V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 132: The Seed of Doubt

EOR sat on a pile of snow waiting. He was not concerned at all who would find him as he patiently waited for the end of his game. That was until he heard heavy footsteps in the snow. Tilting his head, he let out a little chuckle. "My, my. I was expecting V.I.R.A.L to find me soon enough but isn't this a treat to behold. It's sure been a while, Diego."

Diego stood idly arms folded as he looked up at EOR sighing. "I hope you weren't planning on escaping Henry."

EOR spun around, leaning forward on his kingdom of snow. "Me run away? You know I'm better than that Diego old friend. My little game is over and boy did I have fun. It's going to take a while to outdo this little show, but I'll figure something out. So, therefore, I humbly surrender myself."

Diego raised an eyebrow not convinced. "Yeah, it's going to take a lot more than that to make me fall for your little tricks."

"Oh, there's no tricks. It's not a joke. The oh so heroic streamer Crimson Dawn has thawed my plans and utterly defeated me once again. I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those meddling kids and that dumb dog."

Diego began walking around the heap of snow with little care. His defence was entirely down, and he didn't even keep eye contact with the villain. "What I want to know is how did you escape? No one just escapes from Sun peak prison just like that. Did you get help?"

"I didn't break out."

"So, someone helped you escape?"

"Nay. I was let out on good faith. And now I wait for those kind folks to put me back. I've had my fun. I'm ready to go back to reform. I'm satisfied with what happened today." EOR insisted lying on his front smugly staring at Diego. "Tell me, Crimson Dawn, how does it feel to always be one step behind me?"

"Who says I'm one step behind. I could have easily taken you down before the games even begun, but I wanted to see what you did." Diego claimed, shaking his head. "Can't say I'm disappointed you confirmed something for me today."

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"About the girl, yes? Alice Hawthorne. I too was curious by her and a few others. Team Rhapsody has some diamonds in the rough. Alton, Scarlett and now little miss Zinnia. So many powerful streamers what fun it was to break them."

"Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble Henry but your plan. Monty is done. Everyone will be fine. You lost."

EOR's eye began twitching as he laughed in a high pitch tone. "No, no, no. Eyes Over Reality doesn't lose my friend."

Diego stopped as his imagination rang wild. The EOR he was talking to a fake, and he was attacked from behind with a knife. Those events began to play out just like he dreamed up as he reacted to such events. Turning around, he stopped EOR in his tracks, breaking the knife out of his hand and jerking him to the ground pinning him down. "Do you ever learn Henry? Your illusions don't work on me."

"That future sight of yours is broken, I'll admit. You are entirely my counter. What fun."

Diego looked lost arresting EOR. "What's so funny."

Being spun around onto his front Eyes Over Reality lay back handcuffed laughing away. "You really don't get it, Diego. All of this was apart of my plan. I've won. I wasn't here to win any battles I didn't intend to kill anybody. In a fair fight, I am fragile. You see those unnatural streamers with powers to topple nations. Neither one of us can win against that. So, I did what I do best. How I win battles, I make them fight themselves. Bring up their inner demons and plan the seed of doubt. Not only are they questioning their own self morals and ambitions, but now they don't trust each other. Soon enough, they will fall apart into a scrabble and tear each other apart. I beat all of them, and I didn't even raise a finger that's how I win Diego."

EOR kept laughing over and over as Diego stood up, letting V.I.R.A.L take care of the rest as he went to confirm something deep down, he just had to see for himself.

Kurt followed past standing by EOR as he was detained and locked up in a box with just a hole for his eyes. "I take it you accomplished your mission?"

"I did."

"What have you for me then?"

EOR remained silent, leaning forward whispering in Kurt's ear. "You have bigger problems on your hand than Alton Brantley."

Kurt looked somewhat concerned as he turned around, looking on at the streamers in the background. "Could it be? No that's impossible… Unless. Oh my…"

****

"Is it me or does this feel more like a loss than our usual victory?" Emil whispered limping over. "Where did Monty go?"

Scarlett turned seeing where Monty was once defeated empty. He was gone. "Damn it how did we lose him? Should we go after him?"

"No," Zinnia muttered. "He won't be picking a fight with us anymore."

"How do you know?"

Zinnia smiled slightly. "When it all ended, and he lost, I didn't feel rage or anger—only disappointment and regret. I think Monty finally came to his senses and realised what he did… After all this time he just wanted to be a hero and bring down his family yet we were their time and time again stopping him without any knowledge…"

"If things were different, he could have easily been one of us…" Emil muttered. "I can't help but feel sorry for the guy."

"Are we going to forget he stabbed me?" Alton whimpered.

"If our roles had swapped, could I have gone that far for the chance of being a hero?" Wondered Zinnia. "I hope we get to see him again. On the right terms… If it wasn't for you, Alice, who knows what would have happened."

"The Alice requires no thanks. She is more than happy to help after what you did for us with Paradox." Alice softly said, she walked up to the crown picking it up. Some time went by as she dropped it, shaking her head. "As calculated. Monty had already used up the wish. This was a waste of time I feel… Frustrated?"

"Careful now Hawthorne we don't want those emotions going out of wack," Diego exclaimed walking over giving a dry round of applause. "I suppose I should congratulate you for taking down Monty. Who would have expected for him to show up?"

"Diego. You made it this far too."

"Of course, I chose my fight wisely, never once nearing any of you. Although this might sound rather selfish of me that all of this is over, I have a request. Alice, I wish to fight you."

Alice looked slightly lost, pointing to herself. "You wish to fight the Alice? Might she ask why?"

"I want to confirm something. Grant me this wish, will you?"

"Very well. The Alice accepts Crimson Dawn."

The two stood off as Zinnia stared at each other. "What is going on? Why are they fighting?"

"I have no idea…" Alton whispered.

Alice was the first to attack as Diego avoided the arrows straight away, moving far away from her attack. He didn't choose to ever counter-attack merely testing what Alice was capable of. He quickly jumped back as a portal soon appeared from beneath his feet. Alice was starting to get impatient as she was scowling at the streamer her eyes fixed on him as she raised her hand creating serval portals. Diego jumped back using his hands to push himself further back. As he began landing on the ground, he had an exact copy of Alice's bow ready. Firing off the copied attacks, Alice was struck in the face as she stumbled back looking down bleeding. She didn't react or say anything as her hair covered her eyes. Lifting her hand up dozens of portals rippled into existence which only grew in number. Diego looked around in shock before holding his hands up. "I forfeit." Alice stopped her attack coming back to her senses, confused. Diego gave off a nervous laugh. "What was I thinking of taking on the number two streamer? Must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Ha, Ha."