Found Tal's Masterpiece

This was not only mislabeled, it was halfway down on an ambiguously labeled document. And especially with Tal-Rho/Superman or Superman Defeated stories I look for names related to the story. This is one of the newer copies actually. And more powerful and original in its design and execution.

“Pledge to me that you truly submit and I promise to let them live unharmed.”

Clark looked down at his adopted daughter. “I submit.”

“Show me where you live.”

Clark lifted himself into the air, Tal followed close behind. In a few minutes they landed in Clark's front yard. Lois rushed out the front door. “Clark, what is going on?”

“I...have to go with Tal. You and Aisha will be fine.”

“Clark I...” Clark cupped Lois' face with his hands.

“I love you. You and our daughter, you're all that matter to me. I'll be fine.”

“It's time to go Kal.”

Superman walked back to Tal-Rho. He stood a step behind his brother, looking with love and hope at his family. Tal Rho launched himself into the air. Clark followed suit. As he followed Tal-Rho, Clark couldn't help wondering what he would find, what Tal would be like. Until two weeks ago, he had thought that 'Morgan Edge' was running people off their land and taking them away from their families. Morgan Edge, as it had turned out was a Kryptonian named Tal-Rho, and his half-brother. The sincerity in Edges eyes as he'd pleaded 'join me__of your own free will.” was unquestionably genuine. By threatening Aisha, Tal had forced his hand. Forced him to surrender. He understood Tal-Rho enough to know acting out for being circumvented was not in the man's nature. He couldn't imagine Tal would set him loose on the people of Metropolis. Beyond this, he could not even guess his brother's plans.

The first thing Tal-Rho did when they arrived inside his fortress was to command Kal-El to remove the 'chosen one' symbol from his torso__and his shirt along with it. Kal-El sat on the ground and tore his uniform at the waist. Pulling the now loose cloth over his head, in this way he obeyed his brother. He straightened his back but did not stand up. Tal took a spire of Kryptonite and literally bound it to his brothers chest. “You'll get used to it eventually Ka-rean.” Tal said, stepping away.

“'small one'. I should have expected that. If this is to make me compliant, it is not necessary. I wouldn't run from you if I hadn't just sworn to obey you.”

Tal Rho walked in a tight circle around his brother, gesturing with his hands as he went. “If you're worried about this crystal ending your life, don't be. It's not pure Kryptonite. Rather a graft of Nth metal infused with the radioactive substance which bears that name. And you will live a long life under its influence. The question Kal-El, is what are we to do with you? Kal-El is your true name, and probably the one thing I can still recognize in you. It's a twist of irony really. The last son of the noble and most ancient house of El, brought to heel by a discarded bastard.”

“You're not nearly as callous as you present yourself to be Tal.” Kal-El said with a firm jaw. “And you were never rejected. Not by our mother. And not by me.”

“What do you call joining with the humans rather than your own people?!”

“I call it choosing to protect humanity as I have always done. Replacing humans with Kryptonian minds, that is something I can never agree to. I will stand against any such plan if I have the choice. But I have not rejected YOU. And I never will.”

Strangely enough, Tal-Rho seemed genuinely pleased by this. He waved his hand over the spire of infused kryptonite. “Pretty soon I'll take that off. Pretty soon your word will be all I need. But until then, this stays on. And you stay down.”

“I don't understand why you're even doing this.”

“I need you weak enough that you can't interfere with our plans.”

“...OUR plans?”

“My father, Zeta-Rho.”

The pit in Clark's stomach grew about three sizes in that moment.

“You know the name?” Tal asked, genuinely curious.

“No. It's just, I surrendered to you. I didn't know any one else...”

“An easy mistake to fix.” A gravelly voice said from somewhere at Clark's left.

“He has vowed his submission father.”

“So he is...no longer a danger to the plan.”

Tal looked down at his brother, who shook his head sadly. “I promised Tal I wouldn't fight him. Whatever your plan is...TAL does not have to worry about me getting in the way.”

“So, it seems you've finally done something right for a change.”

“This is the last in a line of things I've done right.” Tal muttered under his breath.

“Yes but this is the one that matters!” Zeta Rho barked venomously.

“Of course father.” Tal replied with sincere respect.