The Throne Room, Jor-El's PalaceThe two warriors had been fighting for almost an hour, only making small cuts in each other. Swinging their swords at each other. Despite his chauvinist bravado, Zod felt a twinge of unease. The two swords clashed against each other, each trying to overpower the other.
"You cannot win AMAZON! Your mother fought better than you."
"She did not die in vain, Zod! The gods chose to let her go to teach me to be stronger! And I have succeeded."
"You are so far from success, Diana!" Zod headbutted Wonder Woman, making her drop her weapon; she stumbled and fell to the ground. Zod felt his confidence come swelling back. "Goodbye Diana, I hope you realise that a MAN is superior to a woman." Arrogantly, he waved his sword in her face.
"You only wish!" She lashed out with her legs, triping him, while bolting to her own feet in one swift movement. Zod’s eyes tracked his sword in horror and disbelief as it flew from his hand. He lunged for it, but Wonder Woman grabbed itt by the handle. He stumbled to his feet, hoping to get some distance; but she wouldn’t allow that. His pride had blinded him to her determination. She closed the gap and rammed his own sword through his chest. Contemptuously, she lifted him on his own blade. “Batman told me a saying from his planet; hoist on your own petard.” Then she slammed him into the wall, his feet hanging above the floor. He coughed a last, bloody breath, not evven enough left in him for a curse as his life ebbed; but by then his shame and horror at his defeat would have robbed him of any words anyway.
Wonder Woman stared into his eyes until the last spark of life had fled. "Goodbye, Zod." She spat on his forehead, and turned away.
Wasting no time, she found one of her Amazons. "I need an update.”
"The attack on Kandor is going well....but I have very bad news about THIS attack."
"What is it? What happened?"
"The prisoners... they have been freed, including Jor-El."
Wonder Woman stood shocked, but the surprise quickly turned into burning rage. "Get me one of the jets. I'm heading to Kandor. I need to talk to the Batman. And tell the others that Zod has finally been killed."
"Yes, your highness."
Wonder Woman stormed off.
--
Kandor, the same momentSuperman fired three energy blasts at Batman but none of them found their target as Batman danced away. Batman retaliated with three batarangs; to Superman's shock, they struck home in his chest before he could raise a shield. He shouted in pain, but also in self recrimination. In his memory, he could hear his instructors telling him to always keep a shield up, to the point where it was second nature, part of his subconscious. Or failing that, he could program the ring with such instructions. Now he was paying for it, and Krypton might suffer as a result.
"Give up Superman, Krypton's terrorism is OVER."
"TERRORISM?! Do you see what's going on around you?!" With painful effort, Superman pulled the batarangs out of his chest. "Nnnng!" He coughed up a small amount of blood. "Thousands of innocent people are dying all around us. And it's because of terrorists like you and the Amazons!"
“Your people invaded them first, remember? Under Zod. You don’t even recognize your own culture’s guilt in this.” Batman said this with cold confidence; but then he looked around. Fire everywhere, men and women hugging eachother and crying. Batman’s resolved wavered. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Superman flying into him, smashing him into a wall, fist upraised.
"Stop this attack! THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON!"
Batman kneed Superman in the groin, breaking the Kryptonian’s hold. Batman repeatedly beat on
Superman's shielded skull; to Superman’s astonishment, it began to crack. That should have been impossible! Batman had no yellow energy weapons; to actually break the shield otherwise must require astonishing force of will. Sensing that he would indeed break through the barrier, Superman intead used the power of the ring to shove Batman away, and then to put an airtight bubble around him. Batman scratched desperately at the bubble as it began to suffocate him. Superman didn’t plan to kill him; but certainly to incapacitate him. Trapped in the bubble, Batman feebly struggled once more to break this new manifestation of green energy with one hand, while reaching for his utility belt with the other. Startled, Superman realized that Batman would use a spare oxgen supply to remain conscious, and then focus his will on breaking the bubble, as he had begun to break the shield. Desperately, he let go of the bubble and fashioned instead a giant warhammer, smashing it into Batman, knocking him unconscious.
The Emerald Knight sat down, blowing out a breath; Batman had given him everything he could handle. To almost break the power of the ring....it was too bad he was on the wrong side.
As he sat watching Batman, he heard a noise. Turning his head, he was too late to stop a golden lasso from being thrown around his waist. He was jerked upright, until he found himself hung upside from up high. He struggled to get free, but to no avail.
"Diana."
Wonder Woman walked up to him, smiling. "So, Superman. What will you use to get out this time? A blade to cut the rope? Or will you simply create a giant hand to untie yourself?"
"What are you here for? Are you coming to save him? You kill thousands of men and choose to save this one? Your a fool Diana. You always have been!"
"And how how would you know that Superman? You barely know me! We only met DAYS ago! You should just surrender."
"Never. I will fight and fight until you fall. And I can promise you that I won't fail. I never do."
Wonder Woman gave a thin, brittle smile....then with one deft movement, yanked his ring off his finger. His costume vanished.
"What? NO! How did you-"
"You were distracted. I've learned everything about you Lanterns and those foolish Guardians. You should have stayed focused.” She surveyed him. "Mmmm. I should have suspected it was you, Kal-El. Come to gloat about your father's escape have you?"
"He's safe?"
"Of course, but Zod isn't."
"Zod?"
"You didn't think I'd let him live did you?"
Kal-El did not reply, just stared at her in anger.
"Fine. You look like you want a fight. So... FIGHT!"
Almost contemptuously, she tossed him back the ring.. He caught it and slipped it back on. She turned and walked a respectful distance away, as though this were a ceremonial duel.
"I wish we didn't have to do this Diana."
“You should’ve thought of that before Zod invaded my planet.”
“That doesn’t justify your revenge.”
“It most certainly does. You’ll never understand, living this sheltered life, hiding behind your mother. But it doesn’t matter now.”
Wonder Woman fired a blast of energy at Superman. He jumped over the blast and he returned fire. For all her supposed warrior prowess, she had made a grave tactical error in giving him back his ring. Her warrior’s code came with it’s own form of willful blindness. She moved under his blast and charged at him, sword drawn. Superman created a shield in time to block. He pushed her back with the shield, smashing her into a wall. He threw a punch, but she rolled away.
She came to her feet and blasted him with her own sapphire energy; he collapsed. She leaped on him and stomped, then maintained pressure, her boot grinding his head into the ground. "This is your final chance Kal-El, surrender!"
"Never!" He grabbed her ankle and twisted; she screamed in pain. He collapsed, and he stood over her.
He powered up his ring; conflicted, frustrated. He didn’t want to kill her, but was there any other way to stop this invasion?
"NO!" Batman rushed to Wonder Woman. "It'll be alright. I've got you."
Superman lowered his ring. Batman lifted Diana off of the ground. Batman turned to Superman.
"I know you're better than this, I can tell. Just by looking into your eyes, I know. You won't kill her. So please, let me get her out of here, she doesn't deserve this."
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Superman blew out a breath. "Go. Leave while you can."
Batman nodded once, then walked off intot he darknes, carrying Wonder Woman.
Superman looked around. Krypton was in flames. This war had end, soon.
While there was anything left.
TO BE CONCLUDEDDear Readers,
I hope you enjoyed our latest issue of Kryptonian! As you know, the next issue will be the finally to the Trinity War event. We'll see a great final confrontation between Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, Lara and Kal-El's reuniting with Jor-El, and what these recent events will effect for the future of KRYPTONIAN! But please tell us what you think of the series and what you want to see in future issues.
From the author of Kryptonian,
Mitchell UnderwoodLet us know what you think
here!
