The Legend of Naman

[jon-el87]

Prologue
Mis-stan-stur pulled closer to Mo'ohtavetoo'o as they sat in front of the campfire. The night was dark and cold, but Mis-stan-stur wasn’t afraid. Not while she was with Mo'ohtavetoo'o. She had known him longer than either of them could remember. In time their friendship had developed into something more, but neither of them could’ve imagined where they’d end up, after they had left their tribe in 1486 and spent the past few months traveling. Neither could explain it, but they both felt that their future lied beyond the tribe. That it was time to start something new.
The journey hadn’t been easy, but they had always found comfort in the knowledge that they were with each other. The last few days, however, something had changed. Mis-stan-stur couldn’t let go off the feeling that someone was following them. Many times, she had turned her head and briefly caught the shadowy glimpse of a man, who wasn’t there a second later. Was she imagining things or was there someone there? If there was, was this being a friend or a threat? Nothing had happened to them, since she started seeing the figure, but if the shadowy figure was friendly, why did it try to hide from them?
Mis-stan-stur fell asleep in the arms of Mo'ohtavetoo'o. All throughout the night, she dreamed about the mysterious figure who seemed to be following them. In the morning, they set off and continued their journey. They didn’t know what direction to take, but they both knew that they’d know when they’d reached their destination. A place where they could create a new future for both themselves and their children – when they had them. As they were riding through some woods, Mis-stan-stur briefly looked up at a hill. There the shadowy figure was again, but once more vanished after a second. She reached out to touch the shoulder of her beloved but stopped herself. All the times that she’d seen the shadowy figure, Mo'ohtavetoo'o had missed it. By now she was certain that he was tired of her insisting that there was some being, who kept following them, that only she could see.
As they reached the end of the woods, Mo'ohtavetoo'o signaled to her to stop. Towards them walked an enormous bear, the biggest she had ever seen, which began to roar upon seeing them. It began running in their direction. Without hesitation Mo'ohtavetoo'o jumped off his horse, with his spear, and told her to run. Save herself, but she couldn’t leave him. Mo'ohtavetoo'o tried to strike the bear with his spear but failed. The bear struck him with one of its paws, knocking him several feet away. Mis-stan-stur was horrified, but she couldn’t let him die. She pulled out a bow and arrow, getting ready to shoot the beast, before it killed the love of her life. Despite the size of the bear, she missed. The bear got on top of Mo'ohtavetoo'o. There was nothing Mis-stan-stur could do, but look on in horror, knowing that the bear would probably go after her next. At least she wouldn’t have to live on without him.
Just as the bear was about to bite into Mo'ohtavetoo'o, Mis-stan-stur saw a bright light coming from him. The bear’s teeth could no longer break through his skin. Mo'ohtavetoo'o got back up, still with the bear on him, but it looked like an effortless feat on behalf of Mo'ohtavetoo'o. he threw the bear aside. In his hand, Mis-stan-stur could see a strange dagger, that she’d never seen before. The bear once more tried to attack him, but just as the bear was to strike him with its paw, Mo'ohtavetoo'o was gone. Just like the shadowy figure. The bear was confused, but soon turned its attention to Mis-stan-stur. It charged at her, but suddenly Mo'ohtavetoo'o was back and grabbed hold of the mighty beast. With his bare hands, Mo'ohtavetoo'o was able to pin the bear to the ground. Mis-stan-stur had never seen anything like it. Mo'ohtavetoo'o got ready to kill the bear with the dagger but changed his mind at the last second. Instead he picked up the bear and threw it away a great distance. He ran back to his horse and the both fled the woods, before the bear returned.
When they had reached a safe distance, she asked him about the dagger, but he couldn’t explain it. It had suddenly appeared in his hand and he had found a strength he never knew that he had. As they rode away, Mis-stan-stur looked back and saw the shadowy figure standing by the edge of the woods. Had the being given them the dagger to protect themselves? They continued riding until sunset and set up camp. Mo'ohtavetoo'o seemed to no longer possess the amazing strength he had displayed, when he fought the bear. Not until he once again held the dagger in his hand. He turned to her and gave it to her, instructing her to try it. She hesitated but took it in her hand. Suddenly she began feeling a strange sensation in her eyes and turned her head towards where they’d begun to set up for the campfire. Mo'ohtavetoo'o was shocked when he saw fire shooting from her eyes and setting the campfire ablaze. She dropped the dagger and he picked it up again. Then they heard something. Looking beyond the campfire, they both saw the figure of a man.
Mo'ohtavetoo'o raised the dagger, in case the mysterious man was a threat, but Mis-stan-stur placed her hand on his, getting him to lower the dagger. Looking into her eyes Mo'ohtavetoo'o could tell that she’d already figured out that the man was a friend. The mysterious man came closer and sat down by the campfire. Mo'ohtavetoo'o and Mis-stan-stur were perplexed by the man’s appearance. Nothing like any man they’d ever seen. The color of his hair and skin was different from theirs.
“Are you the one, who’ve been following us?” Mis-stan-stur asked.
“Yes.” The man replied, who could speak their language, despite his appearance.
“And the dagger?”
“A gift. A kind of test.”
“A test of what?” Mo'ohtavetoo'o asked.
“Of character. I need to know if you were the right people.” The man answered.
“The right people for what?” Mis-stan-stur asked.
“To protect something. Now, concerning the dagger…”
“What about the dagger?” Mo'ohtavetoo'o asked with distrust. “It’s given the both of us amazing powers. You want us to give it to you? How do we know you won’t use it against the innocent?”
“Mo'ohtavetoo'o…” Mis-stan-stur protested.
The man smiled at the allegations of Mo'ohtavetoo'o. The man got up on his feet and pointed at a nearby tree. The same fire he had seen come from Mis-stan-stur’s eyes, came from the man’s eyes and set the tree ablaze. The man then inhaled and exhaled, causing a massive wind, that put out the fire on the tree. Then the man vanished before their very eyes and were suddenly behind them.
“Your concern is admirable. That is why I’ve chosen you.” The man said and got back down by the fire. “I am not from here.” The man added and pointed to the sky. “I come from there. Another world… another time.”
“Why did you come here?” Mo'ohtavetoo'o asked.
“To protect mankind.” The man answered.
“What is your name?” Mis-stan-stur asked.
“Jor-El.” The man replied.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 1
In the wake of the event known as “Contact”, the life of Christopher James Beppo had changed. In fact, it had changed the lives of most people. Before Beppo had been a columnist for the Smallville Ledger, but after Contact he had applied for and gotten a job at the Metropolis Journal. He wanted to be closer to “the Blur”, or “Superman”, as people were now calling him. It was the symbol on the man’s chest, that interested Beppo. Like symbols found in the Kawatche Cave and in Ezra Small’s diaries, which Beppo was custodian of, ever since he had discovered them in a dusty attic years ago. Diaries that contained accurate predictions of events occurring in the early 21st Century – over a hundred years after the death of Ezra Small. If he could get close to Superman, Beppo hoped that he may finally get some answers about the predictions of Ezra Small and the Kawatche legend of Naman. Beppo was one quarter Kawatche and had heard the legend told by his grandmother, when he was a kid.
According to the legend a man from the stars had come to Earth about 500 years ago. The visitor fell in love with the mother of the Kawatche people and from that, the tribe was born. That part Beppo always had a hard time believing. The idea that the tribe would be part alien. The visitor left but promised that another of his kind would come in a rain of fire – one of the meteor showers in Smallville? – who was called “Naman”. A being said to have the strength of ten men and be able to shoot fire with his eyes. Though given what Superman did during Contact, he clearly had more than the strength of ten men. This being would then protect the entire world. Furthermore, Naman would have a friend, like a brother, who’d turn on him, called “Sageeth”. As a child, Beppo hadn’t believed the story, but between the appearance of Superman and the prophesies of Ezra Small all checking out, he had no idea what to think.
Two years ago, when the Blur had begun leaving his symbol around, Beppo hadn’t thought much of it. The symbols from the cave a long been put on jewelry, so he figured this Blur was just using a symbol he’d seen on some girl’s necklace or something. But with the event of Contact, Beppo wasn’t so sure anymore and had moved to Metropolis, to get closer to the man. A task easier said than done. It wasn’t like Superman was in the phonebook and whenever he saved anyone, he’d always be gone, before Beppo made it to the scene. Beppo soon realized that he’d need a different strategy than simply running around Metropolis, hoping for a chance encounter with the possible Naman.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 2
Beppo worked for the Metropolis Journal, but he realized that to get in touch with Superman, he had no choice but to enter enemy territory: The Daily Planet. During his time as the Blur, one reporter in Metropolis wrote more about him than anyone else. One who seemed to be closely affiliated with him. Beppo made it into the Planet’s bullpen and began asking for Lois Lane, but no one seemed to have any time for him. He finally caught the attention of two reporters of African-American descent: Dave Stevens and Ron Troupe.
“Excuse me...” Beppo asked. “Either of you wouldn’t happen to know where I could find Lois Lane.”
“Eight floor.” Dave Stevens answered.
“But she isn’t there now.” Ron Troupe added. “She’s on an assignment in London, I think.”
“Do you know when she gets back?”
“Nope…I guess you could ask her fiancé.” Dave Stevens said.
“Where can I find him?”
“In there.” Dave Stevens pointed in the direction of Clark Kent’s desk. “Just don’t get fooled.”
“Of what?” Beppo asked.
“Clark Kent. He looks a bit like the guy, but trust us, he isn’t. I’ve seen them standing next to each other. Kent may be tall, but he was dwarfed by him.”
“Thanks.” Beppo said and walked up to Clark Kent’s desk. After a few minutes, a man in a loose suit – an unfortunate choice, as it made him look a bit overweight – and glasses. Beppo finally realized what Stevens had meant, but the impression that this man resembled Superman quickly faded. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen someone’s look-a-like. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen a Superman look-a-like. The week before, he’d passed someone, who’d looked like Superman, but with blond hair.
“Can I help you?” Kent asked.
“Clark Kent? I’m Christopher James Beppo, of the Metropolis Journal…” Beppo said.
“Journal…? Then I think you’ve come to the wrong paper.” Kent smiled.
“I’m looking for Lois Lane. I was told you may know when she comes back. It’s urgent that I get to talk to her.”
“She won’t be back for two weeks, Mr. Beppo… say, didn’t you used to have a column in the Smallville Ledger?”
“Kent… Of course, you’re the son of the Kents’. Sorry about what happened to your father. Tragic to suffer a heart attack, after winning an election like that.”
“Thank you. Why are you looking for Lois?”
“I was hoping she’d be able to get me in touch with Superman.”
“I think that’s out of her hands. Why do you wanna get in touch with him?”
“It’s a matter between him and me. I’m sorry, but it’s a bit too personal, to tell you. Have a nice day, Kent.” Beppo shook Kent’s hand and headed back upstairs and out of the building, with his head down. For a moment, the answers he’d been looking for, appeared to be just within his reach, then he lost it again.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 3
Having the whole day off and nothing to do, Beppo headed to a movie theatre, where he watched a screening of Postcards from the Edge, but not even a film starring his favorite actress could cheer him up. He had to find the answers he was looking for. After the movie, he headed back to his apartment on Clinton Street. Once he gotten into his apartment, he made himself some coffee. Suddenly he heard a knocking sound, but not from the door, from his window. He was three stories up, but someone was knocking on his window. Beppo approached the window and opened it. Outside was Superman. Beppo couldn’t believe it.
“Christopher Beppo?” Superman asked. “I understand you’ve been trying to contact me…?”
“Um, yes… Please, come in.” Beppo answered, as Superman flew in through the window and landed.
“Nice apartment.”
“Thanks.”
“What is it you needed to talk to me about?”
“Um, yeah… have you ever heard of Ezra Small?”
“Wasn’t that the founder of some town?”
“Smallville, yes.” Beppo walked over to his desk and took out some old books, that he handed Superman. “There was more to the man. Ezra Small wrote down things in his journals… Things that have since happened in the past few years.”
“I see…” Superman replied, as he flipped through the pages of the books.
“Another thing… does the name ‘Naman’ means anything to you? It’s an old Kawatche legend…”
“Perhaps…” Superman replied dismissively.
“Mr… Superman… I was hoping that you’d be able to give me some answers. Was the legend and prophecy true?” Superman remained silent for several minutes, then turned to Beppo.
“Give me 24 hours… and your questions will be answered. I need to do some research myself. I also need to contact another person.”
“I’ve waited so many years… what’s one more day…?” Beppo replied and Superman flew away. At least now Beppo knew that he would finally get the answers.

[jon-el87]

Chapter 4
Beppo had expected Superman to return to his apartment. Instead, the next day, Beppo received a mysterious e-mail, that gave him instructions on where to go. Beppo caught the monorail to Smallville, then used a rental car to drive to the Kawatche Cave. As Beppo entered the cave, he noticed another person present. He recognized him as Professor Joseph Willowbrook and greeted him.
“You’re Chris Beppo, aren’t you?” Professor Willowbrook asked. “I knew your grandmother.”
“Yes, it’s been a while. What are you doing here?” Beppo asked.
“I was invited.” Willowbrook held up a printed e-mail. “I guess so were you…” The conversation was interrupted by strange sound and light coming from deeper in the cave. Beppo went closer to investigate, while Willowbrook calmly stood back and waited. The light vanished, and Superman appeared. He waved to them to follow him into a chamber with a strange stone altar. The three men stood around the altar, when Superman placed an octagonal key into the altar. Suddenly Beppo found himself drawn to some sort of portal and suddenly found himself inside of a giant crystalline structure.
“I call this my ‘Fortress of Solitude’.” Superman said.
“Nice place.” Beppo remarked, as Superman walked up to some crystals and began operating them.
“Mr. Beppo, you wanted to know about the legend of Naman and the prophecies of Ezra Small.”
“Yes.”
“Last night I only knew part of the answer. Sorry I couldn’t answer you then, but I needed to look up the Ezra Small matter.” Beppo noticed a strange orb lying next to the panel, that Superman was operating, that Superman then picked up.
“Hard to believe that little thing’s caused so much trouble, isn’t it?” Superman asked.
“What did it cause?” Willowbrook asked.
“Everything. The legend of Naman, the Traveler… and a lot of death. The story begins on Krypton…” Superman said.
“Krypton…?” Beppo asked.
“My home planet.” Superman replied. “I’d appreciate if that was kept between us for the moment. Anyhow… On Krypton there was a war against a group called Black Zero. Fearing the destruction of their planet and their race, they created this orb. If Krypton was destroyed, then it would resurrect the Kryptonian race, by creating hundreds of clones here on Earth. It did happen two years ago.”
“What happened to the clones?” Beppo asked.
“Oh, I sent them to another planet. The orb was created by my father, but he feared what might happen to humanity if hundreds of Kryptonian showed up on Earth. So, he took steps to prevent it. The blasted the orb, with a kind of radiation, that robbed the clones of their natural powers on Earth. If that failed, he had programmed the orb to destroy this place and remove the powers of any existing Kryptonian.”
“No, offense… But the legend of Naman dates back over 500 years. How could it have been your father who created that orb?” Beppo asked.
“Time gets a bit funny in space. Time runs faster. Different plants, different galaxies can have time running differently. Also, Kryptonians had access to time travel. A lot safer to hide the orb and a few other things, centuries ago.” Superman replied.
“And what about ‘Naman’? Is it true that the Kawatche tribe hails from… Kryptonians…?”
“No, it’s not true. My father traveled back to 1486, here on Earth, to hide the orb.” Superman pressed something on the panel and a hologram of Jor-El, Mis-stan-stur and Mo'ohtavetoo'o appeared before them.
“Who are they?” Willowbrook asked.
“My father and the start of the Kawatche tribe. Mis-stan-stur and Mo'ohtavetoo'o. My father removed a piece from the orb… another attempt to prevent the creation of the clones. But, he couldn’t destroy it, nor take it from Earth. So, he found the next best thing: two people whom he could entrust with it. He gave it to Mis-stan-stur, for safekeeping. A key to creating life.”
“And Naman…?” Beppo asked.
“My father’s clone. Unfortunately, cloning is a 20th century concept, so he couldn’t explain it to them directly. Instead he told them, that another one of his bloodline would come. He promised that his clone would do everything in his powers, to protect mankind.”
“And Sageeth…?”
“The other clones. Brothers and sisters, who could become his enemies, if they’d turn on humanity.”
“What about the ‘rain of fire’?” Willowbrook asked.
“When the orb created the clones, it created a lightning effect. To some it would appear as a ‘rain of fire’. It was the only way he could explain it.” Superman answered.
“And the Palak?”
“A Kryptonian dagger. Jor-El entrusted it to them. Either as a way, for them to protect themselves from the clones, or for his to gain powers, if anyone of the other clones gained them. He was ready for both scenarios.”
What happened to them? Mis-stan-stur and Mo'ohtavetoo'o?” Beppo asked.
“Jor-El took them to the cave outside of what is now Smallville. They settled in the area and prospered. Had many children. As these children and her grandchildren grew, Mis-stan-stur told them about the visitor from the stars. Of course, she added certain elements like the ‘woman Naman was destined to be with’.” Superman handed Willowbrook Kyla’s bracelet.
“So, the legend of Naman was a children’s story?” Beppo asked.
“It started as much.” Superman remarked. “After Mis-stan-stur died, her descendants passed along her stories through the generations. They made the paintings in the cave. However, as the Kawatche tribe has no written history, the story of Naman was altered in time, as it was told from person to person. Mo'ohtavetoo'o was forgotten and the visitor from the stars giving Mis-stan-stur a key to creating life was turned into him having fathered a child with her.”
“Yeah, I always thought that bit sounded a little odd.” Beppo remarked.
“I don’t have all the details.” Superman continued, “But by the 20th century, the tribe had lost the piece of the orb. It eventually found its way into the hands of a group called ‘Veritas’, rich consisted of rich people, who had appropriated the legend of Naman and ‘Naman’ become the ‘Traveler’. They all died. However, when I came to Earth, one of them had received a signal from Krypton. One of the other members managed to use the signal to calculate where I’d land and tried to acquire me… he failed and found… someone else, but that’s another story.” Superman went up to Willowbrook and put his hand on his shoulder.
“I imagine all of this is quite a shock.” Superman told Willowbrook.
“It is.” Willowbrook turned around to face him. “But, at least, there are positive aspects of it. Without your father, the Kawatche tribe may never have been founded… and we wouldn’t have you to help the world.”
“What about Ezra Small?” Beppo asked.
“Ezra Small…?” Superman asked. “He founded Smallville in 1831. That same year, he found himself in the cave, where the symbol appeared to be talking to him. This is what I’ve spent the last 24 hours investigating… and, ironically, caused the very thing I was trying to find and answer for. I used the Fortress to look into the past. By doing so, I accidently linked Ezra’s mind to our present. Showing him bits of the future. I could’ve corrected it but realized that I was dealing with a causal loop. I show him bits of the future, so he could write them down, so I’d have to investigate and, in doing so, show him bits of the future.”
“And… that’s all?” Beppo asked.
“Yes.” Superman replied, before he activated the portal and sent Willowbrook and Beppo back to the cave outside of Smallville. Both men exited the cave and went to their individual cars. As he got behind the wheel, Beppo burst out into tears. Tears of joy. He finally had the answers to questions that had been on his mind for years. Finally, he could have some rest.
The End

[jon-el87]

Creator Credits
Christopher James Beppo first appeared in the web series Smallville Legends: Justice & Doom and was created by Mark Warshaw.
Dave Stevens first appeared in Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #106 and was created by Robert Kanigher and Werner Roth.
Jor-El first appeared in More Fun Comics #101 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Joseph Willowbrook first appeared in the Smallville TV series episode “Skinwalker” and was created by Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders.
Ron Troupe first appeared in Adventures of Superman #480 and was created by Robert Kanigher and Werner Roth.
Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.


Mis-stan-stur and Mo'ohtavetoo'o are my own original creations. For authenticity, I took the names from two real Native Americans, who lived in the 1800’s. However, the characters are not intended to be representations of real historical figures.