Disclaimer – PRMF isn't mine. Don't sue me. Takes place two days after Not To Be. Pretty AU…character death and dark. Originally, this wasn't going to be a sequel, but I changed my mind. Warning – future chapters will be dark. () means a flashback
Not To Be – Lightning Grounded
He looked at the fallen warrior, lying on the ground. He saw the mouth open and close weakly, as if trying to say things – things that would never be heard now. His eyes looked down, trying to avoid the gaping wound on the chest. The wound that still pumped dark red blood. He could still see the tiny flickers of light that danced around the fallen fighter's fingers. Was it only just five minutes ago that they had held up a sword for the briefest of moments? The world spun dizzily as the warrior took in another shuddering breath and closed his eyes...
"NO!"
With that shout, Chip Thorn woke up and bolted upright. He was happy that he lived alone, so that no one had heard his scream of pain. He slowly lifted his right hand and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, silently willing the nightmare to go away.
Only now, it wouldn't.
No, it couldn't. It was all too real now. A future Power Ranger had been slaughtered before he could take up the honourable mantle. Murdered in front of their eyes by a soulless being. Koragg. The name had left a bitter taste in their mouths. Now, everything seemed…darker than it had been before. The streets no longer seemed friendly and safe, even the Rock Porioum had become strained and tense. Toby hadn't asked anything, how could he know what they had been through? He couldn't. Outwardly, it seemed nothing had changed for the four teens, but they had changed.
Vida's moods were now almost permanently dark and broody, Maddie had retreated into her shell more than ever, Xander was no longer so confident in himself and he…well, he had changed most of all. He found himself with a bloodlust that had never been there before and an insatiable hatred of the Undead armies. When they fought or sparred, there was a gaping hole evident in the group. One that now would never be filled. He thought back to what Udonna had said when they brought in Nick's lifeless body.
Udonna was worried. She had lost contact with all four Rangers shortly after they had morphed. She had briefly sensed the presence of Nick, but it had blinked out. She had sent Claire outside, when a shout of shock reached her ears. She furrowed her brow in thought, but her eyes widened in incomprehensible shock and sadness as her Rangers walked in, carrying Nick on their capes.
He looked perfectly fine, and Udonna could not figure out why they were crying or why he was so still…oh no. As she stepped closer, she saw the wound that carved his body almost in two, saw the closed eyes that would never open again, saw the paleness of his skin. He was dead.
After explanations had been made, she swallowed hard and looked up at her Rangers.
"This should not have happened. He should have fought the Knight Wolf and brought us closer to victory. Now, he lies in front of us, never to rise again. He has failed in his task."
Gasps of horror came from all of them, as they saw Udonna's face slowly harden. Chip had swallowed – this time out of fear and worry. The sorceress continued.
"We will have to fight on in his memory. He has failed in his task. You will not – must not – fail. Now, leave him here. I will attend to the details."
And that was it. They had left Root Core, left Nick behind. Chip knew something was on the horizon…
He just wished he knew what it was.
Not after I'm done with you…
TBC…
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