#desert sector

Of course my main hyperfixation had to take over my desire to learn how to draw

So let’s start with the middle layer: the Dunes. With shifting sands and harsh winds, this is probably the most difficult middle layer to navigate. But once again, it’s the only layer from which you can enter the towers. At the very least, most monsters have a difficult time navigating it as well, with only the bigger monsters with longer legs being able to withstand the winds.

The upper layer is the Mirage. It’s not a layer virtualized humans can enter, at least not without special access codes. In this layer, larger versions of normal monsters can appear and attack you. However, you cannot attack them; you have to defeat them in a different way. These bigger monsters cannot move aside from attacking you, but you can move towards them, and then, just like a real mirage, they will disappear once you get close enough. Theoretically, with the access code, Jeremy could also materialize the Lyoko warriors here to launch larger-scale attacks on the monsters, but once the monsters get too close to the warrior in question, the warrior will get devirtualized as well. And anyway, Jeremy is still working on figuring this access code out.

The bottom layer is the Tombs. It’s a labyrinth of dusty underground hallways. There’s only a select few entrances from which you can enter this layer from the Dunes, so if you go here, a coordinator has to be present to tell you where to enter and exit so you don’t have to travel a large distance in the Dunes to get to your goal. On the other hand, large monsters cannot appear here, and it’s easy to play a game of squash with the smaller monsters, destroying them by just kicking them against the walls and watching them bounce.

That’s the last of this series, but I’m probably not done with writing about Lyoko in a hypothetical reboot yet. I’ve already written about the Cookie Store, and I’ve been thinking about writing a series of four one-shots of Aelita exploring the sectors while she’s still stuck in Lyoko. Not sure when I’ll get to that though.

CL: Jeremy Belpois design by ShinjuMarkez