[Third Person Pov]
"Strike him again! With max power I said! I want him obliterated!" The commander roared, growing so agitated that he shoved the trembling soldier out of the seat and dropped into it himself. He seized the throttle handle with both hands and slamd it forward to its limit, then hamred the override buttons on the side panel. Alarms blared across the bridge.
The massive muzzle protruding from the flagship's underside flared brighter than the sun, the barrel vibrating with raw power as it unleashed a devastating stream of concentrated energy straight toward Clark.
"Didn't I tell you it was my turn?" Clark sneered, his voice sohow carrying clearly over the chaos, calm but with a playful edge. "Don't be rude—play fair."
His eyes ignited instantly. Twin beams of heat vision erupted outward in a wide, searing torrent of ruby-gold light, cutting through the air with precision. The two opposing energy streams collided with a deafening crack that seed to split the sky itself. For a brief mont, they pushed against each other in a violent stalemate, the air between them warping, bending, and sizzling under the extre heat and pressure.
"Reroute all auxiliary power from the propulsion and shields to the main cannon!" the commander barked into the comms, veins bulging on his forehead. "Everything we have—now!"
"Sir… that will leave the ship completely vulnerable," a subordinate officer protested over the channel, voice tight with fear. "The structural integrity—"
"I said do it!" the commander snarled, cutting him off. "Or I'll have you all court-martialed and shot for treason!"
A heavy pause followed. Then, reluctantly: "…Aye, sir."
Across the fleet, warning lights flashed red in unison as engineers scrambled to comply.
Systems shut down one by one as every available watt of power was diverted. The energy stream from the flagship intensified dramatically, thickening and brightening until it resembled a solid pillar of white-hot plasma, roaring louder as it pushed forward with renewed force.
At the sa mont, Clark's own power surged to et it. "Sol," he called out calmly, his voice steady despite the overwhelming force pressing against him, "augnt solar intake. Maximum."
"Understood, Kal-El," the smooth, synthesized voice of his Sunstone suit's AI responded directly in his mind. "Solar absorption matrices fully opened. Brace."
Clark's golden aura exploded outward, expanding in a brilliant flare that lit up the entire battlefield. He roared as raw solar energy flooded every cell in his body. His eyes widened, the irises shifting into blazing, faceted rubies that burned with impossible intensity. The heat vision beam doubled, then tripled in power, the surge forcing the incoming ship energy backward inch by inch despite its overwhelming size.
The flagship's cannon scread under the strain, the structure unable to contain the energy being forced through it. Then, with a catastrophic boom, the front hull erupted in a massive fireball as the weapon system overloaded and detonated from the inside. Shrapnel and flas sprayed outward in all directions while the massive vessel lurched violently in the air, systems failing one after another.
Clark closed his eyes for a mont, the glow from within still visible through his eyelids.
Even then, the outer edges of his sockets still glowed with residual heat, thin curls of smoke rising from the corners like embers refusing to die.
Yami, watching from the distant rooftop, opened her mouth to speak but only a choked, strangled sound escaped her throat. Her usual composure had completely shattered, her eyes wide as she struggled to process what she was witnessing.
Clark's entire form tightened in the sky, every muscle coiled like steel cables under tension. Then he took off.
The displacent of air was strong—a visible shockwave blasted outward in a perfect ring, shattering what little glass remained in nearby buildings. He beca a white-gold streak, slicing straight through the largest war vessel in one clean, unstoppable pass. The ship split cleanly into two massive halves with a tallic shriek that echoed for miles.
Screams erupted from inside as red ergency lights flashed wildly. Broken sections began their deadly plunge toward the city below.
Before either half could crash into the streets, Clark was already there. With a grunt of effort he caught one colossal piece in each hand—each weighing thousands of tons—his boots digging into the air itself from the sheer force as he halted their descent. Muscles bulging, he roared and hurled both sections outward with all his strength. The two halves rocketed away from the city, arcing high over the skyline before slamming into the distant sea. Twin geysers of water erupted upward on impact, generating massive waves that rolled outward and crashed against the far shoreline.
Clark hovered there for a brief second, his chest heaving as he stabilized himself. He took in a gigantic breath, his lungs expanding visibly, cheeks puffing slightly before he released it in a focused blast. He blew out a hurricane-force gust of super-cold wind, the air freezing instantly as it surged forward. The arctic blast swept across the remaining fleet in an instant. One after another, the massive vessels froze solid mid-air, ice crystals blooming rapidly over their hulls in thick, jagged sheets. Engines whined and died as frost overtook every surface. Inside, soldiers and crew mbers shivered violently, their breath visible as their bodies beca too numb and frozen to even lift their weapons.
With a sharp gesture, Clark extended hand and called forth his Sunstone cape from over Momo and the others, settling over his shoulders, his fingers spreading as if pulling on invisible threads. The red fabric responded instantly, stretching outward unnaturally, splitting into dozens of long, glowing tendrils that shimred with golden energy. They snaked through the air with precise control and wrapped tightly around the frozen ships, coiling around hulls, engines, and weapon systems like living restraint.
With a casual wave of his arm, he sent every single vessel hurtling away in different directions—so toward the green deserts to the north, others into the red rainforests to the east, a few spinning off toward distant mountains and oceans. They vanished over the horizon like thrown stones, reduced to distant specks within seconds.
He moved next at true super speed—his form collapsing into nothing more than a twirling ribbon of white-gold and red energy streaking across the battlefield. The air cracked and shifted from the force of his movent, splitting in his wake.
Wherever the cot-like blur passed, controlled explosions of force followed in precise bursts: soldiers were disard before they could react, weapons torn from their hands and crushed midair, vehicles crumpled inward like paper, and bodies sent tumbling safely to the ground. Not one life was taken. Many were injured—broken limbs twisted at awkward angles, heavy bruises forming instantly, concussions leaving them dazed—but none were dead.
From their rooftop vantage point, Momo, Lala, and Yami tried desperately to track him with their eyes, their heads snapping from one point to another as flashes of light marked his path. But Clark was too fast, only appearing as a flickering ribbon of light and power that never stayed in one place long enough to follow. Explosions blood in his wake like fireworks marking his path, brief bursts of impact that faded as quickly as they ca.
Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.
Clark ca to a complete stop in the center of the devastated square, hovering a few feet above the pavent, debris scattered in every direction. In each hand he carried three unconscious soldiers—three n and three won—limp and dangling like ragdolls, their uniforms torn and marked from the impacts they had endured. Around him, flaming debris from destroyed ships and vehicles drifted down slowly like deadly snow, pieces of tal glowing faintly as they fell.
His eyes still glowed with lingering ruby light, dimr now but still intense. His cape billowed behind him despite the absence of wind, the fabric settling slowly as the energy faded.
Yami stared down in a complete daze, her usual composed expression gone entirely.
For the first ti in her life, she had witnessed the true, raw definition of power, and it left her unable to form words.
Clark slowly began to descend, lowering himself with controlled ease until his boots touched down gently on the street.
The impact was soft, almost careful, a stark contrast to everything that had just happened.
With a casual motion, he tossed the six soldiers onto the pavent a short distance away, their bodies landing with dull thuds, none of them stirring.
The sudden silence that followed was deafening. No more explosions. No roaring engines. No screaming weapons fire. Just the faint crackle of burning debris and the distant sound of settling rubble.
Hesitantly, the blue-skinned alien civilians began to peek out from their hos and hiding places. Doors cracked open just enough for eyes to peer through.
Windows slid up cautiously. One by one, then in small groups, they stepped into the square, their movents slow and uncertain as they took in the scene before them.
Instead of fear or suspicion, their faces gradually filled with raw gratitude and fragile hope as they looked at Clark standing there.
Yargos and his family were among the first to fully erge. They stepped into the open, their eyes moving from the fallen soldiers to the shattered remains of ships scattered across the area.
They stared at the slowly falling debris, but not with terror—rather, with the quiet realization that this was the beginning of sothing better.
Whispers began to spread through the growing crowd, low and uncertain at first before gaining volu.
"Who… who is he?"
"Did he just… save us?"
"Look at what he did to those ships…"
"He's a hero"
Yargos's little her face lighting up with recognition. Her voice rang out clear and excited, cutting through the murmurs. "He's Superman!"
One brave man stepped forward from the crowd, his hands trembling at his sides even as he forced himself to speak. His voice wavered slightly but remained steady enough to carry. "Is that who you are? Are you really Superman?"
Clark stared at him for several long seconds. The silence stretched, internel conflict passing behind his eyes. His expression tightened just slightly. He closed his eyes, taking a slow, steady breath as if grounding himself, then opened them again and gave a single, solemn nod.
"That's right," he said quietly, his voice carrying across the square despite its softness. "I am Superman."
The man reached out carefully, lowering his head in a deep bow as emotion overtook him. "Then please… stop him from trying to conquer our planet. I have family in the other cities. He's going to plunge this world into civil war." His voice cracked under the weight of it. "You are our only hope left. Please, Superman… save us from that tyrant."
One by one, the others followed his lead. They stepped closer, cautiously at first, then with growing confidence. Hands reached out, placing gentle touches on Clark's arms, his shoulders, even his chest—careful, almost reverent contact as if they were afraid he might disappear. Each of them lowered their heads, their voices rising together in a soft, desperate chorus.
"Please… save us."
"He's our only hope."
"Don't leave us to him."
"You're the only one with the power to stop this."
"We're powerless against him"
"I don't want anything happening to my family"
The square gradually filled as more and more blue aliens erged from their hos, drawn by the voices and the sight of hope standing in the center. The crowd grew denser, the circle tightening until Superman stood surrounded on all sides, at the center of a sea of hopeful, pleading faces and outstretched hands.
High above, on the rooftop, Momo, Lala, and Yami watched the entire scene unfold in silence, none of them interrupting the mont.
Momo remained completely still for a long mont, her usual confident smirk gone. Her expression softened as sothing deeper settled in. She clenched her fist tightly at her side, her eyes glistening faintly as the weight of what she was seeing truly sank in.
"I think I get it now" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible even to those beside her. "I now understand why he never wanted to be Superman… and why he still went and did it despite it."
She paused, swallowing hard as her gaze remained fixed on him.
"They are people, planets, out there that need Superman. They need soone who can fight for them, soone who can stand up for them, save them, protect them, liberate them… Soone who they can look up with hope."
'I'm sorry Clark… I'm sorry for never really understanding your burden until now' Momo thought as she closed her eyes, a tear quietly ran down her cheek.
The wind carried the quiet pleas of the crowd upward as the sun began to set over the newly liberated city, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson that reflected faintly in Superman's distant eyes.
********************************************
20 advance Chapters on: patreon/Shadow_D_Monarch3
User Comments
0 comments from readers