V.I.R.A.L

"I wished I had more time to talk."

"You will soon. I'll be waiting."

The building fell apart, leaving only the storm in its wake. Alton lay on the ground, aided by Zinnia as they both stared in shock as Iris stood taking the helm of the attack head-on. Her eyes glowed the Garden yellow as her cubes had broken apart, turning into a bright suit of armour to counter Anger's very own. Wiping her bloody lip, Iris panted, shaking at the knees. "I won't fall, not now, not until I saved them from you!"

Anger gritted her teeth, thrusting her fist forward, looking to strike Iris again. Serval cubes flew past, pushing her back, forming together, creating a gate; Alton looked on whispering. "No way…. I've seen this before; it's Bargaining's power, but how does she?"

The gate ignited, opening up as weapons burst from the chambers, crashing to the ground surrounding the two. Moving her hand behind her, Iris tightened her hair into a ponytail, picking up many weapons. Wielding a battle spear, she spun it around, holding it behind her. "Just who the hell are you?!" Anger screamed.

Iris swung her spear back around, aiming it at Anger. "My sister got all the attention and power from our doubles. While she got Eve, guess who I got. It's only taken me this long to realise I can stand on my own without her!"

Running forward, Anger and Iris began clashing as Iris kept taking the full brim of every attack tanking it to the best of her ability. Crouched down, losing her balance, she coughed up blood, refusing to give up. The moment Anger came to attack again, Iris held her hands forward as a cube covered her body blocking the attack. A loud sound of metal clashing rang throughout the storm shattering the cube but allowing Iris to return the attack twice a fold. Thrusting her fist forward, her armour fell apart, becoming one long pillar. Smashing Anger back, she crashed through serval trees before quickly turning back into her armour. Picking up two swords, Iris joined them into a cross, waiting. It didn't take long before Anger came wiping back to strike. Being pushed around, Iris made sure to hold the line bleeding from the head. Holding her head down, she withstood the beating storm, her gaze turning to a horrified Zinnia and Alton. She smiled, shaking her head speaking, but no words were heard through the hail and wind. Pushing Anger back, Iris began slashing at Anger, cutting away at all of her bandages. Looking slightly worried, Anger tried backing away, escaping into the fog for another attack. However, Iris wouldn't falter until the deed was done; no matter how bad her wounds, she kept fighting till the very end. Chasing Anger cutting away more and more, a bright purple glow ripped through, blinding Iris for a short moment. The time was now. "The Stage…. Now's my chance!"

"No, you don't! Final Stance, Stage of Grief Anger!"

Iris was consumed about to be struck down yet again, having no chance but to keep pushing. Even if it cost her everything, she wasn't ever going to give up again. This wasn't a fight she was going to lose! As the two went to clash, a stray arrow pierced through Anger, knocking her off guard. Iris spun on the spot seeing Alice climbing from the snow, beaten and worn down. "Do it, Iris! Finish it; I know you can do it! Show this Stage who's boss!"

Iris turned back with a newfound boost of confidences as she turned her sword behind her crouching down charging up. Her cubes began forming behind, absorbing into the sword create a colossal sword of might and strength. With both hands, she swung with all she had screaming. "I'm in the shadows no more! Take this, heavenly slash!" 

Slashing sideways, the entire area was blinded in white light as even the snowflakes were cut down alongside the mountains and trees, creating an after shockwave of sound and brilliance. The snowstorm stopped for a brief moment coming back as Iris had dropped to her knee, bleeding heavily through her armour. Anger's bandages were torn, and her tangible form was shown with a bright purple light covering her entire body.

Iris didn't hesitate to reach in to rip the Stage out. As she was mere inches away from plucking the power, Iris gagged up blood as Anger had torn her arm right through her armour and Iris. Lumped over, Anger hissed, stopping Iris altogether. "I will not go back! You cannot take my light away; without the power and presence, I'm no one! A lost, scared child who ran away from home! You will not remind me of the past!" Trying to rip her arm out, she was shocked to find herself unable to move. "What?!"

Cubes had formed around the two, holding both in place as even on the brink of death, Iris refused to let go. The light in her eyes began to fade as she pressed her foot against the ground, moving forward, pushing Anger back, panting. "There's always a light on you, even in your darkest moments. Everyone has their own stage light, and no one can take that from you, and mine is on for an encore! I have people who believe in me, and I won't back down!"

Anger began to panic, seeing Alton slowly reaching her position. She kept trying to break free with no luck. "Damn you, Iris Hawthorne, just die!" Punching her again with her free arm Iris was directly smashed in the face losing sight in one eye as she tumbled back, still refusing to give up. "You're nothing but a fake copy; how are you able to keep me from moving! You're nothing special!"

"I don't have to be." Iris whimpered, dropping her head. "I'm not a big shot hero or the number one streamer. I'm just Iris Hawthorne, and that's alright; I see that now. I don't have to be anything as long as my mum is proud of me!" 

Tearing out the Stage, she held the bud in the air as Anger lost all her strength, stumbling back losing grip on Iris. Her eyes widened as the purple light faded from her and her eyes returned to their natural blue. Falling onto her about her actual form returned with her scars and bruises all over her body. Lying in the snow, Anger stared up at the sky, seeing it for the first time as a human in hundreds of years. The snow quickly covered her body as she held her hand up, devasted.  "Not special…. Did you see me like that, Stella?"

Holding the Stage tightly, Iris stumbled back as her armour began to shatter, and all of her cubes fell into the snow. Everything became dark as she fell, only to be caught by Alice at the last second. Lying on Alice's chest, Iris looked up weak, her hand shaking reaching up. Alice took it, keeping her emotions in check for Iris' sake. "Did I do it? Did I really do it?"

Alice nodded, holding her tighter. "You certainly did. You saved us, Iris. You save me, Alton and Zinnia. You did it, sis…."

"I did? I am glad." Iris smiled, staring on at the sunrise shining brightly on her. "Would you look at that? I'm no longer in your shadow. It's beautiful."

"No, no. You're not in my shadow anymore. You've gone beyond anything I could do."

Iris began coughing, placing her bloody hand on Alice's cheek. "Liar…. Take this, stop the Garden for everyone."

Alice took the purple bud holding it tight. "I promise you I will!"

"Thank you." Closing her eyes for a short while, she was blinded by the light as she slowly opened them, gasping and tearing down her face. "You were right…. You were always right here…. Mother."

"Mother? Maya?!" Alice whispered in shock, looking up at the light seeing nothing. "There's no one there."

Iris shook her head, holding her hand out to her mother with tears of joy. "No, there is. She's always watching us. The Stage light is always on us, even in the darkest times until the very end. I'm coming, mum…. Wait for me. I'm coming."

Alice flinched as Iris fell limp, not moving. Staring down at her sister, her eyes widened as tears began to form. "No…. No. Iris. Sis, Sis. Please, don't leave me. You're all I have left." Dropping the bud of Anger, Alice clenched her sister tightly, looking to where she was only to be stunned forever. There stood her mother and Iris hand in hand. Tears flooded down her hand as she began sobbing. "You were right, Iris…. You were right. I see her. I see you both. Shining on forever."

The light faded, leaving everyone alone. Alice cuddled into her sister, who sacrificed everything to stop Anger once and for all. The bud of Anger was picked up as Alton stared on in horror at who collected it. "There's no way…. You!"

To be Continued….