AUTHOR'S NOTE: The character of Angel belongs to Aura MacKenzie. Thank you, Aura, for allowing me to use her. Also, there's some potentially triggering content involving talk and flashbacks of child abuse. Just a head's up. Enjoy the chapter!
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
MAEGUS
He was quite surprised by the arrival of a new Alliance member. That was because he knew her well and she was fully aware that he, Grayzee, and Branz were spies.
He found her with her arms wrapped around Gayzee's neck, sitting in his lap like she didn't have a care in the world. "Maegus, look who's blessed us with her presence," Grayzee said. "Angel's come to join the Alliance."
Maegus covered his shock well. "It's been a while, Lass," he said to the girl whose real name was definitely not Angel. He forced himself to think of her only as that so no one would suspect anything. "What are you doing here?"
Branz was glaring daggers at her, not because he hated her but because he loved her and was worried. "Angel" was his niece and Hezzo's granddaughter. Hezzo didn't keep track of his offspring. No one in the Circle did except for Hudzon. It was safer for the children if they didn't know their fathers. Hezzo had formed an attachment to his granddaughter, however, and he was going to be furious with her when he realized what she was up to.
"I decided to come play for the winning team," Angel replied casually.
"You might have called first, Lass," Maegus replied with a forced laugh. Whatever Angel was doing, she hadn't filled them in beforehand.
"Surprises are more fun." She smiled at him wickedly, playing the part of an evil Alliance member well.
"Welcome to the Alliance, Angel," Shaniece said politely. Maegus still wasn't sure what Shaniece's role in things was. It was clear to him the girl didn't have a shred of evil in her. She seemed to play hostess more than anything. A Campbell Sorceress was too powerful to sit around pouring tea and taking care of everyone else's basic needs. It made no sense.
"Thanks. So, when's the next party?" Angel asked lightly.
"Branz?" Grayzee asked. "What's on the agenda today?"
Branz glared at Grayzee as if to say, getting my niece out of your lap, for starters. Aloud, he said, "Oh, you know... Same old, same old. Wreak havoc all day, open bar all night."
"Sounds like fun," Angel replied with a smile.
Jezzeff eyed her skeptically, his suspicion clear, but when he spoke aloud, he was as charming and patient as ever. "It's always lovely to have new faces join our cause," he said. "Great Zell will be pleased."
The Witch glared at her before cheerfully saying, "Watch out for Jaybert. If memory serves, he rather enjoys mating with teenagers." She cackled as she added, "I'm just kidding! He doesn't pursue anyone in that way anymore. His love for his vizu is much too strong and enduring for him to waste his time on people." She skipped away merrily.
Bloody mental, that one, Maegus thought, shaking his head.
"So, Angel... Fancy a cup of tea?" Grayzee asked lightly.
The Alchemist and the Warlock eyed Angel suspiciously. "I suppose you'll be needing a room," the Alchemist said after a moment.
"Sure, for my stuff, but I'll probably spend most of my time with Grayzee," Angel replied.
Branz couldn't seem to keep the annoyance out of his eyes, so he stood up and said, "I've got an errand to run. See you all in a bit." He walked away.
Good lad, Maegus thought. Don't blow your cover over this.
"So, how old are you, Angel?" Micah asked. "The Witch is right about you looking like a teenager."
"None of your business," Angel said with a dark grin. "It's rude to ask a lady's age. I'm legal by both Eltarian and Earth standards, but that's all you need to know."
Angel was immortal. Her mother had cursed her with immortality to keep herself from killing the girl for her power. Hezzo's daughter had given in to her dark side, but she loved her daughter enough to protect her. She was still technically a teenager, just barely past the legal age on Eltar, but she'd been alive for much longer than that.
"Yes, the Circle has a firm rule about not messing around with jailbait," Grayzee added cheerfully. He smiled at Angel before adding, "Let's go catch up, Lass." He stood with her arms still wrapped around his neck and carried her to his room.
"That was a bit obnoxious, throwing their private affairs in our faces," Micah said with a frown.
"Jealous, Lad?" Maegus asked with a grin. "Don't worry. Somewhere out there is a girl who's hopelessly attracted to sociopaths that's just waiting for you to notice her."
He noticed the small patch of ice spreading across the wall across from him. It melted almost as soon as he spotted it. "Well, that's enough excitement for now. Later, Friends," Maegus said cheerfully before heading to his room.
He cast a quick privacy spell before pulling out the scrying mirror that connected directly to its twin. The mirrors could only be activated with the blood of their owners. "What's the matter, Hezz?" He asked the owner of the other mirror.
"Bartello called. Carina's missing. There's reason to believe Jezzeff took her," Hezzo replied.
Maegus frowned. "Zell has no issues with Carina that I'm aware of. She was born after his fall and she's not the sort to cause trouble for him, so unless Jezz took her to get at Bartello, I can't see a reason for Zell to have given the order."
"Maybe he didn't. The last we heard, Zell was in rough shape from losing Elgan's powers."
"He still is. The Alchemist sealed his energy tube in solid gold, but he's still misfiring. Honestly, he could kill us all at any second. I gave the order for everyone to stay away from him until further notice. Only the Alchemist, the Warlock, and I are allowed to check on him."
"Maegus, why endanger yourself? Let the Alchemist and the Warlock handle him."
"For one, being Zell's dear mentor, it would look suspicious if I didn't. For another, I sort of took over the Alliance the other day."
Hezzo laughed. "Getting power hungry, Maegus? Hanging out with me must be having a bad effect on you!"
"I didn't plan on it, Hezzo," Maegus informed him. "With Zell in distress, the others started fighting over who should be in charge. Between Niko and Jezzeff battling over why they each deserved the honor and Arabella and Britterra damn near killing the lot of us as they flung spells around like beads at Mardi Gras, I really had no choice. Someone had to take charge."
"Yeah, Arabella and Britterra hate each other even more than Felina and Zydia did. They've always competed with each other... Anyway, I'm impressed, Maegus. Really. How'd they take it?"
"They protested a bit at first, so I banished Niko from existence for a bit."
"You snapped him out of existence?" Hezzo laughed harder. "Oh, I love it when you do that!"
"It was only for a minute," Maegus said innocently, making Hezzo's laughter even worse. "Back on topic... I'll do my best to locate Carina. The base is fantastic underground, but there are a ton of places above ground in disrepair. No one goes there. Jezz could easily hide her in the ruins."
"Thanks, Lad... By the way... I returned the ring."
Maegus took a deep breath. "How did he take it?"
"He was doing okay until he remembered Kenna and the others. The grief was a lot for him, but Cap's one strong son of a bitch. He'll pull through and help us."
"I have no doubt of that. Thanks, Hezz. I've been waiting to return that ring to its proper owner for far too long."
"Get back to me the second you know about Carina. Bartello's going to go homicidal if we lose her."
"Look after him, Hezz. You know he doesn't take care of himself when he's upset."
"I know. Stay safe, Maegus."
"Hezzo... One other thing..."
"What's up?"
"We have a new Alliance member... She calls herself Angel."
Maegus could feel Hezzo's rage through the mirror. "She did not up and join the Alliance without telling us!" He said. The mirror started frosting over with ice on both ends.
"Easy, Lad. You don't want to shatter magical mirrors. Seven millennia's bad luck and all that," Maegus said.
"I'm gonna kill that kid!"
"No you're not," a cheerful voice said patiently. "You love her and trust her and you'd never hurt her. Whatever she's up to, I'm sure she has her reasons. Come on, Hezzo. Let's get a snack." An arm came around Hezzo's shoulder.
"Good man, Ling," Maegus said with a laugh as the frost and ice vanished.
"He's just cranky because he needs to eat," Ling insisted. "Then we'll go check on Bartello and Zee."
Hezzo grumbled something. "Talk to you later, Lads," Maegus said. He ended the communication.
Left with no other choice, Maegus began exploring the base in the hopes of finding Carina.
JOSH
Sage had told him the truth about his mother and the Warlock. It might not have been practical, but Josh wanted answers, so he went in search of the Warlock.
Based on the little they knew about the Warlock, Josh figured he spent his free time in the woods. He seemed to like Earth magic and had a talent for growing plants that shouldn't exist on Earth. Thanks to Zedd rescuing Liza, he also knew the base was in Stone Hollow.
"Taylor... I need you to do something for me," he said.
"Anything," Taylor said with a smile. As hard as he'd tried not to neglect Taylor, it kept happening, and it was clear he was grateful for the attention now.
"Use your incubus powers and bring me to Stone Hollow."
Taylor looked confused. "Okay, but... Why?" He asked.
"There's something I need to do."
"The Alphas could teleport you-"
"They won't agree to this... But it's about my mom."
Taylor suddenly caught on. "Josh, you can't just go confront the Warlock," he said.
"Look, I'm doing this. Either you help me, or I ride my bike there."
"It's two hours away by car, Josh. It would take forever to bike there."
"I'm doing this, Taylor. He killed my mother."
"Josh, you're basically the smartest person I know, but this is a really dumb idea."
"Forget it! I'll do it myself," Josh said in anger. He tried to walk away.
Taylor touched his arm gently. "Josh..." He sighed. "I'll go with you."
Josh was relieved. He took Taylor's hand. Seconds later, they traveled incubus-style to Stone Hollow. Taylor closed his eyes. "He's this way. He's alone," he said.
"How do you know?" Josh asked.
"The Warlock's got a really distinct energy. Come on. If the Alchemist isn't with him, we've at least got a shot."
They found the Warlock in the woods, just as Josh had expected. He was tending to some of the plants and didn't seem to notice them.
"What's the plan?" Taylor whispered.
Josh marched into the open and declared, "You killed my mother! Tell me why!"
"Josh! I'm the stupid and impulsive one in this relationship," Taylor cried. "There can't be two of us!"
The Warlock stared at them in surprise. "I've killed a lot of people, Boy," he said harshly. "Please be more specific."
"Marilyn Cranston," Josh said with tears in his eyes. "Why did you kill her?"
The Warlock considered this. "I don't recall her name," he replied casually. "My apologies. I'll be sure to grow some flowers on her grave."
Taylor stepped between them. "He was only seven when you killed her, Warlock. He has a right to understand why," he said bravely.
"Ah, Young Incubus. We meet again," the Warlock said. "Leave this place before you force my hand. It's not safe here for little boys playing heroes." He waved his hand dismissively, going back to tending to the plants.
Why didn't he attack us? Josh wondered. He doesn't want us to find the truth. I'll make him talk!
Josh thought about it, but he didn't morph. He knew that would be escalating a fight, and that broke one of Zordon's number one rules. Instead, he demanded, "What could an innocent woman have done to make you kill her?"
"She discovered our presence the same way the Blue Wild Force Ranger did. She found the flowers in my garden. She wouldn't leave it alone, and she became a problem for us. She got too close... So she was eliminated."
Josh was suddenly filled with rage. How could this monster brush off killing his mother so easily?
Without stopping to think, Josh ran toward the Warlock. He easily sent Josh flying into a tree with a wave of his hand before Josh got anywhere near him. The impact hit the worst possible spot on the back of his head and Josh lost control.
"Josh!" Taylor shouted. Josh didn't register anything but rage. The head trauma he'd suffered when his house blew up sometimes triggered this response if he hit his head the wrong way. He couldn't control it as he lost all awareness of what was happening. He unleashed his rage on the Warlock.
THE WARLOCK
He hadn't expected any of this. The Warlock had genuinely gone to the woods to calm his mind by being in nature for a bit. He might be evil, but his fondness for herbs, plants, and nature had never fully left him.
He hadn't planned to attack the boys. He figured sending little Josh Cranston into a tree would make the incubus take him and run. Instead, Josh flew into a homicidal rage the Warlock hadn't known he was capable of and tried to attack again.
Josh got in a few good hits as the Warlock tried to figure out what to do. Taylor tried to get between them, but when reasoning with Josh proved useless, he joined in the fight.
The Warlock had no choice. He'd have to eliminate the problem. He began to raise a powerful spell. As he fired it off, Taylor cried, "Josh, look out!" He dove in front of it, absorbing the spell.
Taylor was clearly trying to redirect the spell, but the energy was more than he'd dealt with before. The Warlock sent another spell at him, and that sent Taylor into a seizure.
Josh was still trying to come at him. The Warlock raised another powerful spell, this one meant to kill instantly.
Suddenly, a solid wall of water formed around the boys. The wall began spinning around them, seeming to dance as it protected them from harm.
"Elgan..." The Warlock whispered. No one else had such a distinctly playful yet powerful way with Water magic.
"This is not the way, Maizon," Elgan's voice said softly. "Killing these boys will damn them all to fail."
"How is this possible?" The Warlock asked. "He destroyed you..." He shook his head. Had Elgan's spirit somehow returned when his powers were taken from Zell? Was this the ghost of his old friend or a horrible, cruel trick?
A hand touched his shoulder. The Warlock spun around to attack, but froze when he saw something impossible. Elgan stood in front of him, very much in the flesh.
He tried to form words but was at a loss. Finally, he asked softly, "Am I dreaming? I don't dream anymore, except for the occasional nightmare."
"I'm really here, Maizon," Elgan replied. He pulled him into a tight hug that shocked the Warlock and made his heart ache.
"Elgan... Dear God, Elgan... I don't understand..." He said.
"No one must know, Maizon. Not yet. My brother cannot find out until it's time."
"This is why the power left him... Its true owner has returned!" He shook his head. "Elgan, please... I must tell Eva."
"Only in a safe place... A realm where no one can find you, when it's time." He paused. "Let the boys go, Maizon. This won't help anything."
"He attacked me. I had no choice," the Warlock said, unable to meet Elgan's eyes.
"Maizon... My friend..." Elgan said gently. "I know what led you both down this path. I understand, and I'm not angry. Perhaps I can help you find your way back to the light."
"There is no light for us now, Elgan... But seeing you here is enough to bring me some small shred of peace."
"Go on, Maizon. Let the boys go. It's not their fault. The Power Ranger boy with the eyeglasses has a history of head trauma. The incubus was trying to protect the one he clearly loves. They aren't a threat now. My water shield calmed the Power Ranger down."
The Warlock nodded, pulling his spells back so Taylor stopped seizing. As Elgan lowered the water shield a bit and hid from sight, the Warlock saw that Josh was holding Taylor and sobbing.
"I'm sorry," he kept repeating. "I'm so sorry, Taylor."
Taylor looked shaky as he clung to Josh. "It's okay... I'm alright," he said. He kissed Josh to reassure him.
The Warlock knew Taylor wasn't strong enough to escape. He opened a portal for the boys. "Go back to Angel Grove," he said. "Do not return here."
Taylor took Josh's hand. "Come on," he said.
"What if it's a trap?" Josh asked.
"It's not. I can feel it." Taylor led him through.
The Warlock waited for Elgan to reappear. He didn't, but water wrapped around the Warlock before vanishing. He didn't understand how it was happening, but he knew it was real. Elgan was alive, and everything was going to change.
JEZZEFF
He was in the woods when he heard the cackling. "What's that, Jezz?" Carina asked nervously.
"It's nothing to be concerned about," Jezzeff reassured her. "Please excuse me, darling Cazza." He kissed her hand before leaving the hut Lido had abandoned when he followed Serafine, Ash, and Daphne to Angel Grove.
The Witch stood outside smiling at him darkly. "Are you making progress, Jezz?" She asked.
"Of course. She resisted at first... Her loyalty to Bartello is quite strong... I simply reminded her that her loyalty to me goes back further... The programming is still in her mind."
"Of course it is. We planted it deep in her subconscious when she was still small. She can't defy your orders. So, will you be screwing her for old time's sake, or has she gotten too old for you?"
Jezzeff glared at the Witch. "I don't appreciate the implications of your tone, Witch."
"Oh, was I too subtle? My apologies! You like touching little girls in their no-no parts. Is that why you killed poor little Rosemary? You groomed her, bed her, and even married her, which surprised me, but then you murdered her. Was she getting too mature for you?"
"Zutan told me I couldn't have her, so I made her mine when he died. It's quite simple. She was beautiful, and she made a good companion, but then she tried to leave me. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing his sister gained her freedom."
She smiled. "And it's that logic that makes me like working with you, Jezzy-wezzy. You're stronger than he is. You never possessed the ability to love."
"I loved Veevrant."
"Lie to everyone else, Jezz, but don't bother lying to me... Or to yourself. You appreciated his loyalty and friendship, but you never loved him. Or Rosemary. Or Serafine, Ash, and Daphne."
"They were my family."
"And Serafine wasn't interested in satisfying your needs... But you found a way to satisfy those urges for a Veritez girl in the end!" She cackled like his actions as a boy greatly amused her. "That's why I noticed you, Jezzy! You were a curious young boy and you took advantage of the opportunity in front of you, and that level of defiance was impressive. I knew you had what it took. I had to coax him... You did everything on your own!"
A small smile played at his lips as he remembered the first time he'd given in to his dark urges. The memory still excited him. The best part was that Zell had never figured it out. He believed Jezzeff to be the loyal little dog, never making his own choices. It was mostly true back then, but he'd slowly grown more independent, and once Zell was gone, there was nothing holding him back. The Witch had popped up occasionally and helped him reach his limitless potential.
"We shouldn't discuss this here," Jezzeff pointed out. "Someone might hear us."
"They're coming, by the way... For the girl. Hezzo's involved now. I haven't seen my Hezzikins in forever!" She cackled again.
If Jezzeff hadn't already known the Witch was insane, the fact that she'd just called the most infamous and feared Warlock in Eltar's history Hezzikins would have proven it.
"When?" He demanded.
"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "Whenever they get here, I suppose!" She skipped away.
"Idiot..." Jezzeff mumbled. He headed back to Carina, knowing he had to finish what he'd started before anyone tried to rescue her.
MENA
Something was calling to her. Find it, something whispered. Find the book.
"What book?" Mena asked aloud.
Zutan's book. Find it. Free Plurri!
She was confused, but Mena trusted her instincts. She headed toward a portal she knew led to Eltar. That was when she ran into Davi.
"Mena of Eltar, Daughter of Rey... I am here to accompany you on your quest," Davi said with a formal bow.
"How did you even know I had a quest?" Mena asked in confusion.
"Because, Prime Minister's Daughter... A friend of mine has asked me to go with you. She is the one who sent the request to you."
"Who is she?"
"She has many names... One of which is Angel. It came to her attention that Zutan kept a journal detailing his actions. He left it for his sister to find. It's been missing for millennia. This is dangerous. Angel insisted I come along to protect you."
Mena could feel her eyes glowing white. "Mission accepted, I suppose. Let's go," she said.
They headed to Eltar. Mena followed her instincts until they found themselves in Mayor Freyst's old office. It made her uncomfortable to be in there, but she kept searching until she found an ancient-looking book that called to her. She opened it and smiled triumphantly. "Found it!" She said, seeing Zutan's name on the first page.
Suddenly, Davi knocked her to the ground. Mena gasped as she realized a spell had launched itself at her. The bookshelf behind her was smoking.
"Oh my... That looks like it would have stung. Thank you, Davi," she said.
"Of course, Young Mena. My pleasure," Davi replied. He helped her to her feet.
Mena clutched the book. "I suppose we should bring this to Anise..."
"Yes, Anise needs to see it. She can pass it along to the Counsel of Elders. Plurri's case is very old and the charges are very serious. She won't have the power to pardon him without them."
They headed to Anise's office. She looked up at them curiously. "Prime Minister," Davi said humbly. "We've not had the pleasure of meeting... Davi of Eltar, escorting Young Mena."
"Formalities aren't my thing," Anise said casually. "Call me Anise. What's up?"
"I have evidence for you which I found in Mayor Freyst's former office," Mena explained. She presented the book to Anise. "The journal of Zutan of Eltar... Our sources say it's a confession of his crimes. It should exonerate Plurri."
Anise looked mildly surprised. "Well, that's impressive," she said. She took the book from Mena and opened up to a random page toward the back. As she skimmed it, she nodded. "This should do the trick."
"It's enough?" Mena asked hopefully.
"If we can verify it's Zutan's handwriting, I think so. We should have some samples in the really old part of the archives," Anise said. "Just the page I read was a confession to him killing Adina, one of the Elite Counsel members, in a staged car accident. It was on my father's order, and it's clear he was conflicted about doing it... I hope it's all that juicy. Anyway, one of the charges against Plurri is that he killed Adina. Her wife, Rhanna, came out and spoke up for Plurri to insist he was innocent, just like Stone did, but no one listened. Even now that he's on the Counsel of Elders, Stone maintains that Plurri is innocent. The others still mostly believe Zutan's version of events, and back then, Stone didn't have any say over judicial hearings. Even when the Elders officially came together to form the Counsel, not enough of them were willing to give Plurri a new trial."
"But with this new evidence..." Mena began.
"I can demand he get a new trial," Anise confirmed. "As long as it's authenticated, this journal is admissible. No one knows where Plurri ended up. There have been occasional sightings, but no one's caught him since he escaped from prison. If we clear his name and pardon him, he won't need to hide anymore."
Mena smiled. It felt like she was on the right path.
"Freyst spelled the office against this book being discovered," Davi said. "You may wish to dismantle any remaining traps he set."
"Even from beyond the grave, that man is a thorn in my side..." Anise mumbled. "Why did he even have this?"
"Its last known location was with Rosemary, sister of Zutan. We believe Jezzeff, her husband, must have discovered it and gotten it to Freyst."
"That bastard must have been working for my father all along..." Anise shook her head.
Mena was startled. "I know the Mayor had some questionable policies... He disagreed with my father often... However, to accuse him of working for the Great Wizard is..." She hesitated.
"Treason? Yeah, I'm trying to get those censorship laws overturned. It shouldn't be considered Treason to call out corruption, even in the highest offices. In fact, it's important to call it out. The original Eltarians set up laws to prevent conflicts and wars, but times have changed. Our laws need some updates, and the new Mayor agrees with me. We just need to convince the Counsel of Elders to allow the laws to be changed. Aphell's a stubborn bastard who hated me long before I took office."
"Why's that?" Mena asked.
"He doesn't think anyone with a blood tie to my father should be trusted with power. To be fair, it's no secret my great-grandfather, the first Prime Minister, went batshit and retired before killing himself when my father was four."
"I'd rethink that suicide bit, Lass," Davi said casually.
"You think my father killed him?"
"He does love time travel... And Prime Minister Windzor was a good man before he went mad. He would have recognized the evil in his grandson and tried to stop him."
"Fair point... Why not? He's a mass murderer who killed his own parents. What's a grandfather after that?" Anise shrugged. "Anyway, my great-grandfather was bad enough, but then my father happened. That's too much evil. Aphell is very strict on his morals. There's no grey area. Two members of the Yizak line abusing power is unacceptable, so he thinks the whole line is evil. He tried to strip the entire family of our status as one of the four Founding Families of Eltar and ban us from holding the office of Prime Minister. He even opposed Rey taking the job, but Moriazan overrode him and named Rey when he retired. Aphell didn't even want any of the Yizaks on the Counsel of Elders, but Hanry is extremely well-liked. The people overrode him, insisting all four families should be represented in addition to three others who best represented the diverse community of Eltar."
Mena knew Hanry had been her grandfather's older cousin, but she hadn't known at the time that Zell was her father's uncle, so she'd never thought about that meaning he was related to Zell, too. Her father had been extremely close to Hanry, turning to him whenever he needed guidance.
"Aphell always did seem a bit hostile toward my father," Mena admitted.
"I think he may be a bit miffed that his family has yet to hold this office," Davi said lightly. "Windzor named Kelzo, a member of the Farmell line, as his successor. When Kelzo perished unexpectedly, the people of Etar chose Moriarty Moriazan of the Vretiz line to lead, and Moriarty named Rey, another Yizak. The Treygan line has never been selected to fill the Prime Minister role... And when we unfortunately had to name a new Prime Minister, it was yet another Yizak descendant who was selected."
Mena tried not to think about her father, but she couldn't stop herself from getting slightly emotional.
Anise looked at her sympathetically. "Come here, Little Cousin," she said, pulling Mena into a hug. It helped a bit.
Mena forced herself to calm down. Something began nagging at her. "I have to find something..." She said suddenly, walking away quickly.
Davi and Anise followed behind her. Mena arrived in her father's office and began searching, her eyes glowing white again. She followed the energy that was calling to her before finally touching a solid gold box that was hidden behind one of the portraits. She opened it up, looking over the contents.
A crystal encased in a golden shell vibrated in her hands. She put it back in the box. There was also a scroll.
"What on all of Etar...?" Davi wondered aloud.
Mena unrolled the scroll. It was written in an ancient dialect of Eltarian. "This may take me a bit to translate," she said.
"May I?" Davi asked.
Mena shrugged and handed it to him. Davi began to read it aloud in English. "Blood of my heart, which now lies in the ground, be safe always under my watch. This crystal shall protect you as it did your predecessor. Keep it close, and know that in your hour of greatest need, help shall arrive. -E.L.M."
"E.L.M?" Anise repeated. "Elm? Like the tree?"
E.L.M... Eva Leigh Moriazan... The Alchemist, who would have protected her father, but why protect mine as well? Mena wondered. Suddenly, a powerful rage overpowered her grief and confusion.
"Well it didn't work, did it?" She demanded. She was tempted to smash the crystal into a million pieces, although she suspected the golden shell would prevent that. She felt tears in her eyes as she grabbed the crystal.
It began to vibrate again before it started to glow. "Mena, Lass, perhaps you best put that down," Davi suggested with concern in his voice.
The glow became stronger, filling the room with light. Suddenly, Mena could see what had happened.
Her father sat at his desk. The Counsel Building was under attack. He was trying to set the Counsel's emergency plans into motion, activating all of the security protocols as quickly as he could.
The door to the office opened. Logan... No, not Logan, Mena corrected herself. Neptune...
Neptune entered the office. Her father stood up calmly, looking as dignified as the Prime Minister should, even in the face of mortal peril. "What exactly is it you are seeking today?" Her father asked.
"Justice, Prime Minister," Neptune replied coldly before pulling the trigger.
Mena began to scream, but the vision wasn't over yet.
A powerful light filled the room. Her father's wound was fatal, but the energy went straight to it. The blood flow slowed down. Mena knew the crystal was trying to give him time to survive until help could arrive.
Suddenly, Mena saw herself enter the office. "Father!" She shouted. She sprang into action despite her shock, grabbing the jacket off of the back of the door and using it to try to stop the bleeding. The bullet was in the center of his chest.
If the crystal hadn't activated, he would have died before I ever got there, Mena realized. Neptune was the deadliest assassin the Rebellion had next to Lido. He didn't miss.
"It was Neptune," her father said.
"I'll make him pay!" Mena said. "Father... Father, please stay with me..." She applied more pressure.
"Mena... My daughter... You must go..."
"I will not leave you!"
"You must! You are the only one who can get everyone to safety... Take the unsanctioned portal in the basement. I know you know where it is hidden. Please... No one else can save these people, Mena. I'm counting on you... I need you to do this."
"Come with us!"
"I cannot, my dear daughter... I will only slow you down in this condition."
"I don't care!"
"Mena... Please. You can save these people, and it is your duty as my daughter to do that."
Mena was sobbing, but she nodded. He was right. Everyone would die if they didn't get out of there. "I'll come back for you with help," she promised.
He squeezed her hand weakly. "Mena... Get to Zordon... On Earth. He will help."
"Are you sure? He hasn't seen me since I was little."
"There's no time to explain. He is my cousin, Mena. I'm sorry I kept this from you, but it was for your safety." He coughed up blood. Mena struggled not to panic. "Zordon will protect you, Mena. He is the only one who can help you now. Take as many people as you can and go to Earth."
"Father..."
"Go now, my sweet girl. Make me proud, like you always do."
Mena watched as she forced herself to leave the room. Her father lost consciousness seconds later. She was trembling as she realized she was about to watch her father die.
Suddenly, two others entered the room. They were cloaked in shadows. "Hurry, Maizon," one said. Mena recognized the voice of the Alchemist. "He does not have much time, even with my crystal. He is about to perish."
She grabbed a book and opened it in front of the Warlock. It was the book that had gone missing from Mena's father's office. The Warlock began casting a powerful spell. The fatal wound slowly began to close. It didn't heal, but no more blood flowed.
He's gone, Mena thought as her father's chest stopped rising and falling. Her heart broke all over again.
"He has perished," the Warlock said.
The Alchemist put her hands over the hole in his chest and Mena watched in surprise as his blood turned to gold. "This shall preserve him. Come, Maizon. We must hurry before the others wonder where we've gone."
The Warlock opened up a pocket realm. Mena watched in confusion as her father's body vanished inside. Then, the Alchemist and the Warlock calmly left the office.
"Mena! Lass!" Davi cried urgently, snapping Mena out of the vision. She was on her hands and knees sobbing. She couldn't breathe and felt faint. "Head between your knees, Lass... Easy... Easy now..." He said soothingly.
Following his instructions, Mena slowly calmed down. "Mena... What just happened?" Anise asked gently.
"You didn't see it?" Mena asked.
"See what?"
"I... I saw my father. I watched him as he..." She shook her head.
"Oh, Lass..." Davi said sympathetically.
"I'm sorry, Mena. That must have been horrible for you," Anise added.
Mena thought about telling them what had happened to his body, but she decided against it. For whatever reason, that vision had been meant for her. She knew she needed to get answers on her own.
"Come on, Lass. That's enough for one day. Let's get you home," Davi said.
Mena didn't argue. She wanted answers, but she was in no state to go looking for them yet. She decided she'd pay another visit to Moriazan soon.
LEX
He'd been staying in his room, which he'd sealed as a labyrinth, as much as possible. Lex had set up a television and manifested movies when he wanted to watch them to pass the time. He avoided the Witch and others unless Maegus called a meeting.
When someone knocked, he was expecting Maegus. He hid the television, unlocked his labyrinth, and saw someone new instead.
"Can I help you?" Lex asked.
"Lex, right? I'm Angel. Maegus sent me," she explained. "He's a little worried since you won't come out much, and since I'm here, he asked me to talk to you."
Lex shrugged. "Come on in," he said.
She sat beside him. "So, why are you hiding?" She asked.
"I'm not here to party or mess around. I'm here for the Great Wizard. I'll come out more when he's back."
"Lex... You're freaked out. Why?"
"The Witch creeps me out," he replied casually.
"As she should... But you're hiding from everyone." She paused. "You can talk to me, Lex."
"Sure. Because everyone in the Alliance is so trustworthy."
She laughed. "Fair enough... But I'm here to help, Lex. You trust Maegus, Grayzee, and Branz, right?"
"More than the others, at least."
"They trust me..." She paused. "Let me tell you a secret. I'm not who they think, Lex. I'm here to help, but not them... And I don't think you want to be here."
He knew he couldn't trust the Alliance, but Angel seemed different. "I'm here for Zell," he said.
"But why?"
"Because it's what the Mayor wanted. It was always the plan, and I owe it to him to see it through."
"The Mayor's dead, Lex. You can make your own choices."
"I owe him. He saved me."
"Saved you how?"
"I was an orphan. My mom died when I was really young, and my dad never wanted to be saddled with a kid. I lived in an orphanage for a few years before I got sick of it and left when I was eleven. Then, I lived on the streets."
"How did you just leave?" Angel asked a bit suspiciously.
Crap, Lex thought. "I walked out," he replied casually. She didn't need to know he'd shapeshifted into an adult and left through the front door.
"Right... So you were on the streets?"
"Until I was sixteen. That's when Mayor Freyst found me and brought me to Eltar. He said I was a lost Son of Eltar and he took care of me. He set me up and made sure I had everything I needed. It was a good deal."
"So your parents are Eltarian?"
"Yeah. My mom was Lavinia Lexington. She was living on Earth with me when she died."
"Who's your father?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Lex... The reason Maegus can't sense what you're doing in here is because you make labyrinths, isn't it?"
He hesitated. "Yeah, there's a spell for that. The Warlock is good at it, too," he said.
She paused as she seemed to realize something. "You shapeshifted so you could leave the orphanage..."
"I never said that-"
"Son of a bitch..." Angel mumbled. "You're Laby's son, aren't you?"
He wanted to lie. The Mayor had told him it was vital no one ever found out who his father was. Still, he knew he was busted. Angel clearly wasn't an idiot.
"Yeah," he said. "But no one knows, and it's better that way. He's a creep... A wanted criminal... One of the Rebels."
"Laby's a good guy, Lex. You should give him a chance."
"He's immortally a kid and didn't want me. I don't want him, either. I don't need a father."
"Lex, you can't be here. It's too dangerous... And I guarantee your father has no idea about you, or he'd have been in your life. Family is really important to Laby. Everything you've been told is a lie."
"I know he's a wanted criminal. His file on Eltar is huge. He's been connected to a lot of the Rebellion's attacks. He's a piece of shit like the rest of those terrorists."
"Laby's only part of the Rebellion because his parents helped start it, back when it was peaceful. Freyst ordered the slaughter of the peaceful protestors. Laby's the only one who walked away. He's immortal, but he had so many bullets in him it took them a while to heal him. He watched both of his parents die. They shot his mother through him. They also shot a three-year-old he tried to shield, and emptied a few clips into his head to take him down. He's eternally fifteen, and he'd already lost his best friend, her younger brother and sister, his cousin, and a lot of others he cared about. Somehow, he kept going. He's watched almost everyone he loves die, but he knows he'll never be able to die and be with them again. The last time he broke, he spent thirty years drunk, but as soon as Zell resurfaced, he sobered up and got his ass to Angel Grove to join the fight because it was the right thing to do. You should know his history before you judge him."
Lex hesitated. "I guess it's good I'm not attached to many people," he said softly. "Mayor Freyst made me immortal not long after I got to Eltar. It's got to suck watching everyone you care about die... Just watching the Mayor die shook me up." He shook his head. "I'm sixteen forever... One year older than my father. Maybe I can try to cut him a little slack. Do you really think he didn't know? The Mayor-"
"The Mayor lied. A lot. Not as much as Jezzeff, but who does? Anyway, I know Laby. He's a friend of my father's. He never would have left you alone."
Lex sighed. "I want to believe that, but..."
"Lex, trust me. Whatever Zell wants you here for, it's nothing good. He's always wanted Laby on his side because he can't control him and he's powerful. He'd make a strong ally, and the powers you two share are rare. Zell is out to use you. So was the Mayor."
"Story of my life... I can't believe I fell for it." He shook his head. "I'm a fucking idiot. I knew some of the things he ordered me to do were... Well, questionable, to say the least... But he swore the Rebels were monsters and we had to stop them. Then I get here and join the Alliance, and most of the members are part of the Rebellion. I heard screams as those monsters slaughtered kids who were on a field trip... Innocent little kids who did nothing to deserve to get gunned down by a bunch of terrorists... They killed the kids, they killed Senators, Clerks... I was a Clerk. They killed my co-workers, who were the closest thing I had to friends. I tried to get to the Mayor to save him, but there was no time. He made me hide... Made me leave him exposed and stay in a labyrinth... He told me not to come out or scream, no matter what, and I watched as that maniac Raffitty beat him to death... I had to bite my arm to keep from screaming. It was so brutal, and so unnecessary. The Mayor was old and frail. His health had deteriorated seriously in those last few months. He was dying already, and he was due to retire in a month or so. There was no reason to kill him, especially like that. He wasn't a threat."
"Trust me when I tell you that Raff owed the Mayor that and worse. Freyst was the monster, Lex, not Raff."
Lex struggled to keep his thoughts straight. Loyalty to the Mayor had been drilled into him, but he knew he was not a kind man, even if he had protected him. "I believe you," he said sadly. "I just don't know how to process that I've been constantly lied to since the 1990s."
"Let's start by getting you out of here. I can open portals. I'm going to bring you to Laby."
"But... I mean... He shouldn't have to be stuck with me," Lex protested. "He's had enough shit happen in his life."
Angel opened the portal. "That's for him to decide. Come on." She took his hand, dragging him into the portal. They landed in front of a teenage boy with slightly untamable brown hair and green eyes.
"Um... Hey, Stranger," he said lightly to Angel. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Laby, Lex. Lex, Laby," Angel said. She paused. "Laby, we need to talk. Did you know a woman named Lavinia Lexington?"
"Vinnie? Yeah, she's a friend. I haven't seen her since a couple years before my nervous breakdown... She's a Chapterless Rebel, so she wanders from place to place, going where she's needed. I'm not sure where she is right now..." He said cautiously. "Is she... Is she okay?"
My mom was a Rebel, too? Lex thought. Holy shit... So the memories I have of her being slaughtered are probably accurate after all. It was obvious Laby was expecting a bad answer. "She died a while ago," Lex replied.
Laby tensed. His grief was clear as he said softly, "Oh, Vinnie... N-not you, too..." He shook his head. "H-how?"
"I thought I imagined it, but someone killed her. I... I saw everything. I was really little."
"You're her son?" Laby guessed.
"Yeah. I, um... I hid from them. They couldn't find me."
Laby froze then before looking at Angel. She nodded. Laby's eyes went wide. "Holy shit... Y-You're mine?" He asked.
"How'd you figure that out?" Lex asked.
"It was a labyrinth you hid in, right? Oh shit... The energy Sage felt b-behind her house... I'm an idiot! It n-n-never occurred to me that I might h-have... Have h-had a..." He shook his head. "Goddamn..."
"Look, forget it. I'm not a little kid. I don't need you to be around. I'll just-"
"Lex... Hold on," Laby said. "Just... Just give me a m-minute here, okay? I didn't expect this, but... But you're here. And... And you m-might be in d-danger-"
"Laby... Breathe," Angel said gently.
"I w-was always scared to have kids because I knew I'd have to w-watch them die, like everyone else... And I didn't know if I c-could handle that... But I'll find a w-way to deal. You're here... And you n-need me..."
"He's immortal, Laby," Angel said quickly. "Like you. I mean, not quite as immortal as you because no one can duplicate what Serafine did, but immortal enough that there's a really good chance he won't die on you."
Laby took several deep breaths before he tried to speak again. "Sorry to hear that, Kid. Immortality's a bitch," he said. Lex knew he must be calmer because the stutter was completely gone. "And I'm sorry about your mom. She was a great girl. If I find out who was behind it, I'll make them pay."
Lex nodded slowly, but he wasn't sure what to say. "So... What brings you to Angel Grove?" Laby asked after an awkward minute.
"I joined the Alliance... But I'm rethinking that now," Lex replied.
"Good idea. Those assholes are mostly trouble," Laby replied. "And nothing good comes of working with Zell. He kills his people when he has mood swings."
"I joined, too. Don't tell my father," Angel said with a mischievous grin.
"And be responsible for him drowning everyone on Earth and Eltar? Yeah, pass. Your secret's safe with me," Laby said with a laugh.
"Now, you two get to know each other," Angel said. "I need to get back before they get suspicious."
"Be careful," Laby said. He hugged her.
"See you soon," Angel promised. She vanished into a portal.
"So... What now?" Laby asked awkwardly.
"Junk food, massive amounts of soda, and a horror movie marathon?" Lex suggested casually.
"Holy shit, you are my kid," Laby said with a laugh. "Come on. I'll take you back to where I'm staying." He offered Lex his hand.
Nervously, Lex took Laby's hand. Together, they headed back to the latest place Lex would be calling home. He was scared, but at this point, he figured he had nothing left to lose.
ALEX
He watched as Zell paced nervously around the room. "Something is wrong," Zell said.
Alex looked over at Wes, who was unconscious and barely alive. "Everything looks good to me," he said.
"Not here, Alex... In 1989 everything is as it should be... However, in the future... Something is wrong with me. I sense a great disruption in my energy field, but I'm certain if I go to the future and use my powers, something horrible will happen to me."
"I can look into it... Let me just pull up Time Force's records..." He began typing on a device. He hesitated when he saw that his access was denied. "She locked me out? That bitch!" Alex cursed.
"There is no need for the language, Alex," Zell said. "Your ex, Jennifer, is quite clever. You shouldn't use such a disrespectful, crass term to describe her."
"I can hack in. I'll use Trip's access- Damnit!" Alex thew his hands up in frustration as that failed, too.
"They know your tricks, Alex. You taught them well. You should be proud of them." Zell sighed. "I'm terribly tired... I need to figure out what's wrong with my energy... Many aspects of me are hidden throughout time. If I don't risk one, I may never find the truth."
"I can go to the future for you."
"No, Alex. I need you here. It is vital you keep Wes prisoner and keep an eye on Bradley Drew. He and Dimitria must not meet."
"Of course, Great Zell," Alex said. "I still think I should just kill him, though."
"The Wildcat team has formed and Cassie and Lucas have arrived. We can't risk you running into Lucas. Watch Bradley for now. We'll figure the rest out when the time comes."
"Yes, Great Zell. I understand," Alex agreed.
Zell slipped into the time line, vanishing from sight.
Enraged at Jen daring to stand against him, Alex turned his rage on Wes as he began to stir.
MAEGUS
The last thing he expected was for Zell to appear in front of him. He sensed the Water powers within him and knew this Zell was from a different point in time.
"Maegus... Something is wrong," he said. He looked very nervous.
"Yes, Lad, I'm afraid it is," Maegus confirmed. He was probably the only one who could get away with calling Zell lad so casually. "We are not sure how, but you lost Elgan's powers. You nearly drowned... We lost Neighbelle that day. The entire ordeal left you terribly out of sorts. You are currently in your energy tube, which the Alchemist had to encase in gold for your protection as well as ours."
Zell frowned. "I cannot allow this future to come to pass. I must find a way to prevent it..." He shook his head, touching his chest as if to reassure himself Elgan's powers were still within him. "My brother must remain with me," he said softly.
Maegus watched him for a moment. On the surface, it seemed obvious why Zell didn't want to lose all that power, but his choice of words had been curious. Having Elgan's powers keeps part of Elgan alive for Zell, he realized. On some level... In some way... He misses Elgan.
He knew Zell was incapable or love or even remorse, but when it came to Elgan, the pain ran deeper than the rest. He'd killed his parents, his grandfather, countless members of his family, his lover, and his wife, but Maegus suspected killing Elgan had been the hardest thing he'd ever done.
He was saved from having to say anything as Jezzeff walked into the room. "Great Zell?" He asked in confusion. "Have you returned to us at full strength?"
"I came here from 1989, Jezzeff," Zell replied. "I sensed something was wrong in this time. I do not know how long I can safely remain here without risking consequences for myself."
"Hey, Jezz, I have a quick question," Maegus said casually, seeing an opportunity.
"Yes, Maegus?" Jezzeff asked.
"Did you abduct one of Bartello's girls? I hear he's looking for Carina. If memory serves, she was a student of yours back on Eltar when she was still a wee lass."
Jezzeff was clearly caught off-guard. "I brought her here, yes," he replied calmly after a moment. "It wasn't an abduction. I simply asked her to come with me. Cazza is an old friend. I thought she would make a wonderful ally for us."
"You brought someone that is close to Bartello here?" Zell asked. "Bartello is not someone we should be crossing yet, Jezzeff... Especially not while I am in a distressed state. I only learned he survived recently, and that simply tells me how much of a threat he truly is. I didn't understand what an incubus was capable of back then. I learned much more with Zedd." He frowned at Jezzeff. "I did not give you orders to do this, Jezzeff. What exactly are you up to?"
"I did it for you, Great Zell," Jezzeff replied. "Cazza is fiercely loyal. She's an ideal ally, and she knows all of Bartello's secrets. She will be of great use to us."
Zell shook his head. "Send her back, Jezzeff. I don't want that sort of trouble here. Not now."
"But, Great Zell-"
"That's an order, my boy. Unless you plan on defying me, you'd best hurry up and get the girl. Bring her here. I'll have Maegus return her to the Rebellion."
Jezzeff kept his face unreadable, but Maegus could tell how angry he was. Still, he calmly replied, "Of course, Great Zell. You know best. Forgive my impulsiveness." He left to retrieve Carina.
Zell looked at Maegus. "Tell me, Maegus... What has happened in my absence?"
"There was a bit of fighting between the Alliance members as to who should lead while you were unable to. I took charge to keep the others from killing each other."
"Very good," Zell said with a nod. "I can think of no one better suited to lead in my absence. I trust your judgment, Maegus. Please take care of my people until I can return."
"Of course. I'm honored to do so." Maegus bowed his head humbly.
Jezzeff returned with Carina by his side. She looked nervous and a bit lost. "Are you alright, Lass?" Maegus asked gently.
"I'm well," Carina replied.
"Come along, Lass. I'll bring you home to Bartello now." He took her arm and gently guided her away. As soon as they were away from the base, Maegus opened a portal. It took him straight to Trerry.
"Maegus! Good to see you!" Trerry said cheerfully. "What can I do for you today?"
"I need you to read Carina's mind, Trerry," Maegus explained. "Go deep. Jezzeff took her, and brought her to the Alliance. I think he might have messed around in her mind. See if you can find anything before we return her to Bartello?"
"Of course," Trerry said, turning more serious. He looked at Carina. "How have you been, sweetie?" He asked as he started to do his thing.
They engaged in casual small talk as Trerry explored her mind. His own complex mind allowed him to hold a conversation even as he focused intensely on someone's thoughts. Finally, after a while, he looked at Maegus.
"Jezz did a number on her," he said softly, leaving Carina in a bit of a daze as he talked to Maegus. "He's been grooming this girl to be loyal to him since she was a little kid. He did other things, too, and I want to take over his mind and leave him a drooling mess for eternity because of that, but I'm trying not to overstep what you asked me to do. I'm doing my best to break the programming now. I think I can have her mind clear within the next few hours, and then it should be safe to take her back to Bartello."
"Great. Thanks, Trerry," Maegus replied.
"So, did you find her, or what?"
"No, actually... I asked Jezzeff about her in front of Zell... The Zell who was hiding in 1989, apparently, who still has Elgan's powers. He told Jezzeff to let her go because messing with Bartello wasn't wise right now."
"It's not wise ever," Trerry said with a laugh. "Don't worry. I'll get her back to herself in no time, Maegus. Go back to Zell."
"Will do. Thanks, Lad."
"Anytime." Trerry sent Maegus on his way.
When Maegus returned, he heard Zell and Jezzeff talking. He hid in the shadows, sensing he needed to listen.
"You can't trust them, Great Zell. They're conspiring against you," Jezzeff said firmly.
"That's ridiculous, Jezzeff, my boy. They may be a bit unconventional, but they've proven their loyalty to me on countless occasions."
"I'm positive they're not trustworthy, Great Zell. I'm concerned for your safety."
"I appreciate that, but I trust Maegus unconditionally, and he trusts them."
"They could have fooled him," Jezzeff said, clearly smart enough to know that if he dared to speak against Maegus, Zell would turn on him.
"Branz, perhaps. Everyone likes Branz... Even I like Branz. He could have convinced Maegus he was on my side, and I'm certain he'd have had no difficulty convincing Zutan, who was the one who brought him in... Grayzee, however, would never be able to fool Maegus. If he says that man is trustworthy, then he is."
"I'm only trying to look out for you, Great Zell."
"I know, my boy. Your loyalty to me has never been questioned before... However... To an outsider, it might appear that you brought this girl in to be loyal to you. That is concerning. You seem to be gathering your own forces."
"Of course not, Great Zell... Her loyalty was to you. I made certain of that."
"I must return to the past now, Jezzeff... Just remember who is in charge here, and follow Maegus in my absence."
"Yes, Great Zell. I will."
Maegus felt Zell leave. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he headed straight for Grayzee's room, sending Branz a telepathic message to meet him there. Angel was already inside.
"What's wrong?" Branz asked.
"Jezz is on to us, Lads," Maegus explained. "He doesn't have proof, but he's suspicious, and he just told a fragmented piece of Zell as much."
"Did Zell believe him?" Grayzee asked.
"No. He decided I'm above reproach, and therefore, you must both be as trustworthy as I think. Anyway, he didn't stay long... He was worried about losing Elgan's power and becoming unstable like the rest of him is."
"We could fix him..." Angel said softly.
"You're insane," Branz said.
"You knew that, Uncle Branz," she said with a laugh. "Seriously, though... If the four of us fix his energy and stabilize him, he'll be grateful, and it will make him even less suspicious of you guys. I think the four of us together can pull it off."
"Fixing him is the opposite of what we should be doing," Grayzee said.
"No, she's right... He's unstable and even the energy tube is failing. The Alchemist's magic is starting to crack," Maegus said. "He'll destroy all of us if he isn't stabilized soon, so we might as well be the ones to do it."
"This is madness..." Branz sighed. "As always, Lads, I'm in."
Grayzee looked at Angel before nodding. "Me, too," he agreed. "Might as well, right?"
"Right then, Lads... And our dear Angel," Maegus said. "Let's prepare."
THE NEXT DAY.
ANDIE
She found herself drifting into a strange dream. A girl looked at her with extremely sad eyes. "You must remember," she said. She was speaking in a very ancient dialect of Eltarian, but Andie understood her despite this.
"Remember what?" Andie asked.
The girl gently touched her chest. "The truth, Andie. Your mind is filtering information. It was taken from you, but you must remember, before it is too late... You aren't safe, and you need to understand... He wasn't always the monster you know... But Jezzeff was."
"Who are you?" Andie asked.
"I am Oralee... But you aren't ready for that yet. I'm sorry you have to face even this much... Forgive me, but there isn't any more time to spare."
Suddenly, the dream shifted, and she found herself on Eltar. She was looking at Daphne's parents, Tiktah and Aliese. They were ignoring Daphne as usual while she tried her best to earn their affection back.
Zell stood close by. He watched as Tiktah and Aliese hurried to get ready to go out. "Thank you again for looking after her today, Great Zell," Aliese said with a smile.
"Yes, this trip was unexpected, but it's an important festival," Tiktah added. "We simply must attend."
"Of course," Zell replied. "It's no trouble at all. Enjoy yourselves. You have earned it after the unfortunate events of the last year."
They barely waved to Daphne before rushing out of the door. Daphne looked at the door as it closed. She felt tears in her eyes.
"Daphne? What has you so distraught, Dear One?" Zell asked curiously.
"It... It is nothing, Great Zell," she said softly.
"Call me Zell, my dear. You're practically family, after all."
"I couldn't possibly-"
"I insist." He reached toward her. Daphne shyly took his hands. "Now... Tell me what troubles you, dear one."
Daphne couldn't help but sniffle as she said, "It's really nothing ... I'm certain they just had more important things to think of... They just... Forgot."
"Forgot what, my dear?" Zell asked patiently.
"Today is my eleventh birthday... Sera and Ash always came back for my birthday, no matter what they were doing... We spent it together as a family..." She started to cry then, unable to stop herself.
Zell looked startled. "Oh, my sweet Daphne... I am so terribly sorry..." He said softly.
"It is not that important..."
"Of course it is! Your birth was a blessing upon Eltar. I didn't realize they would forget..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, my Dear One."
"It is not your fault," Daphne said. "They love me... They just have much on their minds since..." She sniffled again.
"Don't cry, my darling... I can't stand to see you in tears." He pulled her into his arms and held her, rubbing her back soothingly. "I am going to make you a promise, my darling Daphne... Every year on your birthday, no matter where or when I am prior to the start of the day, I shall make certain to be at your side. You will never spend a birthday alone."
"You don't have to do that... Zell," she said, hesitating before using his name without his title as he'd told her to do.
"Yes, I do." He kissed the top of her head. "You have lost so much, my dear one... I can spare you this pain."
He took her hand once more and brought her to one of the most beautiful places on Eltar. It was a flutterfize sanctuary. Andie realized the giant creatures were very large butterflies. They were more colorful than Earth's butterflies and reminded her of Alice in Wonderland. With Zell by her side showing her the beautiful creatures and leading her to what seemed to be a zoo of some sort on Eltar, Daphne relaxed and almost forgot how incredibly lonely she was.
The dream shifted again, moving later in time. Daphne was twelve. "We're off to the banquet at the Mayor's house," Tiktah said. "I trust things will be fine here."
"Yes, Tiktah. Don't worry. Daphne and I will have a great evening," Jezzeff replied.
"We decided to attend the Society Gala on the other side of Eltar as well. It's a bit of a journey. You don't mind, do you, Jezz dear?" Aliese asked.
"Of course not. It's my pleasure to look after Daphne while you and the Great Wizard are all away," Jezzeff said pleasantly.
"You aren't coming home tonight?" Daphne asked sadly.
"The Gala's a very important event, Daphne. We need to put in an appearance," Tiktah replied.
"We'll be home late three nights from now," Aliese added. "Don't wait up." She checked her reflection quickly before taking Tiktah's arm and hurrying out of the house.
Daphne had tears in her eyes that she tried to hide. "What is troubling you, Sweet Daphne?" Jezzeff asked.
"Tomorrow is... Never mind. All is well," Daphne replied.
"Tomorrow makes two years since we lost Sera," Jezzeff remembered. "Oh, Daphne... You poor thing..."
"I just thought we could spend the day together... To honor her memory..." She sniffled.
"You and I shall do something together," Jezzeff promised. "After all, Sera and Ash were like family to me."
"I miss them..." She started crying, feeling safe being vulnerable in front of Jezzeff.
"I know, sweet Daphne... As do I." He held her as she cried, soothing her until she fell asleep in his arms. At some point, he carried her up to bed.
To Andie's horror, Jezzeff didn't leave the room. Instead, he watched Daphne for a minute before saying softly, "I wonder what it would be like... Zell enjoys her company... If I'm careful not to go too far, he'll never suspect..."
He crawled into the bed beside her, and that was when the true horror began. Daphne woke up as she felt him touching her. Terrified and confused, she looked at him with hurt in her eyes. "Jezz?" She asked softly.
"Shhh, Daphne. All is well," Jezzeff replied.
The flashes sped up. Every time Zell was away and her parents found more important things to do than raise their daughter, Jezzeff took things a little further. He kept testing the boundaries.
Daphne was scared and felt betrayed. Jezzeff was practically her older brother. How could he do that to her?
Zell came home one day after an especially bad night. By then, Daphne was thirteen. Jezzeff had committed all except the most intimate of acts against her. He was rough with his hands as he did whatever he wanted to, hurting her and not seeming to care as she sobbed. She couldn't stand it anymore.
She ran into Zell's arms, holding him tightly. "Daphne, my dear one... What troubles you so?" Zell asked as he held her. His concern was obvious and genuine. He saw the tears forming in her eyes and gently wiped them away.
"I just... I have missed you," Daphne replied, making herself even smaller in his arms. It was true that Zell did those things and even more with her, but he never hurt her. He was gentle and soft-spoken and took care of her. If it was a choice between the two, she knew Zell was the one she was safest with. Besides, Zell had recently announced their relationship to the world. It must be okay... Jezzeff kept things hidden and reminded her how furious Zell would be if he found out she'd been so intimate with Jezzeff.
"I missed you, too, Darling," Zell said. He kissed the top of her head soothingly.
Daphne couldn't tell him. She was too afraid of making him mad.
Two months later, she couldn't stand it anymore. After the worst night yet, Daphne was left trembling even as she woke the next morning.
"He's going to realize what's happening," Jezzeff said with a frown. "It was fun while it lasted." He violated her a final time before forcing a potion down her throat that made her forget everything he'd done to her. Daphne would only remember him as the surrogate big brother she and her parents trusted unconditionally.
Andie was swatting furiously at something as she awoke. "M'Lady! M'Lady, 'tis I! You are having a nightmare," Ivan said frantically.
Andie couldn't make herself stop. She jumped out of the bed and ran toward the door, stumbling and falling onto her knees as she struggled to breathe. She was much more Daphne than Andie then.
"Andie... M'Lady, you're safe. I promise you," Ivan insisted gently. He didn't get too close to her. He'd seen her have flashbacks before and knew better.
"Zell..." She sobbed.
Ivan looked angry then. "What did that fiend do to you?" He demanded.
"Zell... Safe..." She whispered.
Ivan seemed to become confused. "M'Lady..." He began.
"Make him stop... Please..." She whimpered.
"Zell cannot harm you here, M'Lady," Ivan said.
"No... Not Zell... Jezz... Jezz, stop! Please! You're frightening me!"
Rage flashed on Ivan's face, but he quickly put it aside. Gently, he knelt beside her. "Lady Daphne..." He said softly. "Jezzeff isn't here. You are safe."
"Scared..." She whimpered.
"Be not afraid, Lady Daphne," he said. "I shall protect you from harm."
She looked up at him then, taking in her surroundings for the first time. "Lygus?" She asked softly.
Something in Ivan changed. He nodded slowly. "Yes, Lady Daphne... I am with you. So you see, no harm can come to you here, for I would never allow it."
Daphne started crying all over again. Ivan began moving toward her slowly. She didn't react, so he gently pulled her into his arms. She sobbed into his chest.
"Lygus... I'm so sorry..." She said.
Ivan gently stroked her hair with one arm, still holding her with the other. "You have nothing to apologize for. 'Tis not your fault, M'Lady. It never was," he said soothingly.
"I love you..." She whispered.
"I loved you then, and I love you now... And I'll love you always, M'Lady," he said.
Daphne touched her hand to his chest. "It beats... Your heart is strong..." She kissed his cheek. "It must remain that way. Swear to me, Lygus. Swear you will not leave me."
"Never, M'Lady. You have my word. I shall not perish at that fiend's hands this time." He looked into her eyes. "You kept your word to me. You saved my heart. You jumped into the flames to keep me from turning evil. Thank you, M'Lady... Please know that we shall fight together this time, and we shall succeed."
Daphne seemed comforted by his words. Exhausted, she finally left the surface, allowing Andie to regain control.
"Ivan..." Andie said softly.
"M'Lady... Are you alright?" Ivan asked.
"No," she admitted. "Jezz molested her... Right under Zell's nose. Her parents were too self-involved to notice anything was wrong and he was the one they usually left her with if Zell was away." She shook her head. "I'm sorry I lost it. Again." She realized Ivan had a tiny cut on his arm. Horrified, she asked, "Did I-?"
"It happened while I tried to wake you. Don't fret, M'Lady. 'Tis nothing to be concerned by. 'Tis merely a scratch."
"I'm sorry..."
"Stop apologizing. None of this is your fault." He pulled her closer to him.
Andie kissed his lips, needing to feel him. He understood, letting her keep all of the control as he kissed her back. After a few moments, Andie was much calmer.
"M'Lady... I must admit, it wasn't just me speaking to Lady Daphne," Ivan said softly.
"Lygus is waking up in you?" Andie asked.
"I have had some dreams... But here, facing Daphne... It was like I was not fully in control. Lygus desperately wanted to comfort her."
"You get used to it," Andie said. "Sort of... Try not to fight him, Ivan. If you fight, you'll only lose control. The main thing Darcy, Greg, and I learned is we have to work with our past selves. Believe it or not, sometimes they come in handy."
"I shall take your words to heart, M'Lady," Ivan said seriously.
Ivan pulled her closer to him again. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Keep your promise, Ivan. Don't die on me."
"You forget, M'Lady, that I possess what Sir Lygus did not... My energem makes me almost impossible to kill. I can be seriously injured or even maimed, for certain, but unless my energem abandons me, I cannot die."
Andie paused. "But what about James?" She asked gently.
Ivan looked upset, but bravely answered her despite his grief. "Miss Morgan seems to believe that when Venjix caused the weapon to misfire, it altered the energy field of the energem enough to make it briefly stop working. She's since recharged it and it remains unclaimed... In the end, it couldn't save Sir James, and I wonder if that is why it refused to select a new Ranger. As you know, the pink energem chose a new Ranger after abandoning its former selection." He still couldn't say Shelby's name. Even though a few months had passed, Andie knew that wound was too fresh for him.
She hugged him, knowing he needed the comfort. Ivan relaxed in her arms.
Remember the truth, Oralee whispered in her mind. Only then will you understand and be able to do what you must. There is more to come.
Andie had assumed the "truth" she needed to remember had been about Jezzeff. Now, she realized there was more she didn't know.
Great, she thought sarcastically. I can't wait.
ZELL
He was weak and couldn't think straight. His energy was still out of control, but slowly, he felt it starting to calm down.
"Keep it up, Lads! We're nearly there," Maegus said. He sounded very far away. "Angel, keep that flowing... It's helping."
Who is Angel? Zell wondered.
"I'm on it," a girl replied.
"Almost got it! One more trick ought to seal the deal!" Branz said. "Ready... One... Two... Now, Grayzee!"
Lightning struck the energy tube. It shattered a small window, and Zell realized the rest was wrapped in gold.
He was too unfocused to communicate, but he felt the lightning feeding energy into him. He embraced it, needing the strength.
"It's working," the female he assumed was Angel said. "Go get the Alchemist so we can let him out."
"Right," Branz said.
"Hold on, Lad," Maegus said through the hole where the glass had been. "You're going to be fine soon."
Some time later, the Alchemist and the Warlock joined them as Branz returned. "We'll need to build another energy tube. This one's destroyed," the Alchemist said. "Warlock... Read his energy. Is it safe?"
"Yes," the Warlock replied. "He's stable."
The Alchemist removed the gold around the energy tube. Zell looked at his surroundings.
"Welcome back, Great Zell," the Alchemist said. The Warlock bowed his head respectfully. They excused themselves.
"Zell, Lad! You are a sight for sore eyes," Maegus said. He offered Zell a friendly hug. Most people would never dare to hug him, but Maegus was different. Zell appreciated the gesture.
"I'm pleased to be back," he said.
"The four of us balanced you out," Maegus explained. "This is Angel, our dear friend. She's come to join our efforts, and spend a bit of quality time with Grayzee." He smirked.
"Ah, I see," Zell said. "Welcome to the Alliance, Angel."
"Thank you, Great Zell. I'm happy to be here," Angel replied sweetly. She hung off of Grayzee like an accessory. The girl seemed harmless enough, just another pretty face to entertain the eternal lady's man Grayzee for a bit, but Zell decided to keep an eye on her until he knew more. He was aware that looks could be deceiving.
"You look well, Great Zell," Grayzee said.
"Downright spiffy," Branz added.
"Thank you, my friends. I appreciate your help. Now... Branz... I have an assignment for you," Zell said.
The others understood they were dismissed. They walked away. "What can I do for you, Great Zell?" Branz asked cheerfully.
"I need you to collect someone for me. Do not try to harm the child... Just use your charms to lure her here."
"A child, Zell?" Branz repeated.
"She is called Patti. I believe you'll find her at the learning institute the two eldest Chosen attend. Despite my best efforts, she exists, and she needs to be here, where I can keep an eye on her."
He could tell Branz wanted to ask his intentions, but he refrained. "Lure a college girl here. Sure," he said confidently.
"She's younger than the two Chosen are... Still a child on this planet. You'll know her by the energy she gives off. It is the purest light to exist in a human vessel."
"I'll have her here by noon," Branz promised.
"Good. Go on. I should check in on the others."
Branz left, and Zell headed off to see what his other Alliance members were up to. The knowledge the aspect from 1989 had gained was hitting him and it had raised some concerns. Jezzeff was suspicious of Branz and Grayzee, but they'd just helped save him from what he refused to openly admit might have been his destruction. Jezzeff was running off doing things on his own, without Zell's permission. Something wasn't right within the Alliance, and he knew he'd need to test his people if he wanted to figure out where their loyalties truly were.