Chapter 28 - Escape!
The air seemed to thicken as the battling stopped. All eyes slowly and steadily moved to Lord Zed. A massive figure under his black cloak. Only the ever watchful crimson eye seemed to be in sight under the shadows of the hood. He stabbed his staff into the ground, sending a small shockwave that all could feel. His hordes of minions rushed to the nearest exits as Goldar stay floating above the battlefield. Kamen Rider Blade gripped his sword tighter. Every ranger on the field tightened their formation. G3 and G4 readying their blasters. Chalice held his blade bow at the ready. Garren trained his blaster on Lord Zed. Brian held Saba in a lower position.
"This is definitely not good," Saba said in a low tone. "We need to find a way out of this."
"No other way but to fight." Brian said to Saba, his tone just as low.
"You have had my curiosity," Zed said as he threw down the cloak. "You have had my attention," he continued while pulling his staff from the sand. "Now you have praise. It takes power, skill and courage to step into my lair and kill three of my generals." Zed began to step closer. "I commend you on your efforts, Zordon has chosen a fine lot," his words seemingly echoed as he stopped only feet from the group. "But can any of you kill me?"
Jen could feel the bead of sweat slowly trailing down the side of her face enough thought her suit kept her cool. Her hands gripped onto her sword and she slowly raised it. Wes followed her lead as did Trip, Katie, Lucas and Eric. "For Angel Grove!" She yelled as she raced forward. Behind his mask was a smile as he watched the rangers approach. An couldn't get the words out before Zed sent a simple swipe of energy their way, knocking all of them into their backs. Sparks flew from their chests as they dropped their weapons and fell to the ground.
"Shit, Power Rangers go!" Brian yelled as he lead his charge. Close behind him followed Kamen Rider Blade and the other riders. One after another Lord Zed parried their attacks and landed one of his own. He blocked a swing from Saba and gripped Brian by the throat. He shoved his foot into Trini's chest with a heavy side kick, sending her to the sand. With a simple twirl of his staff, he slashed Chalice across the chest. NC and Neil attempted to rush Lord Zed. He released his hold on Brian and quickly parried NC's staff into Neil before slashing at both of their legs, sending their bodies to a crashing thud. Neil tried to stand but felt the heavy weight of Zed's shin collide with his ribs. His body bounced and sailed through the arena. Donna went low, attempting to swipe at the legs but Lord Zed leapt into the air. As he landed, swung his staff downward on G4. Motion stopped as the blood spray from the back of his suit, covering Zed in a coat of crimson red.
"Well that's one," Lord Zed boasted as G4's body fell limp and plummeted to the sand.
"Shit, open fire!" G3 yelled and as if snapping back to life, the remaining Zect Troopers took aim and fired upon Lord Zed. The blasts kicked up sand creating a small cloud. G3 switched his blaster into rocket mode, firing off four small missiles launched into the sand cloud. Rangers and Riders alike began to release energy arrows and blaster bolts into the cloud of sand in hopes to fell the vial being. The firing stopped, G3 looked over to his downed partner who was now starting to move. A slight sigh of relief exited his lips.
"I hope that wasn't all you had," Lord Zed swung his staff through the cloud. Jen wasted no time charging back into the battle.
"Does she not learn?" Aj yelled as he followed. Trini and Garren laid down cover fire. Zed was too busy blocking blasts and energy arrows to block the wild superman punch launched at him. His head simply tilted a little to the side bit his crimson orb of an eye stayed locked onto Jen. He landed a body punch, causing Jen to crunch inward, holding her stomach. Before Aj could reach her, a deadly knee jerked her head upwards, sending shards of her helmet to the sky along with drops of blood. Wes and Eric quickly closed the distance but were met by Aj's body as he was thrown into them. Trip and Katie nodded as they circled around to his left side. Chalice and Trini circles to the right, each firing blasts and arrows as a distraction. Neil and NC rushed down the middle follows by Brian.
"Following humans!" Zed yelled as he stabbed his staff into the ground while kneeling. The shockwave reaches all rangers, riders and troopers. The troopers stood no chance and their bones broke from the impact of the wave. Like rag dolls tossed to the sky, their bodies flew and landed with sickening thuds. Blade, G3 and G4 were frozen in shock.
"These… they were good men!" Blade yelled before rushing to his feet. He charged Lord Zed in a blind rage. He clasped his sword with Zed's staff sending sparks and bits of energy from their weapons. Garren nodded at Chalice and rushed to their feet continuing to circle the monster.
"Feeble attempt!" Zed yelled as he swung for Blade. Leaning backwards with a slight bend in his knees he narrowly escaped the attack. As Zed's body opened up, Chalice released an energy arrow into his left shoulder as Garren shot a blast into his right. The open flesh of his body burned but he appeared unfazed. As Blade continued leaning backwards, he kicked Zed's wrist causing him to throw his staff to the sky.
"Rangers! Let's hit him with everything we've got!" Brian yelled as he raced forward. Aj, Trini and NC were close behind. From the opposite side, Jen stood to her feet leading Wes and Eric into battle. Donna, Neil, Trip, Katie and Lucas were all strangling behind as they recovered.
"You think I need a weapon to do away with you?!" Lord Zed brought up a leg and slammed it down where Blade was laying. He rolled to his side but couldn't avoid the quick kick Zed gave him. Chalice and Garren were the first to get close. Zed gripped Garren by the throat as he leg checked Chalice's low kick. He then landed a side kick of his own before throwing Garren in the same direction Chalice's body flew. His gaze was then switching between the rangers to his left and rangers to his right. Side stepping Brian's swing of Saba, Zed lunges forward landing a heavy superman punch on Aj that forced him to the sand. NC thrusted his lance towards Zed only to have hit grabbed and his body be swung overhead by his own weapon. NC felt himself crash into Eric as Jen and Wes closed in with Brian. Lord Zed jumped into the air, sending his legs out in both directs before rotation his body and shooting his leg into Brian's shield sending the three backwards into the ground. Brian quickly regained his footing and ruffled a left cross strong enough to crack Zed's mask. He followed the momentum of his punch and spun for a spinning hook kick that connected on the jaw. Brian stopped his motion and rotated the opposite direction while lowering his body to avoid an oncoming punch to slash Zed along the rib cage with Saba. A black sledge splattered from Zed's wound as he stumbled backwards before holding the deep gash.
"Impressive, so one of you can actually cause me harm. I'll kill you n-" Zed's words cut off by an explosion. G4, still down to a knee clutched his blaster in rocket mode.
"Shut up you overgrown tumor." G4 said between deep breaths. G3 felt something odd, as he turned the staff of Lord Zed slashes him across the chest before twirling into the cloud of sand.
"We aren't strong enough?" Trini said to herself. She felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Aj. He handed her the dragon dagger.
"We will make an opening, fire this damn thing straight through his heart." Aj said with conviction as he stood. Chalice, Garren and Blade each held out a black card as the smoke began to clear.
"No more games," Chalice said as he interested the card into his bow. A bright flash of light only lasted a moment before breaking to shards and fading in the wind. His black armor now replaced with crimson red. His chest plate now displaying the golden decoration and his visor from crimson to emerald. Garren followed suit, inserting his card into his blaster. As the shards of light faded his chest plate became gold as did the antenna over his mask. From his back sprouted metallic wings of silver with a gold diamond at the tips. Kamen Rider Blade hesitated as he looked on at his comrades before sliding the card into his sword. The flash of light engulfed him and soon broke to shards before fading. His blue leather turned to black. His stag beetle stinger headdress turned to gold and beside it sprouted two blue spikes. His armor was now navy blue and gold with a golden beetle decorated in the center of his chest plate.
"So you think you can call upon more power and simply defeat me? I will kill you all!" Chalice drew his twin blades, crowing them over the emerald spade on his chest. Blade held his sword at the ready as Garren instantly began to fire at the now charging Lord Zed. The blasts were knocked to the sand, one blast almost hitting Jen who rolled out of the way. Zed swung for Garren but clashed with Blade. His eyes were then averted to Chalice who landed a high angle round kick to Zed's head. Violently snapping in the direction of the kick, Zed took a small step to the side before feeling his jaw become impacted by Blade's fist with a heavy uppercut throwing his head to the sky. Zed could only watch as Garren's body twisted in the air before dropping his leg onto Zed's mask head on. Zed's body slammed into the ground, kicking up sand.
"Get ready Katrina," Aj said. Chalice could feel the punch coming before seeing it. He moved his head off the centerline of the punch in the final possible second, watching Zed's fist sail past him. As Zed continued forward movement, Chalice drove his knee into Zed's sternum. Zed was able to land an elbow on Chalice to create distance but Blade began to press the attack with slashes of his sword. Zed managed to evade each slash narrowly before leading a looping hook that brought Blade to the ground. Garren closed the distance and fired but his hand was pushed to the side. The blast missed Zed but Garren jammer fisted Zed's forearm to feel himself before firing again. Zed took a step to the side, letting the blast pass him. Garren then bent his wrist slightly and fired a blast into Zed's bicep. Zed released his hold and took another blast in the chest. Garren attempted a third shot but his arm was pushed up and his throat attacked by the skin between Zed's thumb and index finger before a massive thrust kick into the chest. Zed began to breathe heavy and his movement slowed. As he turned, a knee from Chalice struck his jaw. Zed blocked a punch then a round kick to both his head and body. Chalice attempted another knee but his quadricep was punched hard enough to bring him to a knee before Zed leaned back landing a knee stroke of his own.
"Now!" Aj yelled grabbing the attention of Zed. He could see the Pink Ranger standing with the Dragon Dagger drawn back on her bow. As she released it, point and green energies emitted from the dagger. Lord Zed didn't even have a moment to dodge as the dagger pierced his sternum dead center. The blast threw his body backwards into the wall of the arena. The battlefield once again fell silent. Zed's body lay motionless with the dagger perturbing from his chest.
"Holy shit, it worked," Brian said.
"It's not over yet," Jen said to cut the celebration short. Zed pulled the dagger from his chest and launched it towards Trini only for it to be caught by Aj.
"This is impossible, no being has ever driven me this far, to this limit!" Zeds tone grew darker, swathing with hatred. "I'll bathe in your blood and the blood of your families, I'll have my minions feast on your flesh and sharpen their fangs on your bones. I am the ruler of the universe I am Lord Zed!" Standing to his feet with black electricity emitting from his body, a shockwave rushes through the sand. Goldar shielded himself with his wings as the wave of power continued. "I will not lose to mere humans, I've killed rangers before and I will murder you all again!" Just as Lord Zed's power began to peak, a rift in the sky opens. Through the rift comes a mechanized hand.
"Jump on!" A loud voice echoed. "We have to get you out of here!"
"What the hell-"
"No time let's move!" Brian cut off NC as the rangers prepared to disengage. Chalice and Garren glanced at each other before throwing everything they could at Lord Zed. Jen took the opening as a chance to escape, leading her team to the massive hand. As they jumped onto it, they found a hatch that allowed them access into the robotic being.
"That's our que!" Brian yelled as he made a dash for the hand. As the team followed Aj took a look back at Chalice.
"We'll be right behind you!" He yelled back for assurance. Aj pressed on to meet up with his team.
"Where are the riders?" Trini asked.
"Don't worry they're coming." Aj assured her. G3 walked with G4 arm over shoulder. He could almost feel like he was dragging his comrade until he felt their feet leave the ground. He looked up to see Garren carrying them bother with Blade and Chalice running not far behind. The five made it to the hand as it began to retract back into the rift. They looked upon the injured Zed, the burning sensation of his glare filled with rage. They knew this was long from over. Climbing into the latch, Chalice could feel the embrace before he could even look.
"I'm fine," he said softly. "I think we should be more worried about G4 and who saved our asses just now.
"He's got a point," Brian said. "Let's try to figure out where we are and how to get back to Zordon." The team agreed as a whole, refusing to demorph from their armored forms. In a tight line formation, weapons readied they made their way through the halls. They found what seemed to be a mess hall. It was an open space, a lower level and upper level walkway. The team stuck to the walls, staying under the walkway.
"You don't have to sneak around." A voice called out. The team instantly looked to the rear and could see six people dressed in silver slacks with a silver blazer like jacket. They wore combat boots and under their jacket was a shirt colored red, blue, yellow, black, pink and silver.
"Don't tell me, you guys are power rangers?" Aj said.
"How did you know? The man standing in the middle asked. His skin was pale and hair brunette but highlighted as it was swept back into a ponytail.
"Kinda figures it out by the color coded clothing. I think this is just a thing with us rangers at this point." Aj replied.
"Good, with that settled we can formulate a battle plan," a seventh voice called out. He wore a black leather jacket and black jeans.
"Who's the biker dude?" Ren asked, Hez simply shrugged as they looked on.
"Rangers, riders, your planets final hour is at hand. Will you fight for it, or will you allow it and yourselves to perish?" The man said. He was Asian, hair slicked backwards and looked almost as shiny as their own armor. Everyone stared at the new group, deciding if they are friend of foe. The final battle for earth loomed over their heads, were they to die or were they to prevail?