Chapter Eight
The light flowed down Tommy's arm and he started screaming. An ear-piercing yell of condensed agony. His face contorted with the pain, but he didn't try to pull his hand free.
"Tommy!" Jason yelled, on his feet, planning to pull his friend away. But he couldn't get close. It was like there was an invisible wall surrounding Tommy so Jason couldn't get to him. He could only watch as the light covered Tommy's entire body, enclosing him so that he stood a shining pillar in the middle of the cave.
"Tommy, get out of there!"
If Tommy heard, he made no response. He just kept screaming as the light overwhelmed him. Was this the price? This torture?
How the hell could it be worth it?
Jason beat his fists against the barrier and tried to get through.
After a time, Tommy stopped screaming, but his mouth still hung open, his face twisted with suffering. It was as though there was simply no voice left that could express the pain. He stood, surrounded by raw power, filled by it.
Jason felt tears pricking his eyes. Had Tommy known? Had he known what the price would be when he'd shoved Jason out of the way? If Tommy had just been a moment later getting here, Jason knew it would have been him standing their now.
Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from the Power surrounding Tommy. It struck Jason full in the chest and sent him flying. He lay on the ground, a warmth tingling through his body and his mind filled with images. He closed his eyes and he saw a million memories that didn't quite belong to him. He saw battles and victories, friendships and losses. He saw a whole lifetime that had belonged to another man. He saw himself as the Red Ranger and as the Gold, fighting to stop their history from being destroyed.
He saw himself die.
His eyes opened and Jason knew that he'd been given back who he'd been; given back the Power. He felt stronger than ever before. He felt ready to take on the world. He felt right.
But Tommy was still surrounded by the column of light. Flashes left it, trails of coloured light shooting off down the tunnels or up into through the ceiling. The Powers going back to their Rangers. And still Tommy stood in the centre of it all, his mouth open in a silent scream.
There were footsteps and the others ran into the cave. Jason looked at them and saw some indefinable change. He knew they had their powers back.
"What's happening to him?" Kim asked, the question breathed out full of horror.
"I don't know."
"The Power is using him," said Daggeron, "as a conduit back into your world."
"Is he going to be OK?" Kim asked.
No one answered. They just watched as the light continued to flow.
After some time, it dimmed, and then faded away completely. Tommy crumpled. His legs gave way he just fell to the ground. Jason ran forward, the barrier vanished now with the flow of Power.
"Tommy! Tommy, are you alright?"
Jason rolled him over. Tommy just lay there, eyes closed, unmoving.
"Is he..." Kim didn't finish the question.
Jason reached for Tommy's neck and found a rapid, fluctuating pulse.
"He's still alive."
Tommy's skin was hot. He was burning up, but this was far worse. It almost hurt to touch, it was so hot.
"We need to get him to a hospital or something," Kim was in a near panic.
"Great. I'll call a cab!" Jason snapped. They had no way to get out of here. Jason had just been working on some vague hope that restoring their powers would send them home.
He knew he shouldn't be harsh with Kimberly, but right now it was hard to think of anything but Tommy. Why did he always have to be a hero? Jason remembered now everything that had never had a chance to happen. He remembered a friendship that had made them closer than brothers. He remembered everything Tommy had done for him, and vice versa.
And Jason wished Tommy had just been a little slower in getting to the cave.
"I think maybe we should try and cool him down," Jason said. Kim had come to crouch on the opposite side of Tommy. She touched his forward and frowned at the heat.
"How? We don't have any ice." She looked up at Daggeron, probably hoping that he could offer some suggestions.
Tommy's eyes snapped open.
Kim let out a cry at what she saw.
