An Ocean of Fire- Supercorp AU

43- Lost

It had gone exactly as Alex had predicted. King Leon's banner-men had arrived on the field, astride horses they had stolen from the undefended palace stables.

Lucy, clad in full armor, had landed carefully atop the wall separating them from the Cogorians sailors and Luthorian soldiers and called out to him, her voice carrying far across the field.

"King Leon!"

She waited a beat, though she received no response.

"The Queen of Krypton is prepared to receive your surrender! By midday- "

The first arrow whistled past her before she ever even finished. Alex's body visibly tensed at its sound and Winn's hand flew up to grasp at her arm, but Lucy snatched herself out of harm's way a second before it landed.

She had disappeared beyond the wall once more before the second one sailed by.

Alex's eyes had locked Alura's then, and an instant exchange of command was given.

The Knight Captain planted herself on the far end of the courtyard, centered on the arch that separated them from a formidable enemy, and screamed at her knights to steady themselves and prepare for battle.

And then they came in waves.

It had been hours of relentless attacks. Cogorian soldiers would push forward and get pressed right back again. A Kryptonian would go down, and a Cogorian would take a hit, or a Luthorian would retreat. Kryptonians were giving as good as they were getting - but it wasn't sustainable.

They were far outnumbered.

Her Kryptonian soldiers, normally powerful and tireless, were being worn down by kryptonite. The sheer quantity of it outside their walls was a true force of contention. She felt heavy and tired, her limbs leaden. Her body ached with a fiery soreness that wasn't from the hours of adrenaline-fueled fighting. Grappling hooks had begun sailing over the walls and sinking in, and her front lines had been split between defending the wall from above and below. The sky archers were raining arrows down from above, but they needed to dip below the murky fog to send their arrows true - and it was leaving them open to attacks.

The onslaught was paused now, briefly, and Alex was screaming at her commanders to regroup and take count. Observers in the spires were reporting on enemy movements, and the Cogorians appeared to be doing the same.

Alex took a moment to survey the scene.

Smoke and dust drifted across the courtyard in spirals and swirls. Blood stained the stones in a pattern around the archway, and the cries of the wounded punched through everything with a haunting melody.

She watched another round of Kryptonians carry away a young, wounded squire, and true fear seized her heart for the first time that day.

Alura stepped out from the wing temporarily being used as a hospital, and Alex locked eyes with the Kryptonian Queen for the second time that morning. This time the exchange of information was far more muddled.

Alex approached her with a determined step.

"Your highness, this has to stop."

"We can hold them back, Captain."

"With all due respect, I think that the situation is a lot more dire - "

"Krypton is strong, Alex, we will hold this line until reinforcements return from Bolenth."

"We are losing, Alura."

The older woman turned to her, her brows knitting together as her voice lowered.