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

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham noticed that his gambit had worked, but only to a limited degree. The second part of the attack had not quite done it's job, and so the only thing that he had managed to do was deliver another punch to XANA's clone. However, as he had drawn the bow's string back with his gauntlet fist, he was in the right position to thrust it forward and thus deflect XANA's arrow as he landed. A part of him couldn't help but feel astonished at the strenght he had been given by this new world, but his mind was focused on the task at hand. With his senses on alert, he waited for the clone to return, if it would, but he also observed how Tom and Zian fared against XANA himself.

[Vetega]

The clone reappeared before him with a smile.
"It won't be so easy to get rid of me. Not this time. I don't even need this bow. " the clone said.

The bow dissipated into dust. He simply raised his hand with the palm facing Graham.
"Zydel. " he spoke.
Arrows began to pour out of his hand and towards Graham. Thousands of them.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham watched as XANA's clone appeared in front of him once again, smiling this time. Hearing him out, he witnessed as the clone let the bow dissipate into thin air and then raise his hand, with the palm pointed towards him. At this point, Graham's senses were on full alert, as he was not sure what XANA's clone would attempt this time.

When the arrows shot out of the clone's gauntlet and towards him, Graham blocked them with his gauntlet. However, it was only a gauntlet, and regardless of the defence it provided, it only covered so much of his body. Thus, Graham was still taking a lot of damage from this attack.

Taking his chances once again (It soon became obvious to him that, when facing XANA, there were few other choices), Graham finally dodged to the left and began running around, still blocking with his gauntlet. Though his Supersprint ability was no longer active, being in movement still helped a bit. As he ran around and blocked, still sustaining damage, he attempted to catch some of the arrows with his free hand and send them back at XANA, only succeeding a few times.

[Vetega]

"You are quite persistent. " the clone acknowledged.

He lowered his hand. Several of his own arrows protruded from his body. He pulled them out, grunting as he did.
"Pain is a motivator." He added as the wounds healed.
However, the damage had been done. His arrows held a large amount of energy. Getting hit with one was bad enough. He got hit with 9 and Graham had taken more than him. Graham was passing his test. The clone created a staff. It glowed with energy. He raised his arm.
"Stay right where you are. I don't want to kill everyone. Not yet anyway. "

He threw the staff. It missed Graham by an inch and flew behind him for miles. It hit the ground and exploded. Causing a red pillar of fire to blast into the air. The shockwave shook the ground violently.
"Damn I missed. Oh well. Let's try again. "
Another staff appeared in his hand.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham continued running even as the clone spoke and stopped firing arrows at him from his gauntlet. However, this did not mean that he had come out unscathed. The arrows from XANA's clone were indeed very powerful, considering the clone itself had been harmed by them, and he had been struck with countless more arrows than his foe. It was a miracle Graham wasn't down for the count yet.

When he noticed the clone tossed the staff, Graham moved and managed to avoid it by a hair's width. He felt the explosion and the strong shockwave it caused, which brought him to his knees. He barely had time to get back to his feet by the time XANA's clone had summoned the second staff.

Graham knew that he would not be able to dodge another of those things, so in his mind, a last-ditch effort was formulated. If XANA tossed the staff again, he would jump and try to grab it in order to toss it back to the ground in front of XANA, in hopes that the explosion would take him out as well. If he succeeded, he would be de-virtualized, but at least he would have rid the group of a powerful foe, even if there were several others. And if not... He hoped that the other's efforts would suffice to keep Lyoko safe.

[Vetega]

The clone raised his arm. With a dark smile on his face he threw the staff right at Graham.

Earth

Jonathan sat on top of a mountain of debris. The city was covered in a smoky haze. There were the occasional random cries of pain or despair. He sighed. He was bored now.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham saw the moment the XANA clone tossed the staff at him, and, just like he had planned, jumped and spun in midair, aiming to take it and, with the same momentum, toss it right back to the clone, or rather, the ground in front of the clone. This would hopefully take out the clone, even if it had a high probability of also putting him out of combat and devirtualizing him due to the explosion. But that mattered little to him if he would help defend the world he had found. This all, of course, assuming XANA could not force the staff to detonate before or just as Graham grabbed it.

[Vetega]

The move worked. The staff was redirected at the clone. He smiled as he saw the results. The staff hit the ground and exploded. The resulting explosion was quite devastating. The pillar of flame and debris roared into the air. The ground shook violently. The explosion engulfed them both. Then it dissipated. The clone walked out of the smoke untouched. He smiled at an injured Graham.
"You are at your limit. Your mind is interesting indeed. It is well trained to look for any and all opportunities. Your test has passed Graham. For I am also at my limit. " he said.

The clone dissolved into smoke and disappeared.

[Natair]

Zian had gotten up and charged forward again, but he stopped mid-run, his blood freezing.
"How... how does he know?" he asked himself softly, staring. He couldn't fight back now... Not without killing his closest friend.
"I swear I'll kill you for this one day!" Zian shouted, enraged, then closed his eyes. A gold light flowed from him, surrounding Yuzuki. He collapsed as soon as the light left him
After he stood back up, he threw both his swords to the side.
"Just... Let them go.. " he gasped. "I'll do whatever... But you have to let them go..."

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki took advantage of the distraction caused by Graham to teleport herself and Zian back into the tower.

(edit: sorry for short post. Will finish later, I hope.)

[Vetega]

Xana turned his attention from Tom knowing the boy would attack him.
"Zian, you will join me. Although I don't think it will be today. However, I've gotten my desired answer. Soon, you will hear the call. You will know when and where. You will obey my command. " he stated.

The words implanted the parasite into his consciousness. The same parasite Tom had within him. Then, Yuzuki came to the rescue.
"How fitting. " he said snidely.
As Zian and Yuzuki disappeared into the Tower Xana looked at Tom. This test is done Tom. Graham passed, Zian failed at first. The next one is yours. And then Yuzuki is after you. I will have your mind, and the Keys. You shall see. I suggest you retreat to the Tower. She will soon turn back time in the human world. Until next time. " he stated before turning on his heel. He simply walked away.

The tower under his control became neutral once more. His clones dissipated. His staff and sword disappeared. He continued to walk away. Not looking back once.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham was infinitely surprised that his manuever had worked. He was even more surprised, though, about the fact that he had not been devirtualized. However, as big as his surprise was, he had little time to think about these things, as the pain of the wounds sustained during the battle rippled through his virtual body, though he remained silent about it, only clenching his fists to give himself strenght as he lay defensless on the ground.

As he was there, on the ground, suffering, Graham saw that XANA and his clones were gone, as were Yuzuki and the others. At this, he smiled. They were gone. Lyoko was still here.

The world was safe.

[Mewsland]

Yuzuki soon shot out of the tower again, retrieved Tom, then teleported back in, before teleporting over to Graham. "Graham? How are you holding up?"

Yuzuki turned toward the tower and teleported inside, carrying Graham with her. "Xana's tower's been deactivated, so, everyone, get ready. We're about to go back in time around 24 hours. You might go back to the real world, then again, you might stay here. Either way, your memories will remain intact. Here we go - return to the past now!"

The tower lit up in a white glow that soon became blinding.

In the real world, the factory seemed to explode in white as the time bubble took all of Paris - and the entire world - back in time...

[Zarkenis Ultima]

When Yuzuki teleported out next to him, Graham used his last ounce of strenght to roll over onto his back. Once that was done he smiled up at her. "Not well, Yuzuki... Sorry for not doing more..." Was what he was able to say. She could easily see that he wasn't doing well at all. In his virtual body the damage done to him was evident, and she would likely notice that it took a big effort to breathe.

When everyone was teleported back to the tower, Graham could feel the regenerative properties of the tower's aura working on him, though it would likely take a while for him to be able to move normally or fight, at least in a fight as hard as the last one. When Yuzuki offered everyone the chance to leave or stay, Graham decided that he would stay. Even if, upon returning to the real world, his injuries would no longer be there, his mind felt better in this world than out there.

As the time bubble engulfed everything, Graham simply closed his eyes, not to sleep, but to rest.

[Vetega]

Earth

Jonathan saw the time bubble. He frowned.
"Guess the fun is over for now. "
Then the bubble washed over him.

[Natair]

Zian swayed on the spot. He wasn't in the greatest condition; one hit would take him out at this moment. However, he felt he had to explain. After all, he had very nearly betrayed everyone, even if it was to save them.
"I'm... sorry... I couldn't just sit back and... watch everyone die..." he said between gasps. He really should go back to the real world, but he wouldn't. He had made a promise, and, injured or not, if he was forgiven, he was going to keep it.
"I'm not going to sacrifice any of my friends. Not if there's any other option."

[Vetega]

Citadel

Xana walked into the throne room and sat upon the throne. His face was passive. Despite not having stopped the time change, he had won. His plan was coming together nicely. His next target was the one he wanted. Tom. The boy with the will of steel. He would crush that will. Not with force, but with a test. 5 people kneeled before him. They were clones of course. Each one had red eyes with the mark of Xana within them.
"Rise Tom, Zian, Graham and Alexis. " he said.

The 4 rose up. One remained on one knee.
"Rise Aelita. "
She rose. Xana smiled. Things would soon get interesting.

[Mewsland]

As the 24-hour rewind finished, Yuzuki took an account of who all was there - and everyone was present.

"I'm going to check out the worlds and make sure there was no lasting damage from the previous events. Everyone stay here and recover. My father's energy will keep you safe." Yuzuki jumped over the edge of the tower and merged with a data stream heading for a World II tower.

World II - Lyoko

Yuzuki emerged from the tower into the World of Archipelagos, before taking off across the pathways connecting the islands.

[Vetega]

World 2

The 5 stood with Aelita in the front.
"She is here. I can see her. " Graham said.
"Good. Let's begin. Unleash the Kolossus. Have the Behemoth go as well. " Aelita replied.
Xana stood behind them watching. He would not interfere. This wad Yuzuki's test.

[Natair]

"And she's gone again..." Zian muttered, rolling his eyes. He gasped as a lance of pain shot through his entire body. He was badly injured from the fight, it seemed, worse than he had thought. In this pain, a crazy idea came to him. A way to keep the people he cared about safe, and to defend Lyoko. He didn't really care what happened to Earth.

Grunting with every step, clutching at his side, where the pain blossomed from, Zian walked out of the tower.
"XANA!" he shouted as loud as he could, the pain intensifying many times over. "If you can hear me, I want to talk." He fell to one knee as pain took over his body, overwhelming his endurance. He felt each blow he had received in the fight a second time, and the effect was crippling. He forced himself to his feet, grimacing. Xana had seen him weak once. He wouldn't a second time.

[Vetega]

Xana appeared right next to Zian.
"I'm busy at the moment. What do you want? "

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Graham, having closed his eyes at the time of the 24-hour rewind, had heard Yuzuki's words, but had not noticed that she was gone. After a few moments, he felt significantly better. The pain was still there, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt when he fell to the ground out of the tower, after having defeated XANA's clone. He was not in the best shape yet, and could still not stand, but he was steadily getting better.

Feeling slightly better, Graham opened his eyes. He did not see Yuzuki, but what he did see was Zian heading out of the tower, for some reason or another. He simply closed his eyes once again, believing everything to be alright. However, this did not last, as he, too, heard Zian calling out to XANA. Now he didn't believe anything was okay.

And so, Graham struggled to drag himself across the floor and to the edge of the tower, where he watched the scene below, as Zian contacted XANA. He tried to remain hidden while still able to see what happened.

[Vetega]

Xana glanced up at the top of the tower. He grinned. He phased from sight and reappeared in front of Zian again.
"I grow impatient. "

[Natair]

Xana appeared right next to Zian.
"I'm busy at the moment. What do you want? "

"I've got an offer for you. One time offer." Zian said. He knew he had to choose his next words carefully, then lowered his voice slightly, sounding less cocky and more submissive.
"I'll work for you. I'll do whatever." he said softly. "But... you probably already know what I want in return. I want her safe. She's the closest friend I have. I don't want any of the others dead, either." he added. Speaking more aggressively, he added, "And if you harm any of them, the deal's off, and I swear I will hunt you down myself. If any of my friends die, you'll have to answer for it."

(He seems more like a mercenary to me now :/ but it's a necessary change. I'll just say the scare changed him. And gtg.)

[Vetega]

Xana lifted an eyebrow.

"A deal? How interesting. I accept your proposal. Your friends will not die. However, my interests are the opposite of hers. You will be forced to fight them multiple times ." He replied.

However, Xana had a plan. They would still die. Because Xana didn't make deals. He dictated terms. Zian would soon learn this.