Chapter 14: A Nightmare Incarnate (Orion Returns)
Chapter contains blood and violence.
LittleP
Ali and Azarand were slumbering lightly. Ever since the lights had been freed two days ago, they were constantly on edge. They were both suddenly awoken by sharp headaches. The pain lanced through their heads, a dull throb left behind. Both sat up in their beds and moved out into the living room.
"I see you're up." Ali slurred at his brother.
Azarand looked towards Ali, hair disheveled, and was silent. It took him a few seconds to respond. "Yeah, bad headache."
Ali stilled. "Headache? I woke up because I had a terrible headache. "
Azarand stared like a fish. "Coincidence?" He said simply.
"Not in the slightest." Ali replied.
Maya lay in her bed, she was unusually restless, the dream she'd just had disturbed her.
In her dream, Destructo had captured the Lights of Orion and used them to wreak havoc on Terra Venture. Maya needed to tell the others; even if it was just a dream she didn't know if it would become something more.
Getting up out from under the covers, Maya walked over to Kendrix, who was sleeping soundly. Maya shook her awake; Kendrix stared back at her with tired eyes.
"What is it?" Kendrix whispered to Maya.
"Come on." Maya said simply as she began walking towards the front door, Kendrix following behind her.
Maya and Kendrix proceeded to the men's quarters. Maya using the door chime to let the guys know that she was there.
Kai answered the door. "What's up?" He asked sleepily.
"I had a dream." Maya told him.
Damon yawned behind Kai, the man still in his bed. "I had a dream to, until someone woke me up." He said in annoyance before rolling over away from the intruders.
"Dream? What dream?" Leo rose from his cot.
Maya walked over to the large bay window in the room, the darkness of interstellar space spreading out beyond the reinforced plexiglass.
"There!" She said, pointing out the window. Almost immediately after she spoke, a bright light permeated the room, the rangers shielding their eyes from the yellow glare.
The Lights of Orion moved past the window, the light fading from the room as they got further away.
"The Lights of Orion are back." Maya said, a small smile on her face. If the lights were back, they had a chance to get to them before Destructo.
"Come on!" Leo said as he ran from the room, the other rangers following close behind.
Leo and the other rangers had activated the Astro Megaship and were currently pursuing the lights.
"There, right in front of us." Maya said as the ship locked onto the lights.
"I've got a lock on them." Kendrix said.
"Don't let them get away!" Leo shouted, suddenly the ship was rocked by multiple impacts.
The Scorpian Stinger rounded on the ship and fired again.
"The lights! We're losing them!" Kendrix said in a panic.
"The jammers!" Leo said in sudden insight.
With that the rangers morphed and headed to their jammers. Opening the portal into space, the rangers blasted toward the Scorpian Stinger. They flew underneath the hulking metal beheamoth and moved far out into clear space trailing the lights. Sure enough, stingwingers were immediately sent out to intercept them, the bugs gaining on their tails.
"Uh oh, stingwingers!" Maya said as she looked at her radar screen, the instrument clearly showing the pings of approaching stingwingers.
"Go Leo, we'll hold them off!" Kai told the red ranger.
"Okay!" Leo said as he pulled away from the ground, pursuing the lights by himself.
The stingwingers began blasting at the rangers, who instantly broke formation and began to fire back.
As Damon was turning around in his jammer, having just destroyed a pair of stingwingers, one such bug was able to come up on his rear. The stingwinger latched onto the back of his jammer and wrapped its claws around Damon's neck. Damon took his hands off his controls to attempt to pry away the pressing extremities. With his hands off his controls, his jet jammer began to spin wildly out of control.
" I need a little help here somebody!" Damon shouted in a panic.
He saw Leo's jet jammer appear in front of him, the red distorated by the dizzying spin.
"Damon! Duck!" He heard Leo shout.
Damon didn't know what Leo was going to do, but he was not going to risk anything. He immediately ducked his head.
In front of him Leo fired a rocket towards Damon, the projectile impacting the stingwinger, promptly throwing the enemy off and away from the green ranger.
"That's the end of them." Maya said.
"The lights are headed towards Terra Venture, let's go!" Leo told the others, the rangers formed up and collectively began to head back to the space station.
The lights found their way back to Terra Venture. And coincidently, flew past Ali and Azarand, who were leisurely strolling around the city. They knew the lights would come back, the rangers were too much of a draw, all they had to do was wait.
The lights flew past their heads, both had to do a double take before they both began to run after it.
"Well that was nice!" Azarand shouted as he ran.
"Yeah, very convenient!" Ali replied, panting between words.
The pair chased the lights through the city, their journey spread to a nature preserve just outside the city limits. A concrete path stretched out in front of them, the lights travelling above the trees, away from them.
Ali and Azarand continued into the tree lined path, following the lights, hoping that they hadn't been spotted.
They were quickly proven wrong.
As they were running, they both heard rustling in the brush beside them. Ali stopped and faced the sound as his brother continued to give chase to the lights.
Suddenly Ali was blasted at from his front, the shots impacting the trees behind him, wooden splinters flying in every direction. Azarand came running back towards his brother, who was crouched low to the ground yet appeared uninjured.
Destructo stepped out from the bushes.
"Ahh, the two big thorns in my side." Destructo said as he stepped towards them. Ali stood up, and beside his brother, the two held their ground.
"What do you want red?" Ali mocked the monster's color.
Destructo stopped a few feet from the two. "I'm not here to destroy you, at least not yet!" The monster laughed manically. "No, I'm here to warn you, do not get in my way." The monster said menacingly.
Ali moved his suit jacket aside to reveal his two revolvers. "Oh we're more than ready." He said confidently.
Destructo decided not to wait. He drew his katana and slashed at Ali. The blade caught the man in the face, a small slash across his cheek. Ali stumbled away from blade, Azarand reacted instantly.
He drew his Ka Bar knife perried the thurst of Destructo's katana. However, the contact with the larger blade caused his relatively small knife to be thrown from his grip. Azarand knew he couldn't draw his revolver at such close range; it would leave him open to attack. Instead he used his body. Ducking his head and shoulders down, he charged at Destructo and caught the monster in the midsection. The force of Azarand's body impacting the monster caused both to stumble back, but that was all that was needed. Ali had recovered and delivered a head spinning upper cut to Destructo's jaw, the loud slap of his knuckles connecting with the monster's face seemed to echo through the trees. Destructo stumbled back further from the blow, giving Azarand a chance to land a strong kick to the monster's chest. Destructo flew back a number of feet. Both Ali and Azarand refused to move closer to the monster, they would finish this at another time. At least they hoped so.
Destructo had the same line of thinking. He stood shakily to his feet and sheathed his katana. "You haven't seen the last of me! I will get the power of the lights and you two will rue the day you were born!" He said before teleporting away.
Azarand looked over to his brother, a trickle of blood flowing down his cheek. "You okay Al?"
Ali nodded. "Yeah, just surprised was all. Now, should we get back to the chase?"
"Sure." Azarand said, and the two soon resumed their pursuit of the lights.
Destructo continued on his way, chasing the lights. He'd transported away from the fight with those two pests when it was clear that he wouldn't catch the lights if he stuck around. Now he was free from their presence, he could now resume his pursuit of the Lights of Orion.
He had been ordered by Trecheron to bring him the lights, and so he would. As he passed through a grove of trees, he came upon a clearing. Above the clearing the lights blazed away in their bright glory, stationary in mid air. All around him the wind howled, making clear the power contained within the lights.
"They're nearly in my grasp." Destructo said as he neared the sought after prize.
Behind Destructo, the rangers were just a few steps from the monster.
"We have to stop him before he gets to the lights!" Leo said. "Magna talon!" He drew the small curved blade and jumped into the air. He fell back to the earth and clashed with Destructo. Sword on sword, while Leo knew he wouldn't win, he had to stall, the fate of Terra Venture depended on him.
Ali and Azarand were running as fast as they could. They knew that while Destructo had vanished, he had not left the station, not with the lights still on Terra Venture.
And it was that logic that pushed them to run at their limits, they knew the rangers were off world, and that left them and the Magna Defender as the only individuals who could bring the fight to Scorpius. Even then, the Magna Defender was not their ally, so they narrowed the capable individuals down to themselves.
Now they were chasing after the lights. In the distance they saw the lights were now stationary above the treetops, yet they were a fair distance away. They hoped they would get there in time.
The Magna Defender stood on a hilltop overlooking the city. In the distance to his front shone the Lights of Orion. The awe inspiring source of power hovered motionless above the ground.
He had been weak after the incident involving the Defender Torozord. He still didn't know where such immense pain had come from, and that angered him. Perhaps when he got his hands on the lights, the pain would subside. He would get the lights, no matter who stood in his way.
"The Lights of Orion are my only chance to destroy Scorpius." He said aloud, realizing that the his current abilities would not be enough to destroy the monster his sights had been set on for the past 3,000 years.
Suddenly a sharp and sudden pain in his chest forced him to his knees. Hand clutching his chest, the Magna Defender groaned and moaned at the overwhelming pain that was coming from his heart. The pain seemed to wrap around his body, spreading from his chest to his back, then to his arms, down his torso and into his legs. It was all encompassing, it was nearly too much for him to handle.
"Oh, oh no, not again." The Magna Defender said, groaning as he spoke. He recognized that the pain was the same that he'd experienced just a few short days earlier.
"Where is this pain coming from?" He asked himself, trying to push his thoughts away from the pain that had momentarily crippled him.
He could hear the blood rushing through his head and his heart beating loudly. With every beat a sharp spike of pain went through his chest. He needed to stop this, and he needed to stop it now.
"I've got to get the lights!" He said as he shakily stood to his feet. The pain still rocketed through him, yet he removed his hand from his chest and willed himself to move on despite the pain. The lights could wait no longer.
The rangers were swarming around Destructo. The monster ferociously battling his opponents, the ranger's attacks seemed to be having little effect on their foe.
Leo decided that he was going to try to end the fight rather than pull it out any longer. He powered up his Quasar Saber and Magna Talon and launched himself at Destructo. The monster brought his katana in front of his body and deflected Leo's strike. The power behind the blow sent Leo flying a fair distance away, the red ranger landing in a field of tall grass. His fellow rangers swarmed around him.
"Transdagger!" Damon shouted as he brought out his blade.
"Beta bow!" Kendrix brought up her bow as well.
Together they fired at Destructo, their shots having no effect on the monster, other than serving to enrage him further.
Destructo charged at the rangers and slashed at them. The resulting impact leveled the rangers.
"Farewell losers!" Destructo mocked as he began running towards the stationary lights.
"Lights of Orion come fourth!" He shouted, producing an urn, Destructo drew the lights inside the container.
"I've done it; I finally captured the Lights of Orion!" He laughed manically as he transported away.
Ali and Azarand finally came upon the lights, but what greeted their eyes terrified them. The rangers were lying on the ground, all of them slow to get up. In front of them stood Destructo, the monster directly beneath the lights, in a flash the lights were gone.
Both Ali and Azarand gawked at what had just happened. Both saw an urn held in Destructo's grasp, they knew the lights were inside. Both drew their revolvers, intent on destroying the urn and freeing the lights, but before they could even draw their hammers back, Destructo had vanished, the lights along with him.
Azarand and Ali stood still for many seconds, shocked at what had just happened. They'd lost the lights, and they might never get them back. Ali shakily holstered his two revolvers before he turned to look at his brother. Azarand was still holding his Smith and Wesson Governor, and still staring at the spot where Destructo had been just a few moments earlier.
The rangers had finally gotten to their feet, everyone of them limping or groaning in pain. Ali wasted no time in going over to help assist them.
"Are you guys okay?" He asked the group.
He received nods but no replies, it was apparent that the rangers were not in a talking mood having just lost the lights.
Ali couldn't blame them. He wondered if he would ever see the lights again. He knew that with the lights in the hands of Scorpius, their fight had just gotten a whole lot tougher.
He walked back over to his brother, who remained stock still, continuously staring at the same spot of ground.
Ali physically shook his brother, only then did Azarand give a hint that he was no longer lost in his thoughts. His eyes turned slightly towards Ali, his body firmly rooted to the ground.
"We will get them back. No matter how long or how far, we will find them." Ali tried to reassure his brother.
Azarand was having none of it. "How? We don't even know where the lights are. Face it Ali, we've lost them. We failed our mission."
Ali felt guilt and hopelessness begin to seep into his bones. He pushed those feelings away; he was not one to look down, only up. "We will find them Azarand. We have Zordon, he's the key to the lights."
Azarand gave a small laugh. "That's if Zordon doesn't kill us for losing the lights. Scorpius now has a huge advantage over us, one that I don't think we can beat."
"He'll understand, we tried our best. We will get the lights back." Ali said before he walked away, the cleric too tired of hearing the hopeless attitude from his brother.
Ali noticed that the rangers were walking away from them, down the concrete path back to the city. Some unmorphed, others still in their signature spandex suits. Their stride showed just how they were feeling, and Ali knew that now was not the time to talk to them. He had to find a way to get the lights back.
He walked back over to his brother, Azarand still standing in the same position, and wordlessly grabbed his arm. Azarand gave a surprised yelp at the rough handling, but Ali wasn't in the mood to hear his qualms. He was fixated on one objective.
The Magna Defender was too late. After recovering from his painful incident, he'd travelled in the direction of the lights. He had to be fast, he knew that the rangers and most likely Scorpius hadn't missed the re-appearance of their fixation. As he got closer, he suddenly saw the lights disappear.
He shook in rage. He was too late.
But perhaps I still have a chance. He thought, a grin forming underneath his helmet.
He knew that Destructo was most likely the one that had captured the lights. Coming upon where the lights once were, the Magna Defender concealed himself behind trees and bushes. In front of him he saw the rangers as well as the two younglings, the rangers appeared to be injured while the two boys that he had frequent run ins with were standing in apparent shock.
He stayed for only a moment; he needed to find the lights. He knew they were with Destructo and he had a feeling of where Destructo was.
He set off for the ocean dome at a hurried pace.
They finally got back to the apartment and immediately went over to the coffee table in the living room. Ali didn't bother removing his suit jacket; he threw his homburg hat away and sat down on the couch. Beside him, Azarand gingerly lowered himself onto the soft leather.
Ali activated the call to Zordon. The signal was instantly picked up, Zordon's form appearing before them. By the look on their mentor's face, he knew what had happened.
Ali didn't bother explaining. "We tried and we failed."
Zordon just stared at him in silence for many minutes. Ali didn't know what Zordon looked like when he was mad, he never thought Zordon got mad, but it just looked like he might.
" It was not your fault young ones." Zordon's soft calm voice came over the line of communication.
Both Ali and Azarand were readily surprised.
"But Zordon, we lost the lights! They're in the hands of Scorpius!" Azarand said, finally breaking his silence.
Zordon held his hand up in a gesture meant to convey calmness. "I understand the consequences of what has gone on. But do not fret, the lights will find their way back."
"What?" Ali said.
"Find their way back?" Azarand tacked on.
"Yes, the lights will be released once more." Zordon told the pair.
"How?" Ali asked Zordon, the young cleric was doubtful knowing that Scorpius wouldn't give up his prized possession so easily.
"Deceit and betrayal will be the downfall of Scorpius' current plans." Zordon told Azarand and Ali. "I cannot say anymore, good luck young ones." With that the projection blinked out of existence.
"Wow." Azarand said simply.
Ali looked over to him and gave him a smile. "I told you it would all work out. Scorpius will do all the hard work for us." Ali told his brother.
Azarand smiled back. "I guess you're right about this."
"I'm always right." Ali replied jokingly.
Far away a group of five individuals converged around a throne like chair. These five men wore dark green suits, the color blending into the darkened background.
Suddenly the chair turned around, revealing a woman. More of a monster than a woman, her face was pale white with a hint of blue, her eyes were a bright red, this was Kypton.
"Ahh, I see you've finally arrived." Kypton said with menacing glee.
"Yes my master, I have assembled a team to take them out." A dark haired man wearing dark sunglasses said."
"Excellent, and how do you plan on taking them out?" Kypton asked, excitement coloring her voice.
"We will send an advanced party consisting of one agent to deal with them. If that fails I will still have four agents at my disposal." The sunglass wearing man said.
"Excellent! Remember, I'm ordering you to kill them! I want you to use your knives to cut their throats. Make them bleed like to inferior beings that they are!" Kypton ordered.
"Yes my master." The agent said, with that he and his team left.
Kypton swiveled her chair around, smiling devilishly all the way. "Oh Zordon, you will quickly find out that I'm not to be reckoned with." She said dark humor. Suddenly her voice took on a darker tone. "Your two agents will soon find out the depths of my wrath, and soon your pitiful band will be down by two."
Destructo was now in the Ocean Dome, running by the coast, to his right was a sheer cliff that dropped off to a small beach. He'd chosen the dome for its seclusion; he knew that not a lot of civilians travelled to it. He'd gotten word that Trecheron had wanted to meet him; he would not disobey his commander.
The urn containing the lights was kept in the crook of his right arm. He was still ecstatic about having captured the lights earlier that day; perhaps he would be allowed to use the lights now that would be something!
"The lights are mine! Hahahahaha." He said as he walked along the path. "Trecheron will be very grateful for this!"
Suddenly a blade buried itself in his back. He grabbed the blade from his shoulder and threw it on the ground; he recognized it as belonging to the Magna Defender.
Turning around he saw the Magna Defender charging towards him, saber drawn and ready for a fight.
"Give me that jar you fiend!" The Magna Defender shouted as he jumped into the air towards Destructo.
The red monster caught the Defender's saber with his hand and forced it away causing the Magna Defender to spin around. This gave Destructo time to draw his katana and drive it down towards the Magna Defender.
The Magna Defender locked blades with Destructo, neither man budging an inch; it appeared a stalemate was to ensue.
Suddenly the Magna Defender was stuck from behind, the warrior turned around to engage his new foe and was stuck twice more on the chest, sparks erupting everywhere. The Magna Defender was already positioned precariously close to the edge, the new drove him further to the sheer cliff face. He lost his footing and went tumbling over the edge.
After the Magna Defender had fallen away, Destructo looked up and saw his commander, Trecheron, standing in front of him.
"Come Destructo, it is not safe in the open." Trecheron said as he began leading Destructo away.
The Magna Defender bellowed as he fell. But the vocalization wasn't out of fear, it was out of rage. He knew he would survive this fall, he'd survived one much worse, but his hope of getting the lights was now dashed. He knew that Destructo and Trecheron would most certainly use the lights, seeing as how carrying it around made them vulnerable.
He hit the hard rock below, his body then rolling onto a gravelly beach. He groaned in pain before rising steadily to his feet. He needed to get back up there and fast, he walked over to the cliff face and began to climb.
He briefly wondered what the two younglings were doing, Ali and Azarand. He wondered if they knew of the situation and if they had a plan to stop it. Knowing how cunning they were, he knew that they would have a plan, a reason why he respected them. They thought and fought with their heads, unlike those foolish rangers.
He finally reached the crest of the cliff and pulled himself up. He was still had some slight pain from the fall, and his chest was still smoking, yet he would endure. This was just more valuable time wasted.
"I've got to stop them." The Magna Defender vowed.
Ali and Azarand had tracked Destructo to the ocean dome. As they walked around they marveled at the place. They never had been to this place, and it was beautiful. Lush forests surrounded by beaches and oceans, it was a wonder it was as secluded and desolate as it was. One would think that civilians on a space station would want to visit the beach, apparently not.
The brothers trekked through the forest, retracing the steps taken by Destructo. They had more than a few tools and abilities to track the monster's movements. It was slow going, but they were making progress.
They walked along a path that was atop a sheer drop to the water below. The sky had suddenly turned cloudy and overcast, as if it was foretelling what was about to transpire.
The pair walked further until their journey took them away from the coast and into the forest. They stopped a couple of hundred feet outside a small cave, the feeling from within unnerving them greatly.
They took positions behind two trees and waited.
They didn't have to wait long for action to pick up. Soon they saw the rangers, morphed and looking around, apparently they'd figured it out as well.
Azarand restrained himself from calling out to the rangers, as did Ali. Even though they had to protect the rangers, they also needed to get the lights back. That goal would possibly be put in jeopardy if they gave away their position.
"He's got to be here somewhere." They heard Leo say.
Both saw movement coming from the cave, there they saw Destructo, the monster walking out from under a small waterfall and looking more confident than ever.
This didn't look good.
"Rangers, I'm so glad you can make it. Now my powers will be unsurpassed!" Destructo said as he reached towards the jar lid. "Lights of Orion activate!" He opened the lid and the lights fused with his body. His body underwent a transformation; the blades on his shoulders grew, as did his katana. He was truly a monster.
"Oh no, he's used the lights!" Kai said in a state of shock.
"This is awful." Maya said.
"No! He can't have the power of the lights!" The Magna Defender said as he finally reached the scene.
Ali and Azarand were in a state of awe. They didn't know what the lights did to the individual who used their powers, and now they were getting a chance to see the results. However, they realized the gravity of the situation, a being of pure evil was empowered with one of the universe's most powerful objects, and that terrified them.
Destructo had finished his transformation and was now sneering in the direction of the rangers. "So rangers, we have unfinished business!" Destructo said menacingly as he leveled his sword towards the rangers, all of whom who took a step back in fear.
Ali and Azarand knew they couldn't wait; they had to do something, or risk Destructo destroying not only the rangers, but Terra Venture as well.
Both clerics drew their revolvers, intent on opening up on the monster, but they were too late.
Destructo had powered up his large saber and shot a powerful blast at the rangers. The explosion sent the rangers flying high into the air; demorphing when they hit the ground. Ali and Azarand were shocked, but they quickly recovered. Both fired at Destructo, but their shots seemingly had little effect. Their bullets impacting the monster, sparks and smoke erupting from the red body, yet Destructo was not fazed.
The monster was enraged. He stomped towards the two clerics, who had holstered their now empty firearms and had taken out their knives.
When he was a good five feet in front of the pair, he stopped. "Well, it looks like I have two more to destroy this day." Destructo laughed.
"You wish." Ali said as he took out his stiletto switchblade. He didn't wait for Destructo to make a move, he lunged at the monster, who had no time to react before Ali had buried his stiletto deep into the monster's body.
Destructo cried out in pain before he used his new powers. He flung Ali off of him like a rag doll, the young cleric flying a good number of feet away, his body cracking on a hard rock.
Ali cried out in pain and stayed on the ground, delirious and in pain. Destructo had temporarily dealt with one cleric so he turned his attention to the other.
Azarand was staring bug eyed at the monster. He couldn't comprehend how easily Destructo had brushed Ali off. He was for the first time in many years, terrified. But he knew he had to do something, for the sake of his brother. So with lightning speed he flung his ka bar towards the monster. Despite the knife's speed, Destructo swatted it away like a fly. He began advancing on Azarand, who took a defensive stance. When he was within arm's reach, Azarand swung his fist, only to find it blocked in a crushing grip.
Destructo lifted him up and body slammed him to the ground. Azarand had the wind knocked out of him, he was sputtering for breath but it seemed that none would come. He looked up to see Destructo raising his blade above him, intent on destroying the cleric here and now. Suddenly, Ali lunged into the fray, dragging Destructo away from him. Ali fought with his arms and legs, but nothing seemed to work. His struggle only ended when Destructo's hand gripped around his neck, the young man was raised off the ground, his feet kicking feebly as his oxygen ran out.
Suddenly a blast hit Destructo from his rear; the blast was powerful enough to knock the monster down. Ali was unceremoniously dropped to the ground as he coughed and drew in deep breathes.
He faintly noticed Destructo transporting away, but his thoughts were occupied on the individual standing in front of him. There, standing on a slight rocky ledge, his cape swaying in the wind stood the Magna Defender. The warrior's blaster was out and at the ready. But before Ali had any chance to acknowledge the Defender, he'd jumped up and away.
He unsteadily made his way over to Azarand who had picked himself up.
"You okay?" Ali asked his brother who was leaning against a tree.
"Yea, you?" Azarand asked in return.
Ali shook his head. "He saved us."
"Who?" Azarand looked around as if trying to spot their savior.
" Good ole' bull head." Ali said in a Southern drawl.
Azarand smiled at his brother's antics. "You mean our father." He told Ali.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have those lights to get." Ali told his brother.
Azarand suddenly went pale. "What about the rangers!?"
"Crap! Let's go find them." Ali said as he retrieved his homburg hat as he and Azarand began their search.
The rangers found themselves lying at the bottom of a steep hill. Slowly and surely they each got to their feet.
"Guys you okay?" Leo asked his teammates as he helped Kendrix up.
"Yeah I think so." Kai replied.
Suddenly stingwingers appeared and were barreling towards them. The rangers tried to defend themselves, but they were too weak from the experience they'd just been through. And there were too many, whenever they would beat one another would just take its place. It seemed like a never ending onslaught.
Then in the face of such insurmountable odds, a ray of hope appeared well two actually.
Ali and Azarand joined in on the fray, each punching, kicking, and beating their opponents. The pair began to thin the numbers until there were no stingwingers left to fight. Kai got to his feet and made his way over to Azarand.
"Thanks you two, we weren't sure if you were victims of Destructo." Kai said.
"Nearly." Azarand said. "But we will beat him in the future. You rangers will beat him that is."
"How? He has the lights." Damon said in a frustrated tone.
"Betrayal and greed will be his undoing." Ali chimed in from a fair distance away.
A bright flash of light blinded everyone for a number of seconds. When their vision cleared, Destructo was once more standing in front of them.
Ali and Azarand moved away from the rangers, giving them space to morph.
"Go galactic!" They all shouted in unison, morphing into their suits.
The rangers then ran toward Destructo, who was slowly walking towards them, with Ali and Azarand trailing behind them.
"That's far enough!" Leo shouted as he and the other rangers halted.
"Back for more? Don't you know you haven't got a chance of defeating me?" Destructo said smugly.
"We'll never give up, even with your new powers!" Leo shouted.
Both Ali and Azarand smiled at hearing Leo's confidence. Concealed behind the rangers, they took to reloading their revolvers.
Destructo smiled. "Say goodbye rangers." He said as he pointed his giant sword at the rangers, intent on ending them here and now. The rangers, along with Ali and Azarand tensed up. The latter two hoping that what Zordon said about greed and betrayal was spot on.
In an instant, black smoke sprayed from a beaded necklace that was worn on Destructo's forearm.
"What's happening? I've been tricked!" Destructo said as he went down to his knees.
"What?" Damon said in surprise.
Behind them Ali and Azarand smiled to each other, their mentor hadn't failed them yet.
"That's correct Destructo!" A gravelly voice said.
Everyone turned and looked up, there in a tree was Impostra.
"Impostra, I should've known it was you. " Destructo said as he turned his back on the rangers and stomped over to the tree Impostra was sitting in.
"But you didn't you were merely a pawn in the master plan. I'd like to thank you for getting the Lights of Orion for me." Impostra told an angry Destructo.
Watching the exchange, Ali turned to Azarand and whispered. "This is better than the afternoon soap opera."
Azarand turned to him and playfully socked him in the arm.
"For you? But I'm the one with the power of the lights." Destructo said confused.
"You mean you had the power. I'm taking them back." Impostra said as she opened the lid of the jar in her hand.
"Never!" Destructo vowed.
"You have no choice!" Impostra said, suddenly the jar she was holding exploded into fragments.
Impostra sat there stunned. Azarand likewise was shocked, Ali however had been looking around and saw the culprit. He couldn't help but smile.
"Who did that!?" Impostra yelled in fury.
"I did." A deep voice said.
Everyone turned and saw the Magna Defender walking towards them, his blaster held in his right hand.
"Magna Defender." Impostra said in rage.
"Neither one of you vile creatures will possess the power of the lights. " The Magna Defender said as he slapped the barrel of his blaster lightly against his left hand.
"This is none of your business!" Impostra told the black caped warrior.
Bad thing to say hun. Ali thought in his mind as he watched the exchange from behind the rangers.
"It is now." The Magna Defender said, wasting no time in aiming his blaster at Impostra and firing.
Impostra was hit and sent falling from the tree. She landed in the grass with a thud. Azarand couldn't help but cringe at the impact.
She stood up on wobbly feet and glared at the Defender. "Don't think this is the last of me, I will be back!" She said before transporting away.
The Magna Defender turned to face Destructo. "And now for you Destructo."
Destructo turned around to face the Magna Defender. "Don't you know you haven't got a chance of defeating me?"
"You may have more power than I do, but power alone won't be enough. You're pathetic, let's get this over with." The Magna Defender told the monster.
"Ha! I beat those two clerics senseless. Until you jumped in and saved them! What makes you think I won't do the same to you?" Destructo said smugly, if he could beat two individuals so highly regarded, then the Magna Defender would be no match.
The statement caused Kendrix and Leo to glance back at the two young men standing behind. Ali and Azarand knew there would be a need for explanations later.
The Magna Defender glanced at Ali and Azarand, the latter giving the warrior a slight nod. The Magna Defender turned back to stare at Destructo. " The two young men who you fought today were at a disadvantage. You have the power of the lights, they have their bodies. They fight extremely effectively, of that I have no doubt." The Defender told the monster, in a flash he had drawn his sword and charged at Destructo.
The monster had no time to react as he drew his own blade and blocked the Defender's. His luck however ran out. The Magna Defender got in three strikes on his body, the last releasing the lights from his body.
Throughout the short fight, Ali and Azarand were rooted to the ground. They were not aware of the present situation, they were in shock.
Did the Magna Defender really just praise them? It seemed impossible. They were shaken out of their thoughts by a gale force wind nearly knocking them off their feet.
They turned their heads and saw the Lights of Orion once more shining in all their glory.
Suddenly they saw the Magna Defender running towards the lights, in front of him stood the rangers.
This was not going to be good.
The Magna Defender was running towards the lights, intent of finally getting their power. However, the rangers blocked his path.
"You can't have them!" Leo told his sometime foe.
"How many times do I have to tell you? The Lights of Orion will be mine." The Magna Defender said, putting his hand on his chest for emphasis.
"We can't let that happen, you have too much anger inside of you!" Leo said.
"You leave me no choice! Out of my way!" The Magna Defender ordered as he drew his blaster and aimed it at the rangers, his finger on the trigger.
"Wait!" A voice yelled over the howling wind.
Azarand and Ali jogged and stood in front of the Magna Defender's barrel. The Defender slowly eased up on the trigger. Ali was staring right into his visor.
"The lights are drawn to goodness." Ali told the vengeful warrior.
"They will choose those who they see worthy. Any attempts at forcing the lights to submit will be met with….. rejection." Azarand told both the rangers and the Magna Defender.
The Magna Defender was not about to let the lights go. He cocked his blaster in a show of opposition.
Azarand and Ali stared him down. Ali moved his suit jacket aside to grip his .357 hanging over the front of his right thigh. He made sure the Magna Defender saw him.
"I'm grateful for what you've done, however inadvertent." Ali told the Defender honestly. He needed the warrior to understand, he needed to stop whatever he was thinking. "But I'm a cleric, it is my job to not only protect the rangers, but the lights as well. I'm sure you realize that."
The Magna Defender gave no response so Ali continued.
"If you plan on using your blaster, it will be to blast Azarand and I down because we will never let the lights fall into the wrong hands. So if you're sure, then pull that trigger." Ali said as he walked closer to the Defender, his chest nearly touching the barrel.
The Magna Defender warred with himself internally. One side was telling him to pull the trigger, to remove this obstacle to his revenge. The other urged him to refrain; these two were unique, especially to him. Snippets of the flashbacks came back, those two young tots, so happy, so full of life. If he were to end them here and now, then what would he be? A murderer, he told himself. A murderer that had taken two sons away from their like the monsters who'd taken Zika away from him. He respected these two a great deal, and he couldn't bring harm to them. He knew he was powerful; he'd defeated many powerful monsters, including Destructo who had the lights. He could and would destroy Scorpius, even without the power of the lights.
He slowly brought his blaster down and gave a minute nod.
Ali's smile was a mile wide. "You won't regret this." He said before turning around to face the rangers.
All parties stood silently, staring at the lights.
Suddenly the lights moved over to the rangers.
"Whoa." Leo said.
"They seem to be.." Maya began to speak, shock plain in her voice.
"Choosing us." Damon said.
"The lights have chosen you rangers." Azarand said as he walked towards them, a smile on his face. The wind had died down, allowing speech at normal volume. "All you have to do is accept."
The rangers reached their hands up into the sphere of light. A blinding flash and a booming crack came not a second later. Azarand's ears buzzed and Ali's eyes were blurry. But as they came back into focus they were amazed. There stood the rangers, their Quasar Sabers customized with a unique hilt, and the addition of a new wrist device. The Lights of Orion had finally found worthy bearers of its powers.
Behind them the Magna Defender looked on in contempt and anger. His long hunt for the lights had ended in failure, but his end game of destroying Scorpius was still very much alive.
Destructo came out from behind a tree, not happy one bit. He began stumbling towards the rangers. "I want my powers back, give them to me rangers!" He yelled as he charged towards the now light bearing rangers.
The rangers made quick work of the once formidable monster. Activating the lights, they punched a hole clean through the monster, destroying him.
Ali and Azarand looked on with pride.
The rangers demorphed and slapped each other on the back in excitement.
Ali and Azarand kept their distance from the happy bunch, wanting the rangers to have their time; they still felt the presence of the Magna Defender at their backs.
The two brothers turned their heads slightly to glance. The Magna Defender was just standing there, a stare fixed on some point in front of him. Azarand and Ali expected nothing less, the Magna Defender was stoic by nature.
" Congratulations rangers." A new voice said.
Instant dread filled Ali and Azarand, they'd heard that voice from somewhere. They tried to remember from where, but they just couldn't put their fingers on it.
They turned around, and that's when their blood truly froze. It was like a monster from their worst nightmares. There, walking towards them, in a dark green suit, was….. him.
Horrifying memories assailed their minds, memories of them being lined up in the ditch, and that man giving the order to fire.
"Well well well, if it isn't the two mutants who survived." The ghoul of an agent said, sneering at the two clerics he'd nearly killed all those years ago.
Both the Magna Defender, who was to their right, and the rangers to their left, fixed Ali and Azarand with hard stares. The surprise and curiosity was apparent of the rangers' faces, however the Magna Defender stared more in shock than anything.
"I was wondering when I'd be able to finally finish what I started all those years ago." He laughed menacingly. He stopped ten feet away from the agents, his left hand behind his back.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ali saw the Magna Defender's fist curl ever so slightly into a fist.
He finally replied to the man who'd killed 250,000 people. "By all means darling." Ali said in a mocking tone as he opened his arms wide.
The man's sneer slowly disappeared before it turned into a frown. He began to walk forward until he was within a hair's distance. To Ali's right, Azarand tensed ever so slightly, the only indication he was readying for an attack.
And boy was he right.
Within a split second, the man's left hand whipped out from behind his back, a knife gripped in his fingers. He stabbed down towards Ali with the purpose of driving the blade through his chest. Ali caught the man's hand by creating an X with his forearms. Then wasting no time, he thrust his forearms out and twisted the blade out of his attacker's hand. He landed a hard head butt that sent the man staggering back, his homburg hat falling away as well. But Ali wasn't finished, he caught the man underneath the jaw with an uppercut, the man's hand flying to hold his wounded chin. Then he did something that Ali wasn't expecting, the man reached into his coat and withdrew his semi automatic pistol. He leveled it at Ali and clicked the safety off, all within a span of a second.
Ali saw his life flash before his eyes, he knew by the time he'd reached down and gripped his .357 or .44, there would be a bullet in his head. Even if he were to go here and now, he would go feeling a sense of accomplishment. The lights had chosen those who were worthy, even if he was no longer around, they would carry on the fight.
But the shot never came, instead, the man ended up with a knife buried in his eye. Ali recognized it as a ka bar. The man fell back onto his back unmoving, the hilt sticking out from his face.
Ali turned around in shock to look at Azarand. The cleric had his right arm fully extended from when he threw the blade. Ali turned his head to look at the Magna Defender, he was surprised to see the Defender had his blaster out and ready for use. Ali was warmed by the gesture.
The rangers had looks of shock and horror at what they'd just seen. While they were accustomed to defeating monsters, none of them had seen a person get killed, and it left a cold feeling in their stomachs, even if the dead individual was a vile being.
Azarand walked over to his brother and put his two hands on Ali's shoulders. "I will never let you die. Not now, not ever." He whispered to his brown haired sibling.
Ali gave him a large smile. "Nor I you Az."
Azarand let go of his brother's shoulders and retrieved his ka bar, prying it out of the dead man's eye.
As he stood up from the corpse, Azarand looked at both the rangers and the Magna Defender. "I'm sorry you had to see that." He said apologetically.
The Magna Defender wondered why Azarand would say such a thing. He didn't need to apologize; he'd done what he had to save his brother. And if he hadn't, then he himself would've dealt with the threat to Ali. He'd removed and cocked his blaster, fully ready to use it to protect one of the only individuals he respected.
However, there was a nagging voice in his head that told him another reason.
It was your instincts as a father. The voice said, he thought he recognized it from somewhere. You felt the need to protect your son. The light male voice added.
The Magna Defender quashed the voice, he didn't need to hear it, especially coming from a voice that'd plagued his mind ever since he'd left the crevice on Miranoi.
While his flashbacks were telling, he was not about to accept that these two individuals were his two remaining sons. While he'd come close to accepting the truth before, he backed away in denial this time.
Sons or not, if these two boys needed aide, he would gladly give it to them.
It was then that he noticed four shadows walking out of the tree line.
Ali heard the footsteps before he saw the figures, by the time the four green suited men appeared out of the trees, he and his brother were already facing them.
"I see the results of your handiwork." A red headed agent said. "I must say good execution, but you won't get another chance."
"And why not?" Ali said as he walked up to the red head. Soon enough, the four agents had surrounded both Ali and Azarand.
"Because you're going to be bleeding out like a fish." The agent said with a gleeful smile.
Ali returned the smile but said nothing.
Azarand stared through the agents and towards the rangers. He could see Damon, Kai, and Maya changing their stances into one of defense. "Rangers, I stress that you not get involved." He said, the three rangers relaxing.
To be sure that no one else would get hurt, Ali turned to the red head. "Your fight is with us, no one else."
The red head's smile grew. "I would have it no other way."
Without any replay, Ali kicked the man's legs out from under him and drew his stiletto. The agent to the right was the unlucky receiver, Ali jabbed the knife into his jugular, blood spewing out like a fountain.
Azarand was currently engaged in hand to hand combat with a burly black haired agent. The man throwing punches endlessly, Azarand blocking each blow with seemingly no effort, soon the agent drew a six inch long blade and tried to stab and slash at Azarand. The cleric drew his own ka bar, still bloodied from the previous kill, and threw stabs and slashes of his own. The agent blocked all of his advances, so Ali decided to change things up a bit. He kicked the man in his crotch, as the man doubled over in pain Azarand drew his head back, exposing his neck. With one swipe he'd cut the man's throat from ear to ear.
After Ali had taken care of the blacked haired agent, he turned to see the red head still on the ground, looking around further he noticed that one agent was missing. He frantically searched until he spotted the man lurking up behind the Magna Defender, his blade drawn.
For the life of him, Ali couldn't understand how the Magna Defender didn't sense the presence behind him, but Ali reminded himself that this was an agent of Kypton. Their entire duty revolves around staying out of sight.
Ali sprinted towards the Magna Defender as the figure closed the gap behind the warrior.
"Look out!" Ali screamed and pointed. The Magna Defender began to turn around, but Ali knew it would be too late if he didn't get there fast enough.
He activated his secret weapon, one that he was to use in dire situations as a last resort. He hadn't trained with it much, be he was going to rely on it now. As he ran, he tapped his left shoe with his right, and out popped a blade.
He reached the Defender just in time, blocking the stab and kicking the man to the ground. Ali considered himself merciful, but with the danger this threat posed, he could not let it live.
He drove his bladed shoe into the man's chest, a gurgaling sound erupting from the man's throat. He drew his foot back, and drove it again once more into the man's chest. Blood seemed through the white shirt, but Ali was not finished. He drew his foot back one final time and sent the blade right into the man's heart, a look of grisly satisfaction colored Ali's features.
Before he had a chance to ask if the Magna Defender was harmed, arms had wrapped their way around his neck. Ali's oxygen supply was cut off, and he staggered before grabbing a hold of one of the arms around his neck. He twisted it and forced it downward, the action breaking the arm with a snap. The red headed agent as his back howled in pain. Ali then flipped the agent over his back and onto the ground. He grabbed the man's chin and forehead. With one swift precision maneuver, the man's neck was broken with a sickening crack, his body slumping into the grass.
Ali and Azarand were left standing in silence, five bodies surrounding them. Both breathed heavily from their fight.
Without a word, they collected their belongings and began to walk away. As they left Ali nodded to the Magna Defender, the warrior nodding back in silent thanks.
Ali plopped himself down on the couch, he was bruised and tired. In the kitchen, Azarand greedily gulped down a glass of water.
There was a knock on the door. Ali moved to open it as Azarand moved out of the kitchen slightly to get a look at who it was.
The rangers greeted their sight, all of them staring at Ali with a look of concern and underlying gratitude.
Kai held his hand out, Ali stared out it for a couple moments before shaking it.
"Thanks Ali, and you too Azarand. For protecting us that is." Kai told the young cleric.
"You're welcome; it's our duty to protect you guys." Ali said, looking at each of the rangers faces.
"I just… I just didn't realize that you had to kill." Maya said looking down at the ground.
Ali put his hand under her chin and raised it to stare into her hazel eyes. "Sometimes Maya, deadly force must be used to protect those we must. It should always be a last resort, as it is for us, but there are situations where it's the only option. I hope you understand and are not mad or afraid of us after what you just saw."
Maya gave Ali a small smile. "We could never be mad at you two for protecting us." She said with a small smile.
Ali gave her a small smile in return. "I'm sorry to shoo you guys away, but Az and I are exhausted, I think we're going to it the sack.
The rangers nodded and said their goodnights before they left. As they were leaving, Leo caught Ali's forearm.
"Thanks again." Leo said quietly.
"You're most welcome Mr. Corbett." Azarand said as he came up behind Ali.
Both Ali and Leo smiled before Leo walked away.
Ali shut the door and within minutes he and his brother were out like lights.
The Magna Defender stood once more in the mountain dome, brooding over the day's events.
He was utterly shocked when Ali saved him from that would be attacker, for that he was utterly grateful.
But something disturbed him, what the voice had said earlier. He'd been on an emotional rollercoaster regarding his acceptance that these two young clerics, Ali and Azarand were indeed a part of his family. He was further shocked when the lead agent mocked their experiences, even calling them mutants.
Chills swept through his armored frame as recognition dawned. On his home planet of Taurus, there was a class of beings called mutants. They were killed, all 250,000 of them. It was no mere coincidence that these two were called mutants, in Taurusian society their looks would classify them as such and they would've been rounded up along with the rest of their group members.
There was no denying it now, this revelation coupled with his flashbacks all but confirmed what he'd had trouble accepting for so long.
His family, including himself, was not a pair, it was quartet!
Well sorry for the long delay, I've slacked off again. Coming into the chapter, I wasn't expecting such gore, but alas it is now in the pages. I may have to change the rating of the story if need be, hope that doesn't inconvenience any readers.
LittleP