A blinding surge of light flooded the cellar, followed by a violent gust that rattled the barn's old timbers. Clark shielded his eyes as the hidden spaceship lifted off the ground, spinning rapidly in midair.
The vessel pulsed with waves of golden energy that shimmered across its metallic surface.
"Don't be afraid, Kal," came a calm, resonant voice from within the ship.
Clark froze, staring in disbelief at the glowing craft. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"I am Jor-El, your father."
Clark's heart pounded. "I thought you were dead!" he shouted over the roaring wind.
"I am not flesh and blood," the voice continued. "I am his memory—his will. I exist to fulfill his promise and to guide you through your life. You are the last son of Krypton, Kal-El. As you journey through this world, you carry the hopes and legacy of our people. Their future depends on you."
The spaceship began to transform, its shape shifting until it resembled a massive, transparent sphere glowing faintly blue.
"It's time," Jor-El declared.
"Time for what?" Clark shouted, bracing himself against the swirling air.
"The moment to accept your destiny."
Clark frowned, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know what you've planned for me, but I—"
He never finished.
"When the sun sets, you will return to my side," Jor-El interrupted, his voice echoing from every direction. "Your destiny will be fulfilled."
Before Clark could respond, light gathered behind him. Turning, he saw several figures—Adrian, Jonathan, and Martha—standing there, smiling warmly.
Startled, Clark reached out toward Adrian, ignoring the voice.
"I understand your hesitation," Jor-El said, "but these people have served their purpose. It's time to let them go."
Clark reached for his brother's arm—only for Adrian's image to ripple like water and dissolve into a haze of light. Jonathan and Martha vanished the same way.
"No…"
Clark's chest tightened as fear gripped him. Even though he knew these were illusions, the sight of his family fading away filled him with dread.
"Everyone I love is here," he shouted. "This is my home! I won't leave!"
"Kal," Jor-El's tone remained calm, almost detached. "You must abandon the past and face what's to come. The future is changing. I sense a new light born in the cosmos—a lantern burning green, both protector and destroyer. Because of this, your path must accelerate."
"Are you talking about the Green Lantern?" Clark yelled through the storm. "Who is he?"
"His identity is irrelevant. What matters is that events are diverging—whether it's Adrian or the Lantern, both will shape your fate."
"Adrian?" Clark demanded, pushing forward against the fierce wind. "He's my brother! He came to Earth with me. Why are you so fixated on me? Because I'm easier for you to control?"
"No," Jor-El answered. "Adrian is both Kryptonian and not. He represents another possibility—your mirror, defined by his bonds to family. If you wish, he can be your ally; if you choose otherwise, he may one day stand against you. But I do not believe he will destroy you."
Clark clenched his fists. "He's my brother, not my enemy! And I won't be your puppet!"
The light grew brighter. "You have no choice, Kal."
"I'll make my own future!" Clark roared. "You don't decide my life—I do!"
The glowing sphere shattered with a thunderous crack. A shockwave burst outward, slamming into Clark and nearly knocking him off his feet. Then, as suddenly as it began, the light and wind vanished.
The cellar fell silent. Dust settled slowly through the still air.
Clark stood trembling in the darkness, whispering to himself, "I have a choice… I always have a choice."
---
Morning, Coast City
Hal Jordan stood outside a familiar picket fence, staring into the small yard beyond. The soft scent of flowers drifted on the ocean breeze.
This was home.
The rusty mailbox still leaned slightly, painted green with a faded cuckoo bird perched on top. His mother's garden overflowed with white and pink anemones, swaying gently in the morning light. Everything looked just as it had when he was a boy—familiar, yet painfully distant.
Hal pressed a hand against the brick wall, his eyes heavy.
Someone had once asked him, "Are you afraid of anything, Hal?"
He had smiled then, pretending to be fearless. But the truth was different. He wasn't born without fear; he had simply learned to hide it.
Before he ever wore the Green Lantern ring, before he flew among the stars, there was only one person who had ever made him believe he could do anything—his father.
"My dad gave me strength," he murmured. "He told me I could be whoever I wanted to be."
As a child, Hal had idolized his father, a test pilot who lived for the skies. But one tragic flight ended everything. He had watched his father's plane explode before his eyes.
After that, his mother forbade him from going near an airfield. He promised her he wouldn't—but he never stopped dreaming. He kept his father's old leather jacket, a symbol of the sky he longed to touch.
On his eighteenth birthday, Hal ran away from home and enlisted in the Air Force. It was his dream, his legacy—but also his greatest regret. When his mother fell ill, he couldn't leave his post. By the time he returned, she was gone.
Now, standing in the early sunlight, he finally had a chance to see her again.
The front door creaked open. A brown-haired woman in an apron stepped out, carrying a watering can. She looked exactly as he remembered her.
"Mom…" Hal whispered.
His throat tightened. Every instinct urged him to run to her, to tell her he was sorry, to hold her one last time. But he forced himself to stay hidden.
If he interfered, he might change everything. And besides—what could he say? That he was her son from the future? She'd think he'd lost his mind.
He stayed in the shadows, watching her lovingly tend the flowers.
Just as he turned to leave, Hal froze. Someone was walking up the path.
"Adrian?"
Hal's heart sank. What was he doing here?
Panic shot through him. Could Adrian be here for revenge—for what had happened during their fight? Given Adrian's temperament, it wasn't impossible.
Adrian approached the gate, studying the modest yard. "So this is Hal Jordan's home," he muttered, nodding approvingly.
Then he called out, "Mrs. Jordan?"
The woman straightened, startled. "Yes? May I help you?"
"Adrian Kent, from Metropolis," he said, offering a polite smile and handshake. "Your husband and I shared an interest in aviation. We met at a flying club. I was heartbroken when I heard about the accident."
"Oh… I see," she replied, surprised.
Adrian continued, his voice steady. "He was a good man. Helped me when I was struggling. I came to see if I could return the favor."
"That's very kind of you, Mr. Kent," she said. "But we're managing fine, thank you."
"I heard," Adrian said, glancing casually toward the house, "that you've been worried about your son's schooling. I know how expensive the transfer fees are in Coast City. Some schools practically hold students hostage unless you pay their price."
He reached into his jacket and handed her a check. "Please. Consider this a small token from a friend of your late husband."
Mrs. Jordan blinked, stunned by the young man's sincerity.
"Mom!"
Both turned. A boy, barely a teenager, came running from down the street—Hal Jordan, younger, thinner, full of restless energy.
"Hal," his mother scolded. "Don't tell me you skipped school again?"
"Classes ended early," he said quickly, eyeing Adrian curiously.
"Mr. Ferris called me," she said, exasperated. "You went to Ardent Aerospace again—climbing the hangar roofs! I told you, stay away from planes!"
"I'm sorry, Mom," young Hal muttered, lowering his head. "I just… like the view. There's nothing more beautiful."
Mrs. Jordan sighed, shaking her head.
Adrian watched quietly, then knelt to Hal's eye level. "You really love flying, don't you?"
Hal nodded eagerly. "Yes, sir!"
"If you want to fly," Adrian said, his voice low but firm, "you must learn to conquer fear. That's what separates dreamers from fliers." He turned to Mrs. Jordan. "May I speak with him for a moment?"
She hesitated, then nodded.
A few minutes later, the two stood on a bridge overlooking the river.
Hal glanced down nervously. "What are we doing here?"
"Learning to fly," Adrian said.
"Wait, what—"
Before he could finish, Adrian pushed him off.
"AHHH!"
Hal screamed as he fell, flailing wildly.
Adrian exhaled, then blurred into motion, vanishing from the bridge in a rush of wind.
With a burst of speed, he caught Hal midair.
"See?" Adrian said with a faint grin. "You've learned to fly, Hal Jordan."
____
Milestones
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