Heiress Apparent Part One
Imperious glanced around the corner to see if the coast was clear.
Much to Imperious' relief, the room was quieter than a grave and there was nobody around. Not Necrolai or the Hidiacs and the Styxoids and certainly not Koragg, just as Imperious hoped for and more. It made what he was about to do all the easier. In Imperious' hand was a vial of green liquid poison of the highest concentrate. There was no known antidote as the poison could kill anyone within the blink of an eye, even the Master. It was quite a deadly weapon, and Imperious intended to use it on the Master while the Master was still helpless.
"I must strike at the Master now while I have the chance or I will never rule the Underworld!" hissed Imperious to himself. He had no intention of remaining a lackey forever. No, Imperious wanted to rule the Underworld alone. But Imperious knew that as long as the Master lived and there were those loyal to the Master, the dark wizard's ambitions would never be fulfilled unless he struck while the iron was still hot.
Imperious had just uncorked the vial of poison and was about to dump its contents down when he was interrupted.
"What're you up to, Imperious?" demanded Koragg, harshly as he stormed into the room.
Startled, Imperious dropped the glass vial, causing it to shatter. Upon making content with the floor, the poisoned turned black and smoked before vanishing, leaving a gaping hole in its absence.
"Nothing! Just working on a potion for the Master's approval!" said Imperious, quickly. "I didn't know you were here."
"I'm never far from the Master and nothing happens in this pit without my knowing it," said Koragg.
Imperious could not stop himself from scowling. "Of course. Such a loyal servant," he said, spitefully.
Koragg growled. "Yes, I am loyal. And it's because of my loyalty that when the Master rises, I will be his first in command and then you will answer to me! Remember that!"
Without waiting for a reply, Koragg left the room.
As soon as he was gone, Imperious clenched his fist in anger. "I'll never destroy the Master while Koragg's around!" Imperious was not a complete idiot. Even without his magic, Koragg had survived a duel against two of the Barbarian Beasts and then he'd taken down one of them unaided. Now that Koragg's magic had been returned, the idea of being able to take Koragg down was simply impossible. Still, if Imperious refused to give up. If he couldn't dispose of Koragg, perhaps Imperious could achieve a higher ranking in the Master's service which would force Koragg to be less of a nuisance. "But if I can't destroy the Master, then maybe I should gain his favor."
While the idea of still being an underling wasn't very appealing to Imperious, he reasoned that it was better to be first-in-command to the greatest power in the world. At least, temporarily, until he could find a way to achieve his ambitions.
XXX
Outside of Rootcore, Mason and Daggeron were in the midst of bound battle practice while Udonna and the others eagerly watched. As per the custom of bound battle, both Mason and Daggeron's left hands were shackled with a good length of chain between them, they each had a wooden practice sword in their unbound hands and neither one of them were morphed.
Mason narrowly dodged a blow from his father's practice sword before meeting Daggeron's next attack with one of his own. He then held his bound hand to the level of his eyes and pulled the chain taut. Mason playfully winked at Daggeron, challenging his father to come meet him. A challenge that Daggeron was only too happy meet, judging by the smile on the Solaris Knight's face. Daggeron then spun around, shortening the length of the chain and swinging his sword down at Mason. Again, Mason dodged and then a game of tug-of-war ensued as the two men tried to gain an advantage over the other. Finally, Daggeron gave the chain such a hard pull that Mason found himself flat on his back and just barely met Daggeron's sword with his own.
"Sorry. Next time, I'll go easy on you," teased Daggeron.
Mason shook his head. "Don't even think about it."
Miraculously, Mason performed a sweeping kick with his leg that knocked Daggeron down.
Daggeron made an impressed grunt as they both then stood up and resumed their battle.
"Hey, Udonna, why doesn't Daggeron use his laser lamp? Or Mason his water magic?" asked Xander, curiously. While the sword fight was entertaining to watch, Xander couldn't help but be curious as to why neither party was even attempting to use the tiniest bit of magic.
"Because, according to the rules of bound battle, only swords can be used. No magic. Daggeron's very skilled in this technique," explained Udonna.
"Because I was taught by the best," interjected Daggeron, grinning as he and Mason held the chain and encircled each other like wolves. "And now Nehir will be beaten, I mean taught by the best."
Mason smirked, a rarity for him. "I see humility hasn't sunk in since you've reached old age," he said teasingly.
Their audience laughed as Daggeron feigned offense and then they resumed their battle.
"I think Mason's got this all wrapped up," said Natalia, smiling fondly at her boyfriend.
Xander shook his head while not taking his eyes off the duel. "It's not over yet."
And indeed, it was not. When Daggeron lunged for Mason with his sword, Mason caught the hilt of Daggeron's sword with his own and then performed a tricky move that sent Daggeron's sword into the air. Mason caught his father's sword with his free hand but instead of using Daggeron's sword in addition to his own, Mason did the honorable thing and returned Daggeron's sword to him.
"Oh, no, bro, you had him! Don't give him his sword back," whined Vida.
Daggeron smiled in approval but then quickly resumed the fight. After a series of highly impressive swordplay by both parties, Mason secured a victory by leaping through a wide gap in a nearby tree and pulled hard on the chain, sending Daggeron straight into the tree. Before Daggeron had a chance to regain his bearings, Mason kicked the underside of Daggeron's leg and sent the Solaris Knight flying into the air before landing on his back and finding himself with Mason's sword at his throat.
Everyone cheered and applauded as Mason helped Daggeron to stand and then they proceeded to unchain themselves.
Daggeron couldn't stop smiling as he patted Mason's shoulder. "Well done, son. You beat me fair and square and you did it with honor."
Mason beamed under his father's praise. "Thanks, Dad. But really, it was just luck."
Daggeron shook his head. "No. It wasn't just luck. It was skill. You've come a long way in your training and I'm proud of you. You all have."
The other Rangers beamed under their mentor's praise.
"We owe a lot of that to you," said Natalia. Heaven alone knew where they'd be if Daggeron hadn't agreed to train them and help them further develop their skills as warriors and practitioners of magic. They owed Daggeron a great deal.
"Yeah, you were taught by the best and so are we. Maybe one day we'll be as good as King Leanbow," said Chip. His tone became hesitant and quiet as he then asked, "Could…could you tell us a little bit about him, please? I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'd like to know more about this great man and warrior."
Udonna tensed as she hesitated. Though had been well over a decade, the past was still somewhat painful to speak of. Did she dare revisit those memories and risk the pain returning full-force? Or was everyone better off not knowing the whole painful truth of Leanbow's sacrifice and everything else that came with it?
As if he was reading her thoughts, Daggeron said, "Udonna, Leanbow was a great hero and more importantly, he was a good man and king. They've fought bravely in Leanbow's name for the last six months. They deserve to know the whole story."
Udonna sighed as she realized that Daggeron was right. The Rangers had more than earned the right to know the whole story. Perhaps it was time to finally let go of past pains so that it was possible to move forward with the future.
"You're right. It's time to reveal the whole story," said Udonna. She turned to the Rangers with a soft, if not sad smile on her face. "Why don't we go inside where it's more comfortable? This could take a while."
XXX
Back in the Underworld, Imperious had called a meeting with Necrolai and Koragg, having formulated a plan to not only destroy the Mystic Rangers and Solaris Knight at long last, but also a way to revive the Master at long last.
"I am a genius. A complete and utter genius!" said Imperious, gleefully.
Necrolai looked excited. "You have a plan, my lord?"
"Indeed I do. I have devised a way to capture the Rangers' Legend Warrior powers—for the Master, of course. Their new magic will not only revive the Master entirely, he will be more powerful than ever," said Imperious. "The Rangers will be fought on the surface world and when the time is right, they'll be brought down here and their new powers stolen from them. It's a foolproof plan!"
"My lord, with all due respect, I must protest to this plan. You've seen what the Rangers are capable of now! How can you possibly expect to go up against the Rangers and survive, let alone capture their Legend Warrior powers?" objected Necrolai.
"I don't, Necrolai. But Koragg will while I handle Solaris Knight," said Imperious.
Koragg turned his head sharply. "What?"
"You heard me, did you not, Koragg? If you're such a loyal servant, go and do this for your Master. Help him return by weakening the Rangers and bringing them down here so that we may claim their new powers for the Master while I deal with Solaris Knight," said Imperious. "What do you say?"
Koragg did not take kindly to being ordered around by such a waste as Imperious, but nevertheless, he was willing to admit that Imperious had a point. The Rangers' Legend Warrior powers could be the key to finally restoring the Master and winning the war. And by doing this, Koragg would not only be proving his worth as a loyal soldier of the Master, but he would be performing a great honor.
"I say I will do this. I will obey you, but only this once, Imperious," said Koragg. "Now, I must prepare for battle. Then I will contact the Red Witch and tell her to have the Solaris Knight meet you in battle in the Dimension of Lost Souls while I fight against the Rangers."
"Excellent. Don't take too long, Koragg. We don't have all eternity," said Imperious.
Koragg did not reply as he left the throne room. He'd just entered his quarters when suddenly, his mind was hit once again by images he didn't recognize, images that stirred feelings in him he hadn't felt before yet seemed so familiar. Although the images he'd been seeing since the masquerade were still in brief fragments, they were coming more and more frequently.
He placed a beautiful necklace, a ruby-eyed dragon encircling a snowflake with diamonds and amethysts onto a little girl's neck.
"Promise me you will wear this always," he murmured, as he gently stroked back the child's hair. "It'll keep you safe and help you to be brave. When you look at it in the mirror, remember how much your mother and I love you. And do not forget, this is to be our secret. Promise?"
"I promise, Daddy," said the little girl, as she hugged him. "I love you too."
Koragg shook his head to try and clear his mind. What were those images? Those words? Daddy, mother, love…why were they coming to him and why did they stir such emotions in Koragg's heart? Koragg had to banish them. They had no place in his life. He couldn't afford to succumb to the feelings the images presented. He had to stay focused and fulfill his mission for the Master. After all, it was all he'd ever wanted, his sole purpose in life…wasn't it?
XXX
Back at Rootcore, everyone was seated comfortably on the balcony with steaming mugs of apple cider or hot chocolate as they waited for Udonna and Daggeron to tell their tale. They did not have to wait long, thankfully, for after she'd had a sip of her drink, Udonna began.
"Many years ago, before the Great War, Leanbow and I led happy lives together in our roles as king and queen, lives that were further blessed with the birth of our daughter, Princess Aurora. She was the Light of our lives in more ways than one," began Udonna. "She was a beautiful, compassionate and talented girl. Everyone loved her."
Upon hearing this, Natalia's breath caught in her throat. So, that's who Aurora is. It makes perfect sense. Why didn't I figure it out sooner?
"For generations, my family's served the monarchy in many ways, mainly in the roles of knights and scholars. But when it came my turn to apprentice for knighthood, things took a different turn. Leanbow not only served as my mentor and king, but we became best friends over time and soon enough, we were godfathers to each other's children," continued Daggeron. "And if that wasn't enough, from a young age, Nehir and Aurora were engaged to be married to one another."
Vida's eyes widened and she looked at Mason in stunned surprise. "Whoa, bro. You were arranged to be married to a princess? Why didn't you tell me?"
Mason turned bright red and didn't reply. But he did smile gratefully at Natalia when she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
After regaining his memories, Mason had talked with Natalia, explaining about his past life and his former fiancé, although he'd kept Aurora's lineage to himself out of respect for Udonna's wishes. And Mason had also assured Natalia that while he would always care for Aurora, it was Natalia who held his heart now and forever. Thankfully, Natalia had understood and did not doubt Mason's word.
"It was their idea, actually. Although they were quite young at the time, Nehir and Aurora fell in love at first sight when they met. They wanted to marry as soon as they were of age, so we agreed to a long betrothal between the two of them," said Daggeron. "Anyway, at her birth, Aurora was prophesied to have untold power as she was not only a product of true love, but the heiress of two powerful magical bloodlines and the Mystic Crystal."
"Let me guess, that made her the perfect target for the Master," said Natalia, sadly. It wasn't hard to guess that something terrible had happened to Aurora
Udonna sadly nodded. "Shortly after Aurora's fifth birthday, a shadow fell. The Master rose up from the depths of the Underworld. He demanded that we surrender ourselves and the Mystic Crystal to him, and when we refused, he attacked with his dark armies. With the aid of the Mystic Warriors, Daggeron, Leanbow and I fought bravely with all our might to protect our people and stop the Master. More than once, we were victorious in driving them back, but more than once, the Master's armies returned with more power and strength than before.
"The situation worsened when we discovered through the interrogation of a prisoner that the Master had somehow learned of Aurora's identity and what she was capable of. When that happened, the Master declared that if he could not destroy Aurora, then she was to be captured and placed under his control to serve his foul bidding. If Aurora was killed or made to use the Mystic Crystal as the Master wished, all would be truly lost. And that was something we could not allow."
"So, what happened? Why didn't Leanbow just use the Mystic Crystal to vanquish the Master?" asked Chip, curiously.
"I'm afraid we don't know. You see, the Master's desire for the Mystic Crystal never made sense to anyone as only those of Leanbow's bloodline can wield its power. So, Leanbow sought after the Mystic Mother for advice. Whatever he learned frightened him so much that he feared using the Mystic Crystal was too dangerous, too risky," admitted Daggeron.
As long as Daggeron lived, he would never forget the horrified, scared look on Leanbow's face. Whatever Leanbow had learned that dreadful day about the Master had shaken the normally fearless Fire Wizard King to his core, which was quite a feat. What could Leanbow have learned about the Master that was so terrible?
"However, he was adamant that the Master could not truly win unless Aurora was no more. But this did not solve the problem," said Udonna. "We still had to protect not only the worlds, but also Aurora. So, Leanbow and I made the most difficult choice of our lives. We sent Aurora away into hiding for her own protection from the Master. Daggeron was charged with keeping her and Nehir safe until such a time as the war ended and Aurora could return to take her rightful place as future queen."
"But that day never came. The night I was taking Nehir and Aurora to safety, I was attacked by one that we had once called friend. Calindor," said Daggeron. His tone became bitter and his eyes hardened at the mention of that filthy traitor's name. "But he no longer called himself that. Calindor was now Imperious and he revealed that he was the traitor who'd exposed Aurora to the Master. He demanded I hand her over to him if I wanted to live. I refused and ordered Nehir and Aurora to run to the safe house while I fought off Imperious. In that battle, our powers collided and we were both cursed, trapped in that forsaken cave for more than a decade."
Xander's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Wait, hold on a second. If Mason was supposed to go to the safe house with Aurora, then why did he appear at that hospital in Briarwood with memory loss? And why wasn't Aurora with him?"
"From what we've been able to piece together, Mason and Aurora were hit with dark magic. It was an attack that should have killed them both, but recently we discovered or at least we suspect, that Aurora was in possession of the Mystic Crystal. It saved their lives," explained Udonna. "Perhaps amnesia was the price to pay for safety, we may never know. But what we do know, however, is that we owe much to Phineas. Recently we found out that he happened upon Daggeron's duel with Calindor and found both Mason and Aurora unconscious. To protect them both, he took them to the human realm and separated them."
Upon hearing this, Clare stood up and nearly dropped her mug in shock. "What?! Are you saying Aurora's alive?" When Udonna and Daggeron nodded, Clare looked both angry and hurt. And who could blame her? "Why didn't you say anything to me?"
Daggeron looked regretful at Clare. "We're sorry, Clare. We never meant to hurt you, but we only found out recently. And after sixteen years, we had to be careful with the information. We couldn't risk getting your hopes hope or worse, risking Imperious finding out and putting Aurora in harm's way."
Though Clare was still unhappy about being kept in the dark, she did seem to understand Daggeron and Udonna's motives, for she gave them both a respectful nod and gestured for them to resume telling their story.
"Not long after Aurora was sent away, the battle with the Master worsened thanks to Imperious' betrayal and we were forced to resort to drastic measures to end the war," said Udonna. "By then, the Mystic Crystal was gone and I feared it was long forever, for I didn't know that it was with Aurora. But Leanbow was confident in our abilities to stop the Master. He led the fight that banished the armies of darkness to the Underworld. When the time came, Leanbow forced the Master back into the depths and ordered Niella to seal the gates, despite knowing that he would never return. When Niella did this, Leanbow continued the battle behind the gates alone and was victorious. But our victory did not come without cost. Leanbow, Niella and the other Mystic Warriors all gave their lives to save us all."
By now, the other Rangers' faces were wet with tears of sympathy and grief for their queen's pain as well as tears of respect for the honorable, noble warriors who'd given their lives to protect so many. Their burden and legacy was now the Rangers' to bear and it was something that the Rangers would bear with honor and dignity it deserved.
"Their sacrifice will not be in vain," declared Xander, as he stood up.
"They will be remembered," added Vida.
Mason also stood up. "Udonna, I promise you, we will find Aurora and the Mystic Crystal and bring them both home if it's the last thing we do."
"And we'll never stop fighting until there's peace in both of our worlds," said Chip. "It's what they deserve for their sacrifice."
Udonna smiled gratefully at the Rangers. It was a beautiful, sweet moment. But one that was soon interrupted when Natalia opened her mouth to speak, only to cry out in pain and clutch her head as a familiar agony shot through it. After a few moments, the pain ceased and she stood up, looking serious and angry.
"Koragg?" guessed Daggeron.
Natalia nodded as she rubbed her temples. No matter how many times it happened, it was simply impossible to become accustomed to the pain. "We've got big trouble. Koragg wants to fight the five of us outside of the city in fifteen minutes, while you fight Imperious once and for all in the Dimension of Lost Souls alone."
Daggeron nodded. "Very well. Tell him I accept."
While Natalia did this, Udonna's face became etched with worry. "You're accepting? But this is surely a trap."
"Obviously. But we have no choice. If we don't meet them in battle, heaven alone knows what they'll do to the city. Countless innocent lives would be at risk," said Natalia. She didn't like this any better than Udonna did, but they had a duty to fulfill. And besides, this might be the chance they needed to finally take down Imperious forever. "We have to go, Udonna. You know this."
Udonna still looked unhappy but made no further attempts to argue.
And so, having no other choice, Natalia and the others morphed into the Legend Warrior forms and then zipped off to meet their opponents on the battlefield.
XXX
Outside the city, the Rangers found Koragg standing alone. He was armed, as usual but his posture lacked its usual rigidness, which concerned Natalia.
"Welcome, Rangers," said Koragg.
"Skip the welcome, Koragg, and tell us what you want," said Natalia, impatient. Although she knew Koragg was prepared to battle them, Natalia didn't believe it was a fight that Koragg was after for once. Which begged the question, what could be so important that Koragg would risk his life in a battle against the Rangers, especially knowing the powers they now possessed?
"I want your Legend Warrior powers for the Master," said Koragg. "Do this and you will be greatly rewarded. Refuse and you will pay."
A collection of outraged protests arose from the Rangers at this.
"Never!" growled Mason.
"We don't want any kind of 'rewards' your sick boss can offer us! Forget it!" snarled Vida.
"We only use our powers for good!" added Chip.
"Are you barking mad, Koragg? Give up our Legend Warrior powers for your boss? We'd sooner die first!" said Xander, furiously.
"If that's what you wish, then so be it," said Koragg, coldly. "But before you sign your own death certificates, hear my bargain. Surrender your Legend Warrior powers to me so that I may help my Master arise. If you do this, I promise, your lives will be spared when he takes the throne. More than that, he will grant you a place at his side! If you do not, I will take you to the Underworld myself and any choice you have will be taken from you!"
Natalia scoffed. While she trusted Koragg's word to some extent, keeping such a promise of being at the Master's side was beyond the Knight Wolf's abilities. The Master was an expert liar and manipulator, and more than that, the Master did not care about anyone but himself. Everyone was expendable in the Master's eyes, even Koragg, once his usefulness was over. Why should they trust that the Master would spare the lives of his greatest enemies, much less give them a seat at the table?
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Koragg. You don't speak for your lunatic boss. We on the other hand, can keep our word when we promise you that the Master will have our powers over our dead bodies," snarled Natalia. "But if you want to see what we're capable of now, then we'll be only too happy to oblige! ATTACK!"
And with that, the other four Rangers leapt onto the battlefield and began fighting Koragg from all sides, keeping him busy while Natalia leapt into the air and aimed her Mystic Lion Staff at the Knight Wolf.
Just as the other Rangers got out of the way, Natalia shout out, "Ignis Tonabit!"
And with that, a powerful explosion of fire emitted from Natalia's Mystic Lion Staff that sent Koragg flying. The Knight Wolf landed several feet across the battlefield and when the smoke cleared, he was not only a mess of ash and soot, but his armor was also heavily damage and he could also barely stand. But still, Koragg refused to surrender and nor had he come to the battlefield unprepared. Before the Rangers could act, Koragg quickly crushed a black stone in his hand that took away the worst of his injuries and then he resumed the fight. He drew his sword and met Natalia's Mystic Lion Staff, at which point, the two enemies dueled one another like sword fighters in a movie.
XXX
Meanwhile, Daggeron was arriving in the Dimension of Lost Souls.
Just like its name, the Dimension of Lost Souls was a dank, dismal place. It was so named because in a time long ago, the treacherous and evil souls of those destroyed in battle—both human and monster—were trapped in the dimension as punishment for their actions. They could not interact with the worlds around them as they were trapped in a state of limbo, unable to move on or take revenge against their enemies without the aid of a powerful, dangerous and forbidden spell. The dimension itself was no better than the souls trapped there, for it was a realm with a dark, overcast sky overlooking a seemingly endless desert filled with the ruins of battles long since passed, torn flags, broken tents, skeletons and the like.
And there in the middle of it all, stood Imperious, looking like his usual smug and arrogant self. "So glad you could make it, Daggeron. Welcome to the Dimension of Lost Souls."
"With a name like that, how could I stay away?" said Daggeron, half-joking. Then he turned serious. "But I must admit, I'm puzzled by your actions. I was told you wanted a fight, Imperious. So, why the delay? It's not like you to not strike at the first chance you get."
Imperious gasped in horror. "A fight? Is that what that blundering oaf Koragg relayed to the Red Ranger? Trust me, Daggeron, a fight is the last thing that I want."
Daggeron scowled before raising a skeptical eyebrow. Trust Imperious? Not likely. But if it wasn't a fight that Imperious wanted, then what was it?
"Then why bring me here?"
Much to Daggeron's surprise, Imperious fell onto his knees and looked pleadingly at the Solaris Knight. "Because I knew of no other way to get your attention. I want to say that I'm sorry, Daggeron. For everything." There was a flash of light and then Imperious changed into the armor he once wore when he'd been Calindor. "We were friends once before, we can be so again. I have made terrible mistakes, but I wish to make amends. When the Master sought me out all those years ago, I was too weak to fight against his will. I have been trapped under his power for so long and I wish to change that. I'm so ashamed of what I've become. Please, forgive me!"
Daggeron hesitated as he rubbed his chin with his finger. Imperious seemed genuine and for a very brief moment, Daggeron was tempted to believe him but then Daggeron's mind flashed back to what happened the last time Daggeron had trusted the dark wizard and he took a step back.
"How dare you ask me this after what you've done? You are a traitor!" spat Daggeron, angrily. "Give one good reason why I should believe a word out of your mouth, never mind trust you?"
Immediately, Daggeron received the answer he expected as Imperious' head shot up and a nasty glint appeared in his eyes.
"You shouldn't, you fool!"
Daggeron barely had time to leap out of the way as Imperious tossed a dark spell in Daggeron's direction. Daggeron then proceeded to whip out his Solar Cell morpher.
"Magical Source, Mystic Force!"
And with that, Daggeron morphed into his Solaris Knight armor and proceeded to blast at the dark wizard with his Laser Lamp. Imperious just gracefully dodged the blows before returning to his favored form. The two friends turned enemies then encircled one another like ravenous wolves.
"I guess this puts a damper on us being friends," said Daggeron.
"You could say that," said Imperious, smirking. "So, what do you say, Daggeron? One last battle for old time's sake? We'll settle this once and for all!"
Daggeron nodded. Normally, he would not be so quick to rush into battle, but Imperious had long been a thorn in everyone's side and it was high time that they were rid of him forever so that Imperious could finally face punishment for his treasonous actions in the next life.
"Let's end this! Hiyah!"
And with that, Daggeron leapt into the air and attempted to hit Imperious from above, but the dark wizard thrust out his fan just in time to block Daggeron's blow before punching Daggeron, sending the Solaris Knight flying into the air before he landed painfully on his feet. Imperious then proceeded to blast Daggeron across the desert with a powerful dark lightning spell. Just as Daggeron rose up to protect himself, he found himself blasted with dark magical energy once again, which left him severely injured.
A cruel laugh emitted from Imperious' throat as Daggeron struggled to stand and catch his breath. "I thought your precious Leanbow taught you to fight better than that! But then again, Leanbow always was a colossal fool, which is probably why the Master and I are still around and Leanbow's gone forever! I got so sick of listening to him babble on about honor and valor and always favoring you over me." Imperious made a retching noise. "But thankfully, the teacher is gone and very soon, his wretched favored student will be as well! Malorus Melavacardum!"
A dark seal appeared beneath Imperious' feet and then he grew gigantic in size.
Having no other choice, Daggeron then proceeded to summon the Solar Streak Megazord in order to battle Imperious.
"Remote Control Train Car, go!" ordered Daggeron.
Two smaller trains on magical train tracks emerged from the knees of the Solar Streak Megazord and they attempted to bind Imperious, but the dark wizard just swung down his fan like a hammer and smashed them into oblivion.
"That was just sad, Daggeron!" sneered Imperious. "Allow me to give you a taste of what real power is all about!"
And with that, Imperious blasted the Solar Streak Megazord with powerful dark lightning, severely damaging the Solar Streak Megazord. Imperious then proceeded to swing his fan like a sword at the Solar Streak Megazord, further increasing the damage.
With the damage to the Megazord so severe, Daggeron was forced to use his megazord's ultimate weapon on Imperious.
"Hold on tight, Jenji. This might get rough," said Daggeron, as the genie cat whimpered in fear. "Furnace Blast! Hiyah!"
The Solar Streak Megazord then not only called forth all its power but also drank in as much energy from the sun as it possibly could. The center of the Solar Streak Megazord then became alight with white-hot energy from the sun and its own magic before Daggeron proceeded to blast Imperious with every last ounce of it.
Daggeron expected this would bring the end of the battle and secure another victory for their side, but a surprise came Daggeron's way when Imperious thrust out his fan and began absorbing the power that Daggeron's Solar Streak Megazord was emitting. Miraculously, Imperious was able to stand his ground and not only soak up the weaponized magic like a sponge, but he also drained the Solar Streak Megazord of every last drop of magic it held.
Suddenly, there was a great flash of light and when it faded, the Solar Streak Megazord was gone and Daggeron lay on the sandy desert floor, forcibly powered down and Jenji's lamp was several yards away, leaving Daggeron quite vulnerable.
Imperious cackled in arrogant delight as he stood above Daggeron. He was back to normal size and now his fan was sparking with powerful magical energy.
"You really are a total buffoon, Daggeron. You did exactly what I wanted," sneered Imperious. "But then again, you always were easily to trick and manipulate. Probably why I got the drop on you sixteen years ago in the woods. Thank you for your help."
Daggeron growled in anger as he struggled to his feet. "What on earth have you done, Imperious?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? I've stolen your megazord power. Not for myself, of course. Such power is beyond even my ability to wield for long. That's why I've decided to use it for a very important task," said Imperious. "Tell me, Daggeron, did you not think to ask yourself why I chose this wretched place for our fight?"
Daggeron did not speak but inwardly, he felt like a complete and utter idiot for not asking such an obvious question. Imperious rarely did anything without a reason or an agenda. Why should his choice of a battlefield be any different? It had been a trap, pure and simple, just like Udonna had said. And like an idiot, Daggeron had waltzed right into it like a fly to a spider's web. Now, they would all pay the price for Daggeron's foolishness.
Imperious ignored Daggeron's silence as he then proceeded to cast a forbidden spell. "Megaro Zangar Marodoza! I summon the Chimera!"
Daggeron realized only far too late what Imperious had planned. It was the ultimate resurrection spell, but instead of just one soul being restored to life, it was every last dark and evil soul that was trapped in that forsaken dimension.
"No! That is a forbidden spell!" said Daggeron, horrified.
Resurrection spells were always frowned upon as they rarely worked and even when they did, those who were "restored" to life were never themselves and usually came out wrong in unspeakable ways. But a resurrection spell of this magnitude was a thousand times worse.
"Forbidden to the likes of you perhaps! But what care I for those ridiculous rules? I do not follow them! I do as I please!" sneered Imperious. "This spell will not only resurrect the souls of all those who were destroyed in the first war against the Master, but they will also become one glorious beast that will destroy you and all others like you!"
As Imperious spoke, the countless souls that had once been trapped emerged from their state of limbo and joined together in a giant black mess in the air before there were multiple strikes of blue lightning, followed by a great explosion of light and dust. When the dust settled, literally, there stood a hideous monster with five different faces, one on each shoulder, another on its right hand, one on its upper torso and the fifth on its head. It stood tall and ominous and its left hand sparked with a dangerous level of magical energy. This was the Chimera.
Imperious looked quite pleased at his accomplishment. "Chimera possesses not only the strength but also the powers of all those defeated warriors combined. With Chimera's powers, those of us who serve the Master will be unstoppable!"
Chimera nodded in agreement. "It feels great to be alive! But we're ready to crush now! Where do we begin? This time, we will be victorious in destroying our enemies!"
"Patience, Chimera, patience," said Imperious, soothingly as he stroked the monster's arm.
With some reluctance, Chimera calmed down a little.
Daggeron glared darkly at the abomination and Imperious. "Imperious, you know no good will come of this! This wretched beast cannot be controlled!"
"Oh, I don't need to control Chimera. He's going to do as I ask because we share a similar goal, revenge. Besides, Chimera is loyal to the Master and only a brainless fool would disobey the Master or one who speaks for him," said Imperious. Contrary to what Daggeron thought, Imperious had not undertaken his plan lightly, or so Imperious believed. Indeed, Imperious had researched the forbidden spell extensively and was quite confident in his abilities to ensure Chimera's obedience.
"Just what do you two intend to do?" demanded Daggeron. For Imperious to perform such a deed, the dark wizard had to have some grand plan in mind.
Imperious grinned a sickening grin that sent a cold shiver down Daggeron's spine. "It's quite simple, really. I'm going to send Chimera to the Rangers' fight with Koragg. Once there, he'll take them down and then I'll have the Rangers taken to the Underworld where I'll steal their Legend Warrior powers to revive the Master once and for all!"
Daggeron was horrified, to say the least. Oh, gods, no! Already, a horrendous vision of his son's death and that of the other Rangers before the Master's revival and what would surely occur afterwards unfolded in Daggeron's mind. It was a vision that Daggeron refused to let come true. He'd lost all that he loved once because of Imperious and the Master and Daggeron refused to let such a thing ever happen again.
"I won't let that happen! I'll stop you, I swear on my wife's grave!" vowed Daggeron.
Imperious sneered. "Oh, please, Daggeron. Haven't you learned by now that you are destined to be destroyed? That you cannot win, for I will always have the upper hand? Like right now, for instance? Chimera, attack!"
Before Daggeron had a chance to react, Chimera blasted the living daylights out of Daggeron with a dangerous level of magical energy. Chimera then proceeded to punch the ground, causing the ground to shake like an earthquake before there was a big explosion of light and dark magical energy.
Jenji popped his head out of his lamp and his blue eyes widened in horror. "No! Daggeron!" With so difficulty, the genie cat made his lamp hop over to Daggeron just as the light became blinding. When the light faded, neither Daggeron nor Jenji's lamp were anywhere in sight. They were gone as if they had never been at all.
Imperious laughed in delight at his success. "At last! After all these years, that wretched man is finally gone for good! We have destroyed the Solaris Knight!"
Chimera nearly danced a jig, it was so happy. One enemy destroyed forever and soon others would follow. If taking down the legendary Solaris Knight was such an easy feat, then what awaited them when they took down the Rangers at last? However it happened, the Master was going to be very pleased with their work and that would mean great rewards.
"Lord Imperious, please, send us to the surface world at once so that we may continue taking our revenge!" said Chimera.
"Certainly, Chimera." And with that, Imperious conjured a portal to the surface world, which Chimera happily stepped through.
XXX
Meanwhile, the battle between Koragg and the Rangers was almost at a standstill. Miraculously, despite the boost from their Legend Warrior powers, Koragg was proving more than capable of holding his own against the Rangers. No one had lost yet but nobody had won the battle either. Suddenly, the battle was interrupted when a portal appeared out of nowhere and Chimera emerged from the other side of it before blasting the Rangers sky high with dark magic.
As the Rangers struggled to their feet, Chimera cackled at their pain.
"What the heck is that thing?" demanded Vida.
"An abomination," said Mason, horrified. If he wasn't morphed, one would see how the blood had drained from the Blue Ranger's face at the sight of the dimension on the other side of the portal. He knew then and there that Chimera had come from the Dimension of Lost Souls where Daggeron had once been. And if Chimera had emerged from there, then something terrible had happened to Mason's father, for Daggeron would never have allowed Chimera to come there had Daggeron been able to prevent it. "Oh, gods…"
"Koragg, what is this?" demanded Natalia. "What've you done?"
"This is not of my doing, Red Witch," said Koragg. He, too, sounded just as appalled as the others were at the sight of Chimera, which raised a red flag. "Imperious has cast a forbidden spell!"
Natalia did not need her telepathic link with Koragg to know that the Knight Wolf wasn't lying. An act as dishonorable as this could never be of Koragg's doing.
"You're all mine, Rangers!" said Chimera.
Despite the odds against them, the Rangers refused to give up. Quickly, they combined all five of their Mystic Lion Staffs together to cast a powerful, unified spell and then sent it flying straight at Chimera. But instead of destroying the abomination or even wounding it, Chimera created a powerful shield that caused the Rangers' spell to bounce back at them, severely injuring them and leaving them vulnerable.
Koragg shook his head in clear disapproval. Had he known that Imperious planned to take such a dishonorable action, the Knight Wolf would have done all in his power to prevent it.
"There is no honor here! This isn't the way!" said Koragg, angrily.
Chimera scowled. Like Imperious, he did not care for honor and nor did he have the patience to listen to Koragg's ramblings about it.
"Be quiet! Send them to the Underworld! Or else, you will upset the Master," barked Chimera.
That did the trick. As much as Koragg disapproved of the situation, he was not one to upset the Master. So, with a little reluctance, Koragg thrust out his hand and called forth a dark seal that took the Rangers down to the Underworld.
Within a few moments, the Rangers found themselves in the throne room of Underworld, bound at the wrists and forcibly powered down. They were surrounded by countless Hidiacs and Styxoids, and to make the situation even more unpleasant, Necrolai and Imperious were both there, cackling in arrogant glee at the sight of their prisoners.
It was a moment like this that called for the power of Natalia's necklace, but the Red Ranger made no attempt to use its magic. Natalia couldn't explain it but she just knew that this was neither the time nor the place to unleash her necklace's power. Instead, she glared darkly at the Rangers' hosts.
"Welcome to my humble home, Rangers! If I knew guests were coming, I'd have tidied up!" said Imperious. "Now, what should I do with you after I've gotten what we want?"
"Perhaps my daughter would like them as pets, my lord," said Necrolai. "She does get so lonely down here. And these Rangers do have the one thing our foot soldiers lack, like souls."
"Daughter?" said Chip, feigning ignorance. They "What daughter?"
Necrolai cackled. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough, Ranger! But trust me when I tell you that she will make your eternal stay here quite unpleasant."
Unbeknownst to Imperious and Necrolai, Lee-Lee had just set foot into the throne room to see what all the fuss was about, only to step back in shocked fear. After a moment, Lee-Lee drew a dagger from her boot and looked as though she was about to blow her cover to aid her friends, but then she saw the look on Natalia's face and changed her plans. Without so much as a word, Lee-Lee then vanished into the shadows.
XXX
Meanwhile, back at Rootcore, Udonna and Clare were frantically trying to locate Daggeron and the Rangers. Although they had seen the battle between Imperious and the Solaris Knight, they refused to believe that Daggeron had perished. But their efforts to find him were fruitless and their efforts to locate the Rangers were even more so, until a darkness completely engulfed the crystal ball.
"It's never done that before. What does itmean?" asked Clare, worriedly.
Udonna looked grim and her lips had gone white around the edges. "It means they're in the Underworld."
"And it also means the situation's worse than you think."
Udonna and Clare spun around to see Lee-Lee standing in the doorway, looking breathless and scared to death.
"What're you talking about?" asked Udonna.
Lee-Lee looked grim. "I only just found out. Imperious is going to steal their Legend Warrior powers to revive the Master. I can't take them all on myself and survive, but I can take you down there to help them. But we've got to leave right now before it's too late."
Clare stared at Lee-Le in shock. "But if you take us down there, won't your cover be blown?"
"I don't care if this means that my cover's blown! I'm not letting my friends suffer when I can do something to stop it," said Lee-Lee, firmly. "I already lost one friend, I will not lose anymore. So, is one of you going to come with me or not?"
XXX
Back in the Underworld, all five Rangers were stuck on pedestals encircling the eye of the Master. No one could move and nor could any of them use their magic, which left them helpless to Imperious' mercy, if he possessed any.
"So nice of you to give me the gift of your Legend Warrior powers," said Imperious.
"You're not getting anything from us!" spat Vida.
"Oh, you misunderstand, Pink Ranger. Your Legend Warrior powers aren't for me, they're for the Master!" said Imperiously, sweetly, as he gestured to the eye.
Right on cue, the Master's eye opened and a growl reverberated throughout the chamber as those in service of evil bowed down in respect.
Naturally, the Rangers were all shocked and horrified, especially Mason and Natalia.
"That's the thing Leanbow sacrificed himself to destroy!" exclaimed Natalia. He gave up his life to stop this monster and yet he still lives. Where's the justice in this?
Upon hearing this name, something inside Koragg stirred. "Leanbow?" he murmured. Why did that name seem so familiar?
"That name is not spoken here!" said Imperious, sharply. "Now, you will give the Master the power to rise up and conquer!"
Imperious thrust out his fan and then there was flash of bright light. Suddenly, a different colored light emitted from each of the Rangers as their Legend Warrior powers were sucked into the eye of the Master, causing them terrible pain and the feeling as though a part of themselves was truly being taken away from them as well.
For the first time since they'd met him, Koragg looked torn between acting on what he knew to be the honorable thing to do and what the Master wished.
"They cannot defend themselves! There is no honor in this defeat!" said Koragg.
Imperious glared at the Knight Wolf. "Stop that incessant babbling! This is our day of victory! This is the end of the Mystic Force!"
Koragg growled but did not make any further protest.
Just as though it appeared the Rangers were going to die from the power theft, there was a sudden gust of ice and snow as Udonna appeared. She thrust her wand into the magical transfer and her wand became alight as it disrupted the spell.
"Udonna!" cried Mason, in relief. "Thank the gods."
The Rangers were still trapped and their Legend Warrior powers were gone, but at least they had their lives.
Imperious scowled as he met Udonna's harsh glare. "How touching! The White Sorceress Queen comes to save her little Rangers!" he said, patronizingly. "But who's going to save you from the wrath of the Master?"
Before Udonna could react, powerful bolts of red lightning shot out of the Master's resting place and attacked Udonna, draining her of her magic and severely injuring her. And all the while, the Rangers could do nothing but helplessly watch as their mentor and dear friend was about to meet her destruction at the hands of the greatest evil the world had ever known.
Suddenly, the fragmented images that Koragg had been seeing and the emotions that came with them hit Koragg's mind all at once like a tsunami. And it was then that he realized who he truly was and what had to be done.
"NO! Udonna!"
Before anyone could react, Koragg drew his blade and swung it down hard, cutting off the Master's attack on Udonna. There was a great flash of blinding light and then suddenly, the Rangers found themselves free. When the light faded, there was another figure in Ancient Mystic armor standing where Koragg once had.
Then as the stranger turned around, his armor vanished and his true face was exposed. He was no longer Koragg but a man with thick black, greying hair and a light beard. He was dressed in a white shirt with a beige vest, purple and red belt, beige pants and black boots. Despite having grown older, Udonna recognized his face instantly and she was both shocked and overjoyed.
"Leanbow?" gasped Udonna.
To Be Continued