A/N: This story is a slight twist on what happened when William was possessed by X.A.N.A with an alternate ending. Enjoy.

Clear blue tentacles surrounded him, lifting him slowly off the ground. He could vaguely hear Jeremie's and Aelita's yelling in the distance, a silent whisper that didn't quite reach his consciousness. Something cold and dark slithered into his mind, encasing his senses in a black fog. It crept slowly over his thoughts, tugging him away from the rest of the world.

He pulled out his large sword and swung it by instinct. It had become a part of him now; he didn't have to think about how to use it anymore than he had to think about walking. He glanced behind him and saw a group of Creepers waiting silently on the blue steps. He told them something without realizing what he was saying, surprised that they obeyed his command.

The core of Lyoko was in front of him, and he could feel his mouth forming silent words, his deep voice rumbling soundlessly in his throat. The next thing he knew, the Creepers were attacking the core. His breath quickened, and he lifted his sword to destroy the monsters. But to his horror, he saw a black mist leak from the blade, flying forcefully into the protective shield.

A faint smile curled his lips as realization dawned on him. It was a dream. In the real Lyoko, his sword couldn't shoot that strange black substance. He looked around and saw the other Warriors below him. They must have come to help him destroy the Creepers. He leaped down, his fist smashing into the floor. For some reason, they took a step back, drawing their weapons out.

"Yumi?" he asked. But instead of hearing his voice, a dark chuckle filled the room. He tried to ask them what was going on, when suddenly, his muscles tensed on reflex, and he found himself flying through the air. Without realizing it, he was attacking them. But that was alright, wasn't it? It was only a dream. Soon, he would wake up and ask them how everything really went on Lyoko.

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He plunged his sword into the glowing orb, watching the shattered pieces scatter around the area. Why am I doing this? The thought formed in his mind, slow and clouded. Why haven't I woken up yet? It seemed like he had been in this dream for such a long time, hours, maybe even days. How long had it really been?

"This isn't a dream, William." It was a deep voice, cold and low. It reminded him of how his laughter sounded before he attacked the others. And it almost sounded digital. That same laughter filled his head again, the low voice speaking slowly. "What did you expect? I'm a virus, William. Not a human."

"X.A.N.A?" He asked quietly, his voice sluggish and strained.

"Exactly." The sound drifted around him, filling his head with a black mist. He tried closing his eyes, but they seemed to be unwilling to close. His gaze shifted slightly, and his heart seemed to stop beating. Lyoko was in ruins, numbers and letters floated passed his view and disappeared; everything seemed to be shutting down.

What's going on? He tried to move forward, tried reaching out for the fading lights. As he gazed out at the falling world, a sudden thought struck him. If Lyoko was being destroyed, was he going to die? A dark shield encased him, stopping him from falling into the depths of the digital sea.

"Only the William that the real world knows will die. But you will still live on."

"No." He whispered, trying to break through the darkness that clouded his mind. "Get out of my head." He struggled against the invisible cords that seemed to tug at his consciousness, fighting to be released.

"I don't think I can do that, William. I, am in control now." The voice seemed to surround him, pulling him into an endless pit.

"Yeah? Well my head's only big enough for one mind." He was still falling, and he could see the digital sea closing in fast. "So one of us has to leave." He didn't know why he said it, hearing it only made the reality of everything seem worse. He already knew what would happen next.

That familiar, cold chuckle washed over him, sending a chill down his spine. "Goodbye, William. A pity your mind will drown in the digital sea. You would have made a promising warrior."

The warmth of his body drifted from him, and he was pushed out into the cold destruction of Lyoko. He splashed hard into digital sea, his breathing hard as the liquid threatened to drown him. He was incorporeal. His mind virtualized for eternity, left to wander all the digital worlds without ever going back. No one would ever find him now. He was nothing more than a useless program on a nonexistent world.