Call of the Sapphires

Chapter 3

Kara stepped out of the portal. Purple mists obscured her vision.

"Kara?"

That voice. She knew that voice.

Kara blinked. The mist cleared away slowly. Towering alien shapes arose in front of her. Wherever >here< was, it probably wasn't earth. She stood on a majestic concrete alcove. At its center an extravagant divan took center stage. And in front of it...

"Mon-El?"

Her hands trembled and her heart leapt. All of sudden, all the emotions she had been burying inside bubbled to the surface. "Mon-El!" she called out again. Could it be him? In a flash she was in front of him and flung her arms around his neck. It was him. She could feel the heft of his body. Kara closed her eyes. Relishing the moment of closeness.

"What, how?" Mon-El stammered. She could feel his hand rest lightly on her back. Kara pulled away. "I don't know. But I'm here, you are here! They brought me to you."

The ring pulsed, as if to warn her of danger. A shadow fell on her. A slender young girl with purplish skin appeared behind Mon-El, carrying a tray with two long stemmed glasses. "Hello?" she asked.

Kara stared at her. Realization kicked in.

"You!" Heat and anger blazed through Kara's veins, the most rare pain of love. "I should have known! You never changed, did you?" The purple energy around her flared up like a living flame. With an angry shove, she pushed Mon-El away. Heat. Anger. Everywhere. Flowing through her veins. She was pure, unshackled intensity, her emotions exploding outwards, unimpeded by restraint. Without her making a conscious effort, the ring on her finger glowed bright and the energy formed sharp blades extending from her hands.

"Kara, listen to me!"

Kara's eyes glowed with an unearthly light. "Why are you here?" A cry of brutal vengeance tore from her throat.

"Kara, we came here on a mission. This whole sector is in danger. The Legion has been tracking the Anti-Monitor and his army of Manhunter robots..."

"Liar!" Kara's punch split the ground. "Is that why you need to have yet another girl rubbing herself all over you. Doesn't look like work to me!" Her eyes flashed with blue and purple energy and before she knew it her heat vision hit Mon-El square in the chest, sending him flying. "All this time I thought you were too good, too honorable, and now I find you here? Like this? How many more hearts are you going to break? How many promises? How many more?"

Mon-El's body was thrown back, black smoke emanating from his red Legion suit. He stared at her in horror.

"I pitied you!" Kara screamed. "I felt for you! I wanted you to be happy! It was all a lie, wasn't it? All of it."

"No! Stop, please!" The alien girl yelled, launching herself at Kara and grabbing her arm. "You are suffering delirium from your transport. We Star Sapphires are beings of love! Stand down!"

Kara shook the girl off with a casual gesture, another to send her skidding along the floor. "I will ignore you, for you have also been deceived," she said coldly. Kara turned her attention back to her prey, slowly stalking closer. "Stay down, Daxamite! I will make sure you never steal another heart again."

The ring. She had been brought here for a reason. The alien power flowed through her, mixing with her own, focusing her emotions, showing her the way with new lucidity.

"I thought you were off, being a hero! And here you've been having a great old time, partying with the next best girl that comes along!"

Mon-El slowly scrambled to his feet, his palms open to her. "Kara, please, listen to yourself. I know you don't want this. You don't want to hurt anybody. Something is messing with your mind."

He was trying to deceive her again. Kara wouldn't fall for it, not again. "I'm clearer now," she roared, "clearer than I've ever been. You did this to me! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."