Crusader #65

Within the borders of the island country, Parador, Yolanda Montez found herself seated inside the transportation helicopter, her brow furrowed as she watched the lush green landscape roll by beneath them. A sense of unease had settled over her ever since she first heard about the mission, and Micah's cryptic words in Ted Grant's office only served to amplify that feeling.

Trying to push aside her apprehensions, Yolanda surveyed her team members inside the helicopter. There was Bruce Gordon and Mona Bennet, the duo leading the mission, focused and determined. Then there was Peacemaker, the trigger-happy pilot whose enthusiasm for violent justice was palpable. 

Next to him sat Cave Carson, instrumental in guiding the team through the underwater cave system to gain entry into the island. And lastly, there was the wildcard, Crusader, a mysterious figure suggested by Ted Grant to replace Micah.

Clad in a futuristic knight's helmet and a tattered black cape with a large white cross painted on the back, Crusader sat quietly, clutching a small wooden cross and murmuring prayers. Yolanda first assumed it was a bad joke, thinking he was Micah in disguise, but his height, build, the way he spoke, and how little he talked were all distinctly different from her godfather's protege. 

As Yolanda's mind raced with questions about Crusader's mysterious presence, she couldn't ignore the uneasy feeling gnawing at her gut. Bruce Gordon's casual acceptance of him without so much as a background check only added to her suspicion. 

But before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Peacemaker's urgent voice shattered the silence.

"The other team's taken a hit! And we're next on the list!" he barked, his tone edged with urgency. "Brace yourselves!" His words were punctuated by the sudden jolt as he wrestled with the controls, attempting to evade the incoming missile.

Despite his skilled maneuvers, their fate was sealed. The missile struck the helicopter's tail, sending it careening toward the ground in a tumultuous spiral. Amidst the chaos, Yolanda's head collided with a metallic object, leaving her dazed and struggling to maintain consciousness as the world spun around her.

As Yolanda slowly came to, the scene around her was a chaotic blur of twisted metal and encroaching flames. Her teammates lay scattered nearby, their fates uncertain amidst the wreckage. 

Before she could fully grasp the situation, the sharp crack of gunfire shattered the eerie silence.

Her gaze snapped to Crusader, the enigmatic figure from their team who stood defiant amid the chaos. He moved with uncanny agility, dodging bullets with an ease that seemed almost otherworldly. 

The stark white cross emblazoned on the back of his cape billowed in the wind as he returned fire with his 1991 pistol, his movements fluid and precise.

With a flurry of motion, Crusader swiftly exhausted his ammunition before seamlessly transitioning to his dual short swords. With a deft flick of his wrist, he deflected incoming bullets before disappearing into the foliage, his silhouette vanishing from Yolanda's sight.

In the distance, several screams echoed before the clamor of battle subsided, replaced by distant screams that echoed through the air. Moments later, Crusader returned to the crash site, his figure untouched by the violence that had unfolded mere moments before.

Crusader knelt beside Yolanda amidst the wreckage, swiftly cutting through her seatbelt with a practiced hand. "Can you walk?" he inquired, his voice calm yet urgent.

Yolanda attempted to move, but a sharp pain shot through her leg, making her grimace. "I think my leg's broken," she admitted, her jaw clenched. "But I'll manage. You need to help the others," she insisted, pushing through the discomfort.

Without hesitation, Crusader rose to his feet, stepping back to retrieve his small wooden cross. "He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities..." he murmured, his words invoking a sense of mysticism that left Yolanda bewildered. 

"The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds... we are healed..."He continued his chant, the cross emanating a soft, golden light that enveloped them both.

To Yolanda's surprise, the pain dissipated, replaced by a sudden sense of relief and clarity. Even the dizziness from the crash seemed to vanish in an instant. "You should be able to move now. Quickly, help the others," Crusader urged, his tone unwavering.

Shaking off her initial shock, Yolanda nodded, rising to her feet to assist her teammates. As she moved among them, she noticed a gradual stirring among the unconscious figures, each awakening with renewed vigor thanks to Crusader's miraculous intervention.

Crusader and Yolanda sprang into action, aiding their disoriented comrades as they struggled to stand amidst the wreckage. But it was Peacemaker who vocalized the perplexity gripping the group. 

"What the hell just happened? I feel like I've been reborn," he exclaimed, his eyes wide with incredulity as he flexed his now-pain-free shoulder. "I've been nursing this sprained muscle forever, but now it's like it never existed," he marveled, casting a puzzled glance at his teammates.

Yolanda shrugged, her gaze drifting toward the enigmatic figure of Crusader, who stood at a distance, his stance alert and watchful. "Looks like our new friend here managed to work some miracles," she said, nodding in Crusader's direction. 

"He took down the attackers and patched us up along the way," she added, her tone casual despite the extraordinary events.

Bruce Gordon's reaction didn't escape her notice; a flicker of surprise danced across his features before he quickly composed himself. Before any further discussion could unfold, however, the tranquility was shattered by the rustling of foliage nearby. 

Emerging from the thicket were five formidable figures—spotted hyenas, their snarls echoing through the air as they locked eyes with the Shadow Fighters. These were no ordinary beasts; their robust build and the distinctive gray half-circle markings on their faces bespoke of something far more sinister lurking within them.

Peacemaker, unfazed by the appearance of the ominous hyenas, swiftly drew his pistol and took aim, firing a shot directly at the nearest beast. The bullet struck true, piercing the creature's skull. 

Yet, to everyone's astonishment, the hyena showed no signs of harm as its wound began to close before their eyes. In a sudden and unexpected move, the resilient predator lunged at Peacemaker, catching him off guard.

Before disaster could strike, Crusader appeared just in time, delivering a powerful kick that sent the hyena sprawling. With practiced precision, Crusader retrieved his wooden cross and began to chant, invoking divine protection. 

"For it is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure, that I shall strike with the light of his fury..." he intoned, the glow enveloping him and the Shadow Fighters. "And so shall his faithful," he added, the golden aura spreading to encompass them all.

Peacemaker shot Crusader a puzzled look, as if on the cusp of voicing his thoughts, but Crusader swiftly intervened. "Try shooting them again," he instructed. Without hesitation, Peacemaker raised his pistol, now aglow with the same divine light, and fired once more at the hyena. 

The bullet, infused with radiant energy, found its mark once more, causing the creature to crumple to the ground, a dark, ethereal mist billowing from its fallen form.

As if anticipating the moment, Crusader surged forward, directing a beam of blinding light at the dissipating cloud of dark energy. With a shriek that seemed to echo from the very depths of the surroundings, the mist vanished into thin air. 

Without hesitation, Crusader drew his two shortswords, now glowing with a radiant golden light, and charged at the remaining hyenas.

Peacemaker and Yolanda exchanged glances before joining the fray. Empowered by the golden energy, the trio swiftly dispatched the predatory creatures, while Crusader set to work cleansing the dark influence that had possessed them.

"Nice trick there, buddy," Peacemaker remarked with a grin, giving Crusader a friendly pat on the back. "You some kind of exorcist or what?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"You could say that," Crusader replied calmly. "Indeed, I've come to excorsise a great evil in these lands..." he added, casting a meaningful glance in Bruce Gordon's direction.

Yolanda and Peacemaker both wore expressions of confusion at Crusader's cryptic words. "What exactly are you talking about?" Yolanda inquired, her gaze shifting between Crusader and Bruce Gordon.

"That's not my tale to tell," Crusader answered cryptically. "You'd be wise to ask the man who brought you here," he suggested before stepping away from the group, leaving them to ponder his words.

All eyes turned to Bruce Gordon, who sighed in resignation. "I may have withheld some details about this mission," he admitted. "Let's regroup with the other team, and I'll explain everything," he suggested, motioning for the others to follow.

...

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