V.I.R.A.L

Serval boys were laughing, pushing around a little girl. She did little to nothing to fight back, clutching her bag sobbing. The boys didn't budge at all, continuing to push and pull her around like nothing more than a toy to them. Once they started trying to snatch the bag, that's when the girl started reacting. "Please, don't. Leave me alone!"

This only egged on the boys as one ripped the bag out of her hand only to yell, dropping it cutting his hand. "Crap that hurt!"

"How the hell did you cut your hand on the zip?"

"Major bad luck, I say."

The girl fell to her knees, crying as they began throwing out drawings and pictures from her bag with little care. That was until a voice was heard yelling out. "Leave her alone!" The boys turned around, seeing another older boy running at them with a temper growing. Rushing in, he punched a boy in the face knocking him to the floor. The others retaliated ganging up on him overpowering the boy knocking him to the ground kicking him over and over.

The little girl watched in horror only for a car to drive past spooking the bullies as they ran away. "You got lucky this time loser!"

The boy jumped up running after them before stopping throwing a rock. "Cowards! Are you alright, Hollie?"

Hollie wiped her eyes picking up all her drawings, most were of her mother taken from photos. "I am now. Thank you, Monty."

Monty wiped his mouth, smiling. "Well, I couldn't let some bullies push my little sister around. Ah, I almost had them."

The car driving past stopped as Christopher stepped out, looking at both of his children with a slight annoyance. "Hollie what have I told you about playing outside alone?"

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"Sorry, daddy. I saw some pretty flowers and wanted to pick them…"

He kneeled down, holding them both close sighing. "It's fine, your big brother came heroically to your rescue like he always does."

Monty grinned as his father wiped the blood from his face. "A hero never runs from danger when someone is in trouble!"

"Is that so? Well, that's just like you Monty the hero of the Montagues."

He nodded intensely with a heroic smile. "That's what I want to be. Monty Montague the superhero."

This is the untold story forgotten to time. One of bravery and might but also corruption and anger. A tale of one boy who lost everything but pushed through with his one real dream. This the story of Monty Montague the first hero of Rhinefield.

****

Monty sat in his room, staring at the poster of Vanguard frowning. Butch came in knocking. "Hey, Bro, I heard you saved Jinx again today."

"It's Hollie. What did I tell you about calling her Jinx Butch, don't go spreading that rubbish any more than it already has?"

Butch shook his head, leaning against the door. "Jeez, what happened to you?"

"Don't you get it, Butch, I lost again. I got beaten up by some bullies. I didn't save Hollie; I just draped their attention to me… Why am I so weak?"

"Don't let it get to you. I heard it was five against one. You had no chance."

"Vanguard would have taken them down easily. No, they would have run away at first sight. A hero never runs from a fight, even if the odds are against them, they will fight on for peace and justice! They just laugh at me and beat me up."

"Yeah I don't think comparing yourself to Vanguard is a fair comparison bro. He's like invincible."

"Yet he only uses his power for his own self-gain. Streamers… To hell with them all." Monty barked, kicking his bin over. "I will never be a streamer."

"What's gotten into you Monty?"

Monty leaned his head against the wall sighing. "It's just unfair Butch. Why am I so weak yet he gets to be so strong? If I had those powers, I would be the best superhero in the world."

"A superhero? Really? Not trying to march on your parade big bro but isn't superheroes looked down on? I see you just setting yourself up for failure."

Monty shook his head, smiling. "No, that doesn't change anything. I'll be the greatest superhero to ever live and remind people why we need them." Looking out the window, he stared down at the bunker, the entrance to the Montague trials. "When I'm old enough Butch I'm going to take part in those trials. I'm going to get super strong and then together we will save this city."

"Yeah, man I don't really want to be your sidekick."

"Alright, I'll have Hollie then. I don't care as long as my dream comes true."

"You can have that Jinx… Sorry."

Monty turned back, idling the trials with awe. "Just you wait, soon the whole world will know who I am. Monty Montague, the hero of Rhinefield. I'll get strong enough nobody can defeat me. Nobody…"

****

Monty was blasted back blood dripping from his hands as he began coughing. "Nobody can defeat me! Nobody, I'm not weak! I will never be weak again!"

Zinnia flipped into the air creating serval sparks of electricity in front of her riding towards Monty and behind. Charging up Zinnia ripped into a bolt of lightning bursting through each spark passing through Monty sending him down to his knees. Turning she went to strike only for Monty to spew a puff of flames. Covering herself in a thin layer of electricity using it as armour Zinnia avoided any possible damage taken. Her katana was bursting with energy bleeding off the edge as her glare met with Monty. "I won't allow you to hurt any more people you monster! I won't fall to people like you for I am the person who will bring the age of heroes back."

Monty stared at her gasping, feeling his anger swell. "Heroes? You don't get it, do you? This world doesn't want heroes! Stop living a lie like I did!" Ripping his sleeve off showed part of a wing one covered in flames. Stomping the ground, it broke below him as he rushed Zinnia throwing punches. She dodged as many as possible only to take one to the stomach being launched back. Monty followed up with this another bold strike. Zinnia teleported past him stumbling to her feet, avoiding the undeniable strength. Coming to she flicked her hand out as a copy of her made purely of electricity formed copying her every movement. Gripping her katana to her waist, she slashed the air serval times as did her copy. Monty felt each strike come out of nowhere as he fell back picking himself up burning with willpower. "That won't be enough!" He drove forward, gripping Zinnia by her neck, holding her up strangling her. "Why can't you see the truth? The truth of this harsh world? Heroes don't exist, you only get pushed down and spat at. People despise you and treat you like trash. Why save this sort of world?"

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"Even… So, that's why heroes exist. To make… The world a better place!" Zinnia croaked turning the copy of her into a replicant of Monty. The copy followed Zinnia's movements as she moved her hand back. Monty looked on in shock as he was slowly following the exact trends. Fighting this new move, he was powerless as he let go of Zinnia. Dropping to her knees, Zinnia took the katana stabbing herself as she began floating before disputing the energy blowing the area apart. Monty fell once again, unable to stand. He tried crawling towards Zinnia to continue the fight. She stood in front of him, holding her katana to his neck. "It's over Monty."

"No, it cannot end like this! I made the wish; I was promised power! I cannot be weak… Not anymore."

"Give it up, no matter how strong you get, we will always be here to stop you. You're nothing more than a villain one who tried ridding of us over and over. This time we win."

Monty stared at the ground with agonising rage. It was at the melting point as his body began to boil with heat. "No, no. No! I won't allow this! I refuse to be looked down on as a weakling. Who the hell do you think you are telling me what I am? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!" Zinnia flinched as a massive gust of wind, blasted her back. She saved her fall, staring on as Monty stood up, clenching his fists tightly. "I am not weak! No, I will never be weak again! For I am Monty Montague, I will defeat you all here prove my worth and show the world who the true hero is. I will be the hero of Victoria, not you!" He ripped his shirt off, showing the rest of the winged tattoo. It was of a full dragon. Getting a knife, he cut his chest, letting the blood ooze into the tattoo as it came to life. Throwing the blade aside, he began cackling with laughter as his eyes glowed. Powerful blasts of energy rippled through the arena as smoke rippled from his body. A tornado of flames dropped on him as Zinnia covered her face from the inferno. "I am all-powerful. Nothing can stand in my way! Nothing!"

Zinnia glanced up flinching finding Monty had turned himself into a dragon, one of colossal size and power. Monty let out a roar which even pushed Zinnia back. She stared on in horror, knowing she was completely unmatched. She gripped his waist, feeling shattered. She was unsure if she could even keep fighting for long. But that didn't matter to her. She looked back seeing the people she was fighting for. Gripping her katana tightly, she held it in both hands in front of her, taking one deep breath. "I won't give up… A hero never runs from a fight, even if the odds are against them, they will fight on for peace and justice… I will take you down Monty, for I am a hero!" Monty let out another roar as the fire consumed the air. She took another step forward, ready for battle. "Bring it on."