V.I.R.A.L

Emil watched with uncertainty as the night sky had taken centrefold. The entrance to the trials, an old rusted war bunker with serval torches surrounding, was being prepared for the first trial. Zinnia stepped forward dressed in the trial uniform, a jumpsuit torn and used by the former trial goers. Chains were tied around the waist with heavy boxes tying her down. Each of them had a lock but no sign of any way of unlocking them. She had her hair tied up into a bob. Zinnia adjusted her gloves, taking a deep breath. Emil made eye contact with her as his concern dug deep into Zinnia. She bit her lip calming herself. "I'm going to save Alton, Emil. Cheer for me, will you?"

"You'll need more than that." Jinx giggled leaning forward on the table resting her elbows. "This should deem entertaining. Try not to totally lose yourself in wherever you go."

Zinnia dragged herself closer as Christopher stood, staring her down, hands on the lever to open the door. "The first trial is about to commence. You will face the future—one which your mind will create one of horror and despair. You will be forever trapped in there unless you pass the trial. To pass the trial, you must unlock and dispose of all burdens holding you down. Those boxes will only fall loose from your body once you overcome the weakness in your heart. Go forth Zinnia Trost and good luck."

The door to the war bunker cranked open as the abyss revealed itself. Zinnia looked into the dark seeing no sign of an exit. She looked back once more, wanting more than anything than to run away. Her legs were shaking, but she calmed herself. She knew what was at stake. Pressing in, she began descending into darkness and the first trial. The door closed behind her leaving her in total darkness.

"She doesn't stand a chance. What a foolish girl." Jinx cackled sipping her drink. "I'll give her two minutes before her mind breaks."

"That's slightly harsh. I, I think she will last five minutes." Florence whispered.

"She will do it." Emil boasted. "I know she can…"

****

Zinnia had been walking down the endless flight of stairs for what felt like forever. She took each step slowly and carefully being unable to see a single thing in the dark. She wasn't sure how long she could keep walking. Was this part of the trial? Or just some way to inflict dread on the trial goer? Zinnia wasn't sure. Her questions would be answered, however, as a flicker of light came from below. Making a quicker pace, Zinnia found herself in front of another door. One rusted and frozen solid. She could already feel a cool breeze rippling through the hinges. She was at her destination. Pushing against the door, her hands were starting to go numb as she used her whole force to slowly make the door open. As the door began to open, it spilt into two moving into the wall. The entrance opened, and she was blasted back by a strong gust of wind knocking her down. A blizzard slammed against Zinnia's face as she struggled to stand up. Lying on the ground, she held her hands over her face trying to pull herself up, the mixture of incredible winds and weights held her down. But she was determined. She pushed on managing to stand up. A loud click was heard as the first of the four boxes fell off collapsing to the floor. Immediately Zinnia felt lighter even if it was just a little. Not stopping she pulled herself through the Blizzard and onwards to the first trial.

Making it outside Zinnia was met with a frozen wasteland. She couldn't see all too well as the Blizzard was dampening her sight, but she could see what was near her. She was in a city. Skyscrapers hung over all frozen and left to die. Windows were either smashed or frozen over. The same could be said for the people, outlines of figures stood in the streets not moving lost to time. Wherever she was, the place was dead. Not sure where to go, Zinnia chose just to push forward with no specific place to go she kept going straight ahead. She only began walking and walking hammered by the Blizzard as she began to lose all feeling in her toes. Something nagged at the back of her mind through the hike.

Places seemed familiar, although hard to fully pinpoint with the way they were left. She couldn't entirely be sure until she came across one area in particular, which made her stop in her tracks feeling fear consume her. A park was in her path. The trees had withered and died, and the fence surrounding the park was frozen solid. But Zinnia recognised it. The hole in the right wall by the entrance. The broken fountain which had water frozen piling out. This was the same park she, Gale and Alton fought Pokiero. She knew it. This only confirmed her fears more. This wasn't just any city. It was Rhinefield.

The Blizzard was starting to die down ever so slightly. However, it was still a considerable effort to move even a single step Zinnia could now see a little more clearly. Because of this, she began to recognise more and more. Moving away from the park, she heard another loud click. Her second weight had ripped off. But this didn't make her feel any better. In fact, she was feeling much worse—the feeling of absolute dread eating away at her. There was only one place she knew she felt safe. One place she could take shelter out and be ok. The karaoke bars. Not too far away, she made her way to Rhapsody's hideout. It didn't take her long to find it. Or what was left of it.

The bar had collapsed in on itself. With little options, she decided to still try and see if she could break-in. Luckily the entrance was too caved in. Ducking under a set of rubble her foot pressed down as ice shattered. Zinnia looked down frozen on the spot as her eyes widened. She had stepped on someone. Someone was under the rubble frozen to time. Leaning forward, getting a better look Zinnia screamed in fear falling back to the ground, her lip was trembling as she pulled herself back gagging. She knew who it was. The crimson red peeking through the ice. The pale skin matching the ice. Zinnia held her mouth, feeling tears swelling up. "Scarlet?! No, no! Jesus Christ!" There was no doubt about it. Below the rubble of the fallen building was Scarlett. A look of denial and despair plastered over her face. Zinnia threw up unable to take the fact her friend was dead in front of her.

She shook her head, holding herself in fear. "This isn't real, this isn't real. This is just your imagination. This can't possibly be the future, can it?!"

Zinnia's traumatic screams stopped as she heard a faint whisper flow with the wind. She could barely make it out, but she heard it nonetheless. "Help me, help me Zinnia."

Zinnia pulled herself up, wiping the vomit from her mouth as she yelled out. "Who's out there?! Hello?! Someone? Anyone!"

The voice called out again. "Help me."

Zinnia began tugging herself forward towards the cries for help. The screams got louder and louder as Zinnia was almost in reach. From the sky, serval light emitted. Portals opened as beams of light flooded the winter sky. She recognised the portals; they were the work of Alice. Running as fast as she could in the heavy snow, the sound of a battle died down as Zinnia stopped. She saw someone buried in the snow. Falling to her knees, she began piling the snow away, finding out who it was. As she pulled away from a large chunk of snow, she stopped. Her heart dropped, seeing who it was. It was Iris, her face devoted to all emotion. She looked bloody and beaten as her body had frozen over. Zinnia didn't stop, she knew if Iris was here, Alice wouldn't be far. Crawling through the snow, a bright light blinded her as Zinnia had to adjust to the newfound light. Opening her eyes, she soon wished she hadn't. She had found Alice. Kneeled down head down as her own light beams were stabbed through her. Dozens of beams dug deep into Alice. She was most certainly dead. Zinnia collapsed lying back sobbing. She didn't understand what all of this meant. The city was dead, her friends were dead. She couldn't understand what this trial was meant for. How she was told to overcome it.

Soon enough, Zinnia began to feel like giving up. Let the snow consume her like her friends. She rested her head slowly, closing her eyes only to hear the voice again. "Help me."

Zinnia lifted her head up, looking around. The voice was slightly further back, but she could make out where. The cry for help slowly motivated her as she pulled herself up with all her might standing up fighting against the Blizzard. Then a click. Another box fell off. One left. With this newfound energy, she pushed forward following the sound of the plea. She didn't let the other horrific sights stop her. Emil pinned against the wall multiple spears holding him there. Gale fell from the sky crashing to the ground, dead on impact. Another girl who she didn't know with short fiery red hair trapped in a frozen prison. Zinnia closed her eyes, drowning out the sights as she focused on the single voice. It got louder and louder as soon enough it was almost in reaching distance. Opening her eyes, Zinnia was met with a sight she could not understand. In the not so far distance was a tree—a tree which matched the size of the skyscrapers. The tree was unaffected by the frozen Blizzard with leaves growing off and purple flowers blooming.

The tree made Zinnia feel uneasy. Terrified, in fact. Matching the tree's size Zinnia was able to barely make out five figures watching her from the top of the tree. Trying to get a better look, her vision snapped to the voice. "Help me." Zinnia felt her breath leave her throat as she choked on fear. That voice, she knew it. Knew it too well. It was her own voice. Zinnia looked down, seeing someone with their back turned to her. They were looking down at a body. A body they were holding. Zinnia began slowly walking forward as her voice died down into silence.

She was sure not to make any noise as she moved towards the lone figure. In a better view, she knew who it was. Alton. Alton stood staring down at a body in his hands as a small drizzle of rain fell on him, each droplet instantly froze on the impact of his body. His hair flurried out down to his legs. Zinnia took another step as the snow made a loud crunch. Alton looked up, still having his back turned. "Alton? Alton is that you? Are you alright?"

Alton didn't respond as Zinnia got closer. Soon enough, she stopped seeing the snow was drenched in blood. Fear found its way back into Zinnia as Alton slowly turned his neck, the body which he was holding was in sight. It was her; Alton was holding the dead body of Zinnia. Alton's gaze met with Zinnia's his eyes a glowing yellow which swirled around holding her in. His face creaked as his lips moved across his face into a wide sinister grin. "Zinnia." He hissed slowly. "Long time no see."

There was but only silence that followed. The Blizzard picked up consuming the world around them. Silence followed like it always does. This silence was paused by a single sound which echoed throughout the wasteland—the sound of a lock snapping.