Episode 20: Part 2
"It's been four long years. You never replied to me," Laura said as she sniffled and wept bitterly, "I thought the worst... that you didn't want to be my friend anymore."
Everyone remained silent and confused while watching Laura's unusually emotional outburst before Aaron gently out his arms around the girl and held her while she cried, "Laura... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know you had written. Everything got so jumbled up when our families separated and I came over here to the States. I didn't even know you were here too."
"Well... I missed you," she sniffled again as she continued to hug him.
Aaron smiled and kissed the top of her head in relief, "Yeah... me too."
Stephen stirred uncomfortably before Connor placed a steadying hand on his shoulder to keep him quiet.
"Everyone... there's a lot to discuss," Aaron finally said, "Our enemies have halted momentarily so we'll have to make this moment of peace count."
After getting settled again, brief introductions were made and the situation was reviewed for everyone's benefit.
"So you and Laura were childhood friends back in England?" Quinton asked as the knights all gathered around Kristen's living room table, "And you both came from aristocratic families?"
"That's the long and short of it," Laura nodded once she had regained some semblance of her composure and dried her eyes. "When Aaron and I were separated in our moves... I... it was very difficult for me. He was... well, one of the only people I trusted and someone who understood me back home. I had tried to write him and get back into contact but he just disappeared."
"I'm sure becoming a Power Ranger yourself didn't help matters either," Stephen pointed out as Aaron nodded, "Yes. Between battling all kind of mythical enemies with my friends in the town of Castelan, it's been one shock after the other: being a Ranger, reconnecting with my sister, and among other things... finding Laura again."
"Well as it stands, it seems we owe you and your sister Artemis big time for holding the line and keeping an eye on things here," Connor said extending a hand to Aaron, "Thank you for the help."
Both red knights exchanged a grin and shared a firm handshake before Stephen looked to their mentor, "Kristen, you had said that the pieces of the Rowan trees of the Faerie Realm were able to neutralize Morgana's magic. Is there a way we can keep that advantage when we face her again? I'd rather not be turned into a pigeon or something again."
The Druid nodded and produced several small pendants made of tree bark that were shaped like simple Celtic crosses. "The potion you drank earlier should help in the short term for warding off some of her magic, but if you wear these, you'll have a greater degree of protection. Proximity to the charms may allow you to harm her if you get close, but I can't be totally certain either."
"What about Leanansidhe? It sounds like she's currently being used as some vessel for Morgana," Noelle said in concern.
"Then we kill two witches with one stone, right?" Artemis asked.
Connor frowned and gave a troubled expression, "I... I'd like to try and find another way if we can. I think Leanansidhe may be a childhood friend of mine too."
Aaron adjusted his glasses and gave a sigh, "Boy, Morgana can certainly pick them can't she?"
Quinton clapped the Summer Knight's shoulder reassuringly, "When the battle starts, let's just focus on taking out that wendigo and Seamus first. When Morgana finds out her magic won't be as effective against us, we can figure out what to do with her then."
"Thanks Quin," Connor nodded with a faint smile.
"Okay, so now that we're all square we need to get a move on. The Fomorians are going to be on the move soon and we won't have a lot of time," Noelle said rising to her feet.
Laura put a hand on her comrade's arm, "You've done a fine job taking care of things here Noelle. Now it's time for the rest of us to pull our weight."
Aaron gave a faint smile, "We're really going to do this? Go into battle together?"
Stephen placed his magic archer bracer on and rose to his feet, "We've got a little score to settle with this Morgana lady. She needs to know that this is our turf."
"Can't argue with that," Connor smiled grimly as he followed the Silver Knight toward the door, "So let's get going. Time's a wasting."
At the other side of town, the Fomorian invaders resumed their rampage and began to make their advance near the edge of the college town's campus. As the spriggans and wendigo continued to march down the street sowing chaos and discord, Seamus walked alongside Leanansidhe and cast a careful sideways glance, "We haven't met any more resistance. Have the knights really lost their will to fight?"
"I have taken care of most of them," Leanansidhe smiled calmly, "The other two barely escaped. Even if they return, they'll be in no position to threaten us."
"You sound awfully sure of yourself."
The witch continued on, "Just a little further Seamus and we'll be able to strike at any point of the this town and conquer it in Lord Balor's name."
"Guess again Morgana!" came the voice of the Dryad Ranger as the Hibernian Knights and Mythos Rangers made their appearance on the battlefield. A gust of wind rushed by and the protectors of Somerset Valley dismounted their faerie mounts to confront the invaders. The spriggans and the redcap halted immediately at the sight of the seven young people.
"That's far enough Fomorian," Connor said stepping forward and raising his ring along with the other knights, "Everyone ready?"
The other four knights brandished their rings and bracer transforming in unison, "Athru!"
"Templar Power, Activate!"
"Druidic Energies, Unleash!"
Leanansidhe-Morgana sneered as she watched the band of heroes arm themselves for battle in the brilliant shimmering light of mythic and Faerie magic. The seven heroes placed their weapons together before raising them in unison while the knights adjusted their rallying cry, "Seven swords, One Heart! Hibernian Knights, to arms!"
Seamus scowled at Leanansidhe and shook his head, "I don't know what kind of trick you're playing, but we'll deal with this later witch. Spriggans, on me!"
The witch sniffed and waved her wendigo forward as the frontline of the Fomorians charged forward to meet the knights in melee combat.
"Stephen, if you'd be so kind?" Laura asked as the Silver Kight sprinted forward and stopped to crouch and ready a charged arrow shot.
"I'm on it!"
He fired the arrow into the front rank of enemy infantry and blasted a hole through the spriggan formation. As the arrow detonated, it left a dazzling cloud of light to momentarily blind and daze the foot soldiers as if they had been caught in the blast of a stun grenade. The other knights and Mythos Rangers charged through, battering their way clear and splitting off to deal with the brutes next.
Noelle, Quinton, and Artemis confronted Seamus and met the redcap's counter-charge. The troll-like monster took a few broad swipes but the Dryad Ranger slipped under his guard and twirled her staff up calling on a mote of earth to rise up and smash the monster in the chin like an uppercut punch. As the redcap staggered back, Artemis stunned him again with a burst of her magical missiles followed by a combined leaping slash from the Autumn and Spring Knights.
Across the battlefield, the other three knights were locked in battle with the hulking wendigo. Connor confronted the beast waving his Elven blade like a blazing torch to ward off its advance. While it was momentarily distracted, Aaron and Laura split off and flanked the monster from both sides and attacked with thrusting sword attacks. They struck glancing blows off the shoulder of the wendigo but it pivoted with surprising agility and backpedaled into a more primal four legged stance. It snarled and bared its fearsome teeth trying to intimidate the knights but now that the odds were in their favor, the three didn't show any signs of fear.
The deftly shifted formation and met the wendigo's renewed charge with Laura in the forefront holding her icy rapier ready. She waved the blade generating a cloud of intense cold and ice before directing the ice shards to pelt the monster and slow it down while inflicting a storm of cuts upon it. As the wendigo stumbled forward and staggered to a halt, it attempted to use its noxious breath weapon again and spew a cloud of sulphur gas. It was immediately stopped as the blinding ice cloud cleared revealing the Templar Ranger and Summer Knight bursting through with their blades ignited at full strength. The monster howled as the two heavy swords cleaved through it and incinerated its body with their fiery magic. Both swordsman exchanged a fist bump and turned to give a nod toward Laura for the assist while the other regrouped around them. A bruised Seamus straggled back in the wake of the heroes now seeing his spriggan escorts wiped out and Leanansidhe as the last line of defense.
The witch sneered and stepped forward speaking in her double voice again, "I grow tired of this. I'll just have to deal with you myself!"
She gathered together another cracking ball of necrotic magic energy and fired it at the seven heroes. They raised their weapons and took defensive positions before the magic attack deflected off their armor and scattered harmlessly like a thunderbolt getting grounded by a lightning rod. Morgana-Leanansidhe stopped in shock when she saw her enemies relatively unharmed. Whatever they had done to restore their true forms, they must have found a way to temporarily negate her powers. She'd have to find another way to defeat the enemies of Balor.
The witch growled and waved her hand before withdrawing in a cloud of mist, "We'll finish this some other day."
Before the knights or their Mythos Ranger allies could react, the cloud of mist swept over them and carried Seamus away from the battlefield leaving the town once again safe and secure.
"Morgana! We can't let her get away," Aaron growled as he clenched his sword and attempted to chase the fleeing Fomorians.
Artemis stopped him in mid stride while Laura shook her head, "No. Just let her go. The enemy is beaten today but as long as she's here in our town, we'll deal with her."
The Templar Ranger grimaced and gave a reluctant nod before lowering his weapon, All right then. If that's how it has to be."
As the smoke from the rest of the battle cleared, Noelle smiled while casting a look around, "It hasn't been a total loss. We stopped the attack and kicked a whole lot of Fomorian ass today and we couldn't have done it without you two."
The two Mythos Rangers exchanged a quick look with each other and nodded approvingly before Connor sheathed his sword, "Come on everyone. It's been a long day. I think it's time to go home and get some rest."
As the chaotic week drew to a close, the five knights and their two Mythos Ranger allies gathered together for one last dinner at the campsite which they still had reserved for another day. After taking some time out to give Aaron and Artemis a tour of their school's campus, the knights decided to spend their remaining time enjoying some peace and quiet over a good meal and a warm campfire. Early evening had set in once again bathing the valley in the gentle tones of yellow, red, and orange.
"Thanks again for the tour and being our guides around here," Aaron sighed as he sat on a bench near the fire, "It was really good to make some new friends around here."
"Likewise," Connor smiled as he tossed the Templar Ranger a water bottle, "It's just a shame we had to waste most of our vacation dealing with the monster attacks."
"Oh... it wasn't all that bad," Artemis mused as she updated some information on her phone, "I admit, your school was nice and I did learn a lot from Kristen too... maybe not so much in the magic department, but she gave me a lot to think about. You guys are lucky to have her around to help."
Noelle exchanged a small smile with Laura, "Yeah... we are, aren't we?"
The Winter Knight cleared her throat next, "You two aren't planning to stay through tomorrow, are you?"
"I don't know. We have a long drive back and there are people who might get worried about us," Aaron began.
"His girlfriend Emlie is a little high strung and she can be a bit of a worrywart too," Artemis added quietly from the side while giving a mischievous smirk, "He's definitely whipped."
"I am not!" Aaron protested while scowling at his sister.
"Great! Then it's settled," Connor laughed while clapping the Templar Ranger on the back, "You'll stick around for another day and join us for some fishing and swimming tomorrow, right?"
Artemis looked pointedly to her brother before he sighed and gave a defeated shrug, "Well... okay. Fishing and swimming does sound like fun."
As Stephen put another log on the fire, Connor stood up, "Awesome! Then if that's settled, let's get some more fun started on the evening's activities."
"Oh? And just what did you have in mind?" Laura asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"Well... I figured we could start by telling a few more ghost stories and..."
The Summer Knight was immediately pelted by a hail of marshmallows from all his friends that were present, "What? What did I say?"
A/N:
Hope you guys enjoyed the final crossover of this series. Thematically, the Mythos Rangers were the perfect allies to fit in to a story like this and I have to give credit to the creator of Aaron and Artemis for helping coordinate our universes and plots. Thanks again for letting me borrow your Rangers, Storm! As for the ancient witch Morgana, she's going to stick around for a little while longer. She's going to make things a little bit more interesting in the next several chapters. ;)