V.I.R.A.L

"I'm not going," Emil muttered, turning away from his teammates. "I don't fancy getting myself killed for someone like her."

Gale snapped, pinning him against the wall. "You fucker! Zinnia would come to your rescue in a heartbeat. We are a team; we look out for each other."

"Get your hands off me." He barked headbutting Gale. He fell, looking up at the two streamers. "Say what you like, but that's how it is. Allies or not, I won't throw my life away for her."

"You're a fucking coward! If you think you'll be a member of this team after this think again!"

Emil stood up, patting himself down. "So be it. I was only in it for the money anyway."

Emil went back inside as Gale was fuming. Percy held his hand out, shaking his head. "Don't. He's done nothing wrong. We can't expect someone we've only known for a few months to risk his life for us."

"But it's Zinnia!"

"I know. That's why we will save her together. Please don't hold this against him. Please."

"like hell, I won't! That bastard doesn't deserve to be a part of team Rhapsody."

Percy shook his head in disagreement. "You're wrong. Emil is as much of a member of Rhapsody as any one of us. He put everything on the line to help us take down Vanguard. He had no reason to do so. Out of all of us, he's the one who risked his life the most while I cowered in fear. If it wasn't for him, we might not have made it. He's no different to us; Emil just doesn't know where he belongs right now. We need to let him be. Besides it's for the best, he stays behind, if the Moss attacked the village there would be no one to protect it if we all ran after Zinnia."

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"Whatever." He grumbled, walking towards the forest. "Let's go and save Zinnia no matter what."

****

Zinnia whimpered in pain as she woke. She found herself in a beautiful field of flowers which stretched on for miles. They were all different colours. The smell though was revolting and overwhelming, making Zinnia feel weak to the bone. She couldn't walk far before having to stop for a break. "What do you think of my Garden? I made it for you." Acceptance spoke walking through the flowers letting his hands brush past them. He picked one out, holding it towards Zinnia who felt weaker and weaker with every waking moment. He smelt the flower, taking a long breath of fresh air smiling. "Magnificent. Zinnias, my favourite type of flower. Your parents chose a good name if I say so myself."

"You know my parents?"

"I know everything about you, Zinnia Trost."

Zinnia stepped back, looking paranoid. "You lie. You can't possibly know. No one does."

"No one but me." Zinnia stood up, punching Acceptance. He didn't budge as he chuckled. "It's funny. Alton did the exact same thing. You two are so alike in that regards."

"Alton? Where is he? I swear if you have."

Acceptance loosened his tie sighing. "I honestly hate people like you. It bothers me when you act so proud and mighty. You think you're some kind of hero. I despise that, it will be no different to what happened to the legendary heroes 400 years mind you."

"Legendary heroes?"

"The ones of old. The plague that imprisoned me here. Your parents."

Zinnia was left in shock. She refused to believe it shaking her head. "Impossible. That can't be possible. 400 years. You can't expect me to believe such crap."

"Why I do understand your doubt I can ensure you I cannot tell lies. Because of your parents, I alongside the other slaves to the Garden are trapped here."

Zinnia crossed her arms smirking. "Then if that is the truth, I can be proud to know my parents saved the world from the likes of you."

Acceptance laughed alongside her as he tore his tie off, causing all the flowers to wither and die. Zinnia stepped back startled as he honed in on her. "Can you be proud of them then? What sort of parents are they if they abandon their only child on the doorstep like a mere letter? No signs, no goodbyes. They just discard you like trash."

"My parents are not like that! They are heroes!"

The cape which Zinnia always keeps by her side was torn from her as it flew into the hand of Acceptance. "Heroes? Give me a break. The only thing your despicable family are is liars and cowards."

"You're wrong."

"Am I now? Funny that you claim such things when you don't even know them. I've battled your parents. Took away everything they cared about. Made them watch as their homes and family were taken from them. I've seen your father's true natures and saw the joke your mother was. When are you going to accept the truth?"

"What truth?" Zinnia questioned, stepping away from every step Acceptance made towards her.

He held his hands out, smiling mischievously. "What else? The truth they are never coming for you. That they abandoned you forever."

Zinnia fell silent as she cried softly shaking her head. "They wouldn't. Couldn't. They promised. My mother promised. She is coming for me!"

Acceptance began laughing uncontrollably as Zinnia gagged collapsing. "You denied me. You denied the truth. Wonderful, now the doubt in your heart will drag you into the deep."

Unable to breathe Zinnia squirmed and screeched feeling her soul slowly succumbing to the darkness inside her heart. She held her hand out, struggling to survive. "I won't ever. Give up."

"But Zinnia. It is already too late. You cannot accept something which is easily known as fact. I honestly was worried I would never free myself from this prison. Those Legendary heroes vanished without a trace 400 years ago. With each passing day, I came to accept the fact I could never find either of them. But their daughter. If I killed their daughter, well that's killing two birds with one stone. With your death, the seal shall be broken, and we will be free. Rejoice in the fact you helped the Garden grow forever." He boomed in a mighty tone. Holding his arms out in victory, he stopped smirking. "Figured you would come to save her. It is useless. You cannot defeat a slave to the five stages of grief. Accept that fact."

Gale moved his shoulders around glaring at Acceptance. "Oh, I know I can't. But that won't stop me from trying. You think I'm just going to sit there and let you kill Zinnia? Give me a break. Who do you think we are?"

Acceptance placed both of his hands in his pockets as he lowered his head chuckling. "I admire your willpower I do. Even with the odds forever stacked against you two, you still wish to fight. Very well. After 400 years I think I can let loose. I'll see this as a warmup for my return." Gale rushed forward as the Garden reacted. Serval large roots ripped from the ground smashing Gale back. Serval clones of Percy fell from the sky getting the drop on Acceptance. Glancing behind him for a second a massive barrage of flowers struck the clones, tearing them apart, leaving none standing.

Gale blasted through the field with high speed spinning around kicking Acceptance. The resident to the Garden caught the kick with ease as he threw Gale back, crushing him with more roots. "Although this seal has dampened my abilities heavily, it will not be a problem against the likes of you. Two pathetic Anti-humans who couldn't even defeat Vanguard without help. If you maybe had Alton or that Montague things might have been in your favour. Nonetheless, fate hasn't been kind to you. Accept your defeat, and I'll make it quick out of pity for heroes."

Gale stood up injured but nothing too serious. Percy went to help, but Gale held his arm out, shaking his head. "Don't bother Percy. I can take this guy by myself. I'll one-up that. I'll defeat him myself."

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Acceptance stood idly confused. "Strange the stage hasn't consumed you like Zinnia. How pitiful, heroes believe in so much these days that they have blinded themselves to believe and accept such pathetic lies. No matter. No amount of drunk hope can save you now." Gale was bombarded with attacks, roots and thorns and other such means tore at his spirit and soul as he was knocked down once more. Taking enough damage, he vanished reappearing at top speed in front of the foe ready for a killer attack. Although looking shocked Acceptance smirked stabbing Gale with one last root from behind. Gale froze as his built-up powers subsided. Acceptance gripped his cheeks, pulling him in close. "Did you forget our conversation not too long-ago young man? I told you, I've been watching you all. Did you believe such cheap tricks could work on me?!"

The root tore out of Gale as he collapsed to the floor. He didn't move as blood stained the flowers around him. Percy looked on in shock as Zinnia cried out. "Gale. No!"

"Fear not you two. You will soon be reunited with your friend." He howled with pride only to flinch feeling a sharp pain rip through him. He held his head in shock. "What the hell? What was that?" Trying to figure out what caused a sudden outage in his power a mighty force gripped onto his leg. Acceptance looked down lost and for the first time worried as Gale's power was growing, unlike anything he had first seen. "How is this possible?! Your powers have doubled no. Tripled since I took you down! What?! How!"

"Dead man's requiem." Gale taunted. "My ultimate move, while on the verge of death, I sap the powers of my foe taking one final stand with all my powers combined. With your power, this will be the end."

"So, you had a trick up your sleeve after all." Acceptance growled clenching his fist. "If you think this gives you the upper hand you are mistaken, Gale Lampard! Now accept your fate and die!"