Lyoko Returns, Part I: Across the Digital Sea <IC>

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki slowed as she reached the location where the other two should be.

"They are close by. We must find them, then return to my tower. It is not safe here." Yuzuki used her control over Lyoko to create a signal - a bright and pulsing white light - to draw out the other two whom had virtualized.

"Now, there is one more, it seems." Yuzuki felt a fourth virtualization.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Amidst his great confusion, Graham looked around and noticed that, suddenly, in the distance, a pulsating white light appeared, as if beckoning for him and Alexis to come. He felt drawn towards the light, as if it was where he was meant to go, and thus, he began moving towards the light, walking slowly at first, then faster, then he began running towards the light, hoping that it would hold the answer to all of his questions.

[The Mighty Islands]

Tom heard the voices get closer and closer, he concluded that there was at least one male and one female, but he couldn't tell how old they were or how many there were, or where they were exactly, but they were somewhere and they existed.

All at once, the fog turned red, and a white light pulsed somewhere in fog. As he looked into the red fog, it became darker in one direction, possibly its point of origin. Tom looked towards the light and ran as fast as he could, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the source of the red color.

[Mewsland]

Noticing that two of the three were closing, Yuzuki yelled out into the fog. "Come quickly! It is not safe here!"

[The Mighty Islands]

Noticing that two of the three were closing, Yuzuki yelled out into the fog. "Come quickly! It is not safe here!"

Tom ran faster, but laughed at himself on the inside. He was trusting someone he had never met, or absolutely no reason at all, in a world he had never seen before.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham continued running towards the source of the light, wishing that it would provide answers as to where they were and what exactly was going on. As he approached, he suddenly heard a voice coming from the pulsating light's direction, telling him to hurry up and that it wasn't safe there. He thought it was the voice of the light and so listened to it without questioning it, running even faster now, and unknowingly activating his Supersprint ability. He soon found himself moving faster than he thought he ever could, and noticed the reddish trail he was leaving behind as he moved towards the light.

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki focused her energy and launched a dark energy field at the source of the red light - the Eye of Xana. Soon afterward, she used her energy to open a portal back to Tower VIII. "Quickly! All of you! Through the portal and into the tower! Where's the third?"

[Vetega]

XANA grinned. Causing fear and confusion gave him peace. He simply walked forward and followed the others. As he walked his clothing shimmered and his eyes turned red. Monsters appeared from the shadows around him.

They rushed into the fog.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham soon reached Yuzuki, noticing that the voice wasn't in fact coming from the light he had seen, but from the girl, and that the light itself had apparently been created by the girl as a means to get them to come closer.

When she ordered them to go through a portal she had just opened, Graham was about to oblige, as he felt he did not have any other choice at the moment. Looking back to see that his reddish trail was still there, Graham stepped through the portal, and into the tower.

[The Mighty Islands]

On his way to the portal, Tom saw a figure move through the fog. He could not tell what it was, but it was not human. He drew the Katana from his hip and held it with both hands, pointing it towards the figure in the fog as the slowly walked towards the light source.

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki flew over to where Tom was, landing in between Tom and the monster. "Get out of here! I'll handle the monster! There's a portal where my light orb is! Hurry!" The guardian of Lyoko charged a dark energy field...

[The Mighty Islands]

Tom was about to question the girl that landed beside him, but he figured it would be better to trust her, than fight her. Keeping his sword drawn, he nodded once and ran towards the light before jumping through the portal.

[Vetega]

XANA stood in front of the tower and frowned. He raised a hand and pointed it at the tower.
"It begins again. This time, things will be different. No one will be spared. Unless they are on my side." he muttered.

He used the tower to connect with a tower in another world and activated it. He would soon begin his assault. He wouldn't attack theLd real world. Not yet. He had plans for that. But that would come later. He stepped out of the fog and found Yuzuki charging energy.

"It's been a long time Yuzuki. " he said.

[Mewsland]

"Not long enough, Xana. Bring along any friends?"

[Vetega]

"Oh nothing special. Just the usual creatures. However, I will tell you this. I am reactivating Behemoth. Your sister and her friends had a hard time dealing with it. I am curious to learn how you and your new recruits deal with stress. Human reactions intrigue me. "

4 squid like creatures appeared behind her. They were to capture Yuzuki and steal her data. The moved forward with astounding speed.

[Mewsland]

"Scyphozoa. How typical. Still haven't given up on getting the Keys, then?"

Yuzuki executed a spin whilst launching dark energy fields, then launched backward (toward the portal, but not into it) to give the monsters some distance.

[Nature-Spirits]

Alexis squealed when the fog turned red, her eyes wide. When she saw the light and Graham ran off, leaving a red trail behind him, she followed suit, stumbling as she ran after him. Her legs were shorter than in real life, she noted dismally, and cursed heavily.
Upon reaching the portal and Yuzuki, and seeing the squid things, she stood still, stuttering for a few seconds before diving through the portal. Because her options were quite limited, now weren't they?

[Vetega]

Xana nodded with satisfaction. She had reacted how he thought she would. She reminded him of Aelita.

"You react just like her. I remember killing her as if it were yesterday. " he said.

He waved his creatures away.
"This is only an experiment my dear. Now, prepare yourself. " he stated.

He would test his new abilities on her to see the results. He walked towards her and unleashed red lightning.

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki's dark energy fused into its own lightning bolt, which lashed out toward Xana's. "You still haven't answered my question!"

[Vetega]

As both bolts struck each other they danced in midair. Both attacks pushed against each other. Xana put more power into his attack and it inched closer to her.

"Your question is irrelevant child. " he replied with a grin.

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki deactivated her portal and drew its energy into her attack. "True, except for the fact that it's not my question. I was partially created with my sister's essence. Aelita lives, and you have failed."

A second dark energy bolt lashed out from Yuzuki's other hand.

[Vetega]

"No she does not. Her memories live. Her body and mind are gone. You cannot deny this fact."

He held out his hand and absorbed her attack into himself. It stung his arm. He poured even more power into his attack which pushed the clash point from him back to her. The sword on his back glowed red. It rattled within its bonds. He stopped suddenly.
"It seems that my sword wants to fight you. It has a code of it's own." he said.

He used his free hand and drew a wicked blade that was as long as his body. It was surrounded with red aura. He pointed it at the ground with the edge in Yuzuki's direction.

"Scream. " he muttered deeply.

He swung the weapon upwards and a wave of crimson energy lashed out at her.

[Malshan]

"No she does not. Her memories live. Her body and mind are gone. You cannot deny this fact."

He held out his hand and absorbed her attack into himself. It stung his arm. He poured even more power into his attack which pushed the clash point from him back to her. The sword on his back glowed red. It rattled within its bonds. He stopped suddenly.
"It seems that my sword wants to fight you. It has a code of it's own." he said.

He used his free hand and drew a wicked blade that was as long as his body. It was surrounded with red aura. He pointed it at the ground with the edge in Yuzuki's direction.

"Scream. " he muttered deeply.

He swung the weapon upwards and a wave of crimson energy lashed out at her.

Mitch's claws began glowing with energy as his eyes went bloodred. He leapt in front of Yuzuki and held up his clawed arms, blocking the blow with one of his abilities. "How do we get away?" he yelled to Yuzuki as he dug his footclaws into the ground, absorbing the shockwave that the energy caused.

[Mewsland]

"Brace yourself!"

Yuzuki ripped open another portal, which swallowed Mitch and herself. The pair were thrown into the tower.

[Malshan]

Mitch fell through the portal, slamming into the wall of the Tower and sliding six feet to the ground. He slumped against the wall, gasping for breath. "Well, damn....I knew he was powerful, but gods above...." He rolled his head on his shoulders and slowly staggered upright. "That must have blown away at least half of my life points."

"Not to mention that the code must be damaged."