Xandred was more furious than ever at the Sanzu River. He was nearly tearing the ship apart with his tantrums, shooting his energy blasts all around. Bits of the ceiling crashed to the floor and the ground began to split beneath his feet.

"That Scorp was useless!" Xandred screamed, punching a wall beside him hard with his fist. "Even a weakened ranger was able to defeat him! I can't believe all of this incompetence around me!" he screamed.

Dayu stood in the corner to evade the ruins of Xandred's outburst, strumming her Harmonium in her hands. "Well, every member of the Shiba clan is insanely powerful. Best not to intimidate them." She told him.

Xandred turned to her in fury. "Did I ask you!?" he seethed, sending a powerful attack her way. Just before it hit her, a morphed Deker appeared in front of her, intercepting the blast with is sword, leaving Dayu and himself unaffected.

"Deker…?" Dayu asked hopefully, looking at the figure before her in awe.

Xandred lowered his arm in shock at his appearance. "You!" He exclaimed in a loud, infuriated voice. "Why did you return here? My ship doesn't accommodate traitors!"

Deker just let out a deep chuckled and lowered his sword, Uramasa. "Hmph, Dayu isn't your problem—the Red Ranger is." He told him.

"And what business is that of yours?" Xandred asked him.

Deker sheathed his sword. "With the water levels of the Sanzu River as low as it is right now, none of your monsters will have the power to defeat him. Even when he was poisoned with Scorp's venom, Red Ranger still managed to take a Nighlok down single handedly. His skills are superb, that's why I want to duel him…and free me of this curse I carry." He said.

Xandred stormed up to Deker and got right in his face—Deker didn't flinch. "I couldn't care less about your pathetic curse!" He screamed at Deker. "Just take out the Red Ranger by any means necessary before he masters that Sealing Symbol Power!"he ordered.

A moment later, Deker took out his sword once more. He looked at it in confidence. "I will not fail you or Uramasa. I shall complete my quest." He answered, jumping out of the boat in one swift motion. Dayu looked out the window and watched him fade away.

"You'd better hope your savior succeeds in his plans, Dayu, or I won't fail to destroy him right in front of you!" He shouted at her. He then put his hands on his head, feeling another powerful migraine coming on. "I'm going to get more medicine. I'll tell you if I need your assistance." He added, walking into another section of the ship.

When she was alone, Dayu reached into her Harmonium and pulled out her ring. "Thank you…Deker." She said softly to herself, smiling on the inside.

XXX

That night, after all the other rangers had fallen asleep, Jayden lay wide awake in his bed, just staring at the ceiling, so many thoughts on his mind. He glanced over at his digital alarm clock. The blue numbers read 2:37am. He was feeling a lot better since his battle with Scorp, but his mind however was still struggling. Lifting himself out of bed, cradling his wound from Scorp with his hand, he made his way to the outdoor training area. He just looked at the full moon hanging above him, watching it's beams bounce against the water, deep in thought. He heard Deker's words echoing in his head.

"Like I said before, we both have secrets taunting us day in and day out….

"How do you think your 'friends' will react when they learn the truth?"

"Maybe Deker is right about me." Jayden said sadly to himself.

"I wouldn't agree with that." He heard Mentor Ji say from behind him, not even turning to acknowledge his presence.

"Hello, Mentor." Jayden answered, still looking up at the sky. Out of the corner of Jayden's eye, he saw Ji hand him a glass of water, he just looked at his strangely.

"You asked for it earlier, no?" Ji asked with a small smile that soon faded.

Jayden just looked back to the water, the look on his face that of shame. "I'm sorry about deceiving you today, Mentor." He just shook his head and laughed softly at himself. "Look at me, it seems deceiving those I care about gets easier every day."

Ji had a very sad look on his face. "Jayden…I—" he began but Jayden cut him off.

"No words can soothe me right now, Ji." He said in an angry tone. Quickly feeling guilty of his sharpness, he eased his voice. "I'm sorry."

"The burden you carry is great. No other ranger was able to bear it before you, which is why Xandred is still around." He told him. "But that doesn't mean that what they did was in vain."

"I'll do it because I have to. I won't let myself fail, not after what everyone's been through because of me." Jayden answered. "In the end, the team protecting me is futile. I'm not going to let any of them die for me when it won't change anything. It's pointless."

Ji sighed and felt slightly maddened by Jayden's words. "Don't talk like you don't ultimately matter, Jayden. You're going through all of this because your team loves you and you love them." He reminded the Red Ranger.

Jayden closed his eyes and swallowed hard before answering. "That's why it hurts so much." He said in a emotionally pained voice. "It was bad enough when it was just you and I facing this, but now…" he hesitated. "I didn't want to get attached to them."

"The Power Rangers are a team for a reason, you all have different talents that you bring to the table. Showing compassion for your teammates is just a part of wearing that uniform." Ji told him.

"If we tell them, then at that crucial moment they'd hesitate, and that hesitating could get them destroyed." Jayden replied. "I don't need that on my conscience." He then made a fist and looked at it. "Everyone thinks I'm so strong but…I'm really just coward on the inside."

"Loving your team isn't a reflection of cowardice…but of heart." Ji said in a kind voice.

Jayden slowly opened his eyes and looked to Ji. They were very red, signaling he was fighting off tears with all his might. "How am I supposed to tell them, Ji?" he asked. "How am I supposed to tell them that, when master that when Xandred returns and I have to use that Sealing Symbol Power, all the energy it consumes is going to…kill me?"

THE END OF SEALED PART 1

*Thanks so much for all of the sweet reviews and for taking the time to even read my story. Your support is always appreciated! I will be posting part 2 as soon as I can. =)