V.I.R.A.L

A group of children were out playing in the hills just out of sight of their respected homes. Tired of being confined to the area, they wanted to venture out further in hopes of seeing the capital of Victoria in the distance. The four children were running and across the field, feeling the wind blowing between their ears. They were as free as can be. Or at least that's what they first thought. Making it to their destination, the children stopped seeing the city that never sleeps on full display. Watching the sunrise, all the children had the same smile of wonder plastered across their faces. This wouldn't last long as a dark shadow swept over the land. Standing at this serval dark shadows appeared as the stage of pain appeared in the plenty. Neither spoke as each child stepped back, terrified. Soon they began to run, trying to flee from the danger. One girl wasn't so lucky tripping over her poor shoelaces collapsing to the ground. Trying to scurry back to her feet, she was too slow as a copy went to take her.

Screaming out, a large object crashed down to the ground knocking them both back. "Are you alright, Millie?"

"Mister, Marcus!"

Vanguard stood looking worse for wear with torn clothes and his arm wrapped into a bandage being held up. Another set of bandages were around his right eye showing a beaten down broken man. Holding the clone up, he slammed it to the ground destroying it entirely. "You will harm these children no more phantom!"

Percy formed back together, cackling. "Aren't you proud of me, Vanguard? I'm doing all of this for you. I'm sharing my gift of the pain you caused me. Don't you feel guilty?"

Vanguard clumps a chunk of rocks in his hand, throwing it at the copy. Destroyed, Vanguard wasn't aware of the damage he took alongside Percy. The last clone jumped at him and, with his only free handheld, him in the place, pinning him to the ground before boosting the weight in his legs as he slammed down, crushing Percy. The children let out a sigh of relief as the danger was gone. Vanguard glared at his leg, seeing it bleeding. Gritting his teeth, he whispered to himself. "How much longer will you haunt me, Percy?"

****

"We need to get you help, Alton." Alice pesters as the three walked over a large set of hills, with Iris still being carried by Alton. "What's so important about that, man?"

Alton glanced at his wound, which he had frozen over for temporary care. "Don't worry about me. Marcus is in danger. He will need our help."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Vanguard trying killing you and the rest of Team Rhapsody on serval occasions. If it was me, I'd let Percy put the man down."

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Alton took a breather wiping his head. "Why are you still with us, Diego?"

Diego shrugged his shoulders. "I've got nowhere else to go."

"Whatever, usually I would agree with letting Marcus die, but we need everyone to defeat Mortem no matter what. Like it or not, but Marcus plays a key role in stopping them. Besides, you remember he saved our lives against Scarlett's father, right, Alice?"

Alice sighed, nodding. "He did save us… I still don't like this. I definitely don't trust him."

"I'd trust Vanguard more than Alton…" Diego whispered to himself. "Are you sure he's here?"

"The locals told me that he was spotted in the dense hills of the capital. It's our only lead, after all."

"That's all we've got to go off on? Wouldn't it be easier to just head back to your base of operation? I'm sure fancy pants Florence can find him in a heartbeat."

"We don't have time for that. Trust me on this." Alton whispered. "If we lose Vanguard, my plan goes down the drain."

"Your plan?" Diego questions.

"Well, that's a start." Alice states pointing to a child running towards them. "We can always ask the kid."

"Ask the better question here. Why is he running?"

Not far behind the boy, the hills turned a dark black as shadowy figures flooded the area. Alton gritted his teeth. "Pain… Take Iris Diego."

"Umm, sure, but you seriously aren't going to rush in just like that?"

"Alice with me."

The two rushed onwards to the boy's aid as Diego held Iris, sighing. "You are… Damn it."

Alice swooped in through her portal, snatching the boy before he was caught backing out to safety. Alton crashed down, freezing everything around him as all the clones of Percy were held in place. None of them resisted watching Alton idly giggling like school children. "So much pain. So much pain. So much pain."

Alton didn't give much more thought to cut down each clone without much issue. However, cut off one head, and two more will come as more clones flurried to life. Swiping his hand around, he let out a quick burst of ice, distancing himself from the others. As more tried pinning him down, Alton fell backwards as a portal rippled open, saving him. The swarm Alton opening above gripped his hands together, letting out a blizzard consuming all in the area. Slamming down, all the clones shattered, leaving an empty battlefield. Rubbing his hands together, keeping warm, Alton wandered over to Alice and the boy sighing. "You alright, kid?"

The boy stared in awe. "No way another one like big brother."

"Huh? Big brother?" Alice questioned.

The boy stood up, nodding. "Yes, big brother. He protects everyone from evil spirits. No matter the situation, he'll always help us."

Diego drags himself over, struggling to hold Iris on his back, sighing. "That description doesn't match Vanguard whatsoever. Vanguard wouldn't be saving kids for the sake of it."

"You're right," Alton admitted. "But I am curious; whoever is holding off against him is strong. We should still see who it is… Something doesn't add up, though."

One final clone appeared, sneaking up on the group looking to stab Alton in the back. Before it could get the chance, Marcus flew from out of nowhere, sending the clone flying. Alton's head turned to the might, seeing Marcus battle-worn and beaten down standing behind him. Staring back at him, Marcus tutted. "It was only a matter of time before Team Rhapsody stood at my front door. The hauntings were a sign, I suppose. You alright, Kevin?"

The little boy nodded, running over. "All thanks to you and your friends, big brother Marcus!"

Marcus sighed, moving his arm around. "I wouldn't go that far. Come on, no point standing around. I can already tell why you're here. We can talk more about it at the sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?"

***

After a short walk, the group found themselves at the foot of a small worn down wall made of tree trunks. The gate slowly opened as more children came to greet their hero. Marcus gave a faint smile, meeting with the masses. Inside the wall wasn't much apart from a farm and cattle. Further back was an entrance to what looked to be an old abandoned mine. To say the group was shocked was an understatement. "Talk about children of the corn…" Diego muttered.

"I don't like this whatsoever." Alice brought up.

The gates closed as Marcus put the boy down. "I can already tell you have any questions. It's not that hard to see what's going on."

Alton looked around, shrugging his shoulders. "You're looking after the children who lost their parents and cannot look after themselves. I always suspected a softer side from you Marcus, were you hoping this would be some sort of way to redeem yourself for everything you did four years ago?"

Marcus grabbed a bucket of feed and threw it into the pig's pen. "Please, I'm not stupid enough to believe something like that… This wasn't even my intentions when I left the prison when Syndicate attacked. Truth be told, I was really planning on leaving Victoria altogether. V.I.R.A.L was close to putting through their endgame; I wasn't going to stick around and wait for that."

"Where would you go? There's nothing else out there past Victoria." Alice asked.

Marcus wagged his finger. "Don't be so naive to jump to conclusions, Alice, after all, if that's true, where is your dear Zinnia Trost?"

"What's your point?"

"Well, Alton, you'd think by now at least one person would have seen her. The CEOs are hunting you all down day by day. I find it very unlikely not even a whisper of Zinnia has reached our ears by now. She's most certainly fled the country. Probably gone north where the sun doesn't shine."

"Regardless of these pointless endeavours. You've been having a problem with an old friend, correct?"

"These days have been rough. I'm constantly haunted by visions of the past. Percy Misharp keeps appearing to me; he taunts me and pushes me to my limit. He threatens me with these children's lives. I'm at my breaking point, unsure how much longer I can last."

"You're seriously doing this alone?"

"Not quite," Marcus whispered, turning, seeing serval adults working with the children. "You recognise them?"

Alton kept watching, nodding. "Vaguely. You're employees?"

"Indeed. After the breakout, they found me. Turns out many of my followers still stand by me for some stupid reason. Petra, Margret and our old director Rupert." Marcus spoke softly. "I can't gid rid of them even if I tried. Before you start, I already know why you're here."

"You owe me a favour. You told us to find you when we need you. Well, now's the time; the CEOs have resurrected Percy and is trying to destroy us."

Marcus turned around, shaking his head. "No."

"No?"

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"No. I've told you no. I cannot care about that. I only intend to protect this small sanctuary. I'll get your aid for your friends, but after that, you should leave."

Alton held his ground, shaking his head. "I will not. I need you no matter what you say."

"Is that so." Marcus scoffed, taking off his bandages. "Do you remember what else I told you back on that day, Alton? The only person who is allowed to kill you. Is me."

"I remember that. But you're foolish to even begin to think you can win. You're injured, and unlike last time I don't intend to hold back."

Marcus chuckled to this, nodding. "You did say that, didn't you." The ground began to crack and fall apart as even Alton felt something off as Marcus was growing in power quickly. "Then neither of us should hold back. I think it's time we end this four-year rematch once and for all." Alton went to attack Vanguard only to flinch, finding him gone in a second. Turning around, Alton was propelled through the wall, crashing into the ground finding his body unable to respond. "And this time, no one here can save you."