The water flooded out and ran down the sand as if it were oil.
"You idiot," Phantom Ranger said, now awoken and on his hands and knees. "Zordon built his Command Center here because he wanted to make sure nobody ever unleashed them again."
"No…" Jayden muttered as he watched the crack bubble and flood. "It can't be. It can't be them."
Red creatures with giant mouths materialized from the water.
"Moogers…" Jayden muttered in disbelief.
Suddenly a posse of twisted red-skinned monsters appeared at the scene.
Followed by an Asian man with piercing yellow eyes and ancient armor around his body.
The man sniffed the air and then locked eyes with Jayden. "I smell a Shiba."
His smile widened.
"Excuse me," Baron said. "I'm looking for the Greatest Treasure in the Universe."
"You're looking at him," the man said as he raised his hands in a grand gesture.
Baron grimaced and drew his morpher.
"Oh," the man replied. "You're serious."
He snapped his finger and knocked Baron down with a wisp of dark energy.
"Maybe I should be a little easier on you," the man said and stood over Baron. "You did save me after all."
Baron grabbed his morpher again and began to punch in some numbers. "I'm going to show you what happens when you disrespect me."
"I already know what happens," the man said and pulled the morpher away from Baron with a wave of dark energy. "That."
Jayden morphed and the other four followed suit.
"Ah more Rangers," he said. "Wonderful." The Mooger rushed towards them.
And Jayden was ready.
***1
Kimberly and Karone watched the fight unfold from a few feet away
"I've got to help her…" Karone sang sadly.
"There's no time," Kimberly said. "We have to save everyone else."
The Rangers met the Moogers head-on, fighting with as much veracity as they could muster.
Kimberly thought back to her tenure as a Ranger. The anxiety, the sleepless nights. Would she have done it if she'd known what would transpire?
She knew she would, Zordon wouldn't have chosen her otherwise.
And as she watched Baron's morpher fly through the air she realized she'd gladly do it again.
She ran towards it, skillfully dodging several Moogers in the process. It landed on the ground, almost skidding towards her feet.
As if the universe were drawing them together.
She lunged for it, scooping it up and proclaiming. "It's Morphin Time!"
Jayden cut into an oncoming Mooger, feeling a strange sense of familiarity wash over himself. After all, he was again, slaying Nighlok.
Maybe he was wrong about escaping fate, maybe it was his destiny…
It didn't matter. He was a Power Ranger, and it was his responsibility to save the world from any threats.
One of the Moogers fell to the ground, but standing behind it was the man with yellow eyes. He grabbed Jayden by the neck and lifted him in the air.
Even with his armor on Jayden had to admit that the man had a serious grip…
"I've been waiting centuries to do this," The man breathed.
His grip tightened as dark energy crawled up Jayden's form, causing his entire body to grow ice cold.
The man was flanked with blasts of energy. Sparks flew off his form but he was unaffected.
Though it did manage to annoy him enough to turn his head…
Jayden's eyes followed and were surprised to find the armored Ranger with its pistol pointed towards the man.
"Drop him," The voice of Kimberly spoke through the armor.
The man simply laughed. "If you think that tin can is supposed to scare me then I've got some bad news for you."
Kimberly pulled out a crimson color attachment and fit it into her pistol blaster. "You haven't seen someone professional using it yet." A volley of gatling energy blasts punched into the man and managed to have him drop Jayden to the ground.
"This isn't our last meeting," The man said with his eyes on Jayden. "Not by far…"
And him, his Nighlok monsters, and the Moogers disappeared back into the ground and the cracks closed.
The six Rangers all looked amongst each other, shock-ridden and exhausted.
Then they all turned to Baron.
"Now that all of the freaky monsters are gone," Gia said, "Why don't we talk?"
"Sorry," Baron said, "No time."
And then he and Lyra were gone in the blink of an eye.
Kimberly fell to the ground seconds later, her armored form giving out immediately.
"Heh," She said shakily, "Guess I'm a little rusty."
The man with yellow eyes, Noctis Suzuki landed softly on the wooden deck of the ship that so casually floated across the Sanzu River. He admired the surroundings, after having much about the place he felt some inner joy in seeing in reality.
"Oo-ah-oo," A voice proclaimed followed by a waddling, "There appears to be guests for Octoroo!" The Nighlok that came into view was short and stocky, with a long tentacled face.
A Nighlok with a body composed of vines, eyeballs, and red leaves atop his head named Chinomanako stepped up. He was Noctis' general and it showed in the way he carried himself.
"We're here to meet the one named Master Xandred," Chinomanako barked.
"I hope not to surprise," Octoroo squealed, "But Master Xandred met his demise."
"What?" Chinomanako proclaimed as the room quickly swelled with negative energy from the other Nighlok.
One Nighlok fell to its knees, "I turned myself into a monster…" It cried, "For nothing…"
"Not for nothing," Noctis said, his frown turned to a sideways grin. "This could be an opportunity."
So close. Baron thought with venom in his belly. Everything was almost mine.
But then it all came crashing down around him.
Baron swore and threw down a bookshelf.
"I was led astray like a fool!"
"Well technically it might have been a translation error," Lyra suggested.
But when he turned and she saw the anger in his eyes she quickly turned around and darted away.
Baron was about to go after her and demonstrate what happens when he gets disrespected-
"Woah there friend," a scratchy voice said.
He turned and saw Creepox standing to the side.
For a moment he was confused.
Then he remembered their deal.
"Who's your friend?" He asked skeptically towards a humanoid next to Creepox.
"I found him aboard the ship," Creepox explained. "He says he used to be an inventor."
"That's technically correct," the man said. "I was a very powerful figure on Edenoi before I was exiled and turned to a Loogie."
Baron rolled his eyes and didn't think much about it.
Until he remembered something…
He reached in his pocket and drew the card, the one given to him by the mysterious stranger.
"So you were an inventor?" Baron started. "If I supplied you the blueprints could you make me something?"
"Of course," the man said in a way that both gave Baron confidence and told him he needed to watch his back. "Assuming you have the materials."
Baron looked up and watched as the Warstar ship sailed away. Things were changing, and he realized things might not be as bad after all…
The five Rangers, Kimberly, Karone, and the Phantom Ranger all sat at Kimberly's kitchen table.
The air felt thick as exhaustion weighed heavily down on the heroes.
"I'm surprised you came," Jake said to Gia who flashed him a sour expression.
"It's not like I had a choice," she grumbled.
Jayden didn't exactly understand the situation between the two of them but he could take a pretty good guess that it involved Kimberly's son.
Shouldn't the leader know this kind of stuff?
"So," Noah said. "Baron doesn't have the armored Ranger morpher anymore."
"Gosei Guardian," The Phantom Ranger corrected.
"Yeah," Jake said. "Whatever. I'm a little more worried about the freaks that he resurrected."
"The Suzuki Clan…" The Phantom Ranger said darkly.
"They were Nighlok," Jayden said. "Weren't they?"
"Half Nighlok," the Phantom Ranger explained. "Noctis Suzuki was a student of Zordon hundreds of years ago but he corrupted himself and his entire family with the blood of a Nighlok. Master Xandred to be exact."
Jayden couldn't help but feel a flash of anger in his gut. Even after death, Xandred was causing him strife.
"So what do they want?" Jayden asked.
"I can't say for certain," The Phantom Ranger admitted. "I only have stories from Zordon, and he was loose on the details. All I know is that he's incredibly dangerous."
"Well that doesn't help a whole lot," Jake muttered deflatedly
"No," Kimberly said, "But it means we all have to be on edge. Anyone who wants to is welcome to stay here tonight. I'll even call your parents and give some b.s."
"No thanks," Gia said and shot up. "I'd rather risk it out with the monsters."
"Wait," Jayden said.
Gia paused. Jayden froze as he tried to figure out what to say next.
"Do you want to talk?" Jayden asked stiltedly.
Gia just laughed and walked off.
Jayden looked down at the ground, feeling twisted inside.
"Don't stress it," Emma said to the samurai, "She's just having one of her moods. It's best if you just let me be."
Jayden nodded, watching as the door slam past her.
Clearly, he was still a ways away from being a competent leader.
Baron retired to his bedroom with a newfound sense of excitement.
But still… He couldn't shake the disappointment nagging at his insides.
He no longer had a path to follow. His only lead had been a dud.
"Hello again."
Baron whipped around to see the mysterious stranger from before, his cloak still covering his face.
"Who are you?" Baron asked, "And what the hell are you doing here?"
"You were so close…" The man said. "You had all the right pieces, but you put the keys in the wrong lock."
"Look," Baron began, "I've had one hell of a day, and honestly I don't have time for your mysterious bullshit."
"Noctis, the man you released, was there when Zordon hid the treasure," The man continued. "Maybe with some careful convincing you could get some information from him."
"Why are you telling me this?" Baron asked. "What stakes do you have in whether or not I get the treasure? And if you know so much why don't you go for it yourself?"
The cloaked man shrugged. "Only time will tell."
Baron narrowed his eyes. That was the first time the man didn't attempt to misdirect a question.
Maybe his question hit a little too close…
And with that, the man was gone, and Baron was left with only thought.
How exactly was he supposed to find Noctis?
Gia stood at her back door, feeling familiar anxiety as her hands found the knob and turned it.
Only to be face to face with Brad.
"Hey…" He said, "Funny seeing you here."
"Yeah, funny," She said, "Almost like I live here or something."
"Late from a party?" He asked with a half-smile, "Or just working on a school project with Emma?"
Gia rolled her hands into fists. She knew what he was about to do, where he was about to go.
He was just playing around to lighten the air and hope she didn't ask any questions.
"What's up?" He asked.
"What do you mean? Nothing's up," She didn't want to do this. Not tonight.
"You said you'd talk later," He said, "It's later… so… let's talk."
"I'm not in the mood," She said, "I'm exhausted and I just want to be left alone."
She tried to walk past but he caught her arm.
"Talk to me," He pleaded.
"Leave me alone," She protested. "Go make out with Axel, or whatever you guys do. I don't care."
His hand dropped. His face was wide with shock.
"I'm going to my room," She said, "Don't follow me."
She walked past him, walked into her bedroom.
And screamed into her pillow.
That night Kimberly awoke to a stirring motion in her living room. She felt her insides twist as her hidden instincts told her that something happened.
She stepped into the living room to find the Phantom Ranger.
"What are you doing?" Kimberly asked the mysterious Ranger.
"I have to find him," The Phantom Ranger said.
Surprisingly Kimberly knew exactly who he was talking about.
"Bad things are coming," The Phantom Ranger said. "And I don't just mean Noctis. We're going to need him."
"Good luck," Kimberly said.
"Thank you," The Phantom Ranger said, "Look after the children. They'll need guidance."
Kimberly nodded as the Ranger opened the door and stepped outside.
