V.I.R.A.L - Chapter 282

Bargaining distanced himself from Alice standing in the middle of the forgotten ruins, his sword low down. Holding his other arm up, he taunted her with a smug look. “Just because you’re the vessel for my sister doesn’t mean I will go easy on you. My goal is almost in reach; no one can stop me now.”

Alice twirled her bow around, ready. As she began running around the temple, firing off shots after shots. Bargaining would deflect each one away without any issues. Coming to a halt, Alice started to run at Bargaining, rapidly firing as quickly as she could as Bargaining kept up with her attacks. Now inches away, he went to strike back only for Alice to fall backwards. Collapsing into the portal, Alice vanished, teleporting above Bargaining, pulling her bow back firing off a single arrow. Wedging deep into his shoulder, Alice crashed down using her bow to strangle Bargaining. Throwing him over her shoulder, she fired off serval more arrows knocking him to the floor. Running ahead from his reach Alice turned on the spot to find Bargaining unharmed, holding the arrow in his hand. “It’s just like last time…. Any damage I deal with him, he heals like it’s nothing. How am I supposed to overcome something like that?”

“Have you figured it out yet?” Bargaining taunted, holding his hand up. “Even if you could, that wouldn’t be enough. Heaven’s Armoury!”

A single gigantic golden gate covered the sky, looking down on the two fighters. It slowly opened, and a divine bright light emerged, followed by weapons from the hundreds falling bombarding the area. Alice did her best to avoid each one dodging and weave out of harm’s reach while also summoning portals to rid of any impossible to avoid. On the other hand, Bargaining simply stood his ground as he was cut down with all sorts of weapons, swords, lances, axes, the lot. Falling to his knees, bleeding, the bombardment came to a halt. Hundreds of weapons were planted into the ground for the taking. Stepping back, climbing up the stairs where Bargaining once sat, she kept watching on him, only leaving her line of sight for a short moment to climb the stairs. In that split moment, Bargaining vanished from the spot, appearing exactly where he once sat. Left stunned, Bargaining kicked her down the stairs as she crashed to the ground. Ripping one of the axes from the ground, Bargaining spun it around, moving towards her.

Alice held her head, looking up. Reacting fast to Bargaining’s swing, she rolled out of the way, crawling back. Blinking Bargaining vanished, appearing next to her. Swinging again, Alice pushed a portal forward, sucking him in and moving him further away. Holding her head, Alice whimpered in pain, standing up. “You can’t keep on going like this, Alice. Adam is no joke; please let me take care of this.”

“Finally want to join in on the action…. I’ll take any help I can get.” Alice grumbled, stumbling back, facing off against Bargaining again. “Why can’t I put a dent in you?!”

“Do you really want to know?” Bargaining teased, swinging his axe around, holding it behind his back. “Tell me, dear sister, do you know my old superhero name. You came up with it.”

“Its…. The Timekeeper…. Wait. No way!”

“Correct.” He spoke, vanishing from sight as Alice blinked. Standing beside her, he swung his axe down, looking to end the battle there and then. “Any time you lose eyesight on me or even blink. I revert my own timeline to be anywhere I once was; heal any wound received or counter any attack sent my way. So, you see, sweet Alice, no one can defeat me!”

Alice closed her eyes, stepping back catching the axe. Blood trickled from her hands as Alice looked up to Bargaining, not opening her eyes. “Anyone except me, dear brother.”

Pushed back, Bargaining stood his ground slightly taken back. Alice stood up, swinging a giant scythe around, stabbing it into the ground. The change had ticked him off, sending him into a frenzy. “Just what do you think you’re doing letting her out?! She has no part in this fight!”

Eve swung her scythe around, stopping Bargaining pushing in. Forced to keep his distance, Eve giggled, jumping up standing on the end of her weapon. “So, big brother, are you ready for round two?”

Bargaining held his hand out as serval weapons came to his hand; flinging his arm forward, he shot each weapon at Eve. Hopping from her weapon, she spun it around, knocking each blade away still with her eyes closed. “I see you’re trying that trick. It’s not a bad idea. My powers can’t activate if eyesight is never met, but how can you keep up with fighting me?!”

Bargaining began running around the room, throwing any weapon he could find. Tracking him with his movement. Eve jumped up, doing her best to avoid any attacks before calling portals to block her every weak point. Condensing all the portals into an orb, she threw it into the air as it tracked Bargaining firing the weapons back.  Landing back on the floor, Bargaining snuck behind her, ready to strike. Turning, she opened her yellow eyes for the first time holding Bargaining at bay, keeping her line-of-sight sturdy. “It’s over, brother.”

Bargaining looked into Eve’s eyes, nodding. “You’re absolutely right. This game is over.” Holding a purple flower in his hand, he blew it as the pollen burst into her face. Eve fell backwards, coughing, struggling to keep her form as she and Alice kept taking charge without any say. “I was just waiting for you to show yourself, dear Eve. As I said, all is going to plan.”

Holding her hand, Alice coughed, crawling back. “What did you do to me?!”

“As I said to Alton. I’m just taking what’s mine.”

Alice stared at her hand as it kept morphing and changing from her to Eve. Stumbling ahead, she went further into the temple before seeing her reflection in the water flicking between her and Eve as both were fighting for control. Holding her throat, she screamed out before Eve burst from the water lay down on the floor. Alice stared on in horror seeing Eve standing in front of her. They looked almost identical apart from Eve’s more crazed look. Her veins were on full display, bulging purple all around her body. Eve’s hair was also a different colour being a dark blue that had purple shades from her corruption. Looking down, her eyes were both an unnerving yellow. “That’s impossible.”

Eve looked up, copying her words. “That’s impossible.”

“How is this possible?!”

“How is this possible?”

Bargaining walked in smiling to find his plan worked. “Eve.”

Eve looked up, walking over to her brother, hugging him. “Adam. I knew I could count on you no matter what. Your plans always work without a hitch.”

“Look at her face. She’s horrified.”

Eve walked over, kneeling down with a sinister look. “What’s wrong dear Alice? Cat got your tongue? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Eve… How?”

“Old Garden splicers. Magic, you would call it. I was able to sever the link between you two and free Eve.”

“But Eve is dead. She can’t be here. We were just sharing the same body.”

“Where you now, and who made you the expert on that?” Bargaining questioned. “It’s the opposite, actually. You were two bodies sharing one mind. Swapping between the realms of the Garden and here. At long last, you’re finally free, my sister.”

Eve stood up, stumbling forward, being caught by Bargaining. “The Stage is even worse; I can hardly think straight. What’s taking so long?”

“Don’t worry, Eve. Ten is already working on saving you.”

“Oh yes, our precious Alton Brantley. How marvellous. I’m looking forward to seeing your game come to an end, Adam.”

Alice stood up, holding her bow. “Now just…. Wait there. I’m not letting you go. We made a promise, Eve. A deal, we would not let anyone hurt Alton. We would protect him. You can’t do this.”

Eve gave it a thought nodding. “I said that? It’s hard getting my head straight. Suppose I did say that. Yes, I remember. What fun that was, but do you remember what Percy said to you about that?”

“I should have expected you to survive that Child of the Garden. Any other normal person would have perished easily, but it seems my seal is weakened by the likes of you. So desperate you give your body over to the likes of Eve Berry?”

“Not exactly. I have but merely made a deal with the girl. We both want the same thing. To save Alton and stop Mortem.”

“How adorable. However, I must warn you, little Alice, Eve isn’t to be trusted. She would stab you in the back in a heartbeat if her brother gave the order. Remember that.”

Alice flinched as Eve cackled. “So, you remember too? You should have listened to him. Making a deal with me might just kill you.” Bargaining was about to step in to finish the job when Eve held her hand out. “No, no, brother. I want to play with Alice. It’s only fair; we haven’t finished the game yet.”

Dragging her scythe forward against the floor, Bargaining nodded, stepping back. “Anything for Eve.”

Alice pulled her bow back tighter, staring on before letting it go. The arrow plummeted towards Eve before vanishing into a portal. Dazed, she stepped back as serval more portals opened up behind Eve. Cackling to herself, a sadistic look crept over her face. “Oh Alice, this is going to be so much fun.”

*****

The snowstorm sweeping over the village was stronger than ever, drowning what was left, never to be seen again. The only thing left insight was the giant Titan towering over the land. A stray hand burst from the snow as Zinnia gasped for air, dragging herself out shivering. She had a look of absolute disbelief mixed with a panicked movement. Standing up, she checked her chest to find no wounds of any kind. In fact, she felt absolutely fine, better than fine she felt amazing. There wasn’t a bruise on her in the slightest.  Unsure what to think, she turned, seeing the outline of her father burying in the snow. Her rage and anger melted away as smoke trickled from her hands. Staring blankly at them, she whispered, unsure of anything anymore. “Didn’t I just die?”