V.I.R.A.L - Chapter 251

“No shit, sherlock. It’s your powers. Your actual power. It’s not ice or water manipulation. It’s inspiration.”

“Inspiration?”

“My mind is connected to yours. I see what you see. I know what you feel; this is inspiration. Your ability to link with people you have a deep connection with. They share memories with you and you the same. You can also take on and learn their abilities. This, in turn, occurred with your father for freeing you from the Garden and giving you a home. As well as your mother for protecting you regardless of the truth.”

“My deep connection with others? Like you?” Alton questions as snow began to fall. “I don’t understand.”

Sam held her hand out, letting the snowfall onto her hand. “I don’t quite understand either. But our bond has already begun to show. Look.” The snowflakes began to set on fire, lighting the sky up. “Your powers are incredible, Alton; I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“This is us?”

“Our combined powers. Truly remarkable. I was right to take you under my wing.”

Alton smirked, laughing. “You took me under your wing? Wasn’t it I who stole the show?”

“That’s not how I remember it? Wasn’t it you who called me your older sister?”

Alton looked away, embarrassed, muttering. “What? No… I did say that right…”

Sam ruffed up Alton hair laughing. “You are so easy to tease. Come on, Alton, you need to go back before it’s too late.”

“Wait… You said I had the power to change things. How do I get you back? How do you wake up?”

Sam walked in the middle of the road leaning over, wagging her finger, grinning. “You just have to ask. Now come, let’s take him out together one last time.”

****

The blazing sun Alton had behind him had dwindled to nothing, a complete blackout with no sign of it ever coming back. Iris was pinned down, struggling to fight as Alton stood panting. He was stronger; he knew that, but the overwhelming force Pain had going was far too much for Alton to withstand. On his last lifeline, he moved his arm around as one more clone was lifted in the air before tossed aside like nothing. Using his wide range of abilities too much was taking a toll on him. Trying to call his ice powers once more, Alton collapsed onto his knees, coughing up blood. He slouched over, staring down as Percy stood over him with a smug look. “Well, you weren’t wrong there. The battle really was over before it began. How do you feel, Alton? Does it hurt knowing, no matter how hard you try, you were destined to lose? That’s exactly how I felt, to die before ever making a difference. I wanted to save hundreds of people, I wanted to be like you and Zinnia, but all of that was a lie. I died for nothing when, in turn, the only person I should be saving is myself. Do you finally understand now? Do you feel the pain I do?”

“No matter how hard I fight, no matter what I do, people I care about die… I always found it so unfair why others didn’t have to go through the pain I did. Why do I lose people for no good reason while others never know the guilt I felt…? I would always feel defenceless with no real power to overcome my enemy… I would stand alone as a total failure.”

“No… Alton, don’t listen to him.” Iris argued.

Percy smirked, kneeling to Alton’s level tapping his face. “So, you finally understand my pain? Good, now then you can die in peace.”

“I used to think like that.”

“What?”

“But I know differently. I don’t have to fight alone; I don’t have to protect everyone. Isn’t that right? You taught me that all those years ago. I can ask for help! Well, I’m asking now, no, I need your help! Sam! Sam! Please, Sam, if you can hear me help me! I need your help now more than ever! I can’t do this without you, so please keep that promise and help me!” Alton screeched at the top of his lungs, falling silent, slouching overhead down. “Please… Save me.”

Percy looked around, waiting just to tease Alton. “Well? Are you quite done? I’m sorry to disappoint you, Alton, but no one is coming to save you. Look up. I said, look!” Alton’s line of sight was forced to the empty sky, one void of light as the swarm of crows blocked out any ray of sunshine. “This is how you die; all the light is taken from you.” Standing up, Percy pulled a sword from thin air, scoffing. “Help me rid of this pain, Alton Brantley!” Closing his eyes, Alton was about to give up before the impossible happen. Light began creeping in. Percy stared up, gritting his teeth. “Impossible…”

Soon enough, all the crows disintegrated into nothing, leaving a clear perfect sky. A blinding light of brilliant fire crashed down a fair distance from the sanctuary leaving all the clones looking weary. Alton glossed up, unable to react as his eyes were glued to the hills beyond whimpering. “It can’t be… There’s no way.”

“So, you remembered our little promise, Alt? It makes me happy you built up the courage to ask for my help. That must be hard for someone like you. Even six years later, though, and you’re still causing trouble, why am I not surprised?” Sam said with a reinsuring tone appearing from the hill’s bottom in a biker jacket and jeans. She crossed her arms, staring at whistling. “Oh, it’s the run of the mill villain again. Wow, there’s loads of you, your poor mother.”

Percy stared on, looking slightly wary. “You… Don’t think this situation will play out like last time, girl. I’m not holding anything back.”

“My name is Sam Belling, leader of Hero’s Might, hero name Unity. And you see, villain, you’re trying to kill one of my members. As his leader, I must take this into action and protect him. What’s your name?”

“You wish to know my name?” Percy scoffed. “Very well, since you’ve shown power, I shall grant you that wish. I am one of the stages of grief, created to free the Garden and take back this world. Representing the stage of pain, my name was Percy Misharp, a former member of Team Rhapsody.”

“Wonderful. Thanks for that. I like to know the names of my enemies. Makes it more satisfying when I defeat them.”

“Don’t get cocky, child! I will not be holding back this time so prepare for a world of pain.”

“How very clique.” Sam laughs, dropping her carefree act holding one arm forward, snapping her fingers. “Then I suppose I should get serious too then?”

Alton watched before noticing small clumps of ash falling from the sky. His face dropped in one of horror. “No bloody way… She’s seriously going to pull that move out of the hat?!”

With the last of his strength, Alton pulled himself up, managing to grab Iris while the clones were focused on Sam. Running to the sanctuary, Iris stared back in awe. “That’s her. That’s Sam! What are we doing? She needs our help!”

“Hell, she does! What she’s about to pull off is going to get us all killed! We need to run now!”

Percy stared up, holding his hand out as the ash fell into his hand. He was left confused, staring at Sam as a small flame began roaring in her right eye. Soon it began to grow, bursting out, covering her body in a thin layer of fire. The whole ground began to shake drastically as a heavy earthquake swept Alton off his feet, making him crash to the ground. The clones all managed to stay standing out of pure willpower. Sam began grinning, moving her arm around as serval balls of fire began moving around her. “Fire of the heart and fire of the soul.” The fireballs started to form together, leaving a heavy power in the air making even Percy jolt back. For that split moment, even Sam had far passed his own power.

Alton managed to get up, diving to the side, holding onto Iris for dear life, gripping onto the sanctuary wall. “Whatever you do, Iris, don’t let go!”

“Ok…” That was all she could muster up, not knowing what was going on.

Sam joint the giant blazing fireball forward as Percy stepped back, already trying to retreat outmatched entirely. “Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you want a taste of my ultimate attack?” Slamming the fireball into the floor, she screamed out with an unrivalled might. “Hollow Chasm!”

The massive flames began shooting through the hills before another heavy earthquake began. This was met by molten lava bursting from the ground as it ripped open into a giant chasm going on for miles. None of the clones could react fast enough as each was scorched or engulfed by the very almighty attack. The mountain holding the mines was torn in half, collapsing on the spot as Sanctuary was destroyed instantly. Alton and Iris had onto the remaining defence struggling to withstand the almighty attack. The last of the clones were set up in flames as Percy fell into the chasm gritting his teeth yelling out. “Damn you, Sam Belling!”

Raising her hand from the ground, the chasm closed back up like it never happened. The damage done far beyond was the only sign anything happened. Sam stood up, clapping her hands together, looking proud of her absolute chaos. Now safe, Alton and Iris let go of their safety line, with Iris still being petrified of what just happened. Alton slowly stood up, holding his arm as the two long-divided friends stared at each other. Moving her hair away from her face, Sam smiled, seeing her old friend once more. Iris sat up, feeling an overwhelming feeling take over her as she wiped her eyes, seeing the reunion destined to never happen. Alton walked over to her as Sam did the same. The two met halfway as Alton looked down at Sam, smiling. “It’s really you?”

“The only and only my dude in the flesh… Alt, I’ve come home.”

“And so, you have.” Alton smiled before turning on her swinging his arm down, hitting her over the head, yelling. “What the hell were you thinking?! Hollow Chasm? You went and used Hollow Chasm without any warning?! You could have gotten us all killed, worse the innocent children all back there evacuating. God, I hope there wasn’t any hiding because they are long gone now! Just what the hell were you thinking?!”

Sam held her head in pain, kneeling down sobbing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I was in the heat of the moment again and just acted. That Percy fellow looked super strong, so I wanted to let off my ultimate attack and save you!”

“Good Grief, even after an eight-year power nap, you never change, do you?” Alton chuckled.

Sam stood up, rubbing her head smiling, looking up at him. “What’s the big idea, Alt getting so tall? We use to be the same height. Now I feel like a kid… And your hair, what on earth are you thinking?”

“Huh?! You think I wanted my hair to be this long? Please, it’s a nightmare to wash and takes hours to dry. But when you’re imprisoned by the literal embodiment of death for the last two years, I think a haircut is the last thing on my mind!”

The two began bickering for a while, which really threw off Iris. Eventually, that stopped as Alton took a deep breath, unable to stay mad hugging his dearest friend. Sam happily did the same as Alton began tearing up, sobbing silently to himself. “You wouldn’t even begin to imagine what’s happened since you’ve been gone. I wasn’t sure if I could handle much more… I almost lost everything again and threw it all away. It’s been so hard without you, Sam.”

Sam stroked Alton’s head sharing the same semimetal reaction sniffing. “There, there. It’s alright now. It must have been so hard, but everything is alright now. Your big sister Sam is here now.”

Alton fell silent, sighing with a slight chuckle. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

Sam stepped away with a goofy smile shaking her head. “Nope! I’m not one for sappy reunions. I’m awful at that shit, so I’ll just go with this. Hey Alt, my dude, long time no see!”

Alton wiped his eyes, laughing at this. “You got that right… Welcome back, leader.”