"You must remember your destiny, Ulrich. Do not let XANA's strike of fear cloud your purpose. You and I are the key to saving Lyoko."
A very soft voice came to Ulrich's ears. And Ulrich realised his head lies on the female's laps. Ulrich turned in slow motion, he sees a pointy-eared female displaying a caring and loving expression. Her face was bright and cute. There were strange markings on her face, what do they mean? She has pink hair. Who is she?
"Remember your purpose, remember the prophecy, and most important of all remember that your strength comes from your allies. He will not break you so long as you are what I know you will become."
Ulrich raised his upper-half body. He turned, and much to his surprise the lady is gone. Did she teleport?, he wondered. He examines where he is. He's definitely in an unknown location as he does not recognise the shroud of pink light. Suddenly, Ulrich sensed a presence behind him. He turned. A silhouette figure stares at Ulrich. Ulrich couldn't see what the female looks like. It's not XANA.
The lady calmly gazes at Ulrich.
"Who are you?", Ulrich asked curiously. The female had slowly grown faint. "Wait!". Ulrich tried to reach his hand out at the woman, only to miss. She disappeared in front of him. Then the bright light dazzles Ulrich to the point he loses consciousness.
Light struck on Ulrich. This time it's the huge breeze. It was so familiar. He realised he was no longer in Sector 5. He looked around him. He is surrounded by icy grass and trees. His allies from Sector 5 are also here.
He hears numerous footsteps coming from the seas of ice. Upon looking at it, there seems to be men dressed in knighthood. Ulrich recognised their armor. Could they be...? Ulrich was about to find out sooner or late who they serve for. The person Ulrich knew would not be living here. Ulrich isn't familiar with this sector.
Instead of a short battle, Ulrich and his friends were requested to step on one of the carriages. He thought they would were going to attack him. It turns out they are knights serving for one person Ulrich is very familiar with.
The others are finally awake, and seemed astonished they're being taken to a castle unharmed.
"Who are these people?", Sissi asked.
"I have no idea.", Ulrich said.
"So you allowed them to take us to probably a death trap?", William said.
"If they wanted to kill us, they would've done it sooner. What worth do we have to be alive?", Ulrich said.
"Ulrich is right. Inhabitants of Lyoko would seek each other's flesh for survival, they could've slew us and took our meat. There must be a reason why they're taking us to their castle.", Jeremie said, agreeing with Ulrich's point.
William didn't agree with Ulrich and Jeremie, although Yumi and Odd seem to agree.
"I say we kill the wagoner and take the carriage to get back to my father.", Sissi said.
"What if your father is dead?", Ulrich asked Sissi.
An awkward silence between the group as nobody expected Ulrich to be so harsh. Well everyone regarded Ulrich as unpleasantly rough toward people, although Sissi persistently regards him as ideally suited to her as a romantic partner.
"Why would you say that?", Sissi cried out in shock.
"Whether your father was left behind or actually left Sector 5, there are things out there no one can survive from. Everything I went, there is a death trap. So, not to be rude Sissi but I'm not expecting your father anytime to rescue us. He's probably gone.", Ulrich said.
The entire group, minus Sissi and Ulrich, exchanged glances. They knew how important King Delmas was to Sissi. They felt sympathetic toward him.
"You shouldn't have told Sissi to her face her father is dead, Ulrich.", Herb said, standing in front of Ulrich.
"I've seen worst things happen to my comrades, they all died either by bandits, creatures, raiders, Omega Lords. I do not speak lies.", Ulrich said truthfully.
"That's it!", Herb said, attempting to punch Ulrich. Ulrich caught Herb's fist before gently pushing Herb back to his seat. "Why you-?". Herb was cut off and prevented from charging at Ulrich by Maya.
"This isn't the right place to be fighting in. We're in carriage." Maya said to Herb.
Herb growled behind his clenched teeth. "Until next time, Ulrich.", Herb said with a threatening look.
Ulrich ignored him, and turned to look at where the knights are taking him and his allies. A castle not far. Ulrich finds it hard to compare the structure of this castle with the other castle. Something is wrong, he feels there is a trap. Ulrich steadily draws his blade until a hand reaches out to his shoulder. His hand froze. He knows where the hand came from, it feels like steel.
"Stay calm, my friend.", a knight said with a fatherly voice.
Ulrich widened his eyes. It's Jim Morales's voice, Ulrich thought. He turned and recognised through the fringes of holes on the knight's helmet Jim's face. Jim raised a shush gesture, which Ulrich complied. Then he hears numerous thuds on the carriage. He turns his head. His allies passed out, caused by the knights who casted a sleeping spell.
"It was necessary.", Jim said.
"Hmm, can you explain the need to stun them?", Ulrich asked.
"You're about to find out, my old friend.", Jim said.
Jim says truth because Ulrich will have all the answers once they arrive at the castle up ahead.
A long ride to the castle, Ulrich was astonished to find many of the inhabitants from Sector 5 are alive the moment he went through the gates after a short inspection over the carriages. King Delmas & the members of the Sector 5 government alongside their soldiers, and some parents and cadets who survived from XANA's attack, although they are scathed.
When Ulrich was dropped down from the carriage, he saw his allies taken away. He would've stopped them, but Jim's presence convinced him he can trust them taking care of his allies.
Jim arrived before Ulrich gesturing the latter to follow him.
Ulrich noticed they are not heading to the room where the meeting is assembled between the people like King Delmas are happening. "Lost your way around?", Ulrich said.
"No, there is someone who wants to meet you.", Jim said.
Jim finally brings Ulrich to the door. Behind him, nobody was seen. Ulrich saw Jim is examining everything around him. Does Jim want to show Ulrich something important? Jim opens the door. Ulrich came inside, and saw a small room. In there, Ulrich saw a blonde-haired girl emerging from the blackness.
"I am so glad you're okay.", the girl said as she embraces and subsequently kisses Ulrich which Ulrich returns. "When XANA tried to take over you, I felt our connection slowly breaking.".
"I'm fine, Elsa.", Ulrich reassured her.
"You shouldn't be reckless.", Elsa said. "that monster could've turned you into great terror across Lyoko.".
"It's not the first time I was influenced by darkness.", Ulrich recalled. Elsa knows what Ulrich is saying, her expression shows it.
Elsewhere in the castle, King Delmas meets with the other leaders discussing the attack in Sector 5. None of them believed in Delmas's story.
They chuckled, finding Delmas's story unbelievable.
"Sector 5 was attacked by an inside force, we both agree."
"Yes...", Delmas said.
"So, the evidence is clear enough the Anodites are responsible for Sector 5's doom and the killing of over 86% of Sector 5's population."
"That is absurd, they have no involvement with this.", King Delmas said.
Unknown to the people held in the meeting, Ulrich and Elsa eavesdrop them from the top floor.
"They say Anodites as though everyone in Sector 5 is an Anodite.", Ulrich said.
"That's because they believe in a theory, and refuse to acknowledge the one true threat to Lyoko.", Elsa explained.
"They still don't realise XANA has risen from his seal?", Ulrich exclaimed in shock.
"It's much worse, they believe XANA is a myth created by Anodites to strike fear into everyone.", Elsa said.
"Idiots.", Ulrich said angrily. "back to regarding the theory.".
"The theory is the presence of Anodites, they think too much closeness with them could cause everyone to have a piece of Anodite essence within them.", Elsa said.
"The Anodites are contagious?", Ulrich exclaimed.
Elsa nodded.
That would mean Jeremie, Maya, Odd, Yumi and William might've all been infected.
Elsa and Ulrich continued eavesdropping the conversation below.
One of the men laugh at King Delmas. "'absurd'?, really Jean-Pierre? You think we're stupid, what if you were part of this conspiracy? It would make sense considering you welcome Anodites as though welcoming Chimeras into the one place that stabilises all of Lyoko.",
"It is not them. This is the work of someone very sinister plaguing Lyoko, please understand this.", King Delmas said.
"The only sinister I'm seeing is you, Delmas. I'm afraid to say this is something we cannot tolerate anymore."
Ulrich feels like he knows what they are about say.
"Jean-Pierre Delmas, you are hereby stripped off your position as King of Sector 5."
"Perhaps I can encourage them to acknowledge XANA is real, and terrorising people throughout Lyoko.", Ulrich said, drawing his saber. A hand firmly held Ulrich's hand that held a saber.
"You wouldn't want to throw hands with the Heads of Lyoko.", Elsa advised. "they have powerful friends from the shadows.". She leans closer to Ulrich's ear. "I know Delmas is the benefactor for all Anodites but right now the situation is worse. We can't ask for the Heads to get involved in XANA's reign of terror. We could cause more problems for ourselves.".
Ulrich didn't want Delmas to lose his position, but Delmas removed from king could reduce the tensions caused by what happened to Sector 5 between the Heads of Lyoko. He sighs before looking at Elsa. Before Ulrich would speak, everyone heard doors burst open and the shouting resonated from guards. Ulrich recognised the woman. "Sissi?".
"I apologise for the rude interruption.", Sissi said politely.
"Though you are son of Delmas, you are not authorized to be involved in this meeting."
"I know, but I hoped I could enlighten you all upon a recent discovery I found related to Sector 5's destruction and death toll.", Sissi said.
Jean-Pierre Delmas wonders if Sissi came to the meeting to convince the Heads he should remain as King. It won't be great for the Delmas family if Sissi's next words come very wrong. "Sissi, I think you should-", he was cut off by the Heads.
"We're listening."
"The one who started this madness is Jeremey Belpois!", Sissi addressed. Shock filled the entire room, even reaching up to Ulrich and Elsa. Nobody thought Jeremie, a cadet who is smarter than most, could be capable of bringing about Sector 5's destruction.
A/N: Next chapter will feature how Sissi found out Jeremie caused XANA's awakening.