Chapter 52: Fighting Fire with Fire

The rangers arrived at the temple, finding Moogers scaring people away.

"Moogers," Kevin declared, taking out his Samuraizer.

"Go, go Samurai!" Jayden called out, transforming into the Red ranger. The others followed suit, changing into their respective colors. They shot forward, slashing at the Moogers while Fiera sat on top of a tree branch, grinning to herself. She observed the Red ranger in the middle of the battlefield, taking down the Moogers with ease.

The blue haired Nighlok cackled slowly, narrowing her eyes. "So that's the Red ranger. The head of the Shiba Clan. Interesting." Fiera got to her feet, the tree branch wavering underneath her as she took out the fire flashers Octoroo had given her earlier. "Time to use these to really light him up." She attached the fire flashers into her gauntlet that was attached to her arm and disappeared in a flurry of feathers.

"These guys get uglier every time I see them," Antonio commented, kicking a Mooger away. "Yo, Moogers have cornered the market on ugly," Mike teased, slashing at one. "It's what they do best!"

"Stay focused!" Jayden told both rangers.

"Oh c'mon Jayden! Lighten up!" Mike replied. "Antonio is finally getting into the beat of things! Let him have fun!"

"This isn't supposed to be fun!" Kevin retaliated, stabbing a Mooger. The Green ranger rolled his eyes, while the Red ranger stabbed one that was getting to close to Mike. "Pick your target and focus," Jayden ordered him, making Mike huff.

"I've already picked mine," came a voice, alarming the rangers.

Jayden spun around to find the Nighlok, only to see a bolt of blue light hitting him, knocking him off his feet. The Red ranger rolled to his feet, ready to strike the Nighlok down, when a blue fire burst from the left side of his chest.

Jayden gasped out in pain, collapsing to his knees, grabbing his chest.

"Jayden!" Kevin yelled out in alarm, watching him struggling to stand. "He's been hit!" Emily pointed out, slashing down a Mooger. "What was that?" Mia asked, seeing the blue fire erupting from the Red ranger. It faded away, smoke coming out of the Red ranger's chest.

Jayden planted his sword in the ground, shakingly getting to his feet. He was panting heavily and declared, "My insides feel like they're burning up!"

"Then let me get you more fired up!" Fiera proclaimed, aiming at the Red ranger again. She fired at Jayden, making him dodge her attacks. He dived behind a tree, wheezing as he grabbed his burning shoulder. He could feel his skin growing hot like liquid fire as he groaned painfully. The Red ranger could hear his ranger's fighting in the background above his heavy breathing.

Jayden peeked out from behind the tree, wondering what the Nighlok was hitting him with. He saw that the Nighlok vanished from his sight and murmured, "Where she go?"

In a flurry of blue feathers, the Nighlok appeared in front of him, aiming at him. "Hello Shiba! Want another?" Fiera fired at him, hitting the surprised Red ranger square in the chest, sending him flying towards the ground.

Jayden grunted, rolling on the ground and tried to get to his feet, when a pulse of agonizing pain overwhelmed him. The blue flame erupted from his chest, almost enveloping him completely. "It burns!" Jayden screamed out, collapsing into the floor.

"Jayden!" Emily yelled out, catching the attention of the other rangers. The Blue ranger noticed Fiera approaching the Red ranger, aiming at him once more. "She's singling out Jayden!" The Purple ranger spun around, slashing down a Mooger. "Kevin! Go! We can handle this!"

The Blue ranger nodded, dashing towards the Red ranger.

Jayden struggled to his feet as the Nighlok looked at him, a smirk on her face. "Is this goodbye, Shiba?" The Red ranger's eyes went wide, his hand clenching around his Spinsword. Fiera smiled and fired at him, the Red ranger watching the blue pulsing light approaching him.

Suddenly the Blue ranger pushed the Red ranger away, taking the hit. The impact sent the Blue ranger towards the ground, groaning in pain.

"Kevin!" Jayden panted out, getting off the ground. He watched the Blue ranger weakly getting to his feet and turn to the Nighlok.

Fiera scoffed, glaring at the Blue ranger. "Curse you! That could've finished him!"

The Red ranger got to his feet, limping towards the Blue ranger, who was rubbing his chest. "Are you okay, Kev?" Jayden asked worriedly. Kevin nodded at him and stated, "I'm fine. Her blast are powerful, but they didn't affect me as much. Are you okay?"

Jayden ignored his question and turned to the Nighlok, shooting forward. He slashed at Fiera, who easily sidestepped, avoiding his attack. She cackled at his feeble attempts to harm her and disappeared in a flurry of feathers. The Red ranger's sword only made contact with air before he collapsed to his knees, panting heavily.

The Blue ranger ran towards Jayden and kneeled down, grabbing his shoulders. "You're clearly hurting. What the hell are you thinking Jayden?"

The Red ranger glanced at Kevin, asking, "The blast, you don't look affected by it." Kevin looked at him confused and muttered, "What? What do you mean?" The blue flame enveloped the Red ranger, catching the Blue ranger by surprise. Jayden screamed in agonizing pain, almost falling to the ground making Kevin catch him. "I feel like I'm being burned alive!"

The blue flames vanished once more, leaving a panting Jayden. The Blue ranger noticed parts of the Red ranger suit had melted off, revealing charred skin underneath. "Damn," Kevin breathed in, clenching his jaw.

Fiera reappeared behind them, causing Kevin to grow alarmed. "Surprise!" she cried out, firing at them. Kevin couldn't turn in time when a blur of Purple and Gold blocked the attacks, diverting them off the two rangers. "Are you guys okay?" Antonio asked. "I'm fine," Kevin nodded seeing the other rangers circling around them.

The Red ranger's body flared up in blue flames once more, screaming in torture.

The rangers looked at their leader horrified. "What's wrong with him?" Mike asked, looking at the others. "Why is that just happening to him?"

"I'll tell you why?" Fiera declared, overhearing their conversation. "The head of the Shiba Clan has massive Fire Symbol power! My fire flashers simply ignite the flames already inside of him!" The Nighlok vanished in a flurry of feathers, making the rangers clench their jaws angrily.

"You can't stop me! One more hit and your Red ranger's life will be over!"

"Maria!" Kevin called out, making the Purple ranger nod.

"On it!"

The Blue ranger took her place, while she took his, kneeling beside the Red ranger. Maria looked him over, noticing his ranger aura diminishing quickly. "Hold on Jay," Maria told him, placing her hands on his chest. But the flames around the Red ranger flared up, intensifying, making it worse. "Shit!" Maria gasped out, removing her hands from his chest.

"Nice try Purple ranger!" Fiera's voice echoed around them. "But even your healing powers can't save him! Your ranger aura is a sub element of fire, the more you pour your power into him, the faster you kill him!"

"Dammit!" Mike muttered, clenching his sword tightly. "What do we do?" Mia asked Kevin, who was beginning to sweat nervously. "If Maria can't heal him…"

"He's going to die," Emily muttered anxiously.

"Where is she?" Mike growled, his eyes darting around the area. "Right here, Green!" Fiera declared, appearing around the rangers, firing at them.

The ranger's blocked her hits but they were too fast, causing them to get hit.

Jayden saw his rangers getting bombarded by the attacks and sat up, clutching his burning chest. "Stop taking hits for me!"

The ranger groaned, slowly getting to their feet.

"We have to protect you!" Mike declared, breathing heavily. "Besides, her hits aren't that strong! We're a team Jay!"

"Mike's right! If she wants you, she has to get through us!" Emily nodded.

"We seven are a team till the end!" Antonio told him.

"You're too loyal!" Jayden whispered, watching his friends getting ready for Fiera's next attack.

"Ready to have a blast?" Fiera cackled, aiming at them once more. She fired at them rapidly, knocking the rangers off their feet. The rangers struggled to stand when she kept bombarding them with blasts, keeping them on the ground.

"Stop protecting me!" Jayden yelled at them. "Save yourselves!"

Maria converted her Spinsword into her Lightning Kamas, her Purple ribbons tying around her arms. She was about to attack but Kevin grabbed her hand, surprising her. "Take Jayden away from here!" Kevin ordered her.

"What?" Maria exclaimed, her hazel eyes wide.

"Just do it!" Kevin yelled at her.

The Purple ranger made her weapons disappear, taking out her Samuraizer. "Time Freeze!" she yelled, freezing the area around her. She quickly darted towards the Red ranger, touching him, unfreezing Jayden. She placed Jayden's arm across her shoulders and stated, "Let's go!"

"No!" Jayden cried out, hating how everyone was willing to die for him, even after everything. "I can handle this!"

"No you can't! Not in this condition!" Maria shouted back as they limped through the forest.

The area around them started to move, causing the Nighlok to glance around. She noticed the Purple and Red ranger's had vanished, making her scoff angrily. She fired at the rangers, sending them flying towards the ground. "Come back here!" she yelled, disappearing in a flurry of feathers. "Running away from me won't help!"


"You out of everyone, know that I'm worthless! I don't give a damn that I die!" Jayden told Maria as they ran through the forest. "You have to let me fight Fiera! The others shouldn't die because of me!"

"They don't know that!" Maria replied. "They don't know of your secret! They would care if their Red ranger decided to suicide without an explanation! Have faith in them would you? They won't die!"

"You don't know that!" Jayden spat back. "Dammit Jayden!" Maria shouted at him. "Why don't you let them do this for you!"

The Red ranger ignored her, a white light covering him as he turned Super Red.

"Nice vest," Fiera's voice pointed out.

The two rangers gasped in alarm, finding Fiera appearing before them. She fired at them, causing both rangers to dive to the ground, skidding the floor. They rolled to their feet, with Jayden wielding the sword in front of him, powering up his Spinsword.

Suddenly the blue flame enveloped him, making him cry out in pain.

"Jayden!" Maria told him, seeing that his ranger aura was almost fading away. He was struggling to stand making Fiera laugh. "Every time you use your Symbol Power, you enhance the spell."

The Purple ranger scoffed, summoning her Spinsword, changing it into her Lightning Kamas. Lightning crackled around her and was ready to attack but the Nighlok had vanished from sight. Maria glanced around, slowly approaching the Red ranger, noticing that he was trembling. "You're not well," Maria told him. "I'm fine!" Jayden panted feverishly.

"Surprise!" Fiera declared, appearing in front of them and fired. The blast sent both rangers flying through the air, with the Purple ranger slamming into a monument while the Red ranger skidded the ground.

Jayden trembled as he slowly got up, noticing the Purple ranger laid on the ground. "Maria!" he yelled weakly. He grabbed into the broken monument, seeing her powered down.

"You humans are pitiful," Fiera declared, walking towards him. "You think this noble self-sacrifice will save everyone, but it won't. This is the end of the line, Shiba."

The Red ranger summoned his Bullzooka and aimed at Fiera, but she disappeared, reappearing behind him. She fired at his back, sending him flying forward, demorphing. Jayden landed on the ground, the weapon clattering a few feet away from him.

Fiera watched his feeble attempt the reach for the Bullzooka, when the blue flame enveloped him. "Nice try, Shiba. This is goodbye!"

Maria got off the ground, lightning crackling around her. She glanced around to find Fiera aiming at the Red ranger. The Purple ranger's eyes went wide in horror and she dashed towards them. She appeared in front of the Nighlok, surprising her as Maria kicked the Bullzooka into her hands. She aimed at the Nighlok and growled, "No, goodbye to you, Nighlok! Bullzooka Blast!"

The fiery form of the Bullzord shot towards the Nighlok, slamming into her, making Fiera scream. She landed on the ground exploding, ending her first life.

The Purple ranger lowered the weapon, disappearing from her hands. She glanced at the Red ranger who gave her a weakened smile. Maria chuckled in relief, running towards the Red ranger. "Are you okay?"

Jayden slowly gave a nod, still breathing heavily. His ranger aura kept diminishing, making the Purple ranger look at him worriedly. "Stay with me Jayden. Stay with me."


Behind some trees, Dayu and Octoroo watched with narrowed eyes.

"Strange the fire didn't consume him," Dayu noted with narrowed eyes. "What happened?"

Octoroo was trembling in anger, clenching his jaw tightly. "If he was the head of the Shiba Clan, what would be left was a clump of ashes. There can only be one explanation."


The other rangers found the Purple and Red rangers and ran towards them.

"Jayden!" Kevin gasped out, skidding the ground. Antonio kneeled beside the Purple ranger, grabbing Jayden's arm, squeezing it. "You got to hang on buddy!"

The Red ranger observed his Samurai rangers, seeing them mostly unharmed. They had been in the front lines, protecting him, yet he hadn't told them his biggest secret. They trusted him so much but he couldn't.

The ground suddenly shook as Fiera grew mega sized in the distance, roaring angrily. "You can join your Red ranger when I'm through with you!" Fiera cried out.

Jayden summoned the Black Box in his hands and shakingly gave it to the Blue ranger. Kevin took it, his eyes worriedly looking at Jayden. "You've got to lead the team, Kev," Jayden whispered. The Blue ranger gave a nod to his leader, understanding his order. "You can count on me Jayden."

Kevin glanced at the Purple ranger. "Stay with him." Maria nodded in response as the rangers got to their feet.

"Go, kill that bitch," Maria stated. The rangers crackled into smiles with Mike saluting her. "Oh, we will."

"Let's go!" Kevin told the others, rushing into battle.


In the distance, a blonde haired woman could see Fiera destroying the temple around her in a fit of rage.

"Seems that the Samurai Rangers got a handful," a voice told the blonde haired woman. "With their Red ranger down, they will fail."

"That's why I'm here," the blonde haired woman responded. "I will take his place." A hand fell on the blonde haired woman's shoulder and squeezed it. "Then go child, go save the others."

The blonde haired woman glanced at the person behind her, whose raven hair danced with the gentle wind. "I will, sensei." The blonde haired woman glanced back at the battle in the distance, jumping down the small cliff. She landed on her feet and rushed through the forest while her sensei watched.

"Now, it's time for the rangers to be torn apart."


The Purple ranger watched the battle while holding the Red ranger in her arms.

"Hey," Jayden weakly called out, his green eyes looking at her with sadness. "If I die, can you tell the rangers that I'm sorry for keeping her a secret?"

"Don't say that!" Maria scolded him, her hazel eyes wide in shock. She could see his life-force wavering and his aura getting dimmer. "I'm being burned inside out," Jayden wheezed, squeezing her hand. "It sucks to be honest. Never thought I was going to die by being burned alive."

"Stop saying that!" Maria proclaimed, glaring at the Red ranger. "I didn't come back in time to watch you die again!" Jayden looked at her, seeing her hazel eyes filled with frustrated tears. The Red ranger glanced away. "Why do you care for me so much? Despite knowing my secret, you care what happens to me."

"Of course!" Maria replied. "You're one of my closests friends, a brother I've never had! The only family I had!" The Purple ranger sighed and murmured, "Jay, I was abandoned by my mother. I don't even know who she is, or was. She left me in a basket at the Tengen Gate."

"The monks there raised me as a shrine maiden, until I began to display Symbol power. I was sent to the Shiba House where you and Lauren had just lost your father. There, I grew up with you two, until…"

The ground shook violently, making both ranger's glance up.

The Megazord was falling apart before their eyes, causing them to gap in shock. "NO!" Jayden gasped out, his eyes wide in horror. The Red ranger trembled as he struggled to his feet but Maria pulled him down. "No! You're too injured!"

"But the others! They need us!" Jayden replied, looking at her fearfully. Maria could see the terror in his eyes and she clenched her jaw. She summoned her Wolf Zord, the Zord appearing next to them, barking.

"The rangers need us!" Maria told her Zord, helping Jayden to his feet. But the Red ranger could barely stand. His legs buckled from underneath him, wheezing in pain. "Jayden!"

Suddenly her Wolf Zord growled, making her turn to glance at Lyall, finding a blonde haired woman walking towards them. Maria's hazel eyes went wide, making her take a sharp inward breath.

"You!"

The blonde haired woman narrowed her eyes and calmly stated, "Don't worry. I'll handle this."

Maria stood frozen as the blonde haired woman took out an old Samuraizer, morphing into the Red Samurai ranger. She disappeared from sight, making Maria watch her summon the Lion Zord towards her.

The Purple ranger's attention was suddenly drawn back to Jayden, who went limp on her.