Chapter 260: The Legendary Hero (1/2)
Zinnia stared on, worn down but still ready for a fight as smoke kept dwindling from her hand. Kurt took notice of this, clapping his hands with an exaggerated tone. ”There's my girl. Wow, you've already harnessed that old power of mine. It's official you really are my daughter.”
”I don't believe it. My real father would never fall so low to become a member of the Garden. He fought for what was right and never gave up. He saved my mum and countless others; he was a true hero!” Zinnia snapped, not buying Kurt's story for a single moment. She had in her mind no matter what, this man would never be her father.
Kurt sighed, scratching his neck, agreeing. ”That sure sounds like him. He'd always be so single-minded nothing else mattered if it meant saving someone from evil. He sure gave us a hard time 400 years ago, took down our whole operation overnight alongside your mother and the two Children of the Garden. At the end of the day, though, it didn't matter. He came around to our cause when the Garden attacked. When his city fell and the world cried out for a saviour, your father stepped up like the hero and did the right thing. Joining us was the right thing. He wanted to make up for his mistakes and save this world from chaos. We granted him that wish and allowed him to live for hundreds of years to see his goal through. We want to save this world, Zinnia. All of us from the Garden and only together can we do that. You were not prepared for the Garden's wrath last time. This time will be different.”
”How? By killing anyone who opposes your rule? Enslaving innocent people and tricking them into joining a cause not noble or pure. You're no different to the Garden.”
Kurt gave a faint nod. ”That they are. You see, Zinnia, Mortem sent me here to kill you. We were well aware our stage of grief wasn't prepared for this fight. He's still in the early development stages and will need a lot of work. But you see, I'm not here to kill you; I don't want that. I'm here for you, daughter.”
Zinnia stepped back, keeping her hand on her blade holding her other hand out. ”You stay right there. You hear me!”
Kurt turned to the village elder, taken back. ”Kenya, would you kindly be the voice of reason here? I simply mean no harm.”
The village elder also kept her guard up, disjointed. ”You are not welcome here, monster; you threw away those privileges when you joined the enemy. Leave at once or else.”
Kurt stared blankly as the blizzard battered him over and over again. His eye began to twitch as he held his face shaking his head in disbelief. ”I cannot believe you all. Don't you realise I did all of this for you all!” Losing his composure, Kurt held his arms out, ranting away. ”If it wasn't for my choice, the Garden wouldn't have stopped. You would all be dead and buried hundreds of years ago. The world would be in ruins and the Garden the victor. I took what was necessary to win! Save everyone no matter the cost. Adam Berry understood that when he took the mantel of Bargaining to seal the Garden once more. Mortem, the Garden it's all just a tool for my use. A tool to save others, just like my powers before me. I wish you would understand that!”
”There is always another way.”
Kurt scoffed at this shaking his head. ”That's what they always say. But when you're in the moment. When you are backed into a corner with seemly no way out, you'll do just about anything! Wouldn't you agree, daughter? You, of all people, should know how that feels.”
Riley, still with her guard up, turned to Zinnia, confused. ”What is he talking about?”
”Like father like daughter, I guess. We both took action in the heat of the moment. I do not regret my choice of action, Zinnia, do you?!”
Zinnia clutched her fist losing control of herself as a bolt of lightning struck next to Kurt grazing his arm. ”You don't have the right to even compare us! I regret my actions a thousand times over; I'm making amends and fixing my mistakes once and for all!”
Kurt laughed at this, strolling back and forth with a mocking tone. ”You haven't told them. You told Alton, I assume. He must have lost it over that; you betrayed all of their trust. Making a pact with a stage of grief. I can't tell what was worse and for something so small and simple. To protect the people you care about? What a disgusting wish. You see, Zinnia, a real hero, doesn't get those privileges. They don't get to keep what's close to them. Heroes don't get happy endings. A true hero is willing to sacrifice everything for the cause. To throw away everything close to them to save others. That is what a true hero is!”
”Zinnia.” The village elder whispered. ”Is that true?”
”Admit it, daughter. Admit the failure you became; don't you see we're the same—wannabe heroes who flew too close to the sun. We believed we could have everything and not give up something in return. We were pushed to our limits and made sacrifices for others' good; they don't understand what we went through or the reparations of our actions. They just see our flaws and judge us for them. It doesn't have to be this way; we can both still make things right.” Kurt demands, holding his hand out. ”Come with me, Zinnia, come with me, and we can make things right again. No one else has to die; we have that power to change the world. We could overthrow the CEOs together and save everyone. We can stop the Garden from ever returning. You just have to take my hand. Please, Zinnia, it's the only way to save the people close to you.”
Zinnia was hesitant. The words spoken by her father were pure and righteous. Something a hero would say, she understood entirely. He was the man she looked up to and wanted to be ever since a young age, yet she had drifted away from that. She could once again make up for her mistakes and fix everything. She would be the hero she always dreamed of. ”Doing this would stop the Garden?”