((EDIT February 18, 2018 Sunday: guess who is going to edit and fix all the typos? This gal, that's who.

I will not be making any changes to the actual story; I feel it shows my growth as an author. I may erase an A/N or a chunk of one, but I also want to show my growth as a person in general. The only major change is I may remove my old user name from my sign-offs.

Thank you all for your continuous support the last three years!

-Subtle Shenanigans))


DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Secret Saturdays in any way, shape or form. Only my words and concepts.

I Bow to the laughter, the crying, the tears.

Soak in the applause that reaches my ears.

And when the critic asks, "Why this? Why there?"

I laugh in his face and say, "Who cares?"

Here's the story:

Sacrifice

"All I ever wanted was to be the good guy! I know I'm Kur, but I'm trying! I never wanted to hurt anybody! I am not a monster. Why are you showing me these things?!"- Zak Saturday/Kur, from The Secret Saturdays Season 2 episode 6.

Zak Saturday landed back hard, the wind knocked out of him. He stood up and winced when he grabbed the claw of Tsul'Kalu, trying not to focus energy through it. Those days are over.

The cryptid before them was a great, shaggy, four-legged beast. It's face between that of a bear and a wolf, the muzzle broad yet long, with long blue-stripped fur. Its four great paws all had thick, blunt claws like a dog, but its gaze glittered an unnatural gold that was a bit unsettling.

"It's a Lupine Ursanidrac! A bit close to the city though," Drew, Zak's magic-believing mother, said.

"A bit? There's no forest for miles!" Zak's father, Doc, responded while grappling with the beast.

Zak ran forward and whipped out The Claw, trapping the Lupine Ursa-what's-its feet. It gave a throaty roar as it fell and Fiskerton and Komodo leapt on top of it so it wouldn't escape. Zak came forward and stroked the cryptid's head, trying to calm it down.

Drew came forward and put an arm around her son. "You're doing pretty well without your powers," his mother commented.

Zak stiffened momentarily, but it was unnoticed by his mother.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"Well, let's get this beauty home," Doc said.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

After dropping of the rather large cryptid, they parked the airship not far from town.

Since the other Secret Scientists (Except occasionally Miranda) stopped bothering them, and Argost was, well...dead, they pretty much went back to their normal lives. Minus Zak's powers.

"We're going now sweetie," Drew's voice drifted to Zak's room, were he sat on the edge of his bed, chin resting on his hands.

"Okay!" He responded. His parents had decided to have a couple's night.

Zak longed to close his eyes and sleep, but just couldn't risk it. The images were too terrifying.

He breathed deeply and left his room, making his way through the long corridors. As he went to go outside, his tall, fuzzy friend and adopted brother, Fiskerton, stopped him.

"Heurr-weurr? Hrrab aggadabb." The 'cat-gorilla' questioned.

"For a walk. Alone. Sorry Fisk," Zak said, not wanting to hurt his friend's feelings but wanting him to get the idea.

Fisk nodded and let him go. He understood the past year had been hard for Zak.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

Zak took a walk, weaving between bushes and kicking at rocks. He still felt bad about the battle against Argost. Yes, Battle, because it wasn't quite a war.

He felt bad about it. He knew some came willingly to support him, but not all. He either convinced or controlled the rest. It was for a good cause, but still.

Suddenly he stopped, whirling around and pulling out the claw of Tsul'Kalu. There was a rustling and slithering sound that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

From behind some bushes a cryptid came forward. It was a tall, Red-hooded Naga that slithered forward and bowed very formally.

"My Massster Kur."

Zak was shocked, to say the least. "I-I'm technically not Kur anymore," he stammered.

The Naga chuckled, a very unpleasant sound. "You were born asss Kur, Ssso you sshall alwaysssss be he. With or without powerssss." He said with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Who are you?" Zak questioned.

The cryptid paused in thought for a moment, as if looking for an answer. "You may call me Nahga."

"Where's your queen," Zak demanded, on alert for the disillusioned naga queen.

The naga raised an eyebrow but wasn't surprised. "I have ssplit from Rani Naga'sss faction, asss have ssome othersss. That Argossst," He spat the name with distaste, "wasss no true Kur. He sstole a false Kur'ss ssoul. Only you are the real Kur, my Massster, for you have the very ssoul of Kur. I only came to tell you your true followersss are standing by. We are at your ssservice, My Massster Kur."

With this he turned and slithered away before Zak could respond, quickly vanishing from sight.

Quietly Zak returned to the airship, his head a storm of thoughts.

He never told his family what had occurred.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

It had been a few months since his encounter with Naga. No contact from either side had been made.

They had been fighting a rather large and angry cryptid this day-a Pandi Ursna, a creature similar to a bear. But giant. With six legs. And overly large fangs.

The dark-brown furred behemoth smacked Doc against a wall as Drew pulled herself from a pile of rubble, and was going in for the kill, it's eyes filled with bloodlust. It was the last straw for Zak.

He said he wouldn't. Never again.

But he did.

Deep inside himself he called up the energy, happy to be reawakened. His gold-toned brown eyes glowed a strange fiery-looking orange, and he focused the claw of Tsul'Kalu, which also was wrapped in an orange glow.

His power was nowhere near what it had been during the so-called war, but it was enough. The cryptid's eyes glowed the same as Zak's, and it halted its advance.

His mother and Father stared at the cryptid, wide-eyed with shock.

"Hell-oooh, can't hold him all day," Their 14-year old son said, drawing them from their thoughts.

Doc nodded and leapt up to help. Drew came over to Zak, hands on her hips, and said, "We're discussing this later."

Oh, Joy, Zak thought.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

"How long, Zak? How long?"

"Now Drew-"

"Since I woke up," Zak interrupted, his voice low, almost with no emotion. Sensing he had their attention, he continued.

"When I woke up from- from dying, I sensed it still there, only it was weak and suppressed. Like my soul had been shredded apart. But it was still there. Everyone acted like if my powers were gone, then so was Kur. No one got it- I am Kur. In order for Kur to die, I would have to die too. We're one in the same, You can't just get rid of it." By this point Zak had silent tears running down his face and his voice began to choke up.

"But why lie to us sweetie?" His mom asked, voice breaking just a little.

"Because I don't want to be this! I don't care about losing my powers if It meant I wasn't Kur! But you can't change that, I'll always be Kur," at this a sob escaped him. "By lying I could pretend that I wasn't Kur!" Zak shouted, eyes blazing with anger and hurt. He ran from the medical bay where they'd been talking, and went to his room, locking the door. He slid to the floor and pulled his knees up to his chest, crying from frustration and so many other things. Exhausted, he fell asleep.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

The dreams came like before. Before the so-called "war". Similar to, but completely different from the visions of Tsul'Kalu. They were worse, since they came from his own tormented mind and feelings.

The city, broken, blackened by fire. Smoke churning through the desolate sky. Blood covered the floor, possibly cryptid or human. He suspected human.

The creatures rampaged through the city, marauding and trampling. Screeches and cries rang up to the smoke-heavy sky. He saw the destruction and found it good.

A few cryptids, depicted in shadow, brought forth a man and his family. The man was pushed down, and he protectively put an arm around his wife and daughter. The girl looked to be about seven.

"Why are you doing this," he asked, eyes filled with terror. Yes, terror. Not the tiniest bit of anger or hatred. Only pure, satisfying terror.

Zak stood up and walked towards the man, growling in his face.

"Because you're human."

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

Zak entered into the cockpit of the ship, eyes to the floor. Fisk cautiously went forward and made his usual noises of inquiry. Zak looked at his brother and gave a small smile, "I'm fine Fisk." But he knew he wasn't. And never would be.

Doc continued to pilot the airship, but Drew turned her chair. Before she could speak, Zak raised a hand to stop her and said, "Look, I'm sorry for blowing up back there. And...I'm sorry for not telling you I still had my powers."

Drew came forward and hugged him tightly. "It's okay sweetie. We never realized how stressful this must have been for you. We just- no matter what, we love you, you know that, right?"

Zak nodded and hugged her back.

Doc put the ship on autopilot and turned his chair. "At least now we know. It'll be useful on missions. Is it as strong as when we faced Argost?"

Zak shook his head, "No, It would take me a really long time to get that powerful again. Before we were lucky I could get that powerful, that fast. Plus, I was...injured in a way that disrupted my powers. It's not like Argost is around anymore anyways."

"True," Doc agreed. "We'd only need your powers to help with the cryptids."

Drew smiled happily, "At least no one's trying to use the power of Kur anymore. Even Rani Naga ran after Argost was defeated. It's over."

Zak nodded as his parents went back to piloting. But he knew in his heart that it was far from over.

A/N: So *ahem* this was written in a rage after I finished rewatching the secret Saturdays. I loved the whole "Zak is Kur and has to fight inner evil" thing. And then, (SPOILERS) Zak loses his powers! What the fudgenheim were they thinking?! And then, some people argue that now Zak isn't Kur! Graaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! *Deep Breath* Zak was born as Kur. His soul is Kur's soul. Not two souls combined (although I've read a few fanfictions with that idea and find it quite interesting), not "Kur is residing in Zak". Heck, the creator of Secret Saturdays said Zak was the reincarnation of Kur.

Sorry, raging here.

So this was written as an idea to keep Zak's powers (and mention Zak still being Kur). Feel free to criticize, I don't mind correction and find it quite helpful. please no flames (Those are just mean reviews, correct?)

Sincerely hope you enjoyed it.

And until next time, I bid you 'Adieu'.