Opening Moves
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Chapter 13
Voice's Ultimatum
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Jeremie felt himself become formed in Lyoko. Slowly but surely, the bytes that composed his avatar were fitted together. Apparently, the program was a huge memory hog, enough to slow the scanners down dramatically. Well, it was just for this once...
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Meanwhile, I was busy hanging onto the ledge, though it would soon vanish. My time was short. That's when I saw Jeremie running toward me, dressed in what looked like very crazy-style camouflage clothing and what looked like a sickle being carried by a holster.
"Jeremie, what's going on in the real world?" I asked, thrusting Aelita towards Jeremie. Taking the hint, he helped pull her to the surface.
"Not good, Ulrich. X.A.N.A.'s managed to take over the life support system, but hasn't managed to stop it yet. I think the nurses may have something to do with it." Jeremie said.
"Jeremie, run. Get Aelita to the tower. I'll hold on... A little more." I said.
"But, Ulrich..." Jeremie said.
"Just go, Jeremie! Now's not the time to argue!" I shouted, and regretted it. But, thankfully, Jeremie began running toward the tower.
Suddenly, everything stopped. I felt myself falling, yet I could still see my hand on the ledge... Wait, there was no ledge! What in the world?
"Do not panic, Ulrich." A voice said, which, contrary to what the voice thought, was not as easy.
That's when I noticed something. I was wearing my real clothes, and apparently I wasn't in my Lyoko avatar anymore.
"Wh- Who are you?" I asked, trying not to go crazy.
"I am the being whose pyramid you used. I have come to claim the price, in exchange for another reward." It said.
"Can you please not talk in such a cryptic language?" I requested, this time politely.
"The price is your life, and the reward is the survival of those you hold dear. I will grant you the reward first, and will not take it back, but I warn you: taking advantage of my kindness will have very unpleasant consequences." The voice said.
"What do you mean, 'the survival of those you hold dear'? What is the end of the outright decline?" I asked, upset that it was bartering human lives, and forcing me to chose.
"If you decline outright, I will let the situation take it's course. The virus will destroy the forest region, but nothing further, for it is X.A.N.A.'s puppet. Jeremie and Aelita will go with it. With no one to stop the attack, Yumi and Odd will die. You as well. As we speak, your body is falling into the virus. If you accept or delay the acceptance, I will stop the attack myself."
"I... Would like the extra time to think." I replied.
"Very well." It said, and I felt a large wind go through my hair. My body started ripping apart and reforming... Somewhere. Then I was back in Lyoko.
"I thought he said that he would stop the attack..." I muttered, but it clearly wasn't so. However, it did appear that the only thing similar here was that Yumi and Odd weren't in Lyoko, presumably still at the hospital, as well as the fact that I was surrounded by trees.
"Ulrich, watch out. You've got three Blocks, coming in from your right." Jeremie said.
"Three Blocks? That's good. I thought it would be more." I said, drawing my sword. "Triplicate!" Then I split into three copies of myself, and sent the copies to destroy the Blocks, with me providing support. Rapidly, the Blocks were reduced to nothing, with the only casualties being the copies. "Aelita, your tower is waiting."
"Thanks for clearing the road, Ulrich." She said, running into the tower.
Suddenly, I heard Jeremie tell me that a Crab was advancing towards me, but I didn't notice. I was too busy thinking about the voice's ultimatum. Vaguely, I realized that I was standing it the edge of the platform, but it was too late. The Crab's laser had struck me in the stomach, and I was falling... Falling... Into the digital void.
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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I am unsure of where to take this now. I can either have Aelita enter the code in time to save Ulrich, or have him fall into the digital void for real. This is the point where I ask the reader's opinion, so please tell me.