V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 213: The Fury of Mistress Chaos Part 2

How do you take down a team of ultra-powerful misfits? If you haven't got the power to back it up, you do not. That would be born to fail. However, there is a more straightforward option. You let them do it for you. It starts off small—lack of trust for one another. Secrets grow out of control, and soon enough, you stop altogether. You feel powerless and alone as you all become more distant. Your problems were once small and manageable with your allies now seem out of control and too much to handle as your team can provide no more extended aid you. The seed of doubt flourishes into something darker. Mistrust, hate and betrayal. That very close team which considered each other family stops coming together. They trail off to do their own thing. They fight and argue until anything pure and joy-filled that was once there is tarnished. They may fight or disband; it doesn't matter either way. You've already won as the team's greatest strength is dead. Together they may have seemed unstoppable, but now alone, their weaknesses are crystal clear. They falter at any sense of power, and they will drop like flies. That is how you destroy a team of misfits. The seed has been planted. Their demise imminent the ball is now in your court.

Monty found himself running desperately as always. Ramming through the endless layer of snow, he collapsed to the ground laying on his back coughing. His loss against Alice and the other members of Team Rhapsody. He gripped his hand tightly losing all hope in himself. This was until a voice echoed. "Finally accepting your fate, are we young Montague?"

Monty turned, seeing the man that haunted his dreams. "Acceptance… Why are you here?"

"I'm fading from your memory Monty. It appears the destruction of the trials has changed you, reverted you back to your old life. Unfortunately, my puppet will be no more."

"Puppet to two stages of grief. How pathetic I am, even then I cannot defeat my enemy."

Acceptance walked around Monty scoffing. "Were they truly your enemies Monty? Alton Brantley and Team Rhapsody pose no threat to your way of life. You've only lied to yourself until you believed it was the truth. Tell me, who is your real enemy?"

"You, obviously."

This got a chuckle from the Garden pawn nodding. "I suppose you are not wrong there. But there is another. One under your nose this entire time. I believe you already know who it is." Monty began shivering, giving a small nod but no saying a word. "Good. My time is brief, when I vanish all your old memories shall return depending on the outcome, you might just survive this impossible feat."

Monty remained still as Acceptance faded from his memory. The opposite was said for his old memories. Monty's eyes widened as his lip trembled, feeling a whole life rush through his head. Tears trickle down his face as he kept wiping them over and over. "I understand now. I remember, how did I forget? My name is Monty Montague, the first hero of Rhinefield…" Pulling himself up a newfound sense of willpower burned bright. "I refuse to die here! Not before making good on my promise and making mends on my mistakes. Everyone waits for me."

****

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"I'm not Montague. I threw that life away because of my own twisted desires and corrupted natures. I hate that I thought like that, but the veil has been torn from my eyes. I'm changing my ways. I'm returning to my old ways and making good on that promise. You're now up against Monty, the first hero of Rhinefield I hope your prepared villain."

Mistress Chaos cracked her fingers, staring on slightly angered by the new enemy. Crackles of small explosions ripple around her hands, moving around them before she jolts her arm forward, letting her unmatched power out. Iris pushed her arm forward, combining her cubes together to block the attack to the best she could. What she couldn't do Monty stepped out, taking the doubt off her shoulders. The sea serpent slivered around the corridor going to strike Mistress Chaos once more. Her head snapped to her attacker, blowing it away. Monty stumbled back holding his arm as the tattoo faded. "Damn it… Stolen powers just stay with me a little longer."

"Try as you must, but you cannot defeat me. I am the peak of the Syndicate timeline. Power passed down through generations of failure. We cannot fail."

Monty stood up, wiping his bloody lip scoffing at this remark ripping his shirt off. Iris stared on in awe as one last tattoo remained wrapped around his back. This was of a heroic figure in a cape and mask. "What is that?"

Monty throws his fist forward with a heroic smirk ready. "The symbol I'm choosing to live by!" The tattoo came to life-consuming Monty as he became the same tattoo. A long blue cape spawned out, moving with the wind as the simple eye mask came over. "The old Monty you once knew is dead. I intend on making good on the many mistakes I've made; this is step one!"

"Changing your clothes won't do shit." Mistress Chaos beckoned holding her finger forward, letting out another explosion. As the smoke settled, she bares witnessed the two streamers without a scratch. "Impossible…"

Iris looked at her hands in shock. "That power…"

"You noticed. It's the one I forgot about so long ago the one I ran away from, the old me would be disgusted by it, but I will fully embrace it to save all that is good in this world!" Monty rushed Mistress Chaos as she kept with her same attacks. The moment they were about to hit Monty collapsed into the ground avoiding the attack altogether. Mistress Chaos now saw why he was able to avoid her attacks altogether. "The power of the Montagues."

Propelling himself from the floor, Monty was swallowed up into the ceiling building up more monument with each passing dimension. Behind the villain, he poured from the top crashing down, punching her with his tattoo's built-up power and his own born power. Mistress Chaos was sent flying back as the walls around him ripped apart from the sheer force. Kneeling down Monty snapped forward matching her speed landing serval more attacks before both blasted through the hospital meeting the night sky. As both began to fall, Mistress Chaos held both her hands together screaming. "I'll take this entire hospital down with me! Feel the fury of Syndicate failed hero!"

Monty was consumed the explosion unable to escape. Holding his arms over his face, he took it dead on. Mistress chaos smirked at this only to flinch seeing Monty still coming to his cape shielding him partly. He was still severely injured, but his willpower wouldn't die. Holding his arm forward his final attack extended as a red dragon rippled down, tearing into Mistress Chaos dragging her to the surface. I refuse to die here! Not before making good on my promise and making mends on my mistakes. A hero never gives up when evil is around!"

Mistress Chaos was propelled crashing to the floor lifeless as her last hopes of victory faded with her. Monty's heroic nature faded as he began falling to his doom as well this wouldn't last long as he felt a hand grab onto his. Monty stopped shooting his head up, seeing Iris holding onto him for dear life, herself being held together by her cubes. Monty cracked a smile gripping onto Iris' tightly. "And this is step two. Live to fight another day."

Iris couldn't help but smile back wholly blown away by the man Monty now was. He burned brightly like the brightest star. There was no doubt about it, in her eyes, Monty was now a true hero.

****

Some time had passed as the police and other streamers had finally arrived. Iris was sitting in the room just outside Sam's new hiding spot feeling troubled. Monty walked in with bandages around his head and around. "The villain has been taken care of. She was still alive if barely. V.I.R.A.L has taken her in."

"That's good to hear… If it weren't for you, I don't think I could have stopped her."

Monty shook his head, trying his best to cheer Iris up. "Don't pull yourself down over one thing. Alone myself would have struggled Mistress Chaos was a force to be reckoned with. Today we won, your friend and many others are safe; I see that as a victory."

"Just who are you, I mean I know who you are but… You're an entirely different person."

"This is just who I always was, or in better terms, the person I strived to become. I just forgot that." Monty admitted. "You've changed yourself, Iris, last we met you were hiding in your sister's shadow letting her take the spotlight. Today you got to be the hero you've grown to be quite the woman."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Iris mumbled flustered looking away. "It's been nearly two years since you first butt heads with Team Rhapsody. What made you come here and help me?"

"I did it as an apology. I've caused you all a lot of grief in the past. It's about time I make amends on that." He admits disturbed by his former actions. Looking forward, he notices Sam through the crack of the door. "So that's who we were protecting. The infamous Sam Belling."

"You know her?"

"Not personally, I heard a few things here and there about Hero's Might, when you are looking to be a hero those sorts of people come into your line of sight from time to time."

"If it isn't the man in the flesh! Big brother."

Monty turned to sigh in disapproval. "Why did you of all people have to show Butch."

Butch walked up with a grin. "I thought you'd be dead after the V.I.R.A.L league a year back now." Monty laughed at this making Butch confused. "Did I say something funny?"

"No, not at all. It's been a whole year since I left the family… Time flies, huh. It's great to see you, Butch."

The two hugged each other as Iris smiled leaning against the wall. "I love reunions."

"The other streamers are getting called to check the area we'll be with you soon."

"Good work." Monty nodded turning before being bumped into. He stopped turning lost. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing I thought I recognised that woman. Can't be though how silly."

"Who was it?"

"One of the CEOs must be my mind playing tricks on me."

The woman walked past Butch whispering as she walked. "The moonlight of death is shining brightly. The time has come."