Chapter 18 - Surrounded by Darkness
The Dark Energem was filled to the brim with negative energy. Born from the negative energy that was a side-effect of the pure positive energy of the Energems, it contained twelve times the amount of energy that a single Energem held.
Jeremy had felt the power of the Silver Energem when he'd first bonded to it and become the Silver Ranger. It had been warm and comforting, powerful but not overpowering, making Jeremy feel like he could do anything.
The Dark Energem was the complete opposite.
When the Dark Energem had been pressed to his bare skin, the energy had immediately flooded his body in a way it had been unable to do to Lord Arcanon, despite the Warlord holding it in his hand. The feeling of that negative energy filling his body and soul was one that Jeremy still felt, and he was sure that he would never quite feel the same afterwards.
The negative energy was intrusive and overwhelming, burning in a way completely different to Singe's fiery torture methods. Even if he hadn't been weakened, Jeremy doubted he'd have managed to fight against the energy that snuffed out any positivity inside him; smothering his wolf spirit and burrowing so deeply into his soul before forming an entirely new being: Kerberos.
From then, he'd been in a battle for dominance with the violent, bloodthirsty monster, until the Dino Charge Rangers had separated the two with the use of the machines that they'd built.
The Dino Charge Rangers. They were his team. Or at least, they were supposed to be, but what use was he when Kerberos still had his Energem? They'd overpowered the wolf, working together, but he'd escaped into the trees and vanished with his tail between his legs, taking the Silver Energem with him.
His Energem was still out of his clutches, and it angered Jeremy. He couldn't help but resent the rest of the team, who couldn't even stop Kerberos from taking what he wanted. It was okay for them; they had their Energems and each other.
He was supposed to be a Ranger, and he had neither.
Jeremy had watched the rest of the team from the sidelines as he recovered from the torture he'd gone through on Arcanon's ship, waiting impatiently for Kerberos to return. Ari had healed his physical wounds, but the mental ones would take a lot longer to heal.
The Rangers were obviously close, he could see that. He wasn't surprised; he had grown up around the Jungle Fury Rangers, who all behaved like siblings. But there was something about seeing how it was with another team, especially one still in action.
And seeing them all interact, it only made him feel even more like an outsider. Except for Chase, he had no idea who any of them were. Tyler, he had met in passing at one of the infamous Ranger picnics, but the Red Ranger had barely attended since his father had gone missing.
Tearing his gaze away from the team, Jeremy instead stared at the Energems gathered in the crystal beds by the entrance. Despite the dim lighting, they shone steadily, powering up the chargers that the Rangers used. Eleven Energems lined up, and the one missing stood out. It only angered him more.
"Jeremy?" Riley was the one to summon the courage to speak with Jeremy, who had been standing by the wall with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. "We've all wondered, how did you find the Silver Energem?" he asked, and Jeremy noticed the others looking over cautiously.
"I found it on the beach by Ocean Bluff," he answered, thinking back to that moment. "It was right after I'd passed my Master's Test and gotten my Mark," Jeremy put a hand on his lower arm, trying to remember how it had felt in that moment. He knew he'd been giddy with excitement, but he just couldn't recall just how that felt.
"He got there faster than you guys then," Chase grinned to James and Philip. It had already been explained to Jeremy just who everyone was, and how James and Philip were often away helping from afar. Yet something about Chase's smile, teasing the two, only served to annoy Jeremy more.
"I came here to help with Teddie, but when I got to town…well, you know," he trailed off, glancing over at James, Philip and Heckyl. The three exchanged looks, remembering it well. "I wasn't strong enough to take Singe on myself, and I paid the price for trying. Next thing I knew, I was locked up on Arcanon's ship," Jeremy then looked away.
"You don't have to talk about it if you're not ready," RJ spoke up, seeing the haunted look on his face. It was one he recognised from himself, when he'd been captured by Dai Shi. "We're just glad you're free," he said, trying to be soft, which only frustrated Jeremy more. He wasn't fragile.
"I'm not celebrating just yet," he pushed himself off the wall and stalked towards the doors. "Not until I get the Silver Energem back and finish Kerberos off," he declared, glancing at the other Energems again.
"Where are you going?" Koda asked, tilting his head.
"Training. If I'm going to stop Kerberos, I need to be ready," Jeremy decided as the doors slid open.
"We'll go with you," Tyler offered, and Jeremy bit back his frustrated huff. They all seemed to want to follow him, barely leaving his side after freeing him from Kerberos.
"No," he said, sharper than he'd meant to. "I prefer to train alone. You'll just get in the way," Jeremy said, storming out before they had even processed his words.
"In the way?" Ivan repeated, as if he wasn't sure that's what he'd heard.
"He thinks we're a nuisance?" Chase questioned, hurt by his friend's words.
"He does realise he's part of a team, right?" Shelby scowled, offended by how dismissive Jeremy had been towards them.
"I don't think he means it," to their surprise, Heckyl was the one to speak up. "He touched the Dark Energem. Any positive emotion he held was snuffed out like a shadow eating a flame. He may be free from it now, but it takes time to recover from trauma like that," he said, looking at the door where Jeremy had left. The others had a suspicion that he wasn't just talking about the Silver Ranger, but none of them said it aloud.
"Heckyl is correct," they turned to Keeper as the guardian appeared from the shadows as he was wont to do. "You must give Jeremy time. Be patient as he remembers the value of working as a team, and he will soon accept that you are there for him," he promised.
Jeremy's agitation only grew when his training was interrupted. For a blissful moment, everything was quiet and it was just him and his wolf spirit training in the woods. Then the Rangers had interrupted to bombard him with questions and make teasing comments to one another.
Before he could snap at them again, a howl had cut through the air. One he recognised instantly. It had his wolf spirit awakening within, ready for a fight.
Abandoning the rest of the Rangers, Jeremy had run in the direction the howl had come from. He knew it was a call; bait to draw him in, but he didn't care. He wanted his Energem back, and he wanted to destroy Kerberos.
"Missing something, Jeremy?" the call had echoed when he'd climbed down from the cliff at the edge of the forest, finding an open space. When he'd turned, Jeremy instantly felt his entire body tense, his heart starting to pound hard against his chest.
"You can shove your taunts," Jeremy spat, refusing to show his fear. "Keeper already told me that you can't use the Silver Energem. It's bonded to me, not you," he clapped a hand to his chest as he shouted, but Kerberos just laughed.
"It will work when it's us," he promised, and Jeremy gave a derisive laugh.
"You're deluded if you think I'll let you back in," he warned. Kerberos just snorted.
"Like you've got a choice!" he lunged at Jeremy, only for a spark of blue to slam into his chest. Kerberos gave a howl as he staggered back, twitching from the brief pain.
"You alright?" Chase asked as the rest of the Rangers reached Jeremy's side. He clenched his jaw, hating the concern.
"Stay back!" he snapped, glaring at Heckyl in particular as he recognised the power. "This is my fight. Kerberos is more powerful than any of you," Jeremy warned them, refusing to let them fight his battle.
"Alone, perhaps," Heckyl shrugged, uncowed by the glare. "But we're a team, you should know that by now," he pointed out.
"And we fight together!" Tyler shouted, leading the team to Morph. Jeremy's frustration grew at the sight of them Morphing where he couldn't, and he summoned his wolf spirit to fight.
They already knew that Kerberos was strong, having fought him already. Even without Jeremy and the ability to Morph, he still fought with a ferocity and strength that had them struggling to keep up. One by one they fell, as Kerberos purposefully left Jeremy to last.
"Break his spirit," this was the only thing that Arcanon said, and it brought a bloodthirsty smile to Kerberos' face.
"It'll be my pleasure," he turned to Jeremy as the Silver Ranger pushed himself up. He swayed where he stood, and fear gripped him as it sunk in that he wasn't strong enough to stop the monster.
"I don't think so!" a blast of energy slammed against Kerberos and knocked him away from Jeremy. "Jeremy is one of us, and we aren't going to let you destroy him," Chase warned as he stood between the two.
"Stay out of this!" Jeremy pleaded as Kerberos gave a low growl.
"I've had enough of your meddling," his claws began to glow silver. "You're about to see what happens when you have someone else fight your battles, Jeremy!" Kerberos shouted as he lashed out at Chase. The Black Ranger called on a shield to protect himself, but the monster smashed through it and caught Chase across the stomach.
"Chase!" Olivia screamed as she watched her boyfriend sail through the air and land on his back. He demorphed, eyes closed as he lay still.
"One down, ten to go," Kerberos said, and laughed when he saw Jeremy's expression. "I told you, it'll be easier if you just come back to me," he offered, before looking up sharply. He leapt back, just in time to avoid the blast of purple energy that exploded against the ground where he'd been standing.
"Dude, step back," RJ warned as he and Ari stood in the middle of the battleground, both Morphed.
"Well, well," Arcanon hummed, almost sounding amused. "So this is the Legendary Golden Warrior. How entertaining," Ari glanced over at him, her eyebrows furrowed.
"So you know who I am, and you still choose to mess with my kids?" she asked, voice deceptively calm.
"Entirely unintentionally," Arcanon drawled. "The boy is just collateral," he said, so casual about it that it made Singe snort with laughter.
"And my daughter?" Ari continued, not showing any emotion.
"As I said. Unintentional," Arcanon only shrugged again. "But she made for an excellent servant, even for a little while," he said, which made Singe snort again. Ari struggled to keep neutral at this, and RJ glanced at her from the corner of his eye in concern. He knew what happened when people messed with her family.
"Chase won't wake up," Riley's quiet words made Ari blink, and she turned her head towards where Chase was lying unconscious in Olivia's arms. His shirt was torn, and three claw marks could be seen under the shredded cloth. They glowed a dark orange colour, fading and growing brighter like a pulse.
"I don't care who you are. I'll crush you too!" Kerberos grew impatient and rushed forwards, but Ari was faster. She snapped her fingers, and the group vanished in a flash of golden light. "Cowards!" Kerberos howled, furious.
"Too bad. I wanted to see just how powerful this legendary hero could be," Arcanon mused idly. "Kerberos!" his voice took on a harsher tone, and the wolf's ears drooped instantly. "If you cannot capture your other half, then you're useless to me. And if you're useless, you know I won't hesitate to wipe you out and take the Silver Energem from your ashes," he warned. Kerberos was silent, knowing just how serious his master was.
Whatever Kerberos did to Chase, it was affecting more than just his body. No matter what Ari tried, be it magic or her genetic enhancement ability, the injuries remained across Chase's stomach and showed no sign of healing.
Jeremy couldn't stop looking at his friend, who lay unmoving on the cot they'd wheeled out for him. His chest rose and fell with gentle breaths, and Olivia hadn't let go of his hand as they continued to try different ways to wake him up.
'It's hopeless,' the thought whispered in Jeremy's mind as he watched from the side. 'Whatever Kerberos did, if Ari can't heal it, then what good can anyone else do?' he wondered. His fists clenched as anger rose up in response to that hopeless feeling.
It should have been him.
Without the Silver Energem, he was next to useless. He wasn't part of the team. It should have been him who took the hit. Then the Rangers wouldn't be down another Ranger.
The anger grew, and before he realised it, Jeremy was blaming Chase. The determined, stubborn Black Ranger who inherited courage and heroism from his parents, and insisted on trying to interfere. If he hadn't, then he wouldn't be where he was now.
"I told you that Kerberos is too strong for you to handle," the words escaped before he realised it. Everyone fell silent, turning to him, and he kept going. "Chase shouldn't have gotten in the way," he said. The silence he got in response was deafening.
"Excuse me?" Olivia broke the silence, her voice shaking. "He got in the way?" she repeated, incredulous. Jeremy opened his mouth to reply, his frustration fueling him, before he was roughly grabbed by the collar and shoved backwards. His back slammed against the wall, and as he staggered, a blow caught him across the face. Jeremy staggered, falling to his knees as his vision swam.
"Heckyl!" when Tyler shouted, Jeremy blinked rapidly, looking up as he saw Tyler forcing Heckyl backwards. The energy in the room took on an electric feel, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as blue sparks shot from Heckyl's hands.
"Look at him!" everyone stared at Heckyl, never having heard him raise his voice in such a manner. "Chase is in that state because you refused to let us help. Because you're so convinced that you're the only one who can stop Kerberos when you're the one who can't Morph!" Jeremy's eyes widened and fury took over. He pushed himself up.
"I don't need your help!" he snarled, taking a step forwards. Instantly Ivan and Riley intercepted, pushing Jeremy back before he could do anything stupid. "I told you I'd handle it, and you didn't listen!" Jeremy shouted, glaring at the White Ranger.
"You're the one not listening!" Arianna was the next to snap, shoving Jeremy backwards as her pale eyes glared, filled with the same fury he felt. "Don't you dare blame Chase, or any of them. It's because of them that you're here. That you're safe. Free from Kerberos!" she shouted at him, and shoved him again when he didn't respond. "So don't you dare blame any of the Rangers when they're still fighting to help you!" Arianna shouted, tears in her eyes.
"'Anna, please," Philip caught her and pulled her away. "This won't help Chase," he pleaded with her, and Arianna spun around in his arms to press her face against his chest, fighting back her tears.
"He's right," Ivan agreed, though his eyes were still on Jeremy as if waiting for him to say something else that would spark someone's anger. Before he could, RJ walked over while clapping his hands to earn their attention.
"You dudes are already fighting one enemy. You don't need to be fighting each other," the Wolf Master warned them. "Get some air. We'll keep looking into ways to help Chase," RJ told them, gesturing towards the door.
For a moment, none of them moved, all watching Jeremy as he glared at the ground. His face was already bruising and swelling, but if he felt the pain, he wasn't reacting to it. Then Heckyl pulled out of Tyler's slackening grasp, and stalked off. The others followed, and as they did, Jeremy felt a strange, hollow feeling.
It was only at the gentle persuasion of his father that Jeremy finally spoke up. Admitting the truth of his feelings and how they'd been since he'd been freed from Kerberos. How everything frustrated and angered him. How he struggled to recall any positive feelings at all.
How useless he felt.
"Being submerged in that darkness made you forget how to feel good emotions. Give it time," RJ squeezed his shoulder with a reassuring smile. "You'll learn how to let yourself feel them again," he said, and Jeremy couldn't help but believe him.
And he knew exactly what he had to do.
Heckyl's anger faded, replaced with embarrassment at 'going nuclear', as Riley had described it. He never really thought himself capable of such anger against anyone but Arcanon, but hearing Jeremy dismiss Chase's actions to protect him had struck a nerve.
His knuckles still stung from the blow, and he shook out his hand as he walked back down into the base. To his surprise, nobody was around. He'd bumped into Ari and RJ above ground, who'd told him that Jeremy was still down with Chase.
"I suppose that apology will have to wait," Heckyl mused quietly as he approached Chase's still form. He gave a heavy sigh when he saw no change in him. "There has to be a way to undo what's going on here," he said, looking at the bandages over Chase's stomach. "I don't know what I can do…tech is fine, but people…" he gave a quiet sigh. "I can't lose anyone else. Not after Sentai-6," he murmured aloud.
A hand rested gently on Heckyl's shoulder, and he jumped, sparks flying from his hands as he barely managed to stop himself from cursing. He looked around quickly, expecting to see Ari, and was surprised to find a woman who seemed oddly familiar standing there with a warm smile.
"You won't lose anyone today," she spoke as he opened his mouth to ask who she was. "That dear boy has found his way at last, so how about we give this young man a wakeup call?" the woman asked as she weaved around him to stand on Chase's other side.
"Who are you?" Heckyl asked, growing wary now that his surprise had faded. The woman's smile didn't change despite his suspicion. She wore a red and black robe that seemed oddly reminiscent of Keeper, but there was something pink peeking out from under the collar.
"I'm here to help Chase," she answered, and something about it made Heckyl accept her words. "Now, let's see," she held her hands over the bandaged wound, closing her pale blue eyes. Heckyl felt the gentle rising of energy start to fill the air, soft and flowing as the orange glow started to shine through the bandage, slowly turning blue.
Chase's breathing started to become laboured, a frown crossing his face, and Heckyl fought his instincts to stop the woman from what she was doing. The blue light then pulsed and vanished, and the woman stumbled before catching herself. "What power. You hold great strength, Chase Bly," the woman murmured, seeming to forget she had an audience.
"What did you-" as Heckyl went to ask, Chase's eyes suddenly flew open. He inhaled sharply and sat up so quickly that it made Heckyl jump. "Chase?" he called out carefully as Chase put a hand to his stomach, breathing heavily.
"What's going on?" he then looked up, glancing at Heckyl before turning to the woman still standing there. "Who are you?" Chase asked, confused about what was going on.
"I'm a friend, and I'm here to help," the woman spoke, making him frown. Chase turned to Heckyl, who shrugged in response. "You are both needed, if you want to save her," the words were vague, but both instantly knew what she was talking about.
"What do you know about Teddie? How can we help her?" Chase asked quickly, eyes wide and hopeful. Heckyl stayed quiet, staring at her as he fought to keep his questions to himself. The woman glanced at him, and there was a knowing look in her eyes that made his stomach squirm uncomfortably.
"I know that you need to work together, if you're to bring her back to your side. That is all I can say," she said, and frustration crossed Chase's face at the vague response. "But I can do one more thing," the woman held up her hands, which started to shimmer with pink energy. Both jumped when the same energy then surrounded them, energising both of them.
"What did you do?" Heckyl asked as the energy faded.
"It's just a little helping hand in…working together," with a chuckle, the woman bowed low. "Good luck," her words seemed to echo, and suddenly she was gone.
"I have so many questions," Heckyl determined as he looked down at his hands, wondering just what she meant.
"You and me both," Chase agreed, getting to his feet. "But whatever she did, it's helped," he said as he pulled off the bandage from around his stomach. He winced as he saw the three scars along his stomach. "So much for my perfect abs," he said, and Heckyl rolled his eyes.
"Olivia will be devastated," he said dryly, and Chase looked completely unashamed. He then shook his head, and snapped his fingers. A black shirt appeared in his hands, and he pulled it over his head.
"Okay, now we have work to do," he said, turning back to Heckyl. The White Ranger raised an eyebrow. "We have an idiot teammate to save, and for once it's neither of us."
Did I give Chase scars to match Ari's intentionally? Perhaps :)
Hope you liked it!
Please review!