Pawns
Chapter Sixteen: Inferno
When the Pink Ranger materialized in the Turbo Chamber, standing just as immobile as her former uniform displayed behind the wall of glass, both Alpha and Zordon were immediately alarmed.
"KATHERINE?"
Kat shook herself, breaking out of the shocked stupor the last few minutes had draped over her senses. She straightened, her free hand deftly tearing her rose helmet from her face.
She held her other hand up for both to see.
"Aye yi yi!" Alpha gasped, "Tommy's Morpher!!"
"Goldar and Scorpina have taken him hostage," she informed them, depositing her helmet on the nearest flat surface. "He let them beat him."
An astonished silence fell, finally broken by Zordon's soft-spoken revelation. "HE MEANS TO RESCUE KIMBERLY… BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE."
Katherine nodded her agreement, pressing her lips firmly together.
The grim smirk on his face, right before he left, spoke volumes. He was willing to risk anything to save her. His expression was so eloquent she could discern his resignation, his desperation.
He knew he would likely die in this unwise, last-ditch effort. Even Tommy couldn't cloud his mind in denial any further: the last two times Kimberly saw him, she nearly tore his head off. Only this time, he would have no Powers to protect him, and no friends to take the decisive steps he couldn't bring himself to execute.
Even if he miraculously survived his coming encounter with the Flame of Destruction herself, how could he possibly find a way out of Lord Zedd's palace?
"That's your job…"
Katherine's jaw set. Perhaps there was a chance after all. For once, Tommy had actually requested her help, rather than bat away her efforts to save him. And she, unlike all the other Rangers, actually spent several days in the Lunar Palace, exploring the towers and cellars both as a cat, as well as a person.
"It's time for action," Kat decided aloud. She cast her stony gaze at Zordon. "I know we don't have anything conclusive on Kimberly's condition, but by the time we do, Tommy will be dead!"
Zordon regarded the Pink Ranger for a moment. Most often, Katherine was more inclined to be reserved, and let others make the decisions for the team. If she were upset, she always withdrew, occasionally voicing her thoughts, but never forcefully. Never had he seen obstinance harden her face.
"I AGREE," Zordon concluded. "IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ACT WITHOUT PROPER PREPARATION, BUT THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE."
"I'll get the other Rangers!" Alpha volunteered, hurrying to the communicator.
"FIRST, WE MUST FINALIZE OUR DE-STABILIZER. WITHOUT IT, WE CANNOT EVEN PENETRATE THE SHIELD GUARDING THE LUNAR PALACE."
"Right," Kat mused, suddenly distracted. She stared at the small black box resting in her palm, and the gold key sitting beside it. "And there's one more measure we can take to better our chances."
oooOOOooo
Despite popular belief, the natives of Phlegethon are not vastly different from human beings. True, the average life span is over two centuries. True, their physical strength rivals that of an ox. True, they do possess innate magical adeptness that could be harnessed by early training.
However, Lord Zedd was far from typical. Zedd valued power and control above and beyond all else, and was willing to sacrifice such a meager concern as physical appearance to achieve that end.
His determination gave him more than one hundred-fold the expected life span he was born with. It also gave him control of magical forces that his people could barely dream of, making the violent, malicious ruler a living god in the eyes of his servants.
There was a great price to pay. The magical forces he learned to harness warped his physical appearance, stripping him of his skin and enlarging his brain beyond the limit of his skull. He became grotesque from a humanoid point of view. And yet, he had power beyond which any other in the House of Zhept had ever dreamed. During his ten millennia reign, he'd expanded his Empire to include hundreds of systems, covering thousands upon thousands of light years from his throne world, like a cancer spreading from an infected organ to corrupt the entire organism.
Yet, in order to survive the massive amounts of energy flowing through his muscles and organs, as well as the wear and tear associated with millennia of life, regular maintenance was in order. He did not sleep in the conventional way. Rather, he had to undergo regular regenerative therapy, to restore the chemical balance needed to withstand the rigors of his awe-inspiring power.
Typically, he would only need to suffer the prolonged regeneration every few years; and as it forces days of inactivity, even that seemed too often. However, the more trying the magical energies Zedd harnessed, the more he would need to regenerate. After the tedious practice required by his latest scheme, and the magical spell he needed to perfect for his bride, he found himself exceptionally spent.
As a consequence, rather than risk overextending himself during the process of erasing some of Kimberly's key memories and repressing some untoward emotions, Lord Zedd decided to undergo the regeneration immediately. After all, considering the months of effort invested into his latest game, the last thing he wanted was to inadvertently damage his prize.
The full regeneration cycle consisted of four stages, not entirely dissimilar to the four stages of sleep humans experience each night. After each stage of regeneration, the Emperor returned to a level of awareness just below consciousness, leaving him sensitive to certain tremors of power in his immediate area. The Emperor could only awake of his own volition in between stages; were he to be awakened during a stage, he would be off center for days.
Zedd emerged from the second stage of regeneration, and was startled to full wakefulness by the energies pulsing in his palace.
Kimberly, he determined, remained in her own chambers. However, Goldar and Scorpina were in the Dark Dimension.
They have opened a portal to my Dark Dimension in my throne room, he realized, visor igniting with irritation, The Dark Dimension is only to be utilized when we have a dangerous prisoner.
Bare muscles tensed as a thought occurred to him. "Idiots. They have hastened my grand scheme, and openly attacked the Power Rangers."
His fist clenched.
oooOOOooo
She was so angry, she was literally seeing red.
Kimberly paced around her spacious chambers, arms folded tightly beneath her breast as she listened to her heels beat against the cold stones.
Damn him... damn them both! she fumed, so beyond mere anger she couldn't even curse aloud. Flaunting themselves right in front of me, mocking me from a distance! Do they think I will forget this??
Her lips parted in a feral growl. To her surprise, smoke puffed out of her lungs.
Blinking, Kimberly stopped dead in her tracks. "What the hell?"
She sucked in a breath, and slowly blew it out, watching the traces of smoke spiral from within.
"It's happening again..." she realized, quickly unfolding her arms. Her eyes widened as she examined her body. A strange light seemed to stir from within, making her skin iridescent, almost like a light bulb.
And at the tips of her fingers, small flames began to penetrate through her skin, and burn vivaciously along her fingernails.
"It doesn't burn," she noted, staring at the inexplicable phenomenon. "Something inside me hurts... but the fire I'm creating doesn't burn at all."
Closing her eyes, she willed the fire to ebb. Taking a breath, she slowly opened one eye to see the result.
The fire was gone.
"I can control it... I think."
She then held her hand outstretched, palm up. Focusing on that location, she began concentrating. Slowly, fire seeped through her skin again, coalescing into a slowly-building ball of flame, launching smoke into the air as it spun in her palm.
"I can control it!" she marveled, watching the fire dance in her grasp. "My powers are growing... feeding off my anger. I can feel it..."
A soft knock distracted her, causing the flame to blink out of existence. With a huff of irritation, she turned to the door. "What?"
Scorpina pushed open the heavy door, bowing at the waist. "Mistress, your presence is requested in the throne room."
Kimberly hazarded another glance at her hand. Scorpina's mention of the throne room revived a burst of anger, as she ruminated on the reason she'd fled in the first place. Again, her hand began to glow eerily.
It's definitely my anger. The Flame grows brighter when I'm really upset.
"Fine," she said aloud, slipping her shawl over her shoulders, "Let's check it out."
oooOOOooo
A stinging blow yanked Tommy from the throes of unconsciousness. His senses dulled, he blinked repeatedly to make out the shapes hovering in the darkness before him.
By the time he finally shook off his stupor, he realized her recognized the dark, circular enclosure, with mists crawling along the floor.
A Dark Dimension…
Both Rita and Zedd seemed to favor condemning their prisoners to the chilling vapors and impregnable walls of their pocket dimensions. And it made sense; the only way into or out of the prison was through a magical portal. There were no keys for an inept guard to misplace, and no air ducts or piping lines for a rescuer to crawl through. Nothing at all lay beyond the hard, rocky walls.
He instantly recognized the cave-like prison. This wasn't the Dark Dimension Rita used when she created the Green Ranger with the Sword of Darkness. This wasn't the Dimension Rita used when she destroyed the Green Ranger, with the Green Candle. This was Lord Zedd's own personal pit of anguish, where he left Kimberly to wither and die after abducting her.
He gulped a breath. Was that really less than a year ago? He'd experienced so much since then, he couldn't even picture what it was like to face Zedd in open battle, Saba colliding against the silver Z-staff, with Kimberly's life hanging in the balance.
His jaw set. He had to think on it… draw strength from past victories, rather than let recent defeats drain him of all hope.
"Snap out of it," a deep, slightly garbled voice demanded, "I want to see your face when your fate is determined."
Tommy snarled rebelliously, his dark eyes catching the humor lingering in the solid ruby eyes of Goldar. The Titan's garbled words were assuredly a result of his injured tongue. Tommy's biceps tensed of their own volition, eager to launch a closed fist into that smirking blue snout and aggravate the wound.
However, the heavy manacles that hung him from the ceiling held his wrists fast. Similar irons hung from his ankles, securing his most vicious weapons. His snarl deepening, Tommy began to struggle against the encumbering shackles.
"Chains?" he remarked, his eyes narrowing. "In a Dark Dimension? I didn't realize you were so scared of me, Monkey-brains."
This time, mockery wouldn't spoil Goldar's smug smirk. He merely chuckled quietly, folding his arms over his armored chest and moving to one side.
Puzzled, Tommy glared daggers into the obdurate Titan, until a radiant light distracted him. The Red Ranger turned, watching as a fissure of white light appeared out of nowhere, spreading to create a doorway.
He watched, mesmerized, as a woman stepped through the portal. The brilliant light cast her entire form into shadows, but he recognized her immediately nonetheless.
She stepped into the chamber, her eyes narrow with impatience, until she finally set eyes upon Tommy. A fierce grin lit up her face, setting her smoldering eyes on fire. "Tommy."
Tommy felt himself tremble under that scorching gaze. Yet, what was even more disturbing was her appearance. Bloodstained leather and vinyl had been replaced by sweeping silk that seemed to hug every curve of her body. Long, curling tresses, last seen plastered against her skin with sweat, were styled in an immaculate up-do.
The Red Ranger couldn't keep his jaw from going slack. He'd steeled himself before his arrival, trying to prepare for the grisly sight of Kimberly in prisoner rags, chained in some cold cellar as Zedd smugly calculated her value to the Rangers. Instead, he found himself face to face with Kimberly dolled up for the prom, and suddenly… he realized his worst expectations were too optimistic.
He was so lost, staring into the hate-filled eyes of the woman he'd risked everything to save, he didn't even notice Scorpina step through the bright portal behind her. "We thought to give you a wedding present, my Queen," she said, bowing towards Kimberly before throwing the Red Ranger a triumphant smirk.
It took a long moment before Tommy was even capable of reacting. His face twitched, confusion wrestling with astonishment as he realized his worst expectations were far too optimistic.
It actually hurt like a physical blow, as all the pieces of evidence slipped together. Kimberly, wearing luxurious silks. Kimberly, receiving bows from Lord Zedd's most faithful servants. Kimberly, vanishing from the power plant nestled in Lord Zedd's arms. Kimberly, receiving a wedding gift from Goldar and Scorpina!!
Bile soured the back of his throat.
Her face was the very picture of indulgence as she approached the helpless, powerless Ranger. Her wicked heart soared as she noticed the shudders he tried valiantly to contain. Though, despite impressive self-control, gleaned from a lifetime of discipline, there was nothing he could do to mask the disgust in his emotive eyes.
"Yes," she drawled, leaning closer, "I'm getting married. That's what Zeddie wanted to talk to be about." He winced visibly at her use of a pet name for his archenemy. "No one was more surprised than I was, she continued, heated breath tickling the bare skin of his neck, "but hey, at least Zedd is consistent in his feelings for me."
In spite of the series of turbulent bombshells rapidly wearing out his buckling strength, he managed to be appropriately shocked at this newest blow. 'Consistent?' Could that mean he… he proposed to her before
He grimaced, wracking his mind for some clue to the meaning of her revelation. She… never told me, but that doesn't mean it couldn't have happened. I can't imagine when, but…
He froze, as if struck by lightning. How long has he wanted her??
While his mind whirled in a vicious cyclone of sickening, infuriating consequences and suppositions, he paid no note as the gold-white fissure appeared yet again. This time, Scorpina and Goldar stepped back, bowing their heads in proper respect to the final player.
The Emperor of Evil set his feet on the cold, mist-covered ground. "So," he said, his voice dripping with menace, "I see our first wedding guest has arrived." His face remained angled toward the captive, but both Scorpina and Goldar could feel the gimlet stare of the powerful sorcerer. "I don't recall sending him an invitation."
Tommy looked up, and fixed him with such a venomous glare, Zedd couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised. Despite being chained to the wall of a magical dimension, completely powerless and at his captor's mercy, his eyes radiated a threat even a traditional Oath of Vengeance couldn't do proper justice.
The Emperor smiled. He knows…
Nodding slightly, as if accepting a challenge, Zedd grasped Kimberly's hand. Tommy watched, teeth gnashing, as the Emperor raised her delicate fingers to his grated mask in a kiss.
"If you would excuse us, I would like to properly welcome our guest."
"Don't you dare kill him."
"I wouldn't dream of spoiling your revenge." He turned. "Goldar, escort my bride to her chambers. Scorpina, you will await me in my throne room."
Both gilded warriors nodded, Scorpina immediately stepping through the open portal. Kimberly cast a final glance at Tommy, tossing him a mocking kiss before she and Goldar disappeared.
The fissure winked out of existence, leaving both contenders glaring at each other.
"It seems," Zedd remarked, closing the gap between them, "you have something to say to me, boy."
"It was you…" Tommy murmured. His voice was raw, barely above a whisper, yet it carried such a wealth of revulsion and consuming hatred, its power overcame even the loudest shout.
Lord Zedd was not one to feign ignorance. Instead, he reveled under the murderous heat of the Red Ranger's glare, basking in his frustration, humiliation, and regret that weighed the young man's heart.
Delicious… the dark Lord decided, folding his arms contemptuously. Though a pity; I was greatly looking forward his reaction when I told him exactly where that letter came from.
Still, Zedd knew how to twist the knife, and prolong his foe's anguish. "It was remarkably easy to deceive you," he gloated, "You were both so willing to think the worst of each other." He slowly lifted his hand, palm up. "You played right into my hands, Ranger."
He clenched his hand into a fist for emphasis. "And now, I have laid claim on the one you cherish most. Soon, you will be witness to our wedding… and then you will die."
The Emperor waited for Tommy's heated retort. Yet, the boy was so overwhelmed, he could do little else but glare.
Chuckling, the Emperor turned to leave. "You are already half-dead with guilt. This slow, agonizing dissolution of a warrior's spirit is far more satisfying than merely running you through."
Tommy watched Zedd disappear, his vision blurred by the wavering moisture that stood in his bloodshot eyes. The light soon faded, swallowing the once proud Power Ranger in cold darkness.
oooOOOooo
Scorpina stood waiting by the throne, back faintly arched, hands clasped behind her back and chin tucked. Still, her lips were twisted in a grin of self-satisfaction, as she anticipated the praise she would soon receive for her initiative.
The plan had gone off quite smoothly. Neither herself nor Goldar were seriously hurt, though the Titan wouldn't be able to speak clearly for another day or so. True, the Pink Ranger had escaped, but the near-Queen seemed more than pleased with her present nonetheless.
If Kimberly is still anything like her former self, she will form attachments, the clever assassin reasoned, her grin spreading. If she is able to trust us early on, we can be sure to grow in value in her eyes. Perhaps, even to the point of promotion. It's about time we were granted a dominated planet to govern…
Only a few minutes after everyone else had vacated the Dark Dimension, Lord Zedd stepped through the glowing fissure. He watched clinically as the doorway sealed before turning his attention to Scorpina, whose posture once again reflected flawless servility.
He approached her, taking long, swift strides. Scorpina blinked as, within a second, he was glaring at her at uncomfortably close range.
He stared down at her, ruby visor glowing a steady, threatening crimson. Though, in startling contrast, his voice was disturbingly cool. "I recall giving you and Goldar instructions before my regeneration began," he pointed out icily, "and those instructions did not include interacting with the Rangers during my recovery."
Scorpina's onyx eyes widened. "M…my Lord," she murmured, "You demanded that we attend to our future Queen-"
"I know Kimberly did not ask you to kidnap the Red Ranger," Zedd snapped.
The assassin broke eye contact, cringing as she noted the red light bathing much of her torso. It would take less than a thought for the dark Lord to convert that harmless light into a lethal energy beam.
She had to choose her words carefully, so she hesitated. "No, she didn't," she finally admitted, "but she saw the Red and Pink Rangers through the Repulsascope, and left in a rage. She… she wanted to speak to you, but you were in the middle of a regeneration stage, so Goldar and I decided to… to take action." She took a slow breath, strengthening her resolve. "The Mistress did approve of our gift," she added.
Something akin to a low growl passed Zedd's hidden lip. Scorpina closed her eyes, bracing herself for what would likely be fatal punishment.
Instead, his whip-like words struck her. "I did not want to engage the Power Rangers until after my full strength has been restored," he snarled, his words slow enough for even the bluntest mind to follow. "I will not be at my peak strength until I complete all four stages of my regeneration cycle, and that will not be for several days. If the Rangers retaliate, I will exhaust all my power."
Scorpina marveled at the mere fact that she hadn't been atomized. "But they cannot possibly match you in strength, Sire," she breathed weakly.
Her deference to his world-quaking might seemed to appease his anger… somewhat. "Perhaps, but I'd rather not gamble with something so simple, when patience alone would secure my victory."
He then stepped back, leaving the woman breathing room. "Now we have a potential threat in my palace," he reasoned, "It is unlikely he will strike, but not entirely impossible. I must continue regenerating immediately if I am to be at full power in time for the wedding. In the meantime, the Dark Dimension must be guarded at all times, to insure the Rangers do not find another backdoor into the cell and rescue their leader."
The soldier snapped to attention, and nodded firmly. "Goldar and I will remain alert, Sire."
"And do not take any action against any Ranger," he hissed in warning, "unless they are physically at our doorstep."
oooOOOooo
Jason had been at the shore, sitting on the warm summer sands, sharing lunch and laughter with Emily, when a familiar six-tone signal made him jump from the blanket.
"Jason?" Emily spoke, perplexed at her boyfriend's sudden restlessness. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I…" he stammered, rubbing the back of his head anxiously, "That was my alarm."
She smiled in amusement. "I figured."
"It's… time for me to take my medication."
That alarmed the pretty blonde. "What?" she gasped, rising from their towel, "Are you sick?"
"Just a bug that's been going around," he lied, digging his hands into the pockets of his swim trunks. "Don't worry; I'm not contagious after the first day. But if I don't take the medicine on time..."
Emily watched the tall young man search through his gym bag, which contained a change of clothes. "Don't tell me you left it at home."
He grinned sheepishly. "I'm really sorry to cut this short, Em," he sighed plaintively, "Can I make it up to you?"
She folded her arms, a gleam in her eyes. "Well, it'll cost you, Mr. Scott. When you run out on me for lunch, you owe me dinner… at one of those places where the food actually comes to you."
He planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Italian sound good?"
His lips seemed to drain the sarcasm right out of her, compelling a small, indulgent smile. "Perfect."
Hastily grabbing his bag, he waved again as he retreated to the changing area. "I'll call you tonight, Em."
As soon as he was out of earshot, he huffed in annoyance, glancing down at his watch. "I'm really out of practice!" he mourned, "That was one of the lamest excuses I've ever come up with!"
After all, Jason hadn't needed to weave last-second explanations for his disappearances since he was forced to surrender the Gold Ranger Powers. He'd only come to wear his communicator out of habit; a lesson learned from his misadventure with Divatox. Even former Rangers had to stay prepared; one never knew when an emergency would arise.
Such as now.
A quick glance around the area showed no witnesses, so he huddled near the wall of the locker room and whispered into his wrist. "Jason here."
"Jason," Kat's voice transmitted, "We need you at the Turbo Chamber. Can we teleport you?"
"Give me ten seconds," he requested, hastily struggling into a proper pair of pants and a shirt. Just as he was pulling his T-shirt over his bare chest, the vibrant carrier wave of white energy rocketed him to the Turbo Chamber.
Jason felt the somber mood even before he saw the Turbo Rangers' grave faces. Kat stood behind the teleportation console, and Tanya, Justin, and Adam all surrounded her. All eyes immediately fell on him.
Years of experience with such situations made him quick to recognize the emergency. "Where's Tommy?"
"Goldar and Scorpina kidnapped him," Adam answered directly.
Jason blinked in open surprise. "Scorpina's back in action, too?"
Tanya nodded. "Now Zedd has both Tommy and Kimberly; and we have no idea what he has planned for them."
Katherine stepped toward him, her arms cradled to her stomach. "Tommy let Goldar take him, in the hopes that he could find Kimberly. It's up to us to get up to the Lunar Palace, and rescue them both. The longer we delay, the less likely we'll be able to get to them in time."
"In time for what?"
Justin shrugged. "But whatever the bad guys have planned, it won't be pretty."
"We're going to the moon, but we have no idea what to expect," Katherine summarized. "We know, at the very least, we'll have to confront Goldar, Scorpina, and Lord Zedd himself. We probably need to fight Kimberly, if she's still convinced we're her enemies." She took a small breath. "Our chances don't look good, no matter how you look at it. Our only hope is to make sure we're at our fullest power before we go up there. There's no way we'll succeed without a Red Ranger."
She held out her hand to him. "And we all agree there's no one better equipped to lead us into the monster's stronghold than you."
Jason's eyes widened, staring down at the Red Turbo Morpher and key. Slowly, unsteady fingers accepted the device, letting it hover over his wrist. Finally, his jaw set, he latched the morpher on tightly.
Adam, Katherine, Tanya, and Justin all smiled, albeit slightly, at the sight of the original leader of the Power Rangers standing amongst them. Almost as soon as the morpher was in place, his face folded into a commanding grimace that breathed authority, as if he were born for situations like this.
"How are we going to get up there?" he asked, turning to Zordon, "Billy's Portal-Com?"
"WE CONSIDERED IT. HOWEVER, THE PORTAL-COM WAS DESTROYED WHEN THE COMMAND CENTER IMPLODED. SINCE BILLY IS ON AQUITAR, HE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO RECONSTRUCT IT."
Jason's strong arms folded. "If we can't use the back door, we have no choice but the front door."
"There's a shield protecting the palace," Adam informed him, "but we finally cracked the frequency. Once we program our energy de-stabilizer, we'll punch a hole right through it, and walk right into the palace."
"The only problem is, Lord Zedd will likely notice the shield dissolved," Alpha pointed out. "If he reconstructs it before you get out, you'll be trapped!"
A fierce smile lit Jason's face. "We'll find a way out. We always do."
oooOOOooo
Her anger had dissipated the moment she laid eyes on him. Broken, alone, at her mercy… excitement ignited in her being at the knowledge that she had finally won. She knew he would suffer indescribable anguish, and bitterly regret risking her devoted love for Katherine's attention.
She hadn't had time to really consider what his punishment would be. She had wanted to kill him on Muiranthias, and visions of his bloody demise drew her to Divatox.
Only, when she had him at her mercy, bloody and hurt and mournful… something stayed her hand.
Her anger was revived to full force after Katherine blindsided her. Her stammering outrage turned the devil into an angel… she took the risk that Zedd truly intended to help her, and let herself be sequestered to the moon.
Zedd's servants gave her Tommy on a silver platter. It almost seemed like her darkest prayers had been answered; less than an hour after he had the nerve to mock her, he hung battered and alone in Zedd's Dark Dimension.
Yet once again, when face to face with his pain, whatever happiness she should feel seemed disappointingly empty. Empty, like the drab gray of the moon, spread out beneath her balcony.
Yes, she felt a burst of joy when she first saw him. Yes, she gleaned a malicious rush when she flaunted her future as Empress in his face. Yes, her heart danced as he winced in distress.
But why, only minutes after she left his presence, did her ecstasy fade?
Zedd had told her the Flame muted her happiness… her ability to feel content, or at peace. She had resigned herself to the fact that she couldn't feel joy, without Zedd's magic.
Only… why did she have the creeping suspicion that he was misleading her? It still didn't make sense… how could a being that felt no love or compassion restore the proper balance of human emotions?
"Dammit," she growled aloud, turning away from the balcony, "This is what happens when I let myself think too much." She moved away from the balcony, simmering gaze sweeping her enormous rooms clinically. Neither a nap or even a long soak were appealing; she was far too anxious for the former, and the latter would likely give her even more chance to ruminate.
Slowly, a cruel grin pulled her lip. "I think I can find someone willing to keep me entertained…"
oooOOOooo
When Kimberly stepped foot into the austere throne room, she was mildly surprised to see Scorpina standing beside the open fissure.
"Zedd's still in there?" she queried.
Scorpina bowed deeply when she noticed Kimberly's presence. "No, Mistress, my Lord has returned to his private chambers. Goldar is inside, running a sweep to make sure the Dark Dimension hasn't been compromised."
The future Queen nodded thoughtfully, walking in a tight circle around the gleaming light. "How does one open this doorway?"
Absently, the assassin wondered why Kimberly had posed the question. But she could think of no adequate reason to keep it a secret. "One must be able to tear a hole into the pocket dimension. Our Lord can do so with but a thought, yet Goldar and myself must use our swords, which have been treated with magic to allow it."
She nodded again. Then, with no further ado, Kimberly took a step into the portal. Scorpina blinked in surprise. "Mistress..."
"I doubt I need to ask your permission to do anything," she snapped. Then, a cold smirk twisted her lips. "I didn't get a chance to… play with my new toy yet."
Slowly, a matching devilish smile stretched across Scorpina's visage. "Shall I accompany you?"
Kimberly waved the thought aside. "Goldar's already in there. He can see me out when I'm finished." Then, she passed fully through the portal.
Inside, Kimberly felt the lonely chill on her skin the moment she passed through the doorway. It made her skin itch, causing her to grimace faintly at the discomfort.
A quick look around proved that Goldar wasn't in the immediate area. Hmm… this Dark Dimension is bigger than I thought…
She then set her gaze on Tommy. He seemed to hang limply from his heavy chains, utterly motionless save for the shallow breaths that inflated his chest. His head hung toward the ground, disheveled hair hanging in disarray, hiding his face from a profile view.
Kimberly watched him, absently rubbing her bare arms to ward of the irritating chill. She couldn't shake the notion that he was… different than less than an hour ago, when she first saw him in his prison. There was an undeniable sensation of emptiness, of absolute defeat that she had never sensed from him before. Not at the power plant, when his life rested in her hands. Not on Muiranthias, when first confronted with the demonic creature the Flame twisted her soul into. Not even in the aftermath of the Green Candle, when it seemed his very sense of self was torn from him.
There was no pride left to lift his shoulders. No hope to swell his heart. No determination to lift his chin.
It was as if he finally realized he was fighting a battle he could never win.
Even the consuming darkness that flowed through her body couldn't find real enjoyment in seeing this broken shell of a man.
She decided to chase away the pall silence. "I've never seen you quite like this."
Despite herself, she frowned in disappointment at his deathly silence. "Nothing to say?"
The future Empress of Evil was not one to be ignored. Her eyes narrowing, Kimberly swiftly closed the gap between then. Lifting herself on her toes, she yanked his ponytail back. Tommy winced at the pain, letting his chin rise from his chest.
Less than half a foot away, Kimberly's eyes blazed into his. He was so close, he could see the fire burn behind her irises, thrashing feverishly and casting a reddish glow.
"Looks like you've given up," she noted callously. "How… boring."
His lips thinned mutinously, but otherwise he made no response.
Her eyebrow rose. "I suppose we can play a different game."
She lifted her free hand, tracing her fingers against his wan cheek. Slowly, she dragged it across his face, fingernails gently grazing against achingly familiar lips, back and forth. She watched as his sorrowful eyes squeezed shut, and trembling lips pressed together against her whisper touch.
She watched him tense; watched the moisture collect beneath his thick eyelashes. Now this was torture…
Her fingers traveled down his neck, leaving a train of warmth on the cold, sweaty skin. She smirked at the droplets that escaped his locked eyes, streaking against unusually pallid cheeks.
"You miss me, don't you Tommy," she murmured. She was so close, he felt her breath on his neck. "You miss my love. My touch. My support…"
Then, in an instant, the gentle caress tingling his upper arm switched into an agonizing torture. Tommy's eyes flew open, lips parting in a wordless scream as flames erupted from her fingertips, scorching fabric and flesh.
"That was for Kat's arrow," she snarled, a fresh dose of venom injected into her voice. "Was she worth it, Tommy? Was she really?? What did she offer you that I couldn't match?"
Her other hand, still nestled in his long curls, tightened their grip again, earning another hiss of pain from the young man before her. "Come on, Tommy, speak up! What's your latest excuse?"
He leveled his gaze on her, dark eyes once again burning with their own intensity. And through his desperate gulps of breath, through the haze of pain that dulled his senses, he managed to gasp out two words. "My wallet."
Kimberly's brow furrowed. "What?"
"Mistress!" a deep voice gasped. Kim glanced to the side, watching heatedly as Goldar rounded a corner. He bowed at the waist under her blazing stare. "I… heard a scream. I wasn't expec-"
"Get out," she snarled, her eyes sliding back to her defiant prey.
The Titan warrior hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Lord Zedd commanded that we watch the Red Ranger carefully."
Kim's eyes narrowed. Keeping her gaze locked on Tommy's severe eyes, she casually lifted her free hand in the direction of Goldar's voice. Stretching her fingers, she had the distinct pleasure of hearing Goldar gasp at the nimbus of fire that erupted from her skin, crawling up her arm before tapering off near the elbow.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Goldar," she spoke, her eyes still keenly observing her former lover's tense expression.
"Don't let him distract you, Kim," Tommy spoke, his voice slowly growing stronger as the agonizing pain in his arm eased. "Not when you're so close to the truth."
Goldar's eyes widened. "Kimberly! He's toying with you!"
A stream of fire earned a yelp from the simian. Smoke and debris floated in the air from the wall she'd carved a hole into.
"Come on, Kim… I know you want to know," Tommy baited, a grisly grin touching his lip. "You said you want my latest excuse. You must want to understand what went wrong between us; that's the only reason I'm still breathing. You can't kill me without finding out why I never called you. Then you'll never find out."
He leaned closer, the slack from his chains allowed him to touch his forehead to hers. Skin to skin, one burning with frustrated anger, the other chilled with desperation. "Come on, Kim… look in the wallet."
Refusing to back down, Kimberly released both Tommy's hair and the fire that blazed along her other arm. Staring mockingly into his bottomless eyes, she felt his pockets for the accessory in question.
Goldar watched, eyes wide with dread, as Lord Zedd's fiancée retrieved the small leather wallet.
"What am I looking for?" she drawled, confident grin letting none of her discomfort show. "A sexy picture of Kat? Or maybe a love letter, sprayed with that slut's perfume?"
"You'll know when you find it," he answered vaguely.
Kimberly sifted through club memberships and money, until she found the folded page in the back. Her eyebrow rising, she lifted the wrinkled paper.
She shook her head. "A love letter. I knew it."
"Read it, Kim," Tommy urged.
She glared at him, suddenly defiant. "Why should I?"
He answered with another dry grin. "Don't you want to see the words that ruined everything we had?"
"He's trying to confuse you!" Goldar bellowed. Somehow, he mustered the courage to race towards Kimberly, daring to lay a hand on her person.
She glared balefully at him. "Have you lost your mind?" she hissed. She immediately dropped the wallet, and threw the heel of her hand directly into Goldar's nose.
The towering warrior stumbled back, hands flying to his face urgently. Kimberly humphed at his nerve, before her blazing eyes turned to the page.
She made no move to unfold it.
"You are trying to confuse me," she accused. Narrow eyes observed him as her free hand ignited, the bright flames inching closer to the evidence.
His face remained inscrutable. "If you burn it, you'll never know."
She tried to stare him down, only his expression refused to waver. Her vehement glare edged from Tommy to the letter that Goldar had actually risked his life to keep from her.
Wordlessly, she unfolded it.
Tommy's poker face cracked, as his eyes shone with slowly brewing hope. He surveyed her face, watching as confidence turned to confusion, confusion turned to anger, and anger turned into… something else.
Horror.
Her lips quivered, fist wringing the page mercilessly. "Wh… what is this supposed to be?" she murmured.
"I got that letter in the mail a few days before your birthday," he confessed. His unfeeling façade had disappeared, letting the raw emotion wrinkle his face, and weigh his voice. "You can ask any of the Rangers. Even Jason found out about it, after Muiranthias."
"I never wrote this!" she growled, glaring at Tommy. He refused to turn away from her searing, panicked eyes.
"I know that now, but I didn't then. Look at the handwriting, Kim! Even the goddamned signature!"
"You're… toying with me," she concluded, unconsciously echoing Goldar's earlier sentiment.
"No," Tommy responded, "Someone else is toying with the both of us. Someone else sent that to me, trying to break us up! Look at it, Kim!"
Tommy released a sound, a cross between a sob and a derisive laugh. "I… thought it was from you. God, I read it dozens of times, mulling it over in my head over and over… but it never dawned on me that it wasn't from you. I agonized over every word… every single word." He shook his head, a self-mocking grin on his lips. "'You've always been my best friend, and in some ways you're like a brother to me. But, something has happened here that I can't explain. It's both been wonderful and painful at the same time. Tommy, I've met someone else…'"
He swallowed painfully, fresh tears glistening in his dark eyes. "I even memorized it. I couldn't get over the pain… that you preferred someone else. That someone else could offer you the happiness I couldn't deliver. And I couldn't call you, and try to work things out." His voice dropped. "That's… that's why I never called you, Kim. I was… scared of what you had to say to me."
That said, Tommy closed his mouth. He watched Kimberly, absorbing the impact of the letter, and all its world-shaking implications.
Kimberly's entire body trembled, one hand squeezing the letter for all it was worth, the other slowly rising to her lips in wordless horror. Her eyes were wide, darting from side to side, yet seeing nothing.
Yet, most disturbingly, a nimbus of orange flames wrapped her entire body in surreal light. Energy climbed in wisps around her, steadily intensifying as she recovered from the initial shock.
"I admit," she whispered, turning back to him, "this is a pretty original lie. Much more creative than the 'I didn't want to hurt you' bit you've been spitting since Muiranthias."
Tommy continued to watch her with his intense, discerning gaze. She still trembled, tongues of fire stretching from her in a feverish dance.
He knew her words didn't match her thoughts. She wasn't as convinced of his deception as she wanted him to believe.
"Think about it, Kim," he pleaded, "Doesn't it explain everything? Why I never called you? Why I didn't understand your anger?" His face darkened. "Why Zedd dropped in at the power plant?"
Her frown deepened. "What are you getting at?"
"Think about it," he repeated. "Zedd arrives in the nick of time, carrying you off before I could explain. Then, he proposes to you."
"You're trying to convince me that Zedd wrote this." It wasn't a question. Her skepticism was raw in her tone.
"Who else?" he challenged. "No human hand could write that kind of forgery! And he's tried it before, hasn't he? He tried to make you his Queen. He's been after you for years, Kim! Just biding his time, waiting for the opportunity to rip us apart!!"
He paused, slowly trying to catch his breath. With wide, hopeful eyes, he watched the conflict play across Kimberly's face. Disbelief, outrage, confusion, anguish… all swirled together in a evocative portrait of torment.
Finally, Kimberly grabbed fistfuls of her hair, ruining the immaculate style, and released a pained whimper.
"Kim, we can stop this! End the lies, throw Zedd's tricks right in his face!"
"SHUT UP!!" she howled. Tommy watched, mortified, as the inferno burst around her, so bright she seemed like the sun dawning. "NO MORE LIES!!"
She turned away, gaze bounding like a scared rabbit, and leapt through the fissure without a coherent thought.
oooOOOooo
Scorpina was very good at what she did. An assassin born and raised, she had been schooled in the arts of deception, cunning, and bloodshed from early infancy. She developed into the most fear-inspiring Arachnid in seven generations, even earning the coveted position as one of Lord Zedd's favored warriors.
Unfortunately, her studies never included the occult. She had only a passing familiarity with magic; once in a while able to cast a potion spell Rita or Zedd gave her to administer. She never bothered to develop even a magical awareness, leaving the sixth sense dormant.
Had she honed that sixth sense, she would've been sensitive to the shocking events occurring just a few feet from her, through the fissure leading to the Dark Dimension. She would have had warning of the irresistible power seething within, promising retribution in its most fundamental form.
So when she witnessed a feminine silhouette wrapped in an aura of pure fire, she was caught completely by surprise.
"M…mistress?" she murmured.
Somewhere within the cloud of energy came a hiss, and suddenly, a tendril of fire stretched forward, smashing Scorpina like blazing baseball bat. The assassin didn't even have a chance to scream as she was engulfed with the burning, unnatural fire, and at the same time smashed right through the wall by the sheer force of the hit. She catapulted through the contained air so quickly, the fire soon deadened, and was completely extinguished as she slammed into the heavy gray moon dust… just inches from the invisible shield separating the palace from the rest of the moon.
oooOOOooo
Zordon's ancient eyes widened, his blurred mouth hanging open in absolute astonishment.
Alpha jumped at the unnerving expression on the sage's face. Zordon was rarely surprised, and never rendered speechless.
"Z…Zordon?" the small robot stammered, terror lancing through him.
It took a long moment before the surprise wore off enough to let the Eltarian speak. "I SENSE… AN IMMENSE POWER BROUGHT TO LIFE ON THE MOON."
Alpha puzzled over this. "What could it…" He cut himself off with a distressed cry, hands waving frantically as the truth dawned on him.
"KIMBERLY HAS URGED THE FLAME OF DESTRUCTION PASSED ALL BOUNDARIES," Zordon said mournfully. "IF SHE DOES NOT MANAGE TO REIN IN THE POWER… IT WILL KILL HER."
oooOOOooo
"Are we there yet?" Justin groaned, exhaling as he hunched over. He rested his man-sized hands against his knees. "I hate zero-gravity!"
"I thought Zordon was teleporting us as close to the shield as he could," Tanya sighed, floating down from her last leap.
Adam, who led the team, held a scanner in his hands. "According to these sensor readings, we're less than six meters from the shield."
Justin stood upright. "I don't see anything."
Katherine peered at the flat expanse before them, lifting her hand into the air in silent command. Windfire materialized, and in one smooth motion, she drew a single arrow and let it fly.
The silver projectile glanced off something, causing a ripple of faint energy at the impact site.
Jason folded his arms. "The shield cloaks the palace from sight as well as scans," he realized, nodding to himself.
"Not for long," Adam determined. He pressed a few buttons on his handheld unit, and touched it to the location Kat's arrow struck. The device blinked red for a few moments, and then, flashed a steady green.
A circle of energy emitted from the box, expanding to the size of a person. When the device was removed, the energy vanished, leaving a foreboding view of Lord Zedd's towering citadel.
"It worked," Adam breathed, "but as soon as Zedd senses a hole in his shield, he'll patch it at a new frequency. We'll have to reanalyze the shield to program the de-stabilizer." He tucked the device under his belt. "We'll be trapped here."
Jason led the team through the portal. "We'll cross that bridge wh-"
He stopped dead in his tracks, less than a yard into the palace grounds. The other Rangers froze behind him, worriedly staring at their shocked leader.
"Stay here," he advised. The Rangers nodded silently, watching him cautiously walk along the inner edge of the shield. He came to a stop beside a yellowish-gold mound, half-covered in dust.
He then kneeled beside it, hands brushing the dust away.
"Jason?" Kat murmured, an icy fear gripping her heart.
"It's Scorpina."
Their helmets masked the horror on their faces, but all four Rangers tensed anxiously. Then, they hurried to Jason, congregating around the fallen warrior.
Jason touched the charred skin of her neck. "Her heart's still beating. She's alive."
Tanya's fists clenched nervously. "What could've… done this?"
Adam scowled beneath his helmet. "Zedd is a monster!" he growled. He couldn't peel his eyes away from her blistered, bleeding face. He and the seductive spy were far from friends, but even the deceptive "Sabrina" didn't deserve such merciless treatment.
The Blue Ranger's analytical stare turned from the victim, tracking her descent up to a gaping hole a few meters away from a spacious balcony. A glint of light passed through the aperture, pulsing steadily.
"Why would Lord Zedd knock a hole in his own wall?" he queried.
Tanya folded her arms. "Probably lost his temper."
Katherine stared at the hole Justin indicated. "No, Zedd rarely loses his temper." She felt the quizzical stares of her teammates, and explained. "I do have some memories from my time as Rita's pet. I have… distinct impressions of some of the aliens. And I'm certain that Zedd usually harnesses his anger effectively, rather than explode like Rita always did." She then turned her eyes to Jason. "And Zedd is far too proud of his palace to punch a hole into his throne room."
Despite the fact that her mask hid her emotive eyes, Jason somehow discerned path her mind was winding. "You don't think-"
Somehow, the six-tone signal of the communicator managed to sound even more urgent than usual.
The group gathered closely as Jason responded. "Yes?"
"RANGERS. I HAVE SENSED A SWELL OF POWER WITHIN THE CONFINES OF LORD ZEDD'S PALACE. YOU MUST TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION, FOR GREAT DANGER LURKS INSIDE."
Adam chewed his lip, his gaze still transfixed on the injured spy. "You mean Kimberly?"
"YES. SHE HAS BECOME THE FLAME OF DESTRUCTION. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY SHE COULD MANIFEST THE POWER I HAVE SENSED."
The silence between the teenage heroes was deafening.
oooOOOooo
The inferno of uncontrollable power ate at her insides. It felt almost like her organs were slowly melting, creating an agonizing pain that brought Kimberly Hart to her knees.
She leaned heavily against the wall, forcing gasps of painfully cold air into her overheated system. Sweat beaded against her skin, making her limbs feel frigid.
"Got to… push it down…" she murmured, her entire body straining against the inner flames that surged beyond her control. God… it hurts!!!
It seemed like an eternity of hellish torture before the blinding flames that gathered around her slowly ebbed into a fierce aura. The light glowed around her skin, illuminating her path through the winding, narrow stairwell leading to the Tower.
She pushed the pain in the back of her mind, along with the rage of thoughts and feelings that had made her dizzy earlier. She let instinct lead her, moving her feet up the stairs, down the hall, and up to the large, heavy doorway.
She reached out with her power, watching as the door was pulverized into chunks of rock, ash, and melted iron.
The Flame ignored the arcane laboratory lining the wall. She ignored the intriguing triangular shape of Zedd's inner sanctum. She simply marched to where Lord Zedd lay, ensconced in shadows upon the stone slab that served as his bed.
Flaming eyes dripped a trail of liquid fire as she glared down on the Emperor of Evil himself… the one responsible for everything she suffered for over four months!!
He almost looked helpless, lying completely immobile on the cold stone. In fact, if not for the thin pipes streaming fluids into his muscles, he would've seemed dead.
But he was far from dead; she felt his dark power pulse steadily, slowly building as he recovered his energies.
Casually, she lifted a single finger. A burst of fire streamed from the tip, neatly searing through all the tubes.
She watched the chemicals spurt from the severed veins, catching fire and spilling along the stone ground. She watched the dark Lord slowly begin to quiver, violently torn from the void of regeneration.
His ruby visor gleamed to life, casting its crimson glow over his fiancée. Her eyes blazed with rare anger, casting a terrifying haze to harden the edges of her face. Her hair hung in disarray, framing her visage with a furious halo of golden brown curls. Her skin seemed to glow on its own, vividly contrasting the ebony and scarlet of her gown.
Her eyes flared as she held one hand over his shaking body. "Now... you burn."
The infamous letter, blackened with soot and charred at the edges, fluttered from her tense fingers onto his bare chest.
To Be Continued…