Joining the Shadows?


"Huh..." Cyrus sighed as he stood looking down a deep cave that seemed neverending. The darkness stretched on forever. Cyrus could do nothing, but stare blankly in to it.

"Sorry guys, but I don't know if I'm coming back." Cyrus mummbled to himself. He knew that what he was doing was completley risky to do by himself. Yet, this situation could only be carried out by one person. Normally he would've sent one of the Rangers he thought was ready for this task. Yet, they have yet to show them he is ready. Even though Chase is the current Red Ranger and he defeated Death by himself, he just wasn't ready. The kind of torture that this task insues would be too much.

"This...is the Cave of Shadows." Cyrus sighed once more. Only one of purity can walk through without having to battle the worst.

"Time to get moving I guess." Cyrus stepped in the cave. He did not know if he was going to make it.


Meanwhile...


"Four..." Nightmare grumbled, "Four Horsemen...One Messenger Reaper...and One Reaper of Light...NONE of them defeated the Rangers!" Nightmare slammed his fist against his throne sending out a strong dark like shockwave through out the world.

"L-Lord Nightmare..." A Boogeyman approached, "Is everything alright?"

"Stupid question!" Nightmare stretched his hand out and sent a mere wave of energy towards the Boogeyman destroying it with ease.

"Another useless one down I see." Up walked the Infinity Ranger towards his Master.

"Stupid Boogeymen." Nightmare growled, "How dare one come to me and ask if everything is alright! Of course not if I'm sending shock waves through out the world!" Nightmare tightened his fist, and Infinity Ranger lost his breath.

"Uuhh...M-Master...N-Nightmare..." The Infinity Ranger gasped before he dropped to a knee.

"What?" Nightmare glared at the Infinity Ranger on his knee, "Get up." Nightmare released his grip.

"Huh!" The evil Ranger stood up, "Sorry Master, your power is too extreme even for some one of my power."

"Well get used to it!" Nightmare shouted, sending out another powerful shock wave with just his voice.

"Yes Master." Infinity Ranger bowed.

"Infinity...you always have been the most loyal. Even more than Death and Lillith." Nightmare started as he looked out from his tower over the world.

"I try my best milord..."

"You try? It's in your creation. I created you..." Nightmare stood up from his throne, "Infinity...I sense someone dares enter the Cave of Shadows."

"What? Who?"

"One of the Rangers I believe...if not then someone who has no idea what it is has stumbled upon it by accident." Nightmare wondered who it could have been, "I'd like to send you to do it..."

"I'll do as you wish."

"But I won't." Nightmare told him.

"Yes Master..."

"Instead...I'll let them find out what power is there wheather they already know or not. The more Rangers there are, the more power I consume."

"Yes milord, but what if they call upon the..."

"They won't..." Nightmare smiled, "Because the Rangers will be destroyed by then."

"Yes Master..."

"Actually..." Nightmare smiled, "Infinity...you can call me...God Nightmare."

"Yes...God Nightmare." Infinity Ranger bowed to the evil deity-like power.

"Soon...I'll rule...everything."


"Whew..." Cyrus looked at a large stone wall before him and examined it. Various heiroglyphics and ancient forms of writing all over.

"Alright..." Cyrus observed the wall and began moving his hands across it. He slid them around, reading each text in his head. Then one caught his attention. It read:

"When the Light is on the verge of death, and face the deity of evil they will search for answer.
Here lies a power that the Light needs enable to understand how to defeat the god-like evil.
It is a power that they have fought to end, and yet it consumes the best.
Only those of pure life can call upon this power, while those with power will suffer before acceptance.
Save the Light, by becoming it's enemy."

After reading that whole thing aloud, the heiroglyphics and ancient writing began glowing brightly that it actually began to blind Cyrus.

"I should've expected this..." Cyrus groaned as he felt some kind of force push him back. Suddenly a crack in the cave wall appeared and out leaked a pitch black mist like smoke.

"Who dares...summon me?"

"Huh?" Cyrus rubbed his eyes and in front of him a black suited Ranger. The Ranger's suit was all black and form fitting, the cuffs of his boots were silver, the cuffs on his gloves were red with white X's on the palms, he had a white X on his chest, then a black flowing cape, his helmet was just an all black visor, then on his side was a katana sword hilt.

"I am the Shadow Swordsman, present yourself!" The Shadow Swordsman demanded.

"I'm Cyrus O'Riley..." Cyrus told the Shadow.

"O'Riley? Sounds familiar..."

"My ancestors held the power of the White Sage Ranger." Cyrus told him.

"Oh really? That would explain it...why do you call upon me member of the O'Riley clan?" Shadow asked.

"Because...I need your help. Nightmare has returned and brought back the Infinity Ranger to his side."

"So you want me to battle him and destroy the evil Ranger once more?"

"Yes...and no."

"Oooh...I see...you want my power because Nightmare took your powers."

"Yes."

"And you come here powerless? You expect to defeat me?"

"No." Cyrus responded before he reached into the bag he had carried on his back and pulled out to silver circular like objects that looked like disk. He then pressed the buttons on them and a bright energy began to emmit from them turning them to laser like chakrams.

"To save this world...you risk your life. How honorable of you, but you will not succed in defeating me." Shadow drew his blade.

"I know, but I don't need to defeat you." Cyrus told him.

"Then how will you gain my powers?"

"You're going to give them to me." Cyrus told him.

"You think you can just order me around so easily?" Shadow scoffed inuslted.

"It's not for me Shadow! I'm not trying to take you over. You need a body enable to leave this place that you have been bound to! So enable for you to leave you need a vessel, enable for you to gain full control you need someone to lend your power to."

"Hmm..." Shadow looked around the Cave of Shadows, "You are correct, and you believe you are the one of purity?"

"Like you said, I came here with no power. Making me vulnerable to anything you can possibly throw at me. Whatever power you have, I'll be weak to. I don't have a power that you can manipulate to test me, I'm straight pure human!"

"Hmm..." Shadow drew Shadow Saber, "And you are sure about this?"

"I'm positive." Cyrus nodded.

"You do know, there's only one chance at this. If it does not work, you die."

"And you must find a new vessel, too bad nobody knows where this place is besides me." Cyrus smiled.

"Hehe...making it so I don't trick you and kill you just for fun? You obviously don't trust me?"

"I trust you, it's just insurance encase the wrong person gets the directions here. Don't wanna take that risk."

"Either way, if you live or die in time I'll be able to manifest myself."

"But that'll take too long."

"You don't know that, I have a great healing ability, I'll be completley re-charged soon."

"Then I guess that leaves the question. Do you want to fight the Infinity Ranger now...or later?"

"Good question." Shadow smiled, "Let's find out how..." Shadow pierced Cyrus's chest.

"Uhhh..." Cyrus dropped his energized chakrams and dropped to his knees as blood leaked from his chest.

"Let's find out...if you are worthy."


Next Time: The Rangers feel they are ready for Nightmare! First, they must charge through and destroy the on-coming Boogeyman army being led by the infamous and deadly Infinity Ranger. How will they do against the first, and most possibly the strongest, evil Ranger there is?

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