A/N I apologise it has taken me so long to update. I'm trying to keep on top of posting and writing new chapters but the last two weeks have been a but hectic as my sister is getting married and as the Maid of Honour, I've been helping get everything ready.
Novi and the others arrived at Rootcore early today as Udonna wanted to teach them how properly ride their brooms after the last time when Udonna had called them to get them away from harm. After a quick explanation, the six teens mounted to broom and it wasn't long for a competition began.
"Hey, Novi, Vida, I bet you I could fly from Rootcore, to the edge of the forest and back before either of you could," Nick challenged.
"What does the winner get?" Vida asked.
"Yeah Nick, what do I get when I win?" teased Novi.
"Hmm, whoever loses has to cover the winners Saturday shifts at the Rock Porium," offered Nick.
"I'm down with that," said Vida.
"You've got yourself a bet. It will be nice to have a few Saturdays off when I win," teased Novi before she shot off ahead of the other two.
"Hey, no fair." Said Nick as he raced off after her.
Novi laughed as she heads on to her lead for a moment but as she turned back to check where the others where she heard someone fly past her and saw the flash of pink ahead.
"Catch you later slow pokes," Vida teased.
The trio continued the race with the others flying behind them watching and in the end, it was Nick that got back first.
"Well done, Rangers, now that is enough Mystic racer practice for today," said Udonna meeting them in the forest.
"Aww, just one more lap around the forest," pleaded Chip.
"Yeah, I'm just getting warmed up. I wanna see what these bad boys can really do," said Vida.
"I'm afraid not, it's time for elementary incantations," said Udonna.
"Ah, Boring," said Chip and Vida together.
"Hey, I think that sounds Kinda interesting," said Maddie heading inside.
"I agree," said Novi.
"Yeah, well you don't have to learn them," whined Xander.
"Hey Udonna, the mystic racers are amazing but now that we are power rangers, don't we get other cool stuff too?" asked Vida.
"Oh yeah, I mean no one more than me is excited that I finally get to wear a cape but—," Chip but Xander cut him off.
"Finally? If I remember correctly you used to come to school with a pillowcase pinned to your back."
"Yeah, but that was a long time ago," defended Chip.
"That was last week mate," said Xander making the others laugh.
"Well anyway Vida's right. We're official superheroes now, where's the rest of the vehicle, weapons and gadgets that we get?" asked Chip.
"The Xenotome holds the spell codes that can unlock magical powers beyond your imagination," explained Udonna.
"So, lets bust it open. Load the codes and get our booty," said Vida.
"It doesn't work that way, Vida. As you perform heroic deeds and grow as rangers the Xenotome will reveal the spell codes, when the time is right," Udonna told them.
Udonna walked ahead with everyone but Vida and Chip who hung back for a moment.
"We'll catch up with you guys later," called Vida as her and Chip headed back towards Briarwood.
~~~xXx~~~
Once back at Rootcore, Udonna got the necessary books for Nick, Maddie and Xander to begin their studies while Novi helped her set up things for a potion she was going to make when Claire returned with the ingredients.
"Udonna, I've been meaning to ask you something? Why did you request me, why not another student who has way better control than I do or even someone who wasn't kicked out of the Academy?"
"I asked for you because I knew that not only would we need your abilities in battles but also I think you have great potential despite what you are. I don't know how much you have been told about your powers, about Solar and why people fear you so."
"I know a bit about Solar in that my control over my fire powers seems to be connected to her and I know when I lose control, she takes over and people get hurt…" Novi trailed off. She could still remember the screams of terror of the other students when she had set the classroom on fire. It had been an accident, but people had been hurt as a result of her actions. It wasn't something she would ever forget.
"Well, as you know you have the ability to control the four main elements where other in the Academy could only control three at the most and even that was unusual. Student who controls all four are rare and they more often than not find the combination of four elements to be too much power and are consumed by it. They are extremely powerful and being evil, no longer caring what kind of pain or damage they inflict on others."
Novi just stared at Udonna unsure how to process this information. Now she could understand why once it became know that she was a four-core elemental that everyone, even her closest friends had abandoned her.
"Novi I was willing to take the risk because I believe you can be different. I don't believe in fate and believe despite what others say or believe that we can choose our own paths and I believe you can choose the right path."
With that Claire arrived and the conversation was quickly dropped as the others also decided it was time for lunch.
" Hey Novi, we are going to get some food. Do you wanna join us?" asked Nick.
"Sure."
~~~xXx~~~
The four teens headed into the city to find a place to eat.
"Hey, Chip and Vida never showed. Where do you think they went?" Asked Xander.
"I don't know but when my sister gets that crazy look in her eye, that usually means trouble," said Maddie.
"I can attest to that," said Novi with a laugh.
"I'll show you trouble," said a creature as it landed in front of them.
"Who are you?" demanded Nick.
"I am Necrolai Dark Mistress of the Underworld," she told them.
"I'll hand this one," said Xander before her walked closer to her. "Hi Xander Blythe. Whatever the problem is here, I bet we can just talk this one out."
In response Necrolai blasted him in the chest, knocking him back but Maddie and Nick were able to catch him before he fell.
"Not a big talker I see," said Xander as they helped him back on his feet.
"Let's ranger up," suggested Nick.
"Magical Source, Mystic Force!"
The four teens charged at Necrolai, but she knocked them all away. Nick looked over at Maddie and the pair did a short series of back flips, so they ended up behind Necrolai each aimed kicked at her, but she easily blocked both. Novi tried to punch her, but this was also blocked. The four teens tried to attack her all at once in the hopes of at least one of them landing a blow but Necrolai used her wings and flew up into the air, landing a few paces behind them. Maddie and Nick tried again to surround her while Xander pulled out his magic staff and slammed it into the ground causing a green energy wave to strike her and knock her back and seeing that worked Novi and the others pulled out their staffs too.
"Playtime is over," said Necrolai.
"Oh yeah," said Maddie.
"We'll see," said Nick.
Necrolai flew up into the air and straight at them blasting the with beams of dark magic which exploded as it hit them. She them flew high into the air and turned back around for another attack blasting them again. The beams hit them in the chest, knocking them to the ground.
"Let's go for a ride," said Necrolai and she swooped in and grabbed a hold of the of them and carried them away.
She carried them in the mountains when they heard a new voice.
"Hungry…" it whined.
"Patience Mucor, dinner is on the wing," said Necrolai.
It was then the ranger noticed a large green creature rising out of the ground from a spell seal and Necrolai plans for them became clear, they were the creature's meal…Novi began to struggle against Necrolai hold but her grip was too strong. She thought of Rootcore and suddenly she landed on the hard ground. When she opened her eyes, she saw she was back in the forest she ran in the direction of Rootcore. Once inside she was relieved to see Chip and Vida were already there.
~~~xXx~~~
"Help…Maddie, Nick, Xander…eaten by a monster…Necrolai grabbed us…" she said breathlessly.
Then behind them the crystal ball behind them made a sound. They hurried over to the ball and the fog cleared to show the green monster that Novi had seen,
"That is the monster that Necrolai fed the others too. I have no idea how I ended up back here, but we need to hurry," said Novi.
"Look at that things, its massive, we'll get pummeled," said Vida.
"You might, there is only three of you. You've hardly mastered your rangers' powers. Are you afraid?" asked Udonna?
"No! It's not that I'm— "defended Vida.
"I totally scared, look my goosebumps, they have goosebumps," said Chip.
"I am afraid," said Novi. "Before I ended up back here, I saw it swallow the others whole," said Novi with a slight shudder.
Okay, I guess I'm a little freaked," said Vida reluctantly.
"You should be, that creature's size and strength are unlike anything you have encountered," said Udonna.
"But Maddie and Nick," started Vida.
"And even Xander, they need us," finished Chip.
"We've got to try and help them," said Novi.
"Real heroes are born in the face of real danger," Udonna reminded them.
"Magical Source, Mystic Force!"
Once morphed the three pressed a button on their Morphers and the wall turned to reveal their broom which turned into the Mystic Racers and they climbed on them and flew into the mountains to rescue their friends.
~~~xXx~~~
"There it is," said Vida.
Chip opened his morpher to try to contact the others.
Guys this is Chip, where are you?"
"Inside the belly of the beast. Stay back Chip, I think he has room for seconds," warned Nick.
"I don't care, I'm going in," said Vida.
"I'm right behind you," said Novi.
The pair raced off and Novi flew around the creature's head to distract him so Vida could attack from her racer. Vida flew around the creature then up high into the sky out of its reach while Novi continued to circle it.
"Mystical Wings, Fairy Dust!"
As Vida spoke those words dust floated down around them, and it was clear the creature inhaled some of the dust as it took in a series of quick short breathes then sneezed expelling the others from inside it. Vida landed on the ground near them.
"Somebody's gotta take this freak down and we are just the rangers to do it, right Novi?" Chip asked.
"Right," Novi agree as she pulled out her staff and followed his lead.
The pair blasted at the creature with electric and fire arrows which knocked it to the ground before she and Chip landed on the ground beside the others.
"Wahoo,"
"Nice work that was incredible," cheered the others patting both Chip and Novi's shoulders.
"All in a day's work," said Chip.
Suddenly the ground shook as the creature got back up.
"Hungry," it complained again.
"I'm not afraid of him," said Chip.
"Strong as a tree, Green Mystic Ranger!"
"Every changing as the wind, Pink Mystic Ranger!"
"Fluid as the sea, Blue Mystic Ranger!"
Wielder of the elementals, Scarlet Mystic Ranger!"
"Fast as Lightning, Yellow Mystic Ranger!"
Forceful as Fire, Red Mystic Ranger!"
"We call forth the Magic, Power Rangers Mystic Force!"
Suddenly six yellow orbs floated down and landed on their Mystic Morphers and there was a sparkling revealing a three-digit code.
"Hey, it's a new spell code!" said Vida.
"I get it now. Udonna was right. Amazing," said Chip.
"Galwit Mystio Prvior!"
"It's Titan time," the six rangers called out as they entered the new code into their morphers.
"Mystic Minator!"
"Mystic Sprite!"
"Mystic Mermaid!"
"Mystic Kitsune!"
Mystic Garota!"
"Mystic Phoenix!"
Ancient power, Mystic Titans!"
The Creature fired egg shaped balls at them which exploded as they hit the ground but all of them were unharmed in their new titan forms and Chip and Nick charged at the creature, Chip blasted the creature with his lasers then Nick followed using his sword he struck the creature in his stomach. Vida turned herself into a small pink ball, which Xander caught and used his ax to volley it to Maddie. Maddie leaped out of the water and smacked the ball with her tails, and it went sailed over to Novi who flipped and smacked the ball with her four tails sending it to Chip who caught it between his wings, he threw it to Nick and Nick used his sword like a baseball bat and the ball hit the creature who exploded on contact.
~~~xXx~~~
The teens headed back to Rootcore where Udonna was waiting for them.
"I'm proud of you all, and you have only began to tap into the potential of the mystic titans."
"Yeah, but now green freak is gone, right? So, it's all good in the woods?" asked Maddie.
"Well let's hope so, but we don't know if that the same creature that attacked Claire," said Xander.
"Nick's investigating that," said Udonna as she headed over to the crystal ball and the others followed.
"What is he running from?" asked Xander.
"I don't know but he needs helped," said Novi.
They jumped on their Mystic racers and hurried towards the forest where they had seen Nick start to fight the wormlike creature. As they got close, they could see the creature was about to swallow nick so Xander jumped from his racer and used his ax to strike the creature before it could, and it disappeared back into the ground the others dismounted and came running up behind them celebrating but it didn't last long as the ground began to shake, and the worm reappeared but this time it had eight heads.
"He looks mad," said Nick.
"How can you tell?" asked Xander as he pulled out his morpher and opened it. It chimed as a new code was revealed to him. "Hey, I got a new spell code!"
The others opened their morphers to see the same code.
"Udonna said the titan had more power!" said Vida.
"Let's just see what they can do!" said Nick.
"Galwit Mystio Prvior!"
Mystic Titans!"
Once they had changed into their zords it was time to use the new code they had received.
"Mystic Titans, Dragon formation!"
Xander's titan became the body while Maddie and Novi's changed to form its tail, Chip titan became their wings and Vidas the head.
"How cool is that," said Nick still on the ground below them. "Hang on everybody, I'm ready to ride!"
He hopped into the air and landed on their back, but he was a little unsteady on their back, but he grabbed onto part of the wings and soon found his balance.
"Let's bury that worm!"
The worm fired purple beams at them, but they bounced harmlessly off as Nick rode through the fire and smoke and slashed it with his sword. It fired more beams, but they easily dodged them turning and flying back at the worm.
"Dragon Blast!" called out Nick.
The blast hit the creature and it squealed in pain.
They turned back around, and Nick jumped off their back sailing towards the worm like creature while they shot another fireball in its direction. Mid-air Nick turned over and kicked the fireball giving it greater momentum as it hit the worm directly in the center of its head and it roared in pain and Nick landed safely on their back and they glided back to the ground.
"Alright, that was a snap," said Nick snapping his fingers as the Creature exploded in front of them.
~~~xXx~~~
They once again returned to Rootcore and Udonna sent Nick and Novi back out to gather the remaining ingredients for the potion that Claire had dropped after she had been chased by the worm-like creature. It didn't take the pair long and soon all they needed was the stickle berries. Novi spotted them first and pointed them out to Nick. He knelt down in front of the bush and pulled off a handful of the berries.
"So, these are stickle berries," he said and went to put one in his mouth.
"I wouldn't do that," Novi warned but it came too late.
"Ugh." Novi heard him groan as he took the berry out of his mouth and threw it into the forest.
"Ugh, that was gross," he complained still trying to wipe the taste out of his mouth.
"I tried to warn you," said Novi with a laugh.
"I better pick some more," he said reaching to grab another handful off a nearby bush.
As he moved the leaves aside to grab some from deeper inside the bush, Phineas popped up out of the bush scaring Nick.
"You gotta stop doing that," he said.
"Ive been looking everywhere for you. I wanted to thank you for saving me," said Phineas opening his arms for a hug.
"To tell you the truth, I don't think I saved you as much as a monster spit you out," said Nick.
"Rat feathers, even that hideous beast rejected me. I don't belong anywhere, not even in a worm stomach," Phineas said sadly.
"Ah don't say that Phineas," said Novi going over and giving him a hug.
"You know him?" asked Nick.
"Yeah, I used to wander through these woods a lot when I lived here. I met Phineas my second year here," Novi explained.
Phineas held out a hand for Nick to shake, Nick looked between him and Novi before taking Phineas hand. Nick and Novi started to head back to Rootcore, and Phineas followed them.
"You see I'm a troblin. That is the unfortunate results of the union between a troll and a goblin, but both sides hate me. So-so I wander the forest on my own,"
"Well actually the reason I was out here is you helped a friend of mine and I wanted to say thank you. I hope you like stickle berries," Nick said offering the basket to Phineas.
"Who doesn't!" Phineas asked scooping up the berries and stuffing them in his mouth greedily.
"Right," said Nick with a chuckle looking over at Novi.
"Ooh I must warn you though, young warrior, this forest is full of danger," Phineas warned.
"Tell me something I don't know," said Nick. "My friends and I are up against Necrolai and Koragg. It can't get worse than that."
"Yes—yes it can, you still haven't faced…Him."
Who's Him?" asked Novi.
"The supreme master of the underworld," whispered Phineas his voice trembling and his eyes darting around as if simply speaking that name had the power to summon him from the underworld.