DISCLAIMER: I do not own Power Rangers or Super Sentai. They are respectively owned by Saban Brands and Toei Company. I do not profit from this story in any way, shape, or form.

"Drayden, something's happening!" Professor Snyder yelled as the cavern began to shake. "We have to get out of here!"

"I-I can't!" Drayden cried, unable to remove his hand from the Dragon statue. "I'm stuck!"

Charles looked on incredulously, but decided to try and grab Drayden's hand and pull it from the statue. Instead, however, a blast of indigo light shot out from the crystal embedded into it, along with a thick, black smog that came from the statue's jaws, knocking him back against the wall. He groaned as he tried to pull himself up, but his body was becoming enveloped in the light and smoke.

"DAD!" Drayden yelled as the smog suddenly began to swirl around him too.

"DRAYDEN!" the Professor cried, trying to reach a hand through the smog as his vision began to blur.

Charles gasped as he jolted up in his seat, panting a little after waking up from his nightmare. Only it wasn't just a nightmare, it was his reliving the events that led him to the strange new world he was now residing in. He reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow, just as Madilyn jogged over, checking on him.

"Professor?" she asked, concerned.

"It's alright," Professor Snyder replied. "Just a dream."

Madilyn smiled sadly. It was a couple of days since she and the others had found him collapsed at the entrance to North Market City, having gone days without much to eat or drink and pushed to the edge of exhaustion. They'd brought him back to the Ancient Library to help him recover, as well as learn about his journey to Gaia. In truth, most of it was a blur, just constantly trekking across the land in search of his son and hiding from Blots whenever they'd shown up. He'd been extremely lucky to survive for as long as he had on his own.

"Still can't believe I'm really here," Charles sighed. "Gaia...I was right. It really DID exist, all along."

"I must say, I'm impressed by your studies of this world," Jowar noted, sitting at the table with Nikki as the two looked over Professor Snyder's notes. "You've gathered an abundance of information on Gaia, the Guardians, the Gaia Zords, the war..."

"I still can't get over the fact that you and your son were brought here on the exact same day as us," Nikki said, looking amazed. "I mean, what are the odds?"

Snyder nodded. "I know. I wonder if it has anything to do with the crystal we found in the cave."

"You said it was an indigo crystal that was embedded in a statue of a dragon, right?" Madilyn asked as Layla, Dirk, and Patrick entered the room, fresh from training.

"That sounds like the sixth Guardian's crystal to me," Dirk suggested, having a seat and wiping the sweat off his face. "And you're sure you don't have it?"

Professor Snyder nodded. "Positive."

"OH!" Layla exclaimed, springing up a couple of feet. "Of course! If Professor Snyder doesn't have it, then that must mean that his son does, which means-!"

"Drayden's the sixth Guardian!" Patrick finished, face-palming hard. "Gah, why didn't I realize that sooner?!"

"Well, that makes finding the crystal easier," Nikki said with a smile. "We just need to find Drayden, and then we're rolling in puppies."

"Yes, but, HOW do we find him?" Charles inquired. "I searched all around the area where I first arrived in Gaia, and there was no sign of him. And I doubt he arrived in the forest you appeared in, or you would've seen him. That means he could be anywhere."

"Yeah, but there IS one advantage we've got," Dirk replied with smirk. "Since he's one of only seven humans in all of Gaia, all we've gotta do is ask around some of the towns and see if anyone's seen a human that's not one of us. Heck, if you can provide us with his physical description, that'll make it even easier."

"Okay then, we'll split up into teams of two and check some of the major cities and towns," Nikki declared. "Everybody stays in contact and calls the rest if they find anything."

"I'll go with Professor Snyder," Dirk offered almost immediately.

Nikki blinked, a little surprised. "...Alright then, you two can check out the night elf village. Madilyn, you and Patrick go to Wescentral City. And I guess Layla and I should check the undersea kingdom, just to be sure whether we can cross it off or not."

"And I'll remain here to keep a close monitor on things, in case Walker or Darkea decide to cause trouble in your absence," Jowar added. "Frankly, the reduced attacks as of late have me worried..."

Walker observed the chemicals he was currently mixing carefully, watching as they brewed, bubbled, and changed colours. Eventually, they became ebony in colour, the Shadowmancer grinning as he fed them from their vials into several glass beakers.

"Brewing up more Ebony Venom?" Darkea asked as she entered the Dark Chamber, Sphantis right behind her.

"Tch," Walker clicked in irritation. "Back so soon, huh? And yes, I'm making more. I need to convert as many Blots into Venom Blots as I can."

"Trying to earn a degree in chemistry?" Darkea joked, getting a grave look from her brother. "...What?"

"I received a letter, direct from the Dark Throne," Walker muttered.

"...Uh oh," Darkea said with a gulp. "He's not-"

"No, he's not coming, at least not yet," Walker replied, earning a sigh of relief. "However, there have been reports from several dark zones of Blots being cut down. Even Giant Blots are being torn apart like paper."

"Can't be the Rangers, they've barely stepped foot out of their library since they found that old man outside the North Market City," Darkea noted.

"Right, meaning it must be the one we've been expecting to show their face for some time now," Walker explained, going back to his work. "But there's something about the brutal nature of their attacks, as well as some information your father shared in his letter, that has me concerned. We may need a sizable force of Venom Blots to deal with them, seeing as how standard Blots do little more than get in this person's way."

"Right, right," Darkea uttered. "Anything you'd like me to do in the meantime?"

"...Yes," Walker said after thinking for a moment. "The Rangers left the Ancient Library about fifteen minutes ago, along with the old man they found. Word around Gaia is that he's some sort of researcher from Earth who spent several years studying our world. I want you to take Sphantis and a Lightless I created earlier. Track this professor down, and bring him back here, ALIVE."

"Any particular reason why?" Darkea asked as Sphantis prepared to leave again.

"I want to know what he knows, specifically if he has any information on the Guardians of Gaia that we aren't already aware of," Walker explained. "Speaking of whom, if they get in your way, get them out of the way, but try not to destroy ALL of them if you can help it. If my suspicions about the last Guardian is correct, they may be useful later on."

Darkea blinked in confusion. "...O...kay, whatever you say, brother."

With that, Darkea and Sphantis headed for the testing room where Walker did his most horrific work, and where the new Lightless was most likely waiting, while Walker went back to his work. To think that I'd actually SAY something like that and mean it, but if Lord Dradarius' letter was correct, we're ALL in extreme danger...

Nikki let out a sigh, leaving the undersea kingdom's castle to join Layla outside. The two had morphed to be able to breathe underwater, thanks to a special Air Crystal that Jowar had given them to create an endless supply of oxygen under their helmets, thus allowing them to visit the kingdom and ask around for information.

"No luck," Nikki said, approaching Layla. "No one's seen Drayden."

"Uh huh..." Layla replied, sounding somewhat distant.

"We should probably try Mt. Titanium," Nikki suggested. "The dwarves might've at least heard rumours or something, and it's not out of the question that he might've taken shelter in one of their caves."

"Uh huh..." Layla said again, Nikki realizing that she was clearly not paying attention. Looking ahead, she saw why, as a group of mermaids with long, beautiful hair and shimmering tails were swimming about gracefully.

"...Y'know, you HAVE a girlfriend on LAND," Nikki noted, smacking the Blue Ranger on the shoulder.

"Hey, we're both allowed to look!" Layla argued. "And really, Nikki, just LOOK at them!"

Nikki rolled her eyes. "...Well, they're not exactly my type, if you know what I mean, but...yeah, I guess they are kinda hot. Now, let's get to Mt. Titanium. Who knows what could happen to the oxygen in your helmet if you start drooling in it."

Layla sighed, shoulders slumped. "Alright...would SO be worth it, though..."

Madilyn moaned, plomping her butt on the grass in the middle of Wescentral City Park. "Ugh, can we please rest now? I'm SOOOO tired...!"

"You just had a break a half an hour ago," Patrick replied, hands on his hips. "C'mon, we gotta keep asking people!"

"But we've been all over the city," Madilyn whined, "and there's still not a single person who's seen, heard of, and knows anything about Drayden!"

Patrick groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, it IS kinda looking a little futile, but we can't leave until we know for sure he hasn't been through this area. I mean, what if it was Layla that was missing? Wouldn't you be dragging everyone else around the entire planet looking for her?"

Madilyn growled pulling herself back up. "Argh, FINE...Did you HAVE to play the Layla card, though?"

"Tell you what, if my parents ever have another kid, you can play that card all you like," Patrick reasoned.

"Yeah...if we ever get back," Madilyn sighed. "I was hoping when Professor Snyder appeared that he'd know a way to get us home."

Patrick smirked cockily. "...First out of breath, now acting all depressed? Yer not another Doppelganger in disguise, are you?"

Madilyn giggled in spite of herself. "You'll never know until it's too late, Mr. O'Donnell."

"Okay, THAT family didn't know anything," Dirk uttered, walking out of the hut with Professor Snyder as the saddened old man followed. "...Don't worry, though. We'll find him."

Charles nodded. "...Dirk, if could ask? Why are you accompanying me, instead of searching with one of the others?"

Dirk sighed and shrugged. "I dunno...I guess I just know how you feel. Well, I mean, not exactly like this, but I know what it's like to have missing family."

"I recall Nikki mentioning your family on Earth," Snyder noted. "It must be hard, being away from them."

"Yeah, but it's more than that," Dirk replied, walking along to the next hut. "One time when I was still a teenager, my little brother Travis got lost in the woods near our farm, and it's a pretty huge forest out there. Didn't exactly help that it was bear hunting season, either."

"Oh my..." Snyder gasped, following after Dirk. "When did you find him?"

"After almost two days, we found him curled up under a fallen tree," Dirk answered. "At first, Mom thought he was dead, but it turned out that when he couldn't figure out which way was home, he dug under the tree and played dead, so the bears wouldn't eat him and the hunters wouldn't shoot him."

"Clever boy," Charles commented.

"Yeah..." Dirk sighed, digging out a photo of his family from his pocket. "I sure miss them."

"Aww, poor baby!"

Dirk snapped back to attention, looking ahead at the source of the voice taunting him. Sure enough, just a few yards ahead and past the night elf village's defensive shield, were Darkea, Sphantis, a few dozen Blots, and a Lightless resembling a black, bipedal griffon with eggplant-coloured eyes and a second head on its chest. Dirk reflexively put an arm out in front of Professor Snyder, keeping himself between him and the enemy, all the while the night elves out and about fled back into their homes.

"One of them?" Snyder asked nervously.

"Afraid so," Dirk growled, putting his photo away. "What do you want, Darkea?"

"Just to invite the professor over there to a little get-together with Walker," Darkea replied, pointing over Dirk's shoulder. "Oh, don't worry, we don't plan on hurting him, provided he gives us the information we want."

"No come, we take!" Sphantis added, sharpening the scythe-blades on his arms together.

"I'd like to see you try from behind that force field!" Dirk taunted. "It was erected to keep any and all Blots, Lightless, or Shadowmancers out!"

"True, but not the air itself, otherwise the people inside would suffocate," Darkea said with an evil grin. "And my new friend over here, the Griffon Lightless, can manipulate the wind. Griffon, if you'd like to demonstrate?"

The Griffon Lightless growled, beating its wings hard. Sure enough, within moments, a strong gust of wind hit Dirk and the professor from behind, knocking them to the ground and dragging Snyder across it toward the enemies.

"...Yeah, that figures," Dirk groaned, pulling his crystal free. "It's Morphin Time!"

Dragging himself off the ground, Dirk drew his Crystal Blast Morpher and placed the Behemoth Crystal inside. Running at the Blots, he raised his blaster up, pulled the trigger, and shouted, "Guardians of Gaia, AWAKEN!" The orange beam shot out, ricocheting off a pair of Blots, before doubling back and morphing him into the Orange Ranger.

"Quake Ax!" Dirk roared, leaping into the air over Professor Snyder and drawing his ax. He then passed through the force field and slammed his ax into the Griffon Lightless' lower beak, causing it to back off and and cease its wind control, stopping Snyder on the other side of the field.

"Guys, trouble at the night elf village!" Dirk yelled into his communicator.

"Like not believe!" Sphantis growled, swiping his scythes at Dirk, who just barely managed to block with his ax. However, this left him open to a barrage of claw shot from the Blots, causing him to fall back. Just as he got up, the Griffon Lightless opened both of its beaks, sending a pair of energy orbs at the Orange Ranger, hitting him hard and knocking him backward, crashing next to Professor Snyder.

"Once more, Griffon!" Darkea ordered. "This time, bring him here!"

The Griffon Lightless nodded with the head atop its shoulders, beating its wings as the wind dragged Snyder toward them again. However, just before he could pass through the shield, Dirk managed to reach a hand over and grab hold of his coat. He then clutched his ax in the other and slammed it down into the earth, keeping them grounded.

"My, you ARE protective of him," Darkea noted. "He MUST be valuable, then."

Dirk grit his teeth, looking defiantly at the Shadowmancer. "He's a father looking for his son, and I won't let you do anything to stop him...!"

Darkea's eyes widened as she looked rather stunned. "...A-A father...looking after their child..."

Just as Darkea began to absorb this information, the Blots flanking her were blasted hard as the other Gaia Rangers finally arrived, all morphed and ready for action. The Griffon Lightless quickly turned its attention to them, beating its wings to send black gusts of wind at the team, pushing them back.

"Oh man, talk about a windbag!" Madilyn cried, trying to dig into the ground with her Gaia Saber.

"With two blowholes to boot!" Layla added, barely keeping from flying backward.

"Patrick, counter its wind with your own!" Nikki ordered, desperately trying to stand firm again the wind.

"I-I can't!" Pat stammered, feeling the images in his head get fuzzy and darkened until they vanished altogether. "Its wind's messing with the air! I-I can't see!"

Hearing this, and realizing the monster's wind was focused away from him, Dirk released his ax and Charles' coat, drawing his Gaia Saber. He then inserted the Root Crystal inside and stabbed the blade into the ground, sending vines up around the Griffon Lightless' wings that kept them still. The others fell to their knees as the wind stopped, save for Nikki, who immediately pressed her buckle, summoning the Bronzooka in a flash.

"Thanks, Dirk, but now it's my turn!" Nikki yelled, inserting the Focus and Phoenix Crystals into the bazooka as the scope slid out. "Locked on! Bronzooka, FIRE!"

Pulling the trigger, Nikki launched an effigy of the Phoenix Zord out of the Bronzooka, which shot out at the monster. However, the Griffon Lightless managed to open both beaks, releasing twin energy orbs that collided with the Red Ranger's attack. The opposing blasts cancelled each other out in a shockwave that knocked both down to the ground.

"Sphantis SMASH!" Sphantis roared, ready to attack before Darkea put a hand to his shoulder.

"Forget it, it's a standoff," Darkea muttered. "Fall back for now...but this isn't over, Rangers!"

With that, Darkea slashed her sickle through the air, seemingly cutting open a portal. It quickly sucked herself, Sphantis, the Griffon Lightless, and the Blots inside before closing. Dirk sighed in relief, Professor Snyder getting back to his feet before helping the Orange Ranger do the same.

"Clearly, my research didn't capture how...interesting life can be here," Charles noted.

"That's one word for it," Dirk scoffed, giving the professor a tired thumbs up.

"I'm going to assume that you simply didn't hear me correctly when I said to bring the Professor HERE?!" Walker yelled, clearly in a bad mood. "You know, as opposed to letting the Rangers take him back to the library?!"

Darkea rolled her eyes. "Relax, brother. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Oh, well, I suppose you've got some sort of 'foolproof plan' to bring him back out of hiding, is that it?" Walker demanded. "Let me guess, something along the lines of threatening to have my new Lightless blow up a city if they don't give him up!"

"...Pretty much," Darkea replied, shrugging.

"And you aren't at all worried that the Rangers might decide to just destroy the Griffon Lightless instead?" Walker inquired.

Darkea smirked. "Well, that's just the thing: Your new Lightless has proven to not only have enough firepower to match their ever-so-spectacular Bronzooka, but his manipulation of the wind had a unique little side-effect on the Green Ranger. He's pretty much useless at this point, and with just four Rangers to defend the city, they'll either hand the old man over or let the city and its people be destroyed, and you KNOW the choice they'll make under those circumstances."

Jowar stroked his beard, thinking the situation over as the others all took seats around the main chamber of the Ancient Library, the Rangers having removed their helmets. "This could be a serious problem. If that monster returns again..."

"I don't get why the Shadowmancers want Professor Snyder," Madilyn said, resting her head on the table. "I know he has valuable information from his studies, but anything THEY would care about?"

"Whatever the reason, Jowar's right," Patrick noted with a frown. "That monster completely blocked out my ability to sense things through the air. If it attacks again, I'll only have my previous blindfold training to fall back on. I don't think I'll be able to put up a decent fight with just that, let alone pilot a Zord."

"Jowar can pilot the Hippogriff Zord if it comes to that," Nikki replied. "It's the battle on the ground I'm more worried about..."

Layla folded her arms. "Hmm...Well, there MIGHT be one way to get the better of it. Thing is, there's a few things that could go wrong. It'd need just the right timing in execution."

Before Layla could elaborate further, the alarm went off. The group formed up around the Viewing Globe as it zoomed in on a hill just outside Esthaorn City, where Darkea, Sphantis, the Griffon Lightless, and a small army of Blots awaited. Darkea drew her sickle, grinning evilly, before looking to the sky.

"I know you're watching, Rangers!" the Shadowmancer shouted. "Bring the professor, or I destroy that city and everyone inside of it! You've got ten minutes to decide!"

Snyder sighed, putting a hand to Jowar's shoulder. "I'll go. I'm not worth that many lives."

"No," Dirk said, shaking his head. "There's no guarantee they won't level the city anyway."

"Unfortunately, Dirk's right," Nikki commented before glancing to Layla. "Wanna talk about that plan now?"

Layla gulped. "...Well, guess we'll need some luck on this one, too."

Patrick grinned confidently before he and the team put their helmets back on. "Don't worry. That monster can take away my sight, but he can never take away the Luck of the Irish."

Darkea tapped her foot, trying her best to wait patiently as the ten minutes ticked down to a close. Just as she was about to call for the attack anyway, though, the Rangers teleported down in front of her group, though noticeably sans the professor...just as she suspected they would be.

"So, decided to just have it your own way, huh?" Darkea asked with a smirk.

"You're crazy if you think we're gonna trust you to keep your word, Darkea!" Madilyn yelled.

Darkea shrugged. "Your call. Griffon!"

The Griffon Lightless roared, beating its wings hard and sending a massive black gust at the team, nearly knocking them off their feet. Dirk went for his Root Crystal, but it was knocked out of his hand by a well-placed claw shot from one of Darkea's Blots.

"Please, did you really think I'd let you try THAT trick again?!" Darkea asked with a giggle, sauntering toward the team as the wind blew harder. The team was having to use their Gaia Sabers to dig in, save for Patrick, who was desperately trying to dig his fists and feet into the ground.

"Aw, poor Patrick, can't even reach his Gaia Saber," Darkea mocked, pulling her sickle. "Y'know, after the number of battles we've had, destroying you like this feels anti-climactic...but I'll live with it!"

"PATRICK!" Nikki screamed, just as Darkea swung her sickle straight down through Patrick...only for him to appear unharmed, and then completely vanish. "DO IT!"

"What?!" Darkea demanded before her eyes widened, spinning around to face her group, just in time to see the Green Ranger leaping up over the Griffon Lightless.

"Unicorn Sword!" Patrick called as he raised the weapon straight up, his Gaia Saber aimed low. "Double-mental Cross!"

Before the Griffon Lightless could aim a gust at him, Patrick fell toward it, bringing his blades across in a vertical cross-slash. The combined wind and light slashes collided harshly with the monster, sending it tumbling all the way down the hill. With that taken care of, the Green Ranger quickly went to work defending himself from the couple dozen Blots that immediately attacked him, cutting them down one by one.

"Why, you sneaky-!" Darkea started to say as she turned to face the other Rangers, just in time to receive a Heat Arrow to the breastplate from Nikki, knocking her away.

"Dirk, go help Patrick!" Nikki ordered. "We'll finish off the Doduo wannabe!"

Dirk nodded, running up the hill to join Patrick while the girls ran down it, right as the Griffon Lightless got back up. Just as it was about to beat its wings for another gust, Madilyn immediately called out her Lightning Daggers, slashing both wings hard and sending electricity through them that paralyzed them.

"Let's finish it off!" Nikki commanded, readying an arrow. "Heat Bow!"

"Flood Launcher!" Layla called, bringing out her cannon.

"Bronzooka!" Madilyn yelled, summoning and loading the bazooka.

"FIRE!" the three girls shouted, firing their weapons at the Griffon Lightless. It tried to counter with twin energy orbs fired from its two heads, but the combined blasts from all three weapons were two much for it as it was quickly overwhelmed and destroyed in a large explosion, dark mist rising from the spot where its body once stood.

Meanwhile, up the hill, Dirk and Patrick had cleared out the Blots, leaving them to face Sphantis and Darkea alone. Darkea screamed in rage as she swung her sickle, only to have it blocked by Patrick's two swords, all while Dirk fought off Sphantis with his ax.

"Should've guessed you'd try using the Illusion Crystal!" Darkea hissed.

"Yeah, 'cuz WE'RE the cowardly ones, Miss Holds-A-City-Ransom!" Patrick mocked before kicking the Shadowmancer in the gut, causing her to back off.

"Grr!" Darkea growled. "WALKER! ANYTIME NOW!"

Walker groaned, watching events unfold through the fireplace. "Tch, even when it's not MY plan, I STILL have to make the saving plays! Dark Staff of the Wyvern, make my Lightless grow!"

The Shadowmancer hoisted his staff up over the fireplace, the wyvern head atop the staff opening its jaws and releasing a black smog into the fire, causing it to grow larger. Walker watched the image in the flames as the black smog hovering in the sky was fed dark flames, reforming into a giant-sized version of the Griffon Lightless.

"Sphantis grow!" Walker heard Sphantis roar. "Sphantis CRUSH!"

"If you insist!" Walker yelled, releasing another cloud of thick smog into the fire. Doing so, however, drained him enough that he fell to a knee, but he watched on as dark flames were fed into Sphantis' body, causing him to become a giant as well.

"Looks like we've got double the trouble!" Dirk observed as the team regrouped.

"Jowar, stand by if I need you!" Patrick called into his communicator.

"Understood!" Jowar replied.

"Okay, let's do it!" Nikki shouted, the team raising their crystal-loaded Gaia Sabers to the sky. "We need Gaia Zord power, now!"

The Gaia Sabers shot out multicoloured beams that, within moments, summoned the Phoenix, Hippogriff, Leviathan, Behemoth, and Thunderbird Gaia Zords to the team's location. The Rangers teleported up into the cockpits, Nikki, Layla, and Patrick immediately summoning the Kitsune, Turtle, and Unicorn Zords. With all eight Zords assembled, they grouped into two teams of four. The Phoenix, Kitsune, Leviathan, and Thunderbird Zords opened fire on Sphantis, knocking him back, while the Hippogriff, Unicorn, Turtle, and Behemoth Zords all tackled the Griffon Lightless, sending it tumbling across the ground.

"Nice shot, everyone!" Nikki commented.

"Look out, they're getting back up!" Layla yelled, just as the two monsters got back to their feet. Sphantis' scythes glowed with energy as he swung them, blasting the Zords on the land hard, while the Griffon Lightless beat its wings, blowing back all the airborne Zords with a black gust of wind.

"GAH!" Patrick cried, feeling the images in his head darken.

"Patrick, we need to switch!" Jowar advised.

"Wait...I can do this...!" Patrick insisted. "Unicorn Zord, use your light...to peel back the darkness!"

The Unicorn Zord whinnied, getting back to its feet as its horn released a flash of light. The light created an effigy of a silver moon that shined even more light down on the field of battle, piercing through the black wind and returning it to the normal transparent wind, harsh as it was.

"That's better!" Patrick commented, getting his vision back. "Now let's wipe the floor with these guys!"

"Right!" the others called, removing their crystals from the Gaia Sabers before calling forth and inserting the Unity Crystals. "Gaia Zords, combine!"

The main five Gaia Zords immediately formed up, Behemoth Zord shifting its body around to form the torso of the Megazord. The Leviathan Zord latched onto the Behemoth Zord, becoming the hip, legs, and feet. The Phoenix and Thunderbird Zords curled their wings and talons in, forming the right and left arms and hands. The Hippogriff Zord landed on the back, spread its wings out, and rested its head atop the robot, its beak opening to form the head. Lastly, the Unicorn Zord shifted its body around to form a hilt in the Megazord's right hand, a beam of light erupting around its horn as it extended into a long blade. The five Rangers and their cockpits slid back to the head, becoming one large cockpit.

"Gaia Megazord, Unicorn Sword!" the five Rangers shouted. The two monsters ran at the giant robot, but were knocked aside by a pair of slashes from the sword. The Griffon Lightless quickly got back to its feet, releasing a pair of energy orbs from its two beaks that blasted the Megazord hard, sending it crashing to the ground. The Kitsune and Turtle Zords rushed in, but were slammed by a pair of scythe swipes from Sphantis.

"We need more power!" Nikki yelled. "Dirk, power up the Focus Crystal!"

"You got it!" Dirk replied, plugging in said crystal. "I'm gonna show these guys what it means to mess with us!"

The Gaia Megazord shimmered with bronze light as it got back to its feet. Seeing this, the Kitsune Zord leaped up, twisting its body into a long bow. It fell towards the giant robot, which caught it in its left hand.

"Gaia Megazord, Bow and Sword!" the team called, setting the Unicorn Sword as a makeshift arrow for the Kitsune Bow. The Griffon Lightless charged up another pair of orbs to fire as a silver, shimmering flame engulfed the Unicorn Sword, the Megazord taking aim.

"Silver Arrow!" the Rangers shouted, the Megazord releasing the Unicorn Sword. It sailed straight through the Griffon Lightless' energy orbs before piercing the lower head, causing it to roar in pain before falling backward, its body exploding into black mist that evaporated into the sky.

"You're next, Sphantis!" Nikki yelled, the Kitsune Bow switching to its crossbow form as it was swapped to the right hand, the Turtle Shield loaded onto it.

"Gaia Megazord, Shield and Bow!" the team roared as the Turtle Shield flashed the seven colours of the seven Zords currently in formation. "Heptagon Blast!"

"SPHANTIS DESTR-ARGHHH!" Sphantis roared as he was about to attack, only for a flash of indigo light to suddenly come out of nowhere and cleave straight through his left scythe, cutting it clean off as dark mist poured from the wound. The Megazord fired the Turtle Shield, which erected a heptagonal shield of light around itself, but before it could make contact, Sphantis fell to the ground and shrunk back to normal size, the attack missing.

"What happened?!" Nikki demanded.

"H-He shrunk back down after that blow!" Layla answered.

"Yeah, but WHAT HAPPENED?!" Patrick inquired. "That couldn't have been one of ours, was it?! It seemed so...dark!"

"Guys, down there!" Madilyn shouted, pointing at a hill just a little ways southeast of their position. Standing atop it was a figure in a black hooded cloak, resting a large black and indigo sword on their shoulder. Their glance seemed fixed on the Megazord.

"Who or what is that?!" Patrick asked.

"And how did he lop off Sphantis' scythe with one blow?!" Dirk added.

"More importantly, whose side is he on?" Nikki wondered aloud. "I mean, he's wearing black and used darkness, but he just attacked Sphantis...right?"

"Maybe this is who we've been waiting on!" Madilyn suggested. "The last Guardian of Gaia!"

Nikki blinked, watching the figure as it watched them back. "...The Guardian of Darkness...?"

Darkea groaned, limping into the Dark Chamber. "Grr...Before you say anything, I had the situation completely under-"

"That doesn't matter now!" Walker shouted, looking petrified. "...They've arrived...!"

Darkea blinked, making her way over to the fireplace, her eyes widening at the scene. "...What in the world?! Did he do THAT to Sphantis?!"

"With one slash," Walker replied gravely. "I think we have a serious problem..."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: ...Nope, not wasting any time, though I would like to note the Megazord battle in this chapter was a tribute to the first episode of Power Rangers I ever saw, A Pressing Engagement. Next time on Power Rangers Guardians of Gaia, the Guardian of Darkness has finally arrived, but whose side is he on? Does he even have a side? And when it becomes clear he's not on the Rangers', can they even bring themselves to fight him as the truth of his identity is revealed? Find out as the Indigo Nightmare Saga unfolds! Ja né!