AN: As I promised, here's another chapter. You guys aren't very good at giving reviews, you know. Not that they're bad reviews, there's just not enough of them. How about giving it another try? I'm not sure on the life point losses with the different monsters so I would appreciate it if someone could clear that up for me.
"What!" Ulrick exclaimed as Jeremy sullenly told him the bad news, "How can X.A.N.A. be doing this?"
"I don't know," Jeremy admitted, "but we have to find that tower fast or it'll be game over for Yumi."
"It shouldn't be far now," Aelita said confidently.
"How far behind us is Yumi?" Ulrick asked.
"About a minute or so," Jeremy replied.
"X.A.N.A. hasn't been sending many monsters our way," Odd remarked.
"That's because he's been targeting Yumi," Jeremy said solemnly, "I think he plans to pick us off, one by one, starting with her."
"I'm going back to help Yumi," Ulrick decided, turning around, "Odd, you and Aelita go as quickly as you can and deactivate that tower! All of our lives depend on it." Mainly Yumi's, he thought worriedly.
"Yes, sir," Odd said as he gave Ulrick a little salute.
It didn't take long for Ulrick to get to Yumi. Once he reached her, he turned back towards the tower and ran alongside her.
"Are you ok?" Ulrick asked.
"That's the third time you've asked me that today."
Ulrick looked down at the ground, then directed his attention back to her face. "I'm just worried about you," he said quietly.
Yumi's face softened. Maybe he really does care about me, she thought.
"Hey you two," Jeremy said, bringing both of them out of their thoughts, "two mega tanks and a crab are on the path just ahead of you. Odd and Aelita are almost at the tower, but X.A.N.A. has sent a swarm of hornets and some crabs to guard it. I told them to hold off until you get there."
"Ok, thanks Jeremy," Ulrick said, drawing his sword, "I'll take these, Yumi. You stay behind me."
"Right," Yumi said, flicking her fan open, just in case.
As the tanks rolled out with the crab behind them, Ulrick stepped in front of Yumi, shielding her with his body. He adopted his usual fighting stance with his sword out at ready in front of him. Seeing the first mega tank charging up its laser, Ulrick leapt forward at it and smiled as his sword struck true.
"Impact!" he shouted as he jumped backward to avoid the explosion. What he didn't notice was the second tank's laser wall speeding toward him.
"Look out!" Yumi screamed.
Ulrick looked over a moment to late and was struck full on by the laser wall. The force of the blow threw him back into a nearby tree with a sickening thud.