V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 170: Never Alone

Zinnia was pulled from the rubble as she stared up seeing Alton glancing up before back to her. "You alright? Anything broken?"

"I don't think so." She responded, standing up. "Iris got away."

"She hasn't gone far… We need to move quickly if we are to stop the Garden coming back."

Scarlett scorned leaning against the wall. "Great, just fucking great. What the hell do we do?"

The ground began shaking as the tower started falling apart. Alton stared up, seeing a battle taking place. "We do nothing. Only I can make things right."

****

Alice spun around, avoiding the constant bombardment of cubes laying waste to much of the area around her. Iris was showing little to no sign of giving in as her attacks were fast and brutal. Salvation had completely taken over with Iris nowhere in sight fighting back. Jumping back once more, she sent a storm of arrows into the air countering the bombardment of attacks with her own. Iris smirked, stopping her attack. "Not bad, not bad at all. This could actually be fun. But if you actually hope to defeat me…" Iris teleported behind Alice slamming her to the ground. "You have to fight me!"

Alice fell into a portal appearing in front of Iris wiping her face. "I know you're still in their Iris! Fight it! Don't let this demon take you!"

"Trying to summon your sister back? How pathetic, truly it is. She's not coming back. When are you going to admit that?!"

Alice was knocked to her knees, standing up. "I'll never admit it. I know Iris, she's strong, stronger than anyone I know. She's been through hell and back, this is nothing."

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Iris held her hand out as a scythe appeared following Alice's gaze. She didn't give Alice any response as she took to swinging the death weapon at her. The scythe was hindered and parried ripping the weapon from her hand in a split second as Alice too was wielding such weaponry. Catching the second scythe, she wrapped it around Iris' legs pulling back and tripping her over. Using this built-up momentum, Alice flipped forward, stabbing both scythes into the ground. "I can see the Garden's pull. It's so close just let go. Join me become one with the Garden, and you can be with your sister forever."

Alice stared conflicted as she stared at Iris with pain. "Do you remember the nights I would have bad dreams, sister? It would be of the Garden and the other one possessing me taking over. It would terrify me to death, and I felt so alone in those moments. No one could understand, no one wanted to. But you would always be there with a warm glass of milk and a blanket. You would wash away my fears, reading me stories of knights and dragons. Aliens and superheroes. It always inspired me. I was inspired to go beyond my fear and embrace who I was not Eve or what my father was. I felt so determined to do so because of you. Not out of respect or love. But guilt, I wanted you to live your own life not one under my shadow. I want both of us to be happy and live a life we are proud of. Don't you see Eve, I have no reason to fear you anymore. My name is Alice Hawthorne, and you are Iris Hawthorne!"

Iris chuckled opening her yellow eyes with a smug look. "Did you really think that would get through to her? No matter what you think yourself to be, you will always be a puppet to the Garden!" Alice yelled as a scythe was dug through her chest, she was lifted high into the air before being thrown nearly off the tower. She struggled to get a sentence out as everything was becoming blurry. "Hans had so much hope for you, a pity really. But don't care, don't fear. Our game was entertaining, but all games have to end. And it appears I win."

"Not… Yet." Alice whispered, lifting her hand, holding something. Iris stopped her ripping the item. "Remember…"

Iris stared blankly at the neckless, not sure what to make of it. The diamond-shaped crystal glittered and shun brightly in the wake of the carnage. "What the hell is this?"

"The last thing our mother gave us. I never remembered anything about her she died when we very young… You gave me that on the fourth anniversary of her death. You never told me anything about her… Why?"

Iris' hand began shaking as she wiped her face. "It wasn't because I wanted to keep her from you, at the start I might have felt that. She was the only thing that I could call mine, something you didn't have… But over time it just hurt to remember, why should I share my memories with her if you didn't have any…"

"Iris…"

Iris smiled. "You have her eyes… Well, one of them."

"We can stop this."

Iris held her head struggling. "Alice… I don't have much time. Please, I beg of you. Kill me. I don't want to lose myself to her again. I want to be me!"

"Iris… You know I can't. I could never. I'd rather die myself. I will never hurt you!"

Iris turned whimpering and crying. That crying soon turned into cackles as she leaned back losing control altogether. "And you never will get the chance again." Dozens of portals all appeared surrounding Alice charging up with a purple glow. As the attacks began to fire Alton, suddenly shot from the ground with an incensed blizzard floating above his hand. "Oh no, you don't!" Iris screeched flicking her hand, cutting Alton down with a stray scythe. His attack missed exploding into a raging blizzard behind everyone. The combined beams of energy exploded, blowing the watchtower apart. Both Alton and Alice lay on the ground, seemly defeat for good. Everything began to slow down for that short moment as Alton turned to Alice, reaching his hand out. "Take my hand!"

Alice's head fell back as she whispered. "There's no point… I'm weak, alone and a mistake…"

"You always were dear sister. Allow me to free you from those chains."

Alice was sent flying over the edge to her demise. With the last of his strength, Alton darted over falling towards Alice his hand out. "Alice! Just take my hand!"

"No…"

"Please, Alice, you're not alone. You never have been. We've been here from the very beginning. Me, Sam, Hero's Might. Team Rhapsody and your sister! We will always be there for you. You're weak? Who cares, get stronger! Stronger, to save your sister! You think we are all perfect. We all are mistakes. Both of us, Children of the Garden but let's show the world for the hell of it we are more than that. Prove to yourself that's far from the truth! Alice! Let me save you!"

Alice looked at Alton, crying softy. Her hand began shaking as she saw the desperate attempt one boy was making for her. Out of nowhere for the first time since she could possibly imagine a smile began to form. She reached out for the warmth of a hero. The two's hand touched before holding tight, never letting go. A chain of energy flooded as a bright light consumed the area as the two crashed into the depts below.

Iris covered her face from the light, looking weary. "What was that? No matter there is no chance in hell that they survived that." As the light faded, Iris flinched stepping back in shock. "Impossible!"

Zinnia and the others ran outside as the ground began shaking. All of the manor exploded in a flurry of lights. "What's going on?" Emil questioned.

"It's beautiful…" Zinnia whispered.

Blossom stared upholding her chest looking on in shock. "I feel them. Both of them. They've gone beyond their limits. They are going to prove the world wrong about them. The Children of the Garden fighting for us."

Scarlett stepped forward, seeing in the mists of the light barley the outline of two figures hand in hand. Scarlett smiled, almost breaking down as she began shouting as loudly as possible. "Do it! Save the damn world, Alton! Prove to them you're not the monster they see you as! Go!"

"Save your sister Alice! She's always been there for you! Show her the same. Show her you are always there for her!" Zinnia roared cheering.

Iris was sent into the air as the entire clocktower crumbled apart. Floating in the air, she began to panic, seeing the impossible. "No, this, how is this possible. This has never been seen before. Above all odds in the history of the Garden… Two Children of the Garden hand in hand in sync…"

Alice opened her eyes, fluttered in confusion. She looked up to see Alton carrying her in his arms, floating in the air. "Alton? What, what's going on?"

"Can you stand?" He asked Alice, nodded floating in the air, still holding his hand. "I'm not quite sure myself. This energy it's nothing like the Garden… Bargaining mentioned the concept that the Child of the Garden was in fact, fallen angels of Fairy-Tale. I didn't quite believe him but this. This must be it. Your willpower to save your sister and mine to save you."