He loved the idea. He hated the execution. This was the thought pattern that played on a loop in Avanth's head. He rode in a horse-drawn carriage, a black and silver thing complete with a goblin driver and real horses. A slight breeze ruffled what strands of long black hair struck out from beneath his utterly ridiculous headpiece. The cloak hanging from his shoulders, which covered his entire form, was however unaffected. He took a deep breath.
The choice of vehicle had been one specifically to make the trip at least a little bit more interesting. If he was going to arrive, he may as well do it in style. The people already—for the most part—viewed him as some sort of king, so why not play the part? Sure, a flying vehicle would have been the practical choice, but he didn't see the issue with abandoning pragmatism for a bit of extra enjoyment.
Avanth let out the breath he hadn't been aware of holding. A glance over his right shoulder revealed the crowd lined up on the road to that side. Men and women from all walks of life cheered and waved at him. Many of them, however, shied away at his gaze. Some even slipped back into the crowd. Shy and nervous at the sight of their leader. He waved back, his best attempt at a winning smile on his face.
One of the women, face contorted, attempted to rush out from the crowd and approach the carriage. Two of the goblin guards nabbed her before she could take a second step. She was unceremoniously shoved back into the group, where she sank back a few ranks and appeared to fall. Probably just a fangirl. As the carriage passed her by, Avanth thought he saw a glint of something long and metal fall out of her hand. A pen for signing an autograph, perhaps?
A look to the left showed much of the same, minus the one overexcited onlooker. Avanth gave them a wave as well, just so they wouldn't feel left out. This happened every time he made a scheduled appearance in any town, which was mostly the reason why he almost never did. To be surrounded by this many individuals filled him with dread and, he hated to admit it, anxiety. That they adored him lessened the blow by little. Indeed, that may have been even worse.
Even at the best of times, he didn't consider himself to be much of a people person. He much preferred the company of monsters and goblins. They didn't ask questions, nor make demands. They were predictable, loyal, simple. Humans, on the other hand? You never really knew what they were on about. Even the people themselves rarely did.
Another breeze blew, and the alchemist grumbled for the uncomfortable way it swished his hair against his forehead. He tried to adjust his greasy locks to one side, but with his headdress holding them down, the most he could manage was a limp swish. He closed his eyes as they fell back into their previous positions. Was Milan always so windy? Probably not. Just his luck, to have chosen a less than ideal day for this little excursion.
It was on suggestion from Adam, that Avanth found himself in Italy on this particular day. What his new Purple Ranger said had been true, and it struck a chord with him. Avanth knew he had loyalists amongst the population. Indeed, he would wager they outnumbered the rebellious few. Many people lived prosperous lives under his rule. Sure, his goblins kept the peace with a heavy hand, but so long as people remained in line, they never would see the wrath of such authority. Maybe protests, social media, and dissenting language were banned, but only in the interest of peace. Only state approved media played on the television and radio for the same reason. Avanth gave them calm and simple lives, and they loved him for it.
Thinking back, it was a little bit absurd that he had never thought to use such a powerful and readily available resource. Sure, the average human could be unpredictable, but that was just a product of their independent nature. What made them hard to deal with, also made them strong. In that, Adam had a point. There were many people willing to fight for him. It would be wise to use them.
And so, the carriage. And the horses. And the crowd. Honestly, Avanth would have preferred to skip all of this. He had important matters to attend, none of which involved pomp and circumstance. To him, a little parade like this was just a waste of time. It made much more sense to land in the country, do what he needed to do, and go back to his fortress. That was easier, quicker, and cheaper, for everyone involved.
The people, however, would have disagreed. That there were so many in attendance was proof of that. Little showings like this were important to them. To see their great leader boosted morale, let them know that they were seen and heard. Avanth wasn't sure he understood how that worked, but the results spoke for themselves. Every time he made an appearance like this, his approval rates skyrocketed. If the cost of a little more peace was to make a spectacle of himself, then he was more than willing to do so. That realization shocked him every single time he made it.
Up ahead, he saw the ultimate destination of this little trek. It probably had been visible long ago, he just failed to notice it. Too much on his mind. A stage made of black wood draped in a matching curtain had been set up in a little square, just in front of a multi-tiered fountain. There was a wooden lectern with a floating holographic microphone attached. The trick, there, was that he would not use the microphone in favor of boosting his voice via potion. Simple tricks entertained the people so.
A blaster shot rang out, a piercing crack that shattered the joy and excitement of the moment. Avanth leaned back in the carriage just in time for a red bolt to pass him by, missing his nose by inches. He felt the intense heat from the laser in the split-second before it sailed on, over the crowd, and through a building far on the left side of the road.
Screams tore through the audience as they made a mad scramble in every which direction, desperate to escape the suddenly dangerous situation. Their wake left five men, all of them done up in casual clothes carrying blaster weapons of various makes and models. In total, three pistols, and two rifles. They wore surprised expressions that looked rapidly amongst themselves. Whatever their plan had been, this clearly wasn't it.
A few of the goblin guards in the area surrounded the carriage in defensive positions, while several more charged at the five men. The humans raised their weapons, prepared to fire.
"Stop!" Avanth ordered. All at once, the goblins came to a rest. They turned back to look at him. "I'll handle this."
Avanth rose from his sitting position. A deep breath, and then he descended the narrow stairs on the side until a little hop brought him to the ground. No rush muddied his steps. He was the picture of calm and grace. Indeed, his prevailing emotion was annoyance. This was the last thing he needed. Though, what was this twinge of excitement in the very back of his mind?
As he approached the five men, the goblins in his way parted, allowing him a clean view of the assailants. They were afraid, and rightly so, but also seemed confused. None of them pointed their blasters at him. While Avanth walked, he spoke.
"So, let me guess. That first shot was supposed to hit me, but it didn't, and now none of you know what to do?" He paused to let them answer, but they didn't. "Thought so. Don't feel bad. One shot wouldn't have been enough, so your plan would've failed anyway. Nice try, though. You know, I appreciate your gumption. Most people wouldn't take this kind of initiative. It was foolish of you, but brave. I can get behind that."
Avanth reached into his cloak. The men startled, on alert as Avanth moved, obviously prepared for the absolute worst. The alchemist pulled free a vial full of sparkly black liquid so thick it hardly moved at all inside the glass.
"Tell you what, why don't you try again? I'll give you a free shot. It's fine really. I'll humor you. But don't waste it." Avanth crushed the vial in his left hand. The liquid spread over his hand, clinging to the skin. "You won't get another chance."
The men, predictably, did nothing. There was no way they ever could have imagined a turn of events like this, even in their wildest dreams. Of course, the possibility of this stupid plan working at all was a pretty wild dream to begin with.
Avanth waited for them to move. The air between them grew stale, awkward. Silence reigned, enough to hear a pin drop from a mile away. With every second that passed, Avanth felt his entertainment slip to boredom, and then frustration. Finally, something interesting had happened, and these men were too weak to capitalize on a golden opportunity. It made him sick. This was one of the many reasons he disliked people.
"COME ON!" He screamed at them.
His violent beckoning inspired the men to action. Almost all at once, they raised their weapons and opened fire. Red bolts of energy issued forth from their blasters, hurtling toward Avanth at the speed of light. He smiled before leaping at the call.
He moved on pure adrenaline, motions practiced and perfect, powered by stolen strength. The barrage of lasers reached him, and Avanth met them with an impenetrable defense. He moved his black potion coated hand around at dizzying speed, intercepting the shots as they came on. They fizzled out on contact with the goop, seeming to disappear into the dark abyss created on his hand.
The men continued to fire, blasting quickly as they could. Many of their shots were inaccurate, but the ones that did fly true were nullified by Avanth. He blocked them all, needing only the one hand to keep himself safe. The naked eye wouldn't be able to see what he was doing, so swift were his motions. To Avanth, however, his movement looked normal. All of the power he had absorbed from the Morphin Grid allowed him to not only accomplish a feat like this, but also to understand it on an intrinsic level.
As the weapons began to run dry, the torrent slowed down. First two of the pistols ran out of ammunition, and then a rifle. When there were only two shooters left, Avanth advanced again, all the while blocking the bolts with his hand.
The last pistol ceased firing, leaving a rifle to carry on the offensive. Avanth locked eyes with this man, drinking in his puzzled fear. This attacker wasn't even aiming anymore. His entire effort set upon doing whatever he could to hold Avanth back. For him, that meant shooting wildly. But a simple strategy like that could only take him so far. A few seconds more, and the only thing his weapon produced was a series of neutered clicks. The man looked from Avanth, down to his blaster, and back again. Avanth smiled at him.
"Not bad. Not bad at all." With his free hand, Avanth wiped away the black goop on the other, throwing it to the ground where it collected in a congealed mass. "My turn."
Avanth produced a vial of green from beneath his cloak. He threw it at his feet, where the glass shattered so the liquid could coat his boots. All of this allowed for a single burst of energy, a puff underneath him that sent the alchemist forward, a swift dash to get right in the face of the man he was currently staring at, the one who shot at him the longest. The man made a silent scream, one that twisted into pain as Avanth buried a fist into his midsection.
As this man collapsed, another tried to circle around and attack from behind. Moving at impossible speeds, Avanth produced an orange vial. He crushed it, and the liquid turned into flame. Avanth whipped around, trailing this fire beneath his hand so that it painted across this man as he charged in. His clothes immediately went up. He screamed and fell to the paving stones, writhing against the inferno. It would not snuff out until he did.
A third man attempted to charge Avanth, using speed and aggression to his advantage. The alchemist, however, saw him coming. There was still a little bit of the green liquid on his boots, and he used that to quickly cover the distance. The man attempted to draw back, but far too late. Avanth placed two swift punches into his body, and then a wild haymaker to his cheek. So great was the impact, the man flipped into a lateral roll, six rotations before he finally hit the ground.
Avanth felt something sharp impact his neck. It was minuscule, not unlike the bite of a mosquito. Were he not in a fight, he would have thought that's what it was. He turned around to see one of the two remaining men there, a shocked expression on his face, a bent knife in his hand. Ah, so that's what it was. The man took a slow step back, clearly unable to believe that his attack had been ineffectual. Such a paltry weapon couldn't even come close to hurting the alchemist. That he felt it at all was a testament to how much force had been put behind the blow. This man may have been a good soldier, had he not already signed his obituary.
The knife fell from his hand. As it clattered against the street, Avanth noticed it glinted in the sunlight in a very similar manner to the long pen the woman who charged the carriage had been carrying. Strange, how that worked. Maybe they were made of similar materials? Though, he'd never heard of a stainless steel pen before.
No matter. Avanth took a red vial from his cloak. Crushing it in his left hand immediately caused a sickening crimson blade to sprout in its place. He grabbed the hilt of this curved, jagged sword and dragged it across the chest of the man before him. The man crumpled, face-first in a little ball, unmoving.
And then there was one. At the sight of the unholy slaughter before him, the final remaining man did the smart thing. He turned and bolted. Avanth reached his free right hand into his cloak to retrieve a light blue vial. A squeeze to break the glass formed the airy contents into a concentrated ball of energy which floated just above his hand. Avanth lazily chucked it at the fleeing man, where upon it hit him in the back of the head. The man uprooted from the ground, managing to complete a full front flip while still hurtling forward, before landing on his front. Avanth just sighed and shook his head.
With the immediate threat vanquished, the previously dispersed crowd began returning to the sidewalks. Clearly, they hadn't gone far. The trusted their great leader to keep them safe. They were hesitant as anyone might be, looking around at the goblins trying to keep order, the figures on the ground and the man who put them there.
Where most other people would have seen an utter failure to the day, Avanth instead grasped at an opportunity. Alchemical sword still in hand, he walked back to the carriage. This presentation had been meant for a stage, but the horse he rode in on would do just fine. He didn't even bother with the stairs. Instead, he hopped right up onto the little sun shade roof. He took a moment to inspect the audience. The people looked up at him, expectant.
He gestured with his sword to where the assailants lay. "This is exactly why I'm here today. I came to Italy, my biggest supporter state, to address the growing problem of rebellion amongst my empire. I have given you peace, prosperity, happiness. You are secure within my borders. Your goods trade without tariff. Unemployment has dropped. Inflation is a thing of the past. The bounties I have provided you are vast. And yet, there are those who would reject those gifts, who want a return to the anarchy of the old days, who want to see me destroyed. These men are but one example. The worst of them, are the Mythos Power Rangers."
Avanth paused. This was the part of a speech where the crowd might either cheer his praises, or boo the mention of their enemies. These people, however, were stark silent. All they did was stare at him. They hung off of his every word. It felt good to have an enraptured audience. He continued.
"These hooligans would tear down everything I have built. They would plunge our world back into the darkness that I expunged. I cannot allow that to happen. You cannot allow that to happen. I will admit, I haven't been exactly sure how to tackle this situation. It is a different fight than what I'm used to. However, after speaking with my allies, the two Rangers who decided to join me, I came to a solution. Ladies and gentlemen, my loyal subjects, I have come here today to announce the formation of the Red Legion."
Another pause, met with more silence. Obviously, their curiosity overwhelmed them. It would be cruel to leave them hanging, so Avanth went forward with his speech.
"You see, speaking with the Purple Ranger made me realize that I have a valuable, untapped resource at the tips of my fingers. All of you, are that resource." Avanth pointed with his sword at the crowd, passing it slowly over a large swath of them. "The Red Legion is to be a military branch comprised exclusively of humans. No goblins. No monsters. Milan, the home of my most ardent supporters, will be the base for my new fighting force. Shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow men and women, you will defend your homes, my territory, from anyone who might seek to rip them away from you. I have seen the strength of humanity. I would be a fool to waste it.
"I bid you stand!" Avanth thrust his sword to the sky. "Join me to fight against the chaos. Root out the usurpers, destroy our enemies, preserve the peace. For yourselves. For your families. For the way of life that I have provided to you. All who would join the cause of righteousness, please now step forward. Abandon your mediocrity. Become the first members of the greatest army the world has ever seen. Become legend. Join the Red Legion."
It took a moment for anything to happen. This was a lot of information for so many people to process, especially after such a shocking moment. The air grew stagnant as no one made a sound, the second time silence had taken the streets. No one really knew what to do. Certainly none dared to be the first. Avanth gave them the time they needed. He'd already plaid his gambit. A little patience wouldn't kill him.
After what felt like an eternity, but likely wasn't even a minute, one man stepped forward. He was a large gentleman, blue eyes and a stony face. His bold decision opened the floodgates. A few more presented themselves, then several. Before long, dozens of men and women had made the choice to join the fight.
With a satisfied smile, Avanth looked out at the formation of his new Legion. He saw the way their eyes darted around, looked every which way except directly at him. He saw the pale faces, some blank, others on the verge of tears, a few seemingly enraged. They had hunched shoulders, square stances, tight fists. So excited were they to join, they couldn't contain themselves. Their families even attempted to hold them back on several instances, desperately crying and grasping, begging them not to go. Soldiers going off to war met the same responses. But the bravery of these volunteers could not be contained.
All Avanth could do was observe as relieved elation washed over him. This was the start of something great. This was his Red Legion.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I wanted to get this chapter out quickly, as I hated the idea of making you all wait so long for a chapter that doesn't even contain the Power Rangers. As always, this one ran long. I thought I could do it in under 2,500 words, but it ended up being closer to my average of 3,500. As has been proven time and time again, I am completely incapable of brevity.
Please leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed this chapter. What did you think of this extended peak into Avanth's psyche? Did you pick up on how he misinterpreted the reactions of the crowd and the things happening around him?