Chapter Ten: Inner Light
Tom swallowed hard, watching his nephew become consumed by the Dead Zone. Was Ryan going to come out of this situation intact? Would the Dead Zone feast on his spirit? What could be done to stop this? Would he have to kill him out of mercy? Even if it all came down to that, how could it be done if he hadn't been a Ranger in over fifteen years? As a fatherly figure, all of these questions played through his mind in a constant loop. He watched Ryan surge with power, hell, the Dragon Shield had appeared upon the young man's shoulders. Here he stood, amidst the impending darkness, powerless and vulnerable. The retired Ranger balled his hands into fists, tightly. The anxiety was lodged into his throat enough to be tasted and his heart raced fiercely. He didn't want to hurt the boy that he had raised since-since it all began right here. Resolve flashed in Tom's dark eyes, action had to be taken. Even if he had no powers, even if he would die by Ryan's possessed hands, he was going to beat the Dead Zone energy right out of him.
There were no words to say in this moment. Instead, Tom could only charge towards the Green Ranger that stood ominously, preparing to kill him in the name of his fallen parents. Just what had happened before they arrived? Ryan declaring that the death of his parents was entirely on his shoulders, it only served to remind Tom of the horrible things he had said to himself since that day. He took note of the deep violet splotches upon the otherwise green suit as his nephew's right leg raised, snapping towards him in a swift kick that intended to snap his neck. As he deflected the kick with his left forearm, Tom cried out like a warrior as he sent his fist towards Ryan's gut. Those stains upon Ryan's suit, by his logic, served to represent the Dead Zone's attempt to infect the poor boy's heart. Somehow, the boy's Ranger powers were fighting with the sentient malevolence at play. Pain rippled though his hand as the white, gloved, fingers had absorbed his punch and coiled tightly around his fist. Tom winced, amazed at the display of inhuman strength his opponent was exhibiting.
Behind the visor, Ryan smiled with sadistic delight as he watched Tom's face contort from the pain. He slowly twisted more and more, wanting to hear the bone in Tom's wrist snap from the unnatural range of motion. At the same time, Tom was cursing himself for allowing such weakness to be exploited. Ignoring the pain, Tom stepped in closer and sent his elbow flying into Ryan's unprotected throat. A perk of being a retired Ranger against an active Ranger was that he still knew the weak points of the outfit. His nephew staggered back, releasing his grip on Tom's hand, as the blow was immersed within the element of surprise. Before Ryan could react, Tom leapt up into the air and twisted his torso to build momentum for a spinning kick. His foot made impact upon the side of the Green Ranger's head and he realized then and there, as he landed gracefully upon his feet, that his attacks were useless. The kick dealt no damage and Ryan laughed it off as his head only tilted slightly. How could Tom even hope to stand a chance when his opponent hardly seemed human?
"I grew up believing that you were the toughest man alive," Ryan began, a guttural voice superimposed over his own. He stepped in close and raised his leg to Tom's torso in a swift front kick. "I was wrong."
Tom felt the immensely powerful kick strike his torso and he was sent flying back until he slammed into the nearest train car on its side. When one is kicked with such godly force and then their flight is suddenly halted by a large piece of metal- as Tom's would not hesitate to recount in the future -it fucking hurts. He yelped, feeling the pain scream to every corner of his body. The pain was overwhelming, paralyzing, as he slumped to the concrete floor, collapsing into the dented railcar. It was hard to breathe, that attack had knocked the wind out of him. He clutched his chest, amazed that his bones weren't broken or that his spine was still intact. This couldn't go on longer, the malevolent energy feeding upon his son's darkened heart was bent on forcing Ryan's hand to destroy him. He smiled in that moment, realizing he had mentally referred to Ryan as his son. Yes, that boy was the closest thing to a son he'd ever have. Be damned if he'd let the only loved one he had fall into darkness like this! Tom closed his eyes and turned his head away from Ryan.
"Ryan," Tom gasped, his breath heavy from having it knocked out of him, rising to his feet. His gaze fixed upon the Green Ranger consumed in his fiery aura of deep violet. "I won't let you lose yourself to this! Whatever it is!"
Tom's breath snagged as a familiar sensation moved through him. "Zordon?" he whispered, sensing the long deceased presence within Ryan. How was this possible? These Dead Zones, what was their purpose for existing? What was their pattern? Was his imagination fooling him? No, he knew what he sensed in that moment. Somehow, some way, Zordon was tied into this, he was sure of it. Yet, Zordon represented purity and this-this energy- it was corrupted. It didn't make any sense and now he was determined to learn more about these Dead Zones. So far, he noticed that both the Mansion and the Heaven's Gate terminal were deeper than just being connected to Ryan. Yes, they seemed to correlate with the day that many civilians paid the price for their war with the forces of darkness. At least, that was the theory the evidence could support at this point. He smiled wryly, realizing what he was doing just now. In the face of potential death, he was still finding himself enticed by prospective research.
"Ryan," he chuckled, tightening his hands into fists as they hung at his sides. "Hold tight, little buddy. Uncle's going to save you, somehow. I promised to always keep you safe then and I will hold fast to that promise until the day I die."
"Today then?" Ryan replied, his voice dripping with the same menacing inflection from the last set of words he spoke. The Green Ranger, eager for the kill, then charged towards Tom with his arm drawn back to strike him down.
This isn't Ryan talking, Tom thought, planting his stance firmly, defensively. Ryan and I have had words many times, but he'd never wish me harm like this. Watching Ryan close the distance seemed to play in slow motion for Tom. He couldn't even faze Ryan like this and he could barely defend against him either. In this moment, Thomas Oliver felt a new kind of terror. Not for himself, or his own safety, but a selfless worry for what would become of Ryan if no one could stop him. There was a dangerous possibility that Ryan could be lost forever. I'm scared. Ryan, I love you. I need to protect you. I'm so useless. Then and now.
Tom inhaled sharply, raw power pulsing through him. This sensation, it was familiar, comforting, and impossible. His coin and morpher were drained fifteen years ago. Tom's days as the White Ranger were over long ago. The power was lost, gone forever. Or was it? Opposite to Ryan's dark aura, an aura of light surrounded Tom which made the Green Ranger pause to observe. The white aura danced around him akin to the flame of a burning candle. That electric stir tingling within his chest, it felt like- was he morphing? How in the hell was he able to pull that off without a morpher? Four white silhouettes materialized around Tom, revolving around him until finally converging upon his frame. This was definitely a different style of transformation for him, but it wasn't everyday that someone morphed without a morpher! As the silhouettes of the White Ranger suit merged upon him, the white fabric crept over his body as the hard, black and gold, torso armor with an emblem at the center materialized upon him. His helmet, bearing the likeness of a tiger, appeared, enclosing over his head. A golden band appeared upon each forearm and calf while a sword materialized, hanging from his belt. Tom looked down at the sword, smiling like a kid on Christmas. The hilt of the blade, a tiger's head, it was Saba! For the first time in fifteen years, the White Ranger stood proudly where Tom once was. He had to admit it, coming out of retirement sure felt good.
Ryan, unsure of what the light was at first, now decided to continue with his attack. The remainder of the distance closed between them with his quick steps and he snapped his first towards Tom's throat. Ranger or not, he was still going to die. The traitor deserved his fate! Aiding the enemy in their escape. That's why his parents weren't saved. Tom wanted them dead! He'd avenge them right here and now! His eyes widened when Tom caught his fist, displaying a strength he did not possess mere moments ago.
"Ryan, snap out of it buddy," Tom pleaded, clutching Ryan's fist with his right hand as he coiled the fingers of his left hand around Ryan's forearm.
"Snap out of what, exactly! You're at fault! You ruined my life! I HATE YOU!" Ryan growled, trying to rip his arm away from Tom's grip.
Instinctively, Tom spun on his heels, to the right, and pushed all of his core strength into swinging Ryan around, his hands using Ryan's arm like a lever. Howling like a berserk warrior, Tom ran with Ryan, still lifted from the floor, and smashed his nephew into a concrete pillar. The support column cracked and Ryan grunted as he collapsed, signifying the pain Tom had inflicted upon him. Considering how hopeless it all seemed moments prior, Tom was thrilled to now have something of an upper hand. Maybe, just maybe, he could defeat Ryan and break the Dead Zone's influence. At the same time, he wondered if this was a form of child abuse. Have fun explaining that one to a Social Worker, he mused facetiously, waiting for Ryan to get back up. Part of him hoped that his nephew would stand up and be snapped out of this trance. Yet, he became aware of his own naiveté as he could still sense the ill intent pervading from Ryan. He could not let his guard down, or mentally crack wise, this fight was not over yet. Tom raised his fists defensively as his nephew got back up.
"Bastard!" Ryan spat, lunging towards his Uncle and wrapping his arms around the White Ranger's abdomen. Tom struck at Ryan with his fists, landing blows upon his sides and shoulders, to no avail, as the youth lifted him off of the ground and began to run.
Tom cried out in pain as he was smashed into a different pillar. Had he not been in his suit, he surely would have been killed by that blow. Dear god, his back was going to need a readjustment after this. Chunks of concrete fell around him while he resisted the urge to crumple to the floor. Tom's eyes widened as he saw Ryan's left hook come toward the side of his helmet. As he ducked, Ryan's fist struck the concrete pillar and knocked a large dent out of the corner as his fist landed upon it. Even though he telegraphs his attacks, that boy is pure power, thought Tom, assessing his opponent, as he stood erect from his crouch and launched a powerful side kick into Ryan's stomach with his left foot, throwing his weight, all of his weight, with it. The attack seemed successful until Ryan caught his leg and held on. The more Tom tried to pull himself free, the tighter Ryan held on until finally tossing him into the air with all of his might. The ceiling and floor became blur as Tom flipped through the air. Ryan laughed menacingly, leaping above his airborne Uncle, performing a front flip to multiply his momentum, bringing his right heel down into Tom's gut, and driving him down into the floor. The concrete buckled and cracked beneath Tom's body, forming a small crater. To say that Ryan's last move was devastating was an understatement.
Clutching as his sides, Tom rolled over as the waves of pain continued to ripple through him. He had to get up, he had to keep fighting. The White Ranger staggered to his feet, taking notice of how Ryan stood there, watching him intently. The violet splotches, they were growing in size. This did not bode well, he needed to turn the tides of this battle, quickly. Clutching the hilt of his sword, he removed it from his belt and assumed an offensive stance.
"Tommy!" cried Saba, awakening in his master's hand. "You've aged."
"Been a while, buddy," chuckled Tom, preparing to move in and reengage his opponent. "You see that Green Ranger standing over there. That's my nephew and he needs our help."
"What happened?" Saba asked, his tone concerned. Well, as concerned as a talking sword could be.
"The scene of the Heaven's Gate Massacre became a site of dark energy recently. The dolt rushed in head first and now he's possessed by it," Tom explained. "I think I can snap him out of it if I knock him out, but we're on borrowed time. Once the dark stains overtake his suit, I'm pretty sure it's game over."
"Dire indeed," replied the sword, validating his master's concern. "We'd best get to work then."
Ryan growled, breaking into a run towards them. Tom rushed towards the Green Ranger, slashing the blade across his chest. Sparks flew from where the sword made impact and Ryan staggered back. A direct hit, it was time to change the course of this fight and finish it. Another blow landed upon the Green Ranger, evoking the same result. The White Ranger let out a war cry, striking his foe repeatedly. As Ryan stepped away, Tom stepped in closer. The onslaught waged on as Tom refused to sacrifice his momentum.
"I think it's working, I can see the stains shrinking on his suit," declared Saba, impressing Tom with his attention to detail. Especially since he was the instrument used to strike Ryan repeatedly.
Tom continued his assault, feeling a twinge of remorse for hurting his nephew like this. Yet, it was this or letting Ryan lose his soul. The circumstance deemed this course of action necessary. When he ceased to pummel the youth, he noticed that all of the violet staining had disappeared. Ryan wobbled on his feet, seeming to be on the verge of unconsciousness. Was it over now? Did he succeed in saving the boy? To answer that internal query, the violet aura erupted from Ryan with a greater intensity than ever before. This had to be it, the opening for that final blow to purify the Dead Zone and save Ryan. Saba began to vibrate in his hand, the blade casting a luminous white aura that banished the darkness within every corner of the ruined terminal. Orbs of light began dancing around the blade as Tom coiled back, delaying for but a second, and sprung towards Ryan with all the ferocity of a predator. Raising the blade high above his head, Tom brought it down upon the dark aura. In a brilliant explosion of light, Ryan was sent flying back as Tom cleft the darkness, causing the malevolent aura to disperse. He had won, the Dead Zone was purified and Ryan was saved. The ominous, chilling, sensation of even being here had vanished. The Green Ranger landed upon the ground, rolling several times before coming to a halt and reverting-beaten unconscious, but still breathing.
Tom stood panting, his chest heaving up and down. This bout had left him exhausted, yet he took satisfaction in the fact that he did not fail Ryan, not this time. "Old friend," he said, meeting Saba with the utmost gratitude, his voice breathy from the intense fight. "Thank you."
The Ranger garb faded from his body, Tom standing in place of the White Ranger as he stared at his now empty hands. He had transformed into the White Ranger after all of these years, it was astonishing. Would he ever transform again? His inner light seemed to respond to his need and distress, enabling him to save the only person he had left. For that alone, he was eternally grateful. His brown eyes fixed upon the collapsed youth who looked just as he found him all of those years ago, the day that Goldar and Rito killed his sister and brother in-law. It was a tragic day that left him with a scar he could never heal. Yet, becoming Ryan's father had caused him to grow in ways he never could have imagined. To have Ryan so close, it was the only good that had come from all of that pain. No matter what, he'd always be there for him. As much as Tom did not approve of Ryan becoming a Ranger, he would do his best to support Ryan and the team from here on out. He kneeled beside Ryan, making sure the boy was okay.
"Let's go home, Ryan," Tom said softly, smiling as he scooped his nephew into his arms. Rising to his feet, Tom slowly moved towards the entrance, carrying Ryan out of the Heaven's Gate terminal just as he did fifteen years before.
End of Chapter Ten