Smallville: Annual

Chapter 4

4/16/05 - 12:01AM - Kawatche Caves - Smallville, KS

        It was quiet in the Kawatche caves, they where kept closed for the preservation of a historical landmark but every once in a while someone would visit.  But on even rarer occasions someone would come from the cave.  Almost a year ago a girl kept in suspended animation after her brain went dead was revived by an advanced computer system that was based upon the mind of a Kryptonian scientist named Jor-El.  The consciousness knew that one day the girl might serve a purpose so he kept the girl as a faux Kryptonian and used her to lure his son Kal-El to commence his journey. From there he suspended his son in a controlled environment of superheated irradiated Kryptonian crystal, such crystal was called black Kryptonite and was necessary to bring out the necessary qualities to ensure he fulfill his mission to save the human race from the coming danger that would threaten this promising yet troubled world.

        The cave was designed by the natives who resided here centuries ago by the Kryptonian scientist Nam-An.  Having crash landed upon the world and his ship completely destroyed he would live among its people.  He learned from that point on that though he had no prospect for returning home to Krypton.  He still had hope.  But not just hope.  For though living among such primitive beings he realized he was strong, stronger than he had ever been on his Krypton.  He wondered for a long time why this was so.  Still a scientist he learned much about himself.  He wasn't just strong, but fast.  Invulnerable. Could manipulate his visual spectrum by using his eyes to emit minute amounts of X-rays and microwaves.  He could see through walls or cause fires with his eyes.  His hearing was so exceptional he could hear clearly across great distances. But probably the greatest thing he could do was the ability to fly.  It was a magnificent feeling.  Many of the Kawatche tribe saw him as a great champion.  For only champions of the people would have such abilities.

        Yet Nam-An still wondered how this was.  He came to realize that it was because of his DNA interacting with the young vibrant yellow-white star.  And as he looked further around the world he began to realize just how powerful he could become he wondered about the humans.  He tried, tested all within proper ethics, and noticed that if he used irradiated Kryptonian crystals and provided a catalyst that the human could achieve an amazing power.  The most noble of minds of the Kawatche were given the ability to transform into animals.  For these people animals where sacred and to be able to have this power was the greatest honor he could bestow upon them.  Though there were many other seemingly more civilized corners of the world, many were violent and corrupt.  This part of the world was peaceful and good and though devoid of the greatness that was on Krypton these people where truly worthy of his attention.  Particularly because he loved the most beautiful woman of their tribe. He couldn't exactly pronounce her name in Kryptonian but through tireless effort he realized her name was the Kawatche word for Magnificent One or Wonderful One.  He preferred Magnificent One or just simply Magnificent. Unfortunately she couldn't have any children with him, their DNA appeared incompatible and despite the power of the irradiated crystals she didn't wish to be any different.  And he respected that.  They lived long and happily together, what amounted to two decades on the world yet she was still beautiful and wonderful.  Tragically she would succumb to an illness even he couldn't be able to cure.  Yet she still lived as far as he concerned in his heart and in the very world.

        For though the father refused to grant them his permission to wed  but he eventually relented.  It was one of the other wise men who oversaw the marriage.  He refused to be a Skinwalker like the rest of his noble warriors but he requested something else.  Something that would require the wisdom to guide his people when Nam-An would leave.  It was odd for Nam-An to hear this, for he didn't see anyway of leaving.  Even though his Magnificent was gone he loved this part of the world and no one was going to convince him to leave.  But he granted him the ability or should he say he enhanced an ability of his.  For elsewhere as well as on Krypton people believed in a supremacy beyond that gave them the gift of insight, a deity who made them great seers of not just the truth but the future.  This world called them prophets.  It wasn't something he really believed being a man of science but even that was an ability that science had some explanations.  Then the great chieftain was able to see things and commanded his people to write their chieftain's visions upon the stone cave walls.  He saw the deeds he did with the powers shown on the walls he even saw his beloved Magnificent with the bracelet he forged from a precious Kryptonian metal used for weddings.  On Krypton he was too busy for marriage and hoped to give it to his other sisters wedding, instead he ended up giving it to Magnificent.  After she died he gave it to the chieftain in memory of his daughter perhaps give it to his other daughters when they were to be married. Her father accepted it without surprise almost as if he knew it must stay on the planet.  He saw more images some things he knew he never did, some things that scared him.  A two headed monster of benevolence and evil, only the evil wins.  And of course the mighty image of him.  Only it was odd, that the symbol didn't resemble his shield a five sided diamond with an upright infinity.  But another symbol a curving symbol that he couldn't place yet found it vaguely familiar.