Chosen Legacy

by PinkAtHart

The final installation in the Chosen/Legacy Rangers trilogy, as well as an indirect sequel to Stone Warriors. The new generation of the Chosen must fight in a final battle against Zordon's evil father Zell. With the Legacy Rangers by their side, will the new Chosen be able to do what the previous generation could not?

27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ZIZI
She watched the energy tube closely. Zizi wasn't sure why it had happened, but somehow, Elgan's half of the powers had abandoned Zell. Now, the Alliance members were taking turns guarding the energy tube as Zell struggled to re-balance himself. He was mostly unconscious, but she could feel his mind racing constantly. He was completely unstable and having constant misfirings that only the energy tube could keep from harming others.

"Zizi... You must be exhausted," a voice said sympathetically. Jezzeff joined her, smiling at her charmingly.

"I'm okay, Jezzeff," she replied.

He waved his hand and manifested two cups of coffee. "Sugar and milk?" He asked as the cups floated in the air.

"Sure," Zizi said with a smile of her own.

He snapped his fingers. Zizi watched milk and sugar pour themselves into the cups. Then, one floated toward her as Jezzeff took the other. He took a sip. Zizi was fairly certain he had no reason to poison her, so she cautiously took a sip from her cup. She had to admit that the caffeine soothed her.

"Nice trick," she told him.

"I learned to conjure millennia ago. My closest friend taught me a few tricks. He was far more gifted at it, but I gained a better grasp of it after he perished," Jezzeff replied.

"How did he die?"

"I killed him." He paused. "I suppose I could have lied, but we're on the same side here, right? I never wished to harm Vee, but Great Zell made it clear it was the only way to stay on the necessary path."

"You killed your own best friend?" Zizi whistled. "That's commitment." Internally, she was horrified by how casual Jezzeff sounded as he confessed to his crime.

"It was necessary," Jezzeff said with a shrug.

"I get it. My mother wasn't the mushy sort. She'd have done the same thing." Unless it was Rupi... I think... Zizi added silently. Her mother's only hint of humanity tied back to Rupi, and no matter how awful she had been, Zizi was pretty sure hurting Rupi was the one line she wouldn't have crossed.

"Are you alright, Zizi? You look like your mind wandered a bit," Jezzeff said with apparent concern.

"I'm fine," Zizi replied. "Just thinking about my uncle. I miss him." She wasn't sure why she'd admitted that, but she didn't see the harm. Everyone knew she'd loved her uncle, even Zell.

Jezzeff looked sympathetic. "That must have been a difficult loss so soon after your mother. She was quite gifted, you know. I was always impressed with her. Rupi was a lovely young man as well. Gifted and loyal... It's tragic how things ended for them." He reached toward her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. Zizi was surprised by how soothing his touch was.

For a split second, an image flashed in her mind. She was in Jezzeff's arms, sobbing. "He's gone, Jezz... Zutan has perished," she said softly as he held her.

Zizi jumped back from him. "Zizi? Are you well? What's wrong?" Jezzeff asked.

"I... I don't know," Zizi replied. She took a deep breath. "I think you're right about me being exhausted."

"Allow me to take over here. Go and rest. You'll feel better after being away from this for a bit," Jezzeff said soothingly.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Rosemary, dear... If there is anything I can do to help you through this, please let me know, Jezzeff said soothingly.

His arms felt incredibly safe. Her brother was gone, but she wasn't alone in the world. She had Jezzeff. She'd always been fond of him, and he was being so sweet to her now... She snuggled against him, desperately seeking comfort in her extreme grief. A part of her had died... The very person who had brought her back to life against all odds... The boy who'd stubbornly refused to listen when his older, wiser friends and co-workers told him she was already gone and nothing could be done... The boy who'd insisted his parents take her in because he had saved her life and she had no one else to care for her...

Jezzeff sensed her distress and held her closer. "I am here, darling Rosemary... I cannot fill the void you feel... However, I grieve by your side. He was a dear friend of mine," he said softly.

"I feel so lost..."

"I know... Allow me to help you find your way through this tragedy." He stroked her hair soothingly as Zutan used to do when she was frightened or sad. She wept in his arms, desperately clinging to him as though he were the only light in a world of darkness.

Zizi tensed as the vision ended. She looked into Jezzeff's eyes and saw the same concern he'd worn in her vision. What's going on? She wondered. Who was Rosemary? And why do I feel like all I want to do is let Jezzeff hold me and tell me everything is going to be alright? I'm losing it.

"Zizanyah..." Jezzeff hesitated before gently reaching toward her face and brushing some of her hair out of the way. She was trembling. "Zizi, what is it? What troubles you so?" He asked.

"I... I'm a bit cold," Zizi lied. She was usually better at that, but the shock of his touch had nearly made her gasp.

Jezzeff automatically pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. The gesture was so unexpectedly kind coming from one of Zell's minions, Zizi didn't know what to think. She was still trembling. Jezzeff pulled her closer, holding her to try to warm her up. "You're still trembling quite violently... Are you feeling ill? Perhaps I should walk you back to your room. Do you need me to call on the Alchemist? She has an immense amount of medical knowledge... She is the closest thing to a proper doctor the Alliance has. I am certain she can assist you."

Zizi barely heard him as she lost herself for a moment in his embrace. It was extremely comforting, and yet, she was terrified. What was going on? Why did his arms feel so familiar? She couldn't form words to offer up a proper response because of how confused her mind was becoming, so she simply allowed him to hold her.

Suddenly, a vase flew through the air straight at Jezzeff's head. Snap out of it, Zizanyah! A voice shouted.

Mother? Zizi thought in surprise as she gained enough awareness to pull Jezzeff out of the way of the attack.

"What was that?" Jezzeff asked in shock as the vase shattered against the wall that his head had been in front of.

Zizi stared at the shards of the vase in confusion. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes... Thank you. That would have given me quite the headache," Jezzeff said with a slight laugh. "Your reflexes are impressive, but... I do not understand how that just happened."

"It was the ghosts," Shaniece said from the door. "Great Zell and I thought they were all gone, but it seems one of them has returned. I heard the crash and hurried here... Are you both alright?"

"We're fine," Zizi said. She was still confused, but she'd heard her mother clearly. There was no denying who had launched the attack at Jezzeff.

"I'm fine. You're still a bit shaky," Jezzeff pointed out. "I really must insist you let the Alchemist look you over. You may be coming down with something."

"Earth's illnesses don't usually affect me," Zizi replied. "After all, I have an Eltarian immune system."

"There are many people here from Eltar, Zizi," Jezzeff said practically. "Any one of us could have brought an illness back with us... There are also people who were on other planets who have been making their way here, such as Maegus, Grayzee, and Branz. I understand the three of them have traveled all over. Who knows what they have been exposed to? Please humor me and allow the Alchemist to evaluate your health." He still looked genuinely concerned.

Zizi sighed. "Alright," she agreed. "But who's going to watch over our fearless leader? He's still basically comatose, and the misfirings are getting worse," she said.

To prove her point, Zell misfired again, zapping the glass of the energy tube so hard it actually left scratches on it. Jezzeff frowned. "Shaniece... Please bring the Alchemist here. We may need her help on more than one point," he said.

"Of course," Shaniece replied. She hurried off.

"Sit down, Zizi," Jezzeff said gently. He motioned toward a chair. Zizi decided it was better not to protest since her legs felt a bit unstable. He helped her sit down.

Zell misfired again. This time, a slight crack appeared in the glass just as the Alchemist and the Warlock returned with Shaniece.

"That's problematic..." The Alchemist said, looking at the energy tube. She shook her head and walked closer to it, examining it. "Everyone, stand back."

The Warlock moved everyone back. He didn't ask why Zizi didn't stand up, but moved her chair back for her. Once he had them all at a safe distance, he nodded at the Alchemist.

The Alchemist touched the energy tube. Zizi watched in mild fascination as it began turning to solid gold. A window remained as pure glass so they could still see inside. "Warlock..." The Alchemist called.

He walked over to her and touched the window, not needing to be told what she wanted him to do. He reinforced the glass, ensuring it would not easily shatter by adding several layers to it.

"That's impressive," Shaniece said with admiration. "Will it work?"

"It should hold for a while... I can't promise it will last long-term. I would have encased the entire tube in gold, but then we wouldn't know if he fell into further distress," the Alchemist explained. "This should protect us for now, and hopefully, he'll awaken before even this fails us. Once he does, I shall create a door so he may emerge."

"Alchemist... If it doesn't trouble you too much, I require your assistance for one other thing," Jezzeff said.

"Of course, Jezzeff. What seems to be the problem?" The Alchemist asked.

"Zizanyah isn't feeling well. She's been trembling, even after I put my jacket on her. I am concerned she may be ill."

The Alchemist looked at Zizi. "Alright, I'll examine her. Come, Zizanyah. We shall do this in private," she said firmly. She took Zizi's arm and helped her stand up, guiding her away. When they reached Zizi's room, the Alchemist helped her sit down before closing the door. "Is trembling your only symptom?" She asked.

"I... I'm not sure," Zizi replied.

The Alchemist shrugged. "We'll run a variety of tests then." She pulled the supplies she needed out of thin air, a trick she used often. Zizi knew the Warlock had created countless pocket realms for her to store things in that she could access whenever she needed to. The exam started off fairly normal. She didn't have a fever. Her glands were not swollen. Her throat, ears, and nose were clear. Her blood pressure, oxygen levels, and blood sugar were all in the ideal range.

"Hmmm... None of the traditional physical symptoms are an issue," the Alchemist said. "Unless... One moment." She manifested a needle and pulled out some blood, putting it into a tube before adding a chemical compound. She paused. "Ah... You are not pregnant, either."

"Of course not. I've been with the Alliance. I'm not exactly sleeping around," Zizi pointed out.

"I was simply ruling out the logical causes. Besides, the way Baxzon and several of the other men here fall all over themselves around you, you certainly have options," the Alchemist said practically.

"I also have taste," Zizi said.

The Alchemist actually cracked a very slight smile at that comment. Zizi was pretty sure she'd never seen that woman smile before. It softened her features a bit. "Fair enough," she said with a nod.

"Alchemist... You are here as a medical professional right now, right? Can I... Can I confide something in you without worrying about you betraying me for your own benefit if the opportunity arises?"

"Probably not," the Alchemist replied calmly. "Not one of us can trust the others, Zizanyah. I am certain you're wise enough to know that. However, you really don't have any other choice if you want my assistance. I cannot help if I do not have all of the facts. So, go ahead."

"I appreciate the honesty... And you're right," Zizi said with a sigh. "I was talking to Jezzeff and I started having these... Flashes."

"What sort of flashes?" The Alchemist asked. "Visions?"

"No, not visions," Zizi said quickly. "I don't see the future." One of her powers was, in fact, being a Seer, but Zizi wasn't dumb enough to let that slip. Everyone knew how Zell felt about Seers. Zizi wasn't trying to end up having an unfortunate accident. "It was more like... A memory? I don't know. I've never met him before, but..."

Why are you trusting her? You know the Alchemist is evil, Zizi thought. Unfortunately, she was desperate, and although she knew a lot of the people in the Alliance well, she didn't really trust any of them fully. Normally, she would have trusted Maegus and his buddies, but even they seemed completely loyal to Zell. She couldn't be sure they wouldn't betray her in the end.

"Go ahead, Zizanyah. I can sense your distress. That is highly unlike you, so for now, this shall remain between us," the Alchemist coaxed her.

Fuck it, Zizi thought.

"No one knows how old you and the Warlock are, but even if you weren't around for this, you tend to know things... Does the name Rosemary mean anything to you?"

The Alchemist looked at her in surprise. "Yes," she replied. "Rosemary was the sister of Zutan, a member of Zell's Elite Counsel. The boy had the powers of Air, and when the child's entire family perished in a fire, he literally breathed life back into her and managed to revive her after everyone else had given up. The story made him a bit of a legendary hero on Eltar. His family adopted her."

Zizi was shaking again. The Alchemist had just confirmed some of the information that had popped into her mind during the vision. "Did she have a connection to Jezzeff?" She asked.

"You might say that," the Alchemist replied darkly.

"What was it?"

"Jezzeff married the girl. He helped her through her grief after Zutan perished in a storm and they grew quite close after that. Rosemary perished decades before Jezzeff did. Veevrant moved in with Jezzeff to comfort him... They both joined the Rebellion. Veevrant was Jezzeff's closest friend. Garron ordered Jezzeff executed after he murdered Veevrant in his sleep. The Rebellion does not condone turning on each other, after all."

A chill ran down Zizi's spine. Her chest hurt. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She felt like hands were wrapping around her throat and cutting off her entire air supply.

"Zizanyah... Breathe, Child..." The Alchemist said in confusion. When Zizi still couldn't manage it through the blind panic suddenly overwhelming her, the Alchemist shouted, "Zizi! Focus." She shoved a golden talisman into Zizi's hands.

The sense of being strangled vanished. Zizi struggled to catch her breath. She was still panicking, unable to make sense of what was happening. As the Alchemist reached toward her, Zizi launched an attack as a reflex.

The water which manifested in the air built a wall around Zizi. The Alchemist jumped back in surprise. She watched closely as the water began dancing in spirals around Zizi. Forcing herself to calm down, Zizi began releasing the energy, which caused the water to dance around the Alchemist as well. It became almost playful as it surrounded her.

The Alchemist didn't seem to be breathing as she watched the water. She hesitated before reaching toward it. Upon touching it, she gasped in surprise. The water wrapped around her, almost as if to hug her, before it vanished. She was soaking wet.

"Sorry," Zizi said softly. "I guess I lost control for a minute there. Here... Let me dry you off." She automatically began calling the water back, effectively drying the Alchemist's clothes.

The Alchemist was staring at her now. "Elgan..." She whispered.

"What?" Zizi asked.

The Alchemist shook her head. "Who is your father, Child?"

"It's well-established that I don't know," Zizi reminded her. "My mother refused to tell me."

"Do not lie to me!" The Alchemist snapped. "You're Rey's, aren't you? Zydia was assigned to the Counsel Building once, not long before you came along... The Prime Minister has two daughters, not one."

She wanted to lie, but she knew the Alchemist wouldn't believe her if she did. I'm so fucked, Zizi thought. This was the last thing she wanted Zell to find out... But how had the Alchemist figured it out?

"How could you possibly know that?" Zizi asked softly.

"Because I've seen that magic before. I know it, and it knows me..." She shook her head. "Damnit! What the hell were you thinking joining the Alliance? He'll kill you if he discovers the truth of your heritage, you foolish child!"

Zizi was surprised by her reaction. "No offense, but why should you care about what happens to me?"

"I don't," the Alchemist lied.

"Now who's lying?" Zizi pushed.

"You come from Elgan's line... Your blood is precious." The Alchemist shook her head. "You have to leave this place, Zizanyah. It is only a matter of time before he learns the truth. You won't be safe here."

"I can't leave."

"I know you are not loyal to him. The Warlock and I have known that since the day you arrived. You are very good at what you do, but the simple truth of the matter is, Zell left your uncle to die. You would never work for him after that, nor would your mother. Your story made no sense, but Zell's ego kept him from seeing that. He believes everyone wants to become his minion because he is some great savior and leader... When the truth is, he's a monster."

Zizi was stunned by the venom in the Alchemist's words as she spoke about Zell. Hearing a woman who slaughtered innocent people just to make golden weapons out of their flesh call Zell a monster said a lot. "I'm here to try to stop him," Zizi admitted, realizing there was no point in lying to her anymore. "But why are you here? You and the Warlock are strong, and you're too smart to work for him. You know what he is, and you obviously hate him... And you don't need him. There's nothing he can do for you that you can't do on your own. So why are you part of the Alliance?"

The Alchemist sighed. "For the same reason you are, Zizanyah... We're here to stop him... And no one must know."

"Then why did you admit it to me?"

"Because you are the Daughter of Rey... And the granddaughter of Elgan... And if there is anyone in this universe I can trust with the truth, it is you." She shook her head. "You must guard this secret with all that you possess, Zizanyah. It is vital he never know the truth, or all of this shall have been for nothing."

"All of what?"

"The slaughters. The dark magic... Becoming evil."

"What?" Zizi asked in shock. "Are you saying you turned evil to stop Zell? How does that make sense?"

"Once, a very long time ago, the Warlock and I did not exist. Instead, there were two children... Maizon and Eva Leigh... An abused little boy and the rather lonely Prime Minister's Daughter... And Elgan brought light into both of their lives. They were good... Pure good. Innocent, and kind... And even in the face of horrible things, they remained that way... Then, that monster murdered his brother in cold blood, stealing his power and life force and destroying the man they loved so much in a quest to take over the entire Universe. Eva Leigh and Maizon were weak in comparison to that monster, however, they wanted to avenge Elgan... So they came up with a plan to gain powers Zell would never expect... And they gave up everything they believed in to do it. They sacrificed their light to put an end to his darkness... And the Alchemist and the Warlock were born."

"Holy shit..." Zizi mumbled.

"So you see, Zizanyah... Everything we have done... Every evil act to gain power, every murder, every unspeakable crime we have committed was to stop that son of a bitch, and I refuse to let the plan fail when we're so damn close."

Zizi nodded. "He can't read my mind," she promised. "My mother was an expert at locking down her thoughts, and I'm just as good at it. I can help you guys... Just tell me what I need to do."

"Stay out of our way. That will suffice." The Alchemist paused. "Do you think you were Rosemary? Is that what the vision told you?"

"I told you I don't have visions."

"And I told you not to lie to me. I won't betray you, Zizanyah... I can't. Just as I won't harm Mena."

"Alright, fine. Yes, I have visions... That's sort of how I screwed up Zell's plans for the Children of the Flame." She had officially decided to trust the Alchemist, as insane as that was. "I broke in on the spell and gave them a choice."

"Ah... I had wondered why they had free will," the Alchemist said with a nod. "Nicely done."

"I'm still confused, but... What I saw did feel like a memory," Zizi admitted. "How did Rosemary die?"

"No one knows for certain. Records show she simply stopped breathing in her sleep. Jezzeff was devastated, or so he claimed. It's hard to say for sure. I'm sure you've noticed how well he lies."

"Part of me wants to trust him... To give in and just let him comfort me... Which is not like me at all."

"You must not trust that man, Zizanyah."

"I think my mother agrees with you... She threw a vase at his head and yelled at me to snap out of it."

"I see Zydia has not changed, even in death." The Alchemist nodded. "Your mother was wise, Zizanyah. You should heed her advice on this."

"I don't get it... Zell said the spirits had vanished. Shaniece backed up his claim... Why would my mother come back?"

"Because you were in danger, of course."

"Yeah, but her sense of self preservation was stronger than anything. She's never been maternal. Why would death change that?"

"Perhaps it did not... That doesn't mean she won't feel the need to protect you. After all, Zizanyah... You are Zydia's legacy. You are how she will live on in this world."

"I'm nothing like my mother," Zizi said sharply.

"On the contrary. I have known your mother for quite some time, Zizanyah... You are very much like her in many ways. You are smart, stealthy, and stubborn, to name a few." She paused. "You have the best parts of Zydia inside of you... And I believe the parts which come from your father are what led you down a better path... Zydia wasn't always as evil as she became in the end, you know. There was a time when she wouldn't have harmed innocents unless she had absolutely no choice."

"Killing the children at the Counsel Building was my mother's idea, right? Garron was an asshole sometimes, but I know he didn't think that up on his own. She was the sort to see them as bargaining chips instead of innocent little kids."

"I cannot say for certain. The Warlock and I did not witness that pointless slaughter."

"Are you saying you wouldn't have done it yourselves?"

"Not without reason. I've killed people of all ages, Zizanyah. When I say we turned evil, I freely admit I mean that in every possible way... However, there is always a purpose. I despise senseless slaughter."

"Why didn't you take their bodies for parts if it was such a waste?"

"I gathered the fallen foot soldiers. They were better specimens for me to work with. The children may have been especially pure and potent, but I did not agree with what happened to them, and their collective trauma probably tainted them anyway." She shrugged.

"Alchemist... You and the Warlock never claimed credit for any of the murders that day."

"We did not."

"So... What is it you were doing there?"

"That is not something you need to know, Zizanyah, and I will not lie but I also will not answer your question."

"It was worth a shot." Zizi flashed her a grin.

"You should rest... Gather your strength... And do your best to stay away from Jezzeff, since he clouds your senses."

"Thanks. Will you tell him it's just extreme exhaustion or something? So he leaves me alone for a bit?"

"Certainly." With that, the Alchemist collected her supplies and left the room.

Zizi shook her head. "Jesus Christ..." She mumbled. Of everything she'd imagined for the possible origins of the Alchemist and the Warlock, that had never been on her list. She curled up on her bed, trying to sort through everything she'd just learned.

"Mother... If you're still around... Thanks," Zizi said softly. "I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot of help to keep my head on straight when it comes to Jezz for a while until I sort out the memories and understand what happened." She wasn't sure why it felt so natural to shorten his name. She suspected Rosemary had often used the nickname, and that others had generally called him that as well, but now everyone seemed to call him Jezzeff.

There was no response from her mother, but Zizi sensed she'd heard her.

MAEGUS

There was great chaos among the Alliance members. They were breaking off into smaller groups, fighting for power now that Zell was in no shape to lead. "I say we take a vote," Shaniece suggested diplomatically.

"A vote? Come on, People! I should be in charge. I have the largest number of people here who answer to me already," Niko argued.

"That doesn't mean you should lead. I've shown I have what it takes to do whatever is needed to get things done," Micah countered.

"And your entire Chapter's dead except for Tedius now," Branz pointed out helpfully. "Great leadership, Micah. Really. Spectacular!" He applauded for effect.

"He's right, you know," Grayzee said with a laugh. "I think you're disqualified."

"Shut up. We don't even know that Neighbelle's dead for certain," Micah argued.

"She is. I've seen it," Jaybert said quickly. "Kizzie and the others somehow turned the tsunami around and crushed her with it. I don't know where they found the power, but I know that much... Anyway, while we're discussing possible leaders, I have enormous power and possess Zell's affinity for visions. I should lead us."

"Yes, you have visions because a vizu induced them in you... And he also induced madness. Your entire Chapter's dead except for Laby, who killed you and probably only survived because he's immortal, so, again... You should be disqualified," Branz said.

"You forgot B'Danna, but I'd still have to agree," Grayzee chimed in. "I propose a new rule... If you betrayed the Rebellion Chapter you were in charge of and got most of them killed, you are automatically disqualified from leading the Alliance in Great Zell's absence. All in favor?"

Several people agreed. "That's most of us, then," Maegus said. "Rotten luck, Lads. Maybe next time," he added cheerfully.

"We do need a leader, though," Niko pushed. "And, seeing as how not only is my entire Chapter still alive, but they are loyal enough to have followed me here, I think I am an excellent candidate."

"You are indeed, Lad," Branz said. "Your Chapter is full of brilliant ideas and has a proven track record... You turned your cover into a way to lure the corrupt people straight to you, which was efficient and clever... And you throw the best parties next to Tinny. However, it's not a true vote until others run against you. So, who else thinks they'd make a good leader?"

"I humbly submit myself into the running," Arabella said. "I was able to come join the Alliance without resorting to slaughtering those who did not wish to follow, and Katrice, Gabritto, and I have launched several attacks against the enemies of the Alliance since our arrival."

"You didn't slaughter them because you are a coward," Britterra said. "My Chapter was not afraid to do what we needed to follow Great Zell. We killed all those who opposed us!"

"Pity, that. Wu was a great man," Maegus said sadly. "If only he had chosen differently and joined us..."

"I should lead! I stood up for what was necessary!" Brittera continued.

"None of you should lead!" Katherine argued suddenly. "I am his daughter! This Alliance is my legacy! No one else has a right to be in charge!"

"Oh, Kitty Kat... No one thinks you should be in charge, I'm afraid," Branz said.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped.

"Katherine... He's correct. You don't have the sense to lead," the Alchemist said as she joined them. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is a fool."

"How dare you?!"

"You would lead us all straight into the grave. None of us have time to waste even entertaining the idea of you being in charge. Now, let us move on."

"Are you running for leadership, Alchemist?" Grayzee asked.

"Certainly not, although I'd do a far better job than anyone else here. I simply have no interest in being responsible for you imbeciles."

"My friends..." Jezzeff said softly. Everyone turned to look at him. Jezzeff could be as soft-spoken as Zell at times, and the cadence of his voice was sometimes nearly as soothing. Maegus was impressed. It was almost uncanny. The boy had certainly learned a lot from his master.

Realizing he had their attention, Jezzeff said, "It is clear we need a leader who can keep a cool head in an emergency. Many of you are certainly qualified, however, I think it is clear who Great Zell would choose to lead in his unfortunate absence. I am certainly not as powerful as our Great leader, however, I hold his mission closer to my heart than any of you. Like Jaybert, I possess the ability to see the future, although mine is a natural gift awakened by trauma when I was young." He pointed to the scar over his eye.

Maegus knew the story. Jezzeff had gained the ability to have visions after his mother blinded him in one eye. It seemed the universe had given him another way to see because she'd cruelly taken his physical sight from him.

Everyone was nodding as they listened to him. They don't even realize he's hooked them, Maegus thought. In so many ways, the student had become the master. Jezzeff was nearly better at this sort of thing than Zell was now. It was becoming clear that Zell was psychotic and unstable, even to his most loyal followers. Jezzeff, however, had turned into a brilliant sociopath over the years and it was obvious his mind was clear. His cool, rational words and his sympathetic tone were terrifyingly convincing.

He should have been a politician, Maegus thought.

"If you give me the chance, I can lead us to greatness," Jezzeff promised. "When Great Zell returns, he will reward us gloriously for all we shall accomplish together while he is gone."

Make the Alliance Great Again! Maegus thought with a smirk. He shook his head. Jezzeff was good.

"Jezzeff makes the most sense," Katherine said suddenly. "If none of you will follow me, at least I know someone decent would be in charge."

"Nonsense! Jezzeff was never a Captain in the Rebellion or anywhere else in his life. He's always been a follower," Niko argued. Apparently, his desire for power kept him from being completely charmed by Jezzeff's pretty words.

"I'm with Niko," Bax said firmly. "No offense, Jezz, but you're not qualified to lead us. You're a great loyal little soldier, but that's not what we need right now." That was unexpected. Maegus hadn't thought Bax, of all people, would be able to resist Jezzeff's charms.

Niko smiled at Bax. "Thank you, Bax, for seeing reason," he said. He looked at his Chapter. "I assume you all stand with me."

"Niko... Jezzeff has been part of Zell's Alliance longer than any of us," Phestian said softly.

"Phes! You're my lieutenant! You can't possibly think he would be a better leader than I am!" Niko said in anger.

"That's not what I'm saying. However, in this case, I think his qualifications-"

Niko didn't let Phestian finish speaking. Instead, he shoved him against the wall. "How dare you?" He demanded.

"Niko! Stop!" Dezzanna said in horror. She tried to get between them. Niko shoved her away. She stumbled, but Branz caught her before she could fall.

"Easy, Lass," he said gently, helping her regain her balance.

"Niko, enough." Maegus said firmly.

"No! This is between this traitor and me!" Niko protested.

"Phestian is no traitor. Look to Jaybert and Micah for that role," Grayzee said. "Come to your senses, Niko. You do not want to harm him."

Niko hesitated. That was when Maegus realized Jaybert was waving his hand in the air suspiciously. He calmly walked over to Jaybert and snapped his hand at the wrist.

Jaybert let out a cry of pain. "Ah! What the hell, Maegus?" He demanded.

"Stop trying to force him to give in to his emotions," Maegus said calmly. "It's impolite and I cannot allow you to make things worse." He looked at Niko and said, "Go on, Lad. Let poor Phes go now. You may not be the most trustworthy bunch when it comes to most things, but one thing is true about the Greek Rebels... You are fiercely loyal to each other. You won't hurt him because he is part of your family."

Niko sighed. He released Phestian. "Apologies, Phestian... My emotions suddenly ran very high," he said. He looked at Dezzanna. "Dezz... Forgive me. I should not have laid a hand upon you."

Dezzanna nodded before walking over to Jaybert. She brought her foot down hard on his with an angry, "Hmph!" Then, she calmly walked away as Jaybert cried out in pain for the second time.

Maegus could't help but laugh at that. "Well done, Lass," he said fondly.

"I still say I deserve to lead," Niko said stubbornly.

"Niko, I am certain your intentions are in the right place, however, if even Jaybert can control you-" Jezzeff began.

"Don't you dare accuse me of being unfit," Niko snapped. "I may not be able to kill you, but I can make you wish that I could."

"Go ahead and try, Niko. Trust me, you cannot do anything worse than what I survived as a boy."

"Is that a challenge? Consider it accepted!"

"This is why we need a woman in charge," Arabella said firmly. "You boys waste your time and energy on the pettiest things."

"I'm a woman as well, and I feel I'd be far better at leading than you," Brittera chimed in.

"Please! Zizi would be a better leader than you, and she's practically still a child!" Arabella snapped.

"Why not Zizi? She's Zydia's daughter. That's enough of a resume to impress me," Bax said.

"Zizi's not even here," Brittera shouted. "She's sick or something. Leaders don't get sick!"

"Are you kidding me? I recall you sobbing for days as if you were dying the first time you caught Eltar's common cold!" Arabella argued.

"Shut up, you wench!" Brittera raised a spell. It radiated with red magic. She sent it at Arabella, who sent her own spell back in response. That one was a furious shade of dark grey and looked like a thick cloud of smoke. Their spells were about to collide in mid-air and possibly kill everyone in the room when Maegus shook his head and stepped in-between the spells. He put a hand up in front of each one and made a fist. The spells died in place, vanishing instantly.

"There shall be no vote," Maegus said calmly. "I was part of the original Alliance before most of you were born. I helped train Zell when he was still a boy. I was trained by the Three themselves, and that means I know more types of magic than most of you could ever dream of. I have far more experience than any of you, and I may in fact be the oldest one here. I am in charge."

"Who the hell declared you King?" Niko demanded. He tried to attack him.

Maegus snapped his fingers. Niko vanished. Dezzanna screamed. "Niko! What have you done?" She demanded of Maegus.

"Relax, dearest Dezzanna," Maegus replied calmly. He snapped his fingers again and Niko reappeared. He was uninjured but looked genuinely terrified. "Now... Does anyone else wish to challenge me?"

Even Jezzeff looked nervous now. "I think you made your point quite well," he said after a moment. "I concede. Maegus is more than qualified to lead us."

"Ah! That's settled, then," Branz said cheerfully. "Shall we have some drinks to celebrate?" He waved his hands and a fully stocked bar appeared in front of them.

"Hell yes! Now, that's what I call magic," Bax said with a grin.

As everyone else decided to take advantage of the offer of drinks, Maegus took a deep breath. Taking control of the Alliance hadn't been part of the plan, but it certainly benefited them. Hezzo would be proud, he thought with a laugh. If he was in charge, he might actually be able to systematically break down the Alliance one minion at a time.

BRIAN

Things were getting a little strange. Pretty much everyone Kira had called had shown up. Power Rangers and mentors alike had come to town. Doggie Cruger was, by far, the most unusual of these. Brian had never seen a talking dog before, but who was he to judge? He vaguely wondered if the Commander played fetch on his days off.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A familiar voice asked.

Brian spun around in surprise. "Mom!" He cried. He flung his arms around her.

"I missed you, too, Bu," she said warmly.

"I didn't think you were coming! You didn't fly, right?"

"I'm still not too eager to try that again," she replied. "The Alphas teleported me here after I made sure your father can handle your sisters on his own for a while... I don't know when I'll be going back."

"I'm really glad you're here, Mom..." He sighed.

"What's wrong, Bu? Talk to me."

"Liza got kidnapped... Zedd brought her back, but... I really like Liza, and I know her pretty well, and she's telling everyone she's fine, but I don't believe her. I wish we'd been able to protect her from him."

"Oh, sweetheart... I know how hard it is when you can't protect your friends from evil..." She hugged him tighter. "But Liza Campbell is one tough girl. She'll be okay."

"It's just... With everyone coming back together, this is starting to feel real, you know? He's back... We're about to enter the final fight... The big one... Bigger than the last one, and look how much we lost last time..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm okay." He plastered a big smile on his face.

"It's normal to be scared right now, sweetheart. We all are," she said sympathetically. "But what makes us Power Rangers... Or, in your case, Chosen... Is the fact that we keep fighting no matter how scared we get, because we know it's the right thing to do."

"Which is why everyone's back, even though things didn't go great the last time..."

"And we have even more help. Kira told everyone it's not optional this time, right?"

"Yeah... I think everyone's here now... Except for Kai from Lost Galaxy. He still hasn't shown up. Karone's pretty pissed about that." He sighed. "Did you hear about Kevin?"

"The Samurai? No. What did I miss?"

"No one's completely sure why, but Zell's brother's powers abandoned him during the last fight. Apparently, the powers needed to be purified with some sort of sacrifice... The power tried to go for Madison from Mystic Force because she was already hurt... From what we've heard, Kevin slashed his arm open to get the power to attack him instead... He didn't survive, but he saved Madison's life."

"Oh my God... Oh, poor Kevin... That team has already lost so much..." She shook her head, muttering a soft prayer in Vietnamese. "How is Jayden holding up?"

"He's Jayden, so, naturally, he's thrown himself into training. He won't talk about it."

Suddenly, Brian heard a strange sound coming from nearby. "Mom... Do you hear that?" He asked.

"I do," she confirmed. They both began walking quickly toward it, entering the edge of the woods. That was when they saw something very strange, even for Angel Grove.

Several rocks sat in a spiral on the ground. There was a reddish substance on them that Brian was certain was blood. The rocks radiated with heat, and the blood was smoking. In the center of the spiral was a strange form that seemed to be growing larger by the second. It was cloaked in shadows.

"Rise, my old friend!" A female voice declared.

Brian searched for the source of the words, but it was nowhere to be seen. Cackling filled the air. "Arise, arise, arise!" She continued gleefully.

"Bu... We need to get out of here," his mother said softly.

"Mom-" Brian protested.

"Take my hand. I'll have the Alphas teleport us out."

"We can't just leave. What if someone is in trouble?"

Suddenly, the form turned into a man. At first, he was still basically a shadow. Then, he emerged completely solid. Brian's eyes slowly took in the sight of the exceptionally muscular figure. He couldn't seem to look away from the man for a moment.

The man smiled before motioning with his index finger to Brian's mother. To Brian's shock, she began walking toward him, entranced.

"Mom! Mom, stop," Brian said.

She didn't seem to hear him. As she got dangerously close to the spiral, Brian sent a fire attack at the man. It was deflected as soon as it hit the spiral. "Oh, shit... We're in trouble," Brian realized.

The man grabbed onto Brian's mother. He tried to run after her and felt someone grab him by the arm. "Not so fast, Little Boy," the cackling woman said. He couldn't see her full face behind the hair that hung over it, but the one eye peaking out from beneath her hair was filled with nothing but evil.

"Who are you?" Brian demanded.

"Who am I?" She cackled in response. "I'm the Witch! The Witch, the Witch, the Witch!" She continued laughing. Brian didn't get the joke.

"Um... Okay... Good for you," he said. "Can I have my arm back now?"

"Silly boy... It's my arm now."

"That's not really how that works," Brian said lightly. "Sorry, but I'm sort of attached to it."

"You're going to stay with me, my little pet... And we're going to watch every nasty thing my friend does to your mommy."

"I won't let him hurt her!"

"Oh, it won't hurt. At least, not at first... But he does like to wake them up before he kills them."

Brian struggled to free his arm, but the Witch's grip was unnaturally strong. As he looked at his mother, he realized what the man was.

The man stroked his mother's arms gently. She seemed completely under his spell. "He's an incubus..." Brian said in horror. "And not the friendly kind..."

"Such a smart boy! Yes, he's an incubus... And not just any incubus. You are looking at the first of his kind! He's the strongest incubus in existence."

"I... I thought Zedd and Taylor were the strongest..."

"They're powerful... But they're just imitations of this perfect specimen. He'll drain your mommy nearly dry, and then he'll wake her up to slaughter her. He gets off on the fear, you see. It's going to be so fun to watch!"

"Mom! Mom, snap out of it! Wake up!" Brian shouted.

The Witch cackled. "Two for one! I love it when people suffer!"

"No!" Brian shouted as the incubus kissed his mother passionately. He had to stop this... He had to find a way to get past the Witch so he could rescue his mother. He tried to burn her hand, but she just cackled some more and the fire went out before it could even fully ignite.

"I know who you are, Chosen... Don't you think I researched what your powers are? I know exactly what you're capable of. More than you do, probably. You're just Quintus rebooted, after all."

Brian knew what he had to do. He closed his eyes. With his free hand, he grabbed onto the talisman around his neck. It shattered in his hand as the duplicate powers rushed into him. Suddenly, Brian's entire body seemed to burst into flames, but he didn't burn. Instead, the Witch ignited.

"You know, on this planet, bad witches get burned," he informed her as she screamed and struggled to put herself out. He ran toward his mother. The Witch's spell had shattered, so he was able to reach the incubus. "Don't you fucking touch her, you asshole!" He shouted.

"So much power..." The incubus mumbled. He tossed Brian's mother aside, no longer focused on her. She seemed to snap out of things then.

"Mom, run!" Brian shouted. "Get Taylor and Zedd!"

"I'm not leaving you," she argued stubbornly.

"Just go! Please..."

The incubus pulled Brian closer to him. Brian tried to set him on fire, and it would have worked, but the incubus kissed him hard. Brian was straight, but that didn't matter as the incubus worked his magic. He was suddenly completely entranced.

"Bu! Brian!" His mother cried desperately. He heard her, but she sounded so far away...

As the incubus continued feeding on Brian's life force, something strange happened. He was certain his magic should be growing weaker, but the opposite seemed to be happening. The fire was burning stronger than ever.

The incubus jumped back, startled. "You can turn into flames?" He demanded. "How unusual..."

"What?" Brian asked. He realized the man was right. Brian was very much on fire, but he wasn't burning. Instead, his very flesh seemed to have become fire itself. "That's new..." He mumbled. If Quintus could do it, Caius had certainly never mentioned it to Brian.

The fire seemed to be clearing his mind nicely, and Brian held onto the sensation, praying he'd survive long enough to get out of there. He moved closer to the incubus, who suddenly wasn't so interested in touching him anymore. Brian grabbed his arm and watched as the incubus quickly began to burn. His body turned to ash.

"Damnit... I worked hard to secure that vessel, but I suppose it wasn't strong enough," the Witch said. "I'll find him another soon... And when I do, you and your mommy will be the first ones to perish." She cackled and vanished into the night.

"Ah, fuck," a voice said. "The Witch is here? That's not good."

"Laby?" Brian asked.

Laby looked at the flames that were Brian and his eyes went wide. "Um... You okay there, Kid?" He asked.

"Yeah... But I don't know how to turn this off. This mode wasn't in the instruction manual when I found out I have powers."

"Try breathing through it," his mother suggested.

"I can't," Brian said. "My energy's all out of whack because he fed on me."

"What happened?" Laby asked.

"That psycho witch lady summoned some sort of incubus. He decided to try and make my mother a snack, but changed his mind and made me the main course instead."

"If an incubus triggered the reaction because he threw your energy out of balance, you might need an incubus to fix you... I could call Bartello."

"No... Call my friend Taylor. Him and his dad can help me."

"Bartello's the strongest incubus I've ever met."

"Yeah, and I'd like to get out of this without turning into a drooling mess. I heard about Lily."

"He knows what he's doing, but fair enough, I guess. I understand why you'd be uncomfortable with a stranger right now. How do I find Taylor?"

"That's easy... Turn around," Taylor replied.

"Taylor? What are you doing here?" Brian asked.

"Brian... Why are you on fire?" Taylor asked instead of answering.

"Incubus. A big, bad, powerful one. Can you help get my energy under control?"

"I mean... Maybe, but... I usually have to touch people to affect their energy. That's kind of hard when your entire body is made of fire."

"I don't think it'll hurt you... If I don't want it to."

"Then I really hope you don't secretly hate me," Taylor said with a nervous laugh. He reached forward, touching Brian's arm. He exhaled as he seemed satisfied that he wouldn't catch on fire. Then, he closed his eyes and began working his magic.

Slowly, Brian's energy calmed down. The blind panic seemed to fall away and his heart rate returned to normal. He looked at Taylor gratefully as the flames vanished. "That's better..." Brian mumbled.

"Let me guess... You absorbed your duplicate powers?" Taylor asked.

"Yep."

"Ollie's going to be jealous. It's just him and Caleb who haven't now." Taylor paused. "Hi, Trini. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Taylor," she replied before hugging Brian tightly. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Bu!"

Brian hugged her back. "You either... A monster almost killed you, Mom! You've been back in Angel Grove for, like, fifteen seconds! That's unacceptable!"

"Well, thankfully, you were there to protect me." She kissed the top of his head. Brian relaxed, knowing she was alright, and praying the incubus hadn't been able to take much of her life force.

"Taylor, how did you know I needed help?" Brian asked.

"I didn't," Taylor replied. "I sensed something... Strange. It was like the energy of the incubus drew me here... He was powerful like I've never experienced before. I couldn't stay away, no matter how much I tried."

Brian hesitated. "Taylor... Can you tell if an incubus did serious damage to someone?" He asked.

"Mostly, yeah," Taylor said. He seemed to know why Brian was asking. "May I?" He asked Brian's mother. She nodded. Taylor took her hand in his and closed his eyes. "He stole some of her life force," he admitted, making Brian's heart ache. "I think I can reverse the damage, though. It wasn't that much." He didn't even wait before he started pouring energy into her.

After a minute, Brian's mother seemed to literally glow with energy. Taylor, on the other hand, looked visibly pale. He collapsed at her feet.

"Taylor!" Brian cried in alarm.

"That kid doesn't feed enough, does he?" Laby asked. He shook his head. "He's just like Bartello... Stubborn and always taking care of everyone except for himself. Don't worry. I'll get him to someone who can help."

"Are you going to... violate him or something?" Brian asked.

Laby actually laughed. "I can't believe you just asked me that," he said. "No, Brian, I'm not going to molest your friend. There are other ways to help a weak incubus. My friend Zee has tons of energy to spare. The guy is like a walking battery pack. I'll call him and see if he can portal here and help Taylor out."

"Thanks, Laby," Brian replied.

Laby picked Taylor up and carried him away. Brian took his mother's hand. "Ready to go see everyone else?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'd say so," she replied. Together, they walked toward the training facility, where Brian knew everyone would be waiting for them.

SAGE

It had been a long couple of days. Liza was home, safe and sound, but Sage knew she was badly shaken up. She mostly stayed close to Zedd, although she didn't push Micky away. He was clinging to her desperately, almost like he was terrified if he let go, she'd vanish.

Zedd and Liza sat on Sage's couch now. Liza rested her head on his shoulder as he held her. Micky stood over the couch protectively, arms across his chest, like a bodyguard. Koda sat on the floor, watching the television as it played one of his favorite shows. For once, he wasn't bugging Zedd to translate the novella into English, but he seemed to be following along fine on his own. "Do you guys need anything?" Sage asked.

"We're fine," Liza said automatically. She snuggled against Zedd a little more closely as if to reassure herself of that fact.

Sage gave her the space she clearly needed and didn't call her on the fact that she wasn't quite okay yet. Liza had literally just survived hell, and it had taken a toll on both her and Zedd. Still, she was strong, and Sage knew Liza would come out of this tougher than ever. She just needed a little time to adjust to being safe again. Maybe when she was ready, Sage could help her process what Zell had put her through. It wouldn't be easy to witness, but Sage figured she owed it to Liza to try. She was her friend and her teammate, after all.

As Sage walked into the backyard, she sensed someone watching her. She looked around, but saw no one. "Whoever is here, you probably don't want to have this fight," she said. The property was extremely locked down magically, but that didn't mean no one could walk along the edges lining it.

The energy she sensed seemed to hide itself then. It nearly vanished, but she could still almost feel it. It was almost like it had slipped into a...

"Labyrinth..." Sage said aloud softly. "Laby? Is that you?" She asked louder.

There was no answer. The energy was gone almost as suddenly as it had appeared. Concerned, Sage pulled the communication stone Laby had given her out of her pocket and tapped it twice. "Laby!" She said firmly.

It connected a moment later. "Sage? Is something wrong?" Laby asked in surprise.

"You're not in the woods behind my backyard by any chance, are you?" Sage asked.

"Um... No... Should I be?" He asked.

"I sensed an energy, and it vanished, like a labyrinth swallowed it up. You're the only person I know who can do that so smoothly."

"Thanks for the compliment... The warlock can create labyrinths, but I sort of doubt he'd be able to make one that strong so close to your house. Do you think it was him?"

"I'm not sure. It... It almost felt like... You, Laby. It felt like you."

"I have no idea why. I'm on the other side of town. I asked Zee to come meet me at Captain Smith's place. Taylor needed an energy boost."

"Is he okay?"

"I think he will be... Zee just got here."

"What happened?"

"Brian and his mom... Um... Trini, right? Anyway, Brian and Trini had a run-in with an incubus. Brian's okay... His Chosen powers multiplied or whatever and he discovered a new party trick... But the asshole fed on Trini. Taylor fixed her life force but knocked himself out."

"How's Trini?"

"She's okay... Brian's pretty freaked out, but the kid did good."

"Thanks for the update. Take care of Taylor."

"I will. Be careful, Sage. If I figure out how my energy was suddenly on your property, I'll let you know."

They ended the communication. Sage wondered if the energy was still out there watching her. If it was hidden in a labyrinth, it might be hard to tell, but her senses were stronger than most. She decided to go investigate, figuring if things got bad too quickly she could just summon the Dragonzord.

As she walked through the woods, Sage tried to feel for anything that seemed off. She knew every inch of those woods, so that shouldn't be too difficult. She could feel something when she closed her eyes, so she focused on that, turning toward it before opening them.

A young golden retriever sat on the ground looking up at her innocently. Sage hesitated. "I know you're not a dog," she said after a moment.

The puppy rolled onto its back, looking harmless and playful, as if enticing her to pet it. "I'm not falling for that, no matter how cute you come across," she informed it.

The dog whimpered slightly. Then, it ran into the woods. "Wait!" Sage called. She was still convinced this hadn't been a random stray animal. She chased after it, but it was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, Sage was startled when a fox ran by her in a flash. She stared at it, still trying to figure out where the dog had vanished to. It wasn't until a bird flew by her head and fled high into the trees that Sage was positive she understood what was going on.

"You're a shapeshifter," she said. "Just like Laby."

Instead of giving in and admitting she was right, the bird flew away. Sage might have thought she was crazy, but she knew better by now. "I think we have a problem," she mumbled. Was this new shapeshifter a friend or a foe? It seemed only time would tell on that one, but Sage made a mental note to try and find out. She'd gotten a good sense of the shapeshifter's energy. Maybe she could find him or her in their dreams. It was worth a shot.

"You can't hide from me," she said. "I'm a Shaman."

"You tell him, Girl," a voice said.

Sage jumped. She felt an incredibly dark, powerful energy behind her and stared at it. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded. It wasn't the shapeshifter.

"Relax," he replied. "I come in peace. Um... Bizzeh mada alebastes and all that?"

She exhaled. "You're a Rebel."

"Every day of my life, but especially now." He smirked at her. "Hezzo," he added, shaking her hand.

"Sage."

"I know who you are, Lass. Your reputation precedes you."

"Great. What can I do for you, Hezzo?"

"Nothing, really. I was just strolling through the woods, but it seemed like a good idea to introduce myself."

"Okay, I appreciate that. Which Chapter are you from?"

"They call us the Circle."

"Ah... The ones who freaked Greg out."

"Poor lad. How's he holding up?" Hezzo asked with a chuckle.

"He's fine."

"Good to know." He shrugged. "I thought you should know that they found Prime."

"What? Who found him?"

"Stone, technically, but Bartello's working on fixing him from what I've heard."

"They should have called me. I know that technology. I should be working on him."

"Bartello's what you people would call a technopath. He has an affinity for working with all technology, and he knew Alpha Prime the first time he was around... But he's having trouble. The poor thing's a mess. He was pretty thoroughly destroyed, and Bartello says he's got some kind of magic on him that's making it tricky to repair him. Every time he makes progress, something misfires and fries him all over again."

"Get Bartello in touch with me... Actually, have him come to Angel Grove. I'll hide him and Prime in the Zord bay my team uses and we can fix him together."

"You know Bartello's an incubus, right? A very powerful one?"

"I'm not affected by incubi. I live with Zedd, and I saved him, so I'm quite familiar with the energy."

"Okay... But you've still got eyes, Lass... And Bartello likes walking around without a shirt, especially when he's working with tools. Fair warning." Hezzo winked at her.

Sage laughed and rolled her eyes. "I appreciate your concern. Send him my way. I'm sure I can help him get Prime up and running in no time."

Hezzo nodded. "Good luck to you, then. Nice meeting you... My friends and I will see you around." He walked away.

Sage took a deep breath, mentally adding repairing Alpha Prime to her To Do list. That task was too important to risk leaving to anyone else. And somehow, while she was doing everything else she needed to do, she'd also find time to track down the mysterious new shapeshifter and get some answers.

LEX

That had been entirely too close. Lex frowned as he shifted back into human form upon landing on the property he'd been told to go to. Zell's last message had said he'd know when to show up, and that had been true. He'd woken up with an overwhelming need to leave Eltar and head to Stone Hollow, California.

He looked over the base, which was half-destroyed, and wondered why Zell would choose such a lousy location to hide out. "Whatever... I guess he's got different taste than the Mayor," Lex mumbled aloud. Mayor Freyst had always lived an elaborate life, flaunting his wealth in the face of everyone on the planet.

Lex sighed. He still missed the Mayor. It wasn't that he'd been a great guy or anything. He'd never been especially nice... However, he'd rescued Lex from the streets of Earth when he was still just a lonely, scared, homeless teenager who'd run away from an abusive orphanage, and he'd changed his life. He'd set him up on Eltar, getting him a job and taking care of him until he'd been able to stand on his own. He'd worked at the Counsel Building, close to the Mayor, and he'd at least known his existence meant something... That was, until a few months earlier, when Eltar had been attacked by members of the Rebellion.

"Use your powers, Boy. Get out of here," Mayor Freyst said.

"Come with me. I can protect us both," Lex protested.

"I'll be fine. Go on."

"I can stay and fight with you. Let me help."

"Lex... Please. This isn't a fight you should be present for, but I must defend this building. We cannot allow the Rebellion to win."

"But Mayor Freyst-"

"My boy... You are far too important to risk," the Mayor said, surprising him. "Go into a labyrinth, and no matter what you see or hear, you must not reveal yourself. Do you understand me?"

Lex didn't want to hide, but the Mayor kept pushing until he did. He sealed himself in a labyrinth in the Mayor's office. That was when the rather infamous Rebel, Raffitty, walked into the office.

Lex watched in horror as Raffitty savagely beat the Mayor to death, covering his mouth to keep from screaming. He wanted to help him, but the Mayor had been quite clear... Even after it was obvious the frail old man had perished, Raffitty continued to beat him. Lex sobbed quietly, unsure of what to do because, once again, he was completely alone in the world.

Another man Raffitty called "Bob" came into the room and convinced him to stop beating on the dead Mayor. He finally coaxed him from the room. Even then, Lex remained in the labyrinth. When some parts of the building became little more than rubble and it was clear the Rebels had finally left, Lex tried desperately to find the Prime Minister. After all, Rey was a good man. If there was any chance of saving him, he had to try. Shifting into the form of a mouse so he could get into even the smallest places, Lex struggled to find any sign of him, but there was none. When the rescuers showed up, Lex had to leave. He found out later that Rey had perished as well.

He might have given up, but one of the messages Zell had left throughout time for the Mayor now found its way to him. Do not give up. When the time is right, return to Earth. You will know how to find me, it said.

That was how Lex found himself here now. He took a deep breath, not even sure what he was doing. The Mayor had told him over and over again that one day, they would work with Eltar's Great Wizard directly. It was his duty to see it through to the end, even if the Mayor was gone.

"Who are you?" A voice demanded.

Lex turned around to face the woman staring daggers at him. "Call me Lex," he said. "I'm here to join the Alliance."

Her face turned harder. "Is that so?" She asked. Then, she cackled. "So am I! Let's be fast friends, shall we?" She linked her arm through his like a psychopath.

Lex pulled his arm free. "Don't touch me," he said.

"Aw, does someone have issues with personal space?" She taunted him. "Relax, Lex. I'm the Witch. I assume you got a message from Zell? I'm his biggest champion. His antics entertain me. I'm not a minion, mind you, but I did promise if he ever really got into a bad situation, I'd come help... So here I am." She motioned toward the area that wasn't so destroyed. "Come along," she said cheerfully before hurrying toward it.

"This guy keeps bizarre company," Lex thought out loud. Shaking his head, he walked toward the rest of the base.

The man who met them at the door was one Lex recognized. He ran with a group that threw amazing parties whenever they came to Eltar. "Lex, my boy! It's lovely to see you here," Maegus said. He surprised Lex by pulling him into a hug. "Welcome, welcome! To what do we owe the honor?"

"Maegus? You're part of the Alliance?" Lex asked in surprise.

"Since it began. So, you've come to join us, I assume? Splendid! Come on in. Branz is fixing everyone drinks." Maegus paused. "And the Witch? Well, this is a surprise! No one's seen you in over a century! How have you been?"

"Sorry I missed so many good parties," the Witch said. "How's Tinny? And Hezzo? Are they here, too? I'd love to catch up." The way she said it was terribly creepy.

"I'm afraid they're not part of the Alliance... At least not yet. One never knows where the wind will blow those two."

"Oh well... That's fine," the Witch said, walking past Maegus without a care in the world. Lex politely waited until Maegus motioned for him to follow him inside.

"Wow... This is a lot nicer than I expected from the exterior," Lex said as he looked around.

"Some of it was preserved," Maegus explained. "And the rest... Is underground and restored. Come on. We stay down there, where we can't easily be detected." He led him underground. The Witch had already found her way there and sat at the bar, doing shots of tequila.

"Should she be drinking?" Lex asked.

"Probably not, but I don't think any of us want to try to stop her. I'm afraid that one's a few screws short of a full toolbox. She's had bats in the belfry for millennia."

"Yeah, the Witch definitely doesn't play with a full deck," Branz chimed in.

"Nutty as a fruitcake," Grayzee agreed.

"Stark raving mad," Maegus finished up.

"Hi, Lex! Good to see you, Lad!" Branz said warmly, giving him a hug.

No one on Eltar knew the truth about Lex's abilities. Mayor Freyst had made it clear to him that he had to hide the more rare ones. As far as people were concerned, he was a fair Sorcerer and little else. It was better that way. Otherwise, they might guess the truth about his heritage, and the Mayor had insisted that would be very bad news for him.

He was welcomed by the others without much of an issue. Lex didn't know who most of them were, but he suspected they might have once been part of the Rebellion of Eltar. The Mayor had warned him they generally couldn't be trusted but that some of them might come to their senses and join Zell's Alliance. Since Lex wasn't one for liquor, he had Branz serve him Coke. It had been way too long since he'd had a nice, cold can of soda. Eltar had sugary beverages, but nothing hit the spot quite like this.

"I'll set you up with a room," the Alchemist said as she joined him while he was enjoying his drink. She looked at the Witch. "Will you be requiring one as well?" She asked a bit harshly. It was clear the Alchemist and the Warlock were not fans of the Witch. Lex couldn't really blame them. She was one creepy bitch.

"I'll sleep in the woods," the Witch replied. "Better than lying here with you dogs and catching fleas!" She cackled again before downing another shot.

The Alchemist glared at her, narrowing her eyes in a way that made Lex want to run for cover. "Easy, Alchemist... You know it's best not to anger her," Maegus said softly.

She paused before saying, "Very well. Just keep her away from the rest of us. I don't know why she's here, but she wasn't invited."

"I find that the Witch tends to invite herself," Maegus said. "Trust me, I'm not thrilled she's come to join us either, but I do sense Great Zell wants her here. Until he returns, I'm afraid we must accept her presence."

"Come, Lex. I'll bring you to your room," the Alchemist said.

"Thanks," Lex replied. He followed her nervously. When they reached the room, she paused.

"What can you contribute to this fight, Lex?" She asked.

"I've got decent sorcery," Lex said awkwardly. And I build labyrinths, and I can shapeshift, he added silently.

"That isn't good enough. Great Zell recruits people for a number of reasons... What is unique about you?"

"I never met the guy, so I couldn't tell you why he wants me. I'm just an orphan who was raised on Earth until I was sixteen."

"An orphan. Interesting. Yet you are Eltarian?"

"The Mayor found me and told me my parents were Eltarian. He says my father abandoned me. My mother died when I was three. I saw it, but trauma sort of makes it hard to say what happened for sure. I think I imagined most of it."

"I see. Well, there must be something in your heritage that drew him to you. Do not waste this opportunity, Lex. If you prove useless to us, there are consequences."

"Noted. Does this place have a television? Now that I'm on Earth again, I'd love to catch up on what I've missed."

"Is that truly your concern right now?"

He shrugged. "I get bored easily. I'll settle for some good books. I like to read, although I sort of have a short attention span."

The Alchemist seemed to decide she was finished with him. She walked away, closing the door behind herself. "Wow. She's friendly," Lex mumbled with a laugh. He sat down on his new bed, stretching his legs out and putting his arms behind his head. "Not too bad," he decided. He supposed he could get used to this. He just hoped he wouldn't be stuck there without answers for too long.

MISTRESS CHEETAH

She was finally starting to come out of the state she'd been stuck in. Mistress Cheetah's head was fuzzy. She looked at her surroundings before realizing she was restrained to a bed. "Hey! Let me the hell out of here!" She shouted.

The door to her prison cell opened. It might look like a nice, comfortable bedroom, but Mistress Cheetah knew she was indeed a prisoner. The person who walked into the room sent her into an instant state of rage.

"Hey, Lily," RJ said. "It's nice to see you awake and aware."

"You! How dare you imprison me like this?!" She shouted.

"Good morning to you, too. I'm good, thanks. How have you been?" RJ asked casually.

"Let me go, you bastard!"

"Yes, this is nice weather we're having."

"Stop that! Don't ignore me!"

"I'm not ignoring you. I'm just filling in the nice things I know you'd be saying if your head were on straight."

"You can't keep me here. I have powers!" She tried to free herself. The restraints held firmly. She screamed in frustration.

"You have powers. We have Anise. You aren't getting out of here anytime soon, Sweetheart, so you'd better get used to it... Unless..."

"Unless?"

"Unless you let us save you."

"There is no saving me because I do not want to be saved! I am Mistress Cheetah!"

"Okay... Lily."

"When I get free, you will be the first one I slaughter."

"Sure thing, Lily. Sounds like fun."

"Ugh! You are incredibly frustrating!"

"That's what my ex girlfriends say, too."

Suddenly, she had an idea. "Fine," she said. "If you truly believe you can somehow save me, go ahead and try."

He paused to consider this. "Nice try. Really. But I'm not going to fall for that," he said after a minute.

"Goddamn you, RJ! You want to save me, right? So just do it!"

"I wish I could, Lily. You have no idea how badly I do... But it's going to take more than just me." He paused. "Guys! Come on in!"

Casey walked into the room first. Lily rolled her eyes. Fran was right behind him. "Lily! You're awake!" Fran cried. She ran toward her.

"Not just yet, Fran," RJ said, putting up a hand to stop her from touching Lily. "This is still Mistress Cheetah we're dealing with... But I was hoping, with her connection to the team, that Casey and I could reach her spirit and pull her back... And you're a comforting presence and a good friend, so I think you need to be here, too."

"Lily... I know you're in there," Casey said gently.

"Lily is dead, Casey. She has been ever since that day," Mistress Cheetah replied harshly.

"You're not dead, Lily... You're just in so much pain... I know how much you loved him, and I'm so sorry... We all miss Theo... But-"

"Shut up! Don't say his name! Don't you dare!" Rage filled her entire body. She struggled against the restraints. Finally, one of them broke. She struggled to free herself from the other one.

"I guess that means it's time? I mean... Anise said the spells would only hold until it was time to save her, right?" Fran asked.

"She did, but we don't have our backup plan... Fran, call Sage. Fast," RJ said.

Fran ran off to do that. Mistress Cheetah stood up and began calling on her powers to attack RJ. She hit him with as much power as she could.

"Ouch! Jeez, Lily, that was a little much..." RJ mumbled as he doubled over in pain.

"Lily, stop it! Please! We can help you. We're here. We love you," Casey said.

"Love is for the weak!" Mistress Cheetah shouted. "It just destroys you in the end!"

"Lily-"

"Get out of my way, Casey."

"No. I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine! Be an idiot!" She sent a small attack at him. It wasn't enough to do any real harm, but it did send him into a wall, where he remained pinned so she could run by him and escape from the house. Fran dropped her phone in surprise as Mistress Cheetah ran past her. She made it all the way to the front porch before something stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Lily?" A voice asked.

She stared at him in disbelief. "Theo?" She whispered. It couldn't be true. Someone was obviously playing a cruel joke on her.

"It's me, Lily..." He looked into her eyes, but Mistress Cheetah quickly looked away. It was too painful, and she couldn't identify what exactly she was feeling.

"No! I will not fall for such illusions!" She declared.

"Lily, look at me. Please."

"Go away! You're not real!"

"Honey... I'm here. I'm real. I swear on everything we have."

"We have nothing! You're dead! You shoved me through a door and you died, Theo!" The rage was building, but so was something else. She couldn't quite touch it... She felt the pain, but not the emotions that should have been attached to it.

"I'm so sorry, Lily... I had to... I had to save you. I was dying either way, but that didn't mean I had to take you with me."

"You left me! You left me, Theo! You promised you'd be mine forever, and then you left me!" She was furious.

"I know... But someone interfered, Lily. Someone saved me."

"No! I know you were dead! It's been months and you never came back! You couldn't have survived! The explosion went off seconds after you closed the door!"

"There's a girl who can time travel, like Zell does. She pulled me out of the time line, Lily. She got me to some friends of hers, and one is an insanely powerful healer. He saved my life, and then they drank a potion so they'd forget I was ever there... This way no one would find out and try to stop me from making my way back to you."

"Your way back?" She repeated.

"I'm here, Lily. I'm alive... And I came back for you."

Mistress Cheetah was crumbling to pieces as Lily screamed and tried to claw her way back into control. She wanted to remember how to feel... She wanted to love him again... But she couldn't. Her light was gone, and so was her ability to love. Zell had stolen everything from her.

She screamed. Lightning struck a tree and it burst into flames. Mistress Cheetah screamed again and the earth began to shake.

"Lily! Lily, stop, honey! I'm here! I'm right here, and I'm never leaving you again!" Theo shouted.

RJ, Casey, and Fran stood in the doorway. "Th- Theo?" Fran managed to ask. She promptly fainted into RJ's arms.

"I'll be damned..." RJ mumbled as he caught her.

"Theo... How?" Casey asked softly.

"You see him?" Mistress Cheetah asked. "You all see him?"

"He's here, Lily... Right in front of us," Casey confirmed.

She was trembling as she finally allowed herself to look into Theo's eyes. "You're not just in my head... And you're not an impostor..." She mumbled.

He touched her cheek gently. She allowed him to. "I'm not an impostor," Theo promised, looking deep into her eyes. "I'm here, Lily... And I don't know all of the details of what happened to you, but whatever happened, we'll get through it together. I love you."

She felt like someone had shoved a sword through her heart. She screamed in anguish, thrashing against an invisible enemy to make all of this disappear.

Theo pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly and refusing to let go of her no matter how much she fought. She felt his jaguar spirit wrapping around her. "With the stealth of a jaguar..." He whispered, "I will always protect you. I will fight by your side, today and always, in good times and bad, through sickness and health... I will honor, love, and cherish you with every ounce of my soul."

The wedding vows came back to her in a flash. For the first time since she'd been turned, Mistress Cheetah felt the cheetah spirit truly flowing through her. She hadn't lost her animal spirit after all... It had simply been forced to watch from a distance while the darkness consumed her.

"With the speed of a cheetah, I will run by your side... Fighting every battle with you, today and always, in good times and bad, through sickness and health... I will honor, love, and cherish you with every ounce of my soul," she whispered shakily.

"Lily Chilman-Martin... You are my heart and my strength, and I'm not losing you," Theo said firmly.

Lily... Because no matter how much she wanted to deny it, she was still Lily... Looked up to see that RJ and Casey both had tears in their eyes. She wished she could cry with them, but she was still evil.

"You can't love me anymore, Theo... Because I'm evil now, and there is no turning back," Lily said softly. "And I can't love you or anyone else ever again."

"You can come back from this, Lily. I know you can. You're stronger than anyone else I've ever met," Theo insisted.

"I've done unforgivable things. I took over Onyx by slaughtering anyone who dared to oppose me. I killed innocent people on Eltar. I destroyed everything good I came across."

"Everyone has bad days once in a while." He flashed her a slightly awkward smile.

"Theo... I'm evil."

"Because of a spell, Lily. And spells can be broken."

Looking into his eyes, Lily could almost hope... "How?" She asked. "How do we break this spell? How do you cure me?"

"Sage can do it," Casey said.

"But I think we might be able to do it, too. If you connect with your spirit... If you allow the Cheetah to fully merge with you... I think you can push the evil right out of you, Lily," RJ said. "If we can keep you focused, I think you can heal yourself."

"No one's ever come back from this without a Shaman," Lily protested.

"Kendall Morgan did. There are these two people who were able to literally just guide her... And she brought herself back with their help. They showed her the path to the light and one of them helped her cope with what she'd done, and she healed herself. I really think this will work, Lily," RJ insisted.

"What if you're wrong? What if we fail?"

"Then we keep trying until we don't fail," RJ said like this was the most obvious thing in the world. "We're here, Lily. We're not going anywhere. You're not alone. You just need to remember who you truly are inside... Remember the cheetah... Remember the strength of your heart... Remember being a Power Ranger... Remember being Lily."

Lily nodded. She took a deep breath. "Remember..." She repeated. She exhaled and closed her eyes before she said, "With the speed of a cheetah... Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger!"

It was slow at first, but soon, she could feel the cheetah struggling to take full control of her energy. The darkness inside of her was incredibly powerful, but the cheetah fought against it, trying to chase it out of her soul. She'd never felt such an intense rush of power before. Then, she felt something else. It felt like her heart was being ripped from her body all over again. Her grief was overwhelming. Not only did the pain of losing Theo hit her, but the pain of losing Dominic, and the pain of having her light ripped away from her, and the pain of knowing every horrible thing she'd done as Mistress Cheetah slammed into her. She couldn't breathe.

"I can't do it!" Lily screamed. "I can't! It hurts!"

"You've got this, Lily," Casey said firmly.

"It's too much! I can't! Just kill me!"

"Yeah, that's a hard no on that one, Lily. Sorry," RJ said.

"Lily... You can do this," Casey said again. "We're here. We've got you."

"It hurts! It hurts so much!" She shouted.

"I know it hurts..." Theo said gently. "But I'm here, Lily. I'm here, and Casey's here, and RJ's here, and Fran's here... Sort of... And we love you, Lily. We all love you... I love you."

Love, Lily thought. That was what was missing. She felt pain, and grief, and horror at what she'd done. She was mad, hurt, and so devastated... But the other emotion... The one she was so desperate to touch... It was love.

"I... I love you, too," Lily whispered. And suddenly, that washed over her stronger than any of the other emotions. "I love you," she said again. Her cheeks felt moist. Lily was stunned to realize she'd begun to cry.

Theo pulled her closer, kissing her. To feel his lips against hers when she'd been certain she never would again was too overwhelming. Lily broke down, and the last of her resistance shattered. She lost herself in the kiss, feeling his energy washing over her.

Don't feed on him. His life is precious. You can't take even one second of it, she thought. She focused instead on the happiness she knew he felt at having her in his arms. Somehow, Lily naturally fed on that, not touching any of the energy keeping Theo alive.

When he finally released her, Lily felt much more like herself. "Feel better?" RJ asked. "Here." He tossed something at her head. Lily caught it.

"A Snickers bar?" She asked.

"You were cranky," RJ replied with a smirk.

She laughed, and it actually felt good. Somehow, Lily knew she'd beaten the spell. She would feel better if she let Sage cleanse her just in case, but she was positive she had somehow saved herself, with a little help from the people she loved the most.

"Who saved you? I have to thank her," Lily said.

"Her name's Eloise. She's a little quirky, but seems nice enough. We can find her tomorrow. She left me because she's pregnant and said her husband or boyfriend or whatever would be furious if she put herself in danger again," Theo replied.

"I don't understand. Why did she save you?"

"She saw the shape you were in, and the future you were headed toward, and she decided to change it... By saving my life, but not in a way that would alter the time line in any way, shape, or form. It was actually pretty clever."

She looked at RJ and Casey. "I'm so sorry for how I acted," she said softly. "I never would have attacked you in my right mind."

"We know," Casey promised. "We're just glad to have you back."

Theo looked at them and asked, "Is Fran okay?"

"She'll be fine," RJ said, glancing at the porch swing where he'd carefully placed her. "We just didn't expect you to come back from the dead, Kid... But I'm damn glad you did."

"Same here," Casey said. He rushed toward Lily and Theo and flung his arms around them both before shifting to just Theo. "It's amazing to see you."

"It's good to see you guys, too... Where's Dom?" Theo asked.

Casey tensed. RJ actually looked like he might cry. Lily's heart ached, but she was relieved to be able to feel it the way she should for once.

"Jungle Karma Pizzeria was attacked... The restaurant didn't survive... And neither did Dom," Casey said softly.

"Oh, God... I'm so sorry, RJ... Oh, poor Fran... This is horrible..." Theo said.

"We'll rebuild the restaurant assuming we all survive this next big fight," RJ said. "We can't rebuild Dom, but... Well, we'll kick a whole lot of ass in his name."

"That's the best way to honor his memory," Lily said softly.

Theo pulled her into his arms again before picking her up. She squeaked in surprise. "Is there a room in this place for me?" He asked.

"Lily's got a room," RJ said with a smirk. "I assume she's willing to share it."

"Definitely," Lily said, wrapping her arms around Theo's neck.

Theo smiled. "Then it's time for me to carry you over the threshold, Beautiful." With that, he began to walk toward the house. He walked up the stairs and inside. RJ patted his back encouragingly as he walked by.

As Theo carried her upstairs, Lily relaxed in his arms. Looking into his eyes, she knew that no matter what else happened, things were going to be okay. Somehow, she'd make up for all of the harm she'd done. And no matter what, she would make damn sure she helped put a stop to Zell once and for all.