V.I.R.A.L

Agartha fell to her knees, panting as she managed to getaway. Her mind was so fixated to that moment. The moment Percy chose to spare her. She was adamant she would've died yet true to his word he didn't lay a hand on her. The rest of the Cult had run away, and there was no sign from the priests either. Agartha couldn't feel anymore alone. "Rodger! Gemini! Shit where the hell is you guys?! Answer me!"

"What's wrong nobody left to protect you?"

Agartha flinched hearing somebody behind she gripped her hand tightly casting an array of bullets in the area of the voice. She turned to see Scarlett standing there and all the bullets on the floor. She didn't have a single wound on her. "You. You're a member of the Dawn family."

"It was you wasn't it? You're the one who killed Percy."

"Perhaps. He was a traitor. I disposed of him."

Scarlett sneered throwing Agartha off. "Good, it means now I can get justice for Zinnia. You made her upset. I cannot have that, now can I?"

Agartha stood up as the whole room began shaking. She began pulling at her hair screaming. "I won't let anything stand in my way in bringing back my hero!" Serval clones of Vanguard appeared charging on Scarlett. She looked at each of them as they all crumbled apart at her sight. Agartha didn't let go as she kept channelling through the powers she had copied. Cubes began floating around her darting around the room, targeting Scarlett. She dodged each cube with ease only for another set to come back, smacking her into the ceiling. Scarlett struggled but managed to break free dropping back down. Flipping around, she blasts everything in the room away as Agartha slammed against the wall gagging. Pulling her arm back, Agartha was ripped back towards Scarlett.

Agartha snapped back holding her hand forward as a portal opened saving her. Scarlett recoiled in shock as another portal opened below her sucking her in. Falling out the end of another portal she was dragged to the ground by Agartha as she stood on Scarlett crushing her. Scarlett yelled, clawing at her foot. "Strange, I thought you had to use those stupid tarot cards to fight? Were you lying? Is that way I couldn't copy your powers. It doesn't matter with the powers of Vanguard behind me you cannot win." Scarlett gripped her hand together as Agartha felt herself being moved slightly. "Impossible!"

Suddenly a shockwave blasted Agartha back as she smashed into the ground. Scarlett began coughing holding her chest. "Whoever said I had to use tarot cards to fight? Cut the shit you son of a bitch before I slit your throat." Agartha howled with laughter readying a barrage of ice to finish Scarlett. As she sent out the attack, all the ice stabbed into her as she realised that wasn't her attack. "What the?" The whole ceiling fell apart as a force crashed into the building. Scarlett felt the entire room die as all the life and joy faded. In its place was a cold emptiness that brought only pain and sorrow. From the rubble she saw someone standing there, blood dripping from their hands, the droplets of blood would freeze shattering on impact before it could reach the ground. The figure's hair was freezing overflowing in the wind as she soon realised who it was. "Alton?"

Agartha coughed, pulling herself from the rubble her eyes met Alton's as she was frozen on the spot in fear. Alton continued to stare as he began to whisper, the whispers got louder as they soon turned into screams. "Tell me, Agartha Pennyworth. Would you die for him? Would you lay down your life for Vanguard? Don't you know it's rude not to answer a question!" Alton kicked Agartha so hard she was shattered into the next room the walls breaking down. Alton ran his hand through his hair slowly walking up to Agartha. "Shall we find out if you can?"

Agartha cried out, coughing up blood as she saw the monster walking towards her. She clutched her fist as beams of light hit Alton exploding. "What is he?"

"Your salvation." Alton laughed, picking Agartha from behind holding her by her hair. "You tried hurting my friend, didn't you? Tch, tch. Naughty, naughty. Do you know what I must do now? For that, I have to kill you."

Agartha whimpered as she snapped back to her devoted self. "I cannot allow that!" Teleporting away, she was above Alton as her hands were mixing powers together. "I must be the one to free Vanguard no matter what! Combined arts, total destruction."

Alton stood still eagerly waiting to see what this attack brought. A small light flickered as two large cubes crushed him which froze over instantly. The moment they did serval spears stabbed into the cube before a portal sucked it in. A clone of Vanguard emerged throwing a single attack which shattered the whole cube blowing the area apart. Alton flew into the air, seemly severely injured. That's what Agartha and Scarlett thought until he was done toying with her. Flipping around, he gripped both hands together into a ball shape as a small blizzard danced between his fingertips. "Whiteout." The blizzard engulfed the entire area leaving everyone blinded by the white sheet. Agartha looked around panicked, trying to scope out Alton.

She turned only for a force to knock her to the ground. She was dragged across the floor before being smacked against the walls serval times before thrown into the air and blasted down by a hail of snow. Sobbing softly, she spotted Alton walking through the snow swaying left and right with a finished look of nothing. She had no chance. Agartha was frozen with fear as she gave up. "So, you finally understand the situation. Took you long enough. Vanguard will not save you now. Crumble under my might. Hoarfrost." All the hairs on Agartha's body began to stand up freezing over. She couldn't move a muscle or even scream. Her body was trapped in a frozen prison. Alton stared at her blankly before smugly laughing, kicking her as her entire body shattered to pieces. Scarlett pushed through the snow catching wind of Alton. Sensing her presence, he raised his head. "Scarlett, there's something I need to tell you." Scarlett stopped in her tracks gulping. Turning to her, the blizzard stopped as Alton was back to his usual self, tears in his eyes which were turning to slush falling from his face. "I'm glad you're alright."

Scarlett rushed to his aid as he fell to the floor. She held him close shivering, trying to warm him up. "Alton? Are you alright?"

Alton opened his eyes, the life and colour slowly returning as his hair was somehow back to the almost bald cut he had going. "I am now, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head. "I'm safe because of you…" She wanted to say more. To speak her mind and question what sort of power Alton was using but she was far too shaken to try. She could tell Alton wasn't going to spill the beans about it anytime soon. "What happened?"

Alton was helped up as he struggled to stand on his feet. "My worse fears came true. It appears the Garden is once again involved. Rodger, he's under the influence of another stage of grief. Bargaining."

"Just when we thought this was all over. Fuck."

Alton lowered his head. "Monty attacked me. He was tricked by it. I was pushed, pushed further before than ever. I lost control again. I, I almost."

Scarlett stroked Alton's head soothing him. "There, there. You're okay now. Everything is going to be okay. I'm here."

Alton wiped the frozen tears from his face looking deflated. "I'm sorry for the trouble caused. Are Zinnia and Percy alright?"

Scarlett's face dropped as she held Alton helping him. "I think you should come and see for yourself…"

With help, Alton walked through his look of shame as he came across Zinnia on her knees, slouched her crying. Gale looked up see Alton as he shook his head distort. Alton winced which made Zinnia turn around. The two friends locked sight as Zinnia saw the husk of the boy she knew; clothes were torn and face fresh from tears as one eye was closed frozen over. Alton saw a broken girl who had cried so much there were no tears left her hair messed up all over the place. Scarlett stepped back as Alton managed to stand on his own as Zinnia ran over hugging him tight breaking down. Alton placed his head on her shoulder as he stared at Percy loosely. "I couldn't save him. I couldn't save him, Alton!"

Alton held Zinnia stuck in a state of shock as he swallowed the guilt piling it down with the other never-ending guilt he felt. "Zinnia…"

She refused to let go letting it all out as she couldn't take it anymore, falling to her knees. Alton kneeled as well as she felt a sense of safety in his arms. Alton continued to stare as he looked up at Gale. "Take him. Get Percy out of here, take him home to his mother."

"What about you?" He asked.

Alton glanced down at Zinnia sighing. "We'll be fine."

Scarlett stood distant from everyone as she looked at her phone nodding. "I'm going to go ahead and find Jinx. I told her to look for you. She could be in danger."

"Alright, please, Scarlett be careful," Alton whispered. "Look out for Emil; I lost sight of him fighting off Gemini. Please find him too…"

"I promise sport." Scarlett agreed, walking off her hand, not leaving her pocket as she pulled something out.

Alton lowered his head, whispering. "Zinnia, we should get moving too. The others need our help."

"Please, just hold me, a little while longer. I need to…"

"You don't need to say anything else I understand Zin. Take all the time you need."

Zinnia closed her eyes, finding some sort of comfort snuggling into Alton's arms. She felt calm for the first time since Percy. She began to feel at ease. That was when the voice spoke out to her. "You want to protect everyone else, don't you? You can bare the thought of losing anyone else. The thought would tear you apart. I can help you. Allow me to carry your burden and grant you the power to save the ones you love."

Zinnia looked around confused. "Alton did…" She stopped letting the voice linger on her mind. "How?"

"What I can do doesn't matter. Just know I can do it. What do you say, Zinnia Trost? Do we have a deal?"