Five Years

Chapter 7 - Disbelief

As soon as the fog covered door was opened, more poison-like gray filled the entire Hermitage house. The great tension that also left that room made the atmosphere feel even heavier than before. The three Lyoko warriors crouched down, in front of the door, from the impressive weight.

"S-stay back!" Jeremy yelled to his friends as he slowly stood and took his first step into the quarantined bedroom. Ulrich also staggered to his feet to follow after Jeremy; until a shaky hand grabbed his wrist, holding him back. Ulrich looked down to lock eyes with the nervous looking pinkette.

"Ulrich w-wait. Don't g-go yet." Aelita pleaded, her grip tightening on Ulrich's wrist. Ulrich looked away from his friend and stared at the blackened room in which Jeremy disappeared in. He wanted to go inside so badly…not only to protect his friend from whatever is in there, but…

"I have to see him." Ulrich said with determination overflowing from his piercing gaze. At that, Aelita released his wrist and he took off behind Jeremy.

Almost like a reflex, Ulrich immediately began holding his breath when he entered the toxic air of the dark room.

"J-Jeremy, where are you?" Ulrich asked, holding one arm out in front of him and the other on the hilt of his sword.

"Here Ulrich." Jeremy whispered, also holding one arm out with the other on his gun. Their hands touch in the dark as they pulled themselves to each other.

"I can't see anything in here."

"I know Ulrich, but he's definitely in here. Listen."

The two went silent, even held their breath, as they listened to the sounds emanating from the fog.

"Ha…ha I can hear him…he's breathing." Ulrich stuttered as the words of complete relief left his lips.

"W-where is he?" Ulrich said, letting go of Jeremy's hand.

"Wait Ulrich! We shouldn't separate until we can see!" Jeremy whispered; frantically searching for Ulrich's hand again. Waving his hand all throughout the fog he finally caught his friend's hand.

"Ulrich please don't go off on your own in here. We don't know where he is…" Jeremy exhaled in shock as the hand in his hand moved to grip his throat, stealing any chance of taking a breath.

"Ul-" Jeremy gasped out as he was lifted into the air.

"So after five years. You've finally found me."

"Odd?" Jeremy said as he struggled to break the hand's grip around his neck.

Ulrich searched like his life depended on it. He heard Jeremy say Odd's name. Jeremy was with Odd right now…which meant Jeremy was with him too.

"Jeremy!?" Ulrich screamed. The only response he got was sickly evil laughter echoing throughout the room. Ulrich stopped in his tracks and faced the direction the laughter came from. Suddenly all the fog started moving away from Ulrich and towards a figure standing at the opposite wall of the room. As soon as the fog dispersed, the room cleared; Ulrich's eyes grew wide as he was finally face to face with his best friend again.

Aelita emerged from the door as the fog left and gawked at the scene in front of her. They had finally found Odd again, but it seems as though he's still possessed.

It's just like we feared. I don't know what to do! Aelita screamed at herself.

"It's been a long time, Ulrich." Odd said, so casually Ulrich thought it was really him.

So lost in their reunion, Ulrich hadn't realized Jeremy was still being held in the air by Odd.

"Ul-rich…" Jeremy said, vision blurring.

"Jeremy!? Odd let him go! He's your friend."

"My friend? No he isn't. I don't have any friends. They're all dead…or will be." Odd said with an evil grin appearing on his face. This version of Odd…Ulrich has never seen it before. His Odd was gentle, funny, kind, and wouldn't even joke about hurting his friends. His appearance was off too, but that's to be expected; it has been five years. Odd seemed taller, a lot taller than he had ever thought he'd get. Odd's usually blonde spiky hair was still the same just messier, which Ulrich couldn't help but think it looked better that way. The purple that was in his hair had turned black from the mass possession and his clothes were all tattered, torn, and black. This wasn't Odd and Ulrich knew it, but...

"You won't kill him Odd. You won't kill your friends." Ulrich whispered as he took a few steps closer to Odd and Jeremy.

"Don't act like you still know me Ulrich Stern. I'm not the same Odd."

"I know that, X.A.N.A." Ulrich spat.

"That's not all Ulrich. I'm stronger than I was before." Odd said patting his chest.

"What're you talking about?"

"Heh." Odd chuckled as he threw Jeremy at Ulrich. The two collided and Jeremy fell to the ground in a coughing fit.

"Jeremy, are you okay!?" Aelita yelled as she ran to his side. He nodded and looked up at Ulrich.

"You said I'd never kill my friends, right? Well…look at this." Odd grinned as he walked towards the closet. He quickly looked back at Ulrich then swung the doors open.

Silence fell as mouths gapped open at the sight. Blood trickled out from the double doors; William's body sat in the back corner of the closet. Unmoving, cold, blank expression, and lifeless eyes.

Screams then took over the silence. Tears joined the screams as Jeremy pulled Aelita to his chest. Ulrich wobbled to stay on his feet, he was in complete disbelief. Odd watched their expressions and felt a rush of pure elation. The same evil laughter filled the room as Odd slammed the closet doors shut.

Ulrich hesitantly gripped his sword and lunged at Odd, pinning him to the wall.

"What did you do!?" Ulrich demanded an explanation, pressing his sword to Odd's neck.

"What do you mean what? I thought I made it quite clear Ulrich. I killed William and I'm going to kill the rest of you too."

"Why would you k-kill him?"

"Well let me see…he still had a main part of X.A.N.A inside of him and I wanted it. I pulled most of it out of him and then…"

"He wasn't possessed anymore?"

"Not completely. He was still mine, but I wasn't controlling him. Just tagging him...really."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST LET HIM GO!?"

"Don't think so badly of me."

"Don't?"

"I let him live at first. You know what the digital sea can do to you. It usually kills you unless you have part of me inside, but even so it can still do damage if the vessel, itself, is injured already. My vessel was damaged pretty badly…close to death even. Even now I'm not at one hundred percent, but William had a tougher time recovering from the digital sea with having only a small piece of me."

"So…you let him die here…slowly suffering?"

"No."

"You ended it?"

"In a way."

"EXPLAIN!" Ulrich demanded pressing the blade closer to Odd's throat, cutting him.

"He actually survived the five years I was here."

"W-what? When did you kill him?"

"…"

"WHEN DID YOU KILL HIM!? TELL ME ODD!?"

"Yesterday."

Ulrich felt the bile rise to settle in his throat. He looked to the ground and felt the sting from the emerging tears, but refused to let them fall just yet.

DAMMIT! Ulrich cursed at himself for being too late to save his friend.

"Anyways he survived the whole time. Having a part of me inside of him helped keep him alive long enough to recover. I maybe would have let him go, but he tried to escape first."

"Es...cape? Why? To go where?"

"He was going to find you guys to warn you about…well he wanted to tell you where my vessel was. When I wouldn't allow him to leave…he attacked me. He wanted to try and end it himself, but as you can see…he didn't have any chance. So I killed him."

Jeremy and Aelita couldn't believe all the dark things coming out of their best friend's mouth. They knew it wasn't really Odd, but this…all this was just too unbelievable. It was too much!

If only I had figured it out earlier and started my scan sooner! We could've saved William!

"DAMMIT!" Jeremy screamed; pounding his fist on the tear soaked floor beneath him. Aelita hugged Jeremy as she said her own "what if's" and curses. Ulrich glanced back at his friends as they fell apart in guilt then turned back to Odd.

"YOU KILLED HIM. NOT ODD! REMEMBER THAT!"

"AHAHAHAHA! You're serious aren't you?" Odd laughed at the ceiling then glared into Ulrich's glossy eyes.

"You don't know me anymore…and don't think for a second that I won't kill you because honestly, it's a top priority of mine." Odd said gripping the blade that was pressing harder on his throat.

"You won't kill me. Or should I say you can't kill me?" Odd said in a taunting tone.

Tears left Ulrich's eyes and flooded down his face as he pulled his sword back, held the blade pointed at his best friend's heart, and locked eyes with the only one he's ever loved.

"Do it."

Blood covered the floor as tear shrieking screams filled the Hermitage home.

(A/N) Ooooh wow. It has really been awhile, but here is a new chapter for you all to enjoy. I know it was quite angsty and depressing, but enjoy it anyways. A new chapter will coming sooner than this one did...hopefully. REVIEW PLEASE! I NEED MORE REVIEWS! Thank you kindly. :)