V.I.R.A.L

After serval hours of rest, Zinnia awoke, dragging herself out of the bedroom. Pete turned, scratching his crusty beard, letting out a reinsuring smile. "You're looking better. I was just making some stew if you were hungry?"

Zinnia walked over, rubbing her eyes, smelling a feast for kings. Starving, she hung over the bowl like a dog waiting for their next meal. "How did you get all this?"

"Oh, this? The town just a few miles west has a market. It's becoming harder and harder to find a good catch out in this condition. I'm not as young as I use to be, so it's usually Henry here doing the heavy lifting." He explained, stirring the broth giving it a small taste before glancing at Henry. "We were actually out hunting when we came across you. Go on eat up; there's plenty for everyone."

Zinnia sat down, scooping the food down in a hurry moving the food around her mouth to avoid a horrific burn. Looking up, she noticed Pete not eating as she looked concerned. "Are you not eating?"

"Oh, I'll eat later."

"I didn't get the chance to thank you. I would be dead if it wasn't for you."

Pete shook his head, holding his hand up. "Don't thank me, thank Henry. He was the one adamant about finding you. Besides, I couldn't leave a young girl like you out there all alone now, could I? Which reminds me, why were you out there?"

"I've been out here for a long time…. It was to find myself, I suppose. After finding my family, we were attacked. My village was destroyed, my father…. Killed protecting me."

"Oh. I'm…. I'm sorry to hear that, Zinnia. Are those people still after you?"

Shaking her head, she placed the bowl down. "I don't think so. I lost, but she spared me for some reason. I'm just currently trying to get to my friends."

"Well, take as long as you'd like. You're more than welcome to wait out the harshness of this snow and look for your friends afterwards." Pete informed, taking her bowl. "Do you know where your friends are?"

"Last I know, they were in the heart of Rhinefield. They most likely haven't moved far since then. That's my goal."

Pete glanced at Zinnia rather nervously, putting the bowl down. "Rhinefield? You mean the capital of Victoria Rhinefield?"

"Yes. Why?"

Pete continued to stare, stepping back, tripping up on his fire stumbling. Zinnia went to help, but Pete held his hand up, shaking his head. "No. No…. I'm fine. Tell me, Zinnia do you know a man called Marcus Culling?"

"Vanguard?"

"Did he send you here? Is he out there ready to finish what he started?!" Pete cried, looking terrified, which even got Henry worked up. "Why can't he let me go?! Thirty years. It's been thirty years!"

"Pete…. Please, calm down."

Pete stood up as a tiny spark of light came from his hand. "He won't take me; I won't let him!"

"Pete, please. Calm down. Vanguard is gone."

"What?"

"We took him down and exposed him for who he was."

Pete's face dropped as he fell into his chair handing shaking. "You're not pulling my leg here, are you, girl? This isn't some kind of prank?!"

"I promise. We stopped him from hurting any more people. He's locked behind bars for good."

Pete wiped his eyes, breaking down. "I've been hiding out here for thirty years, watching my back in hopes he would never find me. I managed to escape with my life after he tried killing me, and you're telling me he finally paid for his crimes?!"

"Who are you?"

"I take it you're a streamer? You might have heard of me. I used to be the number one streamer before him. I used to go by Drought."

"No way! You're Drought?! You were about to take Vanguard's place any day, but you vanished from out of the blue before that could happen. Your fans were devastated."

"I doubt it." Pete shrugged off, groaning as he slouched back in his chair. "The streaming industry is competitive. If you can't keep up, people will just forget who you are sooner or later. After Vanguard tried to kill me, I woke up outside the wall. Somehow still alive, I fled, fearing the power of that man. I've been hiding out here ever since."

"You've been hiding here all this time? Thirty years…. You never thought to come back?"

"With Vanguard still in power, I could never. If he ever found out I was still alive, he wouldn't stop until I was dead. I was the one who made him snap; he would take that secret to the grave if need be. But you see, Zinnia, I won. I'm the one who got away." Pete cackled, coughing halfway through. "Did he pay? Did you make him pay?"

"It was hard, but we brought him down. He's rotting away in a prison cell forgotten for the rest of his life."

Pete looked down, sighing. "I've been dreaming of those words for decades…. Even then, I don't hold any grudge against him. I can't anymore; he took away my chance at success. It took me ten years to get where I was, only for it to be swept away in an instant. It's not all bad, though. I'm free to my own leisure here."

"Come back with me. Show the world Drought is still alive. Let it be the final nail in the coffin for Vanguard. You'd been seen as a hero."

"A hero? Ha, give me a break. That's the last thing I need." Pete exclaimed, yawning. "I'm old Zinnia. After the incident, Marcus left me crippled. I can hardly move without my body aching. Henry is simply here to keep me company. I came here to die."

"No, no. I need your help. I need to get back to Rhinefield. Please."

"What's your name, kid?"

"Umm, Zinnia?"

"No, no. Your streaming name?"

"Oh. I used to go by Ingrid; I was a part of Team Rhapsody."

"Team Rhapsody. You know what? I might have heard someone mention that name before. Don't you see, Zinnia, you've been given a golden opportunity to leave that plague behind. The only thing V.I.R.A.L is good for is ruining your life, and for what? All that hard work and effort, risking everything just for the world to forget you. Honestly, Zinnia, if you went back now, who would the world remember? Ingrid of Team Rhapsody? Or Zinnia Trost? The world doesn't care about us; they don't see us as people. Just entertainers who let the public forget about their shitty lives for five minutes. If we can't provide that, they'll simply move onto the next big name."

Zinnia looked down, nodding. "I understand that. When I first became a streamer, I only did it because that was the only way to legally fight crime. I didn't care about fame or fortune. If no one watched my streams, who cares? I was making a difference. If someone was and they were inspired even better. After we took down Vanguard. When the fans came flooding in, I let that get to my head. I forgot why I did all of this in the first place and was swept by the moment. Everyone else in my team was the same. Soon enough, we were just doing it because we were popular. I hate that's how I turned out; I refuse to ever let myself be changed for others. Front and centre, I'm a superhero. That's who I am regardless of if the world remembers who I was. That doesn't matter. If I was able to save someone's life, then it will be worth it in the end."

Pete stared on, putting his glass down, sighing. "You're really unlike anyone I've ever met. You're looking for your friends? I assume they are in trouble then?"

"They are. I've run away from them for too long. I want to make amends and save them."

Pete acknowledged this, throwing Henry's lead at her. Zinnia caught it slightly confused. "Then don't let me stop you. I can't help you, not in the slightest. It's only a matter of time before I kick the bucket, and that's not fair for Henry. If you want to get back to Rhinefield, take the town west. They'll help you get back to the wall. Take Henry with you; he'll guide you there. Find a man called Darwin. Tell him Pete sent you. He'll make sure you get to your friends."

"I can't take your dog. You even said yourself, you need him to help you around." Zinnia exclaimed, holding the lead out. "Doing that would sentence you to death."

Pete refused the lead standing up. "And if I died tomorrow, let's say Henry would be here all alone. He would never leave me, therefore, sharing the same fate. He deserves better than that; he can get that with you. I'm a man with borrowed time. I should have died those thirty years ago on top of the wall. Yet here I stand, outlasting Marcus fucking Culling. That's all I need to die in peace if this also helps a young girl reunite with her friends even better. See this as a thank you for stopping that man from ruining any more lives."

"Pete…. Thank you, when I get back to Rhinefield, I'll make sure they never forget the legend of Drought."

"Somethings are better left, buried kid," Pete smirked, shaking his head. Henry jumped off the sofa, waiting for his collar. "Take good care of Henry for me, Zinnia."

"I will." She spoke, wrapping herself up, ready to leave. "Thank you again, Pete."

Pete watched the two leave as they faded into the storm. Smiling to himself, he watched on, able to rest easy. "I guess this world is still full of surprises after all. It only makes sense someone like her caught you off guard, Marcus. Heroes shouldn't work in this day and age, but don't let that stop you, girl. Be the hero you were always meant to be, Zinnia. Fight for the sake of others, Ingrid."