Smallville, Kansas. A quiet town nestled between golden fields and endless blue skies. To many, it was just another speck on the map, a place where life moved slowly, where people knew each other by name. But for the Kent family, it was home.
And for Alexander Kent, it was a reminder of everything he was not.
Growing up in the shadow of a legend wasn't easy.
Clark Kent—his older brother—wasn't just the perfect son, the ideal farm boy, or the best athlete in Smallville. He was Superman. The Man of Steel. The protector of Earth.
And Alex?
He was just normal.
No super strength, no heat vision, no invulnerability. Just an ordinary human living in the same house as a god.
For years, he had tried to convince himself that it didn't matter. That he could still find his own path.
But deep down, a part of him always wondered—what if?
What if he had been born like Clark? What if he could stand beside him, not just behind him?
That was the thought that haunted him every night.
And it was the thought that fate would soon make a reality—though not in the way he ever expected.
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A Normal Day… For Now
The morning sun bathed the Kent farm in a golden glow as Alex tightened the bolts on a tractor engine. His hands were covered in grease, his shirt soaked in sweat, but he barely noticed.
Working with machines had always been his escape. While Clark had been out saving the world, Alex had buried himself in engineering, designing gadgets and improving farm equipment. He might not have powers, but at least he had his mind.
"Alex, breakfast is ready!"
Martha Kent's voice rang out from the house.
"Coming!" Alex called back, wiping his hands on a rag.
As he walked inside, he saw his father, Jonathan Kent, already seated at the table, sipping coffee. Clark was there too, dressed in casual clothes, pretending to be the same farm boy he had been before the world knew him as Superman.
But Alex knew better. No matter how much Clark tried to act normal, he wasn't.
"You were out late," Alex commented as he sat down. "Another emergency?"
Clark hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Metropolis had a gas explosion. No casualties, but it could've been worse."
Jonathan sighed. "I just hope you're not pushing yourself too hard, son."
Clark gave his usual reassuring smile. "I can handle it, Dad."
Alex remained silent.
He had seen it before. The burden Clark carried. The weight of the world on his shoulders.
And yet, despite everything, he never complained.
That was the difference between them.
Clark could help. So he did.
Alex couldn't. So he didn't.
But that was about to change.
And neither of them had any idea what was coming.
End of Chapter 1.