Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Conquest Part Two.

After seven years, what more could someone say. That was the question that was rolling through the mind of Lex at this point. It was honestly difficult to say anything at this point. His entire friendship with Clark, and then the subsequent animosity that soured things rolled through his head. The bald young man questioned every single thing that happened between the two of them. All of the times where he took Clark at his word replayed in his mind. If Clark could be dishonest about his origins, then it stood to reason to Lex that he would be dishonest about his intentions and everything else.

Everything the two men had been through was a lie. Lex looked on with a bittersweet smile. It was just like everything else in his life.

Lana hovered in the air, dangling. Clark watched her. She looked like a puppet, and was in pain. His mind was going several miles a minute. There was no way he could see to disconnect her from the field.

"Jor-El, if you can hear me, your advice would be appreciated about now," Clark pleaded. There was no response. The silence was deafening.

Lana's eyes glowed. Clark could see Kryptonian writing flash through her eyes. A pained expression crossed her face, and she mouthed the word "help". She tried to fight what was happening. The knowledge was not siphoned into her brain slowly, so she could assimilate and understand it. Rather it was crammed into her mind.

"Jor-El, father, I don't care what you do to me, whatever you want just help Lana!" Clark yelled. His voice nearly cracked from the panic.

Lex had never seen Clark this desperate. Desperation was something that Luthors had been taught not to show. It was an avenue where enemies could swoop in and take advantage of them. It was easily exploitable, and Luthors had exploited it. Weakness was something that was forbidden. Especially around an enemy, and Lex speculated that he would be considered Clark's enemy. Lex understood it all, achieving perfect clarity. He was a hero that would save the world from this alien menace.

"Jor-El cannot hear you, it's my consciousness that flows within the Fortress," Lana said in creepy monotone. "This is my destiny to become the protector. After seven years, the two of us can be together completely. I understand everything. Everything that I see, is sensations unlike the world has ever known. Everything I touch, everything I smell, the world is in an entirely different light, and the world will never be the same again! It is all ours, Kal-El, just accept it is our destiny!"

Clark took a step forward. He reached over, and tried to disconnect Lana from the Fortress. How, he did not know. She might be saying one thing. However, the woman's expression and body language said a different thing.

"Lana, I can help you, just help me," Clark said desperately. "I know you're in there somewhere!"

Lana's expression flickered between tranquil and horrified. Her fingers twitched, and Clark tried to grab Lana. He could not even touch her. The energy pulse knocked him back onto the ground right at the feet of Lex Luthor. This the last place where he wanted to be in this point of time.

Surprisingly, Lex extended a hand for Clark to grab. Clark looked at it. He wondered what Lex's game was. There was always a game with a Luthor. His head shook to try and clear the cobwebs.

"Clark, trust me, I've been sucked into this situation as much as you have," Lex said. "Whatever happens from here, between the two of us, we'll deal with that on our own time. If we want to both live to see another day, we have to work together."

"Work together with you?" Clark asked. His voice seemed to be dripping with skepticism. "Are you mad?"

"Mad, perhaps, desperate, definitely," Lex replied in flat voice. Clark finally took his once friend's hand, and allowed Lex to help him to his feet.

Clark and Lex stood side by side, but neither really trusted the other. Once again, Clark saw Lana floating in mid-air. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head. Lana started muttering Kryptonian under her breath. Lex had no idea what she said, but Clark did.

Lex's expression shifted. There was a glowing orb on the ground. He had never noticed this object before. The truth was that Lex was too preoccupied with the architecture of the Fortress, and his admiration of it. Despite the situation, he would have to admit that it was rather impressive. And he debated on how this Fortress could best serve humanity. It would not do well to be in the hands of aliens.

Temptation flooded through Lex Luthor. He saw Clark preoccupied with Lana. She was always his Achilles heel, Lex thought. Then again, perhaps the inverse could be true. Clark was Lana's greatest weakness as well. Lex saw that fact with the most picture perfect clarity. The orb was on the floor. It was tantalizing, and annoyingly out of reach. His fingers twitched, and he stepped forward. Inch by inch, he got closer to the orb.

A voice told him that the orb would be the key for his control. There was something that made Lex hesitate. His father had told him that hesitation gave your enemy a chance to swoop in and stab you in the chest. His footsteps got closer, and closer towards the orb. There were many things Lex wanted to do.

He was told that jamming that orb into the Fortress console would cause his ultimate control, and would give him his triump. Lex never made a habit of listening to the voices in his head. These voices might have been forceful. However, Lex did not want to go down that road. His hand was extended.

'The power is in your hand.'

Lex shook his head. His heart beat against his chest. Every single step he took was towards a greater destiny, but doubt and hesitation held Lex back from completely taking the plunge.

Clark had been preoccupied by Lana. All of his powers were useless, so he had to use the one thing that could not be measured with any super power. His mind, and he had to calculate a way out of there before it was too late. Clark's fingers twitched, and he reached over to try and pry Lana out of her cage.

He stopped, and saw Lex. Lex was making his way over to the orb. Clark sensed that the orb was nothing, but trouble. There was a voice whispering in his ear. It was forceful. Lex was a deadly enemy. Clark wondered if they ever truly were friends.

At super speed, Clark moved over and blocked Lex's hand. The two young men locked eyes. His firm grip held Lex's wrist in place. The bald young man struggled. Clark held him up. Lex's gaze was focused onto Clark. A bit of passive hurt crossed the eyes of Lex Luthor.

"What don't you trust me?" Lex asked.

Clark could not even believe that Lex would have the gall to ask that question. His firm grip held his once friend in place. Lex was lifted off of the ground. Clark pulled him away from the orb. Walking over, Clark tried to pick up the orb.

He could not touch it properly. Lex's eyebrow rose, filing this piece of information away for potential use later.

Clark's attention was half on Lex and half on Lana. Keeping an eye on Lex was a full time job, but keeping an eye on Lana was important. More information was force-fed into her mind.

"What is your game?" Clark asked.

"I'm trying to help you, but some people just can't appreciate help," Lily's voice echoed through the chamber.

Clark wondered if Harry would forgive him for wanting to hurt Lily. Although given Harry's recent comments about Lily, and his attitude towards her, he might have been right beside Clark. The triumphant tone in Lily's voice was not one Clark missed.

Two figures appeared as far outside of the Fortress as they could be allowed. Harry and Kara dropped down, and had a nice, long look around. The two had to figure out what to do, and quickly. There was a weird light show appearing outside of the Artic. The two of them had a feeling that this light show would pick up the attention of some undesirable parties. The two of them had to move quickly. Harry and Kara made their way outside of the Fortress. The two of them touched it.

There was an energy field around it to block their entry. The two of them tried to push through, but it repelled them back slightly. Kara and Harry stood beside each other.

"Well, this might complicate things," Harry concluded. He placed a hand on his chin. Intently, the dark haired Herald of Death looked at the Fortress.

"We can get inside though if we find the flaw in her charm work," Kara suggested to him.

Harry and Kara exchanged an expression, and studied everything. The orb had been tracked right now. Harry would have sooner destroyed the object. However, there were two distinct reasons why. The fact of the matter was that he could not destroy it. Something had stopped him from being able to do so, even with the most powerful magic. And it offered some level of insurance against Lily. That being said, that was out the window.

At that moment, Harry and Kara heard someone drop down in the snow. It startled them, and brought them out of their concentration. They turned around, and saw Chloe on her hands and knees in the snow in the Artic. Chloe shook her head.

"Harry, Kara!" Chloe yelled. The two of them flew over to her, turning their attention away from the Fortress.

Harry paused, and looked at the blonde in the snow. Her unexpected arrival threw him completely off guard.

"Chloe, what are you doing here?" Harry asked.

Chloe's eyes popped up with a confused expression in them. "That's kind of what I want to know. One moment I'm lying in my hospital bed, minding my own business. I was going to get discharged tomorrow morning. And the next minute, I wake up in the Artic. I don't like throwing around the word normal, but this isn't normal."

"No it isn't, even for us," Kara agreed.

Harry conjured some warm clothes for Chloe. The woman took them graciously.

"Thanks," Chloe said, feeling a bit better that she was not lying in the Artic with just a hospital gown on. Oddly enough, the cold did not bother her. She filed that away with questions that would need to be investigated later. Yet, it was just more of the principal of anything. "Wow, I guess magic can do anything. I suppose that it could undress people as well as dress them."

"I can verify that it can," Kara said knowingly.

Chloe stood with a smile plastered on her face. She knew that she was outside of the Fortress. Harry stood over, and his eyes flickered over towards Chloe's hand. His green eyes surveyed her, and he spoke with the utmost calmness.

"Chloe, what's on your hand?" Harry asked her.

"Hand, there's nothing on my hand, just a scratch," Chloe said, backing up.

Kara reached forward, and gently grabbed Chloe's hand. Chloe winced, with Kara taking a good look at her. The cat was out of the bag so to speak. Kara studied her hand, and saw the familiar marking of death.

"You look like someone died," Chloe said, trying to lighten the mood. She saw the grave expressions on their faces. "Yeah, that was a poor choice of words."

"Chloe, we were afraid there would be consequences like this," Kara said with a sigh.

"Consequences, yeah you told me about that," Chloe said. There was a long pause. Then something struck Chloe. "Does that mean I'm…the third?"

"It's complicated," Kara said dryly.

Chloe shifted around. An impatient expression crossed her face. "How can something like that be complicated? It's either a yes or a no answer? How is something like that complicated?"

Harry was the one who had to explain. Chloe really had no idea what her innocent declaration would have caused. He rubbed his fingers on his temples.

"Chloe, I know you appreciated us saving your life," Harry said. "However, you really don't know what owing someone your life means for a Herald of Death. It leaves a mark that indicates that…well you owe them big time, in a big way. To put things in laymen's terms, you are a Herald of the Heralds, for lack of a better term."

Chloe had many questions about this. Kara placed a finger to her lips, and prevented her from talking.

"Chloe, you have many questions about what might have happened," Kara said. "However, now is not the time. We have a bit of a problem. Clark and Lana are both in trouble."

Chloe's eyes snapped up, her breath hitched, and the girl was focused. This got her attention one hundred percent. Her heart beat a bit, and she looked at Harry and Kara with a determined expression on her face.

"Let's save him, then," Chloe said firmly.

Harry and Kara looked rather reluctant.

"Oh, come on, I'm capable enough," Chloe told them firmly. Harry and Kara had no questions about her capability. Suddenly, Chloe was hovering a few inches off of the ground. "Oh, well this is new. Actually the second time it happened, but that's beside the point. And I really just have no idea how to get down."

Chloe was hovering off of the ground, and going further up. She tried to will herself down to the ground. It was harder than it looked. Harry and Kara looked at her. Kara decided to give Chloe some advice.

"Chloe, just take a deep breath, and relax," Kara told her. "And lower yourself to the ground. It's like breathing, it's natural. Just do it. Don't try and force it. Just get down to the ground."

Chloe dropped down to the ground. She wondered if she could get back up. Chloe decided not to risk it for now, and focused on the matter at hand.

"We're overdue for a long conversation of what's happening to me," Chloe said.

"And you'll get one, once the day is saved" Harry agreed. He blinked and turned back to the Fortress. "I believe we have found a way in. My mother is there, so we really have to be ready for anything. She has a pull on the Fortress, and she managed to hide what kind of pull that she had for a time."

Chloe took a deep breath, and frowned.

"So, I guess you can lead me inside," Chloe said.

"If you're willing to help, just listen to everything we say," Harry said.

Chloe decided to agree. They knew what they were up again. And if she did not want to be on the outside looking in, she would allow Harry and Kara to help her. Harry grabbed her hand, and she shivered. Kara grabbed her other hand.

"Just relax, and we'll guide you," Kara said. "The first time is always the toughest."

Chloe closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She felt a tingling sensation. It was assumed that this was perfectly natural. Harry and Kara were unbothered by it after all, so why should she. Those thoughts were in her mind when the three of them were transported into the Fortress.

Clark thought had almost had a way to get Lana out of there.

"Don't you realize that this is futile," Lily said.

"You wouldn't be the first person that said that to me," Clark retorted, in a half distracted voice. He tried to grab Lana, and pull her out of the containment field. He attempted to push her out.

The fully formed form of Lily Potter had arrived. Her red hair flowed in the Artic winds. Her green eyes were full of determination, and she positively glowed with power. One could not argue that Lily Potter was a beautiful woman, and she was also completely dangerous. Lex looked at Lily for a few moments, captivated by this figure before him. He tried to regain his bearings, and then he spoke.

"I can see where Harry gets his eyes," Lex said, trying to get in the woman's good graces.

"You don't have any right to say any word about my son," Lily said, her voice as cold as the Artic they were in. Her green eyes were on Lex's face. "You have come a long way Lex Luthor. Yet, there is so much that you learn. And your final lesson is when you have an opportunity to kill your hated enemy, you seize that moment. Or someone else may seize you!"

Lex was knocked hard to the ground by a blast of magical energy. He slammed down onto the ground with a thud. It took a moment before Clark to realize that Lily was fully corporeal. He tried to rush at her a super speed. A field of energy knocked Clark back, repelling the Kryptonian. He crashed back against the ground, right beside Lex.

"There seems to be something oddly appropriate about this picture," Lily mused. Her green eyes blazed, and she looked down at Clark and Lex on the ground. Two men were flat on their backs. "The hero and the villain have been brought down by a force that they could not comprehend. I thought long and hard about what must be done. The two of you, you could go around and around in circles for years. Or something could be done where it ends right there. You two are an interesting contrast. Lex, without your brilliant mind, you are nothing. And Clark, without your powers, you're nothing."

Clark's gaze looked at up at Lily's. He struggle underneath her push.

"You're wrong!"

"That's really the best you could say," Lily said. She clicked her tongue, and shook her head. Clark was down on the ground. Lily floated over to Clark. She barely paid attention to Lana floating behind her. Lana's eyes popped open, and she felt that she could move her right arm open. Lily bent down and patted Clark on the head in a condescending manner. "It's okay, I don't expect snappy dialogue. I just expect snappy results. Of course, one could argue that you are inadequate in that matter as well."

Clark had never felt more humiliated in his life. He tried to lift his arm up. There was an attempt to get away from away. He saw Lana's attempts to get herself free, and Clark took a deep breath.

"I've never been one to appreciate a flair for the dramatics," Lex said. "Are you going to kill us off or not?"

"Not today."

Lily's head spun around. Harry, Kara, and Chloe stood at the end of the Fortress. Lily stared down them. They stared back, arms folded, and glares intense.

"Hello, Harry, Kara, Chloe," Lily said with a smile. "I was wondering when you would find a way inside. Did you not think that I would notice the tracking charm?"

"You've gone too far this time," Harry said.

"Too far, maybe one could say that if they had a lack of imagination," Lily said. A calculating expression spread across her face. Malice burned through her green eyes. Her eyes met Harry's identical eyes. "I don't expect anyone to understand what I do. What I do is done on a greater level than many can fathom."

"I fathom something," Chloe said. She stared down Lily, no fear in her eyes. "I fathom that you're completely out of your mind."

Lily just offered a grin towards Chloe. There was a moment's pause. Lily decided to enlighten the girl on a few truths.

"Perhaps one could say that my madness is assured. However, it is just a culmination of hundreds of years of obsessive searching that nearly killed off my entire bloodline. If I didn't control the traveler, then someone else would try. And people would keep trying. Lionel Luthor hid his intentions behind a mask. He might have fooled many people, he may have fooled himself into thinking he changed. The best of us often become the tricked by the masks we wear. Despite his intentions, one thing is for certain. I doubt he fooled Lex."

Lex had to admit that he agreed, and agreeing with this woman was something that caused him a great deal of discomfort.

"I don't know where Harry gets his noble heart," Chloe said. "It's certainly not for you."

"You misunderstand my intentions, all of you," Lily said. The red haired woman offered a long sigh. There was just some times where people did not get what had to be done.

Harry somehow doubted that he misunderstood anything. He had seen some of the games his mother had played. A part of him understood that Lily was a product of her childhood. However, Harry thought that he could have turned out as hate-filled and spiteful as the Dursleys, phobic towards everything different. Yet, he had risen above that. So that was where his sympathy had ended.

"Why are you doing this to Lana?" Clark asked.

"I'm not hurting her, I'm helping her," Lily said. She seemed hurt that Clark misunderstood her intentions. "And I'm helping you. She might have the powers, but there are certain personality flaws that need to be ironed out, for her to understand what is truly at stake."

"Lana isn't flawed!" Clark yelled.

"Kal-El, you're not thinking straight, one day will understand" Lily said, shaking her head.

"Let Lana go," Harry told Lily. "She doesn't have anything to do with whatever game you're playing."

Lex crawled off to the side, and tried to figure out a way to cut his losses.

"You made her a part of this game, when you allowed her to keep those powers," Lily said. "You do tend to have a savior complex, my son. Then again, you and Kal-El are heroes, but in different ways. Ka-El is the type of hero that the world wants, that the world could look up to. You, on the other end, are the type of hero that the world needs. As for letting Lana go, consider it done!"

Lana was swaying from side to side, and eventually she was let go out of the stasis field. Immediately, Clark super sped in front of Lana, and caught her before crashing into the ground. Lana looked at Clark, a milky look in her eyes.

"Lana, talk to me," Clark said.

Lana offered him the slightest smile of recognition before her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Clark's eyes angrily turned towards Lily.

"What did you do to her?" Clark asked.

"You did it to her," Lily corrected. "You keep wanting to bring her in, make her a part of your life. And I tried to give her the chance. I downloaded the knowledge of the Fortress into her brain. Guess she couldn't handle it. Her brain may have very well been cooked like an egg."

"No one could handle that, you just forced the information into her brain!" Clark yelled.

Lily thought she had struck a nerve. Lana's eyes flickered open suddenly.

"Clark, it's okay," Lana breathed. Her hand pounded, and she had learned a ton of new information, but had not properly figured it out yet. "Just got a headache really, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Clark asked her.

Lana gave Clark a look that indicated that she was sure. Harry's head turned around, and he stared down Lily in the distance. Mother and son looked at each other for the longest time.

"Once again, the dice had been rolled with life, and Lana manages to slip free," Lily commented. "It does seem like that if anything her power is to survive situations that should have destroyed her."

"So that was your intention all this time," Harry said. His expression was calm and neutral. His eyes were on Lily's. The two identical sets of green eyes stared each other down. "I find something to be kind of funny. In another life, I would have been much like you. I would have been too much like you. In fact, I wouldn't really doubt that there are parts of me that are a bit like you. There are times where I thought that it would be the easiest thing in the world to take control."

Lily shook her head.

"Harry, if you had one flaw, you always have to take the hardest path. I don't know why you tend to heap the adversity on yourself. Life could be easy. It you could yours."

"Taking the easy path would just be that," Harry said.

"It would be a path that is barren," Kara added. "You died a beloved hero, protecting your son."

"I am a beloved hero, I sacrificed everything," Lily said.

Harry's expression was fixed on Lily's. There was a long pause. The two of them looked at each other. It seemed like they tried to understand why one did what the other did.

"Even heroes have their moments of darkness," Harry said quietly. "And even villains have their moments of near redemptions. I don't know what side you could be classified on. And perhaps there are no answers."

"There are no answers," Lily said. "Everything is a matter of perspective. The world is only as black and white as you personally view it."

"My perspective is that we tried to gain some common ground with you," Kara said. Her gaze was on Lily. There was no humor in her blue eyes, and no sympathy at all. "But, what you did today, that was too much. Out of all of the things you've done, when you used a child as a bargaining chip, that was something that we could never forgive."

"I never intended anything to happen to Claire," Lily said.

Kara lost it at this point. Her temper flared.

"Yet, you did! Something happened to her, and she could have died. And for what reason? Was this part of some game to test us?"

"All things in life are subject to examination," Lily said without any empathy in her voice.

Harry thought that he was beating his head up against the wall. He looked up at Lily at this point. All of the good things he heard about Lily from others, Harry remembered them. All of those words of praise flowed in his mind. A part of him admired Lily for her deception. Then again, who was the true Lily Potter? Did she even know anymore? Despite her advanced charm work, she was an imitation of the original, whoever and whatever she was.

"I can forgive a lot, maybe too much," Harry said. "But all of the things you did, they add up, and even test what I can forgive."

Lily folded her arms. They were coming towards a crossroads in their lives, many of them. Chloe's eyes snapped towards Lily.

"Why would you do this?" Chloe asked. "I was under the impression that you were helping Harry, and Clark too. Well if this is your definition of helping, what you do to hurt them must be borderline sadism."

Once again, people had misunderstood what Lily was doing.

"There are many things that Harry did that I would have never done. Giving Lana those powers, it was something that I cannot comprehend. And there was something else. Saving Lex Luthor from drowning, that was also something that I would not have done. Even if it wasn't his time, he should have died. But perhaps it was just destiny. Every hero needs their arch-nemesis. Would a hero be so heroic without their enemy? Would a villain's deeds matter without a hero being around to stop them? It is a co-dependent relationship, and Lex and Kal-El are destined to have this dynamic. They complete each other."

Realization hit Lex, it struck him hard in the face. He had remained on the ground, and backed off just slightly. Harry had been Death. He had saved him. Why did Harry save him, Lex Luthor? Likely, at that time, Harry had no idea who he was. Ignorance had saved Lex Luthor on that day. There was no grander purpose, and Lex cracked a tiny bit from the realization. His entire world was spun upside down, and Lex blinked. He saw Clark standing there. Lana was in his arms. He saw Lily standing before them.

Chloe, Kara, and Harry stood before Lily, and Clark stood off to the side, with Lana in his arms. Lex was on the floor, and everything flashed before him.

Lex thought that everything in his life had been leading up to his moment. Yet, there was one moment in time that every single moment in life lead up to. That was a person's death. What would happen, Lex had no idea.

His heart thumped against his chest. Something told him that no matter what happened, there was a good chance that he was not leaving here alive. Lex wiped the blood away from his mouth.

If he died on this day, he would do so proud and standing up straight. Just like a Luthor would. Lex noticed that Lily had become rather solid. She was solid enough to put a bullet through. Whether or not a bullet would work on a magic user, Lex had no idea. It would be a worthy avenue to explore given time. The only thing that gave him hesitation was the possibility that if he would pull him a trigger, that might be the last action that he ever undertook.

He watched Harry Potter stare down his mother. It reminded Lex of him and his father in a way that was eerie. Similarities existed, along with differences. Lex shivered, and that was not because of the cold Artic air either. Much as Lex loathed to admit it, there were ways where he had taken after his father. And as much as Harry would have loathed to admit it, there were certain personality traits that he got from Lily.

"I don't want to do this," Harry told Lily. Lily held the glowing orb in her hand. "But, you've left me no recourse."

Lily decided to enlighten Harry on a fact.

"Harry, no one twisted your arm to activate that journal," Lily reminded him. This very true statement had caused Harry to cringe. He took a few deep breaths, and continued to stare down his mother. "We all make mistakes. Perhaps it was an error that you dropped your blood onto my journal, to wake me up."

Harry shifted next to Kara. Death had told him that he needed to get that journal. Was this just another trial or another way to remind him that no one was perfect? Or was Death actually not omniscient as many believed.

"It's an error that I regret making," Harry said. He stepped forward, and faced the spectral image of his mother. "The powers of the Herald of Death are at my disposal. The only thing that is stopping me from destroying you is…"

"That despite all that I've done, you can't even raise a hand to destroy your own flesh and blood," Lily said. A smug expression crossed her face.

Harry stood forward. Kara was the one to speak up. Her determined voice cut through the silence. Blue eyes were locked onto Lily's form. Kara decided to be the one to enlighten Lily on a truth this time.

"You are neither flesh nor blood," Kara said firmly. Her eyes glowed with malice, and her hand glowed with power. "Your time has passed, and you died long ago. Honestly, I'm sick of all of these AIs that are hanging around past their welcome."

Lily swayed immediately. Her form was solid. Even if she did perish, what was inside the orb would be a great failsafe. Her and Isis had managed to secure that during one of their final trips to Krypton, years before Lily's death, before Harry was even born or conceived. Lily's eyes locked onto the group. There was a long moment of pause.

Right before Lex shot Lily directly in the back of the head. Lex stopped, and paused. Lily slowly turned around, and a grin spread across her face, maliciously staring down the bald young man before her.

"Well I do appreciate your ambition, even if your intelligence may be far more lacking than I could have ever realized," Lily said.

Lily waved her hand, and Lex dropped to his knees. Harry and Kara made eye contact. There was something that they would have done, had they been there. Lex was being slung around the Fortress. Lily did not seem intent to want to hurt him too much. Perhaps that was to draw his torment out.

Harry and Kara both locked eyes. They knew what to do.

Harry and Kara both aimed a bright light at the back of Lily. The spells impacted her back. In theory, the purpose of this spell was to banish problematic spirits to another realm. However, Lily was not strictly a spirit. Her form contorted. Lily's pull on the Fortress had loosened, just enough for Jor-El to return back online and gain some semblance of control over the Fortress.

Harry and Kara had Lily trapped. Chloe, Clark, and Lana stood in the back, almost transfixed by the light show that was going on.

"Run!" Harry yelled. "All of you!"

"We aren't able to; something has frozen us in place!" Lana yelled.

That just complicated matters a lot more.

"I'm sorry, I cannot allow you to do what you do Harry, and this Fortress is just too valuable to just leave to one that is not worthy of the destiny that was given to him," Lily said.

Her face contorted, and Kara and Harry used their magic to push back her form. Lily's essence bounced back, but her magic was still active. It was still binding them within the Fortress. Lex was on the ground, and he crawled over. The orb was within his grasp. Lana managed to break free immediately.

She flew towards Lex, and knocked him away from the orb. Lana grabbed Lex, and stared him down.

"You won't hurt Clark again," Lana said.

"I never intended to hurt him, but he forced my hand," Lex said. He slumped on his knees, with Lana's grip on him. "Lana, you know you don't have the guts to kill me. So don't even pretend."

Lana's eyes glowed. Clark stepped over, and grabbed Lana by the arm.

"I'll deal with Lex," Clark told her firmly.

Lana opened her mouth to protest. Lex reached behind his back, and pulled one of the crystals that had busted off of the Fortress during the battle. Lily Potter was nearly defeated, but Lex only paid the slightest attention to that occurrence. He had the crystal.

"Thank you Clark, thank you, you're like a brother to me," Lex breathed. He held the crystal, and stabbed Clark with it in the chest. The crystal seemed to hurt him somewhat. "But, unfortunately, that means little in the Luthor family."

Lana made a movement to nail Lex for what he did. He had somehow drawn blood from Clark. The crystal was super charged with Lily's magic, and could hurt him. Lana blocked the second stab, and she pushed Lex back. She locked eyes with Lex. Lex's eyes seemed flooded with fear, but had been determined to make her see reason.

"The traveler, I must save the world from him," Lex whispered. "Don't you get it, I'm the hero."

"Only in your deluded mind," Lana said.

Harry and Kara gave one final push of magic and Lily was illuminated. Two energy scythes slammed into Lily, and she was sent beyond.

Lily was banished. However, she had one last trick up her sleeve before she was pushed out the back door.

The Fortress started to crumble, and crack around them. It started to hum as well, with a bright light show appearing around them. Kara and Harry exchanged an expression. Everything seemed to move so fast. The Fortress of Solitude was engulfed by energy, and it was being broken apart. The spirit of Jor-El faded, apparently being sucked into oblivion.

The world around them went to black.

Harry and Kara grabbed Chloe, and flew her off, and up to safety.

"Lana, grab Clark, and fly faster than you've ever flew before!" Kara yelled.

Lana was about to do so, but Lex had grabbed her from behind by the ankle. She used her strength to throw him off, but the seconds it took to do so was all it took for Lana and Clark to be trapped behind. A flash of light illuminated the Fortress, and the entire structure was pulled into the light. Red light filled the tunnel where Lana and Clark stood, and snow, and ice had slid down the tunnel in an avalanche.

The backlash of the Fortress being pulled into a pocket dimension had caused a tear in the time-space continuum, and a bright figure shot out of the rip like a shooting star, a young woman, flying over the Artic, before she landed somewhere in Russia.

Harry, Kara, and Chloe exited the Fortress at the speed of light. Around them, it illuminated, and a big explosion went off in the Artic. Snow was sent everywhere. Harry and Kara blocked it with their shield charms.

The entire Artic looked like a war zone. The Fortress was gone, and Clark and Lana did not exit the Fortress.

"Clark!" Kara yelled at the top of her lungs. "CLARK!"

There was no answer. The Fortress was gone, and Lex, Lana, and Clark were all nowhere in sight. Harry, Kara, and Chloe all stood in the Artic, and the all knew one thing.

They had to work quickly. Time was of the essence.