V.I.R.A.L

Alton couldn't help but try and burst into action seeing his friend in trouble. However, every time he attempted to move, he would find himself snapping back to where he once was. "What's going on?! Let me help her! I can help!"

The Woman shook her head, pointing to the battle. "You aren't here in person. Only in mind, no one can see you apart from me. Therefore there is nothing you can do. Watch."

Alton turned, backbiting his lip, trembling at the sight as Alice stood up after falling to her knee exhausted. "Alice…."

*****

"Who are you talking to?" Iris questions setting up the tea set, watching Alice set up an extra plate for seemly nobody.

"Oh, umm…." Alice paused, turning to her friend, nodding. "It's ok she said. The Alice can tell you. Alice is talking to her friend Eve."

Iris nudged, overlooking intrigued. "Eve? Ah, why didn't you tell me we had a guest?! I would have made extra muffins!" Setting up the table, she pretended to pour tea, placing the pot down bowing. "It's nice to meet you, Eve. My name is Iris; I hope we can be friends as much as you are with my sister."

Alice, taken back, slightly turned to Iris, staring blankly. "You don't think that's weird?"

"Not at all; there's nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend, right? Unlike real friends, they can't talk behind your back…. I hope they can't unless they are talking to the other imaginary friends when I sleep. Oh man, now I'm paranoid someone is always talking bad about me!"

Alice held her mouth, giggling faintly, making Iris look confused. "You are so funny, Iris." Turning to see Eve sitting on the floor curled up, staring blankly at Iris, her happy look faded as she turned back, whispering. "Imaginary…. Right."

****

A group of children sat on the swings watching Alice talking to herself. Each one snickered, talking to each other. "What a weirdo. She's always doing that."

"Can you blame her? She hasn't got any friends, so she makes them up. She can't even talk properly, always talking about herself in the third person."

The kids began leaving, chanting away, making sure Alice heard. "Alice in Wonderland, Alice in Wonderland."

Alice stared blankly at the sandpit, not giving it much thought. It wasn't long before Iris stepped up, crossing her arms, frustrated. "Bloody bullies…. They wouldn't like it if the same thing happened to them."

"They were bullying the Alice?" Alice replied, confused, still playing with the sand.

"Don't worry about them; they are just stupid idiots who are jealous of you!"

"Jealous of Alice? What would they have to be jealous of?"

Iris pulled Alice from the pit, brushing sand off her. "Don't worry about it; let's go home."

"But the Alice wanted to play with Eve more."

Iris stopped biting her lip, frustrated. "Sis…. I don't judge you for still having the same imaginary friend at the age we are but…. We're almost teenagers, it's just. You see."

"Yes?"

Iris gave in, sighing. "You can only play with Eve inside. Others shouldn't know about her. She's too special. Everyone will just get jealous."

"Oh, is that so? The Alice didn't know."

Iris nodded, feeling stupid for still playing along, but she had no choice, not wanting to hurt Alice's feelings. "Of course, that's why people make fun of you. So how about this. You can play with Eve all you want at home, but when you're at school or training you pretend, she isn't there."

"Pretend she isn't there? Why would we do that for?"

"It's a game…. Hide and seek but with everyone else. If anyone finds out about Eve, you lose."

Alice smiled, nodding. "The Alice understands. Thank you, sis."

****

Alice stepped back, panting. Wiping her blood face, she stared onwards at Eve, unscathed, standing on her scythe with a childish look. "You've been there with me my whole life. For as long as I could remember, through my countless copies, you were there. No one else could see you, but you were the only friend I could ever call mine. You comforted me through the hardships and gave me the strength when I was weak. You helped me protect all that I care for…. Was all of that a lie?"

Eve giggled, leaning forward staring on smugly. "Are you beginning to doubt me? Have you finally realised the truth behind all of this? You are nothing without me. I gave you the strength to fight on when others gave up. I gave you the willpower to protect others when you wanted to run. I was there to wipe your tears and make you laugh. You are nothing but a puppet who only knows how to do anything if you are told by me. I grow tired of this game; I want to play a new game, and you aren't invited. Soon I'll be playing all sort of games with my brother, with Alton. Even with my dear sister Iris."

Alice took a stand holding her bow tightly, squeezing as tight as possible, looking up determined. "You're wrong. I am Alice Hawthorne, with or without you; that doesn't change. I have a sister named Iris, my father was called Hans, and I am a part of Team Rhapsody. That hasn't and will never change. You wish to take what little away I have; I refuse you are mine as much as I was yours. I won't let you damper all those memories with this childish tantrum. This ends now."

Pulling her bow back, she opened a portal unleashing a bombardment of attacks. The night sky ignited, burning bright, making night day for a short moment. Eve stared at the brilliant works lighting up her appearance. Letting the attacks crawl closer, she grinned, giggling sadistically to herself. "You're right. This does end now." Holding her hands above her head, she clapped two times as all the attacks vanished, making Alice stare on shellshocked. With the last of her Stage, a ball of unstable energy crumbled into her palm. Throwing it up, hundreds of portals appeared all around Alice blocking her escape. "Your weakness and care for others is your downfall. Such simple-minded thoughts will only bury you in endless grief and sin. Therefore this turmoil should be wiped away with everyone on this pitiful planet. You've all grown to accustom to the idea of peace and tranquillity while other forces prepared. Your kind chose to forget the past and wipe us from your sight allowing greater forces to have their way and discard the trash as they please. The Rule of One dictates your end; may you rot away forgotten by the strong for years to come."

The area around Alice lit up with bright and brilliant colours as her injuries caught up to her falling to her knee's eyes widened. "Ir-." Unable to finish her cry for help, Alice was blown to pieces by an endless array of destruction and power. Eve floated above the warzone as the Titan crashed down onto the city with a dry stare.

Her head slowly turned, staring directly at Alton. "Did you enjoy the show?"

The vision faded as Alton found himself in the darkness once more. Falling to his knees, his hands didn't stop trembling as he began muttering. "That wasn't real; this is all just a trick to deceive me. You're trying to break me and climb inside my head to take control. That's what the Garden does, corrupts and deceives the masses!"

"I won't deny we are accustomed to such ways of life." The Woman admitted sipping her seemly endless tea. "Nonetheless, what we showed you just now is without a shadow of the doubt the truth. It has happened, it is happening, it will happen. Time is relative yet also to our own devices down here. If you were stronger, you might have been able to save your beloved Alice. She was the last one, was she not? The last one to stand by your side through thick and thin. A pity she had to go out like such a coward."

Alton gripped his head, blasting the Woman with a sharp ray of ice. The attack simply fazed through her like she wasn't even there. "Is this what you do?! These trials are nothing more than an excuse to break me, to tear me apart piece by piece until I fall in line with your way of life. Isn't it?! You believe tormenting me to this pain and horror will break me until I beg for forgiveness. I refuse for that to happen; I will not ever give up, not for a single moment. I will stop you!"

"You are Alton Brantley. You are a Child of the Garden. You are one of the Ten's Judgement. Regardless of what path you choose young man, the main point is clear. No one controls you; no one has or ever will. Fate has bestowed you with a choice. Do you take the easy path, remain as Alton Brantley, the boy who fights for his friends and will die at our hands so weak and pathetic. Or will you return home, become the person you were meant to be, a true Child of the Garden and return the world to its rightful place. Or will you throw it all away and let fate drown you as one of the Ten's Judgement as you burn it all to the ground. The choice is yours and yours alone. No outside source can change that. The very fate of this world rests in your decisions, Alton." The Woman bestows, dropping her teacup letting it smash as she stared on determined with her bulging yellow eyes. "The last Trial will make everything crystal clear. We've shown you the forgotten past; you've bear witnessed to a terrible present. Now drown in the possible horrid future you must overcome to fulfil your fate."

****

Waking up once more, Alton found himself on top of Rhinefield's destroyed wall. Overlooking the city, his attention was drawn as he found himself face to face with fate. Team Rhapsody; Zinnia, Sam, Alice and Emil. Each of them standing against Alton.

Zinnia held her hand out as a lightning bolt blasted a katana into her hand. "The madness ends here, Alton. We cannot allow you to carry on this crusade of destruction."

"What? What are you talking about?" Alton whispered, taken back. "Zinnia, it's me!"

She shook her head, not allowing his words to affect her. "Liar. You betrayed us from the very start. I won't allow you to unleash Salvation's Calling, I didn't want it to be this way, but we're here to stop you once and for all."

"Drown in the possible horrid future forever, Alton Brantley."