Reforged in the Sun: Clark Kent Reborn SI

The barn was quiet, except for the faint buzz of the Kryptonite finder on the workbench. The sound was oddly comforting, a sign that at least one of my projects wasn't completely falling apart. I adjusted the dials, watching the needle on the device twitch before it settled on a steady rhythm.

The Kryptonian tech I'd adapted to build the finder had finally paid off, at least partially. Jor-El's knowledge, imprinted on my mind like a second language, had been invaluable—but Kryptonian science was leagues beyond anything Earth was ready for. Even with my understanding of modern technology from my old life, I was still working blind half the time, patching together alien blueprints with Earth tools. The finder worked, yes—but it was crude. A temporary fix.

And temporary fixes weren't going to solve the problem at Crater Lake.

The map spread across the workbench showed the underground Kryptonite deposit running dangerously close to Smallville's town square, its jagged veins branching out like cracks in a windshield. The finder's readings indicated it wasn't just lying dormant, either—there were spikes of activity, subtle vibrations in the earth that grew stronger the closer you got to the lake.

It's spreading.

That thought alone was enough to send a chill down my spine. If the Kryptonite vein continued to grow, it could destabilize the area—or worse, affect people in town. I'd already seen what prolonged exposure to meteor rock could do: transformations, mutations, even death. I couldn't let that happen.

But I also couldn't ignore the other problem. The growl I'd heard in the woods wasn't natural. Something—or someone—was out there, and it was tied to the deposit. If I wanted answers, I'd have to go back.

Before I could face Crater Lake again, I needed better tools—something more reliable than the janky, improvised finder I'd been using. I reached for the metallic orb sitting in the corner of the workbench, its smooth surface engraved with Kryptonian symbols that shimmered faintly in the barn's dim light.

The orb was one of the few pieces of functioning Kryptonian tech I'd salvaged from Jor-El's fortress. According to the knowledge I'd downloaded during one of my "training sessions," it was a multipurpose device—part data storage, part energy reactor, part material analyzer. So far, I'd only scratched the surface of its capabilities, but if the schematics were accurate, it might be able to amplify the finder's range and sensitivity.

I placed the orb next to the finder and began connecting the two, carefully threading wires and soldering circuits. The orb pulsed faintly as it synced with the device, its glow casting eerie shadows on the barn walls. For a moment, I hesitated. The Kryptonian tech was powerful, but it was also unpredictable. If I made a mistake, I could short out the entire system—or worse, trigger an energy surge that might fry everything in the barn, including me.

It's a risk worth taking.

I flipped the switch. The finder whirred to life, its hum deepening as the orb's power flowed into it. The needle on the display spiked, then leveled out, its movements now smoother and more precise. I adjusted the dial, watching as the map lit up with new data points—stronger, more accurate readings of the Kryptonite deposit's depth and density.

But as I fine-tuned the settings, something strange happened. The orb's glow intensified, and the finder began to emit a low-frequency sound—not the usual hum, but something deeper, almost like a pulse. The needle twitched erratically, and a series of numbers scrolled across the display, symbols I didn't recognize at first glance.

I leaned closer, my heart pounding. The symbols weren't just random. They were coordinates.

Coordinates to what?

The thought barely had time to register before the pulse from the orb cut off, the finder going silent. I stared at the display, my mind racing. The coordinates pointed to a location just north of Crater Lake, deeper into the woods. Whatever was out there, it wasn't just Kryptonite.

The sun was setting by the time I reached Crater Lake. The woods were darker than they'd been the last time I was here, the shadows stretching long and thin beneath the canopy of fiery autumn leaves. The air was colder, too, biting at my skin as I followed the coordinates displayed on the finder.

The hum was back, louder now, reverberating through my bones with every step. It wasn't just coming from the Kryptonite deposit—it was something else, something deeper. My footsteps crunched against the brittle leaves carpeting the forest floor, but the sound was swallowed by the rhythmic pulse that seemed to emanate from the ground itself.

I pushed through the underbrush, the finder clutched tightly in one hand. The needle spiked as I approached a rocky outcrop overlooking the lake. At first, I thought I'd reached another part of the Kryptonite vein—but then I saw it.

A fissure in the ground, narrow but deep, glowing faintly with a sickly green light. The pulse was coming from there, vibrating the air around it. But that wasn't all. Something moved at the edge of the fissure, a shadow too large to be an animal. Its movements were slow and deliberate, almost predatory.

My breath caught as the shadow stepped into the faint light of the fissure. It was humanoid but twisted, its features warped by exposure to the Kryptonite. Its skin was mottled with patches of green, and its eyes glowed faintly, like embers.

It wasn't just a creature. It was a person—someone who'd been transformed by the meteor rock, their body reshaped into something monstrous.

The creature turned toward me, its glowing eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then it let out a guttural growl, its body tensing as it prepared to lunge.

I barely had time to react. It charged, faster than I expected, its clawed hands slashing through the air. I ducked, dodging the first strike, and spun to the side, my boots skidding on the loose dirt. The creature snarled, swiping at me again, but I grabbed a branch and deflected the blow, splinters flying.

"Wait!" I shouted, raising my hands in a defensive stance. "I'm not here to hurt you!"

The creature hesitated for a fraction of a second, its growl deepening. There was something in its eyes—confusion, maybe even pain—but it was fleeting. A moment later, it lunged again, and this time, I didn't have room to dodge. Its claws raked across my shoulder, tearing through my hoodie but barely grazing my skin.

If I don't end this now, someone's going to get hurt.

I reached down, grabbing a rock from the ground. Using just enough force to avoid seriously injuring it, I hurled the rock at the creature's leg. It stumbled, letting out a pained growl as it fell to one knee. Before it could recover, I bolted, my super-speed carrying me back toward the woods. 

I burst into the barn, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The finder was still on the workbench, its coordinates glowing faintly on the display. My mind raced as I replayed the encounter in my head. The creature—whoever it had been—wasn't just a victim of the Kryptonite. It had been guarding something.

The fissure wasn't natural. It wasn't just a weak point in the earth where the Kryptonite had spread. It was a doorway.

To what, I didn't know. But I had a feeling I was going to find out.