It didnt take long for the six to arrive at Adelaide. Rudys worst fear was released. Adelaide had fallen. Even the castle, which had withstood many battles, lay in ruin. Zed landed the plane. Rudy watched the wrekage in disbelife. Smoldering boards, fallen walls, and a few bodies were all that appeared to have survived. Even before the Gull Wing had landed, Rudy was over the side, and running for the remains of the town.
"CECILIA!!!!!"
A laugh answered Rudys cry. "So, the thirteenth has arrived." The figure drew his sword. "I challenge you!"
Rudy looked at the figure and knew. "Youre like me "
The figure shook his head. "I was the twelth, and before your creation, the leader! Now some question my leadership. Once I destroy you, I shall proove that I am suited to be the leader."
Rudy shook his head. "I dont want to fight you."
The figure laughed. "Zeikfried thought youd say that. So he gave me a little something to force you to battle me. Look!"
The Holmcross moved aside. Behind him, bound and gaged, lay Cecilia. "Fight me. Win and you can have her. Refuse to fight me, and she dies "
Rudy looked at his friend. Cecilia didnt move, but he could see her breathing. "It seems I have no choice "
Rudy drew his sword, just as the others arrived. The Holmcross noticed them. "Stay back, or she dies!"
The five held their distance. Rudy and the Holmcross circled. Each with their sword drawn. The Holmcross made the first move. He moved in fast, but he hadnt had the same experiance that Rudy had. Rudy didnt appear to notice that his opponent had even moved. Suddenly, the Holmcrosss sword was blocked. No one had seen Rudy move.
Zed shook his head in disbelife. "He did it!"
Boomerang looked over at his friend. "What do you mean?"
Zed looked at Boomerang. "Remeber before, when we were wating for the others to go see the Elw, I started to teach Rudy about our fighting style?"
Booomerang nooded. "Yeah. You mean he remebered it?"
Zed looked back towards the battle. "It sure seems that way."
Rudy was beginning to attack more and more aggresively. Slowly but surely, the other Holmcross was being forced into the defencive. As this realisation settled in, the Holmcross began to back up towards Cecilia. The battle was nearly on top of her, when she suddenly arose, unbounded. Her shape wavered, and suddenly Belselk stood there. Rudy was so busy concentrating on his battle that he didnt even notice the change.
It didnt escapt the others however. Zed and Boomerang rushed fowards to aid their friend. The other three didnt take long to figure out that this shouldnt have occured, and they too ran fowards. However, Belselk wasnt there to fight. As soon as the Holmcross reached Belseck, the two vanished.
It took Rudy much longer to realise this. "What happened?"
Zed looked at Rudy. "It was a trick. Cecilia wasnt here. Belselk was disguised as her. He and the Holmcross escaped. Im sorry.."
Rudy shook his head. "Why?"
No one had an answer. Rudy began to wander among the wrekage, seeking anyone whod survived. Their seemed to be nothing. Burnt, broken, and magled bodies laid across the town. Sometimes hed see an arm or leg sticking out of the wreckage. But when he went to help the survivor, only that limb was there.
The others had spread out as well. Though they had less hope of survivros than Rudy. Rudy reached the ruind castle. A figure lying there caught his attention. It was one of the guardsmen whod stood by his door as hi recovered. Rudy ran over to the figure.
He was still breathing. "Are you alright?"
The guard opened his eyes. "Rudy? She . She was right. You came . Too late... They "
Rudy shook his head. "One chance. Thats all I have " Being very careful not to hit the injured man, Rudy removed his pack, and began despretly seeking something. "I have to have it. I know I have it " Various objects came flying out. But still Rudy dug deeper. "Yes! I do have it!"
He withdrew the emblem of Odoryuk. "Please, help this man "
From within the realm of the Guardians, Odoryuk heard. He came to the human world. "I shall aid him as best I can."
With those words, there was a great flash of light. When it vanished, Odoryuk was gone, and so were the mans injuries. "Im alive?"
Rudy nodded. "What happened?"
The man shook his head. "I I dont know. The Elw warned us of an attack, so Cecilia ordered the city evacuated. She refused to leave. I was with her personal guard. The last of the commoners were just escaping when they showed up " The other five had found noting, and were now heading over to Rudy. The man saw them, but recogised Zed and Boomerang. "At first glance, they seemed to be human. But when the fleeing citizens tried to pass them, they drew weapons, and "
Rudy noded. Anyone could tell what had happened from the wrekage. "Then what?"
"We were surprised, but the slaughter gave us enough time to prepare our defences. Those things werent human. They took everything we could muster. Only Cecilias spells seemed to do any real damage. The started cutting down the guards. Cecilia called for us to retreat. More were cut down as we ran. I fell. I was sure I was dead. I laied their wating for the fatal blow "
"It never came. Cecilias guards fell. She was captured. Then then they fished the city. They had no need to. We were already beaten! Why?"
Rudys eyes burned with anger. "Thats what he wanted me for. To lead these these monsters into battle." He clenched his hands into fists. "Zeikfried will pay for this. Even if it kills me!"
Zed and Boomerang both looked in shock at the man they thought they knew. Not even during the war where the two had fought Rudy and his friends had they seen him this angry. It was a frightening sight.
Zed walked fowards, and placed his hand on Rudys sholder. "Berhaps we should return to Saint Centour. That may be the last gathering of warriors on the planet "
Rudy looked over the chard remains of the town. The town hed hated such a short time ago. Then noded. The seven headed towards the Gull Wing.
Rudy prayed that this time, they would be able to stop a massicar