Chapter Twelve: Final Encounter

Superman flew towards the Himalayas. He was feeling confident. Feeling strong. Powerful. He had learnt much since his last encounter with Helspont. Besides, he had Emmet by his side. Emmet had beaten Helspont before. That was his story, anyway. He wasn't sure that he could believe Emmet. But it was a not a concern. Someone with Emmet's powers would be a great asset.
"I will not join you at first," said Emmet.
"Why?" asked Superman.
"Daemonites have the ability to switch bodies when close to death. Helspont's body is not the body of a Daemonite, but of some other species. I will surprise him and lock him inside that body."
"How will you do that?"
"A mental block. I need to insert a bit of metal into his body and use my psychic powers to turn it on in his head."
"You have psychic powers?"
"We have psychic powers. You just have not leant to use them."
"How did you learn to use them?"
"A story for another time, Superman. For now, I shall make myself scarce. When I am ready I will pounce. Try to keep him talking, it should give me the time that I need."
Superman nodded and their paths separated. The Himalayas were within eyesight in a moment. And there, standing in front of that cave, was Helspont. His armour glistening, shimmering in the snow. His arms folded in front of him and his black cape, so stark against the white backdrop, was gently rippling in the air as he stood there. Superman landed gracefully a few paces away from him. They stared at each other. Superman could hear the world crying in agony as Helspont's minions were tearing it apart. He could hear his friends fighting. He could hear it all. And he saw the man that was responsible for it. The one whose fault it was. Anger welled up inside Superman and his eyes glared red. It seemed like he could barely contain the power and anger inside him.
"Ready to surrender?" asked Helspont.
"I was about to ask you the same question," said Superman through gritted teeth. His fists clenched tight and shaking.
"I beat you once, what makes you think I will not do so again?"
"I've come prepared."
"Have you now? Your power levels seem only slightly higher than last we met. Far too little for you to be able to beat me."
Superman was starting to shake with the desire to punch. To hit. He wanted this piece of trash off his planet, now!
"You obviously have a desire to fight, Superman. Why do you hesitate? Why wait?"
"Why so eager to be beaten?"
"Ha. You are a funny one. Unlike the last one I met."
"Who is that?"
"He looked identical to you. Called himself Emmet. His planet was similar to yours. As were his powers. But he, unlike you, was not afraid of them."
"So you were beaten."
"No. I was not. Otherwise I probably would not have been standing here."
"You won't be for much longer."
"Are you certain?"
"Very."
Bam!
Helspont didn't even see it coming.
Emmet jumped on Helspont and stabbed a piece of metal into his head. The metal, though visible for only a millisecond, looked silver and alien, it glistened in a way that no metal strange way, Superman had never seen such a compound before.
Emmet placed his hand where the metal had been inserted and a pulse of electricity ran through his arm into Helspont's head. Then Emmet kicked Helspont towards Superman. Superman didn't miss his chance: he clotheslined Helspont, smashing him into the ground. Superman took a step back and looked at his opponent. His enemy. Emmet landed next to him gracefully.
"What did you do?" asked Superman.
"I had to find the exact point to put the metal in. Then fry the part of his brain that allows him to shift bodies. It took all of my psychic energy to not let him leave his body during that time."
"And the electricity?"
"It was vibrational electricity. Static electricity at a high level. The suit helps."
"I see."
"Do you, Superman?" said Helspont.
"Helspont. Leave now. That's your last warning," said Superman, fists clenched.
"Ha! That is all that you can muster?" asked Helspont and from under their feet rushed up boulders which sent them flying into the mountain side.
"You may have managed to stop me from being able to shift out of my body, but you are gravely mistaken if you think that you can beat me. I have defeated you both already. I will do so again," said Helspont as he was walking towards the two Kryptonians. His flame grew and seemed to darken into a colder blue, but the flame was only warming up.
Helspont raised his hands, slammed them down, and down came part of the cliff above them. The rocks would hit them, but super speed was their ally. Superman moved out of the way and slammed his fist into Helspont's face. The shock reverberated through the mountain range. Superman landed another. The third punch was caught in Helspont's hand; he tried to punch with the other arm but that was blocked as well.
Superman fly up, now! said a voice in his head.
Superman flew up, but Helspont stayed where he was, holding on to Superman's arms. He was also looking at Superman, but he should have been looking at the pile of stones on top of Emmet, who was biding his time. He flew out of the rubble and slammed a fist into Helspont's face, sending him flying through one mountain, only stopping at the second mountain. The boulders that were loosened were moved by Helspont using telekinesis. They hurtled towards the Kryptonians. Emmet used his heat vision to incinerate the boulders while Superman flew up and then dove down hard at Helspont. The tremendous force of his fist decked Helspont to the ground. But Helspont quickly got up and uppercut Superman, sending him flying far away. Emmet unleashed a beam of heat vision at Helspont. Helspont replied to that with his fist in Emmet's face, but Emmet was covered because Superman returned, and punched Helspont where his ribs would be if he actually had ribs. Emmet punched the tangible flame once more, and Superman finished the move by extending his leg and using it as a lever to push Helspont to the ground. Emmet did a flip over Helspont and grabbed Helspont's legs and when he finished, threw Helspont over his head forwards using the speed and force of his momentum to throw Helspont into the mountain and Superman used his heat vision to assist him in impacting the mountain harder.
"Not bad, Kryptonians. Not bad at all. You both have definitely learnt a few new things since last we met," said Helspont as he moved out of the hole he'd created in the mountain.
"Leave, Helspont. You can't win this battle," said Superman.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Helspont stood there, glaring at his two enemies. Wondering if he should try and convince them once more of the futility of their course.
No, thought Helspont, they have received mercy before, no one slights me twice.
Helspont moved so fast Superman barely saw him coming. He shoulder-charged Emmet and sent him flying over the mountain-range. Then he turned on Superman with a punch that knocked Superman off his feet. Grabbing Superman's cape, Helspont swung him around and then released him, throwing him into a mountain. Superman barely realised where he was and there was Helspont again, standing over him with his hands over his head. The boulders around Superman were floating above him. Helspont lowered his hands and with them came the boulders crashing into Superman. Superman spun around and around, making himself into a drill and drilled himself into the ground. He then used his X-ray vision to make sure he was underneath Helspont. He rose up and crashed into Helspont, sending rocks cascading on top of him.
Helspont was a little disoriented and that was enough for Emmet. Emmet was diving from the upper hemisphere and landed an earth-shattering punch on Helspont's face. The punch sent Helspont through the mountain to its roots. That was definitely harder than any punch Superman had encountered.
"He's not giving up," said Superman.
"Then it is time for more drastic measures, now that his armour is compromised," said Emmet and they both flew down to see where Helspont was.
Helspont managed to extract himself from the mountain. The glistening armour was no longer glistening. It was almost dull; the gold scratched and faded. Helspont was not happy. His flame was billowing and his eyes were dark slits.
"Fools, you think you can defeat me? I can bring my entire armada, my vast army, over here and defeat you," said Helspont.
"Your so called armada, as well as your pathetic army, are being destroyed by the heroes of this world. There is only you and us. And you know you cannot win," said Emmet, he was creating that red glow around his body, Superman followed suit and let his eyes turn red. It seemed a little small scale and almost comic next to Emmet but the effect wasn't lost. They were ready to fight. Was Helspont?
Helspont leapt at Superman. Superman dodged the oncoming blow and punched Helspont in the stomach, if it was a stomach. Emmet uppercutted Helspont and sent him into the air. Superman flew up and got to where Helspont was. He lifted both his hands and slammed them down, sending Helspont into the ground far beneath them. Superman flew down and saw that Helspont had already recovered and was punching Emmet furiously.
Superman tackled Helspont and got on top of him. Then let fly punch after punch at Helspont. Superman held back a little, afraid of losing control in this precarious situation. Kept focus on just how much force he was using. On the fifth punch, Helspont caught the fists in his hands and used telekinesis to throw Superman away. Emmet was upon the rising Helspont in a moment, but it was Helspont who had the blow: he clotheslined Emmet and with a hand on his neck slammed him to the ground. One punch into Emmet's face and then he threw Emmet at Superman. They both slammed into the mountain.
"You have both abused my good nature," said Helspont, as he stood up and glared at his two Kryptonian foes, "Superman, you decided to try and not force your will on this planet but only save them from the threats they couldn't save themselves from. But you still deem your actions as righteous if they seem to help the enforcement of laws, though should others do them you would consider them immoral. So you are a simple contradiction. Emmet, you wanted to not be a contradiction, not be outside of the law. But by allowing yourself to be lawful without limiting your power, you became part of an oligarchy which would soon turn into a tyranny. You have both gone to extremes. Polar opposites of the same genome. I guess this proves your Earthly question of nature against nurture."
"What's your point?" asked Superman, as they recovered from the blow and hovered in front of Helspont.
"How can you hope to defeat me, when you can't even see a way to live which is true and proper?"
"And your way is the proper way?" asked Emmet.
"Yes. You need obey me alone. Join me, and I will show you a way that is truly worthy to live."
Superman looked at Emmet, a telepathic communication passed.
They both flew and punched Helspont, sending him into a mountain and both started punching him together, unrelenting. Burying him deeper and deeper into the mountain's side. Emmet grabbed Helspont by the collar and flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground. Superman then kicked Helspont. The shock of the hit shook the mountains and sent Helspont thundering through one. They both caught him when he was lying on the ground and pummelled him into the dirt. Then they both flew a few paces away and stood at the ready. He was more than a match for each of them. But together, they were more than he could handle.
"I want you gone, Helspont. Leave my planet and any other planet," said Superman.
"And how do you propose to make that happen?" asked Emmet.
"Green Lantern. Helspont is defeated," said Superman into his communication.
"Good, we're basically done here on the different fronts. I'll send a squad of Green Lanterns to your location to pick him up," said Hal on the comms.
"That's your plan?" asked Helspont, "it is a foolish one. Their prison will not be able to hold me for very long. I will escape. And when I do, I will come back here and destroy your planets. I will incinerate them with a single thought."
"I doubt that," said Superman, "their prisons are quite adept at holding people like you."
"Doubt all you wish, but it will happen. I will return. And I will defeat you. I will make you watch as I kill each and every citizen of your planet."
"He is right, sadly" said Emmet, "he will break out of such a prison. And his followers will be waiting."
"There is a law and he broke it. It's not up to us what happens from now on," said Superman.
"This is the coward's way."
Emmet flew over to Helspont and put his hand through the head of tangible flame, grabbed something and yanked it out. It happened so fast and Superman only reached Emmet when his hand was removing the head of Helspont.
Grey and blue grease oozed out of Helspont's neck, it took a second for Superman to realise that it was Helspont's blood, leaving his body. The head was a small lightbulb-shaped head, without any slits. Emmet held the head in his hand, almost like a despairing Hamlet, and then squished the head, and tossed it aside.
"What've you done?" yelled Superman, sinking to one knee, staring at Helsont's bleeding corpse.
"What needed to be done. We could not hold him. Not even in the Phantom-Zone. He killed many, many people. It is time for you to realise that he is a monster… was a monster."
"And what are we if kill him?"
"Slayers of monsters."
"We are no better than him, now."
"I do not see it that way. I killed him because he killed many others. I killed in retribution and for the security of both our planets, not due to any desire of mine to possess or increase my power. I did it for to keep my people safe."
"You murdered. That is all that matters. You murdered a foe."
"And you never did such a thing?"
"Not when he was already beaten. Not when there was another choice."
"You think that there is always another choice until it happens by accident or unforeseen complications. You think there is always a choice. I tell you there is never a choice. A criminal is a criminal. He needs to be put down, like the monsters that he is."
"Everyone deserves to live."
"Why? Just because two people wanted it? Or because of an accident?"
"We don't have the right to decide who lives and dies."
"We decide what is right and act upon it. Do not question my sense of right, as you clearly do not ask it of most people."
"There was no need for this," said Superman, his anger dissociating itself from him enough to allow for a different emotion: sadness. He never wanted to kill. He didn't see the need for this. It as pointless.
"Yes there was a point," did he just read my mind? thought Superman as Emmet continued to speak, "as long as he was alive our worlds would be threatened. I made the logical choice. Even if it was a cold one." Emmet flew away, and Superman didn't have the strength to follow. He was too devastated. How could he argue against that? Superman didn't have rules governing him but principles. He allowed the world to dictate the rules and helped when he could. He gave the law a helping hand. Emmet became the law and executed as he saw fit. That was a tyrant's rational. But this tyrant was too great. Maybe even too great for him.
But we are the same person, thought Superman, there is a way in which he can become good. This isn't an alternate Superman. This is me in full. Maybe I can change his ways… Or if that fails, get him to leave peacefully.
The Green Lantern Corps came down from the sky, ready to take a prisoner. Instead they found Superman, alone, standing above the beheaded body of Helspont. They all looked at him, knowing he didn't do it, but also knowing that there was nothing for them there anymore.
They left the scene silently. Not a word was spoken. They just left.
Superman stayed by the decapitated body a while longer. Then found the strength to move.
That which separates us from them is that we do not murder, thought Superman, though we may act outside the law, we presume to be only assistants in the areas the law cannot and must not be. We respect our laws. You may have broken many rules and killed many people, Helspont, but we had no right to kill you, we are better than that. Better than you.
He went to the side of the mountain and took a great boulder from nearby. Then used his heat vision to shape it into a box. Then he cut off a thick layer from the top and hollowed it so that the layer he took off was the lid of the coffin. He placed the lifeless body of Helspont, still dripping blood from its neck, into the coffin. He then placed the severed and crushed head inside as well. A part of him was sickened by the thought of giving this person who would have destroyed his world a burial, but it felt right as well. A sign that this was over. Done.
He placed the lid on the coffin and using heat vision and freeze breath, he sealed the coffin.
Carrying it up, he flew it out into the atmosphere. He left the atmosphere a little while afterwards. Giving the coffin a last push. He sent it hurtling towards the sun. He watched as the heat from the sun disintegrated the coffin and the occupant inside it until it was all just atoms flying free. Not too far from him, he noticed a small figure.
Emmet.
He flew over to Emmet and stood next to him. He placed his mask on so that he could speak to Emmet.
"What're you doing?" asked Superman.
"Recharging. The fight took a lot of energy, it is wise to refill."
Superman did feel tired but it never occurred to him to just... Charge.
"Now that Helspont's gone, I suppose you'll be leaving," said Superman, hoping that he sounded authoritative, implying that there was no choice in the matter.
"No, I think I shall stay. Learn the ways of this planet. Who knows? Maybe there is something great to be learnt here. I never place such possibilities beyond any place or person."
"You're not staying," said Superman.
"Yes I am, twin. I am staying. And I suggest that you understand that thoroughly. I wish to study this planet and learn. I will follow your lead, if that is what is required."
Emmet then left Superman standing there, alone, feeling like he'd been bullied into doing something for another.
"Batman to the Justice League. Regroup at Watchtower."
When Batman orders, they all follow. It's never a hoax or something useless. But this time, Superman didn't feel like it. He just wanted to be alone. But he knew that he was needed, and that Diana was always the best company to have, no matter the reason.

A few minutes later, Superman was standing in his Fortress of Solitude. The ice castle that was left him by his parents' designs was a comfort. He was standing in front of the computer, looking at the data the computer had about what Emmet had spoken of. They hadn't had enough time before to fully check his story, but they could do so now. He stared at the map of the planets and stars the computer projected in hologram form around him.
"His planet exists, though it's quite a distance away. I could fly the trip in two days or so. Maybe slightly less. The computer says that they are a race of humanoids that seem to worship strength and technology, which usually means they like the people with the best weapons. Or so they did. All that Emmet said about their parliamentary structure is also true, and though the computer can't give names, it does say that a there is a high possibility that a Kryptonian is there."
"So his story checks out on that front. What about the cloning?" asked Batman over the comms.
"Well, the computer says that the being he describes exists. They're not sentient, according to the prevailing theory the Kryptonian science counsel had, but still somehow living, in a way. Almost like a virus. They have been spotted and their powers have been described as God-like."
"Does his story check out?"
"Yes... It does. There was such a cloud on the path my ship took. His story is possible."
"That means one thing: he is you by genetic standards, nothing more. You aren't him, Clark."
"Maybe I'm the clone, and he's the original."
"That doesn't matter at all, Clark, and you know it. Jor-El was your biological father whether you were then cloned or not. And in either case, you had parents here. You are a person in your own right. Never forget that."
"Thanks, Bruce," said Superman, but it was a little hollow.
There is a difference between knowing and accepting.