Karred had never fought so hard in his life. The stranger was obviously very skilled in combat, demonstrating his prowess by launching one flurry of strikes after another. The Diamond Ranger blocked each and every blow as best he could, but he could feel himself tiring. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Meanwhile, the other Rangers were finishing off the monster. It had finally weakened to the point that Adam said, "Let's see what this baby's made of, guys What do you say?"

The others voiced their agreement, not wanting to ignore the advice of a living legend. They jumped into action, activating the MegaZord's main weapon, a large fiery sword.

"Legendary Strike!" they shouted in unison as the MegaZord launched forward spinning into one final strike, slicing the beast in half. A large explosion ended the beast, leaving behind a glowing ball of energy that floated in the air. Adam found himself captivated by the power, sensing something familiar about it. Looking deeper, he thought he saw…the Mastodon Zord!

Adam couldn't believe his eyes. It was, without a doubt, the power of the Black Ranger he was seeing. His old power. He had thought it lost forever, but there it was in front of him. Bobby noticed that Adam had frozen and tried to snap him out of it. "Adam? Are you all right?"

Down below, the stranger had managed to overpower Karred long enough to break away from the combat and attempt to retrieve the power fragment. Karred tried to give chase, but he was too weak. He fell to the ground, powering down as he did.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adam saw the stranger leaping towards the power. Moving purely on instinct, Adam powered down and reached for his original morpher. He held it forward and opened it, calling out "Mastodon!" at the top of his lungs. This time, though, he wasn't unleashing the power. He was retrieving it. The power rushed through the air and surged into the power coin at the heart of the morpher. The stranger tried to grab it, missing by just an inch. Cursing under his breath, he vanished in mid-air.

Adam closed the morpher. He looked at the coin bearing the symbol of the mastodon, hearing it's cry. It felt good to have his old powers back in his grasp. Then he looked around the cock pit of the MegaZord. His team looked on in awe at the veteran Ranger. He looked at the morpher on his wrist and the one in his hand. At once, he knew what his path was. His time as the Black Ranger was over. So was his tenure as the Green Ranger. Karred was right. He had changed that day in San Angeles. These kids needed more than just a Red Ranger. They needed a friend and a mentor. They needed a leader.

Adam put his old morpher back on his belt and remorphed into the Red Ranger of Legacy Force. This was his destiny. This was where he belonged.

AUGUST 16TH, 3025 2:45 PM PST

THE COMMAND CENTER

Adam put the antique morpher in the display case alongside his old uniform. Bobby and the others had wondered how they would get the power back into the morphing grid, but Adam knew that it already was. Zordon had forged the coins, connecting them to the grid. As soon as the power had returned to the coin, it had reconnected with the grid. It was safe.

Karred had told him that energy couldn't be created or destroyed. While the Zords, weapons, and uniforms that had comprised the old teams of Rangers had, one way or another, gone by the wayside, the power behind them had survived. They had simply reintegrated with the morphing grid, being recycled so that the next team could step in where the last one had left off. Nonetheless, each Ranger had left his or her mark on the power, continually evolving it throughout history. Adam was proud that he had played such a pivotal role in the legacy of the Power Rangers

And now he had been chosen to safeguard that legacy. His team was raw and inexperienced, but with time and training, Adam knew they would do the power proud. And yet, there was still one question that Adam needed answered.

"Why did you pick Bobby?" he asked Karred.

"To be our Blue Ranger," he replied, "Why else?"

"I'm not debating that Bobby would make a great Ranger. I just want to know why you specifically chose him. You could have chosen anybody from this time. Instead, you chose some kid from forty years ago. Why?"

"I chose all of us for a reason. I came because of Zordon. He was once my teacher, and he said that I should safeguard the power should anything happen to him. Once I became aware of the breach in the grid, I put my plans in motion."

"And you chose me because of my Ranger history and my connection to the power. What about Bobby?"

"Bobby has a connection to the power that he is not even aware of. I don't know the nature of the connection, but I am certain that it will be important to our mission. You were able to recapture you former powers, ensuring their survival in case they are needed again. However, you were only able to do so because of your personal ties to it. It might not be so easy with the other powers we encounter. I'm just making sure we have our bases covered."

"And the others?"

"I chose the others for the same reason you were once chosen. They're teenagers with attitude."

Adam smiled at the familiar words. They reminded him of younger days, when six kids from Southern California took on the universe. Earlier, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Now it seemed like only yesterday when he would spar with Rocky and Tommy or listen to Billy ramble on about his latest invention or simply revel in another victory over Zedd and Rita.

At that moment, Adam looked at his team. Bobby was still psyched about becoming the very hero he had idolized. Ellen and Heather were talking with him, trading jokes and smiling happily. David was standing to the side, still uncomfortable in his new environment. He was smiling though, listening to the conversation and bonding with his teammates. They were celebrating. They had experienced their first test and survived. The road ahead would be long and arduous. They would face tests of character and moments of doubt. But, if they could learn to overcome their differences and work as a team, they would see each other through. Because they were teenagers with attitude. They were heroes. They were the Power Rangers.

Don't worry. This story is over but the adventures of Legacy Force are only beginning. Stay tuned for the further adventures of Adam and his new team as they protect the legacy of Zordon and the Power Rangers.