AN: Alright, I got the idea for this story and decided to run with it. I didn't think it was going to be as long as it turned out, but that's not a bad thing. This is to introduce the Pyro Rangers who will be joining the fight in When Darkness Falls and in the third story as well. Enjoy!
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Sensei Komoko had always supported her cousin, Akio Yamato, in all things. She had never disagreed with his decisions. He had led the Fire Ninja Academy admirably since becoming the Head Master. He was wise and understanding, but most of all he saw in people things that no one else could. She reasoned that maybe that's what led him to his choices.
But for once Komoko did not agree with her cousin. She was confused and dismayed, but most of all she was insulted. He had asked her opinion and then disregarded it. It was for this reason she found her way to his office with the intent of discussing things. She raised her hand to knock when the door opened and Akio smiled warmly at her.
"Sensei Komoko, I anticipated a visit from you."
Komoko nodded. "I wish-."
"Come, let us not discuss this where prying ears may hear what they should not."
Komoko nodded again and stepped inside. His office was as warm and inviting as he was. Even the traditional weapons displayed along one wall did not seem threatening and indeed felt as if they would have no place in their owner's hands. His desk was clean and organized and had two comfortable looking chairs in front and another behind. Komoko took a seat in front and her cousin poured them both a cup of tea before sitting behind the desk.
"Now, what is it you want to discuss?" Akio asked. He knew full well what it was that his cousin wanted to talk about. He knew this would be coming.
"I have always supported you from the time when your parents threatened to send you to boot camp through their deaths and into your training. I have never disagreed with you…until now." She took a sip of her tea before continuing. "Akio, I do not agree with your choices for the Rangers."
"All of them?" Akio asked, already knowing the answer.
"Ally Thomas and Brent Santos will make fine Rangers. They are respectful, caring, and talented. They embody everything our Academy has stood for." Komoko said. "But Jeremy Allen is a troublemaker. He has a temper as hot as the fire he wields. He is arrogant and reckless. He is talented sure, but he has no respect for the danger of his power. He will bring dishonor and shame to this Academy. Akio, surely you see this?"
Akio smiled gently. "Emiko-chan, you trust in me?"
"Always."
"Then trust that I see more in Jeremy Allen than even he sees."
"I hope you are right. Once you formerly appoint him there will be no taking it back."
"I do not doubt who I have chosen and I hope in time you come to agree."
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It was the fifth day in a row someone had sprayed shaving cream on his locker and Jeremy Allen was steaming mad-literally. Fine wisps of smoke floated from his shirt as his body temperature began to rise. Flickers of flames licked inside his clenched fists. Enough was enough and he couldn't take it anymore. With fiery determination in his step, Jeremy stalked toward the perpetrators.
"Jeremy." Ally hissed, trailing after her best friend. "Don't do anything stupid."
Jeremy was already beyond reason. His green eyes were flickering with the flames of his rage. He didn't even slow as he came upon the jocks who he knew were responsible. The jocks were laughing, their leader James Brolly was pointing at him. That did nothing to quench the fire the shaving cream had lit inside.
"Hey Allen, thought your locker needed a little decoration." James sneered.
Jeremy growled like a tiger that's been poked too many times with a stick. "Think that's funny, do you?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Well, y'know what they say."
"What?"
A small ball of fire formed in his fist. "You play with fire--."
"Jeremy, buddy, what's going on?"
The fire died in Jeremy's palm as the sound of his friend's voice. He glanced to the side and saw Brent Santos giving him a look that clearly said that he had seen the fire and was not impressed. Jeremy turned his attention back to the jock before him.
"Nothing, buddy. James and I were just talking."
James smirked. "I think you were saying something about fire?"
Brent shot his friend another disapproving look, but Jeremy was facing away and didn't see it. He had sensed Jeremy's anger and knew his friend was going to do something he shouldn't. "Jeremy."
"Not doing anything stupid." Jeremy retorted with gritted teeth.
"Yeah, Santos, he's too much of a pus--."
James never finished his sentence. Jeremy lashed out with a right hook that lifted James off his feet and backwards into the lockers. That was like blood in the water around hungry sharks. The other jocks moved to attack Jeremy. None of them even touched him. In a series of twist, turns, kicks, and punches that seemed more like an intricate dance than a fight Jeremy laid them all out. He stood over the fallen boys with a triumphant smirk.
"As I was saying. You play with fire and you get your ass kicked."
"Jeremy Allen!"
Ally and Brent both winced at the principal's sharp voice. Jeremy however, simply turned and gave the principal a defiant look. He offered no apology or explanation and didn't even try to deny anything. He didn't argue when she demanded he follow her to her office. Ally and Brent watched him go and shook their heads. They had all been friends since they were kids. They had been through thick and thin together. No three people on the island were as close as they were, but sometimes Ally and Brent just didn't understand Jeremy.
"I love that boy like a brother, but sometimes I just want to kick his ass." Ally said.
Brent smirked. "Later Ally. Let's get to class before we're late."
Meanwhile, Jeremy entered the now very familiar office. Without a word from the principal he took a seat in one chair and put his feet in the other. The principal shot him a look that clearly said she wasn't amused. She knocked his feet out of the chair as she passed and then took a seat behind her desk. Jeremy was sure it didn't bode well that she had been silent so far. Usually she was yelling by now, but maybe she was learning that doing so did nothing more than amuse him.
"Jeremy. What am I going to do with you?"
"I don't know Principal Jones. What are you going to do with me?" Jeremy replied, his tone as cocky and arrogant as ever.
"ISS and OSS don't seem to do you any good. Maybe I should just expel you." Principal Jones said as calmly as she could.
"Wouldn't you have a fun time explaining that to my father." Jeremy sneered defiantly.
"No, I think you would be the one explaining why you can't stay out of fights, why you can't stay out of trouble, and why he has to find a new school for you."
Jeremy smirked. "What's the matter, can't handle me anymore? Am I too much for you?"
"Damnit Jeremy, why do you have to act like this?" Jones demanded, losing her composure.
The smirk fell off of Jeremy's face and his eyes flickered. "The same reason why you seduced my father. It's just in my nature."
"You spoiled little brat." Jones hissed furiously. "I'm going to tell your father you said that."
The smirk returned to Jeremy's face at that. "Go ahead, it's only the truth."
"Why couldn't you be more like your brother?" Jones muttered. "No more fights Jeremy. Next one and you're out of here."
"Sure." He said. Had it been someone else Jones might have believed that chipper tone, but coming from Jeremy it was just condescending.
"And you can bet I'm going to talk to your father about this."
"Do what you have to."
Jeremy smirked as he was curtly dismissed. There were few things he enjoyed more than getting under the skin of his future stepmother. She was too easy to get to. Sure his father was going to give him a talking to for it, but that was all he ever did. Jeremy never feared retribution or punishment from his father. Usually Jeremy Allen Sr. was off on business trips leaving his future wife Amanda Jones and Jeremy's older brother Scott in charge. Jeremy never listened to Amanda as she had absolutely no right to order him around-or so he thought. However, if there was one authority figure in Jeremy's life it was his older brother Scott.
Jeremy winced at the thought. Scott would definitely find out about the fight AND what he had said to Amanda. Scott was going to give him hell for this.
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"Scott is going to kick your ass." Brent said as he, Ally, and Jeremy left the school. "You know he won't approve of even creating a flame with the intention of hurting an innocent person."
Jeremy glared at his best male friend. "James Brolly is NOT innocent. That jackass needed someone to hand him his ass and I did."
"And do you feel better now that you have?" Ally asked.
"No, I still want to beat his head in." Jeremy retorted.
Brent and Ally shared another exasperated look. They knew that Jeremy's whole life was an act. There was much more to him than he let the world know. Ally had been there to hold him while he cried when his mother was killed. Brent had helped to bring back the playful child in the terrible months after. All of them had been friends since before they were old enough to know what friends were. They had grown up together and worked together to accept and develop their individual abilities. Brent and Jeremy both had abilities that pertained to just the three of them. Brent was empathic and could sense their strong emotions while Jeremy just instinctively knew if one of them was in danger. Ally however had a power with a wider range-she could sense emotions attached to a place if they were strong enough. Those trials and tribulations had helped them know each other inside and out. There was more to Jeremy, they knew it, and prayed that some day it would come out.
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"You reckless, self-absorbed little brat! How could you even think of using your powers like that! Of all the stupid things you've done, and there is a long list, this ranks close to the top!"
Scott was in all his glory Jeremy noted with dismay. His older brother was raging mad and was making his point very clearly in their impromptu sparring match. Scott was definitely a better fighter than Jeremy having already graduated from the Fire Ninja Academy and had accepted the offer of teaching there. Scott was Jeremy's teacher in his Art of Defense class.
"You could have gotten yourself kicked out of the Academy for using your powers in such a way! You could have seriously hurt someone!" Scott continued to fume as he kicked his brother's ass all over the dojo. The rest of Jeremy's class, which included his two best friends, watched on in silence waiting for the real lesson to begin. "DEFEND YOURSELF!"
Jeremy was so startled by his brother's roar that he let a kick slip past his defenses and he went down hard. His skull felt like it had been hit with a sledgehammer. White hot pulses of pain lanced through his head and he groaned when he tried to get up. A foot to his chest held him down and he vaguely heard his brother talking to the rest of the class.
"What was Mr. Allen's first mistake?"
"Getting on your bad side." One student said. This earned snickers from the rest of the class, but one glare from their Sensei and they grew serious.
"He was not prepared for your first attack. He was caught off guard and that gave you the advantage." Ally said.
Sensei Allen nodded. "Very good Ms. Thomas. As ninjas you must always be prepared for the unexpected."
"Why would I expect my brother was going to cheap shot me?" Jeremy grumbled.
Scott glared down at his younger brother keeping his foot firmly in place. "Because when you step onto these grounds I'm your teacher, not your brother. You'll do well to remember that in the future."
"Yes Sensei." Jeremy sneered, giving Scott a disgusted look.
Scott returned the look before addressing the class again. "What was Mr. Allen's second mistake?"
"He let you keep him off guard instead of taking control of the fight." A different student said.
"Excellent Mr. Grant. If you allow your opponent to keep your off guard you hand them the battle." Scott said. He still kept his foot pinning Jeremy to the ground completely ignoring the heated look his younger brother was giving him. "A good defense can be better than a good offense. Oh, Sensei Nim will tell you otherwise. We Fire Ninjas are notoriously aggressive fighters, but defense can be used offensively. If your opponent is attacking aggressively, use that against them. Use their momentum against them. Once you get them off guard then you are the aggressor and you are in charge of the fight." Seeing he had made his point to the class he shot one last fiery glare at his brother before letting the teen up. "Join your classmates."
"Yes Sensei." Jeremy said coldly as he rolled to his feet.
Scott didn't even spare him another glance. "Split up into groups of two. One partner will be the aggressor and the other the defender. The goal is for the defender to restrain the aggressor. You have five minutes."
The class instantly did as they were told. Scott watched his students with a calculating eye. They were all good or they wouldn't have made it to the Wildfire level. Oh it wasn't an official term of course, but the students had given each year a nickname. The first years were Sparks because that's about all they could do with their powers. The second years were Embers because they could light small things on fire, but not much else. The third years were called Pyros because they were learning to do more with their powers and many times could be caught staring in wonder. Fourth year students were Wildfires because they could do more with their powers, but still hadn't learned full control and the fifth year students were called Infernos for their ability to fully control their powers and do wondrous things.
Scott snorted. Jeremy was definitely a Wildfire, but he was on a playing field all his own. Scott wouldn't be the first to admit it, but his brother had more potential than any student had in two hundred years. It was a terrifying thought. Scott hoped his brother would mature a little before realizing his full potential. An arrogant Jeremy with that much power could be disastrous for everyone, especially Jeremy himself.
But for as arrogant as Jeremy was he had a terrible defense. Scott bit back a smirk as he watched his little brother get taken down by Ally. Now she was the perfect candidate to house the greatest fire in centuries. Why couldn't she have been blessed with that power instead of Jeremy? She at least would respect that terrifying power, not flaunt it like an arrogant jackass. It gave Scott some small satisfaction to watch his stuck up brother get pinned to the ground in an unbreakable hold by the very girl he had been taunting mere seconds ago.
A quick glance at his watch showed that the five minutes was up. His hands came together in a sharp resounding clap and all movement instantly stopped. Some had managed to restrain their opponents as Ally had, but others were just trying to hold their own. Another clap brought everyone to their feet and they stood waiting for his next command.
"Switch places. Aggressors become defenders and defenders become aggressors. Same challenge applies. Five minutes starting now."
Again Scott watched the entire class, but his eyes strayed to three students in general. Oh he had heard Sensei Yamato's choices for the Pryo Ranger positions. He had also overheard Sensei Komoko talking to Sensei Nim about her disappointment. He knew that Komoko fully approved of Ally and Brent, but she was very adamant about the mistake the Head Master had made with Jeremy. Scott knew he should have been indignant for his brother's sake, but he happened to agree with her. Jeremy had no place in being a Ranger. He certainly didn't deserve it and Scott hoped that Sensei Yamato did not come to regret his choice.
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Akio Yamato was confident that he had chosen the proper candidates to be the Fire Ninja Academy's first team of Pyro Rangers. They were on their fourth year of training in the academy and it was the perfect time to start the extra training required of Rangers. By their last year as students they were be prepared for the responsibility that was to come with being Rangers. Not only would they have the same responsibility as Fire Ninjas they would also be required to handle situations their peers could not.
The Fire Ninja Academy was located on Asher Island, a volcanic island somewhere in the pacific. It was only about the size of Rhode Island and there was only one semi-large city. Many smaller towns and even smaller villages dotted the island. There was no ruling government over the whole island just a Magistrate who had power over the capital city of Dulay. The rest of the island fended for themselves and that's where the Fire Ninja Academy came in. Unlike the other Ninja Academies, the Fire Academy was known to the whole island. Attending was an honor higher than any other. The Ninjas were peacekeepers, rescuers, and guardians. For there was something dark that lived at the heart of the island.
For centuries darkness had leached across the paradise island like poison. Animals were possessed and mutated into wild things. People lost their minds and did unspeakable things. Monsters roamed the jungles making it a dangerous place to venture. Deeper and darker things were beginning to arise though. Evil creatures, demons some might say, were haunting the land. This was what the Fire Ninja Academy was truly there for. They took care of domestic matters like rescuing lost kids and settling tribal disputes, but they were the first, last, and only defense against the dark things that plagued Asher Island.
It was the "demons" that had pushed Akio into agreeing to the creation of the Pyro Morphers. The battles being fought were growing too dangerous for his ninjas to fight. They needed something more, an edge over the ever growing threat. In a year's time they would have the edge, but for now his Rangers were still in training.
Akio was still deep in thought when there was a knock on his door. He stood immediately and moved to the door. He always greeted anyone who knocked rather than just tell them to come in. It showed a bit more consideration on his part and meant he could decide whether or not he actually wanted whoever it was to come inside. So it was that he opened the door to find his daughter there, a grim look on her face.
"Su-chan, what's wrong?"
"Trouble in the heart, father. The Babodan tribe hasn't had contact with the Trodans in days. They're worried, but afraid to send their own people in."
Akio sighed. The Babodans were a coastal tribe using the ocean to give them everything they needed. What few things they couldn't get for themselves they got from the Trodans through trade. They were both peace minded tribes who didn't threaten the more civilized towns and were in turn left to their own devices. But when there was trouble they still turned to the Academy just like the rest of the island. Every village, town, and city had one communicator with which to contact the Fire Academy.
"Do they have any indication what the problem might be?"
"No and I've tried to contact the Trodans, but there was no response."
Akio smiled warmly at his daughter. "Good job Su-chan. I'll select a team to send."
"Father," She paused, then continued confidently. "Father, this is probably a milk run. This may be a good time to test your choices."
At first Akio opened his mouth to protest, but found he didn't have a logical reason why not to send them. They weren't Rangers yet, but they were skilled ninjas and fully capable of handling a situation. When they returned he could get a report and find out where they stood in terms of needing improvement.
He smiled as his daughter. "Good thinking. You may have your mother's good looks, but you've got my brains."
"I'll tell her you said that."
"Only if you want me to disappear from the face of the Earth."
"Course not father, but..."
Akio smiled good-naturedly. "What do you want Su-chan?"
"I want to go with them." Before her father could argue she went on. "I could give you an outsiders report of the team and keep an eye on them. Please father, I haven't been out of the Academy for weeks working on the computer. Besides, you said so yourself that I need to get out."
"A milk run, huh? Was that your way of softening me up to the idea?" He asked, but already knew that much. He laughed. "You've definitely got your mother's mastermind." He grew serious swiftly. "Okay Susan, you can go. But I want you to be careful. Try to let them make decisions and work things out, only step in if you have to. Let's see who stands out as a leader."
"It won't be Jeremy." At Akio's sigh she continued. "I'm sorry father, but that hothead is no good. I can't understand why you chose him."
"It is not for anyone to understand yet." Akio said calmly. "Soon however, I think we will all be seeing what Jeremy Allen is really made of."
"Hopefully it's not all hot air." Before her father could say anything more she smiled widely. "I know, I know. It's not for me to know."
"So you are learning." Akio teased. He was silent for a moment before coming to a decision. "I want you to take the morphers just in case."
"Are you sure father. You haven't even told them yet."
"I am hoping the need will not arise. If however things are more dangerous than they seem I would feel more comfortable with knowing the morphers are there for them to use."
"Okay father."
Akio smiled and hugged his daughter. "Please be careful Su-chan. Your mother would cook me up and serve me for dinner if anything happened to you."
"I'll be careful father. It's not the first time I've been to the heart y'know."
Akio watched his daughter walk away. Yes, he did know that she was familiar with the heart. That didn't stop him from worrying. But he had absolute faith in his daughter and the three ninjas he was sending with her. They were skilled enough to fight if possible and escape if the situation became necessary. He just hoped neither would be necessary.
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Jeremy was slightly miffed that they didn't get to take the four-wheelers. He'd been drooling over them since his first year. It was one of his major goals in the Academy. He was bound and determined to ride one of them one day. For the moment he was stuck in one of the Academy's jeeps and he wasn't even getting to drive. Instead, Susan Yamato was driving and he was stuck sitting in the back, pouting. He ignored the annoyed looks his two friends were giving him.
"C'mon Jer, don't be such a wet blanket on our first mission." Brent said. "You should be excited."
"Yeah, you might get to show off." Ally added.
Jeremy shot them both dirty looks. "I don't show off."
Brent laughed. "Yeah, like a leopard doesn't have spots."
"You're not funny." Jeremy grumbled.
"Who's being funny? I was telling the truth."
"Alright kids, eyes and ears open. We're coming up on the village." Susan said, stopping the bickering. All eyes were forward as they burst out of the dense jungle path and into a small clearing. "Oh my..."
Susan stopped the jeep and stared. There were five bodies sprawled across the ground. On two of them they could see deep wounds which had probably been bleeding profusely. Susan recovered quickly and got out of the jeep. The other three ninjas did the same. Brent and Jeremy instinctively watched for trouble as Susan and Ally checked the bodies. All five were definitely dead. Ally noted that two of the bodies were closer together than the others. She moved closer, vaguely noticing that Brent followed still watching her back. It wasn't hard to see what had caused their deaths.
"Guys, these two killed each other." Ally announced. "Stabbed each other."
"Why would they do that? I thought the Trodans were a peaceful tribe. I didn't even know they had weapons." Jeremy said, looking at the bodies.
"They have weapons to defend themselves from the nasty creatures out here, but they've never used them on humans before." Susan replied. She had spent time as a guest of the village and had learned their culture and language. "I can't think of a reason why this would happen." She sighed and shook her head and looked around. "And I'm wondering why this place is so quiet. Where are the rest of the villagers?"
Brent looked around. "Aren't there something like fifty villagers?"
"Something like that." Susan looked around grimly. "But we might be dealing with a lower number than that now."
"Let's have a look around." Ally suggested. "Groups of two?"
Susan nodded. This changed her father's decision. This wasn't a milk run after all and she was sure in these conditions he would want her in charge. "Brent and I will go check by the river to see if any of the fishermen know anything."
"Guess we'll check the buildings." Ally said. She shot a look to Jeremy, who for once was looking mildly serious. She found it mildly disturbing that it took death to bring out his serious side. She hoped maybe this little adventure would mature him some.
Jeremy watched as Brent and Susan walked away and felt slightly worried. Some part of him deep inside was suggesting that maybe splitting up wasn't a good idea. However, there was a lot of room to cover and not a lot of time to do it. No one wanted to be out after dark in this area of the jungle-not in the heart. The heart was what the residents of the islands called the center of the island, which also happened to be the area with the greatest evil disturbances. Everything always spread out from there. And Jeremy didn't think separating was wise, but he didn't say anything. They would probably laugh him off because he rarely made serious comments.
The first little house, more of a cabin really, was empty. The fireplace was unlit and the beds made. It looked like whoever had lived there had simply gone out and never come back. Maybe one of the five men that was already dead? Ally doubted it.
By the second house Jeremy was beginning to have a really bad feeling. "Ally, look at this." He pointed to three clay plates with food still on them. Flies were buzzing around and the food gave a distinct rotten smell and look. "Looks like they left during lunch."
"Several days ago too." Ally said, wrinkling her nose as the rotten food.
"Ally..."
Without words Ally knew what her best friend was thinking. "I know. Nothing has felt right since stepping into this village."
It didn't make Jeremy feel any better that Ally confirmed his thoughts. After checking two more little houses with much the same results, Jeremy was beginning to get the feeling that they were being watched. It was like normal life in the village had just stopped, but a cold twist in his stomach suggested there was more to all of this than originally thought. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up and it felt like bugs were crawling under his skin.
"Ally, I think we should get out of here." Jeremy spoke up before they were about to enter the last house on the row.
"Wh--."
She never even got to finish the word before something tackled her from out of the house. Jeremy instantly lunged forward to help his friend as she was pinned to the ground. He could instantly tell it was one of the villagers and he was screaming at her in Trodanese.
"MALIKI RO KAI SIH!"
Jeremy didn't speak Trodanese and at the moment what the crazed man was saying didn't matter. What mattered was the long hunting knife that flashed out of no where. Jeremy tackled the man off his friend, but the move was careless and he felt the intense sting of the blade slicing into his arm. The fire ninja and villager grappled for the knife as they rolled across the ground.
"JO NI, KAI SIN!" The man roared with manic fury.
"Back at ya." Jeremy growled still having no clue at all what the man was so worked up about. Jeremy thought about kicking the guy away from him, but the villager was still armed with that nasty looking hunting knife. He wouldn't risk the man going for Ally again.
"SAKY NORI SAMA!"
"Okay, I've had enough of that." Jeremy swung his body with all his strength and pinned the man to the ground. He ignited his hands briefly and the villager shrieked and dropped the knife. With the weapon out of the way Jeremy lashed out with a punch to the temple that sent the villager careening into unconsciousness. With the threat gone Jeremy sat back and looked up at Ally. "Okay, what the hell was that all about?"
"I wish I knew Trodanese. Unfortunately, he could have been telling me my mom was a horse and I wouldn't know." Ally replied. She recovered quickly from the shock of the ambush. Her nerves of steel and level head helped. "We need to find Brent and Susan and warn them."
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Brent's head snapped to the side as a shadow fluttered around the corner of his vision. Nothing was there. An intensely bad feeling had grown in the pit of his stomach. Sensei Nim had always told them to trust their instincts. Brent put his full faith in his Sensei's words. So, he fully believed his instincts when they told him that something was following them. Furthermore, he had no doubt that Susan had the same feeling.
"Susan, maybe we should just go back." Brent said quietly to his companion beside him.
"We have to have something to tell father. The Babodans are going to want to know what happened to their only trading partner." Susan replied. "Until there is a definite danger we'll keep trying to find out what's going on."
Brent had to agree. The Babodans and the Trodans were long time trading partners. They were trading partners before the Japanese or Americans (or other ethnic groups for that matter) ever stepped foot on the island. The Babodans would want answers and if the Fire Academy didn't give them answers then they would seek them out. Brent had a feeling that things would only get worse if that happened. Something dark was at work here.
"Did you hear that?" Susan asked as she came to a stop. She tilted her head to the side and listened. Brent stayed quiet and followed her example. After a moment she frowned. "I hear someone screaming in Trodanese. I couldn't hear all of it, but I caught the word kill several times."
"Think Jeremy and Ally are in trouble?" Brent asked.
Without her reply, Brent knew the answer to that. His best friends might not have been in deep trouble, but they were agitated about something. Ally was worried about Jeremy and vice versa. He also caught hints of protectiveness from Jeremy. Brent could guess what had happened. Something had attacked Ally and Jeremy was fighting it. After a moment he felt things settle again, except for a feeling of confusion.
"They're okay, but maybe we should head back. I don't like being separated." Brent said.
Susan looked at him and gave it some real thought, but decided against it. "We're already halfway to the river. We'll be there in a few more minutes. Once we talk to the fishermen then we will head back."
Brent sighed, but didn't argue. She was the team leader for the mission and her word was final. Jeremy wouldn't have let it go, but Brent was content with following. Jeremy had the instinct of leadership he just needed a push in the right direction-or a good solid kick in the ass.
Susan was right of course. In a few moments they stepped out of the jungle and onto the small clearing that led to the riverbank. They both stopped with shocked gasps. There were fishermen there alright and they were busy slaughtering themselves. Two fishermen were having a knife fight while another two more were working together to drown a man. Once the drowning man stopped fighting they turned on each other like wild animals.
"Kai saih! Kuyo asih ni!"
Susan took a step back. "My gods, they're murdering each other. The things they're shouting don't even make sense."
"We have to stop them." Brent said. He was unable to sit back and watch as humans slaughtered other humans. "Think a little fire might scare them?"
Susan didn't get a chance to reply. The six fishermen who had been fighting each other seemed to sense the watchers. Upon first glance the crazed men could see that these two were not from their village. They forgot fighting each other and instead rushed head long at Susan and Brent. Instinctively the two ninjas fell into fighting stances, but there was no time for formalities. Three men went for Susan while the other three went for Brent. Two of the men were still armed with their knives but the others were thankfully unarmed. That didn't make them any less dangerous though in their violent insanity.
Brent ducked under the wild leap from one man, but was tackled by the second one. Remembering his Art of Defense training, Brent rolled with the momentum and used his feet to throw the man off him. A roll to the side dodged the third man, but insanity lent strength and recovery time to the men. Before Brent could get to his feet he was tackled by all three men. They were clawing and biting at him, ripping at his hair and yanking on his limbs. Brent did the only thing he could think of doing. He let loose with a quick, intense flash of heat which forced the three men to back off of him with cries of surprise, outrage, and pain.
Susan was unlucky enough to get both knife wielders after her. What was on her side was her training. She had already graduated from the Academy and was a full fledged, fully trained Fire Ninja. She deftly avoided the wild, unplanned attacks from the three enraged villagers. She could tell that something was affecting their minds. They weren't thinking straight and it showed in their attacks and the angry nonsense they were rambling.
"Sai su, sai te Fire Ninjas."
Susan was startled by the dark whispery voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. There was no source that she could see and it definitely hadn't come from the crazed villagers. However, the fishermen responded to the words immediately. Their efforts tripled and Susan found herself struggling to keep up. Then she saw something that made her blood turn to ice. More villagers were coming out of the jungle toward them with the same murderous rage as the fishermen.
"Brent! Brent we have to get out of here!" Susan shouted.
"Now you say that!" Brent shouted incredulously. "Could this get any worse!"
"Always!"
JBAJBAJBA
Neither Ally or Jeremy had understood most of what the dark voice had whispered on the wind, but the words 'Fire Ninjas' sparked dread. Dark voices didn't usually say good things. They didn't know what the other words meant, but 'Kai' was also a word they had already heard. The meaning of the words quickly became a moot point.
Ally and Jeremy had been jogging down the path toward the river when they heard the dark voice. Ally stopped so suddenly Jeremy slammed into her back and they both hit the ground. They quickly got up and were horrified to find themselves surrounded by raging villagers, most of them armed. Jeremy's unnatural ninja reflexes allowed him to dodge an arrow as it buzzed past his head and he threw a blast of fire at the archer. The villager's simple wood bow quickly caught on fire and the man dropped the burning remains to the ground.
"Ally, there's too many." Jeremy whispered as they moved to stand back to back.
"Remember our Defense training." Ally replied just as quietly. "Keep the fight moving toward the river. We'll be better off when we're all together."
The villagers attacked with screams of rage. Jeremy and Ally twisted and turned as they struggled to fend of the attacks while still watching each other's back. They were hesitant to use their fire abilities to a higher extent than just singeing a few hairs here or there. Sensei Yamato did not agree with using their abilities against civilians, rather they were for fighting the more powerful things. However, things were becoming desperate as the number of attacking villagers grew and the two fire ninjas became separated.
"Ally!" Jeremy shouted, trying to fight back to her side.
Ally heard Jeremy's shout, but she couldn't get to him. Everywhere she turned there was another villager and every time she took one down another was right there. Nothing she did was making a difference and she was losing the battle. Then a villager took her knees out from behind and she hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath out of her. The villager she landed on twisted around and straddled her waist as his hands clenched around her throat.
Not far away Jeremy saw his best friend disappear behind the wall of villagers. It was more that his self-control could take. The temperature around him spiked abruptly and continued to rise at an alarming rate. If the villagers had been sane they would have gotten away from him as quick as they could, but they weren't thinking straight (if at all). They continued to attack him even as their skin began to blister and burn. Feeling no pain at all they attacked with the same intensity as before. But Jeremy's body continued to heat up until normal clothes would have caught fire, however the Fire Academy's uniform was connected to the same fire power and was unaffected. Flames began to crackle around Jeremy as his show of power attracted all the villagers, except for the one choking Ally.
"ALLY!"
Jeremy's roar was punctuated by an inferno of fire that exploded from his body and swept outward. The flames were hot enough to instantly give the villagers third degree burns. A second wave of fire roasted them alive and the third wave of increasingly hot fire incinerated them. Within moments of Jeremy's meltdown all that was left of the villagers that had been attacking them were ashes.
JBAJBAJBA
Head Master Akio Yamato was startled out of his mediation. For a moment he was confused and looked around the room. All the teachers and students were still meditating. All of them that is except for Sensei Scott Allen. The Sensei of Art of Defense was alert and looked startled. Akio could sense worry and apprehension rolling off of Scott as he stood up and stalked out of the room. Akio hesitated only a moment before a soft touch on his arm drew his attention to the woman beside him.
"Go after him love." His wife encouraged.
Akio nodded and quickly followed the younger fire ninja. Scott was just outside the room leaning against a wall. He looked up at Akio and didn't seem remotely surprised to see the older man there.
"Scott? What troubles you?" Akio asked.
Scott frowned deeply. "It's Jeremy."
"What about him?" Akio probed. He had a good idea what Scott was going to say.
"I felt a spike of power from him. Something caused him to lose control." Scott answered, his brows furrowed. "I'm not sure what was stronger his fear or his anger."
"Both are powerful emotions, neither of them good." Akio said. "I fear perhaps there is more going on at the Trodan village than we originally thought."
"I want to go there." Scott announced. He looked directly into Akio's warm eyes. "Sensei, please allow me to take another group to the Trodan village."
Akio was briefly torn. It was the best chance for his Ranger hopefuls to prove themselves. However, his daughter and Scott's brother were out there. If there was danger they couldn't handle the simple "milk run" could turn into much worse. Still, the mission was for them and he didn't sense that things were beyond their skill level-yet.
"We will hold off for now Scott, but if I feel things get beyond what they are capable of dealing with then I will let you go." Akio said after a long moment of silence.
Scott looked like he might argue, but in the end just nodded and walked away. Akio watched him go, praying that he hadn't made a mistake.
JBAJBAJBA
Brent and Susan created wall of fire around them in hopes of keeping the villagers at bay. It didn't work. The villagers were immune to pain and unafraid. The dark voice whispered to them and they obeyed. The two ninjas continued to fight for their lives as Brent struggled to ignore the panicked feelings he was getting from Jeremy and Ally. And when he felt Jeremy lose control it took all his training to keep his mind on the fight at hand.
"I have to get to Jeremy and Ally!" Brent shouted.
Susan considered telling him that he was nuts, but stopped herself. Those three teens were deeply connected to each other. They had grown up together and she knew that the only time they had been separated at all was when Jeremy's family went on vacation to America. Brent would never be able to focus on the fight if he was busy worrying about his friends. She smiled to herself. Her father had chosen well. She may have her doubts about Jeremy, but the deep bond between the three would make them the perfect team. Ally and Brent could balance out Jeremy's wild nature. They would all make fine Rangers.
"Ninja streak." Susan ordered.
Brent didn't reply. Together they gave up the fight and streaked away. It only took them seconds to find their comrades. Ally had knelt beside Jeremy and was checking his vitals. Instantly Brent moved to her side, needing to touch his friend for himself just to verify Jeremy was in fact alive. He could feel the heat still radiating off of Jeremy as the teen slowly cooled down from his meltdown.
"What happened?" Brent asked.
"I don't know. The villagers attacked all out. They separated us and one of them knocked me down and started choking me." Ally explained. "After that I felt him release a tremendous amount of power and that was it."
Susan knelt beside Jeremy as Brent stood to play guard. He couldn't help but notice the piles of ashes all over. He was surprised. No fire ninja had EVER produced a temperature hot enough to incinerate a human body, not as quickly as this had happened. How had Jeremy possibly done it? What kind of power did Jeremy really have? That thought was frightening to Brent who, even as Jeremy's "blood brother", still feared the combination of power and willingness to use it that Jeremy had clearly demonstrated.
"Asih nee misihia te songa. Kai su."
Susan perked up as the dark voice whispered again. A horrible realization settled over her. They could not in good conscience leave the villagers like this. They were being controlled by a dark evil. It was the Fire Ninjas' duty to protect all the inhabitants of the island against the dark forces at work.
"We have to find the demon behind this."
"Asmal." The three looked down at Jeremy whose green eyes were cracked open. "His name is Asmal."
"How do you know that?" Susan asked in disbelief.
Something akin to fear clouded his eyes. "He spoke to me."
All three gasped. The only time a demon spoke to a person was if it didn't plan on letting them live. Brent reacted immediately. He grabbed the front of Jeremy's uniform and hauled him to his feet. Ally steadied her friend as Jeremy's legs wobbled. Susan glanced around, but saw no villagers in the immediate area.
"I didn't mean to kill them all." Jeremy mumbled as his friends helped him walk. "I couldn't control it."
Brent shook his head. "The amount of power you just displayed frightens me."
"Me too." Jeremy and Ally said simultaneously.
Susan decided to change her previous decision. Their only goal now was to get Jeremy away from the demon. As if reading her mind Jeremy planted his feet and twisted around to look at her. Ally and Brent barely kept him on his feet.
"No, we're not leaving. We have the perfect opportunity to get this bastard." Jeremy growled.
"We are NOT using you as bait." Susan argued.
"It might be the only chance we get. Look, if we don't get Asmal now he's going to have the villagers kill each other. With each death in his presence he grows stronger and if we don't stop him he'll soon be too strong." Jeremy explained. "We have to take him out now while we can still destroy his earthly body."
The other three ninjas shared a look. If there was one thing Jeremy had studied extensively during his training it was demonology. His mother had been murdered by a demon. Jeremy had been six and had witnessed the whole thing. Brent knew that Jeremy still had nightmares about it. Jeremy had made it his goal in life to know everything about hunting and killing demons.
"Are you sure about this?" Susan asked.
"Positive."
Again the other three looked at one another. It was almost disturbing to see Jeremy so serious. There wasn't even a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. The only thing Ally could think of was that Asmal had said something to Jeremy that was putting her friend on edge. One of the only things she could think of was if the demon had threatened Jeremy's friends. That was a sure way to get Jeremy fired up.
"Okay, back to the village. We'll set the trap there." Susan said.
The four ninja streaked down the path to the village. When they got there it was as deserted as before. There were no signs of life at all. Even the man whom Jeremy had knocked out was gone. The naïve would have taken that for a good sign, but the skilled ninjas knew better. Susan led them over to the jeep where she hesitated only briefly before pulling out a silver case.
"Okay guys. This was only for extreme circumstances and I think we've reached that." Susan said. "I'm sorry you couldn't have the proper ceremony first. Hopefully father will still give that to you when we get back."
"What are you talking about?" Jeremy asked.
Susan opened the case and turned it to face the ninjas. Ally gasped while Brent's jaw dropped and Jeremy stared in awe. Sitting neat and orderly inside were three shiny morphers. They were sleek and mostly red and silver except for the fire emblems etched in different colors-blue, red, and black. Jeremy was the first one to reach out and snag the red morpher. Motivated by their friend the other two grabbed the remaining morphers.
"To morph you say Fire storm, Ranger Form." Susan said. "You're now the Fire Academy's first Pyro Rangers. These morphers will also act as communicators between the three of you and the Academy once we get the system set up there."
Jeremy snapped the morpher onto his wrist. "Sweet."
Brent and Ally shared a brief glance that their friend's enthusiasm, which sounded too much like the immature teen they knew too well, afraid this would set back the progress he had been making. However, they need not have worried. He grew serious again and began blasting out a plan.
"Okay, I'm going to break away and I want you guys to take the jeep and leave. As soon as Asmal comes to take his prize I'll call you. Streak back and we'll take him."
"Can we take a demon?" Brent asked.
"We can destroy his earthly form and he won't have the strength to stay here. He'll have to go back to the abyss to regain his strength." Jeremy explained. "He'll be able to come back again, but not for quite a while. We can't fail guys."
"We won't." Brent and Ally said at the same time.
Jeremy nodded, glanced down at the morpher on his wrist, and then back to his friends. "Go."
Ally hesitated as Brent turned and hopped into the jeep. She grabbed Jeremy and pulled him into a tight hug. "Be careful. Don't get overconfident."
"Me overconfident? You must be joking." Jeremy said with a small mischievous smile.
"Yes you." Ally swatted him on the arm.
Jeremy smiled at her, all traces of humor gone. "I'll be careful Ally."
Satisfied, Ally climbed into the passenger side of the jeep. Susan shot Jeremy a brief look before she gunned the engine and took off. Jeremy watched as his friends and now teammates disappeared into the jungle. He was alone and about to face the greatest challenge of his life.
Jeremy sighed and turned around to walk to the middle of the village. He nearly screamed like a girl when he came face to face with a villager. He tried to leap back, but the crazed man was quicker than he could expect and easily tackled him. Jeremy planted his feet in the man's chest and kicked him away and flipped to his feet. As the villager came at him again Jeremy grabbed the outstretched arm and swung the man into the ground with all his strength. He heard the distinct crack of a broken neck and winced. He hadn't meant to kill the guy, but he was suddenly doing an awful lot of that. His only consolation was that none of the villagers seemed to sense any pain.
"So you stand alone."
Jeremy shivered as the dark voice whispered in his ear. He spun to face the speaker, but there was nothing there. His heart rate quickened as he looked for his foe.
"Foolish mortal." The demon continued. "Do you think you alone are challenge enough for me?"
"I think you're afraid to find out!" Jeremy shouted in return.
A hissing sound seemed to fill the air. Jeremy ducked his head and covered his ears as the sound pounded into his mind. Second later he was picked up and thrown across the village and through a wall into one of the houses. A bed made of hay softened his fall, but he was immediately thrown back out of the house and onto the street. The breath was knocked out of him and he laid on the ground trying to gain his bearings as a dark presence closed in on him.
"Stand and face your death." The demon ordered.
Jeremy struggled onto his hands and knees and then to his feet. He looked up and froze. The color drained from his skin and his heart skipped a beat. He struggled to pull in a breath as he stared at something right out of his nightmares. The demon had armor like a knight of old, but it was created by evil and hate and it showed. It seemed to be made out of the shadows themselves. The headpiece had two twisted horns and the whole armor was riddled with curved spikes. Burning yellow eyes glared with a bright intensity only creatures of darkness could manage-the same eyes that had featured in his nightmares for eleven years. It was the same demon that had killed his mother.
"You." Jeremy snarled with a dark fury that was quickly consuming him. "You killed my mother."
"You will soon join her." Asmal said in return.
In a rage filled madness Jeremy charged the demon. Asmal laughed, a dark chilling sound that was punctuated by a sweep of his arm. An invisible force slammed Jeremy backwards sending him flying several feet. As Jeremy stumbled to his feet he was startled to find Asmal right in front of him. Before Jeremy could back away Asmal reached out and snatched the fire ninja by the neck.
"You are every bit as foolish and arrogant as your mother was. Thinking you can take on a demon by yourself just like your mother." Asmal taunted. His voice still nothing more than a dark whisper. "And you will die, just like your mother."
"You first." Jeremy choked out. He brought his hands up to the demon's armor plated chest and let go with a powerful blast of fire.
Asmal laughed again. "Fire? Your pathetic fire cannot save you from my darkness."
Jeremy knew he was right. Darkness began to encroach on his vision and rational thought fled him. Asmal's claw like hand was digging into his skin slightly and squeezing with frightening power. If it kept clenching the way it was it would crush Jeremy's larynx in seconds. Jeremy struggled, but it was pointless. His strength didn't even come close to that of Asmal's. He was going to die at the hands of the same demon that killed his mother.
In the end he did the only thing he could. He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. HELP ME!
JBAJBAJBA
HELP ME!
Brent and Ally both jumped at the mental call for help. They wasted no time pondering it. They knew only one person had a connection deep enough for something like that. They jumped out of the jeep without a word to Susan and took off. Jeremy was in trouble.
JBAJBAJBA
Jeremy felt his mind slipping away as Asmal continued to choke him. As that happened he began to relive his mother's death. He saw the demon kill her over and over again. Like a reoccurring nightmare it happened over and over again.
"JEREMY!"
Asmal whipped around to see two more of the fire ninjas charging him. With a dark laugh the demon swung Jeremy around and threw him into his comrades. All three ninjas hit the ground hard, but the new two were quick to get up while Jeremy just breathed.
"Good, now that you are all here I will kill you and steal your life energy. With three fire ninjas I will be the strongest demon on the island." Asmal taunted. "Of course, if you surrender your souls to me your deaths will be quick and painless."
"My mother fought you to the death and I will do the same." Jeremy snarled, his voice slightly hoarse from nearly being choked to death.
"So be it."
Brent and Ally helped Jeremy to his feet and the three faced the mighty demon. They knew what to do next. No words were exchanged as their instinctive knowledge took over.
"Fire Storm, Ranger Form! HA!"
Power surged through their bodies. A new awareness came to each of them as they gained a deeper connection to their fire powers than ever before. Suits of their respective colors materialized around them and as a final step their helmets snapped over their heads. Each suit was their respective color with silver gauntlets, shin guards, and chest armor. The differences came with their helmets and weapons. Brent was a phoenix and armed with three sai, Ally was a gryphon with a rope dart, and Jeremy was a dragon with a naginata. For the first time they were more than just fire ninjas-they were Pyro Rangers.
"Do you really expect those flashy costumes to protect you?" Asmal sneered. "I will tear you all limb from limb."
The three Rangers attacked without a word. Each with a kick aimed a different part of the body. Asmal blocked Ally's kick to his head, but Jeremy's kick to his chest winded him and Brent's kick to the leg took him to one knee. The Rangers didn't let up. They continued to harass him with growing vigor and confidence as the demon was kept off balance by the stronger than anticipated attacks.
"ENOUGH!" Asmal roared and flung his arms out.
The motion knocked Jeremy and Ally away from the demon, but Brent was still close. He pulled one sai and lunged forward. Asmal cackled wildly and sent Brent tumbling away with one powerful backhand. Jeremy pulled his naginata from its holder on his back and instantly it expanded to its full length with a five foot shaft and a three foot slightly curved blade. At his side Ally pulled the rope dart from her belt and let the weighted and spiked end droop slightly from her hand as she clutched the rope. Brent scrambled up from where he had fallen and pulled a second sai. As if by some unspoken cue each weapon suddenly blazed with fire.
Asmal was not impressed. "So your weapons are of fire. You still do not understand that shadows will always--."
The mighty demon was cut off as Ally suddenly threw the spiked end at his head. Asmal took a quick step back, but an armor piercing sai sank deep into his leg. As his leg faltered and he stumbled Jeremy lunged forward with his naginata extended. Asmal took a step to the side and grabbed the shaft, swinging it up while simultaneously throwing a punch at Jeremy's face. The Red Pyro Ranger ducked the wild swing and kicked the sai still embedded in the demon's leg. Asmal roared with fury and pounced at Jeremy, but the young ninja's agility was augmented by the ranger power and he easily dodged. As Asmal stumbled forward Jeremy swung around and drove the full length of his blade into the demon's back. At the same time Ally's rope dart wrapped around the demon's neck and yanked him even further.
And suddenly just like that Asmal was gone. Brent and Ally looked at each other while Jeremy slowly crept forward. There was no trace of Asmal. It was as if he had simply melted into the shadows of the jungle where sunlight did not penetrate. Brent pulled his third sai from behind his back and started toward the jungle.
"Brent, don't." Jeremy hissed.
It was too late. Brent stepped into the shadows and that was it. Asmal seemed to shoot up out of nowhere. Brent sensed the demon and spun to face him, but Asmal smacked him to the ground with tremendous force. The demon then let off a shockwave of energy that knocked the other two Rangers off their feet. Brent struggled to get to his feet as his head swam, but it was not to be. Reaching into the shadows themselves Asmal pulled a huge broadsword and held it up for everyone to see. There was nothing Brent or his teammates could do to save him. Brent sat on his knees, stunned and hurt, in front of the mighty demon before Asmal thrust his sword through the Black Ranger's chest and shoved him backwards. The sword drove deep into the ground. With one last gasp of breath Brent demorphed.
"BRENT!"
Jeremy gasped as he felt his connection to Brent violently severed. His mind reeled and he fell to his knees. For the second time in his life someone important to him was dead. His "blood brother" was dead. The oath they made to stick together until the end-to meet that end together-was shattered. He couldn't think clearly as his emotions boiled over.
"Jeremy. Jeremy you can't do this now." Ally whispered urgently. "Asmal first."
At the mention of the demon's name Jeremy's mind snapped back into focus. The Red Ranger grabbed his naginata from the ground and stood up. Flames blazed to life around his entire suit, covering him from head to toe. The fire burned white-hot and Ally couldn't look at him to see what was happening.
"Asmal!" Jeremy's voice boomed. Ally was surprised by the amount of sheer power behind it. "You have taken two people from my life and I will not allow it to happen again. Your time is up!"
Asmal laughed. "You think you have wh—aughh!"
The demon never finished his sentence. With speed that had surprised Ally and Asmal both Jeremy speared Asmal in the chest. The great demon roared and staggered back, but Jeremy was too quick. The Red Ranger yanked the naginata out of the demon's chest and swung it low, slicing both legs wide open. Boiling black blood was spilling everywhere as Jeremy determinedly attacked Asmal. Asmal fell to his knees despite his best efforts and glared up at the Red Ranger.
"I take comfort knowing that you have lost more than one person this night." Asmal hissed. "You have not seen the last of me Jeremy Allen. One day you will die at my hands."
Jeremy roared with fury and swung the naginata with all his strength. The burning blade sliced through the demon's neck like a hot knife through butter. A terrible scream welled up, but Jeremy stood tall and watched with grim satisfaction as Asmal's earthly body melted into a pile of bubbling goo. And so the terrible ordeal finally came to an end.
And just like that Jeremy collapsed. Ally immediately rushed to her best friend, thinking he was injured, but stopped before she reached him when she heard his sobs. Jeremy hadn't cried in eleven years. Not when he broke his leg in three places. Not when his favorite dog disappeared. But now her best friend was sobbing just like the little boy eleven years ago when he had watched his mother die.
"Oh Jeremy."
Ally went to Jeremy's side just as he demorphed and she followed suit. Without a word she pulled him into her arms and cradled him as he cried. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her tight. She cried with him as they both let their grief out. There were no words of comfort that could have soothed either of them.
An hour passed before either of them moved from their spot. Ally stopped crying first and simply held Jeremy as the last of his tears fell. When his sobs finally faded they found the strength to go to Brent's side. Thankfully that terrible sword had faded with Asmal's death, but the wound it revealed was horrifying. Neither of them could stand to look at it for very long.
In the end the villagers who were still alive came out of the spell they had been under. Though communication was rough, the Trodans brought a blanket for them to wrap Brent's body in. Jeremy took the morpher off Brent just before they wrapped him up. The villagers, feeling guilty for what had happened, helped the two ninjas carry the body back to their jeep where Susan should have been.
For the second time that night a tragedy was revealed to them. At the jeep they found that while fighting Asmal the demon had the villagers go after Susan again. Their numbers had overwhelmed her. Susan had been stabbed numerous times-she was dead. The villagers were obviously remorseful, but Jeremy couldn't find it in his heart to care. Somewhere deep down he knew that the villagers had been controlled by that damn demon, but it didn't stop the anger. He was so upset he didn't even help as the villagers wrapped up Susan's body too and didn't argue when Ally decided to drive.
The ride back to the Academy was solemn and silent. Neither ninja could bring themselves to say anything. Jeremy was lost in his nightmares while Ally was trying to figure out how they were going to tell Sensei Yamato that they had let his daughter get killed not to mention telling Brent's parents what happened to their son. Brent's brothers were going to be pissed.
Jeremy was jolted out of his stupor when the jeep slammed to a stop. His temper flared and he turned to say something nasty to Ally when he saw she was staring forward. Her face had lost all color and her jaw was hanging open. Jeremy turned to see what she was looking at and gasped. It couldn't be. There was no way.
"Ally, get closer." Jeremy whispered.
Ally stepped on the gas and brought the jeep onto the Academy grounds. As soon as the jeep stopped Jeremy leapt out. It was true. However impossible it seemed from so far away, it was painfully obvious up close. The Fire Academy was gone.
"Dear gods." Ally whispered, her voice choked with tears.
Jeremy ignored her. There was only one thing on his mind and that was Scott-his brother who had still been at the Academy when they left and should have still been there at their return. Scott would have been doing evening meditation as would the whole Academy before the students went home. They should have been there. The whole damn Academy should have still been there. Terror welled up inside Jeremy.
"Scott!" Jeremy shouted. He moved forward, looking for his brother. No one answered his call. "SCOTT!"
"Jeremy." Ally put her hand on her friend's shoulder, but Jeremy swatted her away.
"SCOTT!"
"Jeremy, he's gone. They all are." Ally said. She knew in the bottom of her heart what she was saying was true. She could sense the battle that had taken place and could sense the amount of power that had been used to steal it all away. "We can't stay here."
"Then go! Leave me alone!" Jeremy yelled.
Ally felt tears well in her eyes again as Jeremy stormed away. She watched as he only got a few feet before he collapsed and began to sob again. Her heart broke for him. Despite his wishes she went to him and for the second time that night she held him as he cried.
"We'll get him back Jeremy. He's not dead, none of them are." Ally soothed, holding her friend tight. "We'll get them back."
TBC in When Darkness Falls…