V.I.R.A.L

Descending the elevator to Vanguard's private cell block, Alton felt uneasy. Last time he was here was mere days before everything went wrong. Days before Percy perished by the cult. He had gotten over Percy's death more or less but seeing Vanguard might bring up some bad memories. Cranking to the ground, the cell was silent. No guards nor people were watching the cells. At the end of the long corridor, the cell owned by Vanguard busted open. Alton flinched rushing overlooking concerned. "Shit we're too late!"

"If Vanguard has been broken out, this could spell disaster for us all. We were overwhelmed by him last time."

"The Alice wasn't there. If Marcus Culling decides to attack so carelessly, I will make sure to deal with him as my sister once did."

"You three were quicker than expected." A voice called out from behind. Alton spun around seeing Psychosis wearing his samurai Oni mask standing idly by. "From the racket up there, I take it one of your allies are fighting the Elion clan. That pleases me it gives me more of a chance to take care of business."

"Jack Dawn. Or should I go by Syndicate now?"

Psychosis took off his mask, leaning against the cell sighing. "I can tell how much of a grudge you hold against me Alton and while I don't blame you for that. I can't exactly understand why? I gave you a home when you had none. I took the time out of my day to listen to your problems and help you. I even sent my daughter to aid you in countless battles. I treated you like a son, so this hostility is quite uncalled for."

"You know for a time I might have seen it similarly. You were like the father I never had, hell if things were different, I might be standing where you are. But you see I had a father and his name was Ragnar Brantley, and no matter what happened, nothing will change that. Even after all he did, he was more of a man than you'll ever be."

"This mindless rant will get you nowhere. Unlike my daughter, I do not care for second chances. You blew us off, and thus you must be destroyed. But before you do, I will ask you one thing. Where is Marcus Culling?"

"You tell us," Emil replied.

Psychosis stood up, frustrated. "I'm not here to play games boy. You may think you're smart moving him somewhere else to ambush us, but I do not have time for this. Answer the question."

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"Even if we knew why the hell would we tell you?" Alton barked.

Laughing to himself, Psychosis placed his mask back on. "You take me for a joke, don't you. Streamers, always thinking you're so much better, so much more important than the others. You're twisted and delusional. If that's how you want to play things here Team Rhapsody so be it. You want to see power? I'll show you the power of the Syndicate family passed down for generations."

Alice went to attack only to be stopped by Emil. "This guy, he's not bluffing his power is unlike anything I've ever seen before. He took down both me and Jinx in a matter of seconds."

Alton stepped forward freezing the area around him. "I'm not you though Emil. Don't forget we're nowhere near the same league."

"Then prove it to me son of Ragnar. Prove to me why my daughter had such a keen eye on you." Psychosis' eyes began to glow a luminous green as everything around them began breaking apart. Iron bars snapped from the cells and large chunks of the floor all piling around the Syndicate ruler. Lingering them long enough, Psychosis attacked the group with a bombardment of attacks. Alton slammed his foot to the ground like shards of ice rippled from the floor, raising up into an ice wall blocking the attacks. Psychosis broke the ice wall taking Alton's attack and using it against them infusing the bars and rubble into brutal frozen attacks. Moving forward, the sheer presence of the villain was enough to push the three heroes back with no chance of holding their ground.

Alton wasn't ready to give it up just yet as he created dozens of icicles surrounding Psychosis as his own bombardment was to match Jack's. This, however, didn't go to plan as all the icicles rushed upwards sticking to the ceiling. "What the hell?" Psychosis twisted his arms around as the entire room began to turn the cells all collapsed. The floor Team Rhapsody stood on quickly became the wall as they fell to their new floor, just missing the countless spikes made of ice. Alton tried recovering only for the whole cell block to turn once again throwing them all off as Psychosis floated watching with glee.

Alice balanced herself out, waiting for the next twist to call her portal. As she did, the whole cell was tugged forward as the wall smashed against her breaking her focus and snapping the portal in two. Emil condensed himself into the wall trying his best to match Psychosis' sudden change in momentum. But like Alice, this became futile as he was in a constant battle to try and even reach the villain. Losing blood to his head, Emil was forced out almost passing out on the spot now being tormented by the moving walls. "How is he doing this?!"

The movements became more violent, causing more damage to the group. Alton tried retaliating quickly, sending a powerful blast of ice at him. Psychosis flicked it out the way, leaving a hole in the wall. Alton's eyes widened as he saw the morning sky on full display which was impossible. The cell block was dozens of feet underground. "No way! He's lifted the entire cell block from the ground?!"

"You do catch on fast Alton. Indeed, I can lift entire buildings with just my mind. A simple cell block is no different." Alton bit his lip in frustration, falling backwards to what was once the ceiling. Using his built-up pressure, he waited until his body hit the ceiling, pushing himself forward skyrocketing towards Psychosis. Waiting for the last moment, Psychosis smirked holding a long katana ready to strike. Seconds before the cellblock floor caved in as a figure crashed down, leaving a hefty amount of smoke. Alton stumbled forward catching his balance looking on in shock. Psychosis cleared his throat smirking. "It's about time you showed up Vanguard."

"I see you're still fighting the good fight wherever it takes you Dauntless. I've heard much of your turmoil and battles from these walls." Vanguard smirked standing in front of Alton. "We may have had our differences in the past but hear this. This man is mine."

"Marcus… Why?" Alton coughed.

"Isn't it obvious? The only person allowed to kill you is me!" Vanguard yelled, throwing a punch sending a shockwave pushing Psychosis back. Covering his face Psychosis smirked impressed by this sheer power.

"The former number one streamer, Marcus Culling, better known as Vanguard. The stories were true then. Your power is truly something else. Finally, someone worthy of battle."

Vanguard sighed slouching over, scratching his head. "Villains are always the same, aren't they? Always looking for that fight to get them going. The only thing that motivates them is the thrill of a battle. I can't say I blame them I once too wanted to feel that overwhelming belief. Let's see if you can make me feel something Psychosis."

Psychosis cranked his hands together, blasting dozens of pieces of rubble towards the former streamer. Vanguard smirked at this match of power crouching down building up his weight before propelling himself into the air with unmatched speed. Skyrocketing forward he flew over Psychosis looking down ready. Believing he was about to attack Psychosis sent up a large attack; however, Vanguard kept going landing nowhere near the man to his unexpected shock. Crashing at higher speed Vanguard increased the weight just in his legs, creating an excessive amount of built-up power as he slammed against the wall. Like a spring that built up power spread across the body before blasting to life as Vanguard smashed past Psychosis holding his arm out tackling the villain far into serval cells before throwing him further back.

Psychosis burst from his prison, holding back arms out as Vanguard came approaching. Holding his hand forward, he stopped Vanguard dead in his tracks from continuing his frontal assault. This would only last a short moment as the ground around them began to break and the pure weight held down on Vanguard was beginning to have an effect on Psychosis. Thus, Vanguard slowly and laboriously moved towards the enemy leaving large cracks in the ground behind him. "Streamers aren't worthy of your new golden age, huh? Do you even hear yourself, V.I.R.A.L is pure evil?! Give me a break, there are so many streamers who are the purest of good. I was dethroned and shown the error of my ways. Even if I couldn't give a damn what happens to this organisation, the everyday streamers who make this world a better place. They don't deserve for all of that to be thrown away!"

Psychosis gritted his teeth blasting Vanguard back through serval walls and out of the cellblock altogether. But this would only hold him back for a short while as he came crashing back breaking through all of Psychosis' defences leaving him open. "What?!" A single punch landed against Psychosis which took all the wind out of him, but he didn't budge from his spot holding his pride and willpower forward. Screaming back, he threw his hand down as a train crashed through the building smashing against Vanguard. Both were trapped in a stalemate before the train exploded, sending them both back. Psychosis flew up as his whole body exploded with a green glow. His mask was cracked as he held his hand out, ready to unleash his ultimate attack before stopping short. Vanguard stood idly watching. "I must apologise Vanguard. Unfortunately, I'm holding my true power for the fight to come. If you have no intention of stopping us destroying the CEOs, then I have no need to kill you."

"Avoiding unnecessary fights. Music to my ears."

Psychosis flew up higher, taking his mask off. "Alton Brantley, Vanguard's words have hit deep. I shall allow you to live; we still have such uses for you."

"Yeah, and what could you possibly want with me?!"

"To test my daughter once more. Her loyalty has been swayed; she is a husk of our Queen. She is to attack the V.I.R.A.L HQ tonight. Face her once more, and if you defeat her, we will call off the attack and admit defeat."

"Why would you do such a thing for?"

"It's simple. If Scarlett cannot even defeat a mere servant to the CEOs, then there is no hope of freeing this nation. Do not hold back and prove that your side is right. Whoever wins shapes the future of the next golden age. Whether that is with the Syndicate family or V.I.R.A.L is in your hands."

Psychosis teleported away as Vanguard chuckled. "Always seems like you've got your work cut out for you Team Rhapsody. I suppose you wouldn't want it any other way. I don't see how you're going to win this one though."

"We could always use your help. You owe them that at least." Alice suggests.

Vanguard chuckled. "You're not half wrong little one. Alice, I assume? We never former met under our streaming names. I heard wind of you joining this band of merry men. It suits you. And while it is true, I do owe this group, after all, I put them through saving V.I.R.A.L isn't that favour. Whatever happens to that organisation means nothing to me?"

"How can you say that when you too were so reliant on that same organisation?" Emil questions.

"For that exact reason. We're too reliant on one group of people to handle everything for us. They run our country, our media, the prisons and the money that goes in your pocket. And when you rely on one company to do everything for you if they take that away, you've really lost everything, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." Vanguard warned, walking away. "I hope you don't mind me leaving. Personally, I believe I've done my time. The world is changing, and I intend to skip town before it does. Are you going to stop me?"

"If Zinnia was here, she would without question," Alton said. "I, on the other hand, couldn't care less. Get lost Marcus."

Vanguard bowed walking away. "If you ever need that debt repaid Alton for any other reason come find me. I might just hear you out."

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Alton turned to his allies, scratching his neck. "What a hassle that man is."

"He would have been a great ally for the fight to come… What should we do, leader?" Alice asks.

"We do what the old man asked of us. We take the fight to Scarlett defeat her, and we win."

"Do you think he'll give up that easily? It sounds fishy to me."

"Perhaps not. But if he knows what's good for him, he will. Otherwise, V.I.R.A.L will destroy them all."