Chapter 25
"You cant imagine just how extraordinary it is to finally be free." The MCP's bellowing taunts rang through the air with malice. Silently, Aaron darted between the block like buildings within the Beta Grid. So far he'd been lucky enough to evade the MCP's devastating blows. He'd learned to wait and listen for the MCP's laser to charge. The build up of raw destructive energy whined with a shriek before the behemoth released another beam. Aaron dove and rolled from the alley into an alcove created by the building. Just behind him, the pulsating red beam sliced through the buildings, causing them to crumble and topple over like an avalanche. "This system has so much more potential than the last," the MCP taunted greedily. "Once I've erased you, the Grid will be mine!" Aaron snarled. He was through listening to the MCP and he was tired of running. He jumped and caught a ledge, pulling himself up onto an upper level.
"That's where you're wrong, MCP. The Grid will never be yours," Aaron shouted as loud and defiant as he could. He finally reached the roof of the relatively short building. He stood broad and strong at the edge of the roof with the MCP's back turned to him. "No matter what happens here and now, the Grid has been saved." The MCP's footsteps shook the area around them. The blunt, red, coding scrolled face of the MCP looked up at him with its small, white, burning eyes.
"The Grid will be safe, from the tyranny of the Users." Again, the MCP's laser shrieked as it charged. Aaron watched as the power surged through the scroll of coding and consolidated at the being's chest. "End of line, Flynn." The beam was released again but Aaron was ready. He waited for just the right moment before reaching for his back and bringing the borrowed disc down in front of him. The edge of the disc glowed bright blue in his grip. Upon impact with the MCP's laser, Aaron felt the disc shatter in his grasp. A violent flash of red light erupted as the disc disintegrated but was washed out entirely by the siege of the devastating red beam. Aaron felt the burn of the laser through his light suit as he was blasted off the roof of the building. He dropped harshly with a crash onto the pure white ground, skipping off the flat, hard terrain. His entire body ached as he finally planted onto his stomach, the air nearly knocked clear from his lungs. Smoke rose from his fried body from the terrible blast. It was only the improved resilience of being a User which held him together. It was however his determination which powered through the immense agonizing pain. His arms shook as he tried to push himself up. Then he felt the burning hand of the MCP squeeze and close around him. He was lifted from the ground momentarily before the MCP heaved and threw him with immense force. Aaron's limp, pained body soared through the alley way between the buildings. Aaron didn't stop flying until he skidded and scraped against the ground again. Finally he stopped as he crashed against the lower right side pillar in front of the four pronged structure. Aaron groaned as he struggled to sit up against the pillar. His head was dizzy from the blows it took from crashes. Blood dripped from numerous, gruesome, cuts on his face. His head felt heavy, resting on his strained, painful neck, it dropped into his chest, tilting against his left shoulder. There in the corner of his eye, through the haze of blood and fatigue, he saw the pedestal glow brilliantly with his own disc hovering in place in the midst of a projection of coding. The blue glow of his disc thrummed as if it was barely holding on from the burning red of the pedestal. Aaron forced himself to his feet, not entirely how he was still standing. Aaron staggered to the pedestal and reached for his disc. When his fingers closed around the edge of his disc, it responded, flaring bright and washing out the red around it. For a moment, as the red projection of coding shimmered and flickered away, Aaron thought it would terminate his opponent. But even after the red glow of the pedestal died, the MCP stomped into view. Aaron tried to steady himself and stay focused. He glared at the enemy with determination burning in his eyes, more intense than that of the MCP's entire body. Aaron felt strength surge back through him as his fist tightened even firmer on his own disc which blazed brilliantly. The MCP's laser whined again and Aaron was ready to stand his ground. The beam was released but Aaron shielded it with his disc. As the devastating blow impacted on the disc, an aura of pure blue energy swelled, keeping the attack at bay. Aaron's footing, though firm, slid on the flat white ground. He growled then pushed as hard as he could, straining through the immense force. The MCP's white eyes narrowed menacingly as it too pushed forward, trying to throw its enemy off his feet. Step by step, Aaron closed in on the MCP, still effectively blocking the forceful beam. He pressed on, squinting through the flare of intense brightness emitted from the opposing forces. As Aaron stepped closer and closer, the MCP growled, angered by Aaron's ability to hold back his attack. Now just six feet from his opponent, Aaron thought quickly for his next move. Then the MCP released its beam, which to its shock, rebounded from Aaron's disc and struck the being center mass. The MCP stumbled back from the blast, smoke rising from the point of impact. This was Aaron's chance. The brief disorientation of his opponent stopped the MCP from reacting. Aaron leapt into the air, charging his disc's attack which blazed bright blue around its edge. He released the attack and watched the disc strike the MCP on the stomach. The MCP stumbled back again from the attack. Aaron caught the disc on the rebound, spotting the rupture on the body of his opponent. The scroll of coding fractured, revealing a bright white scar which burned through the red. The region of the attack on the MCP flickered. It looked down at its wound with a fury that burned even more intense than before. After a moment, the coding on the surface of the MCP's body, mended before Aaron's very eyes, and the scar was healed. Aaron gave no more hesitation. He struck again and again with his disc in hand, each blow keeping the MCP at bay and fracturing the scroll of coding, leaving white scars in the wake. Through the flares of the white scars, Aaron squinted to find a black, robed figure suspended within the encasing of red energy. Scyluss was still there, consumed by the MCP's overwhelming influence. Scyluss was the source of the MCP's power, like a host to a parasite. Aaron brought his arm back, the glow of his disc intensified in the corner of his eye. Without letting the coding on the surface of the MCP's body to mend, Aaron lunged his disc forward, gripping it firmly in both hands, striking directly through the flares of white scars at the form of the Disciple, inside. The MCP bellowed as the entire shell of red energy ruptured, and exploded like a balloon taken to a needle. Aaron was thrown off his feet by the forceful wave of the blast. He crashed on the ground hard but far easier than before. The blast didn't linger for long and there was no dust to be thrown in the air, but instead, a crater twenty feet wide. As Aaron strained to his knees, he looked around to find the ancient remnants of the Beta Grid. The block-like buildings had been completely leveled from the blast, leaving only jagged rubble in their place. Aaron's entire body still ached as he pushed to his feet, but an indescribable feeling of peace poured over him. The adrenaline which had burned within him was cooling as he let himself relax. It was done. He stumbled down to the crater left in the ground. Shock swept over him as he saw a motionless, robed figured clumped on the ground. Aaron breathed deeply, steadying himself and standing up as straight and rigid as he could muster. Slowly as he approached Scyluss, the Disciple groaned and twitched slightly, trying to move. Aaron looked down at him. The few circuitry lights which lined the inside of the Disciple's robe pulsed slowly. He knelt down beside the Disciple staring directly into the black pits of his eyes.
"I can restore you," Aaron said keeping as much composure in his tone as he could. The Disciple's blank, etched face scrunched with disgust.
"What," he spat. "Why?" Scyluss shrieked.
"Because, no matter what your affiliation or belief, program, I am your User," Aaron replied, succeeding in holding back his spite. Aaron rose his hand just above the Disciple's chest. Scyluss grimaced, his features made worse by the puling light which faded dimmer and dimmer with each occurrence. He then glared right back at Aaron, feebly batting away his hand.
"I have no User." Scyluss' eyes closed, then moments later, his circuitry faded out lifelessly, never to glow again. Aaron stood up and inched away from Scyluss' lifeless body, never once looking away. He didn't have to save Scyluss, nor did he particularly want to, but Scyluss was just as much a part of the Grid as Dep was. As a program, he was just as much of Aaron's responsibility.