Reforged in the Sun: Clark Kent Reborn SI

The clearing near Crater Lake grew colder as the creatures emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes fixed on me and Lex. The air crackled with tension, the hum of the Kryptonite fissure blending with the guttural snarls rumbling from their throats.

There were three of them now. Each one bore the same warped, grotesque features—twisted by Kryptonite exposure into something unrecognizable. Their skin was mottled with green, their claws elongated and jagged, and their movements were almost animalistic. But there was still something human about them. Something buried deep beneath the rage.

Lex, standing behind me, froze in place, his scanner forgotten in his hand. "Clark," he whispered, his voice low and strained. "What are they?"

"They're what happens when people are exposed to too much Kryptonite," I said, stepping forward slowly. "But this… this isn't random. They're guarding the vault."

The largest of the creatures—a hulking figure with glowing green veins running across its arms—let out a deafening roar. The other two joined in, their voices blending into an eerie, bone-chilling howl.

"They don't want us here," I muttered, glancing back at Lex. "You need to leave. Now."

Lex took a step back, his usually calm and collected demeanor slipping into something closer to fear. "I'm not leaving you here alone."

"You don't have a choice," I said firmly, my eyes locked on the lead creature. "Get back to the car. If this goes south, you're the one who has to warn the town."

Lex hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting between me and the creatures. Then, with a reluctant nod, he turned and disappeared into the trees, his footsteps fading into the distance.

The moment he was gone, the largest creature took a step forward, its glowing eyes narrowing. It let out a low growl, its body tense, and I realized it was waiting—watching me, testing me.

"I don't want to fight you," I said, raising my hands. "But if you attack me, I'll stop you. I don't have a choice."

The creature tilted its head, as if considering my words. For a brief moment, I thought it might back down. But then the smallest of the three lunged, its claws slashing through the air.

The smaller creature moved faster than I expected, its jagged claws aimed at my chest. I ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a controlled shove that sent it sprawling to the ground.

The other two charged simultaneously, their movements eerily coordinated. I sidestepped the first, grabbing its arm and twisting it just enough to throw it off balance. The second came at me from behind, its claws grazing the back of my hoodie before I spun around and slammed my shoulder into its chest, knocking it back into a tree.

"Stop!" I shouted, my voice carrying over the snarls and growls. "You don't have to do this!"

But they weren't listening. Whatever humanity they still had was buried beneath layers of instinct and rage.

The largest creature roared again, charging at me with terrifying speed. It slammed into me, its weight like a freight train, and we both went tumbling into the dirt. I gritted my teeth, using my strength to push it off me, but its claws raked across my arm, tearing through the fabric of my hoodie.

The Kryptonite embedded in its body made it dangerous—not just because of its strength, but because I could feel its proximity weakening me. My movements were slower, my strength duller, and I knew I couldn't keep this up for long.

I rolled to my feet, breathing hard, and focused on the fissure behind them. The vault was still pulsing with energy, the engraved Kryptonian symbols glowing brighter with each passing moment. If I could get close enough, I might be able to activate the next sequence and stop this—whatever this was.

But the creatures weren't going to let me.

Lex wasn't far from the clearing when he stopped, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. His hands shook slightly as he fumbled with the scanner, trying to process the readings he'd taken from the fissure.

"What the hell is going on here?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.

The energy signatures were unlike anything he'd ever seen before—complex, layered, and distinctly alien. But that wasn't what unsettled him the most. It was the faint but unmistakable resonance beneath the surface, like a signal trying to break through the noise.

Lex adjusted the scanner, fine-tuning its frequency. The readings spiked, and for a brief moment, he saw it: a pattern of Kryptonian symbols displayed across the screen.

"This isn't just a deposit," he said to himself, his mind racing. "It's… a transmission."

Before he could analyze it further, the sound of the fight reached his ears. He glanced back toward the clearing, his jaw tightening.

"Clark…"

Against his better judgment, Lex turned and started back toward the vault.

I barely dodged the next attack, the creature's claws slashing through the air inches from my face. My chest burned with exhaustion, and the faint green glow of the Kryptonite embedded in their bodies made my skin crawl.

But I couldn't stop. Not now.

The largest creature lunged at me again, and this time, I didn't dodge. Instead, I caught its arm mid-swing, twisting it with just enough force to send it crashing into the other two. The impact bought me a few seconds—just enough time to sprint toward the vault.

The glowing panel at the center of the door pulsed in response to my approach, its Kryptonian script shifting and realigning. I slammed my hand against it, and the entire structure shuddered.

"Authorization confirmed," the vault's AI said. "Secondary protocols initiated."

The doorway began to open, the metal plate sliding aside to reveal a chamber bathed in soft, white light. Inside, I could see the source of the energy—a stasis pod, its surface smooth and crystalline, with faint tendrils of green energy snaking across it.

But it wasn't just the pod.

As the doorway fully opened, I saw symbols carved into the walls of the chamber—symbols I recognized from the orb's database. They told a story, one that sent a chill down my spine.

The stasis vault wasn't just a containment unit. It was a warning.

Do not awaken what sleeps.

Behind me, the creatures roared in unison, their snarls echoing through the clearing. I turned, my body tense, as they charged toward me. But before they could reach the vault, the pod inside let out a sharp, piercing tone—a sound so high-pitched and intense that the creatures froze in place, their glowing eyes flickering.

The tone grew louder, and the creatures let out pained growls, retreating into the shadows. Within seconds, they were gone, their monstrous forms disappearing into the forest.

I turned back to the pod, my heart pounding. The tendrils of green energy coiled tighter around its surface, and the soft white light inside began to dim.

Whatever was inside the stasis pod… it was waking up.