Summary: As the fight continues, the rangers try to keep their lives as normal as possible while learning about their full powers.

Phantom Rogue: Yeah, but do you actually like any of the rangers other then Aurora, Ray, Chaitlin and the twin? They never really were, but they'll be working on it.

Arwennicole: Not as long a wait as last time. Here's my update. Am glad you love this story so much. :D

Sasja: En? Geslaagd? Enjoy

Star Fata: Not this week? You updated twice this week. :P

The-power-of-love: As soon as I could make it. :D

Jenny: You're in luck… Rosa decided she wants to stay alive until she finished all the stories she's writing and are popping up in her head… so did I… We now figured out we have to live forever… and longer. ;)

Ghostwriter: I'm just getting started… and it's announcing the home stretch for the end of this part. :(

As The Battle Rages

Chapter 25

"Okay, I'm in position." Anlon's voice came from over the speaker.

"Dymphna, keep a close watch on him, okay?" Chaitlin ordered and the blue ranger nodded in reply. "Kota?" she continued briskly.

"I've got his signal." Dakota replied with a thumbs up.

"What the…" The speaker crackled and died suddenly.

"Anlon disappeared." Dymphna reported in disbelief, the words catching in his throat, coming out choked.

"I… I've lost his signal." Dakota muttered. "It failed and we're short yet another ranger."

"What do we do now?" Kayla whispered forlornly as her brother wrapped his arms around her.

Chaitlin rubbed her forehead wearily and sighed, helplessly.

"Maybe it's best if we all got some sleep. My brain refuses to work right now. We shouldn't give up though, that's for sure." She added firmly. "You heard Gwyn, we will get out of this situation somehow."

Dymphna and the twins nodded reluctantly. They said their goodbyes and all teleported straight to their own rooms, changing quickly before crashing in their beds, letting Dreamland sweep them away on the express train. Kayla barely had the presence of mind to telepathically inform her parents they were back home and the plan had failed before sleep claimed her.

Dymphna's room

Aura had barely closed the door behind her after checking up on Dymphna only to find her fast asleep, when a thin mist started forming in the room. The Mirage Mage stepped out of it and grinned. He pointed his staff at the sleeping girl and the fog quickly drew from all the corners of the room, packing itself around her. When it faded away into the air, Dymphna's bed was empty. The Mirage Mage laughed silently and stepped back in the mist, both disappearing.

Three days later

"Aurora!" Chaitlin exclaimed, running to her cousin. "The other rangers, they've all disappeared. We've looked everywhere. Dymphna even disappeared from her bed." She blurted out, not bothering to slowly tell Aurora the news.

"Why didn't you call?" Aurora demanded, feeling a leader-instinct kick in.

"We didn't want to worry you." Kayla sighed.

"Mom, would you mind if me and Ray left for ranger business?" Aurora called over her shoulder.

"Go." Ashley laughed. "We'll see you two at home."

Aurora nodded and the five of them ran off. The first corner they turned, a tick mist greeted them.

"What's this?" Ray demanded, but he received no answer.

It was beginning to get harder to breath and he felt like he was falling. He started struggling to get oxygen into his lungs, but it was no use. Darkness was creeping up on him around the edges of his vision before long, he lost consciousness.

Ray didn't know how much time had passed before he opened his eyes. He was lying on his bed. His parents or someone must have found them and brought them home. With a small smile, Ray slipped out of bed and walked out of his room, his bare feet making little noise against the fuzzy red carpet.

Pausing at the stairs, he bounded down them quickly and skidded into the living room. A frown crept onto his face when he found it empty. The ran back upstairs and checked his parents' room, only to find it devoid of people too before hurriedly finding the same results in Ciana's and Aurora's room.

Getting slightly frustrated he ran down again, checking Andros's study and the kitchen, but the house seemed to be deserted and there was no note telling him where anyone had gone.

He was turning to leave the kitchen when he noticed the door to the cellar was open. A shiver crept up his back and he carefully edged closer. He didn't like being underground, especially in the dark.

"Are you guys down there?" He called hesitantly.

There was no reply and Ray moved to close the door. Then familiar cries reached his ears.

"Ciana!" Ray exclaimed, quickly turning around and hitting the light so he could go down and look for her.

He had taken two steps down when he realised the light hadn't come on. Quickly retreating back up the stairs, he jiggled the light switch again and again, but it refused to work.

Paralysed by fear, Ray stared down the dark hole. Ciana's cries grew more demanding and he knew the right thing to do would be to brave the dark for his sister, but he just didn't dare. It didn't help that his brain refused to come up with a place where he could find a candle or a flashlight.

Somewhere else

Aurora's eyes widened as the heart monitor flat lined. Doctors rushed into the room and tried to get his heart going again, but after ten minutes, all commotion gradually stopped.

Tears were pouring down her cheeks and her knees buckled. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, not wanting to believe what had just happened.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Review?