An Invulnerable Heart | Man of Steel

XIX. Haunted Hero

Eleanor was a bit surprised by Clark's sudden kiss. Honestly, she didn't think Clark would like her back. Yet they shared the same interests and they were best friends since they were babies. But one of the many reasons why Clarkwas in love with Eleanor was her open and kind heart that filled Clark with a sense of joy and comfort. Her hazel eyesgazed upon him as her arms wrapped themselves around him. 

Clark's heart skipped a beat and his cheeks were a rosypink color. His mind must have drifted off for a while as he snapped back into reality. The cold and ruined Metropolisneeded his saving and there was last Kryptonian left – one that wasn't backing away from a fight. Eleanor walked aside,joining an unexpected appearance from employees at the Daily Planet.Zod was down, kneeling and mourning over the sudden loss of his race. 

He then scrapped a piece of dirt and heldit in his hands. Clark stood before him, unmoved and unsure on what to do with him. Maybe he could talk sense intoZod... Send him back to the Phantom Zone with the rest of his people. He didn't have a choice... the human peoplemade a huge impact on him. These were the people he was going to save."Look at this... We could have built a new Krypton..." Zod stated grimly, the dirt slipping from his open fingers. 

"But you chose the humans over us... I exist only to protect Krypton. That was the purpose of my existence. Everyaction I take – no matter how violent or how cruel – it's for the greater good of my people. And now, I have nopeople..."A feeling of guilt washed over Clark as he stood before a fallen Zod. All Zod wanted was rebuild his civilization. Tostart a new Krypton. But two worlds can't exist together and Zod knew that. 

"And that is what you have taken... from me." Zod looks up, his eyes filled with pain and anger. He lifted himselfoff the cold hard ground and shoved Clark with a powerful force.Clark felt his body start to ache as he skidded across the ground like a rock skipping through a pond. Zod wasapproaching him with full force and power, anger clouded in his eyes. 

"I'm going to make them suffer, Kal. These humans you have adopted. I will take them all from you, one by one.And I'll start with that pretty human girl you've attached yourself too. She'll suffer the most, Kal."Clark couldn't hold himself back anymore. Zod created a monster... he became a monster. The words hit Clarkbitterly, angering him when Zod spoke about Eleanor. He then rose from the ground, his dark crimson cape flying behindhim. 

His fists clenched and ready to land powerful punches."You're a monster, Zod. And I'm going to stop you." Clark stated confidently, watching Zod approaching him.He gathered his energy, all his power and fueled himself with it. Pushing forward, Clark flew to Zod and the two collided with a huge bang. Clark was sent flying toward a large city building. He let out a small scream as he felt thepain from his fall. Zod entered into the building, crouching down and squinting his eyes. 

The man continued to gruntwith pain as he lowered his head onto the ground.Suddenly, a beam blasted – the coloring much diyerent from Clark's heat vision. It was orange and uncontrolled byZod as he continued to scream with fury. He blasted some parts of the building – the strange sudden power startled Clark. Clark held his position in the air and watched Zod grunt in pain with the heated beams. 

Zod must have adaptedto the atmospheric pressure... and the sun must be the one activating these strange powers. Clark quickly lookedaround, seeing no sun shining out in the broken city.The building began to collapse around him as Clark met eyes with a deadly monster. Zod saw the destructionhappening around him and jumped off to escape. Clark followed him with a full force, seeing over his shoulder the realdestruction of the building. 

It collapsed behind him, sending many debris and dirt into the air. Clark looked around forZod but his clear hearing alerted him of an incoming train – used as a weapon against him.Zod stood before him, throwing several punches at Clark. Clark tried to block and counterfeit the power punchesbefore he was violently shoved into the ground. Clark looked up at the monster that was fighting before him.