If you freaked out at the end of the last chapter, then we know we did a good job. You can find pictures of medieval attire and armor in my profile for reference.
Brave New World
The truth hit him like he had been struck with a mace in the chest. "T-Ten y-years…?" He suddenly had to sit down. Kara rushed to his side and helped him down into a chair.
Emil opened the bedchamber door. "We are going to need wine." He looked over his shoulder. "As much as you can carry." He said to the knights and they nodded once.
"Lois… Where is she?" Kal-El asked still in shock.
"She and Sir Christopher are away ambushing some of Zod's forces with Commander Cam-Zel." Kara answered.
"Cam-Zel? Where is Ak-Var?" Kal-El asked.
Kara looked down. "I am sorry but Ak-Var was killed the day Kandor fell." Kara said gently.
Kal-El sighed somberly. "Sir Christopher? My Chris? He is a knight now?" He asked and Kara nodded.
"Connor as well." She said.
"I have missed so much… What has happened? Tell me everything." Kal-El said.
"Kal-El, I do not think that wise." Kara said.
"Tell me!" He snapped and slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair, snapping it off. There was a knock on the door; it was some servants with the wine.
"Perfect. Put it over there." Emil said. They put the wine on the table, quickly glanced at the stranger, and bowed to Kara. She motioned for them to leave and they did. Emil filled the first goblet to the brim of the goblet. Kal-El then took it from him and downed all its contents in a matter of seconds without spilling a single drop.
Emil filled another goblet to the brim and began drinking it. Kara did not pour one for herself. Kal-El watched the way Emil's hand was shaking as he lifted his goblet of wine to his lips. Only drunkards' hands shake like that.
"Tell me all that has happened." Kal-El said calmly while wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his ripped, bloodstained shirt.
"Very well." Kara said and took a seat across from him. "I saw you die. We all saw you die. Zod believed it would break us but it only made us stronger like when the Vrangs and the Daxamites tried to conquer us long ago."
"After your funeral rites, the League gave us all the supplies and arms we needed to defeat Zod. Lois did not want their armies or the Justice League. So many Kryptonians of age joined the Royal Army to avenge you and to defend our kingdom. And with Gotham and the Amazons entering the war we were able push Zod back to Bolenth. The navy, it seemed, would finish him off but reinforcements arrived for Zod."
"Wait. Why would Bruce and Hippolyta send their armies when Lois asked them not to?" Kal-El asked.
"After an attempt on Lois's life, we sent her to Themyscira to…for her own safety. Bar-El died protecting her that day. And we sent the children to Gotham like you wanted. Soon Zod learned where they were and he sent assassins for Lois and for your daughter. Queen Selina and Queen Hippolyta were killed. Diana was crowned queen and the Amazons wanted vengeance; the same with Gotham. We tried but we could not change their minds. They raised their armies and sailed for Krypton." She said.
Kal-El sighed somberly and ran his hand down his face. Oh, Bruce. You told me more than once that Selina was your soul mate as much as Lois is mine. "Who were the reinforcements?" Kal-El asked. "Luthor?"
"Yes and more… Luthor rallied all the enemies of the League. He even convinced the kingdom of Aqua to come and aid Zod." Kara said.
"What? Atlantis and Aqua have been at peace for years. Orin even married the King Leron's eldest daughter." Kal-El said.
"Yes…only to buy time to rebuild his army and his navy it seems. And all those years Luthor was shut up in Thanagar, he was building new and powerful weapons: cannons with three barrels to fire more swiftly; bombardments loaded with war fire; finer weapons and armor for his soldiers, swifter ships; catapults with farther range and stronger wood to withstand attack; armor piercing arrows that could go farther in range, and so much more. And he promised to share all of it with our enemies if they all flocked to one banner." Kara said.
"Why would they all flock to the banner of one man?" Kal-El asked.
"They did not. Luthor created a new banner for them to fight under. They all came together calling themselves the Legion of Doom, the sworn enemy of the League of Nations." Kara rubbed the back of her neck. "Soon we were overwhelmed and the full might of League came to our aid with the Justice League. We won a great victory on the fields of Urrika and pushed them back to Bolenth with great losses on both sides. Victory seemed to be in our grasp…until we were betrayed."
"Betrayed? By whom?" Kal-El asked.
"Non-Van, eldest son of Nox-Van." Kara said.
"What? I know Non-Van. He is a proud Kryptonian knight." Kal-El said.
"You knew Non-Van. He loathed the idea of kneeling to a queen not Kryptonian born. He soon began to believe the House of Zod to be the rightful heirs and we to be the usurpers. He was freely giving information to Zod. And then Zod offered him a seat on his council if he would help him conquer Urrika. And Non-Van gave him all he needed to overrun our forces and drive us back to Erkol." Kara sighed.
"We could not even halt their march through Urrika. We got as many of the people as we could out before we sealed the tunnels through the Jewel Mountains to slow them down. We had blockades around the port cities. We were ready for them but Zod surprised us. He sent all his allies to attack their enemies' kingdoms. The sovereigns had no choice but to recall their armies. We were on our own. Zod bought us some months by seizing all our islands. Thank the gods; the people had already left…"
"Zod then surprised us again. Not only did he send ships but he marched his troops over the Jewel Mountains in winter. It took him weeks and he lost a great deal of men but he had the element of surprise. We were only able to hold them back because his men were not used to fighting in the dead of winter. But when spring came, we were soon overwhelmed." Kara said.
"Milton? Your son?" Kal-El asked. Kara lowered her eyes to the floor and shook her head. "I am sorry… I take it you fell back to the Rozz Fortress." Emil filled up the goblets to the brim once more.
"Yes. We all knew Zod would have to take that fortress if he wished to march onto Kandor." Kara rubbed her temples. "The fortress held for two years but Luthor sent more siege weapons and with our men's supplies exhausted…" She sighed. "Zod marched onto Kandor and Kryptonopolis. King Bruce had figured out Luthor's new cannons and he sent us the plans. With those cannons we held the cities near three years."
"But Zod grew impatient. He and the whore he called his wife burned half the city of Kandor to the ground with powers like those from the crystal. And they executed what troops were left. In Kryptonopolis, we destroyed all the forges and weapons. And we fell back past the woods of Lurvan. We had hoped the woods would slow him down. They did for a time but then he burned down half the forest to get through to Argo."
"Time after time, we ambushed his army and battled in the woods. His numbers dwindled to some mere thousands and we thought victory was in our grasp, especially since all Zod's allies were busy fighting their own enemies. But then Zod sent for his bastard son." Kara said.
"Davis." Kal-El said. Davis had stopped coming to his fights some months ago; no, some years ago. He took another swig of wine.
"Yes. And with Doom and Zod's combined strength, Argo fell in under a year and we fell back to Kansas. And we have been here ever since." Kara said. "It has been months since Zod has tried to march on Kansas."
"This town would have fallen last time if not for the Genesis army." Emil said and poured himself another goblet of wine.
"Yes. They attacked Doom from the rear. First they destroyed his war machines, which killed many but many more perished when the barrels of black powder caught fire. Their charge alone made half of Doom's army lay down their weapons; only to be rode down or cut down. By noon, Doom had no choice but to retreat. He and his vile knights crossed the shallow bed of the Morley River. His army tried to cross the deep and most were drowned from the weight of their arming wear. For now he is shut up in Metropolis and Zod in Kryptonopolis." Kara explained.
"And what of the League?" Kal-El asked. Kara hesitated. "Just tell me, Kara!" She sighed.
"There is not much of a league left. Star City and Genesis have fallen; their sovereigns dead. Queen Shiera is dead and Thanagar now lays siege to Egypt's walls. Queen Mera and Princess Mareena are dead as well; Atlantis lays siege to the island city of Xebel in Aqua. What is left of the Star City army has joined what is left of the Gotham army. And the Resistance rides again in Genesis." Kara said.
"Oliver? Dinah? Peter? Lana? Mera? All gone?" Kara somberly nodded. "Gotham? Bruce…is he?" Kal-El asked.
"No. He was captured on the field of battle last winter. He is now Ra's al Ghul's prisoner. They torture him daily to find out where he hid the Crystal of Knowledge. Ghul has control of the city." Kara said.
"What?" Kal-El asked. "Why does he have the crystal?"
"Lois gave it to him for safe keeping after you…after you left. She did not think it safe at the Fortress or in Krypton. Bruce hid it well and he has Zod's torturers believing it to be hidden in the foundations of his castle." Kara said.
"But it is not, is it?" Kal-El asked.
"No. At least I do not think so. No one but Bruce knows where it is. Not even Lois knows." Kara said and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Come." She said. A knight entered and bowed. "Yes?"
Kal-El leaned back in his chair and downed the last of the contents of his goblet. At that moment he understood why Emil allowed the drink to console him. But without his ring, he would be unable to feel the effects of the wine. Even though it brought him no comfort, he motioned for Emil to pour him another.
"A message from the queen, my lady." Kara motioned for him to come forward. He gave her the letter. Emil handed him his refill and Kal-El downed the contents in moments. The knight watched him carefully. Even drunkards could be dangerous. He had seen it. Kara motioned for him to leave. He bowed, cut his eyes to Kal-El, and then left.
Kara peeled off the seal and unfolded the short letter. "The ambush proved victorious in some part. They have freed Connor and they ride for Smallville at all haste. They have many wounded and are being followed by Luthor's knights." She read and put the letter in a pouch on her belt.
"Connor?" Kal-El asked worried.
"He was captured some months ago." Kal-El immediately stood. "Wait. There will be many questions and confusion if you reveal yourself." Kara said.
"I do not care. I am going for them." Kal-El said. Kara stood.
"The forces in Granville will hold back Luthor and believe when I say that they can defend themselves. They will be fine. She will be fine, Kal-El. We have learned much these past ten years." Kara said. He nodded reluctantly and sat back down. Those two words brought him such heartache: ten years.
"What shall we tell the men about our stranger? The whole battalion is speaking of the stranger who alone killed mounted Zoners of Zod's own personal guard." Emil asked.
"Tell them…" Kara was thinking.
"Tell them I am of the House of Kent. Joseph Kent…there are so many Kents scattered across Kansas, they may believe it." Kal-El said. Kara and Emil nodded.
"Now, I will send a groom to clean you up." Kara said.
"I do not need one." Kal-El said.
"You are filthy and you need to bathe. Let me just…" Kara said.
"I SAID NO!" He yelled and Kara jumped. Two Red Shard knights then burst into the room, swords drawn. He immediately stood and turned his back to the knights. He did not wish for them or anyone to see his scars, especially the one on his upper torso. These knights may be new but that particular scar was known by many.
"Everything is fine. We just had to give some terrible news of his family. That is all. Leave us." Kara said softly to the knights. They put away their swords, bowed, and left. Kal-El watched them leave through the silver looking glass on the wall and he could see the pity in their eyes.
"Forgive me." Kal-El said softly, once the knights were gone. "I can bathe myself. All I need is a barber and clean garments. No groom."
"Very well." Kara said, knowing it most likely had something to do with his scars, the old ones and possibly the new ones. If what Emil spoke of them were true, then she could understand his anger and hesitation.
The barber was perhaps in his 50s judging by his gray hair and there was something familiar about him. He cut Kal-El's curly hair short and shaved off the excess hair of his beard. He kept the full beard to conceal his true identity. He had to admit he did not even recognize himself when he looked at his reflection in the looking glass.
The barber said nothing of his scars but he noticed him glancing at them once. And by the way he glanced at them; the barber was used to seeing such things. "Thank you." Kal-El said and gave the man a gold coin. He held up the coin confused. "For not asking about the scars."
The barber nodded once and pulled down the collar of his shirt to show a long slash extending from his left shoulder to his right hip. "The cost of war." The barber said hoarsely. Kal-El nodded once to him and patted his shoulder. "Ben Hubbard."
Ben. His farm was not far from ours. "Joseph Kent." He and Ben gripped forearms. With his super hearing he could hear the town gates being opened and he used his super vision to see the king's standard enter the city. "Lois." He whispered.
"What was that?" Ben asked as he put away his razor.
"Nothing. I think the queen has returned." Kal-El said.
"She will want to meet you. The whole town is speaking about what you did. They say you will be offered a knighthood." Ben said.
"Really?" He asked and Ben nodded. Ben picked up his kit and left the chamber.
"Make way for her Gracious Majesty! Make way!" The people kneeled or bow as she rode pass them. Their speed hid their exhaustion and wounds. And they were soon in the courtyard of the Small Castle.
Lois grunted as she dismounted with help from Commander Cam-Zel. Her right arm was in a sling. "See to it that the men are tended to." She said.
"And what of you, my lady? You are hurt. The men will not be examined unless you are." Cam-Zel said.
"Send for Hamilton and let the men know that I did." Lois said.
He sighed. "Yes, my queen." Cam-Zel said.
"You still think he is drunkard and should be dismissed as my personal physician, do you not?" Lois asked as they walked up the stairs into the entrance hall of the castle.
"It is my duty to protect you, my lady." Cam-Zel said. Lois patted his shoulder and they continued walking to her chambers.
Kara and Milton were waiting outside her chambers. "Well?" Kara asked.
Lois sighed. "We only got Connor and a few of our knights back. Zod made off with J…" Kara's hand was suddenly over her mouth. "What are you doing?!"
"There is something you need to know." Kara said softly and pulled Lois into her chamber.
Kal-El put on a clean white laced shirt and a pair of brown trousers. He had just finished putting on his boots when he heard running footsteps. He looked up and Lois entered the bedchamber and like Emil and Kara, she was not how he remembered her.
Lois's hair stopped just passed her shoulders but it was now light brown. She had a recently healed thin vertical scar over her left eye. She too had some lines on her face from aging. She was wearing a shirt, red form-fitting heavy padded leather gambeson, black trousers and boots, and her right arm was in a sling.
"Clark?" She whispered. Kal-El stood and they slowly approached each other. "Is it really you?" They looked deep into each other's eyes.
Kal-El pushed her hair back behind her ear and caressed her cheek in a single motion like he had always done to comfort her. "Lois." He whispered.
Lois caressed the silver locket with the engraved LL around his neck. "It is you." Lois said and then caressed his face. He closed his eyes as she did this. It had been so long since he felt the pleasure of her touch. They embraced gently but she grunted from the pain in her right shoulder.
He opened his eyes and gently ran his hand down her right arm. "You are hurt."
"It is but a scratch." She said not taking her eyes off of him.
He loosened the top laces of her gambeson to get a better looked at the wound. It had been cauterized to seal it and to prevent infection. A poultice had been put on the wound before it was bandaged. "That is not a scratch. Who did this you?" He said.
"An archer but he was a poor shot." Lois said and his breathing increased somewhat out of anger. "Do not worry, my love. I will only have to wear this for some time and then my arm will be fine. Alright?" She caressed his face again and his breathing calmed down. "Emil told me that your body is riddled in new scars. What happened to you?"
Kal-El swallowed and pulled away from her. "I do not wish to speak of it. Just that Zod gave me a fate worse than death. I hope you can understand." He said. Lois put her hand on his shoulder and he turned around to face her. She caressed his face again and he saw her cutting her eyes toward his beard. "You hate it." He said.
"Yes." Lois said with a small grin and he grinned as well. "But it is necessary for now… I just cannot believe it is you."
"I have waited a long time just to hold you in my arms again." Kal-El said and they embraced. He kissed her forehead and she laid her head on his left shoulder.
Kal-El tried to sleep that night. Lois slept peacefully wrapped up in his arms but he was wide awake. He removed his arm from around her and lied on his back. He put his left hand behind his head and gazed up at the dark ceiling. He cut his eyes to a nearby window; it was pitch black. He took in a deep breath and let it out as a quiet sigh. He looked to his right, and though he could only see her back, he watched Lois sleep.
Watching her made him grin slightly but he still could not sleep. He then threw back the fur blanket and linen sheet and carefully climbed out of the bed. He froze when she moaned but she did not stir. He slowly and carefully pulled the sheet and blanket back up so she would not get cold. He gently stroked her hair and headed over to the hearth. He wore brown breeches and a white shirt.
The cold floor did not bother him. He sat down on the rug in front of the hearth. He lied back and put his right hand behind the back of his head. The pillows on the bed were just too soft. The bed was just too soft after ten months of sleeping on the rough ground. He turned his head too look at the dim embers in the fireplace and slowly drifted off to sleep.
"What are you doing?" Kal-El asked.
"My duty." Jeq-Vey answered. He then turned the sword on himself stabbing himself in the chest. Kal-El rushed to his side as he fell coughing up blood.
"Jeq-Vey…" Kal-El said.
"P-Pr-Protect t-the king…until d-d-death." Jeq-Vey said choking in his own blood. Kal-El somberly nodded. He closed Jeq-Vey's eyes with his fingers after he took his final breath. Two men entered the arena wielding cudgels. Kal-El picked up the other sword and took a battle stance. One brute smirked while the other was expressionless.
The cocky one pounded his cudgel in his hand as he approached him. Kal-El twirled the sword twice in front of him. The brute began delivering powerful strikes and Kal-El blocked and parried every one. Soon, the brute began slowing down and his strikes were not as powerful. Kal-El kicked his left knee making him fall down to one knee and he swiftly slit his throat.
The Zoners cheered as the cocky brute fell dead. The expressionless one approached him and Kal-El attacked him with quick blows to pressure points in the body. This brute was smart though, he blocked every blow and then head bunted Kal-El. Kal-El fell back and was dazed.
I love you, he heard Lois's voice. "I love you." He whispered thinking this was the end.
"Stop!" Davis commanded. The brute stood erect towering of Kal-El. "You just killed one of my best… Put him in one of the cells. He fights again tomorrow." The Zoners cheered. The brute kicked away the sword, grabbed him by the ankle, and dragged him out of the arena.
Kal-El's hands were trained above him in a cell with iron bars. He opened his eyes and stood erect. His head hurt but that did not matter now. Jeq-Vey was dead and he was now a captive. How he wished he had not left his victory ring behind in Kandor.
Then he heard footsteps and then the cell door was unlocked and then opened. Kal-El sneered when Zod entered his cell with a cocky grin on his face. "Your Majesty, how are you faring this fine morning or is it the evening? I can never tell." Zod said. He handed his helm to the guard and approached Kal-El. "I must admit I am disappointed. Your father had more fight in him."
"Do not speak a word about my father!" Kal-El said. A guard punched Kal-El's chin with a gauntleted fist. He groaned and fell down to one knee. He tasted blood and spit it out onto the ground.
"Your father gave me this." Kal-El looked up at him, his eyes full of contempt. Zod ran a finger down the long scar on the left side of his face. "Though a weak man, Jor-El was the greatest warrior I had ever laid eyes upon in all my years of war."Zod crouched to be at his eye level. "But he refused to use those skills to rule and that made him weak. And yet, your father is more of a man than you are… But it was not his, nor your destiny to rule but mine."
Kal-El stood and Zod stood as well. "That weak man defeated you and banished you to this wasteland to forever live in shame and suffer for your crimes. That weak man was my father and I am my father's son. This prison shall not hold me forever." Kal-El said coldly and Zod smirked.
"Every time I look upon you, the more I see your father. Yes, he defeated me. But in the end, Jor-El died by my hand and I made sure that he lived long enough to watch the woman he loved die before his eyes." Kal-El yelled out in anger and pulled against the chains. They would not budge and Zod's laughed. He motioned for his guards to leave. Zod left his cell.
"In the end you will kneel before me son of El. You and your heirs before I slay them." Zod walked off.
"ZOD!" Kal-El screamed.
"Clark? Clark, wake up." His eyes shot open and he wrapped his hands around the intruder's throat. He rolled them so he was on top and he squeezed. "Clark." Lois said weakly.
He realized who it was and got off of her immediately. He quickly crawled away backwards until he touched the wall. He was horrified as Lois coughed gasping for air. When the coughing stopped, he said, "I am sorry. I am so sorry." Lois tried to come closer but he moved away from her. He brought his knees up to his chest. "No. I do not want to hurt you."
"You will not hurt me." She whispered. Her throat was still sore.
"Yes, I will." He rested his forehead on top of his knees and silently sobbed. Lois moved closer to him and he laid his head down in her lap as he wept.
A collection of oneshots called Crusade of Reckoning: The Fall of the Justice League will be published soon if you wish to know about the League's downfall.