V.I.R.A.L - Chapter 348

The Karaoke bar was laid waste as Alton sat on the rubble, holding clumps of the building in his hand as he looked to the group. “You all took your time. Zinnia, Harmony, Tempo, Gale and Eve. It wasn’t exactly the group I was expecting but nonetheless, here you all are.”

As Zinnia moved closer, Alton tutted, showing the three Stages in his hand. “You haven’t used them yet?”

“I was waiting to show you all just how far I’ve come; it’s a shame everyone is gone. This ordeal would have sent me viral! Instead, I defeated every Stage and now have the power of Salvation in the palm of my hand. Does that change your verdict on victory?”

“Not at all,” Gale yelled. “We’re ending this once and for all.”

“I see. Such stupidity. Don’t worry. I’ll make this quick.” Alton complained, jumping from the karaoke bar accepting the Stage of Denial into his heart. Jerking back, Alton fell to his knees, screaming pain withstanding the Stage. Looking to the floor, he began to cackle, floating as the Stage of Denial and Henry’s powers was his.

Harmony and Tempo both went to use their rings as they slid them onto their finger, waiting for the Ten Judgement to take control. Nothing happened, shocking them as their rings vanished with a glitchy look. Alton tutted, holding the rings in his hand. “Looking for these?”

Crushing both, he threw them away, jamming his arm forward as the glitched reality turned into a storm of arrows bombarding the crew. Eve stepped up, opening a giant portal blocking their backs as she fell backwards, going through a separate portal swinging at Alton with her scythe. Avoiding each one, Alton kept moving his neck left and right without any issue kicking Eve in the chest knocking her back. Gale spun his hand around as his shadows wrapped around Alton, holding him tight. As it squeezed tighter, Alton vanished, the copy fading to dust. Gale flinched, looking around. “Where the hell is he?!”

Kicking Gale in the back of the knee, Alton lifted him in the air slamming him to the ground before throwing him aside. Tempo caught the boy throwing him back as he kicked Alton in the face passing him by. Tempo jumped up, growing in size, slamming the ground forcing Alton into the air and back. Before he could make any distance, Tempo grabbed the boy slamming him into the rubble throwing one more punch down. Alton gritted his teeth, roaring as he accepted another Stage of Grief into his heart. Twitching, he screamed in pain as everyone was knocked back. “This power! I can control it; listen to me. This power is mine!”

Eve landed, spinning her scythe around, looking worried. “Damn it…. The Stage of Depression. Alton’s mind is being torn apart with that much power. Just one more to go!”

Harmony was the next to rush in for the attack learning Alton’s attack pattern and matching it with perfect harmony. Spinning on the spot with a perfect twirl, Harmony avoided the attack entirely, passing by Alton sweeping him off his feet. As he landed, Harmony flipped in the air kicking him in the stomach. Then, just as quickly as she attacked, she propelled backflipping in the air, landing on her tiptoes, keeping her rhythm going. “We can do this. We can win!”

The moment Harmony declared this, she gagged, falling to the ground, unable to breathe. Alton stood up, his face bleeding as he struggled to hold onto his train of thought. “Don’t lie in front of me. Or you’ll die.” Tempo roared with might rushing in on Alton throwing a punch. Alton caught it, holding the man back as he looked horrified at this. Soon enough, he found himself growing weak as Alton pushed him to the ground with just his leg. “Don’t doubt your own power in front of me. Or you’ll die.”

Eve screamed, teleporting around before appearing stabbing Alton in the chest. He stumbled back, taking deep breaths staring at Eve in the eyes gripping her neck tightly. “Don’t show hatred in front of me. Or you’ll die.” Then, tearing the scythe out of his chest, he threw it aside like it was nothing blowing Eve away with a heavy explosion.

Gale was the last to test his luck appearing from the shadows powered up yelling. “Deadman’s requiem!”

But before he could attack, Gale collapsed to his knees, unable to move as Alton stared him in the eyes, smiling. “Don’t fight me directly, knowing my name. Or you’ll die.”

Gale had the urge to end his life as Eve stopped him, pinning him down watching Alton walk backwards, holding the last Stage. Accepting it, he blacked out for a moment as everything stopped. Stumbling forward, Alton stared at the ground, standing still unresponsive. All of the Garden ran through his head as he slowly moved his hands, feeling his face. Finally, a whisper emerged from him, but his mouth didn’t move. “This is Salvation….” His body began to glow and float into the air as the end was near.

Eve stared up, her heart racing with fear. “It’s too late…. We’ve lost.”

Alton held his hand up, channelling the power of Salvation to end it once and for all. But, as he did, he froze, dazed as thunder echoed throughout the city. “What?! Another Stage, but how, this, this is the Stage of Hope?”

Alton turned as Zinnia flew from the sky, crashing down, wedging her blade into Alton’s neck smashing him to the ground. Her actions causing tears to run down her face as she raised her second blade, ready to do in the deed. The second she went to attack, Alton’s eye turned to face her as she was tackled off by Harmony as Alton exploded with energy. A heavy white light emerged from him as he began flying in the air. Wings made entirely of bone tore from his back as he looked to be unconscious Salvation having complete control over him. Salvation’s Calling had begun.

Zinnia watched the area around her fizzle away into nothing. A bright light broke out, snatching everything in sight as all she knew and saw faded before her very eyes. The light consuming all. Memories were being torn from her mind as she couldn’t do anything but watch. A great power burned into her eyes as she was on her knees crying, unsure why. Her power faded alongside her will to keep fighting.

Silence bestowed as Zinnia stared at Alton with an unknowing gaze. She couldn’t think, speak or move any part of her body as she fell into a silent husk. Eventually, her head began to move as she slowly saw her body began to fade away like nothing more than a bad dream. First, her legs slowly vanished into nothing. Soon follow was her arms and hands. Her body wasn’t long after. She wanted to scream, cry out for someone to save her. Anyone in her eyes but there was nothing. No one to see, no one to feel. She felt nothing and yet everything at the same time. Tears stopped falling as they faded with her body. Finally, collapsing, the girl disappeared with her memories. The figure looked down at her, speaking in a threatening yet soothing tone all the same.

“This is Salvation.”

The girl faded away alongside the rest of the memories of the world as everything ceased to exist. The end had come, and Salvation’s Calling was heard across reality, all leading to one fate.

The End.

****

“Do you know if this tomato sauce is sugar-free?”

A young boy with long black hair and green eyes glimpsed down at the sauce scanning over it; he gave it a little look handing it back. “I’m not sure.”

“Could you check?”

Taking it back, he turned around, looking through the database; he began skimming through the folders of products. As he kept looking, he heard a loud racket coming from the entrance. “I’m telling you, Gale; London is the better destination.” A girl with short yellow hair waltzed in wearing a pair of ripped black jeans and a blue tank top with the England flag plastered over it.

“London? Why would we go there? Isn’t it just a smaller crappy version of New York? I want to get away from home, not be reminded of it.” Gale, a tall, scruffy-looking boy, ranted, dancing his hands between the different sodas stuffing each one into his bomber jacket pockets.

“Oh, and Tokyo is any different?” Another boy wearing a school uniform that was slightly too small for him poked at flipping his phone about. “You just want to go to Japan because of the maid cafes.”

“Percy, I am offended you think of me so lowly. Can’t you see I’m a man with respect for the high culture? Think about it, the shrines, temples and…. And yes, the maid cafes.” Gale sighed, taking can after can of soda.

The girl spun around, flustered about not getting her way. “Scarlett, please back me up here. At this rate, we’re going to be camping out in a caravan park in Florida….” Scarlett strolled in wearing a punk jacket with Avenged Sevenfold on the back; she had curled her black hair with white highlights at the end to suit her black eye-line, which matched her chestnut brown eyes.

“I cannot begin to imagine such foul ideas. Perhaps more convincing over tonight could shake things up.” Scarlett suggested snatching a bag of pestles throwing it into a basket. “If we sing some classic British songs, that might change their mind.”

“I don’t care where we go as long as we actually go somewhere! School is a drag.” Another boy barked hands in the pockets of his plain grey hoodie, slouching around without much care. His hair was a mess covering his forehead and nearly his navy-blue eyes.

“Well, every vote counts. Even yours, Emil.”

“I’ll give it some thought. Always the boss of me, Zinnia….”

Not giving the group much thought, the boy went back to the customer nodding. “Yes, mam, it’s sugar-free.”

The group of loud-mouthed friends approached the desk, dropping many snacks, drinks and other sugary treats as the boy began bagging them up. Zinnia rubbed her eyes, losing her patience. “What do you think, London or Tokyo?”

The boy stopped looking confused. “What?”

“We’re thinking of going away for spring break, and we need a destination. Gale here is stuck on the idea of Tokyo while I want London. Thoughts?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Unbiased opinion.” She smiled, leaning her head on the counter like a lost child.

The boy put the last of the snacks into the bag rubbing the back of his head. “Ugh, well, London is more suited for an easier holiday. It’s all in one place, and they speak English, while Tokyo is more than just the city, it’s the mountains and shrines. Oh, and they have Disney Land too.”

“See, see. Disney Land is a bonus.”

“I do like Disney Land….” Zinnia whispered, snapping back. “We’ll think about it. Worse comes to wear, we’ll put it to a game of rock paper scissors.”

“Zinnia, you know my luck is dog shit.” Gale moaned.

Scarlett shook her head, paying for the food, sighing with a smirk. “Sorry about them, too much karaoke.”

“I hear ya.” The boy laughed, handing the bag. “Here.”

Zinnia snatched the bag leaning forward, reading his name badge. “Thanks…. Alton? Thank you, Alton!”

The others began to leave as Alton leaned against the counter, his eyes glowing yellow for a split second as he grinned mischievously, laughing to himself. “It was my pleasure, Zinnia.”