"KAL-EL."
The Surfer reached up once more, energy pulsating from his hand. The Superman felt an invisible grip come over his throat.
"PASSING JUDGEMENT UPON YOU IS... FUTILE. YOU ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD, OR ANY WORLD THAT CURRENTLY STILL EXISTS. YOU ARE NOT MEANT TO BE APART OF THE TEST."
"FOR THESE REASONS, I SHOULD REMOVE YOU FROM THIS PLANET. FROM EXISTENCE ITSELF."
"You--...can try, pal," I say, a heat that can slice through titanium building up my eyes as I struggle the choking force.
"But--*hgk!*--you're gonna find that harder than you might--"Kal-El.That's the word he said. A name, maybe? It's a word I've never heard before, but seems immediately....familiar. What the hell does it mean?
Unbidden, I see images, both completely alien and achingly familiar.
Pastel clouds whirling under the light of a red sun.
Spires of gold and diamond stretching into the sky, even floating in the air.
Screams. Blood.
Hordes of monsters, howling in agony and rage, shards of bone piercing through their ash-gray skin.
I'm being carried up a staircase, away from the monsters, from the screaming.
I hear the word 'Kal-El' again and again. And other words....other names, I think.....
Jor-El........
Lara.......or is it Kara?......
....and a word that seems to freeze everyone in their tracks when spoken.....
.....Zod......The choking force around my neck tightens, bringing me back to reality, and I hear another unbidden voice. It takes me a second, but I quickly realize this voice isn't in my head, but being broadcast on a frequency only I can hear.
“Superman, we don’t have much time, so I need you to listen to me. My name is Reed Richards. Like you, I come from another world. On my world, we encountered the Silver Surfer and his master Galactus and we stopped them – not with force, but with knowledge.”
“The Surfer’s name – his true name – is Norrin Radd,” Reed added anxiously. “To save his homeworld, Zenn-La, he agreed to become the herald of Galactus. But the destroyer of worlds betrayed him, Superman, and if Norrin is here, he betrayed him on this world too.”
“You have to tell him the truth. Tell the Surfer that Galactus blinked Zenn-La – and the woman he loves – out of existence like specks of dust.”
I let the build-up of Heat-Vision dissipate. Regardless of whether what this Reed Richards guy says is true, I doubt the Surfer is going to listen while I'm trying to melt his face off.
"Surfer...*ngh!*....listen...." I struggle as the choking force grows tighter still.
"Your master.....Ga--*hgk!*--...he's a liar!"I feel the choking grip begin to slack, enough to let me talk. That's one step in the right direction, at least.
"I never knew my home planet," I say, meeting his glare,
"But you knew yours, didn't you, Norrin? You made a deal with Galactus to spare Zenn-La, and he lied to you. He destroyed your world, your people...."For a second, I'm not sure if I should pull the trigger on the next bit. But there's too much at stake to consider sensitivity.
"....your wife. Galactus took all that from you. What's the point of this if your Master's word means nothing? Why serve someone that you can't trust?"I bite my tongue, waiting for a response.
I really hope this works. Because I'm not sure how much longer I can keep fighting this guy.
Retired
Half Pint
Hound55
Cyberlad
mickilennial
Ezekiel
Master Bruce
PrinceAlexus
Pilatus
Chronic