V.I.R.A.L

The woman turned, moving her pawn one place forward. The two were stuck in a stalemate with only three pawns left on either team alongside their kings. From the looks of the board and their concentration, they had been playing this game for a long time. "Our purge on Earth had commenced not too long ago if I recall correctly. How fascinating an outsider takes the fight directly to us?"

The man twirled his pawn around, humming slightly. "I can sense a tinge of truculent nature emanating from him. Who is this guest anyway?"

Sakuya came back whispering in the man's ear as he looked still just as confused. "Alton Brantley? I have never aurally perceived of him. Tell me, Alton, why are you here? It isn't every day an outsider reaches our plain of existences. In fact, I'm sure the majority of humanity doesn't know even ken of our existences."

Alton tried their best to calm himself but never getting over the overwhelming dread consuming him. Still, on one knee, he took serval deep breaths before answering. "I'm here for Acceptance."

The woman turned behind her before looking back at Alton with her pale, made up face confused. "Acceptance? What do you optate from him?"

"You know damn well what."

The woman stroked her chin, nodding pushing the tiny strands of blonde hair from her face. "I optically discern, is this the person who vanquished you, Archie?" Alton soon spotted Acceptance sitting in down opposite to the Gardeners bloody and beaten panting. A simple nod was all she got as he never spoke a word terrified to the bone. "I see." Claimed the Woman sipping her tea. "I'm trepidacious at this moment in time you cannot retain him."

"I'm not asking for your permission. I need his stage."

"What could a mere human like yourself need a stage for?" The Man pestered, sipping his tea holding the cup by the rim consuming it strangely."

Alton finally managed to stand, meeting their tall orders, still out of breath. "I'm taking his stage to stop you."

"Are you hearing this Me? This boy wishes to stop us." Snorted the Man already losing interest with Alton going back to his game."

"Now, now Me. Let's not indite him off just yet. After all, it has been 400 years since we last had anyone challenge us. The last one to do that was good old Adam Berry, and look where he is now. This Alton Brantley subjugated our dear Acceptance, so he isn't someone to rub off."

Looking around, Alton snarled by their ego. "Is this what you Gardeners do?! Eat yourself fat with sin playing games while innocent people die by your orders. You're laying waste to our world. Pillaging our homes, tearing families apart all for what?! I don't care who you are. I won't stand by and allow such vile monsters to live peacefully."

All the water gushing down from the waterfall stopped as not a single dropped crash against the backdrop. The two Gardeners finally paid Alton the spit of attention even if their looks were not one bit of concern. Twisting his hand, gallons of water piled into his hand as he held it up, barking. "My name is Alto Brantley of Team Rhapsody, and this is my declaration of war against the Garden. This endless bloodshed ends today!"

"My, my, what tremendous willpower this boy has gotten. Wouldn't you concur Me?" The woman smirked, watching the trickles of water splash against her face.

The Man leaned to the right, watching this take place, still sipping his tea. "The boy has a spirit. I'll give him that."

"I'm going to end this devasting tsunami!"

The waves crashed against the ground, rushing towards the Gardeners at an unholy speed. "An ignominiousness that's all he has going for him." Said the Woman as holding her hand out cancelled out the attack, returning the waterfall to its natural state. Alton stumbled back, horrified that his attack didn't even manage to make a dent, let alone defeat his enemy. The Woman held the torrent of water at her fingertip, twirling it around like she was swigging her a cup. "That cannot be the best you've got? Surely, you've got more than that, Alton Brantley. You don't declare war on somebody without the potency to back it up."

Blasting the power back at him, Alton crashed to the ground down for the count. Gripping his hand tightly, he felt an undaring amount of hatred sweep over him. "Have Sakuya take him away; we've had enough fun with our guest." The Man ordered, going back to his game. Waiting for the Woman's turn, he raised his head matched with the tilt of his eyebrow. "Is something the matter Me?"

The Woman kept her eyes on Alton, curious as he didn't move from his fallen position. However, slowly around him, the water was starting to freeze, the air dropping in temperature. "I've seen this before…." Alton vanished from thin air, making the Woman rise from her seat, stopping Alton as he struck from behind. Being pushed back, Alton slid against the water, freezing it as he did. Staring at the Gardeners with a might filled with hate and rage, he moved his arms out, letting out a blast of cold air. Smashing his hands together, the area was blinded by thick fog. Rushing forward, striking the Woman, she pushed her hand down, stopping his push as she shook her head, taunting him. "You're going to have to do better than that. But of course, you most definitely have something up your sleeve Fairy-Tale."

The man watched, now slightly frustrated. "First you veto us to this plain of esse now you optate to ruin my game. You Judgement of the Ten never learn, do you?!" Alton thrust himself back, letting out a cold breath as his eyes glowed yellow, matching the Garden. Swinging his arm up, he readied a giant pillar of ice blowing away the area. The moment his attack started, the Man stood in front of him, lightly pushing tapping his forehead. The moment this occurred, Alton stopped falling to his knees out of energy. "Don't you think that's quite enough games?"

Alton didn't respond, staring at the ground, shocked as the Woman smiled. "Sublime, I'm jubilant to all be on the same page; Now come, our tea is getting algid." Clapping her hands together, Alton appeared in the seat next to Acceptance, still dazed.

The Man slammed the pawn down before pouring Alton a drink. "Shall we get down to business?"

"Wha- What did you do?"

"Come on, Judgement of the Ten, keep up. You have no power here. Which one are you then? Five, six?" She questions.

"Ten…."

"Ten. Wow, how exhilarating. First Eight and Nine now Ten." Admired the Woman sipping her tea.

Alton lowered his head, dizzy. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"Kill you? Would good would that do? We would get nowhere if that happens. Now, you wish to obtain Acceptance? Very well."

"Excuse me?" Alton whispered.

Acceptance rose, his head muttering. "No, no. I'm not done. I haven't lost." The moment he spoke this, he began coughing again, wheezing, unable to breathe. "No!"

The Woman raised her hand, stopping Acceptance's Stage killing him. "You have no power here, Archie. You failed the logic of the one, and now we will act out its will."

Alton's head dropped as he got his senses back whimpering. "Why? Why the hell would you help me? I've stated my intent to kill you. I'd be only be planning against you."

"Indeed, that is quite fine. Respected, in fact. The Garden was built on the logic of the one which has begun since the dawn of time. If our race is slaughtered by you so, be it. We were not worthy of this logic to keep living."

"You'd let your whole race die just to worship a logic?" Alton muttered, shocked, looking at the Gardeners. "How can anyone follow your rule if you don't care if they live or not?"

"The Garden Grows Forever. Even in death, our rule lives on. Be it the humans. Fairy-Tale as long as the logic of one lives, so shall we."

Alton carried on staring, chuckling to himself. "You're even worse than I imagined. All of this is just to worship an old way of life. I don't care regardless. I just want to save my friends. I'll play along with you."

The Woman placed her teapot down, standing up, holding a purple flower. Blowing the petals away, it changed the waterfall purple creating a portal. "Then prove yourself worthy. Show us your power Ten and take on the logic."

Stumbling out of his chair, he stared at the portal conflicted. "If I do this, you'll let me have Acceptance?"

"I give you my word."

Alton takes a few steps forward before stopping. Freezing his hand, he pointed to the Gardeners refusing to look at them. "I'm coming back, you hear me; I'm coming back here to kill you."

"We look forward to it." The Woman spoke, bowing. "Go now, Alton Brantley. Become Salvation."