Chapter 17
Tiger's Scars
Shing!
Two swords clashed against one another, causing sparks to fly as they connected. The two swords owners were Grave, once loyal knight to the crown turned traitor and Eric, leader of the Power Rangers White Hope and the only obstacle in Grave's way.
"Step aside Ranger, this is my duty!" Grave shouted as he swung at Eric, only for the Ranger to block the strike with Saba.
"To what?! To ruin a family that loves each other dearly?!" Eric shouted back, pushing the old man back
The two then started to circle each other, swords at the ready and poised to strike. Eric then jumped into the air and brought down his sword on Grave, only for the old man to block it and push back. Grave then dashed forward and swung in a large arc to gut the Ranger but Eric then blocked the attack, causing him to slide on the ground as he held the man back.
The two were practically evenly matched, even with Eric's enhanced strength and speed from his ranger form Grave can still match him with skill alone. Although Eric only expected this, after all traitor or not he was one of best swordsmen in Eostia during his time and apparently the man still had it. Eric then decided to try a different approach and fired a barrage of lasers at the knight but to his surprise, the old man blocked the laser bolts causing them to ricochet and hit walls and other objects instead.
"Not bad, for an old geezer" Eric said holding Saba forward as the two circled each other
"Don't patronize me boy, I was once one of the greatest knights in history so a little trick like that wouldn't work on me" Grave replied making Eric scoff
"The key word being "once" mind you" Eric replied
"I concur, not to mention you hardly count as a knight now" Saba added making Grave growl
The two then rushed each other again and clashed their swords again as they pushed against one another. While this was going on the others then made it to the scene, intending to help the Ranger.
"Hold one Eric, were coming" Alex shouted
Hearing this, Eric then jumped back from the old man and held his hand out to tell them to stop.
"Don't, I need to do this…myself" Eric said as he focused on his opponent
Hearing this, Alex then stopped and held his arms out in order to stop the others. Seeing this Olga then glared at Alex as she tried to push past the Ranger.
"Let us through Alex, Eric needs our help!" Olga shouted but Alex just held her back
"No Olga, Eric wants to do this alone and I'll honor that wish" Alex said
"But Alex, my father is one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom" Klaus said, worry evident in his voice
"He's right I can testify to his skills" Claudia added
Of course when Alex heard this he simply smiled and turned his gaze to fight.
"Don't worry, have a little faith" Alex said as they others looked on as well
Back at the fight Eric had blocked another one of Grave's attacks, causing there blades to spark as they clashed.
"You're a fool to refuse your allies help, don't you know there is strength in numbers" Grave said in a mocking voice, which only infuriated Eric.
"Maybe, but for someone like you, I'll take you down myself" Eric said as he pushed harder against Grave
Eric seemed to overpowering Grave now as the old man struggled to find some grounding that is until the knight smirked. Grave then spun his sword around Eric's until with a flick of his wrist; Saba went flying out of Eric's hand and impaled it's self in the ground.
"First rule of combat, always take advantage of everything" Grave said and swung
Eric was so stunned by this that he didn't react in time, causing Grave's sword to cut across Eric's chest making sparks fly, making him cry out in pain. Grave then swung again at him but this time Eric then blocked the sword with his forearm causing a small bit of sparks. Eric then tried to kick the knight but to his shock, Grave then grabbed his foot and pushed him back, causing him topple over. Grave then tried to impale Eric but the white ranger then rolled out of the way of the blade as it dug into the ground where he once was. Eric scrambled to feet quickly and tried to hit him with a flying kick but Grave moved out the way and once Eric touched the ground, Grave then swung at Eric's back, causing him to shot out in pain and sparks to fly.
"Eric!" Celestine and Olga shouted with fear, seeing the ranger hurt
Eric then turned around and hit Grave in the chest with a jab, causing him to stagger. Following that up Eric then hit him with a swift one-two punch sending the old man falling to the ground. Eric then proceeded to go for an axe kick but Grave rolled out the way. Eric then quickly got back to feet as well as they circled each other.
"I have to admit Ranger, I figured without your blade you would be defenseless to fight me" Grave said as Eric smirked under his helmet
"That was your first mistake, never underestimate a Power Ranger" Eric said and tried to land a punch at Grave only to his shock, Grave caught his arm.
"Indeed" Grave said
The knight then slashed Eric across the chest multiple times causing sparks to fly and Eric to shout in pain. Grave then tossed the ranger unceremoniously to the ground as Eric. Grave then proceed to try and stab the young ranger but Eric quickly kicked the man in the chest, causing him to stumble back and Eric the chance to rise off the ground to his knee while clutching his chest in pain.
"Look at yourself Ranger, your practically on your last legs and almost out of stamina" Grave said with a cocky grin making Eric growl, "How about you do us a favor and just keel over and let me finish the duty I have set out" he said, glaring at his son.
Hearing this, Eric then got back up, all be it a little sluggish, and stared down the old man with fury in his eyes.
"Why? Why do you hate your son so much?" Eric said causing Grave to look at with his eyebrow raised, "You know something, he told me that despite all the crud you put him through, he still cared about you and still looked up to you, doesn't mean anything to you?!" Eric shouted at the old knight
At first Grave said nothing to the Ranger, having only silence in his wake…that is until he started to chuckle until turning to full blown laughter. Everyone was shocked by this but all this did was made Eric even angrier at the old man. It wasn't until he stopped that he final looked at Eric with a bored expression.
"What do I care for words of a useless son" he said
That did it, that was last straw for the young ranger, as his hands balled tightly into fists as his breath became heavy with rage.
"You know something…I was trying to hold back, trying to see if a true father was still in their somewhere…but now I see…the father once was…is long gone" Eric said, crossing his arms as he did, "That's it Grave…time to get serious!"
(Play Mighty Morphin Instrumental)
Eric then jumped high into the air, causing everyone to look up in shock. As he did a bright glow emitted from Eric's body causing everyone look away from the brightness as the sound of thunder roared out.
"Metallic Armor, Power Up!"
Once the light died down they were met with quite a sight. Eric's suit now gleamed and sparkled, appearing as if diamonds were woven through his suit. Everyone was breathless at the sight, everyone minus from Alex, looked at the suit with wonder and amazement at the gleaming display.
"Alright Grave, go time!" Eric shouted
Eric then charged forward, almost becoming a blur until stopping right in front of Grave, shocking him. Before the old man could react, Eric then slammed his fist into Grave's chest causing the man to go flying and slammed into a wall. Grasping his chest in pain, Grave then slowly stood up and readied his sword and charged at Eric. He then swung down at the Ranger intending to cleave him in two but to his shock the sword was blocked by Eric's arm causing a resounding clang of metal on metal to be heard.
"Metallic armor you idiot" Eric said
Eric then kicked the old man in the side, causing the sound of broken ribs to be heard and Grave to cough out blood in response. Eric then did a roundhouse kick at Grave's stomach causing the man to fall to the ground.
"Ready to give up now?" Eric said looking down at the bruised man beneath him
Gritting his teeth, the old man then stood up from his place on the ground and glared at Eric. Then with a shout, the old knight then charged at Eric with his sword out forward to shrew him. Unfortunately for him Eric then grabbed hold of the front of the blade with ease until holding out his hand to the side.
"Saba!" Eric called out
Eric's saber then shot out of the ground and flew into his open hand as he grabbed hold of it. Eric then raised the blade above his head and brought it down on Grave's sword, causing it be shattered right in half, leaving the old knight stunned by the sight.
"Alright Grave, time for you to see the light!" Eric shouted
Eric's suit then glowed with light, becoming brighter than before and once he's suit was gleaming like the sun Eric the thrusted his palm out forward and shoot a beam of light. It then struck Grave in the chest causing his armor to be shattered and the old man to hit the ground in a heap. Eric then stood over the fallen man, looking at him with pity and angry behind his visor, all the while Grave coughed and wheezed on the ground. Grave then looked up at the Ranger and gave him a hard glare as threw away his broken sword.
(End theme)
"So what are you waiting for…finish me" Grave said, expected the young Ranger to raise his blade and strike the old man
But to his surprise, Eric then sheathed Saba and powered down out of his Ranger state, confusing everyone else.
"No…I won't do it" Eric said shocking everyone
"But Eric, he…" Olga said until Eric cut her off
"I know what he did…but I won't destroy some ones family, not after … that day" Eric said
Eric then turned away from the beaten man and walked away from him, a look of sorrow on his face.
"He's crimes will be answered for though, with imprisonment for the rest of his days" Eric added as Celestine nodded
"I'll prepare a cell for him" she said
Hearing all this, Grave then reached for his boot and pulled out a small dagger from a hidden sheath. He wanted to use this on his son but now it had a different target. Grave then struggled to his feet; cough up blood as he did until staring hatefully at Eric.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance…RANGER!" Grave shouted
Grave then rushed at Eric with a huge burst of speed, now moments away from him, causing everyone to look with shock making Eric turn to the old man, trying to reach his morpher in time. But just as Eric's finger just touched the metal of his morpher and Grave's blade was almost close to him…
SHING
A sword then jutted from Grave's back side, making the old man stop and stare down at a sword that had run right through him and the owner of that sword…was Claudia. The young knight looked at Grave with tear filled eyes as Grave fell off the sword and to the ground, blood pooling around him.
"Father!" Klaus shouted as he ran to his father's side, along with Claudia, "Father, hold on!" he said as tried to stop the bleeding by pressing a piece of robe to the wound.
Grave looked in confusion at his son and what he was doing, trying to understand what was going on.
"Son…what are you…doing" Grave breathed out, gasping for air
"I'm trying to save you father, now please don't speak and relax" Klaus said
Hearing this, Grave's eyes then started to tear up and sobs escaped his mouth catching both husband and wife's attention.
"What have I done" Grave said as he looked at his son, "my son…I'm so sorry for what I've done" he said
Klaus then looked at his father in shock, taking his father's hand in his and squeezed it.
"I've been a fool; I was so blinded by my need to continue the family legacy that I failed to see what I would destroy…your family" Grave said, coughing violently making blood spew from his mouth, "I don't ask for forgiveness for this because I know that there is none for me now but please listen to this request I have" he said as Claudia and Klaus nodded
"We will father, what shall you have us do?" Klaus asked
Grave then coughed again, already feeling his life slip away from him and the light leave his eyes.
"Please…stay together always…and be happy" Grave said
Then with one more breath, Grave's hand then went slack as the light faded from his eyes. Grave Levantine…was dead. Klaus then started to sob greatly as Claudia hugged him tightly as she too cried, everyone took this hard but Eric was the worst. Seeing Grave died on the floor caused Eric's eyes to shrink in horror and fear, memories he'd rather not remember resurfacing causing his hands to tremble. This of course did not go unnoticed by Olga and Celestine as they saw Eric's rigid posture and sweaty exterior with his eyes filled with fear and dread.
"Eric?" Celestine asked worried for the young ranger
She then reached out to touch the young Ranger's shoulder until Eric then bolted away causing everyone to look at this surprised.
"ERIC!" Olga and Celestine called out but the Ranger did not stop
The two queens could only look at Eric retreating form with worry as Eric ran into the castle. Suddenly Alex then gave to two queens a light push causing them move slightly forward, causing them to turn and look at the Omega Ranger.
"Go…Eric needs you two" Alex said with a somber look
Hearing this, the two queens then ran after Eric, hoping to help the terrified ranger. Once they entered the castle once more, Olga then used a simply tracking spell to find him and quickly the two followed the trail. At the end they came to a closed door, leading to a simply closet for the servants cleaning supplies. Celestine then pressed her ear to the door as well as Olga and on the other side they could hear the heart wrenching sound of Eric's sobbing.
"Eric? We're coming in" Olga said slowing pushing the door open slowly
On the other side, they saw the brave white Ranger curled up against the wall of the closet, with his face buried in his knees.
"Close the door" Eric simply said though his sobbing
Respecting his wishes, Celestine and Olga then walked into the room while closing the door leaving the room in total darkness. Celestine then created a small ball of light in her hand and let it float in the air, lighting up the room around them. Celestine and Olga walked over and sat down next to the sobbing boy, with Celestine on his right and Olga on his left.
"Eric, are you okay?" Olga asked but all she got was more sobbing from the Ranger
Celestine then reached forward and placed her hand on his shoulder, making him look up to meet the Goddess's face, his eyes blood shot and wet with tears.
"Please Eric, we only want to help" Celestine said making the man look away
Eric then sat there in silence, only looking at the ground as Olga and Celestine simply sat by him.
"No" Eric said catching the two queens attention
"No? No, what?" Celestine asked
Eric then curled up tighter as he let his tears fall again.
"No, I'm not okay" Eric said making the two look at him with worry and sadness
Eric then unfurled his arms and leaned his head back against the wall as he stared at the ceiling with tear-filled eyes.
"We lost everything that day, we lost…everything" Eric said in a quiet voice
Olga then placed her hand and on his shoulder as she and Celestine leaned in closer to hear.
"Eric, what did you lose?" Olga asked
Eric then looked between the two queens until looking down at the ground.
"Our…families…we lost them all" Eric said in a low voice causing the two to gasp
"How?" Celestine asked
Eric then took a deep breath, trying to keep his nerves in check as the buried memories resurfaced causing the tears to fall silently down his cheeks.
"There…was…a fire and our parents were in it, by the time help arrived…it was too late" Eric explained
Once he finished, he couldn't help but cry again causing the two queens to come in closer and started to hug him tightly.
"Now it all makes sense, why you're so protective of our friends and why you always make the hard decisions for yourself" Olga said, stroking his hair to comfort the young Ranger
"Because you're trying to take everyone's pain away and put it all on you" Celestine finished as she rubbed his back
Hearing all this Eric couldn't help but let the flood gates open, but this time in full force as all the emotions he kept packed inside him were let out in waves. All the pain he had shouldered for so many years was finally being let out for these two queens to hear, even they started tear up as they felt the raw sadness flowing out of him. They just couldn't handle it, seeing the man they love in so much pain, it was just too much to bear as they hugged him tighter in their arms. Finally after minutes of tears Eric stopped at last, having cried all his sadness away.
"Thank you, I … needed this" Eric said softly
Olga and Celestine then leaned in a pecked his cheeks and snuggled in close, happy to see the Ranger no longer saddened anymore.
"You've helped us so many time Eric, let us now help you" Celestine said in soothing calm voice
After that, the three of them then just sat there, relishing each other's company. It wasn't until a beeping could be heard from Eric's wrist causing the three to break the hug as Eric brought up his communicator.
"Hello" Eric said
"Eric! We have a problem!" Kelvin's voice said over the comm, sounding quite frantic
Eric then gained a look of concern on is face as stood up from his spot on the floor.
"Why, what's going on?" Eric asked
"Geofu was a decoy, they never planned to attack the city, they just wanted to split us up…his army is coming to Ken!" Kelvin shouted
Eric's eyes then widen in shock at this as Kelvin's words echoed in his head, even Celestine gasped in horror and Olga sheathed in anger at this. Eric then quickly threw open the door to closet and immediately bolted from the closet and into the hallway and as he ran he's mind couldn't help but relapse all that has happened to him, but quickly shock those thoughts away. He's face then contorted into a look of determination and resolve with one burning thought running through his head.
"I wouldn't let my pain hold me back anymore, I have to protect both my friends…and people who truly care about me…there city won't fall!"