BOOM
Kara's fist crashed into Val's open hand. The air roared like thunder, her strength rippling throughout the thermosphere. Gravitational waves and frictional plasma undulated across Earth's top layers, rendering satellites inoperable.
"Good." Val-Ul commented.
The two exchanged several moves in only a second. They treated the air as if it was the ground. Kara flipped over a crushing low kick aimed to crack her leg, utilizing her flight to increase her flipping speed. Her mighty fist came down like a whip.
Val evaded the downward blow, the pressure of her attack reaching the clouds far below, traveling even further to flatten one of the snowy mountains. The son of Ul was already behind Kara, chopping at the back of her neck.
BOOM
The impact didn't hurt much…but the messenger's vision darkened. She'd passed out for half a second. The quick chop had knocked her unconscious. Immediately waking up, her eyes lit up with crimson fury. Two massive beams shot up toward the casually floating man, the air displaced due to its speed and strength.
The Father only raised his arms like a gladiator. He allowed the red rays to engulf his form. His eyes closed while bathing in such a warm shower. Only a kryptonian could enjoy such luxuries. By the time Kara stopped the continuous beam, she was breathing a bit harder.
"Even better. Your control should be fine tuned now. Your limits will be tested next." Val said.
His hand raised toward space before he snapped his fingers. As if in reaction, a gargantuan asteroid materialized above Earth. It was the size of an entire continent. It even blot out the sun, bathing the land in darkness. Humanity's government would no doubt be frazzled.
If such an asteroid crashed into the planet, its shockwaves would render the majority of life extinct. Kara's eyes widened at Val's casual display of sovereignty. How could he do such a thing so casually?
"Push it away. Its weight will increase until we find your limit."
"..........." She didn't respond, too shocked at the display.
It was entering the atmosphere…just like that. Only then did Val's words register in her mind. She turned only to see his gaze boring down onto her. His word was law.
Kara exploded into motion, the atmosphere igniting as she reached the rocky body. Her hands pressed against the asteroid. Her bioelectric field pushed her forward. She strained herself, streamlined muscles bulging, the air crackling.
"Grrrr!" She grit her teeth. Growls escaped her lips.
The weight of the asteroid increased from 900 trillion tons to 1 quadrillion. Kara immediately felt the difference. Her eyes flashed golden for a moment before returning to grey. She was holding up well.
"Increasing." His calm and magnetic voice rang in her ear.
From 1 quadrillion to 450 quadrillion. Immediately, Kara began to scream from exertion. Solar energy flared within her body, a golden glow rising from beneath the skin. Her cells were spending their stored energy charges, vibrating with power.
After another fifteen seconds, Val snapped his fingers. The asteroid immediately vanished. It blinked out of existence. Kara immediately slackened and her body went limp. She'd blacked out once again.
The son of Ul made sure to catch her before she could fall too far. His body started to glow, solar energy wafting from him and sinking into her. Her cells drank the energy like starving beasts.
Kara woke up a few seconds later. She left his arms and floated beside him. Absolute worship could be seen in her gaze.
"Not bad huh?" She joked. The breeze caused her black hair to wave softly. Val smiled.
"Not bad at all. You're much stronger now. One day you'll be able to sleep in the sun's core." He exclaimed.
"Of course. I won't ever allow myself to be a burden." She couldn't help but clench her fist.
Val shook his head before accelerating back down toward the surface. Kara followed suit, remaining by his side. He looked at her with a frown.
"Stop thinking like that. You will never become a burden to me. You are indispensable. Irreplaceable. We only have each other in this universe, Kara. General Zod, your father, died in the phantom zone alongside my mother."
"...I'm sorry, Val. I-"
"Do not speak of such foolishness again." He cut her off.
".............."
Upon reaching the Fortress of Solitude, a man in a red and gold costume could be found standing outside. He immediately called out upon seeing them in the distance. His voice reached Val's ears.
"Clark!"
Using his supervision, Val-Ul looked beneath the man's mask. It was Barry Allen. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. His brain made an instant deduction.
'The Flash is in front of my home, calling me Clark. Definitely not from my Earth. I don't ever plan on pretending to be human.' He thought.
Kara frowned as they arrived. How dare he misname The Father? Was this a joke?
"Wait wha…You…You're not Clark."
Those were the first words Barry spoke once Val arrived before him. The two kryptonians floated above him, remaining silent. Barry spoke up again.
"Um…my bad. Nice to meet you guys. My name is Barry and I'm friends with another kryptonian."
"There are many kryptonians that live among humanity. What is your point?" Val responded.
"What? There's multiple kryptonians on this Earth?!" Barry exclaimed in surprise and fear. Kara scoffed.
"There are more than a few thousand. Some live here, others on Bastion, and the rest are part of the Expansionary Forces." She declared with crossed arms.
The Flash felt his legs grow weak. What kind of timeline had he walked into? He was tempted to run and find a different reality.
"This Earth…you speak as if there are more." Val commented then turned to Kara.
He wanted her to make the realization. A teacher and a student's lessons never ended. Kara's eyes widened in shock. Multiversal travel wasn't to be expected until the Cathexis were finished with their studies. How did this man get here?
"You aren't from this universe. You're a part of the multiverse…" Kara exclaimed in wonder. Barry nodded like a chicken pecking for food.
"Yes. There are only two kryptonians in my universe. Kal-El and Kara Zor-El. We need your help."
Kara wanted to announce that her name was also Kara, but Val raised a hand. Her lips remained closed. Only then did he speak.
"Why are there only two?"
"Well…beside the destruction of Krypton, there was a group of kryptonians that attacked Earth. I think his name was Zod? Anyways…Kal-El defeated them so only he and his cousin remain." Barry revealed.
Kara Dru-Zod's eyes immediately glowed red. Her fist clenched in anger upon hearing this story. A kinslayer. Helping her dad's killer?
"You wish...for us…to help the man who killed my father?!" She spoke slowly, allowing Barry to understand the reality of the situation.
The red hero could feel his heart rate increasing. This was NOT the plan. Angering a kryptonian was definitely not the plan. Shit.
"I'm sorry! I-I-I didn't know! I-"
"My mother was part of his group when banished to the phantom zone. That must mean he killed her as well." Val interrupted.
His voice was calm, but there was a cold edge to his words. The thought of his mother dying to another when they were already close to extinct. It rubbed him the wrong way. Still…he knew it was a different reality. His hand landed on Kara's shoulder.
"Calm yourself, Kara. A different universe. Not ours." He then turned to the trembling Barry Allen. "Let us introduce ourselves. My name is Val-Ul, son of Faora Ul."
"My name is Kara Dru-Zod, daughter of Dru-Zod. General…Zod."
"Nice to meet you both. By the way…can we go inside? It's freezing. Also…um…did you have anything to do with that asteroid?" Barry finally said. Val ignored the question and turned to the Fortress.
"Give this man visitor access for the time being." He called out.
Immediately, the massive door slid open in response. Time passed as they conversed and shared the differences between their universes. It was especially shocking for Barry to learn that Bruce Wayne hadn't become Batman. He'd instead funded the Expansionary Forces with his parents, who were still alive.
This universe was a paradise. There were no Teen Titans and no Young Justice. Everyone was united and there was no crime. No poverty. No Greed. Therefore, heroes weren't needed. Any important figures were either living normal lives or were part of the Expansionary Forces. How incredible.
What Val didn't explain was how it all happened. The son of Ul had the blood of many on his hands. So did Kara. They weren't boyscouts. They were the architects. The era of war and conquest had long since passed. Kara and Val had been alive for a long time now. Finally, the question came.
"Clark…I mean Kal-El, has gone down the wrong path. Will you help our world and set him straight?" Barry asked. Val tilted his head in thought.
"You wish for me to advise him? I'm willing to do such a thing. Seeing another kryptonian will be good for him. It will broaden his scope of the universe." Val stated.
What he failed to mention was that he wouldn't stop Kal-El from being a tyrant. Val had no plans to dictate how a fellow kin should handle his domain. His own people came first. The kryptonians.
"Really? Yes!" The Flash celebrated, raising a fist into the air.
"Do you have a way to get us there?"
Val's question caused Barry's excitement to come crashing down. Damn. He hadn't thought that far ahead. Would he be able to bring them through the speed force? Was that possible? He didn't know…and he was scared to risk it.
"I…don't know. What I do know is that my power can help achieve it." Barry answered.
The son of Ul thought for a while. Kara floated around the meeting room, drifting like space debris. She was bored…but still listening.
"In that case, we can test to see if your abilities match well with Cathexis research. It looks like we'll be going to Bastion once implementation has begun."
"Great…so when do we go?" Barry asked, thinking they could finish it all in one go. Val-Ul shook his head.
"There are many things still being ironed out in their research. You should get comfortable with this world, Barry. You'll be here for a while."