Episode 24: Part 1

A new school year had just begun at Hyperion University bringing the promise of change and new opportunities, along with the dread of new homework assignments and challenges for the students. The heat of summer had begun to dissipate giving way to the cooler moderate winds of early September in the mountains. After the chaos and reunions of move-in week for the college students, the Advent Rangers had all started to enjoy the feeling of being a little more experienced and established in their place on campus. For one who was already more of a veteran, Danielle Kilbourne took some time to go over her new class schedule for her Junior year. She sat outside by the front patio of the Student Union which overlooked the main quad and she took some time to enjoy the sight of all her relaxed classmates at peace. It had been a few weeks since the last monster attack and she hoped the trend would continue as a good omen for the start of the school year.

As the Purple Ranger shrugged off her light leather jacket to take in more of the sun, she stopped when she noticed a shadow from behind her. She turned her head and froze in surprise when she saw that person was none other than Logan, the Black Nephilim Ranger. The former enemy of the Rangers turned vigilante ally stood several paces back and wore a calm expression on his face, "Danielle... hi. Can I sit and join you?"

She nodded quietly and remained tense as he walked over and joined her at the table of the public patio. He sighed patiently, "I know what you're thinking and no. I'm not here to cause any trouble."

Danielle nodded and grimaced quietly. At one point, she had viewed him as sort of monster who had been partially created from her own blood and life essence by the Triumvirate. She had felt responsible for his evil deeds and had sworn to destroy him but after some time had passed and he had seemingly started down a road of redemption, she wasn't so sure anymore. She took a deep breath, "How have you been?"

He shrugged, "Getting by I guess. I've had a lot of time to think, but there's still quite a bit I have left to learn."

"You've been doing a lot of good lately," Danielle continued deciding to offer praise, "I know you've been helping to fight the Sanctum, and Ethan and Amber told me what you had done for them too when we were in trouble... so thank you for that."

"Just keeping my word to you," he nodded as he watched the quad.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you before so I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be," he said while shaking his head, "I guess that's part of the reason I decided to come here again today. I was hoping that we can just talk... not as enemies or Rangers. Maybe in time as friends... and eventually as brother and sister."

Danielle turned slowly toward him noting again how they did in fact share some physical similarities in their dark hair, their eye color, their tall height, and their facial features. He looked away, "I'm sorry... I probably assumed too much just now."

"No," she said gently feeling a little bit of pity, "That would be nice... and maybe long overdue. Rangers are supposed to try and forgive enemies and offer second chances, right? Maybe I should walk the walk too?"

"I'd like that. Thank you," Logan said with a grateful smile, "Were you busy now?"

"I'm afraid so," Danielle said apologetically, "I've got classes to get to soon and I'll be kinda busy. Maybe tomorrow afternoon at the coffeehouse?"

He gave a nod and reached over giving her hand a little squeeze before he got up and departed, "I'll be there, sister."

Danielle watched him leave before letting go of a long breath. She picked up her bookbag, shook her head and began heading to class hoping she'd be able to focus after this new bizarre twist to her Ranger life.


Meanwhile high above the earth, the Nephilim angel Samandriel made her way through the echoing halls of the Sanctum to the laboratory of her brother Ithuriel. The great ornate doors creaked open and she cautiously entered the strange corner of the floating fortress. It had been a few weeks since he had given her a veiled warning and questioned her loyalty. At the moment, she was still having some personal doubts but the fact that he wanted to see her along right now did not sit well with her. Beyond some of the odd experiments that were presently being conducted on other tables, she found her scholarly brother busy with a new object at a large table on the other side of the lab.

She continued to walk closer and saw that it was a polished golden gauntlet with a clear colored gem on the top of the glove. There were silvered angelic sigils which were engraved along the ornate gauntlet and Samandriel wondered if it was some kind of piece of ceremonial armor. She stopped before the table and cleared her throat, "You called for me?"

Ithuriel looked up from his work and took a moment to show her the armored glove "I have sister. Magnificent, isn't it?"

"What is it?"

Ithuriel set his work down thoughtfully, "A little treasure I had stolen before we rebelled against the Heavens. This is one of the Legates' Hands, worn by the Celestial Legates."

Samandriel knew that the Legates were an order of powerful Celestial champions. Unlike the Exalts who were elite warriors, the Legates were given a special divine investiture. They were appointed by the Council to serve as powerful ambassadors and generals to carry out the will of the Heavens.

Samandriel's eyes widened, "I can't believe you have one of those! What do you plan to do with it?"

Ithuriel gave a cryptic smile, "I'm preparing some contingency plans if the war against the Rangers escalates any further. Unfortunately, the power of these can only be unlocked by one of the Four Archangels… unless I find another way."

Samandriel eyed her brother wondering what exactly he was doing hiding such a weapon to himself but decided to tread carefully. "I'm guessing that isn't the reason you called me?"

He nodded and led her toward one of the windows, "Yes. While I am busy with this, I was thinking you could help our war effort in your own way. I have a task for you."

"To prove my loyalty?" she retorted flatly.

"To do me a personal favor," Ithuriel smiled, "You remember our Black Ranger Logan? My failed experiment? I'd like you to go take care of him for me."

"As in… kill him?"

"Yes," Ithuriel said giving an unnervingly pointed look, "At this point in our campaign, he is becoming a threat by aiding the human Rangers. I had been patient and given him his chance to walk away, but it seems he shares his sister's stubbornness."

Samandriel inwardly shivered. Who exactly was he talking about and was this another veiled warning toward her? She swallowed, "Surely you can find some lesser servant around here to do it?"

Ithuriel shrugged, "Like I said, you would be doing me a personal favor and I would be grateful to you if you could."

Samandriel regarded him cautiously and nodded slowly, "I will see what I can do."

"Thank you sister," Ithuriel said feigning a smile before getting back to his work. As she departed the lab, he turned to a little winged oculus spy who had been hiding in a corner.

"Go. Keep close watch on her and be sure to report everything to me."

The little creature gave a squeaky reply and hovered off leaving the lord of the Triumvirate with a snake-like grin. He planned to have another Herald dispatched to earth soon and with the way events were playing out, everything was going according to plan.


The next afternoon, Danielle sat waiting in the Mugshot after classes were over for the day. She felt a little restless and couldn't help but fidget a little with the zippers on her purple bookbag. It was a strange feeling waiting to meet a former Ranger enemy in such a casual place and not in the context of some crisis. Part of her was still a little fearful and uneasy about meeting her "brother" Logan, but given the recent events the Rangers had been through, she was hopeful that maybe he had in fact made a change for the better and that they could establish some kind of rapport. Still, for an adopted kid like her it was strange and scary to think about getting to know a stranger who was still related by blood of sorts.

Tyler and Amber sat across from her at the table and exchanged a look before Amber asked, "You okay Dani? You look a little green."

"Sorry... I'm just a little uneasy about this whole meeting," she admitted, "I mean, I think it's kind of a good thing and part of me wants to do this. But I'm not sure I'm ready to have a blood brother in my life either."

"Well, just take it one step at a time," Tyler said gently, "You're just having a coffee and a little talk, not signing adoption papers."

"I know... you're right," Danielle said before her two friends got up to leave. Amber gave Danielle's hand a quick squeeze along with a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry Dani. Ethan's on his shift over there so he'll keep an eye out in case of trouble."

Before anyone could say anything more, the monster attack sirens across the city began to go off. The Rangers exchanged a look and from the cafe counter Ethan quickly pulled off his green serving apron before moving for the door. Danielle paused and glanced at the table. She knew she had to go help her friends, but she also knew her meeting with Logan might have to wait. She wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or relieved. Her attention was brought back to the present as she felt Tyler's hand on her shoulder, "Dani, we have to go. Come on."

The Purple Advent Ranger gave a reluctant nod and followed her friends out the door. A short time later, the six morphed Rangers soared across the city and made their way toward the scene of the attack where a new Nephilim Herald was in the middle of a rampage. As the six descended and dispelled their wings, they saw a large Nephilim warrior carrying a giant oversized sword with a gap down the center making it look like a tuning fork blade. The monster had a very humanoid figure with lower body armor and winged golden gauntlets. Perhaps the strangest things of all about this warrior was the giant eye set within the hilt of the blade and its seemingly four face on its head. The Nephilim wore its standard marble mask with gilded runes on the edges, but on each side of its head was another face allowing it see and communicate in all directions at once.

"Whoah... what a freaky angel," Eli commented as the Rangers formed up, "What do you suppose it wants?"

They watched as the goliath sized warrior struck its greatsword along the ground and drove the vibrating blade into a small building nearby. The powerful sonic vibrations shook the area and the building immediately began to crumble to the ground. Danielle drew her weapons and stepped forward to lead the charge, "I think this guy wants a one way ticket back to kingdom come! Let's go everyone!"


Out in the wooded hinterlands of Hyperion Falls, Logan sat at his little campsite cooking some stew over a campfire. It had been a little over six months since he had come here in self imposed exile. In that time, he had done a lot of thinking about his defeat at the hands of the Advent Rangers, about what he was, and where he was supposed to go now. It had taken some time, but he had accepted the fact that he was not created human, and was originally conceived as a mere weapon of the Triumvirate. But in some ways, he still retained some essence of that humanity and had begun to learn about what it meant.

He still shared some blood and kinship with Danielle. Even if he had been created from her blood, that still made them siblings in a strange way. They hadn't shared any genetic ties with anyone else in their lives and it was something they were both curious about too. For once Logan was hopeful he could finally get a chance to really sit down and have that familial blond with someone else. He had watched Danielle and her Ranger friends do good deeds and protect innocent lives and he couldn't help but wonder if that same kind potential lay within him too. He had already begun trying to emulate them and to see if he could be more like his sister, but perhaps it would take some time. For now, he had to worry about what to do when the weather began to get colder. The start of autumn was still temperate, but he doubted his campsite would hold up against the freezing ice and snows of winter in a few months.

He had just finished his meal and started to clean up, preparing to meet with his sister when he heard a soft fluttering of feathers. The Black Ranger turned with a start to see Samandriel standing at the edge of the campsite. The young angelic woman with long silvery blonde hair stepped forward slowly wearing a level expression on her face. "I see you've made good on the tools and supplies I had given you some time ago."

"Samandriel… what are you doing here?" Logan demanded as he tensed up for battle. He began to reach for the morpher which had been fused to his chest. He doubted his damaged powers would do much good against a powerful foe like her, but even taking a short stand would be better than none at all.

"I did not come to harm you," she said offering her open hands as a sign of good faith, "I only came to talk."

The Black Nephilim Ranger hesitated, "You wanted to speak… with me? I don't understand. What is this all about?"

Samandriel ambled over toward the campfire and gingerly sat down on the edge of a log. "I wanted to talk about humanity. What is it like being human?"

"I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person," he said carefully sitting down across from her, "I'm not entirely human myself."

"But moreso than I," Samandriel replied, "Enough that you've appeared to throw your lot in with them. I want to know why."

"You... you know about..."

"That you've taken up arms against the Sanctum? Yes," Samandriel said, "I can tell you my brothers were not very pleased with that development."

Logan studied her quietly before making his observation, "But you don't seem to be as troubled, do you?"

The female Nephilim gave a wry smile before asking again, "Why? What do you find so compelling about the humans? They are so weak and fragile. They are short lived and oftentimes irrational... so much so that their race sometimes causes great chaos and evil in the world."

"But also great goodness and wonders," Logan interjected, "I admire their passion and purpose to their causes, especially that of the Rangers."

"Who are still young... still very flawed and weak."

"But capable of doing great things too. They've already done many for the people around them," Logan mused, "They've chosen to do good in the world and make it a better place by their own free will... something I never had while serving under the Sanctum. They have free will to use their powers as they want and that means sometimes they make mistakes too. I want that same kind of freedom and to learn from my mistakes... to be perfectly imperfect."

Samandriel nodded quietly and pondered the words. He had spoken about free will, a concept that was largely foreign to the Nephilim and to the Celestials in general. That had always been something unique to the humans and the other mortal races which creatures of laws and order could never quite understand. Perhaps the Nephilim were ultimately seeking the same thing in their rebellion, but was it at the cost of imposing their own order among the humans whom they envied? She looked to him, "What about your sister?"

"What about her?" Logan asked defensively.

"Isn't she a reason you're siding with the humans too? Because you feel some kind of love or affection for her?"

The Black Ranger pondered the question, "I'm not sure I quite know what love is... at least not yet. I do want to know what it's like to love a family member. I want to know what it's like to love one's friends and neighbors as Danielle does to her fellow Rangers and the children she mentors. And I want to know what it's like to love someone else in a passionate way as the Red and Pink Advent Rangers do each other. If you're asking me these things... I take it you wonder about these things too?"

Samandriel remained silent and averted her eyes toward the campfire, unwilling to answer because he was right. Those intimate forms of human connection and love were also alien concepts to Celestials. Of course all angels felt some semblance of familial affection and bonds amongst each other but nowhere near as deep or passionate. That was the way selfish individuals thought, not a collective race working toward the common good of all. Right now, Samandriel wasn't even quite sure what that common good was anymore.

"Thank you Logan... you've given me some things to think about more," she finally said as she rose.

At that moment, the low wail of a distant siren filled the air signalling another monster attack in the city. Samandriel looked toward Hyperion Falls in surprise. She wasn't made aware there was going to be another attack. Someone had dispatched another Herald! Logan rose quickly and shot her a look before heading from the campsite, "This was part of your plan?"

"Honestly... I'm just as surprised as you are," she said, "Where are you going?"

"I was going to see my sister... but now it looks like I'm going to be helping her and the Rangers too," he said before charging off and leaving her alone.

The Nephilim watched him depart and hesitated, thinking about his words as well as her current "mission" to kill him. If there was another attack in the city without her knowing, then something unusual was going on. She balled a fist before calling on her wings and taking off into the air. For now, she would shadow the Black Ranger and hopefully sort things out when it finally came time.


A/N:
To answer the Guest comment from the prior chapter, I don't think Shemhazai will be making a return in this series since we're headed into the last major plot arcs here. I suppose she could make a return in some future crossover or maybe in Occult Circle, but it's also possible she died when the Dark Spire collapsed back into the Abyss.

As for a Red Battlizer? Yes. That will factor immediately into the next plot here. It's going to be a bit different from a Seraphim form, but I still think it'll be kinda unique and fun. Thanks for the questions!