The Return
Chapter 11
"He's back," Camille said, sitting up in her chair just before the alarms went off.
"Do you all know what you have to do?" Eric asked. Lily and Theo nodded and Camille gripped Lœðingr tightly. "Let's go."
The rangers and Camille hurried to the rock quarry where Zen-Aku was calmly sitting. Apparently, he didn't want to give them any chance to surprise him.
"I was wondering if you'd ever show up," Zen-Aku said, rising to his feet. His eyes found Lily's. "Your little visit got poor little Casey hurt quite a lot, you know."
"Visit?" Theo asked.
"It's nothing," Lily said, keeping her eyes focused on Zen-Aku and fighting to keep her expression neutral. She wouldn't tell the others what she'd seen because she knew they'd ask what Casey had said and she couldn't tell them that.
Zen-Aku looked at the newest member of the group and the man stepped forward from behind Eric.
"Hello, old friend," Merrick said.
"I wondered when you'd come."
Merrick simply nodded and Zen-Aku rushed forward. None of the rangers morphed but fought him hand to hand. Zen-Aku blocked Eric's kick and threw him into a pile of rocks before catching Taylor's punches and sending her after him. Once they were down Camille backed away in fear.
"I'm out of here," she said and disappeared.
Zen-Aku rolled his eyes. She would have been easily defeated anyway. Theo tried to use the swoop technique but Zen-Aku leapt up above him and knocked him into the ground. Lily winced at the sickening crack that accompanied his fall. Zen-Aku smiled at her. She growled and attacked. He easily dodged her jabs and punches and was glad to see her becoming frustrated with his toying. He kicked her back several feet and used the time it took her to rise to make sure Casey was watching from within his mind. When Lily made to attack with her bandaged arm he grabbed it, twisting it and digging his claws into the still healing wounds. She cried out and fell to her knees.
"Look at me, Lily," he said and she did. He smiled in anticipation of the kill and at the sound of Casey raging at him from within. The boy wouldn't hinder him this time. He lifted his arm and called on his powers, forming a claw over his human hand. Lily looked between the claw and him and -- no! She was looking too quickly as if trying not to see something! He threw her down and whirled. Several yards behind him was Merrick, holding Gleipnir. He had barely enough time to register that before Camille appeared at his side and slid Lœðingr over his head. Merrick snapped the ribbon at him like a whip and it easily twined around the collar as if made to be there. Zen-Aku fell to the ground unable to stay conscious under the force of the ancient magics.
Taylor and Eric stumbled over while Theo joined Merrick in lifting Zen-Aku up.
"Are you all right?" Lily looked up and smiled at a very blonde Camille's hand on her shoulder.
"I'll be fine," she said, gently feeling her now bloody bandages. "The important thing is getting RJ and Casey back."
Camille helped her to her feet. "Do you really think you can restore RJ to the man he was or that Casey will find his way back to his body?"
"Casey's body is still alive," Lily said, thankful for Camille's supporting shoulder as they walked, "that alone gives me hope. And as for RJ -- he came back from that once, he can do it again."
Camille nodded, not quite believing her sincerity.
"Hey," Lily said, reaching up to flick a strand of blonde hair, "what's up with the disguise?"
"The rangers just had a battle," Camille said as if it should be obvious, "you think Dai Shi wasn't watching?"
"He can't tell it's you with the different hair? Some boyfriend."
"He is not my boyfriend," Camille said, but there wasn't nearly enough force behind the words.
Lily nudged her gently. "It'll work out, you'll see."
"But not for you," Camille thought.