Chapter 60 - Unyielding General Kneels to None - Part 9

Rewinding Time - Metropolis - Around the same time Atlantean forces were attacked by Kryptonians

Faora and Nadira headed towards Metropolis, landing above the Daily Planet building. Upon arrival, they exited their ship, flew towards a window, shattered it, and made their way inside. Their target was Lois Lane.

Despite the palpable fear, the humans in the building were determined to protect Lois. Observing this unity, Faora decided to test their resolve. She struck a nearby desk, shattering it to pieces. This show of power visibly shook everyone present. But many of these reporters had been hardened by experiences in war zones or with city mafias. Even though they were frightened, they remained resolute in protecting Lois.

This unwavering resolve surprised Faora and Nadira; they hadn't expected such determination from a seemingly weak race. Despite this, they remained focused on their mission from the General. They decided to escalate, each grabbing a reporter by the neck and snapping it, instantly killing them.

"Give us Lois Lane, or else this will be your FATE," Faora commanded, her gaze sweeping over the terrified faces on the floor.

Suddenly, a voice shouted, "Enough! I am Lois Lane. I'll come with you, just don't hurt anyone else," Lois stepped forward, hoping to end the madness and praying for Clark to rescue them.

As Lois approached, Faora scrutinized her, trying to understand why Kal'El, the heir of the respected and powerful House of El, had chosen this human. She saw no redeeming qualities in Lois and couldn't understand why Kal'El would choose such a weak woman. Even isolated on this planet, Faora believed he should have selected a woman of strength, not someone she considered as insignificant as an ant.

"I truly don't know why he chose you. You are weak. Even if he had to choose a human, he should have chosen someone with some strength. But he chose you," Faora said. She paused for a moment before continuing, "Seeing as you've captured the attention of Kal'El, heir of the House of El, you do deserve some respect. So, I will address you by your name, Lois. Tell me, Lois, how did you manage to tame Kal'El?"

At this point, the astute reporters had surmised that Kal'El was Superman. However, the conversation revealed a surprising detail: Lois was in a relationship with Superman. This explained why Superman was always there to save Lois. Those aware of her relationship with Clark felt sympathy for him, believing he had been cheated on.

Perry, who had observed the relationship between Clark and Lois develop, considered another shocking possibility, Clark Kent was Superman. The more he pondered, the more the pieces fell into place. Clark was always there for Lois, mysteriously absent when Superman appeared, and present where the Planet's crew were working on exclusive stories about dangerous events. Perry felt surprised it took him so long to connect the dots and felt his age. He decided he needed to talk to Clark about the ethical implications of writing about Superman while being Superman. If they survived their current predicament, he planned to confront both Clark and Lois with his concerns.

Lois met Faora's gaze and responded in a steady, confident tone, "You judge relationship compatibility based on physical strength. But for us, relationships involve a myriad of emotions and complexities. While we respect physical strength, it's not the deciding factor for most of us. I'm a human, not a Kryptonian. I may not be able to lift heavy objects or fly, but that doesn't make me a weak partner. We value qualities like integrity, courage, compassion, and resilience in relationships. It's about the capacity to love, empathize, and understand. That's the kind of strength that attracted Kal'El and me to each other."

She stepped closer to Faora, her gaze firm. "So, I didn't 'tame' him. Don't underestimate humans based on your limited understanding, Kryptonian," she asserted, "You might be surprised by our capabilities."

Faora, however, seemed unimpressed by Lois's defiance. Her mouth curved into a disdainful sneer as she dismissed Lois's words. "If the heir of the House of El truly chose you for those reasons, it confirms our worst fears, he has been domesticated," Faora responded, her tone dripping with contempt.

Nadira, another Kryptonian who had been observing the exchange in silence, finally spoke up. "Ma'am, let's just take her back with us. Why waste our time conversing with this weakling?" she proposed dismissively.

Faora, taking Nadira's words into consideration, nodded her agreement. She turned her attention back to Lois. "You will come with us," she declared domineeringly. "The General wishes to speak with both Kal'El and you." As she finished speaking, she reached out to take hold of Lois.

Before she could reach Lois, a familiar sound echoed, the shattering of glass, followed by a gust of wind as a silhouette sped towards them. Quick to react, Nadira intercepted the figure, only to be sent flying when she collided with Superman. After crashing into a nearby building, she quickly recovered and lunged back at Superman, who was now focusing on Faora.

Superman charged at Faora, fist outstretched, but as a trained warrior, Faora easily blocked his attack. Seeing Nadira rushing to rejoin the fight, she gestured for her to hold back. Faora wanted to measure the difference between herself, a soldier under General Zod, and Kal'El, the heir to a prestigious Kryptonian ruling family. Nadira obeyed, watching intently as the fight between Faora and Kal'El unfolded.

As Faora and Superman engaged in combat, tension crackled in the air. Their movements and the blows they exchanged showcased their formidable strength and experience.

The battle between Superman and Faora escalated, moving away from the Daily Planet and taking to the skies. Every punch or kick Superman threw was effortlessly parried by Faora, making it seem as if he was simply being toyed with. Faora, for her part, was using this opportunity to gauge her opponent, studying Superman's fighting style and assessing his control over his powers.

She quickly deduced that while his body held immense power due to prolonged exposure to the yellow star's radiation, his movements lacked technique and discipline. He had no distinct fighting style, his attacks were raw and unrefined. Every punch or kick he threw was easily dodged or redirected by Faora, who used his own momentum against him.

Observing his growing frustration, Faora showed a small smile. She switched tactics, meeting each of Superman's blows head-on instead of evading or parrying. As she countered his attacks, she noticed the inconsistency in his strength. It became clear to her that he had spent so long focusing on restraining his strength to avoid accidentally hurting humans, that he had developed mental barriers preventing him from tapping into his full potential.

She realized that she was not facing a powerful warrior, but rather an untrained powerful child. While he had an abundance of potential and could even be considered a prodigy given his self-taught growth, he was, at the end of the day, inexperienced in fighting techniques. An inexperienced prodigy was no match for a seasoned warrior, and she decided it was time for him to learn that harsh lesson.

Taking the upper hand, Faora began to attack more aggressively, deploying her own combat techniques and leveraging her extensive experience. She hit Superman hard, sending him crashing into a nearby building, making it shake.

After the impact, dust and debris blocked the view for a bit. When it cleared, Lois and the others saw a scene of destruction. Superman was lying in the ruins, looking confused and trying to get up.

Seeing Superman in trouble moved Lois. She felt scared. She knew she couldn't join the fight, but it wasn't in her nature to do nothing. So, she did what she does best, she started filming. Despite the mess, her hands were steady. This video would later remind everyone of the day Superman was defeated.

Meanwhile, Faora hovered in the sky, observing the fallen hero. She felt no triumph, only the satisfaction of a warrior who had bested her opponent. She knew the battle was far from over. Superman was just beginning to tap into his true potential, and she looked forward to the challenge he would pose as he rose to fight again.

The onlookers, the people of Metropolis, watched in stunned silence as their hero fell. For them, Superman was more than just a hero; he was their beacon of hope, a symbol of resilience. Seeing their symbol of hope thrashed and sent crashing through buildings was a sight that struck fear into their hearts, a tough pill to swallow for all who bore witness to this scene.

As Faora descended from the sky, ready to continue her fight, she was caught off guard by a sudden onslaught of missiles. Batman, in his Batwing, had launched an attack. Faora, confident in her invulnerability and her superior armor, chose to take the attack head-on. The missiles did no bodily harm, as she had predicted, but her armor surprisingly took damage. Her once impenetrable suit was now compromised, allowing Earth's atmospheric conditions to affect her. Feeling disoriented and momentarily weak, she lost control of her flight and crashed onto the streets of Metropolis.

Batman wasted no time, quickly opening fire and sending a barrage of bullets her way. His aim was not to harm her, for he knew his weapons could not, but to pin her down. He needed to buy Superman time, time to recover, to retreat, and to plan his next move.

Meanwhile, Nadira found herself in a relentless battle with an annoying foe. She had been closely monitoring the intense duel between Faora and Kal'El when an unexpected attack took her by surprise. Without warning, she was struck with the force of a cannonball and sent crashing into a nearby building. This was the second time she had been thrown into a structure—first by Superman, and now by Flash. Her frustration was mounting, and with it, her anger flared.

She quickly identified the Flash, who was even audacious enough to taunt her. In her heightened state of rage, she found herself drawn away from Faora and Kal'El's fight, lured into a cat-and-mouse chase with Flash. His ability to phase through any object she used in her assault added fuel to the fire of her annoyance.

When she caught sight of Faora's condition, her eyes widened in shock. She had never anticipated seeing Faora in such a dire state. Without a second thought, she abandoned her pursuit of Flash and rushed to Faora's aid. She set her sights on the Batwing and, with a swift motion, shot straight through the jet. Batman, with his quick reflexes, managed to eject himself from the jet before it was obliterated. He then utilized the glider function of his cape to gracefully glide towards a nearby building's window, intending to gain a foothold within.

Upon crashing through the window, he quickly stabilized himself and prepared to throw specially-designed Batarangs at the incoming enemy. These modified weapons were designed to explode upon contact, releasing a cloud of Kryptonite dust—especially effective against his current Kryptonian foes. However, through his comms, he learned that the enemy hadn't pursued him but had instead gone to support her comrade. Without hesitation, Batman decided to join the front lines. He leaped off the building, once again employing the glider function of his cape, and headed towards Superman and Flash to form a united front against their adversaries.

Having successfully neutralized the aircraft that was relentlessly bombarding Faora, Nadira quickly descended to aid her comrade.

"Captain! Are you alright?" Nadira asked, her voice laced with noticeable concern.

In response, Faora merely gestured for silence. She needed a moment of quiet to regain her composure and stabilize her condition. After a minute of closing her eyes and focusing her senses, her body finally steadied, and she managed to regain control over herself. When her eyes opened again, they were filled with an icy, chilling killing intent. The humiliation of being reduced to such a state by these inferior beings had ignited a raging fire within her, a desire for vengeance that consumed her.

Slowly, she rose to her feet, her gaze scanning the area until it settled on her targets. Now, both Kryptonians stood united, their formidable presence creating an imposing front against team Alpha of the Justice League.

"Kal'El," Faora began, her voice cold, her fists tightening at her sides, "Until now, I was merely assessing your capabilities. But now, I will unleash my full strength. So, I need to understand one thing before I begin my onslaught. Will you truly stand against your own kin for the sake of these humans?"

Her words felt heavy, like a dark cloud over the battlefield. Superman closed his eyes, feeling sad. He was torn - he wanted to connect with his Kryptonian heritage, but the violent actions of his kin left him with no other choice.

Opening his resolute eyes, his gaze met Faora's,"Yes, I would," he declared, his voice steady and unwavering. "I may be a Kryptonian by birth, but I was raised on Earth. These people, these 'humans' as you call them, they are my family, my friends. They are my home. I will do everything in my power to protect them."

"So be it," Faora murmured, her voice barely audible. The restraint she had been maintaining vanished in an instant. As soon as Superman's final words resonated throughout the battlefield, she lunged at them with an undeniable killing intent glinting in her eyes. Following her lead, Nadira also charged towards the remaining heroes. However, their attack was thwarted as Batman revealed his trump card - a small, green rock held tightly in his right hand.

The moment the rock was revealed, Superman and Faora collapsed, groaning in pain as the Kryptonite took effect. Nadira, momentarily stunned at the sight and only slightly affected due to her armor being intact, failed to notice Flash's attack that breached her suit. The slow introduction of Earth's atmosphere and the Kryptonite radiation weakened her, causing her to fall to her knees and cough up blood.

Recognizing the dire situation, she gathered her remaining strength to grab Faora and retreat. Using sheer willpower to combat the disorienting and nauseating effects of the Kryptonite, she managed to reach Faora and immediately launched herself towards their ship. Once inside, she commanded the onboard system to retreat and passed out from the strain. The Kryptonian ship, which had been hovering over the Daily Planet, promptly took off and retreated back to the mother ship.

Upon witnessing their retreat, Batman stowed the Kryptonite back into his utility belt, allowing Superman to recover. After shooting a brief glare at Batman, Superman stood up, his gaze following the direction of the retreating Kryptonian ship.

They soon met up with Lois Lane, ensuring her safety before learning about the Kryptonians' intent to capture her. This revelation alarmed Superman, causing a surge of anger to course through him.

On the other hand, Batman fell into contemplative silence, considering the implications of the Kryptonians' actions. Lois's dialogue with the leading Kryptonian woman suggested they were interested in speaking to both her and Clark. Batman suspected they intended to use Lois to capture Clark, or Superman. For some reason, it seemed they needed Superman.

Meanwhile, the arriving military forces were in the middle of their relief efforts. They were tirelessly working through the ruins, sifting through the rubble of the shattered buildings, in a desperate search for survivors amid the devastation that had befallen Metropolis.

The tragic event had claimed lives, leaving families to mourn the loss of their loved ones. Grief hung heavily in the air as tears were shed, and the pain echoed in the cries of those left behind. Indignation and bitterness brewed in the hearts of some, their anger directed towards their Gods, questioning why such a tragedy was allowed to happen. Their anger was also directed towards the Kryptonians who had brought such destruction upon them and even towards the heroes who had failed to protect their loved ones, specifically targeting Superman.

A young boy, tears running down his cheeks from the news of his father's loss, threw his beloved Superman action figure in the direction of the real Superman. Between sobs, he shouted his hatred for the hero, his voice filled with the raw pain of loss, demanding with all his might that the heroes bring his father back. The heroes could only watch this heart-wrenching scene unfold, their fists clenched helplessly at their sides. Despite their heroic efforts, they were painfully aware of their limitations, knowing that there were lives they could not save. However, acknowledging this reality didn't make it easier to bear witness to the grief of those they had failed to protect.

Superman was particularly affected. Hearing the cries of the bereaved children, widows, and parents, he couldn't help but lower his head in sorrow. The child's actions were a stark reminder that the devastation had been brought by his kin, causing the people who loved him to suffer such loss. Lois, standing by his side, gently squeezed his hand in comfort. She reminded him that despite his strength, he couldn't save everyone. While it was essential for him to learn from such events, his losses and mistakes, and strive to get better, he must also focus on the lives he did managed to save. She pointed out to those in the crowd who thanked the heroes for saving them.

Batman and Flash, watching from the sidelines, took in the somber scene. Lois's words resonated with them, and they echoed her sentiments to Clark. They urged him to snap out of his guilt, reminding him that their fight was far from over. They needed to regroup with the others and present a united front to face the threat head-on. They needed to finish this, for the sake of those they had lost, and for those they were determined to protect. The heroes, then took off towards the Hall of Justice with Flash giving Batman a lift.

On the retreating Kryptonian ship, Faora and Nadira were unconscious, gradually recovering. When their ship docked with the mother ship, Jax-Ur, the chief scientist and medic, quickly transferred them to the medical station upon hearing about their condition.

General Zod, standing in the medical bay, felt a rush of anger. His eyes were fixed on his second-in-command, the formidable and loyal Faora, who was weakened and lying on a medical bed. This sight was both painful and perplexing, given his understanding of the superior physiology of their Kryptonian race.

Seeing Faora, a warrior as determined and resilient as himself, in such a state, shook Zod's confidence. He experienced a blend of anger, sadness, and wrath.

Jax-Ur reported that the conditions of both Faora and Nadira were improving, due to the treatment they received and the radiation from the system's yellow star. However, Jax-Ur also shared serious findings with Zod from their cell examination. He discovered signs of cellular decay, a condition uncommon in healthy Kryptonians. Their confusion grew when they detected radiation wavelengths identical to Krypton's in the deteriorating cells.

To unravel this mystery, they scrutinized the battle recordings from Faora and Nadira's ship logs. They spotted a man dressed like a bat, wielding a small green rock that incapacitated Faora. Upon further examination of the logs, they discerned that the rock's green glow emitted traces of Krypton's radiation.

Considering the unique characteristics of Kryptonian cellular biology, Jax-Ur hypothesized that the rock originated from their destroyed home planet, Krypton. He proposed that, similar to how Kryptonian physiology changes under the radiation of a yellow sun, fragments of Krypton might have undergone a transformation. However, these fragments had become toxic to Kryptonians.

The revelation left a heavy silence in the room. The idea that their lost homeworld could bring harm was both heartbreaking and unsettling. All eyes turned to their leader, General Zod.

Upon hearing this hypothesis, Zod fell eerily silent. However, those who had loyally followed him for ages recognized the anger that now consumed him.

Zod ordered Jax-Ur to modify their suits to shield them from the effects of the Kryptonite. Jax-Ur stated that without studying a sample, he couldn't guarantee his modifications would be effective. However, Zod expressed his trust in Jax and encouraged him to do his best.

Turning to the rest of his comrades, he issued another order. They were to prepare for full deployment, for he had finally resolved to unleash their full might upon this world once their injured comrades had recovered. The recovery, thanks to the radiation of the yellow star of this solar system, was already progressing at a pleasantly rapid pace.

As the others busied themselves executing his orders, Zod exited the ship. He stepped onto the hull, his figure illuminated by the golden glow of the sun. Shielded by his bio-matrix forcefield from the effects of the void, he stood there, facing the sun and silently absorbing its radiation. His eyes were closed, but his mind was a whirl of thoughts.

The audacity of these primitive people struck him. They had dared to use a fragment of his own homeworld, a painful reminder of their loss, against them. It was an affront he could not and would not forgive. His thoughts echoed with a single, unyielding decision, "No more. I will end them."

His mind filled with plans of conquest and retribution, Zod continued to absorb the sun's radiation. Each ray seemed to strengthen his resolve, fueling his determination to emerge victorious.