My goodness, I can't believe it's almost the end already! Now if I could just focus and get some more of Operation Overdrive written, I'd be grand.

Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think!

Chapter 36: Mystic Fate Part 1

"Man, we haven't had a customer in days," Vida complained as all but Nick sat in Rock Porium, enduring another quiet shift with no customers.

"Yeah, I thought the Underworld was dull," Leelee grinned as she played with her new glasses.

"I could be skateboarding right now...or hanging out with Zoe while she's in town," Ari complained, her legs across Xander's lap as he played the ukulele.

"Or hanging out with me," he winked at her.

"Or that," she agreed with a laugh, leaning in to kiss him lightly.

"You mean just making out?" Vida asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Leelee giggled as Ari went red and Xander glared at the Pink Ranger, turning just as red as the Gold Ranger. "I love making Ari go that colour," Vida told Leelee, who tried and failed to stifle her giggles.

"Until you deal with your own feelings, you can't tease me," Ari told her, and Vida's smirk faded slightly as she went red herself.

"Hey V," they all looked around at Chip as he played a video game, not looking up. "Wanna go on a date this weekend?" he asked with a grin, and Vida went even redder as all but Chip turned to stare at her now.

"Sure," she agreed, and her smirk returned full force as she looked at Ari.

"Oh come on! All this time and that's all it took?!" Ari demanded, folding her arms and huffing.

"Just ignore them Ari," Xander told her as he pulled her onto his lap, choosing to play the ukulele around her. Vida just kept smirking, and Ari stuck her tongue out at her.

"You two are too cute," Leelee told Ari, who sighed. Her phone suddenly rang, and she frowned, reaching into her pocket and lifting it.

"Hello?" she answered, not moving at first, but when the person on the other end spoke, she scrambled to her feet. "Oh hey! What's up?" Ari spoke, smiling as she walked around. The others watched her curiously as she spoke to whoever was on the other end. "What? No, I didn't forget, did you?" she asked curiously as her smile dropped. "No way, really?! Really?! You're the best!" Ari suddenly looked happier than she had been since Matoombo had been destroyed. "I'll see you in a month!" saying goodbye and hanging up, Ari returned her phone to her pocket, and then calmed herself. She walked back over to her friends and grabbed her book, taking a seat again.

"Uh..." even Chip had paused his game to watch Ari, and she looked up.

"What?" she asked, looking blank.

"Care to tell us what that was about?" Xander asked as her pulled her close again.

"Oh, that?" Ari blinked, before grinning. "That was Kelly, my boss when I worked in Storm Chargers in Blue Bay Harbour. She called to remind me that the US Action Games are coming up in a couple of weeks," she explained, unable to hide her excitement.

"The what?" Leelee looked blank.

"It's a bunch of extreme sports contests, like skateboarding and motocross," Ari explained. "Loads of the big companies go to check out the talent and consider taking them on. And guess who's getting sponsored to enter the skateboarding tournament?" she smiled proudly, and they all congratulated her loudly.

"How did you manage that?" Chip asked her.

"When I was living in Blue Bay Harbour, Kelly sponsored Shane and Dustin to enter the Games, and promised that when I was old enough, she'd do the same for me," Ari couldn't stop smiling in excitement. "So in a month, I get to take part! I'm gonna wipe the floor with Shane," she declared.

"Assuming the world's still around in a month," Vida commented, and Ari turned a glare on her.

"I am ignoring your negative attitude," she told her. When they heard footsteps, they all looked around in surprise to see a customer walk in. She smiled at Maddie and Toby, who were behind the counter, and started to walk around, looking around. Before any of them could decide to help her, she moved a record, and shrieked loudly when she found Phineas smiling brightly at her.

"Welcome to the Rock Porium!" he greeted her loudly, emerging from behind the rack. "My name is Phineas, I'm here to answer all your musical questions!" the Troblin seemed oblivious to not only her fear, but the others trying to stop him from going on. "Oh! May I recommend something new?" he approached her with a CD. "The Bulgarian Nose Flute Orchestra!" he held it out to her, and the woman ran screaming from the shop, ignoring Maddie and Toby as they tried to stop her. "She must really hate Bulgarian Nose Flute music..." Phineas muttered. The others were spared from answering when their morphers chimed loudly.

"Let's go," Vida called as they all scrambled to their feet and ran from Rock Porium.

"Don't worry guys, I'll cover the store!" Phineas told them brightly, smiling brightly. "Right boss?" he glanced to Toby, who groaned and let his head hit the counter.

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As they ran to where the dark magic was coming from, the Rangers were surprised to see Itassis waiting for them.

"You again?" Nick frowned.

"By order of the Master, I'm here to destroy your world," Itassis told them.

"And we're here to stop you!" Chip told her. He ran forwards, throwing his lightning magic at her, and she growled.

"Do not interfere!" she yelled, repelling it back at him. Chip cried out as he was tossed backwards, and skidded along the ground.

"Over here!"

"You're going down for that!" Vida yelled furiously at Itassis, and she and her sister leapt into the air. They fired their combination of water and wind, but Itassis managed to block it. She threw it back at them, and the pair landed in the middle of barrels.

"Hey!" Xander ran at her next, swinging his staff as well as kicks and punches, but Itassis dodged each one before grabbing his arms and forcing them down.

"Stop fighting and accept your fate!" she ordered.

"Never!" he yelled back, and several energy-balls clipped her head, forcing her to release him. Xander leapt backwards, and spun the dial on his staff. "Vine power!" Itassis cried out in surprise as large vines burst from the ground and wrapped around her. She broke her way out, flying through the air and blasting the Green Ranger out of the way. More energy-balls flew at her, but she knocked them aside.

"Your powers are troublesome, but as easy to swat aside as a fly!" Itassis turned to Ari, who spun the dial on her staff and shot her sun magic at her instead. Itassis dodged, and flew at Ari, getting in close and striking her so she was thrown into the side of a building.

"I am one of the Ten Terrors! Your magic is nothing compared to mine!" Itassis told them, and Nick ran towards her.

"I'll show you magic! Red Dragon Fire Ranger!" Nick summoned Fireheart, and leapt into the air as his Battilizer materialised. "Come on!" he dodged her attack, and swung his blades at her.

"Impressive!" Itassis nodded as she blocked his attack.

"Always," Nick nodded. However, Itassis kicked him backwards, and called on her blaster.

"Try this on for size!" she fired a powerful blast that Nick took head on, and he skidded along the ground before slowing to a stop, groaning in pain. "Now will you admit your defeat?" Itassis questioned, growing impatient as they got back up.

"No way!" Maddie yelled as they stood beside Nick. "You said you were only after knowledge, but you're just a puppet of the Master!" she told Itassis angrily. The Terror gasped in surprise, taken aback by the Blue Ranger's harsh words.

"And you don't even have the courage to make your own decisions!" Nick told her, and Itassis stiffened. She then sighed heavily, and turned away.

"He is right..." she whispered, and disappeared.

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Having heard that the Woodland Village had been attacked shortly after Itassis had disappeared, the Rangers, except for Nick, who had been training in Rootcore alone, headed out to see what had happened.

"Don't worry folks, everything's gonna be ok," Vida called to them as they saw Leánbow, and Udonna helping out.

"How can we help?" Chip asked as they looked at the damage done.

"Leave us!" the village leader snapped angrily. "You are not welcome here," he told them coldly. Udonna and Leánbow looked at him surprise, wondering where the hostility had come from.

"But we're the Mystic Force..." Maddie frowned, not understanding.

"Don't you remember us? We're the protectors who you love and adore!" Xander reminded them, and the others rolled their eyes.

"I said go!" the chief yelled at them as he stormed towards them. "Humans do not belong here! Look around, look what happened to our village! Our home...destroyed!" he yelled as tears ran down his face. "Our crops ruined! You-" he stopped suddenly, terror appearing on his face. "You!" he backed away. "He's back! The Destroyer has returned!" the elf warned his people, and they scattered, crying out in fear as the Rangers looked behind them to see Nick approaching.

"The Destroyer?" Leánbow smiled as he shook his head. "You've got it wrong. That's my son," he told the terrified creature who stood beside him shaking.

"Like father, like son," Leánbow's smile faded as Nick's eyes began to glow purple, and everyone froze. "You guys missed the show," he chuckled.

"Bowen...is this true?" Udonna asked fearfully as she approached.

"Yeah!" he confirmed loudly, grinning. "And I'm just getting started!" he let out a yell, and the Rangers dove out of the way of his powerful magic, that shot straight for Leánbow. The man cried out as he was thrown off his feet, and Nick laughed loudly as Koragg's armour appeared around him. "The Master's dark magic has given me more power than I ever dreamed! I can't believe you gave it up!" he told his father.

"Bowen, you have to fight this," Leánbow pleaded as he got back to his feet.

"I'm here to fight you!" Nick roared. He attacked his father again, but Leánbow morphed just in time to block the attack, and raised his sword as Nick attacked with his. "The Mystic Force will fall by my sword! Starting with the mighty Leánbow!" he declared. The two disappeared through a spell seal as the others reached them, leaving no trace of either one.

"Where could they have gone?" Udonna asked as they looked around for any sign of fighting. Before they could think of what to do, however, another spell seal appeared, and Leánbow fell through it, landing heavily on the ground.

"There he is!" they went to run to Leánbow, but Nick raised his hand, and they bounced off a forcefield.

"I'll deal with you after," Nick told them coldly, turning back to Leánbow as he watched his father get to his feet.

"Nick please!" Maddie pleaded desperately as they were forced to watch the two.

"This is the end," Nick approached his father, who stabbed his sword into the ground.

"You're right. We've battled enough," he decided, and demorphed.

"Pick up your sword!" Nick yelled, his anger growing as he stood in front of his father.

"I won't fight you any more," Leánbow shook his head.

"Or perish," Nick snarled, raising his sword over his head. Nobody spoke, staring at the two as time seemed to go in slow motion.

"I know you're in there son," Leánbow ignored his threat. "I love you," he told him gently.

"Dad!" Nick groaned, and cried out as darkness rose from his chest, flying into the air and laughing. Nick screamed as the armour faded, and he collapsed. Leánbow caught him as he coughed violently. "I'm sorry dad...I couldn't help what I was doing...now I understand what you went through," Nick looked up at his father.

"I'm just glad you're back," he pulled Nick into a hug, which Nick gratefully reciprocated.

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Rootcore had been all but destroyed in Leánbow and Nick's battle, and those who lived there were working on cleaning it up as Althea healed Leánbow's arm.

"You have trained my son well Daggeron," Leánbow told the Solaris Knight as he tossed the broken branches from the table in the centre of the room. He then groaned in pain as Althea moved his arm. "Maybe a little too well," the Knight grumbled.

"It wasn't my training," Daggeron sighed, stopping. "It was the power of the Master," he reminded Leánbow, whose worried look returned. "You know better than anyone how strong it is," Daggeron spoke as Udonna cleaned the small cuts that lined Leánbow's face.

"And now that his plan has failed...I'm afraid to think what he'll do next," he admitted, and a strong wind picked up, blowing the fallen leaves around as Udonna stiffened.

"Udonna?" they looked around at her as she swayed.

"Something's happened," she told them quickly, her eyes unfocused. She put her hand on her husband's shoulder as the wind intensified. "Something horrible," no sooner had she spoken, did a pale blue spell seal appear in the middle of the room. Snow Prince staggered out, moaning in pain.

"Help!" he cried out as he stumbled and fell to the floor.

"Snow Prince!"

"You're hurt!" they ran over and helped the fallen Mystic to sit up.

"I'm here with terrible news. The Master has destroyed our realm," Snow Prince told them weakly. "The Magical Source has been attacked," a chill ran down their spines.

"The Mystic Mother?"

"Yes!" Snow Prince nodded, sounding distraught.

"Who's that?" Claire asked curiously.

"The Empress of all good magic. Known as Rita in the dark days, she now uses her power to fight evil," Udonna explained to the confused apprentice.

"Her spell sent me back to your realm, but there was nothing I could do to help her," Snow Prince explained weakly.

"If the Mystic Mother is gone...no-one will be able to stop the Master," Udonna breathed in horror.

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Ari and Nick stood in Rootcore, having been called in and told about what had happened.

"There's a chance the Mystic Mother might be alive," Leánbow led Daggeron and Althea out of Rootcore.

"Let us go with you!" Nick pleaded as he and Ari followed them quickly. They looked around, and saw the fear on their faces.

"No, Daggeron, Althea and I will handle this," Leánbow smiled reassuringly at them, but it did little to calm the two. Udonna rested a hand on Nick's shoulder, before walking up to Leánbow with a smile.

"It seems like we're always saying goodbye," she commented as she gently rested her hand on his face.

"I promise, this time will be the last," Leánbow told her with a soft smile, and pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning to Nick. "Nick, I'm counting on you to take care of things while I'm gone," he told his son.

"But I can help you!" Nick pleaded.

"You are needed more here, understood?" Leánbow refused to back down from his decision.

"Ari, we'll be back before you know it," Althea walked over and embraced the Gold Ranger in a hug.

"But..." Ari couldn't shake the bad feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Keep an eye on Jenji," Daggeron offered Ari the lamp as Althea stepped back.

"I'm just your cat-sitter, aren't I?" she grumbled, and he smiled slightly, ruffling her hair before the three walked away.

"I'll never be as good as him, will I?" Nick sighed.

"You are not your father," Udonna told him simply. Their morphers chimed suddenly, and Nick flipped his open.

"We've got big trouble in the city!" Xander's voice echoed from it.

"On our way," Nick responded. He glanced to his mother, and he and Ari ran from Rootcore as Udonna watched, fearful for her family.

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"I will defeat you this time!" Black Lance announced as he rode towards the Manticore Megazord on his chariot, which had been repaired since his battle with Leánbow.

"We're ready, Black Lance!" Nick shouted back, ready for a fight.

"Legend Striker, Spin Attack!" the Rangers threw the flame at the Terror. The flames exploded on contact, but Black Lance leapt through them, and slashed across the Megazord's front.

"You're not nearly as strong as your father!" Black Lance mocked as they staggered backwards. Nick growled, but as they went to attack, Black Lance moved. He struck them several times with his sword, forcing them back as he approached slowly.

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The Solar Streak moved as quickly as possible towards the Mystic Mother's dimension, and the three Knights, now morphed, were horrified at the damage that had been done.

"This is the Master's doing," Leánbow growled furiously.

"Yes...we've got to see if the Mystic Mother survived," Daggeron steered the train towards the palace in the distance. They arrived not long after, and jumped from the train and ran towards where the Mystic Mother resided.

"The palace!" Althea cried out in horror. "It's completely destroyed...how could she have survived?" she whispered as they ran towards the wreckage.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Daggeron yelled, his voice echoing loudly. "Mystic Mother!" he called out, but there was no answer.

"It can't be...she's really gone," Leánbow shook his head. The ground suddenly began to quake, and they were bathed in a bright red light.

"Greetings!" they looked around quickly to see the Master fly up and land nearby. He shrunk down to their size with a laugh. "Leánbow, we meet yet again. I've been waiting for this moment," he cackled. The three raised their weapons, and ran to face him.

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Black Lance continued to dominate the battle against the Manticore Megazord, tossing his sword at them. It spun in the air and struck them, causing the Megazord to groan and creak.

"We can't take much more of this!" Vida warned as Black Lance caught his sword. He then leapt up and started spinning, striking them and cutting through the Megazord. The Rangers were ejected, and landed heavily, their Ranger suits disappearing in the process.

"Rangers!" they looked up to see Udonna nearby, struggling to fight against Sculpin.

"Udonna!" Maddie cried out as they saw their teacher being overwhelmed by the fish-like Terror. He blasted her backwards, and she demorphed, groaning.

"At last!" Sculpin laughed as he emerged from the smoke. "Oh, how the mighty Mystic Force have fallen!" he mocked as he stood over the injured group.

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Daggeron, Leánbow and Althea were not doing much better in their battle against the Master, breathing heavily as they stood before him again.

"Sun Spell!"

"Moon Spell!"

"Ready!" the three called on their magic, and hurled them at the Master, but he caught all three easily.

"Your weak magic insults me," he tossed it back at them, and the magic exploded as it hit them. Tentacles wrapped around the three, and pulled lights from them. "I'll take this!" he laughed, pulling the lights closer and devouring them. The three transformed into their Ancient Mystic Modes, and looked down in horror.

"He devoured our Knight power!" Leánbow realised. "That must be how he defeated the Mystic Mother!" he yelled.

"No!"

"Eating good magic only makes me stronger!" the Master declared loudly. He shot more lights at them, and Daggeron shoved Althea and Leánbow out of the way.

"Get down!" Daggeron yelled, and screamed as the tentacles wrapped around him, sparking and glowing bright red.

"Daggeron!" Althea screamed as he fell backwards.

"Goodnight, Knight," the Master mocked as he withdrew the tentacles, laughing lowly.

"No! Daggeron..." Leánbow breathed as he got back to his feet. "By my honour and word as a Knight, I will avenge him," he declared. He summoned his swords, and they began to glow red. "Ancient power of the Phoenix! Attack!" he leapt into the air, and swung down, but the tentacles wrapped around him as well.

"Just one little woman left," the Master chuckled, the sound grating as Leánbow crashed to the ground next to Daggeron.

"You will pay for this!" Althea pushed herself up, tears blinding her, and ran at the master as her whip began to glow silver.

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Sculpin approached the Rangers, who tried to get up as he laughed again.

"There is no-one to help you now," he told them. He thrust his trident out, and the Rangers raised their arms in front of their faces, yelling in fear.

"No, stop!" Jenji flew from his lamp that was sitting at Ari's side, and he leapt in front of the attack, taking it full force.

"Jenji no!" Ari and Maddie screamed as the genie fell to the ground, and disappeared. All of them stared at the spot where he had landed, unable to believe the sacrifice that he had made.

"Come with me, sorceress," Sculpin walked over to Udonna and grabbed her arm.

"Udonna!" the Rangers finally came to their senses and scrambled to their feet, running at Sculpin.

"Black Lance! Rid the Surface World of these pesky Rangers!" Sculpin ordered, disappearing through a spell seal with Udonna before they could stop him.

"Mum!" Nick yelled, skidding along the ground as he tried to stop them.

"Your sorceress is gone, and now it's your turn!" Black Lance laughed loudly as they looked up at him in horror.

Just one chapter to go! And everything's gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better!

Hope you enjoyed!

Please review!