Chapter 18: Carthage

The two teams appeared on a cold metal platform while the walls kept rotating around them. "Welcome to the new level Carthage, only for this tournament's finalist," the Announcer said.

"This labyrinth is constructed into three different segments, so not to make it too easy. As soon as the walls open up, a three minute countdown will start as they are to find the Lyoko Key," he said as the image of the switch on the screen. "They must hit the switch before the timer is up or the area will change around them and it will start over once again. Then after they hit the switch, they will have to head outside of the dome and ride the elevator till they find the computer, but watch out; it doesn't stop when they want it too. Then finally, with the help of the computer they will be able to find the location of the tower that has been deeply hidden within this level. Many traps and monsters will show up, but enough talking about it, let's get this match started!"

Now within the level, Odd held his stomach. "For some reason, I feel a bit woozy after being transferred here."

"Get over it soon Odd, the walls are about to open up," Jeremy replied.

"Let's make this quick, you know what is at stake," Ulrich informed as his team nodded their heads.

Then the walls slowed down and two different paths opened up on opposite ends and the two teams ran into them.

"Whoa!" they all said as they looked at the large domed level.

"Guys, we don't have enough time for sightseeing," Jeremy said. "You only have two minutes and fifty seconds left to find the key, and according to my search it should be in the room on your right."

"Thanks Jeremy," Aelita replied as they were about to run off, but then they start seeing Creepers along the walls.

"I was wondering when these guys were going to show up," Odd said as one of the Creepers fired their laser.

"Shield, I can handle them, you go find the key."

"Right," the rest said as they ran off.

In the real world, besides Jeremy watching over his teammates, he is also watching a news report on his monitor. "All of a sudden a strange black cloud has started to appear all over the world, nothing can explain this unusual event but where it has appeared we have been getting reports of a series of Lightning attacks, some have even seen tornados and others have been hit with a large amount of rain and to expect flooding in about a half an hour, is today Armageddon?"

XANA!

Jeremy thought as he looked back at his teammates. "Ok, the key should be on the other side of that platform, you only have two minutes left."

His teammates look at the narrow bridge to see the small switch on the wall. "No sweat, this match will be over before we know it," Ulrich replied, but as soon as they stepped closer to the bridge, every other segment fell off as the ones that were left started to move up and down.

"You just had to say something," Yumi replied.

Now back with Odd as he hit one of the Creepers and it blew up. "And they are supposed to be powerful."

Then one Creeper came up to Odd as Odd aimed his arm and fired, but nothing came out. "Jeremy, I could use some more arrows!"

Jeremy looked back at his screen. "Right away Odd, but it will take about thirty seconds, so keep it busy."

"Grrrrrooooooowwwwwl," the creature said to the strange teammate.

"Grrrrrooooooowwwwwl," mocked Odd as he looked at his hands, turned them into fist, and started jumping around like a boxer." Come on, I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."

He starts to box the creature as the Announcer said. "I don't believe it; Odd from Team Kiwi is literally beating up the Lyoko creature, now this is defiantly a match to remember!"

Then Jeremy finished replacing the arrows. "Your arrows have been refilled."

"Thanks Einstein," Odd replied as he aimed his arm at the woozy Creeper. "I did say I stung like a bee, Laser Arrow."

He fired and it blew up. "Now Odd, go help the others."

"No problem."

Back with the others on the team, they are about halfway through the path. "Watch out, Creepers on the ledge!"

They looked up as one of them fired but Yumi used her fans to block the attack, then more of them started to fire as Ulrich used his sword to block as well.

"Hurry up Aelita, we need to hit that switch, there is less than a minute left!" Jeremy cried out, Aelita nodded as she went ahead for the switch

Yumi threw one of her fans to hit the one on the right as Ulrich threw his sword to hit the one on the left.

The sword returned to his hand as they spotted another one charging up, but right before it fired. "Laser Arrow," Odd said as his weapon hit the creature and was destroyed. "Don't leave me out of all the fun."

The timer was getting down to five seconds as Aelita made it across the platforms. She hit the button with only one second to spare.

Jeremy took a deep breath of relief as the room they were in charge with a floor and a pathway out of there.

"It looks like Team Kiwi barely made it out of there, too bad they are behind as Team Project has already got off the Elevator and is heading to their computer station."

They make it to the outside of the dome and are shocked once again by how large the dome is around them. "So where is this elevator we need to take?" Ulrich asked as the large moving metal platform whizzed right by them.

"That would be it Ulrich," Jeremy replied as his team is stunned.

"You've got to be kidding; if we miss we will automatically lose," Odd pointed out.

"Then we better not miss," Aelita replied with a smile on her face.

"Ok team, its coming around again. In three, two, jump!"

His team jumped as the elevator came from below and traveled at high speeds around the inside of the dome. "That was a close one," Jeremy said as he wiped off the sweat from his forehead.

The Elevator slowed to a stop. "Ok, now go down the corridor and the Computer should be right in front of you."

Now back at the hotel, Mary is sitting in the main room watching the Championship as she hugged a small stuff Teddy Bear and said. "Come on Jamie, I know you can do it."

"What did you say to me about talking to yourself?" Sissy asked as she sat next to the white hair girl.

"Hey Sissy, where have you been? The Tournament has already started."

"Overslept," was the girl's reply as she took a sip of her soda. "So what did I miss?"

"They are in a new level called Carthage and your team is heading to the second part of it while mine is already there."

"Well my team still can catch up, so don't think their out," Sissy replied as she noticed the object she was hugging. "What's with the bear?"

Mary looked down at it. "Jamie and I went to the carnival last night and he won this for me, then I promised him something after today's game."

"What would that be?"

"That is my secret," Mary replied with a smile on her face as a flashback happens to when they were at the carnival and Jamie threw the ball and knocked down the three bottles."

"You did it Jamie," Mary said with excitement as the owner of the booth gave him a teddy bear.

"I-I, hope you l-like it," Jamie said as he offered the small bear to her and her face is filled with joy.

"Thank you, I love it," she took the bear and added in a sad tone. "Jamie, I know tomorrow you have to save the world and all from that virus, but win or lose, when you come back, I will give you a kiss."

His face turned red as her voice became a sadder tone. "Just please, come back in one piece."

Back at the Stadium, the two teams are tied as their Deactivators are looking through the endless streams of information from the computers outside of Carthage.

But we see Anax working in his office as all of a sudden, a highly armed Police force broke in. "Dr. Anax Hopper, you are under arrest for the endangering others, creating a virus, and sabotage. Put your hands up and come quietly."

He slowly got up from his computer station and looked at the Police. "Sorry, there is still too much to do."

When that is happening, in Lyoko the two teams are still at the computers as the Flying Mantis are about to break out of the wall. "Watch out team, the "incident" is getting worse and a few monsters are about to greet you," Jeremy said.

"I've almost got it Jeremy, the map is very well hidden," Aelita replied, scanning through the endless information.

"Well, it looks like their hatching out of the wall," Ulrich commented.

"Creepy, what do you think they will be, boys or girls?" Odd asked while chuckling and the rest of the team smacked their foreheads.

Then the Mantis's broke out of the code wall and flew right towards the team.

"I found it Jeremy!" she exclaimed. "Sending it to you now."

"Thanks, sending your vehicles as well to take out the Flying Mantis. Odd, you take Aelita to the Tower."

"Sure Romeo, I will keep Juliet safe. Come on," Odd replied as the two ran back into the sphere as the other two got on their vehicles.

Back with Anax as the Police are all unconscious, he sits back down at his computer and said as his eyes started pulsing. "There is still much to do, and everything is going as planned."

To Be Continued

One more chapter to go (I hope) but it may be a while before I update, read and review.

P.s. Yes I will add that creature, but does anyone have any ideas of anything else I can try to add before I start working on it?