Chapter 30:

Cado pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to tune out the panicked voices of the women around him. Initially, he'd thought that this was some sort of ruse. That his technology - as impossible as it may be - was hacked, with the voice being some sort human terrorist.

But it wasn't. He could sense the ki coming from the ship in the sky, with its denizens. The people on the ship were both alien and familiar to him. Alien, because their ki signature didn't match any of residents on Earth barring Kal-El. And familiar, because a part of him could feel that those signatures... called out to him, for lack of a better term.

Growling as the noise continued to rise in pitch, he shouted out, "Enough!"

The room was silenced as all eyes were now on him. He sighed as he stood up, his tail twitching to showcase his agitation. "I need to come up with a plan to deal with this."

Bulma frowned at him. "Cado, how exactly are we going to deal with this?! This is basically like another Hieta! You remember the last time that he arrived! You-"

"The difference for this is that I'm stronger," the Saiyatonian uttered, cracking his neck. "And more prepared."

Kasumi frowned. "I thought that you were the last Kryptonians. You and Kal-El."

"I thought so, too. Until now." Sighing, Cado brought out a capsule and popped it open, revealing his combat armour. "Don't worry. I plan to have a talk with my fellow aliens."

"W-Woah, wait!" Lois exclaimed, making all eyes go to her. "A-Are we just going to ignore the fact that aliens are invading Earth?! A-And t-they hacked our technology! What are we going to do?! What-"

"In order," Cado interrupted, bringing his fingers to tick off what needed to be done, "We're used to it, yes, but to be honest, it's not an impressive feat, your tech is useless against superior versions, and I-" He made sure to point at himself. "-will deal with this problem."

"W-Wha-" Lois did her best to calm down, but it wasn't working. "Look, Cado. I know you're strong, but these are aliens. As in plural. You can't possibly think you can handle an invasion. Y-You can get other heroes, like Superman-"

"Kal-El is Superman," Cado interrupted. "Your partner, Clark Kent, is the one in blue. Who apparently didn't inherit this planet's fashion sense." That last sentence was whispered to himself.

Lois' eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets. "C-Clark is-" Eyes rolling into the back of her head, Lois fainted. It was only thanks to Mai catching her that she didn't hit the ground.

"Dramatic," she grumbled, rolling her eyes at the action. She turned to Cado. "So, what do you plan to do?"

Cado sighed. "I'm... unsure. It's best if I have a... talk with Zod."

"What do you know about him?" Cammy asked, curious.

"I know that he's a warmonger. That he's a proud general for the Kryptonian army. Also... he seemed to have a grudge against my father for crimes that he had committed." He donned his armour. "From my own observations, Zod would either take Kal-El and mould him into his own weapon, or try destroying Earth."

"Really warming our perspective of your people," Kasumi retorted in a deadpanned voice.

Cado shrugged. "You're the one who got with me in the first place. Now, I need to meet a certain general."

"And save the planet," Chun-Li added.

"Right, right," Cado nodded, treating it like an afterthought. He opened a window and flew out, hoping to meet Kal-El before he did anything.

XXX

The doors of the Kryptonian ship stored near the Kent househole opened to allow Clark entrance. He closed the door, all noise from outside dying instantly.

"Dad?" he yelled, panic settling in his gaze too easily. It was a foreign feeling for him, feeling so afraid. Not for himself, but for his planet. "Dad?!"

"I'm part of the ship's systems, son. You do not have to yell," Jor-El explained with a smile, appearing behind him.

"Did you hear what happened?" Clark asked, not in the mood for jokes.

Jor-El's smile disappeared as he nodded.

"Did you know Zod was alive?" Clark asked, getting closer.

"No," Jor-El answered honestly. "In my calculations and predictions, Zod was not one of them. No matter how much I had wished it."

Clark frowned at the last sentence, but he continued, persistent for answers. "What do you mean?"

"Zod had assassinated a member of the Council. He organised a coup against the council, killing me in the process. There was only one possible sentence for those crimes: the Phantom Zone."

"The Phantom Zone?" he questioned, confused.

"The Phantom Zone is a subspace plane of existence," Jor-El explained. "Another dimension, to be exact. The Kryptonian people have been using it as a form of containment for criminals for thousands of years. Zod and his people were sentenced to it, after his failed coup."

Nodding slowly, Clark digested the information. But then a thought popped into his head. "Then how did he break out?"

"I am... unsure," Jor-El finally answered, frowning in thought. "Krypton's explosion probably released him somehow. That, however, would not be enough to guarantee his survival."

Clark sighed. "Great. I keep thinking I'm the last of my race, and I keep getting more survivors. As if Cado wasn't enough."

"Cado?" Jor-El questioned, the name sounding foreign to him. "Wait, 'more survivors'? You're talking about Jax-Ur's son?! Why didn't you tell me he was on Earth?!"

"It's... a long story," Clark managed to say. His most recent memory of his godbrother souring his thoughts. What right did he have to lecture him?! He was a full-blooded Kryptonian! Better, stronger! Stronger than anything on this planet!

"Is he with Zod?!" Jor-El continued to question.

"I don't know," Clark answered, because he wasn't sure. Cado was a wildcard. He didn't know how he'd act to Zod's invitation. Would he capture him and offer him to Zod as a peace offering? Save the Earth and his business while damning his own life? He was unsure, and the answer was something he wasn't sure he wanted. "Back with Zod, how did he even find me?! The distance to travel from Krypton to Earth is large enough-"

"27.1 light years, to be exact," Jor-El added.

"-and that's taking into consideration the fact that Zod could escape the Phantom Zone in the first place. H-He would need some kind of... some kind of wormhole or something-"

"Yes," Jor-El interrupted, a knowing look entering his eyes. "And I know how he did it. The only possibility that could take place is that he somehow managed to retrofit the Phantom Zone Projector – the 'gate' that we used to reach the Phantom Zone – into a Phantom Drive. That is the name I gave to the hyperdrive that I created to power the ship that brought you here. Simply put, it works by bending space; it opens a tear into space, making the ship cross through the Phantom Zone, only to exit in another destination."

"So, a wormhole would be created," Clark stated.

"Yes. Zod's crew must have somehow managed to replicate what I did. It's the only possible way for them to make their way here."

Nodding, Clark asked the million-dollar question on his mind. "And now that he is here, what does that mean to us? For... me?" he asked.

Jor-El hestitated on his answer, unsure as to how his son would take it. "I don't know," he said, finally.

Clark widened his eyes. "What do you mean, you don't know?! How much of a threat is he?!"

"Kal, I can't answer this as easily as you expect. There is much I don't know."

"He killed you!" the Kryptonian exclaimed. "Doesn't that automatically mean he is bad news?!"

"But he was also, once, one of my best friend," Jor-El retorted. He sighed, retelling what he knew. "The greatest general Krypton ever had. The sword and shield of our people, that protected us from hundreds of threats, both from inside and outside. A man I once called brother."

Clark couldn't believe this. He didn't come here to ponder if Zod was a bad guy or not, he came to come up with a solution to his problem. And now his father was in doubt if he would even consider him a threat at all.

"So you think he isn't a threat?" Clark questioned, struggling to understand.

"What I think, my son, is that you have to decide for yourself after meeting him," Jor-El stated.

"And if he kills me the same way he killed you?!" Clark exclaimed, panic settling into his body. "If after that he decides to destroy Earth 'just because'? What do I do then? I doubt Cado will even help me! He hates me! Besides, it's likely that he'll even agree with what Zod is preaching!"

His father eyed him seriously for a moment; and then, his eyebrow raised itself, coming to an answer by himself. "You are afraid," he concluded.

"Of course I'm afraid!" Clark yelled, looking at his father's hologram incredulously. "There's a general orbiting Earth right now threatening my home! My mother, my friends, they are all at risk here and you are surprised that I'm afraid?!"

"Are you sure that is the reason you are afraid?" Jor-El questioned.

"Yes! What else would I have to be-"

"Is the fact that there's more Kryptonians on Earth bothering you?" he questioned, making his son shut up. "Son, I can tell what you're thinking. A part of you is delighted on the idea of there being more of you, while split between the despairing thought of having to fight – and possibly even having to kill – said people for the protection of Earth."

Clark was silent, his father's analysis on him grating on his nerves.

"Yet, it's not only that, is it?" Jor-El continued. "You don't like the fact that beings with your capabilities – your gifts – are around you. It makes you feel threatened. That you're not special. Not to yourself, to the humans of this Earth, to anyone."

"Look, I-" "Clark," his father interjected. "You were sent to Earth to be a beacon of hope, to live free from Krypton's dark and swift end. And while you use your gifts to protect, that does not mean you lord over others like a god."

"I know that!" Clark snapped, anger dancing in his eyes. "B-But I... I've been living as a human for so long, even though I'm not. Forced to fit in, forced to treat everything like... it's made out of glass.

"And so I decided that... 'Superman' would be the way I could express myself. To be praised for my powers, instead of being treated like a freak. To actually feel praised. I..." He struggled to continue.

"I understand where you come from, my son," Jor-El stated. "And yet, you must remember, to curb your attitude and discipline yourself. But that is not what you've come to talk to me about.

"Realise that – while your way of going about it is wrong – your powers make you special. You are my son, a member of the House of El. When you fully realize this, you'll see that you don't need to be afraid of anything ever again."

Tearing up slightly, all Clark could do was nod.

"Son, I am proud of the man you have become. Lara would be too and my only regret is that Zod's coup robbed us the time it would take to load her memories and personality as well," he paused, still looking at Clark without blinking. "Whatever you choose to do, go to Zod or not, you will have my full support. But I want you to know, that if you choose to go, you won't be alone. Ask Cado."

"But, I-" Clark started, only for Jor-El to interrupt him.

"If he truly is genuine in wanting to help you - in wanting to save you - then he'll help you. Trust me."

He could almost feel his father's hands on his shoulders, his words filling him with warmth.

"Thank you," he replied, the words filling him with courage. He made to go, only for Jor-El to say something else.

"Before you go, there's something that I need to tell you," his father stated, making him raise an eyebrow.

XXX

Clark sat on a bench near his parents' home, the elderly being advised to stay indoors. None of them were happy to do so, and insisted on bringing him inside with them to protect him, but he convinced them otherwise. Now he sat there, thinking.

"Thought I'd find you here," Cado's voice called out, floating down to the ground.

Nodding, Clark didn't say anything. Sighing, Cado walked up to him.

"Do you think I should give myself up to Zod?" Clark asked him without turning. "If I surrender myself, will he let Earth be free?"

Raising an eyebrow, Cado decided to give his own input. "I don't know. However, I heard the stories of Zod. Of how he lead Krypton's army to slaughter and kill those who opposed him and the planet. Times may have changed, but even I'm unsure as to whether Zod's mindset has."

Clark's shoulders slumped. "So you think an invasion is inevitable?"

"It could be," Cado said slowly. "Or it could be avoided." He paused, shaking his head. "Wow, never thought that I would say that."

"Do you know why Zod would come to Earth for me?" Clark questioned. "It can't be just because I'm alive. Even if him and my father were friends-"

"It could be to reunite the Kryptonian race," Cado suggested.

"Funny, sounds like something you'd say," Clark snorted. Only for Cado to roll his eyes.

"Kal-El, Zod hated my father," he admitted, getting a surprised look on his face. "It was due to the crimes he'd admitted. Also had something to do with 'him being an inferior Thinker in comparison to Jor-El'. His words, according to my father. So I doubt that he'd be happy to see me. Especially given the fact that I'm a half-breed."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he continued. "We don't know Zod's objectives completely. Whether it's to kill you, or kill me, or destroy Earth, or to recruit you, or to do all of the above, his aim is unclear. Ignoring Earth for a moment, we need to think carefully. If possible, remove him from the planet, and disarm him or any other Kryptonian. Negotiate with them somehow."

Clark blinked. "Wow. You're right; I didn't think you'd say that. I thought you would've been all for either joining Zod or killing him."

Cado rolled his eyes. "The former is in limbo, and the latter is not happening. We're the last of our race, no point in spilling precious Kryptonian blood."

Clark frowned as he stood up to face his godbrother. "So, it's okay to kill humans who break the law, but aliens are okay?"

"Kryptonians," Cado clarified. "They're Kryptonians. Our people. We're the last of a dying race. Excuse me for giving a damn about that fact more than the lives of seven billion plus people."

"It doesn't matter if it's one person or a billion, killing people is wrong! They should be taken down, not out!" Clark yelled, getting in Cado's face.

The Saiyatonian sneered. "Is that the same speech you gave the Gonzales brothers, right before they killed, maimed and raped said innocent people?"

Clark's face paled, stumbling back as if he'd been physically hit. "I-I-"

"What about the Red Riders? Or the other scum that you let go in order for your ego to be stroked? Because that's what it's all about. Your ego." Cado stepped towards him, getting closer. "I may be arrogant, but at least my ego doesn't need to grow bigger because I act as some sort of false saviour. It's in the work that I do that I know that I excel in.

"Now, if you're done with your little speech, we can get onto the real work. We don't know Zod's plans, and we can forget about getting any aid from the humans - and before you say anything, Kal-El, use your super hearing towards north-east of here."

Frowning, Clark concentrated, straining to hear what Cado was so insistent on him hearing. His eyes widened upon each word spoken.

'We have to hand this Kal-El over to Zod,' came what sounded like General Swanwick, one of the leading military officers. 'By any means necessary'.

'That Cado freak lied to us!' General Lane - another well-known military officer - spoke. 'He told us that he was the last of those alien freaks. What's even worse; we've had an alien living amongst us all this time!

'We need to take both of them in! We have questions that need to be answered!' General Swanwick barked, the shuffling of feet ruffling through the voices.

Cado gave a deadpanned look to the shame-filled Clark. "Still think humanity is willing to help us?"

Sighing, Clark nodded slowly. "Okay, you're right. So, what do we do?"

Cado smiled grimly. "We go meet Zod."

XXX

The ground site was crowded. Soldiers, generals, even familiar faces were seen on the area.

General Swanwick stared at the hero before him. "Look, not that I'm not thankful that you're here, Batman. But I think that a couple of freakish aliens are more dangerous than some costumed clowns and circus freaks."

The Dark Knight's gaze didn't waver as he stared the man down. "I know. But I'm sure that you will need every resource imaginable to try to take down this threat."

"Which is why I'm here!" a loud, exuberant voice called out, a red blur zipping past both of their visions, revealing it to be a man in a skintight red suit with lightning bolts fashioned on it, particularly around his chest. "Flash, reporting for duty, sir!" the Flash exclaimed, his right hand in the traditional salute.

Batman narrowed his eyes, while Swanwick glared at the man. "Listen, freak. No one has asked for your input!"

Flash flinched at the remark, but he managed to bounce back. "Come on, General. I'm a regular guy like you... just a thousand times faster. Least I'm not a genocidal alien, huh?!"

"Thank God for that," the man replied dryly. He would've said more, but commotion was heard from around them. Frowning, he looked around at his men, confused at seeing them point upwards. He looked up, only to snarl.

Cado and Superman descended from the air, in front of General Swanwick. Tanks, guns, jets, the most advanced weapons Earth could offer, and pretty much anything that could be used to harm someone was pointed at the two aliens upon their arrival.

"Well, you've gotten our attention. What is it that you want?" Swanwick snarked.

Cado made to say something, only for Superman to intercede. "We're here to try to negotiate with Zod. Try to convince him to call off this... invasion. We were hoping that you would help us."

"I find that hard to believe," Batman commented, an immediate glare on his face.

Superman made to say something, only for Cado to interrupt. "And who are you? Another Halloween reject?"

Flash snorted as he tried to hold back his laughter as Batman turned his glare to the Saiyatonian. "My presence or identity is none of your business-"

"Good. Then you can do us all a favour and get out of our way."

Batman made to advance towards him, only for Cado to give the man a quick shove. Of course, shove was a light term, as Batman was sent skidding back for a good few miles away from the space he previously was, the ground scraping under his body.

Unbothered, Cado kept on looking at Swanwick, who had raised his sidearm at him. "You will comply, freaks," the man threatened. "You, and your fucking influence, are all going to be taken away. You hear me?! Your filth, your tech, and especially anyone close to you will be eradica-"

Cado's eyes glowing was all the warning Swanwick received, before all of the weapons that he had drawn - including his men - were disintegrated, along with their hands. There were several cries of pain and horror as each soldier witnessed their literal disarming.

The Saiyatonian made to walk towards him, only for Superman's hand to move quickly to his shoulder. "Enough!" he barked, clenching his fingers around his shoulders. "Their good people-"

"We've had this discussion before, Kal-El," Cado stated, smacking his arm away as he headed straight. "Zod is the only presence I care about here. You'd do well to remember that."

Sighing, Superman wished everyone there a heartfelt apology as he followed Cado. He was quickly trailed by the Flash. "So, great to finally meet you, Supes. Flash, big fan. Also, uh, you're friend's kind of terrifying."

Superman managed a strained smile. "Believe me, I know."

XXX

Zod stood watch in front of the big window on his ship's bridge, motionless. He was staring at the planet in front of it, studying it as if he wanted to dissect it. There was no concrete emotion on his face. However, his mind was cycling through different emotions inside his mind; longing, sadness, envy… anger. Many people never realized what they had until they had lost it, but Zod was one of the few who knew precisely what Krypton meant and he gave everything he had to save it. Only to fail when it mattered the most.

Until the long-lost search started to consume him. He could still remember the feeling of finally uncovering the truth that had been hidden from him for so long.

Flashback

A man gazed out at the myriad star systems before him. For almost three decades, he had searched for the Codex, the key to rebuilding Krypton. His friend, Jor-El, had truly been a Thinker above all others. Kal-El; practically a ghost story that his loyalists have been forever chasing without finding.

Krypton's High Council was a disgrace. They had become arrogant and ignored his friend's warnings. Because of them, their race was almost extinct. Being sent to the Phantom Zone was a blessing in disguise. This was because it had ultimately saved him and his crew. They weren't on Krypton when the planet's core completely collapsed. Jor-El's son was the key to finding the Codex.

He had travelled through many galaxies aching to hear rumours of any stray or lost Kryptonian. Any signs of his people being alive.

And so he kept searching, and searching. Until he managed to pick up an energy feedback loop from a Kryptonian ship. Triangulating from Earth.

He had waited for so long. To finally hear - to see - proof that his people were still alive. In his mind, only one Kryptonian could be alive, after all these years.

Kal-El

End Flashback

Zod had finally found Kal-El. His driven search would yield to amazing results. And when he located the Codex, he would be able to create the legend that destiny itself was fearful of their power and attempted to make them extinct, but hadn't succeeded. Krypton would be reborn.

"General, they are amassing their forces as we wait," said Faora-Ul, his sub-commander, from behind him.

"Are they?" Zod asked, without turning. He chuckled mirthlessly. "It seems that this... primitive race, has not heard tales of Krypton's glory and power. I will have to rectify that."

XXX

Cado and Clark stared at the sky, hearing the ship approach before seeing it.

"Do you think we can handle this?" Clark asked, albeit slightly nervously. His father's words whispered themselves into his ears, and he evaluated them as he spoke.

"We should, provided things go exactly as planned," Cado replied.

Clark gave a deadpanned look. "Look, I may not be as 'smart' as you claim, but even I know that shit will hit the fan soon."

Cado made to reply, only to blink. "Wait, you curse?!"

Clark gaped at him. "I-Is that what you're concerned about?! Right now?!"

"You face one alien coming to Earth, you face all of them. And you're not answering the question; since when do you curse?!"

Confused at the first half of his sentence, Clark hesitated as he blushed. He managed to say, "Don't tell Ma I do that" just as the dark grey ship came down from the sky with amazing velocity, almost touching the ground as it hovered in his direction. It stopped suddenly, opening its flaps like four bug wings, turning in air and finally landing, its engines making Clark's cape sway.

A ramp extended down, touching the ground, and two people got out of the ship. The two of them were women, going by the shape of their bodies, and both of them were completely covered in a black Kryptonian skinsuit and black Kryptonian armour, complete with a helmet packed with a breathing device. One of them, the one who stayed close to the ship, was holding some kind of weapon.

The other woman, however, was unarmed. She had kept walking without hesitation in the direction of the two, the black cape trailing behind her dancing to her moves, until she stopped in front of him. Her breathing device retracted itself inside her armour and her helmet becoming more and more transparent.

The woman - with her face being fully revealed - was a very beautiful woman, with short dark hair, red full lips and piercing blue eyes. Her eyes looked at Clark, going all the way up from his feet, drinking every detail, until they stopped on his face.

Cado withheld a smile while Clark looked uncomfortable. This woman was a warrior; of that he was certain.

"Kal-El," she said, facing Clark. Her voice carrying almost no emotion at all. "I'm sub-commander Faora-Ul. On behalf of General Zod, I extend you his greetings."

Unsure of what to answer and still very bothered by the predator eyes of the Kryptonian woman in front of him, Clark just nodded in response.

Faora turned to look at Cado, an eyebrow raised. "And you are?"

"My Kryptonian name is Van-Ur," the Saiyatonian responded, and a look of familiarisation entered Faora's eyes.

"Ah. You must be the son of Jax-Ur. I had heard tales from General Zod that he had mated with... an inferior lifeform."

Clark winced while Cado's eyes narrowed, almost becoming demonic red. "Inferior?"

"Hmm?" Faora seemed to gain a cruel smile. "Yes. His exact words. Although, any outsider that was granted asylum and had roots of barbarianism-"

Cado moved, appearing as a blur - only visible to Clark and the Flash. He punched Faora in the gut, her eyes widening in both surprise and pain. Sweeping her legs from under her, Cado throat-slammed her into the ground.

The other Kryptonian stalked forward quickly, snarling. Only for Cado to raise his right hand and fire a short but powerful kiai, sending her flying and knocking her down.

Faora thrashed, hands on Cado's own. "Inferior vermin-" She kept on choking as Cado continued to strangle her. The ship seemed to morph, bringing out several guns and cannons that were aimed at the assembled group. They seemed to fire blue energy blasts towards them, getting everyone prepared to either evade or dodge.

Cado, however, seemingly glared at the oncoming lasers, forming a ki barrier that managed to block all of the blasts. The onslaughts kept on going for a few seconds, before he snarled. He held out his hand and fired a powerful ki blast that overpowered the ship's ammunition, sailing straight for the blasters themselves.

A powerful BOOM sounded out, smoke being produced from the collision. Once the dust had settled, it was revealed that a good chunk of the ship had been damaged, with the guns and cannons partially destroyed.

Cado stared down at Faora, who kept uselessly hitting at his armour. He leaned down, making sure his voice was heard. "If you ever insult my mother again, I'll obliterate you. Understand?"

Faora made her displeasure known by glaring at him murderously, but the tightening of her eyes and the strangled noises she kept on making made Cado assume that she'd received the message.

He released her, quickly standing up as he stomped towards the ship. "Clean yourself and get up, you disgrace. You wouldn't want Zod to assume the worst, now would you?"

Gasping, Faora glared at Cado's back. "The general only wanted to see Kal-El!"

"The general can kiss my ass," was the immediate reply.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Clark scowled as he walked forward to follow his godbrother, throwing a displeased look at Faora as he did so.

Once they were all inside the ship, the two female Kryptonians glared at the Saiyatonian as the ship ascended into the air. Cado discretely studied the ship, looking for possible escape routes, while also using his X-ray vision to get a peek at the inner workings of the ship. Despite the position of the ship and the high velocity that they were going, it felt as if they all were in a normal room.

Cado smiled to himself, getting a glimpse of Kryptonian tech outside of his own touch. It was... amazing. Seeing more proof of his people still alive, even after all this time was... He did his best to force down his emotions, focusing on the plans at hand.

Faora, after looking in their direction, turned to speak Kryptonese to the other Kryptonian. At that time, Clark nodded to Cado, who returned the flight didn't take long at all. After a few minutes, Clark could see Zod's ship, Black Zero, orbiting Earth. A gate opened so they could enter and metal arms came to hold the ship down; soon, they were out, following Faora to the ship's bridge.

The first thing the two saw when they arrived in the ample space was a huge window, taken in its majority by the sight of Earth and the sun. Monitors of liquid geo surrounded the place, showing all kinds of information. There looked to be 10 Kryptonians in the room, most of them wearing only a black skinsuit, some with armour on top of it, all looking at them.

And of course, standing by the window and looking down at Earth, was General Zod himself. The man who murdered Clark's father, the man who accused Cado's father of treason, thus smearing his name.

The man turned around, "Kal-El." He smiled, and the two were struck by how real the relief in his eyes was. "You have no idea how long we've been searching for you."

Zod was tall, with a muscled build covered by intimidating black armour. He had short dark hair, a goatee and a big scar on the left side of his face. His most distinctive feature, however, was his eyes: calculating, intelligent, as if they were capable of looking at someone and see everything there was to see.

Zod turned to look at Cado, and took a moment to smile. "And you must be the half-breed; Jax-Ur's son." There were murmurs from the other Kryptonians, words like 'half-breed', 'abomination', and 'inferior freak' the more common ones. Clark had to quickly clamp his hand on Cado's shoulders to get him to calm down.

If Zod even noticed the gesture, he didn't comment on it. "You look so much like your fathers," he continued.

"I take it you're, Zod," Clark said neutrally, refusing to be cowered. If Cado wasn't so pissed, he'd be impressed.

Faora snarled. "General Zod! Our commander, free birth! Fraternising with a lowly being-"

"Faora," Zod raised his voice, eyes narrowing in anger. "We will forgive, Kal-El for any lapses in decorum that he inevitably displays. He is a stranger to our ways, Faora. This is a cause for celebration, not conflict. And of course, having more of our people is always welcome." Zod's face tightened. "Even if they're half-Kryptonian."

"Forgive me, commander." She tapped her fist twice to her chest and Zod nodded, seemingly appeased.

Suddenly, the world starting to spin around Clark and Cado; Zod's words ringing in their ears. Clark felt sick, or what he imagined someone sick would be feeling at least; drained from energy, body aches, difficulty breathing. He held his chest as he felt like coughing, a tightness to his throat somehow forming.

The same could be said for Cado. He felt strange, as if his powers - his strength - were slowly being sapped, his body feeling heavy. Was this some sort of poison that Zod had implemented? But then how were the other Kryptonians unaffected?!

"W-What... did you do?" Clark mumbled out, his tongue suddenly feeling too heavy. Suddenly, his legs couldn't support him anymore; he stepped back, trying to regain his balance, but it was useless. He fell on his knees and then on all fours, blood spilling from his mouth and nose on the ground.

Cado coughed. "Y-You claim to come in peace... y-yet you poison us as we meet face-to-face." He snarled up at Zod. "A cowardly fool if I ever saw one."

Eyes narrowed, Zod backhanded Cado, making him land on the ground painfully. He strode forward, picking him up by the neck as he glared at him. "Watch your tone, boy. I only requested Kal-El, I'd snap your neck and no one would mourn you, half-breed. Your worth is only determined by your closeness to Kal-El, nothing more."

Hissing, Cado managed to spit some blood on Zod's face, getting the older man to grimace even further. He backhanded Cado even harder, making him land on the ground.

Zod turned to look at Clark, who glared at him as he bled. "You are rejecting our ships atmospherics," he answered his unanswered question, struggling to keep control of his temper. "You've spent a lifetime adapting to Earth's ecology but you never adapted to ours. Do not worry, you shouldn't die from this."

Clark's whole body was shaking now, his breath hitched. His muscles failed him and he couldn't support himself anymore, his face hitting the ground as he fell. He began to drift to unconsciousness, his struggles becoming useless.

XXX

Cado gasped as he awoke, grunting as he immediately tried to get his bearings together.

"You have good instincts, half-breed," a voice echoed behind him. He whirled around, ready for a threat, and he received one. Faora was standing calmly, only in a black skinsuit, an eyebrow raised in mocking.

The two quickly observed their surroundings, appearing to be standing in a white void. Though while Cado smiled, Faora scowled.

"What is this?!" she exclaimed, eyes skitting across the surface. "We are in-"

"-My mind?" Cado replied, smirking. "Yeah, I think I'd know that."

"How-" She silenced herself, the telltale signs coming to her. "Torquasm-Vo. You've shielded your mind."

"Of course. Not bad for a half-breed, huh?" Cado mocked.

"No matter. We are interrogating Kal-El as we speak. He will give us the secrets that we need."

"Maybe so, but you forgot one simple matter. This kind of technology goes two ways." Confused at his cryptic message, she was too slow to react to the Saiyatonian grabbing his hand, his hand burning with blue energy.

Shocked, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, only for her to quickly snap back into consciousness. She looked around, the two transported to a new place. A familiar one. Krypton.

The sky was deeply red, because of Krypton's sun, Rao, making everything look as if the planet was under a perpetual twilight. The two of them could see two moons on it, a little one that seemed far away, and a closer, bigger one, that was apparently broken into many pieces. There were multiple dunes covering the horizon, countless towers built on them; the very geography of the planet seemed to be artificially built, making the environment bend to their very will.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he remarked. Faora backed away, snarling.

"How are you doing this?!" she hissed, looking ready to strike him.

"I told you, this is a two-way thing. Just as you used your machine to peer into my mind, I'm using the ancient Torquasm-Vo teachings to connect our minds, to peer into your own." Cado's grin got bigger. "It's not so fun when it happens to you, huh?"

"You will not get inside my mind!" she hissed. Like his own mind, a blank canvas started to form, but it was slow. Artificial. Weak.

"You aren't a proper practitioner of Torquasm-Vo, so you're not used to this. That's fine. I'll just ask you this; what does Zod plan to do with Earth?"

Faora let out a bark, laughing at the absurd of someone notion. "You think that you can stop us?!" Her generals are the best! Someone who had bested everyone in the Krypton's army. Someone who had bested Jor-El, and survived the destruction of their home planet. Yet, here is someone that dares to question her General! "How dare you question the great General Zod! He, who would be our king, our emperor once we had conquered Earth, and I would be his queen!"

"Once he's encountered the Codex, correct?" Cado questioned, still pacing around the 'false' Krypton. "Because that's why Zod came to Earth, isn't it? For the Codex that Jor-El hid in Kal-El's pod. No worries. I'll make sure to pick it up from Zod after he - unfortunately - picks it from his mind.

"Besides, 'queen'?" Cado snorted. "Do you really believe that you would rule at his side? Zod has no need of a Queen if he sees himself as someone above humanity. Especially when he plans of repopulating his kind."

"Cease your dribble, half-breed filth!" Faora snarled.

"Cado ignored her, instead focusing on his goal. "Look, I didn't drag you here to debate, I came here to make a deal." Cado stared at her seriously. "Leave Earth."

"What?" Faora blinked, confused. "You would choose humanity over-"

"That's not what I'm saying," Cado interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I want Krypton back as much as you, but I've grown... fond, of this planet. It has - admittedly - potential. And I have plans for Earth, so terraforming it won't be any good. You can, however, use an uninhabited planet, filled with enough life. I have several resources that can make such a thing happen. Once that is done, you can use the World Engine that you have to change said planet, into the New Krypton."

Faora looked incredulously at him, before she chuckled. A few seconds later, she laughed hysterically. "A-Are you mad?! Do you honestly think that we will simply leave Earth alone simply because you 'ask'?"

"I'm not 'asking'. I'm 'telling'," Cado clarified, eyes narrowing. "And I'm saying this because I'm taking note of all the facts. Let's say for a moment that Zod is successful and meets no resistance. How do you know that he will stay true to his own words?"

"General Zod is always loyal to Krypton! That has never changed!"

"Oh? Like when he planned a coup against the High Council on Krypton? How can he bring glory when he hates Jor-El for the decisions he'd made?" Cado questioned. "It's plain as day. He hates both Jor-El, and my father Jax-Ur, for the consequences caused by their actions."

"They deserved it!" Faora bit back. "Traitors to their own kind! Your father dooming an entire civilisation, and then consorting with an outsider, bringing in 'free-birth' half-breeds into the mix, and throwing our birth chambers away like trash! And then both your father and Kal-El's send you away while our planet died-"

"And while you all rotted in the Phantom Zone, correct?" was the Saiyatonian's swift reply.

"We were trying to protect Krypton!" she retorted furiously. "And yet you side with humanity. Throw your back on your fellow brethren."

The two were now moving. Not physically, but geographically. From Krypton, they moved to the memories of the Phantom Zone; a hellish-looking place that made Faora shiver slightly. Then to the ship, only they both knew that it was a memory.

And then they finally came to a new place, only this wasn't a memory.

It was Earth. But completely different to what both were used to.

Metropolis destroyed. People running in terror, tripping over dead bodies to get to safety. Heroes dead, their bodies strewn across the floor. And in the centre stood Zod, cackling with laughter as he muttered the phrase 'Kneel before Zod' over and over.

"W-Wha-" Faora managed to bring out, only for Cado to continue.

"This is what will happen if Zod continues to pursue his dreams. His hate is stronger than his ambitions to revive Krypton. I managed to pick that up just by looking at him. Despite the flowery language he speaks about Jor-El, he hates the man for his actions, feeling like he abandoned him when he needed help the most. That hate will transfer to Kal-El. Whether it be now, or down the line."

Cado paused as he held a hand to Faora. "This can all be avoided, and Krypton still has the chance of being revived, if a different planet other than Earth is chosen. So, what is your answer?"

XXX

Clark awoke, almost jumping up. His heart beating fast. He tried to get up, but his arms were cuffed by the metal table and he just couldn't break them. It was the Kryptonian atmosphere, he realized, and the ship could somehow filter the sun's radiation, making it impossible for him to refill his energy.

He mentally went over the words he had heard from Zod; so eerily similar to what Cado had told him about Earth in general. Yet, where Cado talked about it due to his pride and love for his planet, Zod talked about it due to his hatred. It was clear as day; the madness that has crept into his mind.

He grit his teeth. He had to get free of his restraints.

"You are wasting your efforts," said Nam-Ek, the one in charge of Zod's scientific work, as Clark tried to pull himself from his restraints. "The strength and power you receive from the sun has vanished. You're now as weak as those pathetic filth you call humans."

After saying this, a needle was jammed into his side, getting Clark to cry out in both pain and surprise. His lack of experience with pain meant that he never developed a tolerance for it. So he had no way to deal with the sudden white hot agony that he was experiencing.

A bloodthirsty smirk was on Nam-Ek's face. "What's the matter, Kal-El? Too weak to handle a simple procedure?" He snarled suddenly. "How pathetic you are! General Zod and Sub-Commander Faora are amongst the finest of our race, surviving against the worst of Krypton's memories with nothing but diligence. You are unworthy of the blood within your veins!"

The needle was removed from his arm. He turned around, eyes struggling to focus on the blood he had drained. "Bah! I am no Thinker! What the general thought of placing me here, I have no idea!"

Taking advantage of his distraction, Clark lightly tapped his finger on the table. The bracelet around his left arm - which was identical to the decoration all Kryptonian skinsuits seemed to possess - began to disintegrate little by little in the air, its metal particles forming some sort of advanced lock and beginning to meddle with his restraints.

"Exactly how strong are we without a yellow sun?" asked Clark, his voice high enough to cover the low sounds that his lock-picking was making. "Are we really just as strong as humans?"

Nam-Ek glared at him, as if the very question seemed to burn him. He seemed to pick up an instrument from a table near him without even looking.

"I'd like to know more about my people-" Clark started to say, only for Nam-Ek to snarl.

"Insolent vermin!" he roared, jamming something else into his arm. Clark cried out again as his body started to scream in pain. "Do not compare us to the residents of this planet!"

Clark screamed in pain, as if his body was being slowly torn apart. He thought that they were trying to keep him alive! So what were they doing to him?!

Nam-Ek seemed to realise that, too. Panicked, he tried to remove the instrument jammed into his arm. "Dammit, fool! You distracted me! You-" He was interrupted by someone hitting him from behind, hard. He promptly fell to the ground, unconcious.

Cado appeared behind the fallen Kryptonian, quickly bringing the object out of Clark's body, freeing his restraints. "Kal-El! Are you alright?!"

"I-I'm... managing..." he wheezed, almost ready to collapse due to the pain. He was pulled upright, leaning on Cado's own body. "H-How did you free yourself? The atmosphere from Krypton-"

"I'm half-Kryptonian," he explained, eyes following the space around them for any oncoming Kryptonians. "Once the air became manageable for me, my Kryptonians were purged. However..." Holding his arm out, he shot a ki blast towards a section of the ship, punching a hole through out once the explosion had died down. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Now, come on. You can heal through the sun's rays."

"But... where-" Eyes widening, Clark had a pretty good idea as to where Zod and the other Kryptonians would go. "No..."

"Yeah, so we need to hurry. Now!" Jumping through the hole, the two were airborne enough to get a good glimpse of the sun's rays. Soaking up the power given to them via their physiology, the two regained their powers and flew to the Kent farm.

However, they were unaware of the new changes happening inside Clark's body.

XXX

The Kents had heard a huge noise just outside of their house. They looked at each other worriedly.

"M-Maybe it's just Clark," Martha guessed, doing her best to calm her racing heartbeat.

Frowning, Jonathan stood up, heading towards the door to check. "I'll go check," he said cautiously. When he opened the door, his breath hitching when he saw two ships landing.

He turned to Martha with a fearful look on his face. "Hide," he said to his wife.

She stood up, her heart racing more and more. "John, what's going-"

"I'll explain later! Just hide! Now!"

Alarmed, she followed her husband's order, looking back at her husband each time as she sobbed slightly.

With slow steps, John went down the stairs of the porch, as the ship opened and a ramp slid down. Three Kryptonians walked out, all fully armoured. Uncertain, John walked to them, a very bad feeling in his chest.

One stepped forward, the others giving him space as he did so. This was likely the 'boss' of the group.

"The craft he arrived in, where is it?" he demanded, without even bothering to introduce himself.

Schooling his features, John did his best to hide his nervousness as he faced the aliens. "I don't know anything. Now get off my farm, now!" He hoped he sounded as brave as he tried to feel.

Snarling, Zod stepped forward and grabbed the man by the neck, lifting him up effortlessly.

John's breath was suddenly cut off as the man's fingers dug deeper and deeper into his neck. His feet dangled in the air, kicking uselessly. His vision kept darkening, either death or unconsciousness awaiting him.

"Stop!" Martha yelled, as all but John looked at the frantic and fearful woman as she stepped out of their home. "Just stop! We'll do what you say, just leave us be!"

"The craft," Zod repeated, narrowing his eyes.

"The barn," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. "Now, please. Let him go."

Dumping John on the ground, Zod jerked his head to one of the other Kryptonians, Car-Val, jumped to the sky. As Martha ran to pick up her husband, he descended right on top of the barn, breaking the roof instantly.

Soon, he jumped back, passing through the hole in the roof, and landing at their side.

"The Codex is not here," he said.

Growling, Zod grabbed John's arm and twisted it, causing him to cry out in pain. Martha opened her mouth to beg, but the Kryptonian wouldn't have it.

"Where has he hidden it?!" he barked.

"We don't know!" John answered, eager to prolong his life.

"Not good enough." With that, Zod picked up John by the neck again and - promptly - snapped it like a twig. The sound hit Martha hard. It took her a good while to react before she screamed sorrowfully, hands going to her mouth as she sobbed.

Right at that moment, two loud supersonic sound made themselves heard in the distance. Clark immediately appeared from nothing, just a blur in the sky, and collided against Zod, both disappearing from sight. Meanwhile, Cado scooped both Kents out of harms' way.

With Clark, he was seething. He had heard the sound of his father's neck breaking. He had heard the pleas flying from his mother's mouth. It lit a fire in his chest; a raging inferno that wouldn't be quenched until the one who was the root cause was dead.

For the first time, Clark wanted to murder somebody.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Clark roared as he slammed Zod deep into the ground, causing a BOOM! to occur. This caused his house to shatter, vegetation being flattened for a good mile.

Zod made to move, but Clark didn't give him that luxury. Another brutal fist slammed into the armour, actually denting it and digging him deeper into the ground. A series of wild punches followed, each one intent on finishing the job and killing the man before him.

"HE WAS INNOCENT!" Clark roared, each punch causing a wave of tears to roll from his eyes. "A GOOD MAN! MY FATHER!" Stopping, he grabbed Zod by the neck and threw him up, flying and slamming him higher and higher into the sky. His superior vision caused him to see Zod's helmet destroyed, his struggling and gasping expression not enough for him.

Each hit sent Zod higher and higher into the air, before Clark grabbed his leg and spun him around for a good few minutes. Zod collapsed into the ground, skipping a good bit and causing tremors to form from each impact. Eventually, he slammed into another home, destroying it instantly.

That wasn't enough. Clark zoomed forward, a wordless roar of rage, pain and sorrow springing forth. He bulldozed the still disorientated Zod deep into the ground, destroying the area around him. Gripping him by the neck, several punches were thrown his way, before he dragged him by the back of his neck through the fields, his face being used to scrape the very ground he ran on.

Clark was a blur, only ending his assault once he threw Zod upwards and released the biggest blast of heat vision he had ever done in his life. "RRRRAAAAGH!" came the roar as the beam pushed Zod upwards, burying a hole into the man's chest as he continued to levitate due to the crimson beam of death.

As he kept on going, he was intercepted by another Kryptonian, Jon-Vex, who tackled him into the ground, disrupting his blast. Grunting, Clark slapped him away, getting the man to grunt.

"Free-birth!" he roared, charging forward, before Cado suddenly appeared, shoulder-tackling him away. Nodding to his godbrother, Cado continued his assault.

XXX

General Sam Lane was seething. He looked calm on all outward appearances, but that couldn't be further from the truth. When that alien freak, Zod, hacked into every technological equipment on the planet he couldn't believe it. Then, he finds out that Superman was an alien this whole time.

No more. No more aliens were going to threaten his world ever again.

Now, he had been given permission from the higher-ups in the Pentagon to use lethal force on these aliens. Including Superman.

Lane looked out the chopper and picked up the radio. "All clear, this is General Lane. I am the airborne commander of this mission. The beings we are about to encounter are very dangerous, and we have been authorised to use deadly force." He held the radio in his palm, waiting for a response.

"Roger, sir. We are inbound to the targets, the missile-lock range is eminently approaching. Over," came the voice on the receiving end.

"Understood, may God be with you, soldiers." Lane sat the radio back into the holster, the ground site already in clear view. He grit his teeth. "Get ready to be sent to hell, alien scum!" he hissed angrily.

XXX

Bruce Wayne was nervous. It was very foreign to him. He hasn't been nervous since the night his parents died, something that he wouldn't allow himself to feel again. Now, he couldn't quell the fear that was rising within his mind. He was about to face god-like beings with only his Batsuit and Utility Belt. He had nothing else, no plan, no weaknesses. Nothing came to mind.

He usually had both mental and digital contingency plans in place for both normal and metahuman threats. But this was a new ballpark for him.

He flew in his own plane as he came closer to the ground site. Ejecting himself, he smoothly opened up his parachute aimed for the ground... only for him to hear military jets darting through the sky. He turned around, just to see the advanced machine guns roar. Eyes widening, he used a Batarang to cut the ropes to his parachute, narrowly evading the bullets as he fell. He didn't know why they were shooting at Superman and Cado - the ones trying to help them - but he would take advantage of the situation at hand.

He landed on the ground as bullets ricocheted off the fighting aliens and he winced at the sound of bullets embedding themselves in the street, concrete ripped open from the sheer force.

Cado raised his hand, and suddenly a shockwave was produced from his hand, blasting away the oncoming fleet. While this did blow away and even destroy most of the fleets safely, it left him open to attacks from his opponent.

Bruce saw as the Kryptonian roared, punching at him, before Cado grabbed the man's wrists and headbutted him, breaking the helmet. The Kryptonian gasped in pain as he wheezed, struggling to overcome Earth's environment. A quick takedown knocked him unconscious.

Some stray pilots were still firing at the aliens, only to get intercepted from above by Faora. Cado grit his teeth, and Bruce watched in shock as Faora appeared on the jet, crashing into the hull, ripping the pilot's head off - blood splattering against the clear glass - and the jet lost control, crashing into the street, raging fires erupting from the burning gas.

Clark looked to aid them, only for a sonic boom to appear suddenly. The Kryptonian gasped as Zod appeared, punching him to the ground and leaving a crater in his wake.

"Did you... think that... you could... incapacitate me?!" Zod yelled, floating to the ground. Eyes were on him as he clenched and unclenched his hand, as if inspecting himself for the first time. "I have mastered my senses, my powers. If you thought that only you, Kal-El, could appreciate the gifts that we deserved, think aga-"

He was interrupted as Cado rammed into him, cracking his neck afterwards. "Man, that guy loves to talk, doesn't he?" he retorted. He noticed that Clark was fighting a behemoth of a Kryptonian. He narrowed his eyes as blurs started to be seen around the two aliens, hitting the armoured Kryptonian. He about to help him, only to catch the punch that Zod tried to blindside him with.

"You dare strike me?!" Zod roared. Grunting, he closed his eyes, allowing for Cado to hit him repeatedly with precise strikes meant to incapacitate. Howling, Zod opened his eyes, firing off a blast of uncontrollable heat vision that Cado narrowly avoided.

Kicking upwards, the Saiyatonian redirected the beams as he fired an Apex Cannon at the general, blasting most of his armour off of him. Closing his eyes, Zod tried to get his bearings right as Cado kept on pressuring him. Snarling, the two aliens sent a flurry of jabs and crosses that caused shockwaves to be produced. Slipping into his guard, Cado fired off a Shoryuken that nicked Zod's chin, sending him flying.

Flying after him, Cado fired off a kick that Zod grabbed. Grinning, he spun him around, before flinging him away. Readjusting himself to halt in midair via his ki, Cado fired off an Art of the Piercing Void. The attack was narrowly dodged by Zod, only for Cado to warp behind him and slam both his fists into the older man's back, sending him straight into the attack.

Zod screamed as his newly adjusted body was slowly being torn apart by the attack, before he managed to push himself out of the attack. Seeing it disappear, he heaved a sigh of relief. Wiping away a trail of blood from his mouth, he snarled at Cado. "I've been Krypton's leading general for years! I was fighting wars while you were nought but a babe, boy! You think you can defeat me?! General Zod?!"

Narrowing his eyes, Cado spoke. "Zod, stand down. I'm not here to kill. If you allow us to talk, we can-"

"Talk? TALK?!" A mad light entered his eyes as he dashed towards the Saiyatonian, his glowing red eyes gaining more light. "The time for talk is over, half-breed! DIE!"

Firing off his own heat vision, both beams of power intercepted each other. While on the outside, the two appeared even, in reality, Cado's attack was pushing through. Zod's powers were slow-coming. As tactful and as cunning as he was, his body still needed time to adjust to his new gifts.

As such, he was unaccustomed to the amount of energy needed. His own attack was overpowered quickly, only Cado's quickness of shutting off his beams before he could take the elder man's eyes out. This did cause a bright flash of light to burst near Zod's eyes, getting him to cry out as he struggled to remain afloat.

Roaring in madness, he surprised Cado by tackling him up into the air. He was eager to gain more power in hopes of overpowering his foe.

The only thing he seemed to have forgotten was that the Saiyatonian would also get stronger via more contact with the sun. Getting high enough, Cado slammed his fists into Zod's back, separating the two. Eyes narrowed, Zod fired heat vision after hear vision, his opponent dodging each attack with more and more ease.

"Stay! Still!" he roared, frustration creeping into his head quickly.

Scoffing, Cado kept on moving closer and closer, elbowing the general in the neck, before spin-kicking in the chest, getting him to fly and hit several buildings. Luckily, Cado avoided any more collateral damage by warping near him and carrying him upwards again. Holding the man's neck, Cado punched him in the stomach repeatedly to slow Zod down.

Seeing him dazed, he looked towards where Clark was fighting, hoping to see if he would need any help. Only for his blood to freeze upon seeing the sight below. Taking advantage of his distraction, Zod kicked Cado away. Deciding that he would need to make a tactical retreat, Zod flew away towards his main ship. Two black blurs followed after him, presumably the other Kryptonians.

Seeing Zod and his allies retreat, Cado flew down quickly, landing on the ground immediately near the destroyed Kent residence. Dashing towards Clark, he moved past the silent Flash and Batman to kneel next to his godbrother, who had tears in his eyes.

He was holding Martha in his hands. A quick X-ray showed that internally she was fine, but was still unconscious. Sighing in relief at having his fears dashed, Cado turned to look at the solemn Clark, who turned his gaze to look at the dead Johnathan Kent.

Surprise! I'm back!

To explain my long absence (a running them for me, I know) I've been looking online for different jobs to provide for myself, and I've been hitting road bumps, which have annoyed me so much that I didn't feel like writing. Also, this chapter was hard to get out for some time because I wanted to make sure that I did it justice. It was sitting in my laptop for weeks, before I decided I wanted to continue it when I had the time.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Lots of changes from the original Man of Steel were made, which I'm proud of. To address them;

- Cado trying to convince Faora to see his own ways. I felt that it would be a nice turn-about, since Faora would immediately try to peer into Cado's mind. Plus, I think Faora would be close enough to Zod to convince him herself. Not that it'd work, but it was good to try.

- Nam-Ek operating on Clark. That's an important tidbit later, even if it is a little minor.

- John dying. I kind of want Clark to feel something from this fight. Not just the normal 'hero learns of bad guy's plan, has an inner monologue, defeats bad guy, the end' kind of thing. The inner conflict is something that'll affect him deeply, which is something that I find... lacking in him, for a better word. I'm pretty sure others would agree with me, but meh.

- Zod getting his powers earlier. Just a consequence of Clark's rage moment, and thus his suit breaking. It'll make the final fight more interesting, as Zod will be given more time to lick his wounds and get more used to his powers, which will be fun.

- The other heroes didn't do much. I know, I know. But next chapter they'll contribute just a bit more. And Flash and Batman are going to be the only 'main' heroes in the story for, like, two or three more chapters.

That's it. Next chapter is the final conclusion of the MoS arc, and I can get to the more fun stuff.

Now, Guest review time:

1.) Soon, yes.

2.) I will after this fic. Well, either it or Technopath Madness, but I do plan to update it very soon. I've put it on the shelf for too long.

3.) I get what you mean, but I kind of want to give a more realistic and logical take on Supes' attitude, and give my take. And I went with your method, which did help. Thx.

4.) Yes, and yes.

5.) Of course. I'm gonna love writing the beat-down scenes.

Glad that's done. I will try and update more frequently, and respond to more PMs (on the latter half, the PM notifications have been wonky as shit, but I'll do my best to get around it).

Thx to all those who f,f,r and r the story. Love y'all. Flamers are promptly ignored.

Read and Review!