Disclaimer: Power Rangers is the property of Saban or Disney or something, not me.
A/N: This is the ongoing story that I am writing for NaNoWriMo. Beware, it may be a little flawed due to the fast-paced writing. I am not editing any of this until I finish the story. Updates should be frequent as I progress through the month. Please bare with me during this month of writing, I will appreciate any support you can give. I hope you enjoy!
A Sibling's Destiny
Prologue
On a nearby planet in the Laveyan galaxy, an aged man sat with his back against a tree. His scraggly long gray hair was matted with sweat and blood. His silvery cloak was now torn and ragged and stained with blood and dirt, along with his clothing.
This rugged man had just been through a very tough, very long, battle. In the back of his mind he knew that he was not going to live, but he had to hold on just a little longer. He had to tell them. He had to inform them of the prophecy that he had protected for so many long years. He was one of the only ones left that knew the full meaning of the prophecy, maybe the only one left. He had heard that the enemy had found out the location of another prophecy holder only a few days ago. Deep in his heart he hoped that they had not found her. If he was the only one and he failed...
No, he couldn't think that way; they would get here soon. He had sent out the distress signal almost an hour ago, just before his wrist device was shattered from a hard blow from the enemy. They had to get here soon.
He could feel the darkness trying to cloud his vision. Trying his best to fight off the drowsiness, he changed his position to his side, so that he was more uncomfortable. He had to do all that he could, they had to find out before he ran out of time.
As his eyes started to droop once more, he pushed himself into a sitting position, with his back once more against the tree. A long, low groan escaped his lips and he was now fighting for consciousness. This time changing his position didn't help as much, and his eyes inevitably closed. He slowly slumped against the tree as unconsciousness overcame him. The rise and fall of his chest and the raspy breathing were the only signs that he was still alive.
"Oh my gosh, are we too late?" came a girl's voice from far away several minutes later.
"No, he is still breathing, but I don't think he has very much time left," another voice, this time a male's, answered.
The old man faintly heard the exchange, but could not bring himself to open his eyes. He felt a hand gently nudge his shoulder and someone spoke something to him, but he could not concentrate enough to figure out what it was. The pain started to overtake him and the darkness seemed more and more appealing to him.
He groaned as the hand that had nudged him earlier grabbed his shoulder and shook him, more briskly this time. He slowly forced his eyes open and tried to focus on the figures in front of him. As his vision cleared, he recognized the one that was closest to him, who was wearing red under his gray uniform vest, and the old man tried his best to smile at him. It ended up looking more like a grimace, though, and turned into a frown as he forced himself to sit up.
"A...Andros," he stuttered, his voice very rough and hoarse from the intensely dry air, caused by the extreme heat of the planet.
The leader in red gave him a very confused look. "You know my name?" he questioned. He turned to look at the five teens behind him, all dressed in a different color unique to themselves, all obviously wondering who this old man was and why he would have possibly called them to this planet in one of the outer galaxies of the known universe.
In fact, he only knew Andros and the others by name and face alone, though he had never met them in person. He had seen them in the prophecies that he faithfully protected.
Suddenly, the one he had called Andros froze and looked over at the one in silver, who seemed to catch on to whatever their leader had just discovered. Slowly, Andros turned around and looked at the old man, realization on the features of his face. The one in silver walked up to stand beside his friend, a look of bewilderment as he asked, "Are you one of the Keepers... of the great prophecies?"
As the old man looked at him, it seemed that this boy's curiosity turned almost fearful, almost as if he didn't want to know the answer. "Yes Zhane, I am one of the Keepers of Prophecy," he answered. He noticed Zhane's eyes widen when he heard his name being spoken by an old man who was only a few seconds ago a mere stranger to them. Looking at the rest of the young adults surrounding him, he continued. "And I fear that I am the only one left. Which is why I sent that distress signal to you."
The teens glanced at each other and the old man instantly felt their guilt. "I am so sorry that we did not get here sooner. We came as soon as--," their leader in red started.
"I did not ask you to come here to save me Andros, I knew that you would not be able to make it in time," he interrupted.
"Then wh--," a girl in pink started, but was also cut off.
"Why did I seek out you and your team, Cassie?" he said nodding in her direction. "Well, it is because you are the Power Rangers, correct? The great defenders of the universe? Protecting the galaxies from evil?"
"Well yeah, but we couldn't help you," the other girl, dressed in yellow, said.
The old man cringed suddenly as he was temporarily overtaken by all the pain he was feeling. "Please... just let me explain, I don't have much time..." he trailed off as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh of anguish.
Andros rushed forward and held him upright as he started to slump to the side. "Okay, we won't say anything, we're listening," he told the old man softly, almost in the same way that he would talk to a terrified child.
The old man opened his eyes again and saw as well as felt the Rangers' sadness for his doomed fate. For a short second, he felt his own sadness mirroring theirs. He pushed the thought out of his mind and forced all of his energy into focusing on what he had to tell them. He was really running out of time.
"I sent you the distress signal, called you here, because there is a prophecy that was made years ago that was recently deciphered... and involves you." He paused, mustering up a little more strength to sit up on his own. "It is why I and the other Keepers are being hunted by evil all throughout the galaxies. However, as I said before, I fear I may be the only one left.
"There is one other Keeper that is still alive, though I fear that they have found her as well as me. I feel her weakening just as I am now. She and I were in hiding together. We split up only a few days ago, when we felt the death of the only surviving Keeper other than ourselves. A better chance of informing you of the prophecy this way, we thought."
When the Keeper paused and inhaled sharply at a sudden stab of pain, the red ranger spoke up as he wrapped his arm securely around the man, holding him stable. "You said that this prophecy involves...us?"
The Keeper nodded his head solemnly. "In a way, it does, yes." He briefly paused again, trying his best to concentrate on the task at hand, his last remaining responsibility.
"Years ago," he started, "an ancient prophet named Spyridon prophecized that there would be a team, a force of good, that would rid the universe of all the evil that fills it. One of you will discover something that you have been longing to find and this will enable you to ultimately complete your mission."
"You mean we will find Zordon?" the one in black, Carlos, asked.
"Yes... ultimately you will find him," the Keeper replied. He could not tell them the full details of their own prophecy, they had to figure it out themselves, otherwise he might change the outcome of their journey.
"This was the first of two prophecies that Spyridon foresaw," he continued. "His second prophecy is the one that is of the most importance. It foretells that an unknown evil will rise and come to power after a long stretch of peace that was made following the final battle between good and evil. It also tells of two siblings. Born to those of great power and having a strength that neither of them realizes. A strength that is greater than that of the enemy. They will unknowingly hold the secret of how to destroy this unknown evil and--," he cut off as the pain got so unbearable that he could barely even concentrate. His time was almost here and he had done his best, they at least knew the majority of the prophecy.
"A--And, what?" Andros asked, shaking the man slightly. "Please, just hold on. Just a little longer. What does all of this have to do with us?" he asked urgently.
"The siblings will be born to those of great power," the old man whispered as he let out his last dying breath. The rangers watched as the Keeper's eyes slowly closed and his body went limp in the red ranger's arms. Andros slowly and carefully laid him against the tree and stood to join the others.
A mutual feeling of sorrow went through the group as they looked upon the great man that had just given up his life to protect them. A man that, just an hour ago, they didn't even know existed. They all stood in silence comforted simply by each other's presence and all glanced over at their fallen ally when he started to glow. The glowing light became brighter, obscuring the rangers' vision until, with a bright flash, the Keeper was gone. The only thing that was left was the tree that Andros had propped him up against and a small emerald inlaid pendant that lay on the ground next to it.
Frowning, Andros walked forward and picked up the little pendant and examined it, turning it to look at it from every angle. He stayed there for a minute, just looking at the pendant, wondering if it meant anything.
At the sound of one of his teammates voices, he turned around and put the little pendant into his pocket. He glanced at his team and told them with unspoken words that there was nothing else for them here. There would be time later to work through all that the Keeper had just told them. For now, it was silently decided that this was not the place to discuss any of the events that had just transpired. Slowly, the other rangers turned, and one by one, followed the red ranger's lead back to the ship.
A/N: This chapter has been edited by me and beta'd by the wonderful Phantom Rogue. I will eventually make my way through the rest of these chapters (probably over Christmas break) and then add more to it. And if this is your first time reading this, I hope you enjoy!
