Summary: While the battle rages in Reefside, Tommy heads to Blue Bay Harbor to fight the Dark Lord and his minions…

A/N: Hi, Yeah, I'm back for a bit. Not sure how long because my moods change quickly. Anyway, don't let the title of this chapter fool you because it's probably not what you think it is. For some, if you have a more abstract point of view, it probably does. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Stage I as this is the beginning of Stage II. Stage II, rather then being a multipart chapter will contain a few stand-alone chapters and a multipart arc as well.

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Tommy Oliver felt the ground shake and he knew he was at the right place. The doors to the Ninja Academy exploded and were ripped off their hinges as Shane came skidding across the ground looking battered and ragged. A moment later, Dustin and Tori followed suit as they hit the ground with sick thuds.

"Rangers!" Tommy shouted and rushed over to them. "Are you okay?!"

"T-Tommy?" Shane muttered as he held his throbbing head. "N-No…C-cam…s-still f-fighting…beasts…"

He looked up and sure enough Cam was indeed fighting the monsters. Except, the difference between them was Cam held his own; the others dead. "I'll deal with them." Tommy hissed and flicked his wrist. He jammed the key into the morpher and twisted it as the golden-black energy consumed his body. He was replaced with the all to familiar suit. Shane, Tori and Dustin watched him walk bravely into the battlefield; his brachio staff clenched in one hand, the other squeezed shut into a fist.

Cam handed hard against the ground before his feet and Tommy look down at him. He hurt rather bad and looked to be in a state of deep unconsciousness. Tommy raised his head and saw the five multicolored beasts looming at least a feet over him. Each looked draconic, but took more of a human shape. They each wore full body armour that was inlaid with gems of their respective colors. Each of them also carried massive Nodachi-esc blades.

"Good. At least I'll be able to fight them easier." Tommy said and held the blade out before him. Slowly, the six fighters began to circle around one another. "So Zedd, how are you still alive?"

The Dark Lord cackled loudly as he clutched his staff tighter. "Foolish, Power Ranger! I am not Lord Zedd! I am Lord Raizerus, the great son of Lord Zedd!" He suddenly thrust the staff out and a streak of blue-white lightning exploded from the end. Tommy had only a split second to block but it was more then enough time. He snapped his brachio staff up, let the lightning coil around it and then threw it out to his right as the rocket of energy exploded against the five beasts.

"Hm…great, another Lightning God." Tommy hissed and drew his staff close, narrowing his eyes at Raizerus. The Demon cackled with apparently delight and raised his staff again. This another bolt of lightning exploded from the end and as Tommy made to block, one of the Beasts appeared behind him and he felt the most painful knee he'd ever felt strike his back. He rocked forward, off balance, and the bolt struck him directly in the chest. It exploded and a shower of golden sparks splattered against the ground as he was thrown backwards through the air. Before he even reached the wall, the beasts descended upon him again, each slashing and stabbing in every direction. Tommy roared with pain as he felt the blades slide across his body over and over. The pain ended when he struck the wall and the beasts dropped to the ground in front of him.

But…instinct had taken over at this point. Tommy lurched forward, unaware of the pain his body was feeling as the overwhelming desire to win began to fuel him. He lashed out with a quick sweep of his blade that struck each of the beasts across the chest and ripped the staff into a reverse swing that had the beasts swirling through the air and crashing to the ground.

Absently, he felt the sudden explosion of lightning against his body but he couldn't feel the pain. All he knew is that he was unbalanced and so he righted himself. Thrusting his staff out, the lightning coiled around it again and Tommy snapped it forward, throwing the rocket of energy back at Raizerus. But even this would not be enough to defeat the great Dark Lord. Raizerus simply absorbed the energy and narrowed his crimson red eyes.

Before he had a chance to speak, Oliver was upon him with lightning quick stabs and slashes; each faster then the previous. But…Raizerus kept up, dodging this way and that. A quick snap of his hand and the Brachio staff whirled through the air, bouncing across the ground. Lightning coiled around Raizerus fingers but Tommy struck first and quick; his gloved fist meshing with the Dark Lords metal-covered jaw. A loud ping echoed through the forest, frightening a flock of birds.

"Is that all you've got, Oliver?" Raizerus taunted and then lashed out with a fist of his own, striking Tommy against the jaw. Following the momentum through, Tommy spun and buried his heel hard into his foe's stomach. Instantly, he was on the move with a volley of punches and kicks, each finding home to Raizerus' body.

Yet, one counter punch sent Tommy too his knees and a second downward axe-handle put him to the floor. Raizerus grinned as he slowly closed and opened his fist again. He cackled with laughter as Tommy drew some sand into his hand and then slammed his fist into the ground. Tommy let out another scream as the blue-white lightning struck his back as he felt the energy flow through his body, scorching his skin and suit.

And then he was aware of the pain; the unending, intolerable pain. He collapsed and the golden-black light shimmered around his body momentarily before his suit and powers shrank away. The five armoured beasts loomed over head, each peering down at him hungrily. Raizerus, looking triumphant, placed a hand on the red shelled warrior and it quickly stepped away.

"Let him go." Raizerus hissed with a hint of satisfaction behind his voice. "Let him marinate in the failure. It will make our inevitable victory all the more sweeter."

The beasts grunted in response, and if they had actually said something, Tommy was in too much pain to really care at this point. He just wanted to lay his head down and fall into an infinite sleep; never to be awoken until his own body saw fit. The cane snapped to the ground, missed impaling Tommy's head by inches, and streaked with lightning.

"We go." Raizerus said and looked up to the other rangers. They were now on their feet but wobbled threateningly. Cam didn't look much better either; blood dripping off his chin as he barred his teeth in anger. All Raizerus could do was grin. He was victorious…he had the Rangers on the edge of their seats, never knowing when he would strike again. "Until next time, prey." Raizerus taunted and waved mockingly at them as he and his beasts vanished with a crack of lightning.

And in this, Tommy found comfort…

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Hayden Christopher James laid in his cold chambers of the command ship, clutching his head angrily. He could hear every clank and creak of the ship; every pitter-patter of the Dryzards steps; and the faint crack of lightning that signified his masters return. But right now, Hayden was in no mood to go greet his master. He was in pain…pain that he never, ever felt before in his life. Sure, he'd felt pain – everyone feels pain – but nothing like this. It was as if someone had taken a sword and cut his soul in half while two sides struggled for control over each.

A conflict of Good and evil raged within Hayden and he wasn't sure which side was going to win. The voices were constantly echoing in his mind now; each syllable piercing his mind like a hot, jagged knife.

"You're not evil, Hayden…why do you try and convince yourself so?" The voice spoke, rattling his mind and body once again.

"Leave me alone…you know nothing about me…" Hayden clutched his hair tightly now, hearing the ring of the voices response.

"Hayden I am you. I am every emotion, every though and every feeling in this body. I know you better then yourself, perhaps."

"Then maybe I should just kill you…cut you off from emotion, eh? How would you like that!" Hayden replied threateningly. "Can't like without that, can you?"

"Neither can you…"

"Details. There's a replace for everything in this universe!" Hayden sat up now, hoping that would make the voice go away. It didn't.

"Not everything. Not…Amanda."

"Don't! Don't you even go there…" Hayden snarled, glaring at his bed, as if it was the very physical representation of the voice. He clenched his fist, wanting so dearly to just beat his head against the wall in hopes of riding himself of that annoying voice.

"You loved once, Hayden. You had a girlfriend you loved deeply. I know you remember, Hayden; I know that you haven't shut yourself completely off from that attachment."

"STOP!" Hayden screamed and then smacked his head a couple times. The voice did not desist.

"I sense the good in you, Hayden. You cling to that memory; to her smile, to her love, to her very life. Embrace it Hayden, don't shun it! Embrace the good within you!"

"I. AM. NOT. GOOD!!!" Hayden screamed again, beating his head ever the harder. He beat it and beat it until his head throbbed to the point of unconscious. He was so sure of this that the pain he brought himself, he gladly accepted. He just wanted that annoying voice gone…

"Beating yourself senseless will not kill me. Haven't you figured that out by now?"

Hayden whimpered in response and his gem pulsed. He felt the power flow through him, hoping that the darkness would finally silence the voice – at least for now.

"There is no getting rid of me, Hayden. No way except one…"

"I. Am. Not. Good…" Hayden said, but this time he was a little unsure of himself. Images of Amanda fluttered through her head. He watched her death replay over and over in his mind. He saw the golden lightning bolt streak from out of now where and strike here squarely in the chest. And then, suddenly the Power Rangers burst out of that darkness! They had pistols up and at the ready – the other, a green suited one – carried a dagger of some kind.

It was then his master had arrived – or at least, his masters father as he was told. His name was Lord Zedd and he had said in such a sad, caring voice that he was…here to save him from the Power Rangers. He said he was here to save him from the Power Rangers so that they could not kill him like they had killed Amanda.

When he asked why the Power Rangers had done this to him, Zedd had said it was because of the innate physical being he possessed, it was a natural housing for Ranger energy. It was then that Zedd offered Hayden the Dino Gem and that if Hayden took it, he could get his revenge on the Power Rangers.

And he took it without any question at all. He wanted revenge on the Power Rangers…

"STOP!" He screamed again, beat his fist into the wall. It vibrated visible and his voice echoed through the room for a moment. "STOP…THIS…NONSENSE!! Please…" He ended the dull threat with a begging plea and whimper.

"Accept Hayden…"

"Accept what?! There's nothing to accept!" He rolled onto his back and he let out a sharp cry as he reeled from an invisible, savage blow. His gem pulsed again, this time brighter.

"Accept the Good, Hayden…start over. The Power Rangers didn't kill Amanda…"

"LIAR, LIAR, LIAR!" Yet somehow Hayden couldn't convince himself that it was a lie. There was a long, agonizing moment of silence as Hayden waited for the voices response. But it didn't come. He knew he should be happy for the voice had ceased its inane rant…but instead, he asked the nothingness a question. "You're not lying are you?"

"What do you believe?"

"I don't know what to believe." Hayden said, the pain creeping away as he sat up. He looked down at the gem and frowned. It had gained a soft almost golden glow to it. The gem was always black before, wasn't it? He couldn't remember…he couldn't even remember why he was on the ship, or why he was arguing with the voice.

"The power is yours, you know. You control the Gem's ability as much as man manipulates his own thoughts."

"The power isn't mine, it belongs t-" Hayden was cut off mid-sentence.

"No! The power is YOURS and YOURS alone! Lord Zedd may have given you this Gem, Hayden Christopher James, but he did not make it…"

"You're lying again." And this time…Hayden could not even bring the thought of convincing himself of that to light. He knew it now…the Gem wasn't lying. The golden shine grew brighter and Hayden squeezed his eyes shut from the intensity of the light.

"Go home, Hayden. Accept…and go home…"

Yes…accept. That was all Hayden had to do. He stood up from his bed, flicked his wrist and the familiar dino morpher appeared. It was the head of a dragon, its ruby red eyes shinning brightly at him. Then, at this moment, Hayden realized who the voice was. "What is your name?"

"Dragon is simple enough."

"Okay Dragon…" Hayden whispered and looked to the door. "Lets go home."

"Yes…lets."

"GOLD RANGER!" He cried and for the first time in his life, he did it without rage and without hate. "DINO THUNDER!" He snapped his morpher arm down to the side and a blinding, golden light flared to life. "Full Power…"

And then, in another flash of light, he was gone…

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A/N: And so…the Gold Ranger returns…I hope you enjoyed this chapter!