the general. He rounded up of his loyal men and detained all those who refused to join us. He took their armor and gave it us to get inside the palace." Chloe said. "Luthor is still in the throne room. I have a bad feeling about this."
"So do I but let us see what happens." Kal-El said.
Chloe nodded to her men and they crept up to the doors. She nodded to Victor, who proceeded to kick the first door open. The resistance fighters rushed into the throne room with their weapons drawn.
Lex sat on his throne drinking a goblet of wine with his sword in his hand. He glanced up at them, smirked, and then took another sip of sweet wine. "It took you all long enough." Lex said and finished downing the contents of his goblet. He threw the goblet aside. He stood and sheathed his sword.
"Surrender Luthor and we may just let you live." Chloe said.
Lex descended the Dias and put his hands behind his back. "I was so disappointed to find out you were still alive, Chloe Sullivan, daughter of Count Gabriel Sullivan and Countess Moira Sullivan. After all, I told Wilson to kill you and your parents for your uncle's army but you no doubt already know this."
Chloe's grip around her sword tightened. "And then there is your cousin, Lois Lane. Who knew that you both would go on to become traitors of the empire I am trying to build." Lex said.
"I guess there is no more need for pretenses then." Lois said stepping forward. She removed her helm and tossed it aside. "I should kill you where you stand, usurper." Lex chuckled.
"What have you done?" Kal-El said in the background. Lois and Chloe turned around to see Kal-El kneeling over the body of Tess Mercer. He looked horrified. "What have you done, Lex? Your own sister." Everyone turned to look back Lex.
"You brought this upon her. You did this to her! You killed her the moment you made her betray me, her own blood… To think I once loved you like a brother." Lex said spiteful. Kal-El stood and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Are you going to kill me, old friend? Are you capable of killing a man…an old friend in cold blood, Clark?"
"You cannot blame me for this, Lex. You brought this upon yourself." Clark said slowly walking up to Lex.
Lex scoffed. "Ever since that day I was thrown from that bridge, you have seen yourself as my savior. The one person who could pull me off the dark path I began. For years, you hoped that there was some good left in me. You never wanted to believe that you may have failed."
"Perhaps I could never believe that a man could lack so little willpower." Clark said and took another step forward.
"Now that is hard to compete with the iron willpower to kill a friend." Lex said and took a step forward.
"You do not realize who much danger you are in." Clark said and Lex nodded nonchalantly.
"I used to believe that you had this strong inner core. You were so virtuous and yet you always lied about who you were truly were, Clark Kent. To me, to Alicia, to all the people who cared for you. I had to find out who you were when you killed my brother… What kind of a sick man are you?" Lex said.
The fighters, except for Lois, slowly stepped off to the side to allow the two men to approach each other. "I did not kill Lucas and I did not know it was him until I saw him fall. You cannot blame me for everything that has come to pass, Lex."
"I can when it is all your doing. You have taken from me everything I have ever loved. My sister, my son…my wife." Lex said.
"Helen? What have you done?" Clark asked.
"I did nothing to her. She jumped from the tower above us and it is all your doing." Lex said pointing a finger at Clark. "The only pleasure I can take from this moment is knowing that I am already responsible for the death of the woman you loved."
Clark cut his eyes to Lois and then back to Lex. "It does not have to come to this. Just lay down your sword." Lex removed his war crown and held it up to Clark.
"This crown is my birthright. I thought I deserved it for all my sacrifices and all the pain. Now I know I was being prepared for a much greater destiny." Lex then grabbed Clark's by the shoulders and threw him across the room. He crashed through the stone wall and landed out in the hallway. Clark's breathing was labored and he started to push some rubble off him. "Surprise." Lex said.
"Clark!" Lois exclaimed. Lex smiled and then Lois lunged at him. His vambraces deflected her sword and he dodged her thrusts. Lex then took a deep breath and blew Lois back in the fighters, who all fell back and collided with the wall. Lex then super sped to Lois and grabbed her by the throat. He lifted her in the air as she struggled to breathe.
"Well, you do get around, Lois. Corben told me all about your love affair with Kal-El before he died." Lex said and squeezed tighter. "I am going to enjoy this."
"NO!" Clark exclaimed and super sped back into the throne room. He rammed Lex making him dropped Lois. Clark wrapped his arms around him and they went out of a window. There was a rush of air as they free fell. Then they were flying through the air with a tight grip on the other.
Lois grabbed her throat and coughed horribly. "Lois!" Chloe exclaimed and rushed to her side. Lois nodded that she was fine.
On the north tower, a sentry saw Clark and Lex crash out of the window and fly off. He then began to ring his bell. "INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS! THE PALACE IS BREACHED!" He shouted. Cam-Zel stabbed this sentry in the back but it was too late.
"GENERAL LANE, BACK TO THE WALL! BACK TO THE WALL!" Cam-Zel shouted. Below, General Lane turned around and rushed back to the wall with his men following.
Cam-Zel then removed a horn hanging from his hip and began to blow. The knights at the other three towers began blowing their horns as well. Its low bellows echoed throughout the sky signaling the Atlantean fleet.
The Genesis captains on the ships raised their anchors and lowered their sails making way to the Argean Sea. Slaves took the oars and began rowing as fast as they could so they could escape before enemy soldiers reached the harbor.
Oliver was out of arrows so drew one of his swords. The league used their shields to deflect the enemy's weapons and to stab them with their spears and halberds.
"The city is breached! Back to the city! BACK TO THE CITY!"
The league was forming a circular perimeter around the enemy troops. The archers shot any enemy soldier in their sights as the enemy retreated. An archer handed Oliver some arrows and Oliver began firing upon the retreating army. "FORWARD!" The generals ordered.
General Lane quickly dismounted his horse and ran up the stairs to the wall. Wilson and his troops were racing back to the city. "Archers!" Lane shouted. The archers put bows on their quivers and took their aim. Lane motioned for them to fire and they released their arrows. Soldiers in the front fell dead or wounded but the army was still coming. "Cannons!"
The soldiers operating the cannons took their aim and fired. Multiple explosions sent Wilson's soldiers flying through the air. Many more soldiers tripped and fell into the small craters the cannonballs left.
Then more cannon fire came from the side. Slade turned to his left and the saw the Atlantean fleet firing upon him and his men from the Metropolitan River. He stopped his horse. "FALL BACK TO KEYSTONE! TO KEYSTONE" Slade raised his sword in the air and rode off to the west. The soldiers followed their general knowing full well that Metropolis was lost.
Lane's men cheered on the wall raising their fists, swords, or bows in the air.
Cam-Zel rushed into the throne room. "Wilson's army is in full retreat." He looked around the throne room. "Where is the king?" He asked. Lois looked out of the broken window.
Lex and Clark still held a firm grip on each other. They spun wildly and they finally crashed into some trees. There were thunderous sounds as they fell. Clark was lying on the ground with Lex nowhere in sight. There was a path of damaged trees so he must have crashed as well.
Clark began limping in the direction he believed was the way out. He was relieved to still have his sword on him. His armor was badly damaged from the crash so he took it off. He removed his chainmail but kept on his gambeson. He removed his greaves and sabatons, and started walking again. The trees blocked the sun and he needed the sun.
Then Clark felt a swift breeze on the back of his neck. He turned around too late. Lex punched him in the chest sending flying through the trees. Soon he was out of the forest and landed in a field gasping for breath but he was out in the sun.
Lex appeared in front of him and started discarding his battered armor as well. Clark's gloves had fallen off so Lex saw the green veins on right hand. "Good to know Corben accomplished something before his death. I am disappointed you are not at your full strength to fight me but I hate to pass up an opportunity such as this… But you should be dead. How are you still alive?"
"The answer is simple, really." Clark then held up the Stones of Air and Water on a chain. Lex quickly grabbed his neck and felt no chain. The Stone of Fire sensed the other crystals and levitated off Clark's neck. The stones then glowed and a clear blue crystal appeared before them. Clark and Lex grabbed it at the same time and a bright light consumed them.
In Metropolis
"Where could they have gone?" Kara asked. Lois continued to look out the broken window.
"Should we gather up a searching party, Your Highness?" Cam-Zel asked.
"Not yet. Alexander can fly. They could be anywhere. We cannot just look blindly for them. That will take far too long." Kara said.
"There!" Lois exclaimed. Kara rushed to the window to see a bright light. "The Forest of Leon but that is over an hour's ride from here."
Kara grabbed hold of Lois. "Hang on to me." She said and they both disappeared in a blur.
"Find Captain Ak-Var and assemble the Red Shard! We must get to the king!" Cam-Zel yelled.
Kal-El gasped and was breathing heavily. He was lying on his back looking up at the sun. He raised his right hand and saw that the green veins were gone. Before he could even crack a smile, a hand grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet.
Kal-El then punched Lex in the throat. Lex took a few steps back gasping for breath but then shook it off. "This ends today." Kal-El said. He rolled his shoulders and took a battle stance ready to right hand to hand. Lex massaged his throat.
"We are part of the same great game, Kal. But we do not need to be on opposite sides of the board. Join me. Together we can rule this world together as brothers-in-arms. We shall walk as gods among men and together we shall be invincible. Join me." Lex said.
Kal-El looked down at his wedding ring and then cut his eyes back to Lex. Then he charged him using his super speed. Lex charged him as well. The two rammed into each other sending the other flying in opposite direction and shaking the surrounded earth.
Kal-El flipped in mid-air and found himself floating over the clearing. He put his arms in front of him and flew back down looking for Lex. Lex attacked him from behind hitting him with a large oak tree. Kal-El crashed back into the woods and Lex threw the tree aside.
Kal-El stood up and super sped back to the clearing. Lex then drew his sword. "I know for a fact that Kryptium and each other are the only things in the world that can harm us now that we have been blessed by the crystal."
Kal-El drew his sword and twirled it in his hand. "I am a guardian of the stones. I have been training for a day like this my whole life, Lex. You cannot win. Lay down your sword." He said.
"I have always been fascinated with Kryptonian history. I even took the liberty of fashioning my own sword after that of the sword of King Zod VII; of course I made a few changes while forging it. The best sword I have ever forged." Lex said twirling the sword. "This is your last chance to join me, Clark."
Kal-El raised his sword at him. "Never."
"Then I am sorry, old friend." Lex said and lunged at him in super speed. Kal-El deflected the blow. Lex sending multiple blows back in seconds but Kal-El had lightning like reflexes dodging or deflecting each blow.
Lex's eyes then turned red and Kal-El quickly dodged his heat vision. Kal-El retaliated by sending a strong wind of arctic breath. Lex's whole body froze in seconds. Kal-El stopped blowing and took a step forward holding his sword up.
Cracks appeared all over the case of ice and Lex broke free screaming. Kal-El covered his face to shield himself from the flying ice. When he put his hands down, Lex was charging him. Kal-El barely had time to dodge. Lex's back was unprotected and Kal-El slashed his back.
Lex screamed and reached over his right shoulder. He put his hand in front of his face and saw blood. "Kryptium, Lex. It will be hours before it heals." Kal-El said. Lex groaned as he tried to stand up straight. "You know I will defeat you. Lay down your sword." Lex removed a dagger concealed at his waist and threw it Kal-El.
Kal-El deflected it with his sword and the Lex appeared in front of him. Kal-El felt the blade of his sword enter his right side and the slide out of his body. Lex then slowly lowered him to the ground. "Overconfidence will be your downfall. My father taught me that."
Kara and Lois then appeared. "NO!" Lois screamed and drew her sword. She lunged at Lex and he put up his left arm to blow her blow. Her blade shattered on his arm and he pushed Lois back. She went flying and landed on her back hard. Kara quickly drew her sword. Lex cracked his neck and twirled his sword.
Lois was unconscious. Kal-El then saw the blue crystal levitating only a few feet away. He then started crawling to it with his left arm and using his legs to push himself. Kara and Lex were locked in a close duel. Lex was stronger and faster than her now and she was having difficulty dodging his blows.
Kal-El was almost to the crystal and he reached out to it. The crystal suddenly floated to him and he grabbed it. He was strong enough to stand so he did but not without stumbling at first. He then super sped behind Lex. Kara took a few steps back. Kal-El pushed the crystal down onto Lex's back. It glowed and Lex screamed. It was over in a flash.
Lex fell to the ground on all fours. Kal-El walked back to his sword and picked it up. He walked back to Lex. "As I told you before, you brought this upon yourself." Kal-El said and raised the blade. His blade hovered over Lex, who was lying on the ground, making Kal-El hesitate.
Then he heard a whistling sound. Kal-El turned to see a cannonball coming toward him. He super sped out of its path and it hit the trees. Lex grabbed his sword and ran to the open water, where a Genesis warship was sailing past. Sailors jumped into the water to collect their king. More cannonballs were coming towards them. Kal-El quickly sheathed his sword, grabbed Kara and Lois, and flew off quickly out of their range while still clutching the blue crystal.
Lex swam to the warship with all the strength he had. He had tried to fly but never left the ground. His powers were gone. Kal-El had taken them. Lex was already contemplating his revenge as he swam away for he would never forget this day.