Chapter 44:
"The others will stop you!", Cornelia snapped at Hollens and Riddle. "You plan to take over Meridian will fail as well!"
"Is that so?", Riddle questioned. "Well we beg to differ. Don't we Hollens?"
"We most certianly do, Riddle.", Hollens said. "For we hold all the cards. We have you and your two friends here. Which means that your other fellow Guardians will be coming for you soon. And for them we have a nice little trap set for them while we'll be invading Meridian. And from there we'll take over all of Metamoor."
"And there's nothing you can do about it.", Riddle said with a smirk. "For you will play a key part of in all of this, my dear."
"What are you talking about?", Cornelia questioned.
"You'll find out soon enough.", Hollens said when the door opened and Sylla entered the room.
"Mr. Sylla!?", Cornelia questioned in surprise.
"Agent Sylla.", Sylla said.
"What is it, Sylla?", Riddle asked.
"The first three waves of robots are through the fold, gentlemen.", Sylla said
"Good.", Hollens said. "It's time for us to head for Metamoor.", he said as they began to leave the room. "Make sure she doesn't try to escape.", he ordered Caleb and Irma.
"Amazing how you have complete control of them.", Sylla said/
"Indeed.", Riddle said but stopped when the three of them exited the room. "You shall stay here, Sylla."
"What!?", Sylla questioned. "But I thought I would be going with you and Hollens."
"And who would watch over the girl and keep the Guardians here long enough for us to take over the Meridian Kingdom?", Riddle questioned.
"We're trusting you with keeping those brats here so we can complete our task, Sylla.", Hollens said. "Those children have a way of beating the odds and coming out on top. Keeping them here on Earh is the only way to insure victory."
"And you need me to do that.", Sylla said as they walked down the hall.
"Yes.", Riddle said. "Understand, Sylla, that we are trusting you and only you with this task."
"Keep the Guardians here and victory will be ours.", Hollens said.
"Yes, Sir!", Sylla said. "I won't let you down."
"Good.", Hollens said as he took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "And if by some chance they escape our trap, show what I have on this piece of paper to Caleb and Irma. They'll know what to do."
"Yes, Sir.", Sylla said as he took the paper and put it in his pocket. "By the way where is the trap for the remaining Guardians?"
"Follow us.", Riddle said as he and Hollens led the way to a small control room.
Sylla walked in with Hollens and Riddle and saw that the window of the control room gave him a viw of a large white room. It was the size of the school gym. Seeing this, Sylla wondered where the trap was.
"So where is it?", Sylla asked.
"The room is the trap.", Hollens said. "I had this room made to keep the Guardians busy. Just watch the video on how the room works and you'll do fine.", he said as he turned a moitor on and had a video begin playing.
"Do not fail us, Sylla.", Riddle said as he and Hollens left the room.
"I won't, Sir.", Sylla said as he began to watch the video. "I shall defeat the Guardians."
As for Hollens and Riddle, they made their way to the room where the device they used to open folds was at and were ready to start their invasion. Both men went through the fold and were walking on the ground of the Meridian Kingdom.
"Amazing.", Riddle said. "I never get tired of coming here."
"Nor do I, my friend.", Hollens said as they walked up to a semi truck that had a trailer.
They walked to the back of the trailer that had a thing of stairs that they walked up and into the tailer that was made to be their command center with all kinds of computers with wires connected to two large chairs with open-faced helmets connected to them.
"Shall we?", Hollens asked.
"Let us begin.", Riddle said as they sat in the chairs and slipped the helmets on. "I love how we'll be able to lead the attack from here."
"And we won't feel any pain.", Hollens said. "With these helmets and our mental powers, we'll be able to control our special robots and lead the attack."
"Then let us begin.", Riddle said as they turned on the helmets and pulled down the visors.
Once they did this, two Human looking robots turned on. The both of them were seven feet tall and looked like knights. One was black while the other one white. The two of them began to move slowly like they were getting used to moving for the first time. Which they were. Also there were two robot horses with folded wings. One was white while the other black
"Amazing!", came Riddle's voice from the black knight robot as it did a backflip. "I think it and it does it!"
"Thanks to those microchips, these robots are an extention of ourselves and our thoughts.", came Hollens's voice from the white knight robot as he began to throw some punches and kicks in the air. "Meridian will be ours!", he said as he jumped onto the black robot horse.
"Yes it shall!", Riddle said as he jumped onto the white robot horse.
The two of them then began marching towards the palace with the first wave of robots behind them. Now at the palace, John Vanders had arrived and filled Elyon in on what was going on with the Guardians before continuing his work on the EMP blasters.
"How long until the blasters are done, Mr. Vanders?", Matt asked.
"I have two of them finished.", John said as he handed him and Elyon a blaster. "Be warned that you may have to change frequencies depending on the type of robots that you'll be fighting."
"Gotcha.", Matt said as he held his blaster. "I just hope the others get her in time."
"You and me both.", Elyon said.
"Don't worry.", John said as he was working on another blaster. "We have a back-up plan."
"Back-up plan?", Elyon questioned. "What back-up plan?"
"Well...", John began to explain when Raythor came into the room.
"Your Majesty! Robots have been spotted marching through the conrtyside!", Raythor said.
"They're close!", Elyon said.
"May I suggest that we meet them head on so we can give the the people in the city time to escape to the Infinite City.", Aldarn suggested.
"Agreed.", Elyon said. "Have four squads of soldiers escort the people to the Infinite City and stand guard and keep them safe.",
"By your command.", Aldarn said as he left to do as Elyon ordered.
"The rest of us will go and meet our enemy head on.", Elyon said to which the other members of her Honor Guard bowed before they left with Elyon.
"I hope you back-up plan works, sir.", Matt said before flying out the nearest window to head off the robots.
"You and me both.", John said as he contiued working on the EMP blasters. "You and me both."
Back on Earth, in the secret factory, Cornelia was stuck in the white room with a mind-controled Caleb and Irma trying to think of a way to escape.
"I can't make a run for it seeing as Caleb will use his telekinesis and Irma can just blast me with a thing of water.", she said to herself. "And even if I manage to get past them, Caleb is to fast for me to fight. Looks like I'm stuck here until the others find me.", she said as she sat their and waited for her friends to find her.
Speaking of which, the Guardians were high above the skies of Heatherfield with Selece and Hay Lin carrying Micheal searching for the stolen microchips with aid from the tracker John gave them. No one saw them for they were glamoured as a flock of birds.
"We're getting close!", Angelo said as he checked the tracking device. "They're a bit more north!"
"We can sense Cornelia, too!", Alchemy said.
"Which means the factory is there as well.", Cassidy said.
"We're here!", Angelo said as he stopped flying. "They'er down there!", he said pointing down.
"Down where?", Hay Lin questioned as she and the others looked down only to see a vast field of grass. "I see nothing."
"It must be underground.", Will said. "Perfect! Just when we need Cornelia and Caleb and they're the ones we're trying to rescue!", she said as they landed in the field.
"What do we do now?", Micheal said as they stood in the field.
"If their base is underground, then there must be a way inside.", Taranee said.
"Question is where is it.", Selece said.
"Maybe you two can find it.", Alchemy said to Will and Angelo. "I mean if it's a machine, you two can use your powers to locate it and get it to open."
"Worth a shot.", Angelo said to Will who nodded in agreement.
"Hold up, guys!", Micheal said getting everyone's attention. "I think I know where the entrance is."
"Where?", Hay Lin asked.
"Well I found some tire tracks.", Micheal said as he stood along some tire tracks that were made in the grass. "And they lead towards those trees.", he said as he pointed towards a thing of trees.
"Let's check it out.", Cassidy said as they headed to the trees.
Once at the trees, Micheal knocked on one of them and got a hollow sound from it. He then searched around with the others and found a control panel in one of the fake tree.
"Found a panel!", Micheal said to which the others ran up to him and the tree with the panel.
"Okay then.", Will said as she touched the panel and sent a surge os energy throught it. "Ummmm... hello?"
"Hi!", a cheerful voice came from the panel said. "I'm Jenny! Who are you?"
"I'm Will. Me and my friends need to get inside.", Will said. "Can you let us inside?"
"I wish I could but I can only let certain people inside.", Jenny said.
"But our friends are inside and need our help.", Angelo said.
"Oh my! Well if that's the case, I guess I can open up enough to let you inside.", Jenny said.
"Thanks, Jenny.", Will said as the entrance opened enough for them to go inside.
"You're welcome!", Jenny said as she closed the entrance behind them once they got inside the factory.
"Okay. So now that we're inside, where do we start looking?", Micheal said before the lights came on lighting a path.
"Looks like someone wants us to go this way.", Cassidy said. "This is so a trap."
"Do we have a choice?", Taranee questioned.
"Not really.", Will said as they walked down the lighted path.
"Let's just hope we can get past whatever trap they have set up and get the others out of here and get to Meridian.", Selece said as they continued they way down the path.
What our heroes didn't know was that they were being watched by Sylla who was watching them through hidden cameras.
"Just a little further, Guardians.", Sylla said as he watched them walk down the path he had lit up for them. "Just a bit further to my trap.", he sid with a smirk.
Soon the seven Guardians came to a set of double doors that opened allowing them to go inside a large white room that had a set of double doors across the room.
"This room is as big as the gym!", Alchemy said as they looked around the area.
"Can you two get a beat on Cornelia?", Cassidy asked Taranee and Alchemy.
"Let's find out.", Taranee said to Alchemy as they tried to contact Cornelia telepathiclly.
'Cornelia? Can you hear us.', Alchemy called out to her friend hoping to she would hear her.
'Alchemy!?', Cornelia questioned. 'Watch out! Sylla is working for them! And they have a trap set up for you guys!'
'A trap!?', Taranee questioned.
"Welcome, Guardians!", came Sylla's voice from a loud speaker.
"Sylla!?", Micheal questioned. "He's involved in al of this!?"
"Well that answers the question about if there was a spy in the school.", Hay Lin said.
"Where is Cornelia!?", Micheal questioned.
"She's safe. For now.", Sylla replied from within the control room as he began to press a few buttons. "Now if I were you, I'd be more worried about yourselves!"
It was then that an opening appeared to which ten robots flew out. But they weren't any of the robots they faced before. These robots had the shape of Matt in his Regent form.
"Are you kidding me!?", Will questioned.
"Surprised?", Sylla questioned. "Let's see you take down these bad boys! Attack!"
"This just keeps getting better and better!", Angelo said as they flew into action.
At least you all can fly!", Micheal said as one of the robot flew at him. "Come and get it!", Micheal snapped as the robot closed in.
Once it was close enough, Micheal jumped over the robot and slashed at it's right wing cutting it off and sending the robot crashing in the wall.
"Take that!", Micheal said as the robot fell to the floor only to slowly get to it's feet. "Aw crap!", he said as the robto ran at him.
(A/N: Sorry about this but I need to do this. For now, Hollens is the white knight robot and Riddle is the black knight robot. Again sorry about this, but I figured that I'd fill you all in now. Now back to the story!)
Back on Metamoor, the robot horde was marching it's way through Meridian towards the capital city where the palace stood. As they marched through a field, Hollens and Riddle noticed something marching towards them as they stopped their robot horses.
"Halt!", Hollens ordered the other robots who stopped as ordered. "It seems that we have company."
"So it seems.", Riddle said as he voomed in on who was marching towards them. "Well what do you know? It seems that the young queen is ready to go to war."
"Is that so?", Hollens questioned as someone on a horse rode towards them with a flag of peace. "Someone is coming. Let's hear what they have to say.", as the person rode up to them.
Turns out that person was Drake. He was sent there by Raythor to deliver a message to the robot horde. Once close enough, Drake brought his horse to a stop as he scanned the different types of robots in front of him. It was like a flashback of all the types of robots he fought in the past along side his fellow Honor Guard, Guardians, and the Regent of Earth. Only now there were a whole lot more of them.
"Unbelieveable.", Drake said as he stared in surprise.
"What do you want, boy?", Hollens asked Drake surprising him.
"I-I have a message from my general.", Drake said.
"And that is?", Riddle asked surprising Drake again.
"For you to return back to your world!", Drake said. "This isn't your world to take over."
"Is that so?", Hollens questioned. "Well you can go tell your general and your queen that we will take this world and there is nothing any of you can do about it!"
Drake said nothing as he turned and rode back to his fellow warriors. Once he returned he told Raythor and Elyon what Hollens said.
"It looks like we have no choice, Your Majesty.", Raythor said.
"I guess not.", Elyon said with a sigh. "We must fight. Sound the horns of batle!", she ordered.
It was then the sound of horns filled the air sending the troops charging into battle while Elyon and Matt took to the air ready to fight any of the flying robots that were there. As for Hollens and Riddle, they heard the horns and knew it was time to fight.
"Attack!", Hollens ordered the robots who went into battle with no fear in them seeing as they weren't alive. "This should be good?"
"Yes it shall..", Riddle said as they stayed behind watching the battle unfold.
Back on Earth, the Guardians were still fighting the Robo-Shagons dodging the attacks they were firing at them. From fireballs to missles that would stun them, the Guardians were doing their best to defeat the robots. But even if they clipped their wings, the robots would fire their missles or fire at them. Heck! They could even jump up at them and cling to the metal walls due to the magnets they had on their feet and hands.
"These things were made to fight us no matter what we do to them!", Taranee said as she dodged one of the Robo-Shagons that jumped at her. "Whoa!"
"I have an idea! But we need to get them together!", Cassidy said as she formed a hammer of ice and swung it at one of the robots.
"Easier said than done!", Angelo said as he smacked one of the robots away with his shield. "They're all over the place!"
"Maybe not.", Selece said. "What if you and Will were to mess with their magnets and attract them to each other?"
"That just may work.", Angelo said.
"Worth a shot.", Will said as she and Angelo each flew at a different robot and zapped their feet causing the magnets to active. "Ready?"
"Ready.", Angelo said as they brought the two robots together.
Once they did this, the two robots were stuck together. Nodding to each other they began to bring the rest of the robot togethe. One by one the robots became magnitised together. Soon all ten of them were stuck together.
"Now what?", Hay Lin asked.
"Now we finish them off.", Micheal said as he began slicing at the robots cutting a nice size hole in each of them. "That should do it. All your, Cassidy!"
"Thank you.", Cassidy said as she call upon water from the pipe running through the place.
Once she had enough water, she ran it through the holes in the robots which shorted them out shutting them all down.
"And that as they say is that.", Cassidy said.
"And now for Sylla!", Will said as she and the others flew up to the control room window Sylla was at.
Once close enough Taranee blasted the window with a fireball destroying the window. But once they got inside, Sylla was gone!
"Now where did he go?", Alchemy qustioned.
"We have to find him!", Will said as Selece and Hay Lin flew into the room with Micheal. "He's the only one who knows where Cornelia and the others are!", she said as they began their search for Sylla.
Speaking of which, Sylla made his way to the room Cornelia was being held in with Caleb and Irma keeping watch over her.
"What's your problem?", Cornelia asked.
"Your friends are tougher than we thought.", Sylla said as he reached into his pocket and took out the paper Hollens gave him.
"You have no idea.", Cornelia said with a smirk. "And boy wait until they get their hands on you!"
"We'll see about that!", Sylla said as he unfolded the paper only to see a black spot drawn on it with the words 'Shell Beach' under it. "What's this!? A spot!? Shell Beach!? Why would Hollens do this? Might as well see what happens.", he said as as he showed the spot to Caleb and Irma.
Once they saw the spot, Caleb and Irma walked over towards Cornelia and grabbed her by her arms.
"What are you two do...", Cornelia said before Caleb and Irma teleported away with her in tow.
"Where did they go!?", Sylla questioned before the door busted open sending him flying towards the wall.
Once his vison cleared he was face to face with Micheal and the other Guardians. Sylla tried to get to his feet, but Micheal grabbed him and held him up against the wall.
"Where are they!?", Micheal demanded.
"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you!", Sylla said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a remote and pressed a button. "Right now, as we speak, agents are making their way right here.", he said with a smirk.
"Let him go, Micheal.", Will said. "We got a better way to get the truth out of him.", she said as Micheal let Sylla go. "Cass."
"Better make this quick!", Cassidy said as she used her power to freeze Sylla against the wall.
"Let me down!", Sylla snapped as he tried to get free of the ice.
"I will, but first you're going to tell us where our friends are.", Cassidy said as she used her mind-control power on Sylla.
"I do not know where they are.", Sylla said as he was under Cassidy's mind-control. "My commanding officer gave me a paper that had a black spot with the words 'Shell Beach under it. The two Guardians then took the girl and teleported away."
"Good boy.", Cassidy said as she had the ice melt freeing Sylla. "Now sleep.", she said to which Sylla fell asleep.
"Let's head to Shell Beach!", Will said as they teleported away with Micheal in tow just before the agents rushed the room only to find a sleeping Sylla.
Once at Shell Beach, they splitted up to find their friends. Those that flew took to the air hoping to get a better view. As for Micheal, he began his search on foot.
"Where are you, Cornelia?", Micheal said to himself as he searched the beach. "I know you're here some where!", he said when he heard a ear-peircing scream. "Cornelia!", he shouted as he ran in the direction of the scream.
The more he heard the screaming, the faster he ran until he came to a cave he knew all to well.
"This is where we sometimes meet to head for Metamoor.", Micheal said as he heard another scream come from the cave. "Cornelia!", he said as he ran into the cave.
Moments earlier, Caleb and Irma teleported to Shell Beach. They then flew into the cave they knew all to well with Cornelia in tow.
"Why are we here?", Cornelia questioned only to get no reply from Caleb and Irma. "What's going on?"
Soon they were deep in the cave where they dropped Cornelia into a pool of ocean water from the high tide. Cornelia quickly got to her feet, coughing from being dropped into the water, only for Irma to grab her while Caleb used his powers to make a rock rise up from the ground. The rock was shaped almost like a telephone pole. Once it was tall enough, Irma forced Cornelia to the stone pole and had her hug the pole.
"What are you doing?", Cornelia asked as Caleb made a thing of vines grow and wrap around her wrist keeping her arms around the stone followed by him using his sword to cut the back of her shirt open exposing her back to him. "Stop it!", she demanded trying to free her wrist.
Caleb then made another vine grow only this one had thorns sticking out of it. To bad Cornelia didn't see this as Caleb began to whip her with the vine causing her to scream out in pain. With each lashing, Cornelia let out a scream of pain. And to make matters worse, Irma would hit her with some of the ocean water making the pain worse. With each hit, Cornelia screamed out in pain hoping her other friends would get to her in time. Speaking of which, once inside the cave, Micheal made his way through the cave as fast as he could until he came to a scene that stopped him in his tracks. There was Cornelia tied to a rock with her back exposed as Caleb was whipping her with a thorny vine and with each lashing, Irma blasted her back with salt water that was in the cave, from the last high tide, making the pain even worse.
"Stop! Get away from her!", Micheal demanded as he ran towards them.
Irma was the first to act as she flew towards Micheal and threw some ice shards at him only for him to dodge the attack and elbow her in the gut dropping her quickly. Now came Caleb who had his sword at the ready and swung at Micheal only to miss as Micheal dodged it and hit Caleb with a roundhouse kick that sent him flying backwards.
"You're not much of a fight while under all that mind-control, huh?", Micheal questioned as Caleb slowly got to his feet. "Good!", he said as he ran at Caleb and body checked him against the wall of the cave.
Thinking Caleb was knocked out, Micheal when to help Cornelia. Once he got close enough to her, he saw that her back was bleeding from the lashings Caleb gave her. He then heard her whimpering from the pain.
"It's okay, baby.", Micheal said as he undid the vines from her wrist freeing her. "I got you.", he said as he slowly lowered her to her knees so she wouldn't fall to her back making the pain worse.
"It hurts.", Cornelia cried.
"I know.", Micheal said. "But we have to get out of here before those two wake..."
Wondering why Micheal stopped mid-sentence, Cornelia looked at him to see a blade sticking out from his stomach. Shocked, she looked up to see Caleb with a twisted look on his face as he held his blade he ran through Micheal.
"Micheal!", Cornelia cried as he dropped to his knees with Caleb sword still in him.
Micheal was then hit by a blast of water that sent him flying against the cave wall.
"NOOOOOO!", a voice cried that Cornelia knew.
There Selece was in shock as she saw Caleb run her brother through and Irma blast him. But that shock soon turned to rage as she flew at Irma and began to hit the Water Guardian with a fury of combos. As for Caleb, he was about to grab Cornelia when from out of no where, Angelo grabbed him and tossed him away from her. Cornelia didn't know what to think as she tried to get up only to fall from the pain in her back. But instead of hitting the ground, she felt a two pairs of arms catch her. She looked up to see that Will and Alchemy had caught her.
"How..."
"Me and Taranee used our telepathy to find you.", Alchemy explained. "Once we pin-pointed you, we told the others."
"Selece was the first to get her followed by Angelo.", Will continued to explain. "Angelo contacted us and we teleported here as fast as we could.", she said when the sound of two bodies falling got their attention.
They looked to see Caleb and Irma out cold on the ground. Angelo was fine, but Selece was still angry as she grabbed Irma and was about to hit her when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind.
"Please stop!", came Hay Lin's pleading voice. "I know that you're angry, but please stop!", she cried.
It was then that Selece looked over at her brother as he laid on the ground. Selece then dropped to her knees and began to cry thinking she lost her brother. Hay Lin then went to face Selece and hugged her in comfort who accpeted the hug as she continued to cry. As for Will, she looked at Cornelia's back and cringed thinking back to when she was attacked.
'Did I look this bad?' she thought to herself when suddenly, a large fold opened and moved towards the groups swallowing them all in it.
Before they knew it, they were all in the Fortress of Infinite, in Kandrakar where the Oracle, Halinor, Alfor, and Tibor were waiting for them. Not saying a word, Tibor walked toward Caleb and Irma teleported away with them in tow while Alfor did the same with Micheal. Halinor walked up to Cornelia and teleported away with her. The Oracle walked up to Selece and placed a calming hand on her shoulder causing her to look up at him.
"Your brother will be fine.", he said with a kind smile. "Alfor took him to where he can be healed.", he said to which Selece hugged him while crying. "Let it out, child.", he said as he touched the top of her head. "Sleep.", he said in a calm and soothing voice to which Selece fell asleep in his arm.
The Oracle then teleported Selece away surprising the others.
"Worry not, Guardians, for I simple sent her to a room where she can rest for a while.", the Oracle explained. "After what happened, she needs it."
"Will Cornelia be okay?", Alchemy asked.
"She will be fine.", the Oracle said. "Halinor is taking care of her."
"What about Caleb and Irma?", Cassidy asked.
"They will be fine, but they have much to answer for.", the Oralce said.
"But they were under mind-control.", Taranee said.
"True, but it was not the kind that you are use to seeing Cassidy and Irma use.", the Oracle said. "For the kind they were was different."
"What do you mean?", Angelo asked.
"Mind-control can be used for many different things.", the Oracle began to explain. "Ways that even Cassidy and Irma can use. Such as having someone do as you tell them. And then there's the kind that involve a telepathic link of some kind."
"Like the kind used on Irma and Caleb.", Taranee said.
"Correct.", the Oracle side. "In their case, the ones controling them had to of met them at some point to get control of them."
"So how were they able to do that without you knowing it?", Angelo asked.
Because when they did form a link with Caleb and Irma they used a special kind of rune symbol that they painted on their foreheads.", the Oracle explained. "One that sank into their skin and stayed there unknown to me or anyone here."
"Ten to one they used the same kind to keep themselves hidden from you as well.", Cassidy figured.
"Indeed.", the Oracle said. "And they're still hidden from my sight. Whatever symbol they are using is strong."
"Ten to one they're on Metamoor.", Will said.
"I believe you are right.", the Oracle said. "The queen's forces are holding strong, but for how long I do not know."
"And we're not up to full strength with four of us down and out.", Alchemy said.
"Worry not for you shall be ready when the time comes.", the Oracle said.
"Will we?", questioned Will. "I want to know why Caleb and Irma did what they did to Cornelia."
"I was just getting to that.", the Oracle said. "It is true that they were under the mind-control of your enemies, but there was more to it."
"What do you mean?", Hay Lin asked. "What else was there?"
"Whoever had control of Irma and Caleb were able to see through their eyes and read their thoughts. Thoughts that showed how they felt about themselves and everyone around them.", the Oracle explained. "Including Cornelia."
"So you're telling me that they made Caleb and Irma do what they did to Cornelia?", Angelo questioned.
"Worse.", the Oracle said. "They allowed them to do what they wanted to do to Cornelia.", he said earning gasp from the Guardians.
"Now hold on!", Alchemy said. "I know that they weren't good friends with Cornelia, but there's no way they wanterd to do what they did to her.", she said before turning to Will, Taranee, and Hay Lin. "Right girls? Girls?"
The three Guardians said nothing as they remembered something that made what the Oracle said make sense. Seeing the looks on their faces, the others knew something was up.
"Okay. What's up, you three?", Cassidy asked.
"It happened when we went to check up on this on Metemoor.", Taranee began to explain. "At the time we didn't know that Elyon had defeated Phobos, or that it was Cornelia who helped her see him for the tyrant he was."
"So what happened?", Angelo asked.
"Well...", Taranee began to explain.
Flashback
A week later, the Guarduans went to Metamoor to see if there was any trouble. But when they saw that Meridian wasn't covered in darkness, but that it was a sunny day, they didn't know what to think.
"Okay, did we miss something here?", Irma questioned as they flew towards the palace.
"It could be one of Phobos's tricks.", Caleb suggested.
"I don't know, but let's head to the palace and see what's going on.", Will said as they neared the palace.
Once they neared the palace, they saw the soldiers standing their post. Not taking any chances, they began attacking the guards, The guards tried to fight back, but were overwellmed. But suddenly, the Guardians were trapped in an energy bubble.
"Do not attack my soilders!"
They looked to see Elyon floating in the air in front of them.
"Elyon?!", they all said at the same time.
"Why are you attacking my soldiers?!", Elyon questioned as she released then from their energy bubble.
"Because they're the bad guys.", Hay Lin replied.
"I'll have you know that these soldiers were only working for my brother out of fear mostly.", Elyon replied. "But now that's over with."
"And that's becaue...?", Taranee began to ask.
"I stopped my brother's evil rule.", Elyon said .
"I'm sorry, but what now.", Irma asked.
"Phobos is defeated and in the prison of the Infinite City.", Elyon explained.
"You defeated him by yourself?", Will questioned.
"Don't forget that I am the Heart of this world.", Elyon said as she decended down to the ground along with the Guardians. "So, I do have the power to do it."
"So when did you see Phobos for who he really is?", Taranee asked.
"Someone, who I'd rather not name, helped me see my brother for who he is.", Elyon replied. "After that, I defeated my brother and locked him away."
"Well, it seems that it's alls well that ends well.", Hay Lin said happily.
"My people are free.", Caleb said with a smile. "It's a good day!"
Caleb then turned to Will and hugged her, happy about his homeland being free of Phobos and his evil.
"I take it you're happy.", Will said with a muffled voice as her face was pressed in Caleb's chest. "I need air, Caleb.
"Sorry!", Caleb said as he released Will.
Will then leaned up and kissed Caleb, which he soon returned.
"Can I ask you something?", Elyon asked Will as she and Caleb ended their kiss.
"What is it?", Will asked Elyon.
"What happened to Cornelia?", she asked which made them all twich a little.
"A few months ago, something happened between Will and Cornelia.", Taranee explained.
"What happened?", Elyon asked trying to get more out of them.
"Well...", Hay Lin began to say.
"She attacked Will, and got striped of her powers!", Irma said bluntly. "And the power was given to Caleb.!"
"Irma!", Hay Lin said to her best friend in a scowling voice.
"What?!", Irma said. "I'm tired of tip-toeing around all this! Corny's the one who screwed up! And now she's paying for it! End of story!"
"I see.", Elyon said keeping what she knew to herself. "I didn't think Cornelia would do something like that."
"Well, she did.", Caleb said as he held Will's hand. "And if there was any justice, then whatever she did to Will that day, she'd get doubled!"
Elyon said nothing as she clinched her fist tight. No one saw this but Will, who knew that it was time to go, before something happened.
"I just remembered that I have homework to do.", Will said as she pulled out the Heart of Kandrakar. "It was great seeing you, Elyon, but we have to go."
Will then opened a portal for Earth.
"See you Elyon.", Hay Lin said with a smile.
"See you guys later.", Elyon said with a smile as the portal closed.
Back on Earth, Will had just changed herself and the others back to normal, and was heading towards the Silver Dragon to get their backpacks and head home.
"Why did we have to leave so quickly?", Taranee asked Will.
"Well, for one, I really do have homework to do.", Will replied. "Second reason is, Elyon didn't like what Caleb said about Cornelia getting double of what she did to me."
"Well it's the truth!", Caleb said.
"But you got to remember that Cornelia is Elyon's best friend, Caleb.", Taranee said. "No one likes to hear bad things about their best friend."
"Okay, so I won't talk bad about Cornelia when we're around Elyon.", Caleb said.
"Good.", Will said as they held hands while walking down the street. "Cause the last thing we need is a angry Elyon with all that power."
They five of them continued on their way to the Silver Dragon blind to what really happened to Cornelia when she attacked Will.
End Flashback
"It wasn't until later that we learned that it was Cornelia who showed Elyon the truth about her brother.", Taranee said.
"But Caleb and Irma still wanted Cornelia to suffer for what happened.", Angelo said. "And since doing to her what she did to Will was out due to the fact that they would be in some serious trouble..."
"They decided to basiclly shun her.", Cassidy said.
"And when they were shown that paper, Sylla had, they were basiclly given permission to do what they wanted to do to Cornelia for a long time.", Will figured.
"Who knew that they had that much anger in them?", Angelo questioned when he heard Hay Lin begin to sob. "You okay there, Hay Lin?"
"I don't want to believe it.", Hay Lin said. "I don't want to believe it, but it's true. They really wanted to hurt Cornelia that badly.", she said inbetween sobs.
"Come here.", Angelo said as he hugged his future cousin who accpeted the hug as she hugged him back while sobbing as tears ran down her face.
"So what do we do now?", Alchemy asked.
"You wait.", the Oracle said. "Wait until your friends come to and then try and mend the wounds of your friendship as best you can. For Metamoor may need you soon.", he said as he left to attend to other things.
"Think what you had your uncle do will pay off?", Will asked Angelo who was still holding Hay Lin close.
"I sure hope so.", Angelo said as he rubbed Hay Lin's back while hugging her in comfort. "Something tells me that we'll be here for a while."
Now back on Metamoor, the Meridian forces were holding their own against the robot horde, but the robots had some things on their side. One, there were a lot of them. And two, they don't get tired. But that didn't stop the Meridian soldiers from fighting on. And with their strength and special weapons made from the crystals the blacksmiths found, they were able to cut down over half of the forces Hollens and Riddle had.
"It seems that our enemy had underesstimated us!", Raythor said as he cut down a robot Lurden. "Keep pushing forward, troops! They're almost done!", he said as the troops fought on.
"This seems to easy!", Drake said as he took down a robot.
"It seems like it.", Aldarn said as he took down a robot himself. "And they fight pretty well."
"But we fight better!", Julian said as he took down two robots.
"But from what the ones controlling Caleb and Irma said they'll get better.", Aldarn said as he blocked an attack.
"That's something we don't need.", Drake said after taking down a robot.
"Then we press foward and take them all down!", Vathek said as he grabbed two robots and slammed them together.
Watching the battle from a distance was Hollens and Riddle who weren't to surprised by how things were turning out.
"Looks like the first wave is falling fast.", Riddle said as they were sitting on their robot horses.
"So it seems.", Hollens said. "And all their data is being sent to the next wave who is more than ready to fight."
"Then I say we send them in and give those soldiers a real fight.", Riddle said.
"I couldn't agree more.", Hollens said as he contacted the second wave through the controller in the robot he was controlling. "Second wave advance! Double time"
Back on the battlefield, the Meridian forces had taken down the last of the robots and thought they were finished when the sound of clanging metal caught their attention. They looked to see another wave of robots running at them ready to fight.
"Looks like it's the second wave.", Raythor said. "And they're ready to fight."
"And so are we!", Vathek said as he and the troops charged at the robots.
"This is going to be a long day.", Elyon said as she was in the air fighting some robot Mogriffs.
"No one said this would be easy.", Matt said doing the same thing.
"Soon Metamoor will be ours.", Hollens said as he and Riddle watched the battle.
Back in Kandrakar, in the Fortress of Infinite, Selece laid in one of the many rooms resting after the Oracle put her to sleep so she could calm down. But now she was waking up wondering what happened.
"So you're finally up.", came Angelo's voice getting Selece's attention.
"Angelo?", Selece questioned before everything came back to her. "Micheal! Is he alright!?"
"He's fine.", Angelo said. "He's resting right now. Alfor was able to heal his wound.", he said releaving Selece as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I thought I lost him.", Selece said as a few tears began to flow down her face.
"It's alright.", Angelo said as he held Selece close. "He's alive and well. But we have bigger problems."
"What do you mean?", Selece questioned as they pulled away from each other.
"Caleb and Irma.", Angelo said. "We have to decided on what to do about them."
"There's nothing to decide!", Selece said. "They whipped Cornelia and almost killed my brother! As far as I'm concerned, they don't deserve to be Guardians anymore!"
"At least let me tell you what the Oracle told us about happened to them.", Angelo said.
"What are you talking about?", Selece asked.
"Well...
A few minute later...
"And that's what he told us.", Angelo said after explaining what the Oracle told him and the others about the mind-control Caleb and Irma were under.
"So let me get this straight. Whoever had them under mind-control, allowed them to do what they wanted to do to Cornelia?", Selece questioned.
"Pretty much.", Angelo said.
"Then is it safe to take them into battke with us with the chance of them being put back under mind-control by the ones who did it to them in the first place?", Selece questioned.
"That's what we're trying to decide.", Angelo said.
"Well you know my answer.", Selece said. "For it seems that Caleb wanted to get rid of Micheal for a while now."
"You have a point there.", Angelo said. "So you want to go see Micheal?"
"Yeah.", Selece said as Angelo guided her out of the room and to the room Micheal was in.
Now in another room, Cornelia was laying on her stomach due to what happened to her when she slowly woke up with a groan when she rememebered what happened to her and felt behind her to see how bad her back was.
"Don't worry. You're healed.", came a familiar voice.
Cornelia looked to see Will sitting in a chair that was next to the bed.
"Halinor was able to heal you up pretty good. using soem energy from your Auramere.", Will explained as Cornelia got into a sitting position on the bed. "She was even able to fix your shirt."
"What about Micheal?", Cornelia asked with concern.
"He's okay.", Will said. "He's resting right now."
"Caleb and Irma?", Cornelia asked.
"Good question.", Will said. "None of us have gone to check on them yet."
"Why not?", Cornelia said as he got up from the bed. "I mean, they were under mind-control like I was. They had no control over what they did."
"That's... not exactly true.", Will said.
"What do you mean?", Cornelia asked.
"You better sit down for this one.", Will said as she began to explain what the Oracle told her and the others.
A few minutes later...
"Are you serious?", Cornelia questioned after Will explained everything. "They wanted to do that to me?", she questioned in shock.
"Yeah.", Will said sadly. "The rest of us were just as shocked whe the Oracle told us about it all."
"So what happens now?", Cornelia asked.
"Honestly, we have no idea.", Will said. "We need everybody to help Meridian, but do we go knowing that there's a chance of Irma and Caleb being put under mind-control again?"
"Good questioned.", Cornelia said hurt by all that has happened.
Now in the room Micheal was in, sat Selece after Angelo took her there to be by her brother's side when he woke up. Which wasn't going to be long for her as he slowly woke up surprised to be alive as he sat up and checked the spot where Caleb ran him through.
"It's gone.", Micheal said in surprised as he checked the area he was run through. "The wound is gone.", he said when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.
"I thought I lost you!", Selece cried as she held onto her brother.
"I thought you lost me, too.", Micheal said returning the hug. "I'm glad we both were wrong. So what happened?"
Selece then explained to her brother abotu all that has happened. And a lot of it surprised him.
"So you mean to tell me that Caleb and Irma, while under mind-control, did what they wanted to do to Cornelia because of they hatred towards her?", Micheal questioned.
"Yeah.", Selece said sadly. "Whoever was controlling them, knew what they wanted to do to Cornelia and allowed them to do it."
"Aw, man.", Micheal said. "I hope Cornelia is okay."
"Me too.", Selece said.
"I wonder what will happen to Caleb and Irma.", Micheal said.
"Who knows and who cares!", Selece said. "After what they did, THEY deserve whatever punishment is coming to them."
"As much as I'd like to agree with you on that, Sis, we do need them to help fight the robot army that's attacking Meridian.", Micheal said.
"Maybe. But that doesn't mean that I have to like it.", Selece said with her arms folded getting a grin out of her brother.
"Let's just be glad that we're all okay.", Micheal said as he got up from the bed. "Let's go. The others are probably worried about us.", he said as they left the room to meet up with the others.
And now we go to Caleb and Irma who are waking up to find themselves in a room wondering where they are and what happened.
"What happened?", Irma questioned as she rubbed her forehead. "Everything is a blur.", she said as she sat up in her bed.
"Better question is where are we.", Caleb said as he sat up in his bed.
"You are on Kandrakar."
Both Irma and Caleb looked to see Endarno standing before them not looking to happy.
"Endarno?", Caleb questioned. "Why are we here?"
"Do you not remember the last few hours?", Endarno asked. "Let me show you what has happened.", he said as he moved a bit to the side to reveal a mirror.
Endarno then touched the mirror which began to show images of what happened in the last few hours. From Caleb and Irma being under mind-control to what they did to Cornelia and finally Caleb running Micheal through and Irma hitting him with a powerful stream of water.
"No way!", Irma said in shock. "No way did we do that!"
"But you did.", Endarno said. "And if you focus enough, the memories will come back to you."
"NO!", Irma said. as she jumped up from the bed she was on. "I don't remember any of it! This is just a trick to get us to be nice to Corny!"
"Irma.", Caleb said as he rubbed his forehead.
"Well it won't work!", Irma said. "We still have a challenge to do and we're going to do it!"
"Irma!", Caleb yelled.
"What!?", Irma snapped.
"Endarno's right.", Caleb said. "I remember what happened. Well bits and pieces of it."
"And if you focus hard enough instead of denying it, you will too.", Endarno said to Irma.
Irma was about to say something when she suddenly began to get flashes of memories. It wasn't everything but it was enough. She then looked from Caleb to Endarno as she realised what she had done.
"So what happens now?", Irma asked Endarno.
"Now you go face your friends and hope they are kinder to you than you were to some of them.", Endarno said as he led them out of the room and to where the others were.
And for Caleb and Irma it was a long walk with them thinking back to how they treated Cornelia and what she went through with her being under mind-control. All they could do was hope the others would give them the second chance they didn't give their fellow Guardian. Now back on Metamoor, in the Meridian Kingdom, the Meridian troops were holding their own as best they could, but the second wave of robots were a lot more advanced than the first wave due to how they were able to learn from the mistakes of the first wave from the data they've gathered. And that wasn't going well for them as the robot army was gaining the upper-hand.
"This isn't going so well!", Drake said as he was fighting off a robot. "For every one we cut down...", he said as he cut down the robot only for two to jump in. "Two take their place!"
"It's like they're learning from the mistakes of those that have fallen.", Tynar said as he ran a robot through with his spear.
"That's because they are!", Alborn said as he beheaded a robot. "Those microchips are making them better warriors!"
"To good if you ask me!", Raythor said as he fought off a robot. "We're losing soldiers left and right.", he said as he saw a soldier helping a wounded soldier off the battlefield. "We need reinforcements!"
"Most of our forces are on the other half of the kingdom!", Vathek said as he and Huggles threw a roboot at one another. "This is all we have!"
"We need the Guardains!", Alborn said.
"That may be a while.", Drake said.
"We may not have a while.", Raythor said.
In another part of the battlefield, where the wounded were being brought to for treatment, Miriadel and fellow archers with bows and arrows, and crossbows and bolts were holding the line keeping the robots from coming at the wounded soldiers.
"First line, fire!", Miriadel ordered as she and the other archers fired at the robots that were marching towards them. "Second line, fire!", she ordered the second line to fire their bows or crossbows. "Keep it up, everyone! We must hold this line!"
"Yes, ma'am!", the soldiers said as they continued to fire at the robots.
Watching this from up in the air was Elyon and Matt who were doing their best to take down as many of the flying robots as they could. They were firing at them with either energy blast or the EMP blasters they had.
"Things aren't looking to good!", Elyon said as she blasted a robot out of the sky..
"I know, but we can't give up!", Matt said as he took down three robots with his eyebeams. "The others will be here soon!"
"I hope so!", Elyon said when from out of know where two beams came from the ground takking down two of the robot Mogriffs. "What the...?", she questioned as she looked down to see John Vanders on a horse and two EMP blasters in his hands.
"I take it things aren't going so well.", John said as Elyon and Matt flew down to him.
"We're holding our own, but these robots are getting better!", Matt said.
"I don't know how things could get any worse.", Elyon said.
It was then that a large fold opend up in the sky surprising everyone. Even Hollens and Riddle.
"I just had to say it.", Elyon said in a deadpan tone.
"Don't worry, Elyon.", John said with a smirk. "This is a good thing."
"What do you mean?", Matt questioned.
"Wait for it.", John said knowing who was coming.
"What is going on here?", Hollens questioned as he and Riddle looked up at the fold. "That isn't one of ours!"
"I do not know.", Riddle said as they looked up at the fold.
Out of the fold came two large flying ships shaped like rectangles with the front of them being round. The ships landed behind the side of the Meridian forces. Once they landed the side door opened with many soldiers marching out of them. From one of the ships marched male and female soldiers with rocket packs strapped to their backs and blasters, swords, and daggers strapped to their sides and spears in their hands while from the other ship marched soldiers with the same weapons yet no rocket packs. Leading these troops were King Terren and Queen Kalla of the Yollen Kingdom from Florana. Of course Matt and Elyon didn't know this. Thankfully John was there.
"Greetings, King Terren and Queen Kalla.", John said with a bow. "Thank you for coming to the aid of the Meridian Kingdom of Metamoor."
"Mr. Vanders? What's going on?", Elyon asked as the Honor Guard came up to them.
"Queen Elyon, may I introduce King Terren and Queen Kalla of the Yollen Kingdom of Florana.", John said. "They are here to help."
A/N: How did you all like that surprise!? Help from Florana! Now that should turn the tide! But don't think Hollens and Riddle are done. They still have a surprise or two in the waiting. And boy is one of them BIG! And don't forget about the Guardains! They still have some mending to do before they can join the battle. Question is, can they forgive what has happened? Find out in the next chapter!
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