The Return Chapter 16

The Return

By Firstborn Dragon

Soon the Gull Wing was landing outside of the Arena. It seemed unusually quite, compared to the normal screaming, cheering, and clash of weaponry that was common from the arena. Jack and Zed slowly loosed their swords, and Rudy checked his ARM.

Jack shook his head. "I don’t like this. Its far to quiet."

Zed shook his head. "I’m sure of it. Boomerang is about to return. I don’t know how it’s possible so soon."

Suddenly, there was a clash of swords from inside, and then the sound of running feet. Boomerang rushed out from the Arena. He didn’t even notice Jack and the others, until he collided with Zed. He took one look at Zed, got up, and tried to run in the opposite direction. But then more figures emerged from the Arena. Boomerang and Zeikfried weren’t the only ones to have returned…

"As I suspected. You clamed that you do not side with the humans, yet here you are begging at their feet." Zeikfried emerged. Behind him came some long though dead…

Jack looked up at the emerging figures. "Not them again! As if we didn’t have enough problems."

Behind him followed Alhazad, Belselk, and one Jack never though he’d see again…

"So you recognize my second-in-command. She’s an excellent warrior, and she wishes to avenge her defeat. Then, a new figure emerged from the shadows. One that looked much like Rudy…

Jack looked at the hoard, and shook his head. "There’s no way we can beat all of them."

Zed nodded. "For once, we agree on something."

But Rudy’s attention wasn’t on the group of demons, or Boomerang at the moment. "Looks like our other problem has found us."

Jack spared Rudy a glance. "Don’t tell me…"

But Rudy nodded. "Yes. And coming up fast."

Zed growled. "That’s the last thing we needed."

But Zeikfried was annoyed. "You ignore us? What could be of a greater concern than your demise?"

Rudy looked at him. "You’ll know in about one minute. You scoffed at the idea before. Perhaps the real thing will convince you." Still, the three drew there weapons. Boomerang was still sitting in the same position he was in when Zeikfried immerged from the Arena. He took one look at the three, one look at Zeikfried, and then stood up. He walked over to Zed. "Looks like you’ll need all the help you can get."

Jack was about to say something, when the appearance of a flying figure cut him off. "One question Rudy. How many are coming?"

Rudy shook his head. "You sure you want to know?"

Jack looked up, then looked towards the coast. "Don’t tell me… all three?"

"I could do that, but it would be a lie."

Zed pointed up to the creature. "Is that proof enough for you?"

Zeikfried was looking up at the creature, trying to figure out what it was. Then, two more began to advance from the east. The dragon-like creature came down to land, and just missed landing on the Arena. As soon as Zeikfried saw it on the ground, he knew it for what it was. Jack, Rudy and Zed began to back up towards the Gull Wing. The three knew that they were no match for all of the Forsaken.

Jack and Zed rushed on, but Rudy stopped, and turned to Boomerang. "You coming?"

It was the second time Rudy had done something majority unexpected. Boomerang looked at him in shock. But as soon as the other Forsaken came into sight, he ran, and got on board. Rudy could see the disbelief on both Jack’s and Zed’s faces. He didn’t need to turn around to know it was on Boomerang’s too. "He’s helped us out. I figure we should return the favor. Besides, by the looks of it, either he comes with us, or else he’s left on his own. And I don’t think that’s in anyone’s best interest at the moment."

Boomerang stood there, looking at both Jack, and Zed. Rudy stood between the three, hoping to avoid a battle. Suddenly, Jack spun around, and marched off to the back of the airship. Rudy watched him go, then turned to look at Zed and Boomerang. Neither one looked ready to fight, but they were watching the other closely. Rudy shook his head, and headed into the cabin to set the auto pilot destination. Soon the Gull Wing was speeding off in the direction of Adelaide.

Rudy reemerged from the cabin, then remembered he still held something. He placed his back pack on the ground, and drew out the boomerang that had been left in front of Kal Dingle when Boomerang had saved their lives from the creatures. "You want this back?" He advanced towards Boomerang, the weapon extended.

Boomerang looked at it in surprise. "You actually kept that?"

Rudy shrugged. "What else was I gonna do with it?"

Boomerang shook his head. "You have no idea of what you hold, do you?" "Not really. Do you want it or not?"

Boomerang looked at Rudy puzzled. "Why do you help me?"

Rudy shrugged. "I happen to remember the day I found this. You risked your life to kill those creatures. Even though you tried to kill us latter, I still figure I owe it to you."

Boomerang shook his head in disbelief. "You are strange. Even though you’re a half-breed…"

Rudy cut him off. He didn’t want to go through that again. "That allows me to understand the situation all the better. If the truth of my heritage ever got out, I’d have trouble. In some sense, my life is more a disbelief than you could ever imagine."

Boomerang looked at Zed for clarification. Zed shrugged. "Don’t look at me. I’ve been trying to figure out humans for over a year now. And I still don’t understand them."

Boomerang stepped forwards, and removed the weapon from Rudy’s hand. Then he spoke to it. "Soon you shall be free again. And we shall hunt once more."

Rudy watched Boomerang. "Remember one thing. We’ve stopped you once, and if you try to cause trouble, we’ll stop you again."

But Boomerang shook his head. "It’s a different quarry I hunt now. Zeikfried shall pay for what he’s done."

Zed broke out laughing. "You were just running in fear from his army, and now you’re going to single handedly stop them?"

Boomerang looked at Zed. If Zed had been a man, his blood would have frozen in fear. All it did to Zed was to stop his laughter. "I am a hunter. To hunt is my life. That is all I know." He then turned to Rudy. "Upon my honor, I shall not attack human, Guardian, or Elw anymore."

Rudy was trying to take advantage of the situation. He knew that Boomerang, like he and the others, had a common foe. Alone, none had a chance against Zeikfried and his army, but perhaps as a group they would. "Perhaps we should work together. It’s a death warrant to go after them alone. And we must see them stopped as well."

Boomerang was still stroking the weapon Rudy had given to him. "A possibility perhaps. But how would your friends react to such an action?"

Rudy looked back to the back of the ship, where Jack had fled. Then turned to look at the castle, which was rapidly coming into view. "I have no idea. But there are times when personal feelings must be put aside for the greater good. I believe they understand this." And slowly the Gull Wing came in for a landing outside the castle of Adelaide.

As soon as they landed, Jack jumped out from the front of the Gull Wing. He didn’t even look back.

Zed watched him. "That doesn’t look good. Are you sure you made a wise decision by allowing Boomerang to come with us?"

Rudy turned around, and faced Zed. "I don’t know. But I know that if he stayed there, he’d die. I couldn’t allow that to happen after what he did for us."

Boomerang then came out of the cabin. He hadn’t felt well during the journey. Somehow that didn’t surprise Rudy. Jack and Zed had also been ill the first time they flew on the Gull Wing. Boomerang walked to the edge of the ship, and leaped off. He landed effortlessly, just as Jack had. But then he did something strange. He withdrew the weapon that Rudy had given him, and planted it into the earth. Then, he sat down, and faced it. And began to chant in a strange language. The boomerang began to glow, and then a white light engulfed the area. When it had cleared, the boomerang was gone. In it’s place stood Lucied, guardian of desire. The great wolf bounded over to Boomerang. Boomerang began to scratch her head.

Then he looked up at Rudy. "As I said, you have no idea what you held."

Rudy didn’t say anything, as he and Zed leaped over the sides of the Gull Wing. He landed near Boomerang, and suddenly Lucied stood on guard, growling at him. Boomerang put his hand on her head, and she stopped. But she didn’t take her eyes off Rudy.

Rudy paid no attention to Lucied, or at least not visibly so. He kept his eyes on Boomerang. "Either you can fight with us, or try to beat them on your own. It’s your choice."

Boomerang looked at Rudy, and shook his head. "Usually we fight alone." He looked down at Lucied, who looked back up at him. "But in this case, you may be right."

"I’m going to the castle. Cecilia needs to know what’s going on, without Jack changing the picture too much. It might be best if you both come…" He looked back at the three. "err, all come. But it’s your choice."

Zed followed. Boomerang watched the two approach the city. Lucied watched them leave. Boomerang placed his hand on her head again.

"It is your choice to fight with them?"

"It is death for us to fight alone. I am not eager to return to the bodiless form I just lost. Besides, they seem to have gained Zed’s trust. A feat no other demon has done…"

"Save one…"

"Yes my friend. Save one…"

The two followed Zed and Rudy to the castle.

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