Eternal Sentai
Guardranger
Episode 4: Slumbering Evil! Secret in the Earth!
By David Anderson and Derek Pryor
Naoko sat at her desk in the Terralogical Institute in quiet contemplation. She'd been allowed to return from the institute's expedition to discover the nature of an immense buried object out in the wilderness after a snake-like monster had attacked it some time ago, and they saw to increasing security at the site just in case.
But she wasn't thinking about her work. Her thoughts were more on her "other job," as Earthguard, a member of the Eternal Sentai Guardranger. They'd gotten off to a rocky start, but things were starting to level out now. Fireguard had pretty much stopped complaining about how it bit into his free time, and they had a powerful new ally with the arrival of his Guard Beast. But seeing the face of their enemy, that had been disconcerting. He oozed power and malice. She saw his laughing face when she closed her eyes.
She rose from her desk went to get a drink of water. Ever since she'd seen Armag, Naoko had been feeling kind of on edge. It was that somehow, despite everything that was going right for the Guardrangers, she could feel that something terrible was going to happen soon.
At work it was the worst. There she felt like someone was stalking her. Just waiting until the moment when she was at her most defenseless to jump out of the shadows and attack. As she filled and downed a cup of purified water, a coworker walked by and observed her condition, but tactfully said nothing. Another person snuck up behind her and Naoko jumped a foot when he laid his hand on her shoulder. She almost flipped him before recognizing who he was.
"Oh, Takeo," she said, clutching at her racing heart, that omnipresent childish grin of his on his face. "What are you doing here?"
The grin faded, "Is that the thanks I get after spending hours behind the wheel to come out here and see you?"
She sighed, "Takeo, I've been going through a lot of changes lately. Big changes. And I don't know why but I'm worried about something…"
He cocked his head, "What are you worried about?"
"I can't really explain it. I'm just…afraid that something bad is going to happen soon…"
"Tochiro! Over here, dude!" Jason's anxious voice carried across the basketball court to where his brown-haired friend was being hemmed in half-heartedly from the front by Ryuji. Tochiro side-stepped to the left slightly, throwing off Ryuji's blocking motion in the same direction, then darted to the right, passing the ball to Jason, who caught it in both hands as he bounded down the few steps down the court towards the other end. He sprang into the air, and slammed the ball through the hoop with a huge, victorious grin on his face.
"Yatta!" Tochiro whooped. "Good one, Jason!"
Jason grinned back, hanging in mid-air from the rim of the basket for a minute, then swung his legs up into a backflip, and landed flawlessly on the court in front of Tochiro, who'd walked up to meet him for a high-five.
"I knew you were something else in the water, Jason, but you're pretty good on land, I see," Tochiro smiled, punching Jason's arm.
Jason laughed. "Hey, I get by. But you, dude…you're pretty good for a guy who spends so much time working on trees and stuff."
"Hey, you make it sound like I don't know how to have fun," Tochiro drawled, taking a playful swing at Jason's chest. Jason swung back eagerly, enjoying the light-hearted moment between them. Things had been unbelievably serious for a while and there was still an undercurrent of unease in the air, but it wasn't enough for Jason to turn down a little fun with his new buddy and his best friend. Speaking of which…
"Ryu! Hey, dude, you gonna let this guy beat up on--" Jason trailed off, his eyes roaming over the court. "Ryu? Hey, Ryuji! Where'd you go, man?"
Tochiro tapped Jason's shoulder and pointed to the court's other side. "Over there."
Ryuji sat in in contemplative silence beneath a tree at the edge of the basketball court, his arms wrapped around both his knees and his chin resting on them in thought, a light breeze blowing through his red tank top. His mind hadn't been on the game--or much of anything else to be honest--so he'd walked off the court after Tochiro had gotten past him. His thoughts kept casting themselves back--back to the fight the day before with Arbast and the emergence of the Guard Beast, Hellscar. His Guard Beast. It had been a frightening experience. Like anyone with sense would feel about seeing a giant metal dragon flying out of the ground and coming straight at them. But the fear he'd felt faded as soon as he and the dragon reached out to each other with a connection that ran down to the pits of both their souls. And that bond enabled them to finally destroy Arbast. During that moment, he felt a emotional bond to the great beast. He considered him not just as an ally, but a friend, a missing part of his own soul. That's what it had been. But the experience left Ryuji with more questions than answers. After Armag had disappeared, Hellscar, for a reason Ryuji couldn't understand, shut down the empathic connection between them and abruptly returned to his resting place. Ryuji reached out with his mind and soul to Hellscar, only to be blocked on both levels by the Guard Beast. Moments before the great dragon took flight and returned to his resting place, Ryuji had called to him.
Matte! Don't go!
…I AM…SORRY…
Nanda? For what? What's wrong? What do you have to be sorry about?
…ASK…THE WIZARD…
Ask the wizard? Was he talking about Bes? Hellscar…What were you trying to tell me? Why did you sound so…sad? What's the hell's going on?
The rapid motion of a hand flattening itself against the top of Ryuji's head and rustling his hair shook him out of his thoughts. "Nani?" Ryuji looked up abruptly, and saw the bright blue of Jason's eyes looking back at him.
"Hey, you still in there, bro?" Jason asked, right eyebrow quirked up, a curious expression on his face.
"Yes and no," Ryuji replied absently. "I've been thinking about things, is all."
"Daijoubu?" Tochiro sat down on Ryuji's right side. "Thinking about what?"
"Hellscar," Ryuji said, almost to himself. "I can't get him out of my mind."
"Hey, it'd been kinda hard not to, man." Jason stretched himself out on the grass on Ryuji's left. "I mean, I heard sentai teams always have some kind of heavy duty mecha, but that thing--wow. It was something else."
"Hellscar's not an 'thing', Jase," Ryuji came back. "I know he looked like a robot and all that, but whatever he else he is, he's a living, thinking entity. He…" Ryuji paused for a second, as if he didn't quite believe what he was about to say. Then he continued, "he talked to me, guys."
"Nanda? When??" Tochiro asked.
"After we beat Arbast. Right before he disappeared, he told me…that he felt whole."
Jason's expression was dubious. "Wait a minute…he talked to you? How? I didn't hear him say anything. Come to think of it, I didn't hear you say anything, either, Ryu."
Ryuji nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I know. It was like…I don't know…like he was tuned into my head--my soul, I guess…" Ryuji sighed. "It sounds corny, I know, but I can't explain it any other way."
"Did he say anything else?" Jason queried.
"Kind of…" Ryuji stood up, his eyes trained on nothing in particular. "I tried to get to tell me more, but all he said was 'ask the wizard'. Three guesses who that is."
Jason frowned in thought. "Well, why didn't Bes say anything about him? Why'd he keep us in the dark?"
Ryuji shook his head. "I don't know. Hellscar didn't say anything else. He was hiding something, I could tell that much--it was…like he was ashamed or something. There was this huge wave of sadness coming off of him. It was weird, because he was glad to see me at first. Like he…like he knew me. Like I was his best friend in the whole world."
Jason and Tochiro looked at each other, both at a loss for words.
"And there's something else I've been wondering, " Ryuji said, turning to look at his two friends, "am I the only one of us who's got a Guard Beast?"
"What are you saying, Ryuji?" Tochiro blinked. "You think there's more than one?"
"Tochiro, it makes sense if you consider it…c'mon, don't tell me you guys weren't thinking the same thing." Ryuji gestured toward him and Jason. "Think about it…if these guys we're fighting are such bad-asses, wouldn't it make sense if there was more than one Guard Beast out there to help us when we needed it? Y'know, one for each of us or something? That's the way it goes in teams like ours." He looked over at Jason. "Right, Jase?"
"Dude, you're asking me?" Jason looked abashed. "I'm American, remember? I'm a bigger rookie than you guys."
Ryuji sighed, "Well, since we've seen the enemy now, I don't think it'd hurt to find out what all's in our hand. As soon as I can I'm going down to the Earth Sanctum to get Bes to explain this. I'll see you later, guys. "
Jason nodded. "Later, bro."
"He's changed quite I bit," Tochiro whispered to Jason as Ryuji got up to leave.
"Yup. But I always knew he had it in him somewhere, man. He's our leader. It's his job to know what we need to win."
"It was sudden, though," Tochiro replied.
"Bes just knows how to convince people, I guess. I don't know what he did but it worked. And I'm glad it did."
"Because the team's complete now?"
"That too, but I was getting tired of his whining about this cutting into his time too," Jason said wryly. Tochiro just shook his head.
Armag sat in silent contemplation in his cavernous hideout. His henchmen--what remained of them-- stayed well away from him while he was doing this. Armag was calm and in complete control most of the time, but absolutely could not stand being interrupted during times of intense thought and planning.
It seemed the longer it took to deal with them, the more powerful the Guardrangers became. But he couldn't afford to take much longer to eradicate them. He would be trailed to Earth soon enough, and if he hadn't gained control of the ancient object buried in the ground by then, he was as good as dead.
But he couldn't just send in another monster and try to take it again. Surely the Guardrangers would find out and just stop it cold. But…yes, that must be the problem.
All the monsters of his who'd fought the Guardrangers had relied on brute force, and failed because of it. Yet, if he could outwit them and force them to fight his minions on his own turf…yes, that could definitely work.
Armag rose and went over to a pyramidal crystal embedded in the cavern wall. He stared intently at it, and said commandingly, "Araka, attend me! Our leader commands your presence before him!"
The air in the chamber rippled like a thrown rock breaking through water, and a tall figure stepped out of the disturbance. He was wiry and somewhat thin, but powerfully built, with deathly white skin under-toned slightly with gray, his fingers long and tapered at the ends with sharp nails. His eyes were cat-like and glassy jet black like two pools of spilled oil. He came before Armag and bowed slightly in reverence.
"Yes, Lord Armag?" came the reply.
"The situation is deteriorating, Araka," Armag said darkly. "The Rangers powers are greater than I anticipated. And now with the summoning of this creature--Hellscar, the balance of power is tipping in their favor. I cannot afford any further failures or delays; I must seize the power I covet while I still can."
"I assume a direct assault at the excavation site, given Garmanda's lack of success, is out of the question," Araka inquired.
"Yes. And even if we could, I would not resort to a tactic like that. I've too little resources left to indulge in fruitless behavior. No, what I require is a more…subtle approach to the problem." Armag nodded to Araka. "That is where you come in, Araka. You infiltration skills are second-to-none, and perfectly suited for this task.
"Which is..?" Araka prompted. Armag's left eye pulsed electric blue as an insidious smile formed on his lips.
"Infiltration," he said. "Then search, seizure, and finally… and most enjoyably…destruction."
Miaka set down her bag as she took her seat in class the next morning. All of the students she'd passed on the way in were buzzing about something. About the monster who'd been robbing stores across the city for days, but who had grown to giant size and been stopped cold by a giant metal dragon. The rumor was already going around that a new sentai was in town.
She looked down at the ornate bracelet on her wrist and smiled. Of course, she knew it was anything but a rumor. The chatter inside the classroom brought Miaka's attention back to normal. It was even louder than usual. Everywhere she looked there was a debate going on about the mystery sentai-in-question. It seemed like everyone had their own opinions about them.
Miaka had been a great admirer of previous sentai in their time; the Megarangers, the Gingamen, even the mysterious Timerangers. People blessed with a fantastic honor and duty, and now it turned out she was one of them herself. It was like a dream come true. Ever since she'd been a fan of the teams that saved Japan and the rest of the world from invasion time and again, Miaka had wondered what it would be like to be a member of one. All the awesome secrets and abilities one was privy to, the thrills and challenges, the adulation of the people…Well, she'd soon find out now.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey Miaka, everyone's saying there's a new sentai around." She looked over her shoulder; it was the familiar stout figure of her friend Noremi. She wasn't quite fat, but definitely on the receiving end of stocky. Still, there was something appealing about her nonetheless. Boys followed her around, and she didn't mind one bit. Miaka was at a loss to explain it, and they'd been friends for seven years.
"So I hear," Miaka said, trying to sound nonchalant and innocent about them, "Does anyone know their name yet?"
"Not yet," Noremi replied, taking her seat next to Miaka, "They just show up and then disappear when the job's done."
"Well, that doesn't sound odd for people like them. Everyone likes their privacy, right? After a day of fighting monsters who wants to come home to the paparazzi camped out on your front lawn?" Miaka said. Hey, this secret identity stuff was easy!
"You did, last time I heard. How's that singing career coming?"
"It's just something to do, Noremi."
"No it's not. Every day of the week you spend an hour with your voice instructor. Every time we and the others go out to do something, you want to go to a karaoke place. All your spending money goes into CD's. It isn't just something to do. Not for you."
It was true. Miaka had loved singing all her life, even longer than she'd been a fan of sentai teams. She had wanted nothing more than to become famous doing it for a living, and the drive pushing her toward that goal had pretty much ruled her life until a little while ago. When a stranger had put that bracelet in her hand and told her of the duty she had never known was hers. That revelation had been dominating her thoughts of late.
"Well, to be totally honest I haven't thought about it much lately…Something big came up. I'm spending more of my time on that, now."
"Oh? What is it?" Noremi asked.
Miaka signed inwardly. Of course couldn't tell Noremi that she was Airguard, member of the latest team to fight evil under the super sentai banner. That she was living the dream of many a youth. This was like a weed in a garden of roses to her; not being able to tell her best friend about this great honor.
"I wish I could tell you, Noremi. But I can't. It's…personal."
"Oh." Noremi looked disappointed. At that moment the bell rang and the teacher sauntered into the room. "Look, Miaka, I respect your privacy, but you can tell me anything and I won't make a big deal out of it. You know that."
"I know. But this is way different, Noremi. And it's the only bad thing about it for me…"
The school day came and went quickly, which was perfectly to Miaka's liking; her mind had been anywhere and everywhere but in class today. Noremi had tried to get her to explain what she had been talking about that morning, but Miaka had insisted--diplomatically, of course--that she couldn't discuss it any further. Noremi finally relented and the two girls parted ways for the day. Miaka was relieved that school would be closed for a few days; the word had had come over the school intercom that there was a problem with the school's electrical system that would take almost a week to fix, and it would require shutting down most of the building's facilities. She wasn't heartbroken at hearing that little revelation, but what to do with all the free time, though?
After a few minutes of walking and riding the wind tunnels, Miaka found herself standing outside the doors of the Terralogical Institute, remembering that Naoko had said this was where she worked, a few miles outside the city. She stood there for a minute, debating whether or not to go in and check on her. Miaka wasn't totally sure, but it seemed as if Naoko had been a bit out of sorts about something. She hadn't really had the chance to address it before this--fighting for your life against a fire-breathing monster did that to a person, but it was obvious Naoko's mind had been elsewhere for a while. But what caused it? That was the question.
Hmmm…why not? I haven't got anything else to do right now. Maybe a little girl talk's just what the doctor needs. Miaka smiled walked across the street toward the Institute, a light-hearted spring in her step.
Naoko was still trying to figure out the readings and measurements the team had taken back at the site of the strange subterranean object. It was driving her crazy trying to figure out what it could be. All she had been able to figure out was that it was large--the size of a small city--and roundish in shape. And it had to be something very dangerous if Garganstah wanted it so badly. She had to find out what it was as soon as possible.
If only she could focus, though. Whenever she tried to concentrate on the figures on her desk, she saw the malevolent face of Armag, his cold, heartless laughter drifted against the inner walls of her mind. To make matters worse, she could still feel the faint traces and phantom pains Arbast's ruthless attack had dealt her in the last battle. Remembered how she'd lain there defeated and insensate as the others subdued the fire-breathing menace.
She shoved it away with an irritated sigh; she had to find out the nature of this…object or whatever it was before it was too late.
So focused on her task and visions was she that she hardly noticed Takeo when he came back in, having been called away to check something out back in the city earlier. Even though she had to clear him to enter the institute and was supposed to keep an eye on him while he was inside. She didn't even look up at him as he walked to the side of her desk and coughed to get her attention.
"Naoko? C'mon, talk to me…what's wrong?" Takeo urged from his standing position from behind Naoko's desk. "What're you so weirded out over?"
Naoko looked at him surprised. "You have to ask? After what happened a little while ago?"
"Nani?" Takeo looked blank. "Whaddya mean 'what happened a little while ago'?"
Naoko stared incredulously at him. "Kami-sama, have you been on another planet? You haven't heard about the monster?"
He shook his head. "Naoko, I had to go out of town on business right after I met up with a buddy in Ueno Park. Then after I got back, I had my hands full with showing him around my apartment, and then I had a truckload of stuff from work to handle on top of--wait a minute…monster? What monster??"
Naoko found it a little hard to believe that Takeo hadn't heard anything about Arbast running riot through the city, even before he'd gone giant on her and the other Guardrangers, but the more she told Takeo about the chaos from the day before, the more surprised he looked about it. By the time she'd finished, he looked absolutely floored.
"Kami-sama…and the guys who fought that thing…they were another sentai team?" he asked. "Which ones were they? GoGo V? Gaorangers?"
"No, this was a new group entirely," Naoko replied, pretending to be just as in the dark as he was. "No one even knows their names yet, but apparently the leader summoned a dragon to destroy the thing after it turned into a giant. A red dragon from what the newspapers and television reports said."
"Yow…" Takeo muttered. "I really have been out of touch. I mean, I saw the some kind of clean up crew out today when I went to work, but I didn't know it was something like that. Was anybody hurt?"
"There were casualties, yes, but I'm not sure how many." Naoko said, sighing heavily. " I suppose we should be used to this by now--it's like some kind of law of nature."
"Yeah, I guess so. No wonder you're so shook up. It seems like just as soon as we get through with one evil group planning to take over the world another one shows up. Why can't we get any peace?"
"Gives the kids someone to look up to," Naoko said, almost without realizing it.
"Oh yeah?" Takeo said, as if he realized Naoko knew something she wasn't telling him, "What do you know about these guys anyway? Seems you've heard a lot about them."
Naoko almost exploded. Such a probing question while she was feeling so edgy was the last thing she needed. But she had to stay collected. Takeo couldn't be allowed to suspect anything.
"Oh, not much yet," she said, desperately hoping Takeo didn't notice the mild quaver in her voice, "Just the usual rumors that start going around whenever a new conflict arises around here. I'm sure we'll find out more about them soon enough. Everyone needs a while to get established."
Takeo chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, that's definitely true. Took me plenty of time and hard work to get established."
"And what do you do again?" Naoko asked, realizing she'd honestly forgotten. Takeo had only told her once, when they first met. She said it as if she was only half-aware that he was there.
Takeo shrugged. "I'm just an office crony. Nothing special."
"Funny," Naoko intoned with more than a little suspicion, "that fancy car you drive and all the time you seem to have to spend around me says otherwise…"
Takeo squirmed, but before Naoko could say anything else, she felt an unearthly force brush against her mind. It was a weird but familiar sensation. It meant another Guardranger was reaching out to make mental contact with her.
Who's there? Naoko called out across the ethereal bond between the Guardrangers that allowed them to touch souls like this. What could be happening? Was there another attack already? It had only been a day since the last one. Surely they'd still be recouping their losses…
Naoko? Are you all right? Miaka's mental voice echoed from the void.
Miaka? Has something happened? What's wrong?
Well, nothing actually…but you seemed kind of distracted last time so I thought I'd see how you were.
And it never occurred to you to just pick up the telephone, and call like everyone else? I'm busy with very important work, Miaka! I don't have time for this! Naoko said, more forcefully than she really meant.
Yikes--down, girl, Miaka replied, completely unfazed, Can't push ourselves so hard we burn out. What good are we then?
As Naoko was about to reply, she was distracted as the lights suddenly flickered and then went out. And an inhuman, sepulchral laugh began to resonate from every corner of the room. The sound began to focus into the center of the room, and Naoko, Takeo, and all the staffers of the Terralogical Institute in the room looked toward the source of the laughing. A low hum filled in the spaces between the gasps and fearful murmurs as a growing corona of electric blue congealed into being, tendrils of power sparking and snapping like a pack of angry snakes. A mouth appeared in the middle of the maelstrom, and twisted into a malevolent mockery of a smile as it gaped open in time to the laughs. A powerful, muscular frame began to materialize along with it, and Naoko felt her legs go weak and a frisson of icy apprehension washed down her back as the familiar figure emerged, wild energy rolling off of him in waves.
It was Armag, in all his wicked splendor. Somehow he had found her. But she was paralyzed…what could she possibly do against him?
Ryuji descended the steps into the Earth Sanctum, his mind still casting thoughts about Hellscar back and forth. This time he hadn't even worried about someone seeing him vanishing into thin air as he'd entered. Since he'd begun to accept what he was destined for, everything had gone a lot more smoothly for him. Everything was squared away at the Golden Bushel for a while, no stores of ingredients to refill or employees' wages to worry about, so he hadn't worried about leaving during the middle of the day to "take a walk."
The lights came on in the main room as Ryuji entered. The multihued sparks within Beservor's globe began to dart around and recoil off the sides more frenetically, too. "Hello, Fireguard. What brings you here today?"
"Actually, Bes, I need to know more about Hellscar. I tried to make contact with him after we stopped Arbast, but he wouldn't talk to me. I felt some kind of vibe coming off of him--like he was ashamed of something. But he wouldn't tell me what it was. He said I should ask you."
The ancient wizard's mental sigh was all too audible in the empty chamber's confines, and Ryuji had the feeling that there was something deeper at the end of all this. "It is a… complicated story, Fireguard. It goes back to when we first fought Garganstah…"
"Hey, I've got plenty of time, Bes." Ryuji took a seat at one of the chairs lying around the room to listen. "Lay it on me."
"Shortly after the Garganstah first threatened mankind, and the Guardrangers were created to defend it , the planet gave rise to a living supernatural avatar, whose power embodied the sum totality of the elemental from which it was born; the Guard Beasts, as they later became known, were created to be the companion of each Guardranger, to aid them in battle when their own powers were not enough."
"So each of us does have their own beast." Ryuji nodded.
"Yes, and in the war thousands of years ago they were invaluable allies. But they grew to be much more. As time went on, each of you formed an empathic bond with your respective Guard Beast that ran to the depths your souls. You have felt this with Hellscar, obviously. But, after you died…"
Beservor was interrupted as Ryuji felt that tingle of souls touching, another Guardranger crying out to him through his mind. It was a small, plaintive, but desperate voice.
It was Miaka. Miina, come quick! Something's wrong at the lab where Naoko works! I can't get in and she isn't answering me anymore! Hayakuu!
Ryuji looked up at Beservor, and realized he'd have to wait to hear the rest of this. "I guess we gotta table this for right now, Bes," Ryuji shoved himself out of his seat, heading for the stairs that led to the surface. "I'm gonna need a lift." Once he was back outside, a wind tunnel opened to carry him to the Terralogical Institute.
Miaka paced the sidewalk outside the Terralogical Institute like an expectant father. She almost felt as if she was being punished for being dumb enough to come to check up on Naoko and risking their identities like this, the way everything had gone south just as she'd made contact. She'd been standing outside, knowing better than to go in and talk to Naoko face to face. How suspicious would that have been, after all? But suddenly all the lights in the windows had gone dark and a cage of lightning erupted above it and formed bars of blue-white electricity that cracked and sizzled before her now. She breathed a sigh of relief when Ryuji, Jason and Tochiro appeared over a hill and ran to her side.
Miaka…what's happening?" Ryuji said, even though it was plain to him that it had something to do with the barricaded building in front of them.
"Naoko didn't seem like herself in the last fight so I came to check up on her when school got called off today. But as soon as I got hold of her, that giant industrial- strength bug zapper appeared around the building."
"Garganstah…" Ryuji muttered, "Well, I guess we all know what to do."
They nodded and raised their Guardbraces, voices ringing together.
"FIRE… FOCUS!
"FOREST… FOCUS!"
"WATER…FOCUS!"
"AIR …FOCUS!"
At the spoken commands, the familiar elemental spectacle flared to life, and when it passed, the Guardrangers stood in uniform, ready to break into the Terralogical Institute.
But the question was how, though? The cage of lightning looked powerful enough to do a number even on them. Fireguard looked up, his eyes raking the area for a possible source of the energy surrounding the building. There, he saw a bulky-looking crystal, hued in every color imaginable floating in mid-air above the second story of the building and releasing the ferocious impulses of electricity.
"So how do we take it out, guys?" Waterguard asked, turning to Fireguard. "Water and electricity…not exactly a copasetic situation, y'know?"
"Jase, you've been playing that stupid game way too much. I guarantee it doesn't work that way on you," the Ranger in red said, then turned to his green-clad ally. "Tochiro," he said to his green-clad ally, "you think you can smack that thing with the Gorilla Vine?"
Forestguard nodded and raised his weapon, "Of course. I'm just worried about whether or not I can break it with this." Nonetheless, he cocked back his arm and swung. The Gorilla Vine's thick, barbed metallic cable lashed out and snapped through the air toward the source of the barrier. The tip snapped against the side of the crystal with a satisfying crack. A cluster of shards fell off from where the Gorilla Vine had struck the crystal and clattered noisily to the pavement. The lightning stopped flowing from the crystal, but it continued to hover where it was, despite the fractures now visible where the Gorilla Vine had hit it.
"All right. Guess we can go in now," Fireguard said, moving to enter the front door. But as he took his first step, the crystal began to hum and throb angrily. Then, without warning, it dove at his head!
"HEY!" Fireguard rolled to one side just in time and the crystal swooped back up into the air, where it hung in the air and began to shake as if angry with itself for missing. Then it stopped. Airguard nocked an arrow into her bow to take care of the thing once and for all, and let it fly. A bolt of lightning sprung out of the crystal and destroyed the shaft in mid-flight.
"Oh, great! I guess trying to outrun that thing's outta the question?" Waterguard called as he swerved to the side.
"Yeah, I'd say so!" Fireguard yelled back. "I've got a nasty feeling that it might try and follow us inside, and that'd make the people inside targets too!" He readied the Dragon Steel and went into a defensive position. "We're gonna have to take it out first before we go in there, guys!" Fireguard concentrated for a moment, then the edge of his katana burst into flame, strengthening its already lethal power.
The crystal hummed maliciously in response, then began raining down scorching bolts of lightning toward the Guardrangers.
Armag stood in the main office area of the Terralogical Institute. Even the staff who hadn't been in the room had come to see what that inhuman laughing was about. And immediately wishing they hadn't.
Dr. Amasada had come into the crowded room just then, wondering what the commotion was all about. "What's the meaning of all this?? Naoko, what's happening in here?" But before she could even start to offer an explanation…
"I apologize for the sudden disruption in your work schedule, ladies and gentlemen," Armag remarked lightly, "but your establishment has been investigating something of great interest to me. I trust you will most forthcoming in providing me with the necessary knowledge I require to obtain it. That is, if you wish to continue living."
A wave of fear swept its way through the room at Armag's words. The tension in the air was so thick, it felt like a solid wall weighing everyone down. Naoko was unnerved in spite of herself, and all the self-doubt that had been plaguing her mind of late wasn't helping. She instinctively drew her left hand over her Guardbrace, taking some small comfort in its presence against her wrist. However, seeing as how she couldn't use it without exposing herself, the comfort was a cold one.
Her mind raced back and forth trying to think of some way of evening the odds. She noticed that Armag's eyes kept straying back to her every so often for some reason, even though she'd pretended not to notice it. She had no idea why, but maybe she could use that to her advantage.
"And you expect us to just hand over the last few months of our findings and research just because you make a flashy entrance and start barking out orders?" Naoko said pitching her voice toward Armag with an authority she didn't necessarily feel. "You're very bold making a demand like that."
"Something we have in common, I could say," Armag snarled. "Araka!" A shifty-looking man walked calmly out of the crowd and sidled up to Armag. Naoko vaguely recalled that he'd started working at the institute around when she'd met Takeo a couple of months ago, but he'd steered clear of everyone as much as he could. A moment later she knew why.
He was a short, slight man, but suddenly his body began to bulge and change. His hair fell out and his skin turned gray. His clothes melted and shifted into armor. Within instants, he had become a colossus, with glistening ray skin, eight feet tall and with armor the color of blood and obsidian covering his body. Araka leered threateningly at the assembled staff.
"My associate, Araka has informed me of your discovery and interest in a giant, buried object out in the countryside. But, unfortunately, he has not been able to provide me with the most specific information you have acquired on its nature. Which is where the lot of you come in. Now…are you willing to part with what I require…or must I force the information from your lips myself?" Armag asked coolly.
"You talk plenty tough," someone said, "But I bet it's just an act." All eyes turned toward where the voice had come from, and there stood Takeo. Armag screwed up his face in both astonishment and disgust and reached out toward the young man. Takeo ducked under the grab and whipped out a snap kick that could've flattened a normal person, but Armag blocked with surprising speed and smacked Takeo across the room. Araka grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground. The warrior smashed his fist into Takeo's stomach, and his world swiftly went black. Araka dropped him roughly, his forehead slapping the floor as his unconscious body slumped over. It took all of Naoko's will to restrain herself from reacting too severely.
Armag narrowed his eyes into tight slits. He hadn't really expected resistance. He knew there was a Guardranger somewhere in this building. He'd been able to detect them just before their power had awakened. But even though the Guardrangers were his only possible threat--Araka's disposal of that tough-talking upstart had proved that--the one here wouldn't dare to reveal themselves in front of all these witnesses.
But then he looked out the window, and saw that the bars of electricity that had been isolating the building were gone. "I thought you set everything up like I told you!" he barked at Araka.
"I did!" Araka protested. Even he seemed afraid of Armag's displeasure.
"You'd better go make sure then, hadn't you?" Araka nodded and dashed out of the room. Meanwhile, Armag scanned the crowd before him, trying to pick out who was in charge. One staffer turned to run as soon as Armag's gaze left him, but the villain raised his hand, a merciless shockwave of violent blue light striking the fleeing staffer squarely in the back. His muscles seized up and a painful crack went through the room, then he slumped to the floor, motionless. "And the same will happen to anyone else who doesn't learn from my example," Armag said without missing a beat.
Naoko shivered involuntarily. She didn't dare henshin. There were almost thirty people in the room, people who knew her by name and birth date. She'd never hear the end of it if she changed now. Naoko tried to calm herself--not easy in the presence of this nightmarish figure who stalked her dreams, and then tried to reach out and touch souls with the others. But something was wrong. Across the mystical ether she couldn't seem to locate them, as if they were too busy with something to notice her trying to make contact. But Naoko kept trying. The others had to know that their enemy was here…
The air exploded with the tremendous force of the lightning that was raining down from the airborne crystal toward the Guardrangers, keeping them at bay as they ducked and rolled out of the way of the blasts, all the while looking desperately for some kind of opening in its defenses.
Fireguard jumped high into the air, brandishing his flaming katana and intent on using it to smash the crystal to dust. Just as he was about to swing the Dragon Steel, however, the crystal fired a bolt straight into his chest, as if it could sense his intentions. Fireguard was knocked back in a wave of sparks and fell to the ground, stunned.
Water and Forestguard readied themselves to attack it at the same time. Waterguard hurled his Orca Brand at the crystal from one side like a javelin, while Forestguard swung the vicious Gorilla Vine at it from the opposite side. But again, the crystal seemed able to read their thoughts. It loosed two pulses at once, knocking the Orca Brand out of the air and blasting Water and Forestguard off their feet. The Gorilla Vine retracted it before it had a chance to hit.
This left only Airguard, who some would think was the least of them, able to continue fighting. But she was no weak-willed little girl. She had been given a great duty, a great honor. And she was determined to be worthy of it. She refused to fear this infernal thing that had decimated her friends. Somehow, she would overcome it.
The crystal fired at her, but in the blink of an eye she had spread her arms and taken to the sky like a bird of prey. It tracked her and fired again, but she pulled out the Hawkwing and held it above like a lightning rod. When the lightning burst struck the bow, it was diffused harmlessly. And before the crystal could fire again, she nocked an arrow, and took aim. Her voice rose in volume and pitch, a reverberating echo building behind it as she summoned her strength, luminous white light growing against the tip of the arrow.
"HAWK SOUL SNIPER!" She shouted and fired, putting all of her power into that arrow. The glowing shaft screamed toward the crystal, carrying a violent rush of air in its wake, hitting it dead-center and shattering it into a million infinitesimal pieces.
"YATTA!!" she cried, feeling like a cheerleader as she threw her arms up in the air in victory. The others began to stir back on the ground, and she dropped back down.
Miina, daijoubu?" she asked.
"I feel like I got hit by a wrecking ball, but I think so. Nice work up there." Fireguard replied. Water and Forestguard achingly climbed to their feet as well. They were unharmed now but for a sharp tingling from the electricity that was quickly fading. The rangers turned their attention to the Terralogical Institute. Nothing gave them any trouble as they walked up to the double doors in the front and pushed them open.
The building was eerily quiet as they entered. Somehow this seemed worse to them than all the Garganstah forces lying in wait to blast them into the middle of next week as soon as they set foot in the place. Waterguard thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned to look it was gone. He shivered involuntarily.
"Guys, I'm gettin' seriously creeped here," he muttered, moving closer to Forestguard. A wave of icy unease crept up his back.. "This whole thing smells like a set-up."
"Same here. Maybe we should spread out and see if we can find the people in here," Forestguard said, but Fireguard shook his head.
"We should stick together, guys. Judging by how much trouble that thing outside gave us, anything else Garganstah's set up to take care of intruders will probably take everything we've got to deal with it."
"Well, there's a truism if ever I've heard one!" a harsh voice growled just before a wiry, but hulking shape hurled itself out of the shadows and tackled him. It was Araka, and he lifted Fireguard and threw him across the spacious lobby before the hero could stop him. Fireguard slammed into the wall painfully, but rolled to his feet and brandished the Dragon Steel.
"You must've wrecked my Tempest Prism to get in here. That was my favorite toy…well, I'll simply return the favor--by wrecking the bunch of you in return!" The Guardrangers didn't give him the chance to try to make good on that threat, they attacked.
But Araka made no move to stop them. In fact, he smirked as they charged towards him brandishing their weapons. And he had good reason to. He snapped his fingers and the floor opened up beneath Forestguard, and he fell into a pit of some kind of thick, gluey muck to which he found himself stuck fast, not to mention sinking slowly.
Araka shot a nasty look at Waterguard, and a swarm of U-shaped metal darts shot out of the wall, catching the blue warrior's arms and legs pinning him against the far wall.
I so love these psychic traps, Araka mused as Airguard and Fireguard continued barreling toward him. You just have to think about them hard enough and they trigger. And he did so once again, the carpet in the center of the room suddenly unraveling and the threads snaking out and wrapping around the two Rangers. They fell to the floor, tied back to back in a cocoon of thread as strong as steel cable. And Araka, pleased with his handiwork, closed in for the kill…
Naoko wondered if she might be better off calling upon her power now, regardless of what her coworkers would think, than waiting for Armag to get through interrogating them all. A pile of her unconscious fellow staffers was growing bigger in one corner of the room each time one of them refused to tell Armag what he wanted to know or claimed to have no idea. The rest of them sat against the wall as they waited their turn, Naoko in absolute dread of Armag and his power.
She tried to reach out to the other Rangers again. They felt much closer now, almost as if a few rooms away. But it still seemed as if they were too occupied with something else to hear her. But perhaps that was a good sign? Yes, it had to be. Armag had said how someone had destroyed the electric barrier around the building and his flunky had gone off to check. Miaka had been around when the building had been taken over in the first place, so no doubt her teammates were somewhere nearby…probably fighting the monster who had left not long ago.
"You!" Armag bellowed, snapping Naoko back to her immediate surroundings. He was pointing at Dr. Amasada. Clearly the doctor's turn had come to tell Armag what he wanted to know or get a shock he'd never forget.
"You look like the man in charge. What do you know about the buried object that you've been investigating?" Armag demanded.
"You answer my question first," Dr. Amasada said defiantly, "Why are you so are interested in it?" Naoko smiled slightly. Dr. Amasada was a tough old bird, no doubt about it. Armag had the power in his muscles alone to break the old scientist's spine with blow, and Amasada wasn't showing the least sign of fear. Quite the opposite of what she felt.
"Power, old man, the ultimate in destruction. The Death Gar. An ancient stronghold that will give me all I require to bring this planet to its knees and render me invincible against all my enemies."
"Then what makes you think I'll help you get that kind of power?"
"Whether or not you cooperate is entirely up to you, my good man. I simply need to find out if I've been wasting my time targeting that site, and if so, where that fortress really is. My equipment isn't powerful to verify it, and enemies--worse by far than those Guardrangers are on their way. I mean to be ready for them," Armag said, impatience heavily implied in his voice, "My little spy hasn't been able to get all the information I need …And you will show me the readings you've taken of that buried object …or there will be blood shed here today. Yours…" Armag broke off, slowly gesturing to the crowd of conscious and unconscious people in the room before speaking again, "and Theirs."
"Never," Dr. Amasada said calmly. Armag scowled and drew an evil-looking sword, and suddenly slashed out with it and cut deep into the doctor's arm. He yelled in pain and toppled to the ground.
"Perhaps you'd care to re-think that decision?" Armag sneered
"NO," Amasada growled back. Armag raised his sword to strike again, but a less brave seismologist rose to his feet.
"Don't hurt him. I'll give you what we have on the object if you'll let us go," he said.
Armag smiled an evil smile, but nodded. The other scientist went and unlocked the area where restricted documents were kept, and Armag followed him in. A groan came from the corner as Takeo began to awaken. Naoko darted over and helped him up. "Man…what hit me?" he asked groggily.
"A fist bigger than you've ever seen," Naoko replied, looking down at him. Even in this state, bruised, battered and only half-conscious, he looked like he had a child's innocence and not a care in the world. But as he met her eyes there was a sudden look of maturity to him as well that she had never seen before.
"Naoko, I-" he coughed painfully, "I'm sorry I…didn't help things back there…" He said it as if, for the first time in his life, he saw things as seriously as Naoko always did. Naoko half-smiled and stroked his hair, wondering at this new side to him. For just a moment, the fact that she was trapped and in peril of her life seemed to fade away…
Araka lifted the bound Fire and Airguard into the air and, with a bellowing laugh, hurled them at Waterguard, pinned to the wall and unable to dodge as his two teammates smacked into his stomach and fell to the floor.
"Ugh…squashed into kingdom come by a killer carpet…so NOT the way I pictured meeting my maker someday," Airguard grumbled. It was clear she was trying to stay calm--hard as that was given the situation, but it amazed Fireguard that his younger teammate could still make jokes at a time like this. He couldn't help but admire her just then for that. "I don't suppose you've got anything up your sleeve to get us out of here?"
Fireguard replied with an anxious sigh. "I could ignite and burn our way out of this, but I'd get you, too…"
Airguard took a deep breath, steeling herself. Then she said, "Do it anyway."
"NANI??"
"We don't have any other way to get out of this…trust me, this is the last way I'd ever try to get a quick suntan, but it's either this or get crushed to death! So make with the heat before I come to my senses!"
Fireguard didn't like this. He was supposed to be looking out for his teammates, and spit-roasting one of them was about the farthest thing from it. But he saw no other way either, and quickly began to concentrate.
He focused the burning elemental force that allowed him to wreathe his weapons in flame, and this time used it to surround himself. His body began to heat up, not harming him at all, but to Airguard, pressed against his back, it felt like dozens of tiny needles were being jabbed into. The heat rose, in temperature and volume, increasing her anguish. Smoke began to rise from the threads binding, and the pain increased for Airguard. But she bore it silently, even as Fireguard's body became hundreds of degrees hotter and finally burst into flame with an explosive cloud of smoke that filled the room, destroying the cocoon around them.
Araka waved a taloned hand and coughed as he tried to see what was happening through the thick smoke now filling the room. Suddenly, Airguard came sailing at him, Eternablade in hand. Caught totally unaware, he was driven back as she slashed at his armored chest again and again, sparks flying back and forth.
Fireguard, meanwhile, set about rescuing his teammates. He lowered the Dragon Steel hilt-first into the pit where Forestguard was slowly sinking out of sight, and the green-clad warrior grabbed it just before his shoulders were about to go under. With all his strength Fireguard pulled him free, and the two of them quickly began yanking out the metal pins keeping Waterguard where he was.
Finally, Araka managed to overcome his surprise and lash out at Airguard with his fists, but the spry heroine jumped backwards and out of the way. He roared and charged, his traps in this area spent, but suddenly, through the quickly-fading smoke, a spiked cable snaked out and dug into his back very painfully before retreating out of sight. And then a trident flew out of the haze and dug its teeth into his abdomen. Finally the smoke cleared enough for him to see the source: the four Guardrangers, free and ready to fight back. He didn't care. He charged like an angry rhinoceros.
"DRAGON HELLRISER!" Fireguard went into his E-Factor, but this time instead of just slashing out with his katana, he launched his whole body forward into a spiraling attack, a flame-image of a dragon surrounding him as he flew like a missile into Araka. He landed a vicious blow on the monster, knocking him back a few steps but not hurting him much. Araka looked ready to run at them again, but Airguard was ready.
"BOREAN BURST!" Holding her hands out, the air around her gathered and compressed between them into a bullet of radiant, ivory energy. Without a moment's hesitation she hurled it at Araka, knocking him a good thirty feet away.
As the scientist was about to hand over the file with the information on the buried object to Armag, he paused. There was a raucous noise coming down the hall, as if something big and heavy was smashing through doors and anything its way as it approached them the room at terrible speed.
A moment later the doors leading into the room exploded open as Araka rocketed through the air where they'd been and finally came to rest in a heap on the floor of the room.
"Gods and minions …What's the meaning of this? Araka! What the devil's happening in there?!" Armag shouted. He didn't have to wait long for the answer, as the four Guardrangers entered seconds later looking to finish the job. Dr. Amasada, moving faster than you'd think a man in his mid-seventies could, jumped up and grabbed the file from the cowardly scientist. Armag struck out with his sword, and the doctor fell. Someone screamed, and complete pandemonium broke loose.
The staff of the Terralogical Institute took the opportunity to get up and run, and the room was filled with fleeing people as Armag frantically tried to decide what to deal with first— getting the information he needed or taking care of the Guardrangers. They didn't wait; Airguard jumped toward the others, who locked their arms together and formed a makeshift springboard. She landed on it, and they propelled her into the air for a perfect shot at Armag with the Hawkwing, which she took. The shaft screamed as it dug into the warrior's shoulder. But he would not fall. Though obviously in pain, Armag stared defiantly at Airguard with his one eye. Then he swiped his sword, a rain of lethal blue power slammed forth and knocked the four Rangers out a nearby window in a shower of sparks. He yanked the bloodied arrow out of his shoulder. Grabbing the folder he needed off the ground, he climbed out after the Rangers. Araka, slightly dazed, climbed to his feet and followed his master.
Naoko was about to run off to change and join her teammates, now that there was nothing keeping her in that one room with the witnesses. But then images of the last battle filled her mind. How the monster had easily humbled her, how much more power Armag himself must have. She couldn't do it. She didn't have the strength. All she could do was watch helplessly through the shattered window as Armag and his henchman laid into her comrades.
"I trust you've prepared the area outside as well, as I told you?" Armag said.
"Of course, Milord," Araka replied, concentrating on the traps he'd laid outside. A series of small dirt-covered masses rose in the ground around the Guardrangers, then exploded. Sparks and cries of pain went flying from them as they fell to the ground.
Airguard managed to right herself somewhat as she landed facing the institute, and saw Naoko looking out the window, and the helpless look on her face. There really was something wrong. Why wasn't she coming to help them? But the white-clad Ranger couldn't worry about it now. Achingly, she tried to rise. She wouldn't give up, no matter what, but Armag strode over quickly and swatted her down.
Takeo joined Naoko at the window. "Oh, man, they're gonna get trashed! Aren't there supposed to be five of them?"
"There were," Naoko said, looking down.
"Well, if I was the fifth one, I'd get my butt out there to help my friends. No way can they win by themselves," he said, as if he somehow knew the doubts that were plaguing her. And, also as if he knew, he gave her a deep, soulful glance and left the room.
Naoko looked out at the one-sided fight before her again, as the two villains pummeled her comrades. She realized she had to do something. Being a Guardranger was not about her, as she had said herself. It was about helping others, and the other Rangers would soon die without help. Something she'd said to Ryuji time and time again.
Caught in my own trap…she thought, humorlessly. She stared at her Guardbrace for an instant longer, then…
"EARTH…FOCUS!" she shouted, forgetting her fears, filling her thoughts instead with what she saw in Miaka. The girl who had been concerned about her, who had risen to fight even though she was badly hurt and badly outmatched. Miaka, the girl who knew what it really meant to have a position like theirs.
Energy poured into Naoko, forming a yellow uniform around her. Armag and Araka saw the otherworldly glow that surrounded her as she changed to something more than human, and saw Earthguard, come at last.
"She's here! Deal with the others, Araka," Armag said, "the woman is mine." He strode toward Earthguard, who leaped out of the building to face him.
"So…you found your spine, I see …all the better," Armag growled wickedly, "for me to break it in half!"
Armag swung his vicious sword at her head, but she ducked and darted swiftly to the side, toward the spot where her friends lay. Without breaking stride, she whipped her Eternablade out and threw it at Araka. It grazed his arm, but it got his attention away from the others, which just what she wanted.
"Grizzly Claws!" she called out, sinking her hands into the ground that was the fulcrum of her power. Her weapons were revealed underneath the dirt and sand fragments as she smashed her hands together, and slashed ferociously at Araka. He towered over her, and was even more fearsome-looking than Arbast, but she none of that mattered. The battle was all that existed now; she had to stand up to this thing and not be intimidated, and buy her allies a little time to recover in the process.
Armag struck Earthguard from behind, and while she was distracted by the blow Araka grabbed her up in a bear hug. She struggled, but couldn't get loose. He was too strong. He began the crushing the life out of her, but didn't get far.
"Hey, ugly!" Araka turned to where the insult came from, and saw Takeo standing next to him, holding a camera, "Smile for the camera!" Then he squeezed the shutter, and the flash went off right in the monster's eyes. He growled in pain and annoyance, dropping Earthguard and clawing blindly for the human who'd done this to him. But Takeo had learned from his mistake about getting within arm's reach of a monster and rolled out of Araka's way.
"Glad you finally showed up," he said to Earthguard, shooting her his patented boyish, knowing smirk, "I was just telling someone how much your friends need you." Then he ducked out of sight before she could say a word.
Armag glared over at Earthguard, and Araka was beginning to recover his vision and did too. But as she prepared herself to take them both on, a voice was heard, "About time you got here." It was Fireguard. He and the others had gotten their second wind and were back on their feet, ready to fight. Airguard took Earthguard by both hands happily.
"Glad you're back." Fireguard nodded.
"Thank my friend's good example."
"Don't just stand there with your mouth open! Spring the traps, idiot!" Armag roared, just a trace of fear evident in his voice. Araka did as he was commanded, focusing his concentration on the other traps he'd planted outside the building. A pit with nasty-looking spikes at the bottom opened beneath Forestguard's feet, but this time he was ready and jumped to safety. He brought back his arm and launched the Gorilla Vine at the villains. Violence was not his preferred course of action, but he knew there was nothing else these infernal creatures would respond to. Armag swung his sword, trying to chop the Gorilla Vine in two, but instead the cable coiled around his blade and Forestguard yanked the weapon out of his hand.
Armag decided this was getting too dangerous for his person. Besides, he had what he came for. "Enough of this tomfoolery…finish them, Araka!" he said to his subordinate before disappearing into thin air. Araka felt understandably pole axed by being left in the lurch like this, but would be damned if he went down without a fight.
But the Guardrangers were back in fighting form and knew what to expect from this tricky monster by now. An electric net appeared in the air above Waterguard, but he saw it coming, caught it on his Orca Brand and flung it harmlessly away. A rigged tree toppled toward Earthguard but she cleaved it in half with a swipe from her Grizzly Claws. A line of the concealed explosives in the ground arose in front of Fireguard as he charged toward Araka, but he vaulted right over them and was completely unscathed as they exploded violently.
It was no good. His traps were spent, but Araka stepped up to fight the Rangers hand-to-hand. Fireguard and Waterguard attacked at once, but he knocked them away. Airguard darted through the air toward him but with one blow he knocked her to the side. Forestguard attacked once more with the Gorilla Vine, but Araka grabbed the cable and tugged, pulling Forestguard off his feet and into Araka's waiting fist.
Earthguard swung her claws at him, but he grabbed them in his giant hands. He smirked evilly and began to squeeze and crush her hands. Earthguard snarled in pain, but focused herself. Her body started to glow with elemental power, and words formed in her mind.
"Seismic…" she said, power thundering through her blood, "FORCE!" and brought her foot down with devastating force. The ground shook in response to her power, making Araka lose his grip on her hands, which proved to be a big mistake on his part, because a split-second afterward, she locked her hands together and swung upward hard and fast, slamming him squarely under the chin with an almost-deafening BOOM, and sent him flying backward. He crashed face-first into a line of his own explosives, and shrieked in agony as they detonated mercilessly across his body.
"Yow!" Airguard said as she joined her yellow-clad friend and handed back her Eternablade. "I didn't know you could anything like that!"
"You never know what you can do until you have a gun to your head, do you?"
"Let's finish this, guys," Fireguard said. They nodded and all drew their Eternablades. The five Rangers gathered facing Araka, and placed their swords together. Their elemental energies began to gather as a radiant sphere of power where the blades crossed . Within moments it was ready, and the Guardrangers swung their swords in Araka's direction, propelling the orb at him at blinding velocity, "ETERNITY DRIVE!"
The energy globe shot toward Araka and slammed him full in the chest, its multihued energies consuming him from the inside out. He tried to fight its effects, but it was no use. He collapsed to the ground, and exploded into a mess of metal fragments. The threat was ended. For now.
A while later, most of the staff of the Terralogical Institute returned to the building to re-assess the damage sustained in the chaos. Doctor Amasada had been injured by the wild swing Armag had taken at him, but it wasn't too severe. He was still issuing out instructions and whatnot up until the EMT's loaded him into an ambulance and took him to the hospital. The Rangers were still there, helping to get things back into at least a partial state of working order. Earthguard and Airguard were speaking with the Institute's security chief about possibly assigning armed guards to the dig site on Hokkaido, perhaps even asking the military for help with the situation if it came to that. Takeo, in the meanwhile, was talking to the guys a few feet away.
"I never got to thank you guys for what you did at the jewelry story that day. Especially you, pal," Takeo put a hand on Waterguard's shoulder. "Y'know, saving my butt and all. One of the EMT guys told me you stayed with me until they showed up. Thanks a lot for that, man. You didn't have to go that far."
Waterguard chuckled bashfully. "Hey, it's no problem. Besides, you helped us out with that camera flash back there. We owe you one, dude."
"Yeah, that was some quick thinking you did," Fireguard put in. He stuck his hand out to Takeo, nodding. "Arigato."
Takeo grinned, taking the offered hand. "Man…this is the first time I've ever seen you guys up close. Sentai guys, I mean. You were something else back there."
"Well, we're still pretty new to the job, really," Forestguard admitted. "I'm only sorry Armag got away from us, though."
"Yeah, one the guys who works here told me he got away with a file with info on the dig site on Hokkaido," Takeo said. "I was out there a while back, so I'm guessing whatever's out there's pretty serious stuff if he wants it so much."
"Yeah, that's probably the case," Fireguard agreed. He looked off into the skies, a tremor of unease rolling through him.
"And I'm sure as hell not looking forward to what's coming if it is…"
"YES…" Armag felt his breath sliding faster and hotter through his throat, anticipation swelling and rearing its head like a ferocious winter squall inside the darkened hollows of his soul as read the report from his seat of power.
He was right. The information was all here. And the proof it held was unmistakable.
The Death Gar was buried on Hokkaido…and it was waiting. Waiting to be unearthed. Waiting for its power to be unleashed. Waiting to rain glorious destruction down on his enemies.
Waiting…
For him…
