V.I.R.A.L

"You try and act like a leader, little Trost, but you are clueless. Clueless about what you are truly up against. Hero's Might were ten times the heroes than you. Sam Belling, a natural-born leader, and even she didn't stand a chance with Alton by her side. You're outmatched."

Spinning on the spot, Zinnia sent off tiny flickers of electricity, stunning Ragnar for a moment. Using this, she cut through him with all her power. The snow all broke apart, with each snowflake being cut in half-matched with a crackle of lightning striking him. He didn't move as Zinnia flicked her katana. "You underestimate us."

"Do I now? Funny, that's what Sam said to moments before I killed her." Zinnia panicked with a jolt of fear jumping out of range-finding her heart racing. Where she once was, Ragnar stood utterly open. Although she wasn't certain, she was sure if she stood there for a split second longer, she would have died. Before Ragnar could do anything else, an explosion rippled in front of him, catching him off guard. Stumbling back, he held his face, which had small trickles of blood falling.

"Scarlett!" Alice cried in joy.

"Sorry I took so long. No one else is coming to aid him.

"That's all we need!" Gale boasted, running at Ragnar while he was seemly caught off guard.

"Gale, no!"

Ragnar's eye glanced to Gale as he smirked. "I'll tell you all one thing. I never go back on my word." Gale jumped in the air, a giant icicle ripped from the ground impaling Gale in the chest. Gale roared in pain, twitching, waving his arm around in absolute horror. Ragnar's smile stared at him as the icicle ripped further, causing more pain. Gale's eyes became lifeless as Ragnar threw him off the wall to his certain death.

Zinnia stared on in absolute horror, falling to her knees, screaming. "GALE!!!"

Ragnar turned to Team Rhapsody with a look of pure evil stabbing into their hearts. Each member felt an overwhelming sense of fear which even causing Scarlett to fall over, crawling back, wanting to run in the moment's heat. Everyone else was frozen on the spot, their hearts booming. Ragnar pushed his hair back, showing his icy cold eyes. Ice began forming on his body as he chuckled. "If Alton won't show out of spite. I'll kill each one of you until he does." Ragnar pointed to Alice, hissing under his breath. "You're next little one."

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****

Serval hours after the battle.

Vitae stood at the top of the wall inspecting the damages, her arms resting behind her back. "Report."

"Vitae, mam. I can confirm the wall is stable for now. It will hold; however, it will take serval weeks to fully repair the damages without any more of the wall collapsing."

"Get on with it then. This wall is our line of defence against not only the storm but the Garden as well."

Kurt climbed up through the rubble, sighing. "Look at this shit. To think we had someone like Ragnar Brantley hiding under our noses. Yet again, we have Team Rhapsody to thank."

Vitae glanced at Kurt, judging the words used. "Always so quick to praise those misfits aren't you, Kurt? Don't tell me you've got a soft spot for them."

"Of course not; it's quite the opposite, actually. But I'm always one for praising hard work when it's needed. Of course, even without them, this wouldn't have been an issue for us."

"I don't know. This Ragnar bloke seemed like the real deal. Even his own son had trouble fighting him."

Kurt began shivering, looking over the wall. "If that's everything, I'm heading back. I assume the rest can be left to Charmeine."

"Yes. Ragnar Brantley…. We cannot let ourselves fall victim like this. Letting out foes get even a single step ahead of us may prove fatal."

"Worry not, mam, our own Stage is almost ready, and from what I can gather, the Syndicate Family are moving again. Should we engage and squash them?"

Vitae shook her head. "No, let them be. We'll deal with them when the time comes." Looking down, she soon noticed a slight movement in the snow on the other side of the wall. Flinching to this, Vitae jumped down, marching ahead, finding Gale in the snow holding onto life by a thread. A few other workers came to see alongside Kurt. "Is that?"

"Holy shit, he's still alive. Remarkable; I heard the fucker was durable, but this is on another level. What should we do?"

Vitae glanced at the others workers as her shadow ripped each witness apart. "Take him back to the facility. Someone who can take this much could prove useful."

"I take it we aren't told Team Rhapsody about this."

"No, no. For all, they know Gale Lampard is dead. Let's keep it that way."

Kurt picked the boy up, snarling at the smell. "And what the hell are we doing with this washed-up streamer then?"

Vitae stared at the abandoned Titan in the distance, nodding. "See it as a failsafe. We can never be too sure."

****

Mortem screeched, being torn from Alton's body as their shadowy appearance was left on display. They had no means of escape as Alton rose. "Do you understand now?"

Mortem began trembling, looking to Sam and Alice. "You're… You're nothing more than a monster… Blood fuelled monster! If you go this far… If you… Please, have mercy!"

Alton stood over Mortem, gripping them by the neck, staring daggers at them. "Do you remember what I said? Repeat my words."

Mortem cracked, stuttering. "You… Won't sh-." Alton cut Mortem off, freezing them slowly Mortem panicked, begging. "Please! No, I'm begging of you. I won't. I'm not with them; I can help you. You need me! Please, I just wanted to be free!"

Mortem froze over entirely as he smirked to himself, ripping his hand through the ice, shattering Mortem to pieces. "There's no such thing."

****

The last remanet of Mortem burst to life as the scientist watching over the test subject collapse to his knees Mortem taking over. Crawling forward, she began panting, using all her energy up to escape moments before death. "Damn you, Alton Brantley! You're a monster alright, this isn't over; I promise you that!"

The door wedged open as Charmeine stepped through, worn and beaten, staring down at the defeated Mortem. "Look at you, how far you've fallen."

"Charmeine! Charmeine God, damn it help me up!"

Charmeine reluctantly did so, throwing Mortem into the chair. "You lost to a bunch of streamers; I should have known you weren't up to the task. Can't say I blame you; I underestimated Vanguard, that's for certain. I've grown soft being with you."

"I'm not here to be lectured by you, Charmeine! I was so close; victory was in my reach, but Alton was worse than we thought. He isn't just any Child of the Garden. He's the Child of the Garden, one of the Ten's Judgement!"

Even Charmeine looked surprised by this. "How can you be certain?"

"He showed me Fairy-Tale; I talked to the other him before he slaughtered my body!"

"These changes everything. What do you intend to do now?"

"Is Gale ready?"

"He's still in a coma with none of his memories intact. If you were to take over him, you'd lose control and be forced on autopilot while Gale walks free. Does that answer your question?"

"I have no choice! If I want to survive, sacrifices have to be made!"

Charmeine walked over to the machine, sighing. "If we do this, you'll have to be in that coma for an undisclosed period. I can't guarantee you'll ever gain control again. See it as blacking out entirely with no way out. You would simply stop thinking."

Mortem nodded, losing her life force slowly over time. "I don't care! Hurry, this body doesn't have long!"

Setting up the device, Mortem and Gale were connected as Charmeine put in the final touches. "I can't be certain, but the only way to regain control is for Gale to remember who he is. Do that, and you'll gain control."

Mortem closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. "This isn't over, Team Rhapsody. Soon I'll have my revenge. I will be free no matter what!"

"Whatever you say. Just so you know, after this our arrangement ends. We're parting ways, Mortem. It's not you. It's me."

Mortem leaned forward with a sigh. "I suppose that only makes sense. You Judgement of the Ten always look to who has the most power."

"Don't take it personally, girl. It was fun while it lasted." Mortem fell to the floor dead as she was transferred into Gale successfully. As this happened, the ground began to shake as Charmeine tumbled back. "What the hell?" Running out of the hidden facility, her heart sank, looking on with dread. "No way…. That's not possible. We should have had more time." She whispered as Titans began appearing all over the city as the Garden's fury had started.

****

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"No…. No, no, no. Why God Damn it."

Looking directly at Zinnia, it was no doubt him. The scruffy hair and scar across his face belonged to no one else apart from the first—the first member to join Team Rhapsody after Alton and herself. Zinnia's words scattered off as she whispered, dazed. "Gale?"

"Please stop… I'm not who yo-."

"That can't be possible. Gale? No way. No fucking way is that you?! Gale, it's me, Zinnia. I mean, holy shit, I just you see." Zinnia was lost for words as she hugged her long-time friend tearing up. "You're alive. Don't you remember? Team Rhapsody, V.I.R.A.L. You were one of my best friends. You were a true hero Gale."

Looking down, hugging Zinnia back, a dark aura began to swell as Gale smiled manically to himself. "Oh yes, I remember everything. How could I forget?"