Chapter 53
Clash
Smallville
Superman and Jonathan walked outside the barn where they saw Mongul looking around, admiring how beautiful the scenery of the land. He let a butterfly land on his left index finger and smiled at it.
"Kal El!" Mongul greeted as he saw Superman and Jonathan walk out of the farm.
"Get inside, dad. I'll get you when I'm done." Superman ordered his father.
Jonathan ran inside as Mongul still smiled at Superman. "You care about them. Why is that? You should be ruling them, treating them as if they were your slaves." Mongul stated as the butterfly flew away. Moonlight shined down on Mongul's back.
"I have no right to impose my will on them." Superman replied, "I'm not like you, Mongul. I'm no tyrant."
"But you could be one. In fact, you should be one! They fear you, even hate you. Why do you care so much about them?" Mongul questioned. "Together, you and I could rule so many planets. Our power together can be unstoppable!"
"I wasn't raised like you." Superman stated as he flew towards Mongul and punched him in the face. Mongul's teeth flew out of his mouth, Superman actually hurt Mongul. "Just because you have power, doesn't mean you're better than everyone else."
"But you can be." Mongul replied as he grabbed Superman's arm and threw Superman to the ground. Dirt flew in Superman's face and mouth. "I'm giving you a chance to be a ruler in a universe that may never accept you. Take it or die."
Superman without hesitation got up and kneed Mongul in the stomach, "I'll pass."
Mongul was grasping his stomach as Superman grabbed him by the head and started smashing it into the ground. While getting his head smashed into the ground, Mongul overcame Superman's enormous strength and turned around and back handed him into the barn. Superman landed in the barn next to his spaceship.
Mongul walked inside the barn to find Superman trying to get up. Instead of letting him get up, Mongul kicked Superman in the jaw. "You're a fool!"
Mongul picked Superman up with his right hand and threw him outside in front of the house. "Why can't you use your powers to their full extent?!"
Mongul pounded on Superman's head with his hands. After twelve hits, he turned Superman over on his back and started pounding on his face. Blood flew out of Superman's nose and his cheeks started to bruise. Suddenly, Superman saw a mouth of a white animal bite down on Mongul's right shoulder. Blood spewed out. Mongul turned around to reveal that Krypto was biting on him.
"Meet Krypto, Mongul, the Last Dog of Krypton. His bite is about as strong as my punches and he's a invulnerable as you and I, good luck trying to beat him." Superman laughed as he started punching Mongul's chest.
Mongul grabbed Krypto with both of his hands and threw him across the fields. "Get inside boy. You did good." Superman ordered his dog. "This is between me and him."
Krypto ran inside, "Did you really think a dog could beat me?" Mongul questioned.
Superman tried punching Mongul in the jaw again but Mongul grabbed Superman's fist and slammed him on the ground. Mongul started beating on Superman again with his foot. "I ruled a planet for almost five centuries and you think you can beat me?"
More blood leaked out Superman's nose. Blood even started leaking out of Superman's bruises. He had never been though this much pain, he's never even bled before. Superman screamed in pain. He thought he was going to die.
Basement
Jonathan and Martha were in the basement. Their animals surrounded them. They heard their son's screams. They were all scared, no one else could take down Mongul except their son. And even worse, their son could lose his life. He couldn't wait anymore, Jonathan rushed upstairs, he had to see what was going on.
"Jonathan, wait!" Martha shouted. Jonathan was halfway up the stairs.
"For what Martha? Our son is in pain. I need to help him." Jonathan replied.
"You can't help him! He has to do this on his own. We can't beat Mongul, only he can." Martha stated.
"I don't care. I have to try to help." Jonathan said as he ran upstairs.
Martha ran up to Jonathan and kissed him, "I love you, so much." Martha said, "Come back to me."
When Jonathan ran upstairs, his heart was racing. He saw outside the window, his son lying down and getting his head stomped on by Mongul. Jonathan's heart was racing faster, maybe too fast. He didn't care though, Jonathan ran outside to help his son.
"Dad..." Superman tried to say. He was listening to his heart. "Your heart."
As Jonathan got out on the porch, he couldn't stand to look at his son getting hurt anymore. "DAD!" Jonathan fell on his knees and clinched his chest with his hands. His chest was in pain that he had never felt before. His heart felt like it was being squeezed. Jonathan then fell on his side.
Martha ran upstairs to find her husband on his side, gasping and in pain, "Jonathan!"
Superman couldn't hear his father's heartbeat anymore.