V.I.R.A.L

"Do it finish her off while she is down. Do you want someone like her getting in your way? She will try to stop us from saving the world. Take her out of the competition and win." Bargaining whispered provocatively into Zinnia's ear. She stared down at Scarlett, who was unconscious in the middle of the beach. Zinnia's hand began to glow with electricity as Bargaining smirked. "That's right. Let no one stand in our way. Do it!"

As Zinnia was about to take out Scarlett, a small groan came from her. Instantly stopping her attack, she stared blankly as Scarlett woke up muggy. "Shit, what happened? Where is he? Where the hell did he go?!"

"Who?"

"EOR… That son of a bitch jumped me again." She snarled getting help from Zinnia. Clearing her throat, she returned to her calm manner sighing. "Sorry, it's good to see you well, Zinnia. Any words from the others?"

Zinnia shook her head. "No, I haven't run into Emil or Gale. Do you know where Alton is?"

"If I can go off by anything probably making some streamer's life a living hell. Well, I guess there's strength in numbers, right?" She played off, moving her shoulder around. "This Eyes Over Reality is more powerful than I first thought. He can't actually hurt us, but our brains haven't quite worked that out. I have a splitting headache. Now that I think about it, I might have been shot."

"I see no wounds."

"That is what's getting me worried. It is to our best interest to find the others fast. Then there was that other streamer… Killer Queen." Scarlett turned around, looking in the distance. "Say isn't that what's her name… Harmony?"

Zinnia turned around seeing Harmony walking up looking beaten up. "What a stroke of luck we find you. No time that Syndicate member from before is here."

Scarlett flinched thrown off. "Syndicate? Shit, this couldn't get much worse. Are you alright?"

Advertisements

"Just about. Luckily Alton was there to help me."

Scarlett saw Alton slowly walking into view holding the Demon Mask worn by the Syndicate member. She rushed over in worried, checking him. "Are you hurt? Where did that bitch go?"

Alton shook his head, looking tired. "I'm just about fine. She was more of a problem than I thought, but I managed to handle myself. She let me go for some reason, and I found this not too far away."

Scarlett held the mask trembling. "It really is them… Fuck, I was hoping it to be a knock-off wannabe, but this is seriously a mask belonging to the Syndicate family. They slipped through my hands again! If I had just found you quicker none of this would have happened. We could have taken her together…"

"No point beating around the bush. It's over, but shit was I not ready for that right after battling Jinx too…"

"That's the wonder of the Battle Royale genre, you never know who will stab you in the back. I take it you took care of her."

"I wouldn't be in the race still if I hadn't."

"Well, while you were doing that, I had a run-in with the villain of the week. It's worse than I first thought."

Alton gave a long thought nodding. "I hear you. Well, it's fine now, we are all here, and we've got each other's back. Now just to find Emil and then we can take the fight to him."

Zinnia's gaze was engulfed on Alton. Her head was banging uncontrollably as everything else was blurred out like a camera focusing on one point. Harmony was saying something, but Zinnia real objective was taking over. Bargaining stood in front of her staring at Zinnia with ill intent. "The time has come Zinnia. We take whatever chance we are given. No matter what don't let anyone stand in our way. Free yourself and do it."

Zinnia stepped back, holding her head in pain screeching. "No! No, I can't. Don't make me."

This got the attention of the others as Scarlett and Alton quickly came to see what the problem was. Bargaining held onto Zinnia clutching her shoulders yelling at her. "You made a deal, so finish it! Only then will you be free of me! Only then will you have the power to save others from death. No one else will have to die! Do it! Alton Brantley must die."

Zinnia fell to her knees as her whole world began falling apart. Everything she was standing for put in question all crumbling at the touch as the problem was placed. How much is one life worth for many? Could she do it? Kill who she cast as her best friend, perhaps something more than that. If it meant saving everyone else, could she be selfish? Go against the ideology she stood for. One question remained. What would a hero do? Zinnia tensed up before everything just faded.

Alton kneeled down, shaking her. "Zin? Hey, girl you there? Are you alright?"

Zinnia's eyes met with Alton's. One filled with tears and guilt but also of determination and anger. Her hand began shaking as Bargaining's voice echoed in her mind. "Alton Brantley must die."

Small crackles of electricity rippled through both hands before Zinnia whispered softly. Alton leaned in to hear what she was saying. "I'm so sorry…"

Alton was blasted by the volts making him slide back by the force of Zinnia's attack. Scarlett glared at Zinnia ready to fight, but Alton yelled out, holding his hand forward, falling to one knee. "Stop! Stop, I'll handle this."

Zinnia, wholly broken inside, walked towards Alton feeling a puppet as she couldn't hold back anymore. "Please Alton don't resist. I don't want to hurt you any more than I have to. Make this easy for yourself!" Alton gave a confused look as Zinnia raised her hand forward, opening it. "Pure volt."

A sudden and bright lightning bolt struck down scorching Alton as he stumbled back only managing to stand panting. He leaned his head back, gasping for air.  "With attacks like that Zin you're going to… Oh. I get it now." Stepping back, he looked back at Zinnia with no expression. He wouldn't even give her a look of sadness or betrayal. She didn't deserve it. Before we continue this, I need to know. Why are you doing this? You're many things but a killer. No, I can see it in your eyes. You don't have it in you."

"Don't talk down to me like I'm a child, Alton. That's all you ever treat me like, and I'm sick of it! Is that all I am to you? The child you babysit? You don't understand what I'm going through. I need this for not only my sake but for the sake of the world."

"Sake of the world? What are you talking about?!"

Zinnia clutched her fist, turning away. "Back during our fight against Paradox. After Percy… I made a deal—a deal with one of the five stages of grief Bargaining. I was so caught up in the moment between Percy and you possibly dying that I made a gamble to save you. He promised me the ability to save the people I cared about. If I didn't act, you would have all died. Because of that deal, you were given that chance. The rain all of it was to defeat Paradox. I don't mean this in any ill will, but I can't lose anyone else. So, I have to kill you. Doing that will free me of his curse and grant me that wish forevermore."

Alton couldn't quite believe what he heard as his whole-body posture changed. For that small part where he felt worried for Zinnia had died. He felt nothing for her now. His head held low down in disappointment. "And you intend to carry out the will of the Garden, even after all the Garden did to us you chose to trust it… You really are nothing, but a Montague now aren't you… Zinnia."

"Yes…"

Alton turned back to her with a daring glare. "I hate you."

Advertisements

Zinnia's heart crushed as she was forced to accept that truth. "I… Can live with that."

Hand still shaking another ray of electricity struck from her this time much weaker. Alton took the attack head-on shaking it off. Water from the ocean drizzled over to Alton resting against his fingertips. Zinnia tried another round of electrical attacks only for Alton to counter each one by shooting small pockets of forward water meeting the attack. Having no choice Zinnia was about to switch to a close-up attack only to feel damp. Her eyes widen as she slipped crashing to the ground missing her attack. Pulling the water towards him, Zinnia roared forward towards an inevitable attack from him. Bracing herself with a counterattack, she was stunned when Alton grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug. She didn't quite understand what was happening as she began shocking him trying to break free. Alton took a few deep breaths slowly muttering. "I think it's… About the time I pay this trickster a little visit…"

Feeling her body move without her permission, she grabbed Alton's head, putting him to sleep as the two were trapped in a stalemate from an onlooking eye. Scarlett stared on conflicted as she bit her lip. "Come on, Alton, what are you up to?"

Alton woke up in the middle of a lush garden one with birds chirping and the scent of flowers covering the land. The sight of the sunsetting lingered over. Heavy vegetation blocked the outside world apart from the small crack for the sunlight. On top of the hill rested a metal table and chairs and on the table was a chessboard. In one of the chairs stood him. The one responsible for all of this. Bargaining leaned forward, moving a chess piece forward smiling to himself, turning to Alton with his foreboding yellow eyes. "Alton Brantley. Child of the Garden, I've been waiting a very long time for this."

Alton stared at Bargaining weary as he held his hands out. "You wanted me, here I am…"