V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 344: Bury the Hero Within Me

Zinnia and Lucas crashed to the ground coming out of the portal. Tumbling ahead, Zinnia clenched onto the side as she found herself clinging onto the side of a large titan hanging on for dear life. Struggling to keep a hold on the tree, she fell only for Lucas to catch her pulling her up. The two lay on the ground panting as Lucas turned to Zinnia. "Do you see now? Do you understand, he won't stop? Alton won't ever stop."

"Alice was going to kill him!"

"No, no. She was saving him. He's got you brainwashed into following him." Lucas argued, standing holding his stomach. "That was the best chance we had at ending this."

Zinnia, on her hands and knees, took serval deep breaths. "You're wrong, Lucas."

"When we met back in the Garden, I thought you were different; I would always hear about how destructive the humans were. They all wanted to slaughter us and deny our freedom, but then I met you. I could see it in your eyes. You were kind, caring. You didn't see us as your enemy; instead, you took pity on us. I cannot believe you're the only one who thinks the same but…. That man is corrupting you and lead you to stray away from the path you desired. So as the Stage of Hope, I will do what I can to bring the hero of Rhinefield back."

Zinnia gritted her teeth, letting off a blast of electricity, knocking Lucas back sliding against the floor. He stabbed both swords into the ground to hold him in place. Then, looking up, Zinnia rose in her hero attire, lightning sparking all around her as her mask appeared. Holding her katana forward, she gripped it with both hands muttering. "And I thought you were different too. But you are all the same. So the Garden must be stopped right here. For Alton. For my family."

Moving her leg around, Zinnia lunged at Lucas with all her might. Lucas prepared for the attack only to find Zinnia fade to smoke passing through him. Turning on the spot, swinging his sword around, the two crashed into a stalemate throwing countless blows at each other. With each block and parry, neither party was able to pass through for a damning impact. Trying her luck again, Zinnia blasted herself into the air drenched in smoke and electricity. Again, turning on the spot, she crashed down, missing Lucas, who jumped back; however, the Titan began to shake and crumble at sight. The tree was unstable, and the battle on top was only making it worse.

Taking a step forward, Zinnia stumbled back as the Titan began to break and fall. Slowly collapsing onto Rhinefield, Zinnia wouldn't let that stop her as she flicked her arm around, letting off serval electrical afterimages of herself. Crouching down, she passed between each one attacking Lucas, who perfectly blocked each attack without much problem. As the last came at him, he blocked, swinging his arm around as a bright light blinded Zinnia as her attack was countered. Knocked back, the Titan collapsed onto the city, destroying buildings and anything in sight.

Jumping to safety, Lucas rolled onto the next rooftop running to his feet, avoiding more of the rubble breaking apart. Catching his breath, he glanced up, startled as Zinnia crashed down, forcing him to one knee as she pushed down on his defence. Gritting his teeth, Zinnia used her other hand to conduct more electricity to burn Lucas, forcing him to drop his guard. Allowing Zinnia to push against him, he quickly rolled out of the way at the last minute, taking a deep cut to his cheek as he distanced himself from standing up. Zinnia fell to the floor, slowly pulling herself up, throwing her katana away frustrated. "We don't have to keep doing this, Zinnia. Please, let's stop this madness once and for all. This isn't what Alton would want."

"What Alton would want? What would Alton want?"

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"He would want you to be safe, no?" Lucas argued, trying to win Zinnia over. "Forcing you to fight for him, die for him. That doesn't sound like Alton at all."

"That's only because you've pushed him to his limits! We were happy, free before you stole that from us!" Zinnia argued, turning into a puff of smoke back onto her feet. "If I stop the Garden, the madness ends."

Lucas held his swords behind him as he took a long breath. "You're right. I want this madness to end as much as you, Zinnia. The toll we take to achieve our goals. The pain for freedom."

Zinnia watched as her heart sunk, hearing a whisper echo in her ear. Lucas' long whisper had begun. Torn from her spot, Zinnia was forced on another offensive as she went to strike deep within. Lucas opened his eyes as his swords began to glow with a golden light. Holding each one opposite to him, he squatted down, readying himself. "What I do, I do for the freedom of my people. The hope that one day we can all live in peace with the pain of yesterday wiped from our minds. But, until that day comes, I will fight, fight for the others who can't, fight for the people who fallen and to fight for myself. I am Lucas of the Stages of Grief representing Hope, and this is where it ends!"

Slashing the air in front of him, a giant cross shape ripped through the city, just missing Zinnia as buildings were cut down in an instant. Rolling onto the floor, Zinnia moved to ambush the Stage, only for Lucas to raise his sword, the end extending to the sky-piercing the endless blue. A deep yellow emerged from the sky as a giant eye stared down on Zinnia. She stopped in her track, looking up conflicted. Gripping her fist tightly, she watched as meteors crashed down onto the city and her. Forced to flee, Zinnia retreated as the area around here was bombarded constantly. Calling on her katana, she swung it around, cutting one meteor in half as the destruction passed her. There was nowhere else to run as she was forced to turn back, taking Lucas head-on. Gripping her katana tightly, she began the slow walk back. Lucas looked to Zinnia, startled she was still willing to fight. Her willpower was matching his own as she kept her walk towards her enemy. Meteors passed Zinnia by each just missing her, and any that did block her path was cut away by seemly nothing. Zinnia had a fire in her eye that never fizzled out as she held her katana behind her, stopping just before Lucas's eyes closed. Clenching her katana by her side, she whispered silently to herself. "This ends now…. Lend me the strength to win, father…. Mother. I leave everything with you!"

In that split moment, Zinnia's entire body ignited with smoke and electricity. Her own presence vanished, leaving only the violent nature of elements. Zinnia propelled into the air as Lucas prepared to fight, leaving a thick layer of smoke behind. As she kept going reaching the sky, she cut down another meteor forming back together through the smoke. Then, turning back down, racing, she held her katana by her side, crashing down. Lucas went to block the attack, only for Zinnia to pass through him in an instant. Smoke fizzled either side, blinding the area as Zinnia landed onto one knee, dropping her blade. "Final attack, silent storm."

The smoke faded as Lucas stared ahead, not turning to Zinnia, dazed. Instead, he glanced down, seeing a deep wound in his stomach as constant blood trickled out. His heart sunk as the realization kicked in before he fell to his knees; his head hung low. "No…." Zinnia stood up, turning to put the boy out of his misery when he meekly whispered. "Please don't. I want to see this city more. I want to witness the sky a bit longer."

Zinnia dropped her katana kneeling to Lucas' aid. "You led me no choice."

"There's always a choice. You told me that." Lucas whispered, coughing, being helped by Zinnia. "Before all of this, Adam asked me who I regarded as the true enemy? I wasn't sure until now. All of this death and suffering why? Why did it have to carry on? At the end of the day, who wins? No one."

Falling onto his back, Zinnia slowly placed him down, holding his hand. "Why side with them then? Look around, Lucas. This is all they wanted."

"I didn't side with them. I sided with the people I care about. I just wanted…. I just wanted my friends and family to be free; was that too much to ask? So tell me, Zinnia, why? Why did you get to be born free but not me? It's not fair. None of this is fair."

"This. This is a cruel world we live in." Zinnia admitted squeezing Lucas' hand tighter. "Life isn't like a comic book. The heroes don't win and save the day. Alton told me that. Nothing about this damn world is fair, but we try, don't we?"

Lucas kept looking to the sky with a smile. "It's warming to see, isn't it? The sky, I finally got to see it. But where are the ones to share the memory with me? Please, Zinnia, you can't let this world end like this…. Stop Alton, I beg of you."

"I can't. He's, my friend."

"He's lying to you. You have to know the truth. Only you can stop him."

Lucas' final words fizzled out as he moved on from the living with a look of desperation in his eyes. Zinnia knew he wanted to do so much more, but that was snatched from him once again. Letting go of him, Zinnia stood up, holding her bloody hands leaving a mark on her face. Through Lucas' death, her memories began to fizzle back. That's when the heartache returned. The pocket world, Alton's betrayal. Gale's demise and so much more. It was unbearable as Zinnia clenched her chest falling to the floor tearing up. "What have I done? It's happening again…. What have I done?!" She began screaming to the world, trembling, unable to cope. "Why, why, why?! Have I learned nothing? Wasn't Marco enough?! Alton…. What did you make me do? No…. This was me."