Sam:
Sissi and I were working together trying to best figure out how to set up a permanent barrier. We had already set up a small temporary one around Ulrich, Yumi and ourselves, but we knew that we would need a bigger one. What we couldn't decide was how big it should be. We wanted it to be big enough to accommodate all of us but we knew that it had to be small enough to be able to hold off all the enemies that had been created. Finally we agreed on twenty square feet.
The way that we intended to create this barrier was with four objects that the traveler had given us while we were learning from him. They were four crystal objects that gave off a continuous form of energy. We had decided to place this in the four corners that would make up the twenty by twenty feet barrier. This would give us the strength and energy we would need to generate such a strong barrier.
We started cattycorner, Sissi walking off in one direction, and I walked in the other. We both walked about as far as we believed we should and placed the crystals down on the ground. We then walked to our right and placed the other crystal in the opposite areas forming the square. To finish the spell we did what the traveler had shown us to create a barrier. Creating wall like structures between the crystals and then linking them to the crystals we were able to place a barrier up that was strong enough to be seen.
Once we were done we went back to Ulrich and Yumi. Ulrich was still sitting on the ground with Yumi lying comfortably on him. He looked up when we approached him and said, "Is it done?"
"See for yourself," I said pointing at one of the visible walls.
"Good, now, are you sure that Odd, Jeremie and Aelita will be able to get through that?" Ulrich asked.
"Well, Jeremie should." Sissi said. "If he really is what the traveler said he is."
"You mean another traveler?" Ulrich asked. "What does that mean?"
"It means," I said. "That he has the ability to go into other universes at will. From what I have heard he can only do it in his dreams right now, and has a limited range, but he should be able to pass through the barrier."
"Good, because here they come."
I turned around and saw the three of them walking towards the barrier. Odd walked into it and acted like he had walked into a brick wall. Jeremie put his hand up against it, pushed and fell through. He then turned to the others and gave a look of dismay. We watched as he began to think and suddenly got an idea. He put his hands back through and said something, the other two grabbed his hands reluctantly and he pulled them through. They then walked over to us and saw that we were laughing.
"What's so funny?" Jeremie asked.
"The look on Odd's face when he ran into the barrier for one." Ulrich said.
"Then how you got the idea of how to get them through and the look on their faces..." I added.
"Well, will that thing hold back the shadows?" Odd asked.
"Looks like it did to me..." Ulrich said laughing.
"No, seriously, I was able to pass through it, why shouldn't they?" Jeremie asked.
"That is because of your natural ability." Sissi told him. "Anyway, did you find anything?"
"Yeah, but not much." Jeremie said. "Anyway, most of it was to big to carry and I didn't know how long we would have out there without the shadows attacking us."
I noticed Aelita looking around the square. She seemed interested in something, but I couldn't tell what. Every now and then she would stop and look at something for a few minutes and then move on. I suddenly realized that she was finding things we could use in the barrier.
"Aelita," I said. "What are you looking at?"
"Oh," she started, "just the rubble within this barrier. We could use it to make a shelter, a crude shelter, but one just the same."
"Ok, then we should get to work." Ulrich said taking off part of his cape thing. He laid it on the ground and placed Yumi on it. "Well, shall we?"
We began moving around collecting twisted fragments of the buildings that had once stood around here. Aelita and Jeremie both helped in picking out the pieces that we took and we placed everything in a pile. The rubble that we could find no use for we moved off to the side. Slowly, with Jeremie and Aelita's guidance we built a small structure made of metal beams and concrete walls. Sissi and I had to move the large pieces with telekinesis and we had to place on the roof but we finished building it.
The new shelter was six feet by ten feet and nearly took up the entire barrier space. It was solid all the way through, Sissi and I made sure of that. There was enough room for each of us to lye down in it comfortably and the opening was just large enough for each of us to pass through. And though it wasn't like home it was still home enough for now, at the very least until we were able to undo what X.A.N.A. had done.
"Great," Ulrich said looking at the small shelter, "Now that that is done we still have at least two things to worry about, food and water."
"Oh, I saw a store that had some food still in it and it hadn't fully been destroyed. I think the food should still be good." Odd said. "I can show you where it is if you want."
"Sounds good," Ulrich said. "Sissi and Sam will come with us."
"Ok." I said.
"Sure." Sissi agreed.
"So what should Aelita and I do?" Jeremie asked.
"You two watch Yumi." Ulrich said. "I am trusting you with her life... Oh, and Jeremie we will need you to get us through the barrier."
Jeremie followed us to the barrier and as we grabbed onto him we were able to pass through it. On the other side we let go of Jeremie and he entered the barrier again. We followed Odd as he led us to the location where he had found the food. When we got there we saw what must have been a small grocery store. Even though it had been leveled it still had food lying around. We quickly grabbed as much as we could, and picked up some other materials which we though might come in handy. Fortunately for us the grocery store must have also been a convenience store; we found medicine, soap, and other things that we might need while we survived in this shadow world.
We had to make sure that we didn't stay out in the open for too long. The shadows were all around us, just waiting to attack. It wouldn't be too long until they decided to get on with it and try to kill us.
I walked quickly, carrying the things that I had been given to carry, looking in every direction. I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn't help but think that I was being watched. Every second that we stayed out in the open dark city beyond the barrier we had the chance of being attacked. And though I didn't know why that made me so nervous it did and I had to deal with it.
"Well," Odd said breaking the silence, "At least he can't bring the enemies from Lyoko here."
"You shouldn't say that..." Sissi told him.
"Why not, it's not like we are suddenly going to be att-" he stopped as a red laser flew inches from his head.
"You idiot! Don't you watch movies? When ever someone says that it always happens!" Sissi yelled.
"How the hell was I supposed to know that X.A.N.A. could materialize real Lyoko monsters?" Odd yelled back.
"Uh, guys, not to break up this touching moment, but incase you haven't noticed, we are surrounded by Roachsters." Ulrich warned.
I looked all around me and in the very dim light I was able to see the feint outlines of the monsters they called Roachsters. They were standing around us simply looking at us at first, but then they suddenly decided to attack and began charging up their lasers. I saw the red glow emanating from just in front of them and then a flash of red light as the laser shot at me and the others. Thinking quickly I placed up a temporary barrier and blocked the lasers, but I was unable to move and keep it up at the same time.
"I got them!" Odd said running out of the barrier and shooting at the little monsters.
"Odd! This isn't Lyoko, it isn't a game! YOU COULD DIE!" Ulrich yelled out at him as he ran directly into the monsters. "Damn it, I'll be back. Don't move!"
Ulrich ran out after Odd dropping the things he was carrying and materializing his sword. He triplicated and ran at the monsters slicing through them and leaving a mess behind. Between Odd and Ulrich the monsters fell rapidly. We were soon free of the Roachsters, but we now knew of a new threat. We had to get to the others quickly and warn them.
We gathered up the things that we had gotten and began running towards the base. We had to get there and warn them that Xanadu had resurrected X.A.N.A.'s monsters. If he had been able to create Roachsters already then there was no telling what else he would be able to create.
I could see the light from the barrier now. We called out to Jeremie and I saw a figure in the barrier jump up and walk to meet us. When we got there I saw a concerned look on Jeremie's face. But the look was not just for us, I could tell that something else was wrong. He quickly got us through the barrier and into the makeshift base. As we got in he led us over to where Aelita was sitting. I saw a cell phone that had been ripped apart and put back together.
"We have bad news..." Jeremie said.
"So do we," Ulrich replied.
"I'll go first. Aelita and I wanted to see what was happening around us, news by radio waves and so forth. We took my cell phone and modified it with some materials which I found lying around. Then once we had made a makeshift radio I turned it on and listened. The first thing that it was 'tuned' to sounded like static, until I realized that I could hear voices as well, military voices. Ulrich, the world is sending the military into France."
"Oh, god..." Sissi said. "If they come into the area that Xanadu has taken over there is no telling what might happen, other than there will be a lot of death..."
"Our news is just as bad." Ulrich said. "Xanadu has managed to materialize Roachsters. We were attacked, no one was injured but still. Think of what Xanadu could do..."
"He could materialize anything!" Aelita said with a gasp. "Do you think he is trying to turn this world into Lyoko?"
"That is pretty far fetched... but not impossible. X.A.N.A. did always want full control of both worlds..." Jeremie said. "But if those military units come into this area they will be attacked by the monsters. All hell will break loose, and if they loose to badly... they might even decide to use a nuclear missile..."
"Now look who is being farfetched." Ulrich said. "They won't send a nuke at us. We will have defeated Xanadu long before then."
"Not with enemies like that in the living..." Odd said pointing behind us.
I turned around and saw to my horror that Xanadu had already managed to materialize a megatank. If he had already created Lyoko's most difficult monster then there was no telling what else he could do. All we could do now was hope that it wouldn't be able to get through the barrier. If it couldn't then we would be safe, otherwise... I didn't want to think about that alternative.
Suddenly I felt something cold land on my hand. I looked down and saw that it was water. I looked up and saw that it was beginning to rain. I heard the rain falling lightly around me as it began to get harder and harder. The smell of wet concrete and ashes drifted towards us on the wind... We all scrambled into the shelter to get out of the rain making sure to bring our supplies with us.
The children are now situated enough to look for unnesisities, but they still have the problem of the megatank that is sitting outside their base. They dicide to take care of it and are able to do so easily... until they discover a swarm of hornets ready to attack them. New discoveries will be made... blood will be spilled... and a bath will be made in the next chapter "Bath".