A New Destiny

Gone Forever

Billy needed to process all that had happened. All that was now in his care. He prayed to the spirits, whichever one would listen, to watch over and protect her.

"I don't want to leave you?"

"You must," Ruechari said, "I promise you, we will see one another again."

Gunfire seemed to rumble off the plains like a rolling thunder. "The fight is getting closer. Go, please."

This didn't sit well with him but Billy made a promise to protect her and protect her he would. He grabbed his guns and leaped to his horse.

Geronimo grabbed hold of his leg and he handed him a map to the burial grounds.

"What's this?"

"This will show you the way back to her. She will need you before this is through."

Billy nodded and stuck it in his vest pocket. "Look after her?"

Geronimo nodded back, "Consider it done."

When Billy looked for her, she had already gone back into the tent. He road off to who knows where.

When Geronimo entered the tent, he had seen Ruechari deep in thought. So much so, he knew she was in a trance. She told him to meet her at the burial grounds but in this state, she was too vulnerable and things were getting intense out there.

Ruechari walked among the plains calling out for her Grandfather.

"He can not come," Bonnie said, stepping from the shadows of Ruechari's mind.

She looked much older then the vision Ruechari had of her before.

Bonnie appeared in her native dress. Knowing Ruechari would not recognize her in the way she always appeared to Bob. She wished she could embrace her daughter, this was the first time they had come face to face, but in this realm, she was but a wisp of a soul with no form, no substance.

"Why?" Ruechari asked.

"He is fighting. Fighting for you, for you to become what I was meant to be," Bonnie said.

Fear struck Ruechari's heart. "His spirit can be destroyed!"

Bonnie was hurt that Ruechari seemed to care more for her father then she did about seeing her. Not that she expected a gushing response but no response, cut her deep. Perhaps, it was to be expected as he did raise Ruechari as his own daughter and she knew practically nothing of her. It has been sweet torture to watch over her all these years from afar. 

"You should know your Grandfather would stack the odds in his favor. I do believe the Wraith's army has more to fear from him then he does of them," Bonnie said, wanting to put her daughter's fears to rest. 

Ruechari's eyes locked on her. "Is Carob Bob my father?"

"Yes."

Ruechari's felt sickened by the thought of how back in the Gulch she nearly took his life, but then recalled how she could not pull the trigger. He was there within arms reach all that time...

"You must stay away from Reaper."

"What?" Ruechari asked, dazed.

"He can not be trusted."

"Trusted or not he knows the way to my Father. I have no other recourse."

"Reaper never intended for you to reach Bob. You are the pawn he was using to lure Bob to him. He needs you both to enact his plan."

"Both? Why? What need could he have for my Father?"

Suddenly, Bonnie cried out in pain and fell to her knees. "No...not yet! Not now!" She tried to drag herself to her feet but was unable.

Ruechari ran to her. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Reaper...?" Bonnie said between painful breaths... "He's ..." she screamed out again.

"Mother tell me! Can't you tell me what to do? How do I save you?"

Bonnie reached out to touch her daughter's face seeing the tears streaming from her eyes, but her hand passed right through her. "I love you..." and with those words, she disappeared.

Ruechari cried out her mother's name. Her eyes flew open.

Geronimo stood before her. "It is as you fear. They have destroyed Reaper. Your mother's spirit is lost."

Ruechari took the bow from her back and an arrow from her quiver. She had the look of a woman on the warpath.

"No, Ruechari!" Geronimo said grabbing hold of her arm. "He is lost and so is she but the battle still continues. You must get to the burial grounds."

"They defied me. They defied my wishes and it's resulted in me losing my mother forever."

"You don't know that for certain, but if they did... think Ruechari. If they did betray you... don't you see... you are their next target."

Hellzing, Jane, Wild Bill, and Frank all came bounding into the tent.

"You're still here!" Jane said in disbelief. "My Lord, girl what are you waitn' for an engraved invitation? It's gone crazy out there. Wolves, vamps, I don't know who's side is who's but you have to get the hell out of here."

"Wraith's army is coming. He just keeps raising more. We've had a hell of a battle getting here," Hickok said.

"The Skinwalkers and Vampires have killed Reaper," Geronimo told them.

"Then the problem is half over," Hellzing reasoned.

"Afraid not. It would seem our problems might have just begun," Geronimo informed them, "as the wolves and vampires were given instruction not to harm him."

"Not harm Reaper? Why would they not harm him?" Hellzing asked.

"My instruction. He knew where my Father was," Ruechari said.

"Bob? But he's on his way here. He's been following you all along. That was until he left with my brother James to rally Quantrill's Raiders. He hasn't made it here?"

This concerned Frank on several levels.

"My Father is coming here?"

"We all have... to protect you," Hellzing told her.

Geronimo had seen the look in her eyes. "No, Ruechari. We have to move on. We have to get to the totem before the Wraith."

"But my Father?" Ruechari pleaded with him to understand.

"It's too dangerous for you out there and the battle you need to fight is at the burial grounds," Geronimo reasoned.

Ruechari was torn.

Jane stepped forward, "Rue, we'll stay here. We'll keep a lookout for him and if we find him, we will keep him safe. Now, you need to go. We all need you to go."

Ruechari thought of her mother's spirit now lost, her grandfather now fighting for her to become who she was meant to be. She looked at the faces of those standing now around her. All have taken their lives and placed them at her feet. They all believe in her, all their hopes for salvation lie within her, she refused to let them down.

"I'll go, but I'm counting on you. Please...keep my father safe. He is all I have left."

-Ruechari