Flames of Destiny
A Superman Tale
By Hordak Alpha

		The halls of the orbital Watchtower were silent and empty several days after a cataclysmic event shook the super hero community to its core.           Several members of the Justice League had been crushed and killed in battle against a super human who possessed strength beyond comprehension.         Superman, the Kryptonian protector of planet Earth, engaged in a battle against a power-house who had journeyed back from a future time in order to battle him.            After a fierce battle Superman, aided by a friend from another world, managed to incapacitate the power-house long enough to imprison the criminal in the Phantom Zone.

		Metropolis had taken the brunt of the power-house’s fury.  Several city blocks had been decimated and several hundreds of innocent civilians had been killed in the onslaught.           The death toll alone of innocent lives shook the surviving Metropolis citizens to the point that they lost all sense of security.            Some even lost faith that the super heroes, who had protected the world from other disasters, could provide effective protection for the world anymore.        

                   Superman leaned against a pane of transpari-steel in the hallway adjacent to the conference chambers of the Justice League.          The big blue orb that was Earth shone brightly below and Superman gazed at it in despair and worry.                 His thoughts were occupied of the families of all the victims.         Superman couldn’t get over the fact that innocent people had died on his watch; it ate at him with a gut-wrenching twist that seemed to have a hold on his heart.

		“It won’t help beating yourself up about it,” said Batman from the shadows, “You did what you could.”

                        “I shouldn’t have been on that away mission,” said Superman, “Captain Marvel was capable of handling it.      I should have stayed here where I was needed.”

		“No he couldn’t,” said Batman, “Captain Marvel provides decent back-up but we both know that he is too young and inexperienced to handle an away mission on his own.”

		“Sections of Metropolis are in ruins,” said Superman, “while the citizens have lost faith in not just the Justice League but of me as well.”

		“So?” said Batman, “The general public doesn’t approve of me and I’m still doing fine.”

		“Bruce, the people of Metropolis and the entire world think of me as their protector,” said Superman, “which makes them all have a feeling of security.       Now, after that monster razed a warpath of destruction across Metropolis, the people of the world fear for their lives and I can’t calm their fears this time.”

                      “You’re no good to the world as a brooding hero,” said Batman, “that is my department.”

		“I can’t help it, Bruce,” said Superman, “The loss of lives on my watch affects me greatly.        I am Superman and I wasn’t able to save those people like I should have.”

		“Take some time off,” said Batman, “If you think you are going to resume safe-guarding civilization like you are right now you had better think again.           If the world’s citizens are going to have their sense of security restored it can’t be with a depressed Superman running around.”

		“I suppose you are right,” said Superman, “I need to gather my thoughts and recompose myself.”

		“Took you long enough to realize,” said Batman as he turned to leave, “I will keep an eye on things while you are away.”

		The old farm in Smallville was just what Clark needed to get away from all of the negative feelings he was feeling about himself.     The old loft room where he had spent his boyhood and teenage years in was exactly the way he had left it.           Here he could be himself.      Clark didn’t need to hide behind a pair of glasses within the confines of the Kent farm.             

		Clark placed his suitcase down across his old bed and took off his glasses.     He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around.

		“It looks good, Ma,” said Clark, “The loft still has that comforting feel that it always had.”

		“I’m glad you’re pleased.” said Martha Kent as she came up the stairs after Clark.

		Clark opened up his suitcase and began to unpack his clothes and belongings.    “I’m going to stay here for awhile if you don’t mind,” he said, “I need to clear my head.”

		“That is fine with me,” said Martha as she sat down beside her grown son, “I don’t get to see you often enough.”

		“I’m sorry about that,” said Clark,  “I should be out this way to visit you more often considering you are practically all alone out here.”

		“It doesn’t bother me,” said Martha, “Ben stops in once or twice a week to help me out with the farm and provide me some company.”

		 “I would have brought Lois with me but she wanted to stay in Metropolis and bury herself in work.” said Clark.

		“She has always dealt with stress that way,” said Martha, “You can’t expect her to change a force of habit.”

		Clark stood up and stretched.     “Maybe I should take Lois’ example and use it as well.      Maybe a little hard work on the farm will help me clear my head.”

		“There are plenty of things that need doing around here,” said Martha, “Perhaps you could start by fixing up that old rickety fence out back.”

		“I’ll be glad to,” said Clark, “Anything to make me forget last week’s events.”

		Over the course of the following days Clark worked away on the farm which brought him back to the old days when he and his father would work side by side haying the fields and doing the various other early morning chores required on a farm.      Even now Clark still missed the kind face and advice of his father, Jonathan Kent, who had been lost to him so long ago when he hadn’t even grown into a young man.          The simpler times of the past seemed to whisk back into Clark’s mind as each chore he did on the farm made fond memories trickle out.            

		At the end of one day Clark had just finished fixing the old tractor when he heard a commotion with his super sensitive hearing.   A loud boom surrounded by a resounding thunder-clap echoed across the area.     Scanning the area with his telescopic vision, Clark spotted the cause.           Flashing into a blur of motion Clark ran across the fields towards a spacecraft of sorts.                       He tried to scan it with x-ray vision but he couldn’t.         The ship was constructed of a material so dense that it could not be seen through.

		A boarding ramp hissed open and three figures descended down to the ground.            

		“I never thought I’d see the likes of you again.” said Clark with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

		“Why would that be, Clark?” asked the black armored figure who came to stand before Clark Kent.

		“Perhaps it could be your methods or maybe it is the fact that the only times you ever show up is when there is trouble.” said Clark, “Trouble either from a future timeline or another dimension.”

       		The two of the three persons that stood before Clark were ones he knew well.         The person that stood before him was clad from head to foot in thick black armor with a helmet on his head.        The lower portion of his face was the only physical part of him that could be seen.       A long black cloak hung from his shoulders and came down until it almost touched the ground.           The second person before Clark was clad in a suit of armor exactly like the first person except the armor, helmet and cloak he wore were all white.              The third person was a moderately short woman clad in a short black shirt that exposed her midsection, a black leather coat, jeans and black boots.        A black helmet hid the top portion of her face leaving the lower portion exposed.           Red strands of hair flowed out from beneath the helmet to just below shoulder length.         A black cape hung from her shoulders.

		“It is an unfortunate reality, Clark,” said the black armor hero, “but that is the only time you really ever need to see us.”

		“I don’t believe I’ve met your female friend,” said Clark.

		“I’m Carlisle,” said the woman as she reached out towards Clark, “I’m still sort of new to all of this.”

		“Nice to meet you.” said Clark as he shook her hand gently, “Hopefully you aren’t anything like your two companions here.”

		“You don’t have to acknowledge that, Carlisle,” said the black armor hero, “We don’t need to build on Clark’s already obvious dislike of us.”

		“Why does he dislike you guys so, Alpha?” asked Carlisle. 

		“Past run-ins haven’t been pleasant,” said the black armor hero that Carlisle identified as Alpha, “On some encounters our interests have been shared and sometimes they have conflicted.”

		“Get to the point of your visit,” said Clark, “My tolerance for people like you have all but been almost lost as of late.”

		“We know,” said the white armor hero, “Traversing time and space gives us some insight on most events.”

		“The muscled brute you fought about a week or so ago,” said Alpha, “He is still alive isn’t he?”

		“Yes,” said Clark, “Unlike you I won’t stoop to the methods used by brutes like him.”

		“We are going to have question him.” said the white armor hero.

		“Why,” said Clark, “Where he is now is where he should stay.   If he is let out he will just attempt to harm innocent lives again.”

		“We’re prepared to deal with him,” said Alpha, “We know all about what he has done.”

		“Then why didn’t you come and stop him if you were so prepared?” asked Clark.

		“It wasn’t our place to interfere,” said the white armor hero, “he didn’t pose a threat to the balance of power.”

		“What is your name again?” asked Clark, “I seem to keep intentionally trying to forget it.”

		“Ultimus,” said the white armor hero.

		“Well, Ultimus, you should have interfered,” said Clark, “If you had, so many innocent lives wouldn’t have been lost.”

		“We were busy elsewhere fighting a true threat to the balance of power,” said Alpha, “The muscled brute you fought with in this time was allowed to go through the time barrier since we had a bigger threat to deal with.”

		“Where is he?” asked Ultimus.

		“The Phantom Zone,” said Clark, “the place where his kind belongs.”

		“Take us to the Fortress of Solitude then,” said Alpha, “We need to question him on the next move his people are going to make.”

		“What people?” asked Clark, “You mean there are more brutes like him?”

		“Yeah,” said Carlisle, “A lot of them.”

		“The others of his kind are more powerful and much more dangerous than any threat he alone could pose.” said Alpha.

		“Where and when does he come from?” asked Clark, “His strength is beyond anything I’ve come against since I fought Doomsday.”

		“His race is nameless,” said Ultimus, “although the natural humans of that time refer to them as ultra-humans.”

		“Ultra-humans are endowed with powers beyond those possessed by any super human or meta-human.” said Alpha.

		   Clark looked away from his unwelcome visitors.   “If I let you question him does that mean you will leave right away afterwards?”

		“Unfortunately no,” said Ultimus as he adjusted his white cloak, “The reasons why we are here is to seek your help.”

		“My help??” said Clark in a baffled voice, “Why would you need my help when you have all the powers you need to handle any foreseeable threat?”

		“We’ve been able to contain the ultra-humans to a certain area of the time line for awhile now with our power,” said Alpha, “but, unfortunately, the ultra-humans have the ability to adapt and overcome certain obstacles.”

		“Their numbers have grown dramatically through self-cloning procedures,” said Ultimus, “their numbers alone populate an entire planet at their end of the time line.”

		“Do they pose a direct threat to Earth?” asked Clark.

		“Very much so,” said Alpha, “a very imminent threat if they aren’t stopped.”

		“I will let you question him but under one condition.” said Clark.

		“Name your proposition,” said Ultimus, “and we will consider it.”

		“I don’t want him harmed,” said Clark, “and I don’t want him killed.      We do this thing my way or not at all.”

		“It seems we have no choice but to comply with your conditions.” said Alpha, “You are the only one in the entire universe that possesses the technology to breach the Phantom Zone.”

		“Meet me at the Fortress of Solitude tomorrow,” said Clark, “We will conduct our deal then and only then.”

		“Agreed,” said Ultimus, “this time.”

		Alpha, Ultimus and Carlisle ascended up the boarding ramp of their time ship.        The ramp hissed closed and the time ship disappeared in a bright flash of light followed by a concussive thunder boom.           Clark stood quietly for a few moments.     ‘I guess I’ve gotten enough time off.’ he thought.

		The next day the Fortress of Solitude was filled with the brilliant light display and noises associated with the arrival of the time ship.    Superman leaned against a crystalline stalagmite structure as he watched the questionable time traveling heroes come towards him.

		“I take it you just came from yesterday,” said Superman, “Am I right?”

		“Yes,” said Alpha, “why wait twenty four hours when we can leap ahead and conduct the interrogation sooner than later?”

		“Oh wow,” said Carlisle with a smile stretched out upon her crimson lips, “I never thought I’d get to see Superman in his actual uniform let alone get to be in his presence.”

   		“Um, thanks,” said Superman in response to Carlisle’s comment, “Lets just get this over with.”

		Superman activated the Phantom Zone projector’s visual window.        Upon spotting the muscle bound man-monster he had fought just recently he activated the recall function.       The projector flashed to life and the man-monster materialized before the time jumpers and Superman.

		“Freedom at last,” said the man-monster as he got to his feet, “There is no prison that can hold me.”

		“Don’t be so sure,” said Superman, “You are only out on a temporary visit to this dimension so that you can have a word with my friends here.”

		The man-monster looked towards Alpha and Ultimus and spat at their feet.    “Those who haunt my people dare to request an audience with me?” he roared.

		“We want to ask you a few questions,” said Ultimus, “The method we use to make you talk is totally up to you.”

		“I urge you to choose the hard way,” said Alpha, “that way I might get a little enjoyment out of this whole experience.”

		“There will be no “hard way” as far as I’m concerned,” said Superman, “He may have killed innocent people but that doesn’t give you or anyone else the right to torture him.”

		“It isn’t torture,” said Alpha, “I think of it as “forceful inquiry” which is a much nicer phrase.”

		“I will not talk to the likes of you.” spat the man-monster, “I’d rather be returned to that cesspit in the Phantom Zone.”

		  Ultimus slowly walked towards the man-monster while Alpha took a position to run interference with Superman.

		“Last chance, choose the easy way and you will not be harmed.” said Ultimus.

		“We made a deal,” said Superman with a scowl, “Harm him and I whisk him back to the Phantom Zone with the press of a button.”

		The Phantom Zone projector was forcefully yanked out of Superman’s hands by a telekinetic command from Alpha.

		“I apologize, Clark,” said Alpha as he brandished the projector device, “But your way will get us nowhere.”

		Superman flashed forward with a burst of super speed towards Alpha.       Alpha smashed him across the chest with a powerful telekinetic wave that knocked Superman completely off of his feet.          The Man of Steel crashed into a crystalline formation sending shards of glass-like crystal all over the floor.         

		Alpha imprisoned Superman in a force field while Ultimus stretched a hand out towards the man-monster.          

		“You will have to force the information you seek out of me,” said the man-monster, “Or beat it out of me.”

		“We won’t have to even lay a finger on you.” said Ultimus, “I am truly sorry for your lack to cooperate.”

		Mystic energy gathered around the outstretched hand of Ultimus and beams of lightning energy streaked out from his fingertips.       The man-monster wailed in pain as the lightning streams traversed through his nerve endings bringing a searing pain upon him.

		“Argh!” wailed the man-monster as the lightning blast forced him to his knees.

		“What are your people planning?” asked Ultimus, “where are their forces hiding?”

		“I will tell you nothing,” said the man-monster, “bring on the pain.”

	             The ground thundered and shook as Superman beat against his force field prison with rage and fury.           “Stop it!!!” he shouted, “You’re no better than him if you continue this torture.”

		 Alpha suddenly unleashed a telekinetic wave and took hold of the man-monster.        With telekinetic strength, Alpha began to slowly crush the man-monster.          

		“Care to change your mind?” asked Alpha.

		The man-monster was lifted off of the ground under the telekinetic power and was forced to endure more crushing pressure.   Several bones in the man-monster’s body began to crack and snap.           The pain became too much for the man-monster to bear and he finally cracked.

		“Ngh…..stop….please,” said the man-monster as he grunted and winced in pain, “I…will tell you ….whatever you want.”

		Superman ceased pounding on his force field imprisonment and regained his composure.   “Let him go,” he said, “he has already agreed to talk.”

		Alpha released his telekinetic hold on the man-monster.    The man-monster was dropped to the ground.    

		“Now answer my questions,” said Ultimus as he knelt down beside the crumpled man-monster, “Where are your people hiding and what are they planning?”  

		“I…do not know where my people hide,” groaned the man-monster, “I….I do know what they are planning.”

		“Speak up then,” said Alpha, “We can’t hear you.”

		“This world has….has been selected for destruction by my supreme master,” said the man-monster,   “All forms of life are to be extinguished.”

		“When,” said Ultimus, “when is this course of destruction going to happen?”

		“It shall begin in three days,” said the man-monster, “That is why I came through the time stream early on so I could pit my strength against the Superman of legend.”

		“Where will your people strike?” asked Alpha, “Make me ask again and the consequences won’t be pretty.”

		“Metropolis,” said the man-monster, “The city of Metropolis is where my master’s forces shall strike.”

		“Metropolis?” said Superman, “why there after all of the destruction you have already caused?”

		“Legends spoke of you being the most powerful being on the Earth during this time,” said the man-monster, “A first strike in Metropolis would thwart your interference early on.”

		  “That will be all,” said Ultimus as he got to his feet, “He obviously isn’t intelligent enough to answer any further questions.”

		Alpha disengaged the force field thus releasing Superman from imprisonment.         He then tossed the Phantom Zone projector back to the Man of Steel.

		“Put him back in the Phantom Zone before we change our minds on the matter of killing him.” said Alpha. 

		Superman activated the Phantom Zone projector and sent the man-monster back to the Phantom Zone.       After he placed the projector back on its pedestal he walked towards Alpha.

		“We had a deal,” said Superman with a frown, “You weren’t going to harm him.”

		“We didn’t kill him,” said Alpha, “Be thankful that we at least upheld that portion of our deal.”

		“I’m sure there could have been another way to interrogate that guy.” said Carlisle.

		“Unfortunately with his kind,” said Ultimus, “such a thing is not possible.”

		“Just how much damage can your armor protect you against?” asked Superman.

		“Why do you ask?” asked Alpha.

		In a blur of super speed Superman drew back his fist and smashed Alpha across his armored chest with a powerful strike.        The ground shook and a thunderclap blasted through out the chamber.       The force of the strike sent Alpha hurtling backwards through the air to the point where he crashed through a few crystalline walls of the Fortress before he came to a stop.

		“Oh my goodness,” yelped Carlisle in shock, “Alpha, are you hurt?”

		Superman stood with his arms crossed as he watched Alpha teleport back into the chamber.

		“I’m fine, Carlisle,” said Alpha, “I’ve been through worse assaults than the one Mr. Kent incurred upon me.”

		“Next time, if you pull a stunt of torture before me again, what you felt just now won’t compare to what I can really do.” said Superman in a serious tone,  “I will not stand by and let you torture anyone, even my fiercest enemies, like that ever again.”

		Ultimus, Alpha and Carlisle made their way towards the time ship.        Alpha then turned and gazed upon Superman.

		“You’ve got three days to prepare your allies for the battle,” said Alpha, “with the ultra-humans coming down in full force we will need all of the able bodied fighters we can get.”

		Alpha then disappeared into the time ship.   The boarding ramp hissed closed behind him and the ship disappeared in a flash and thunder boom.                  Superman was left behind alone to begin rallying the rest of the world’s super humans against the oncoming threat that loomed before Metropolis and the rest of the world.

			To Be Continued…