Chapter Eighteen: Earth, Phaedos, and the Power of One
Yoral swung his gunblade with all his might. He felt the blade connect with the rotting flesh of the Hidiac. He then pulled the trigger of his weapon. A single bullet flew out from the revolver part of the hybridized weapon, flying into the skull of the undead warrior. Yoral smirked as the body fell limp.
Trinity pointed her weapon at the onslaught of "zombies" making their way toward her. She didn't want to destroy them, but she knew they were just hollow husks of their former selves: reanimated to do the bidding of the being who called himself The Master. She frowned as she shot blasts out. Several of the undead warriors fell.
"Here I come!" Lobo cried out, rushing forward. He pounced forward, one paw stomping on a large group. The sudden tremor from his impact caused Trinity to fall on her back. Lobo noticed this and laughed. "Sorry, lady! Just trying to help!"
Trinity smiled. "I don't know what you're trying to say, wolf, but thank you!"
Lobo winked as he ran off to fight another wave of beasts spilling out from a rip from the Magic Realm. "You just gotta listen with your heart!"
As Trinity turned around, she found herself about to be mauled by a Hidiac. Without time to react, she awaited the first strike. She opened her eyes after a moment when nothing happened.
She looked up to see Yoral gripping the back of the Hidiac's neck, holding him in place. "Not so fast, ugly."
Yoral threw the undead beast back. It fell onto its hindquarters. Yoral stepped in between Trinity and the monster. He rested his blade on his shoulder and smiled. "I'm ready when you are..."
The Hidiac charged forward, reaching out with its outstretched hands. The odor of decay breached the air around them with every step the creature took. Both Yoral and Trinity could hear bones crunching as they moved, unaligned from their original position and with missing tendons and ligaments. As the beast moved with surprising speed, Yoral jumped over it. His white trenchcoat tail trailed behind him, almost as if it were a cape.
"Come on, buddy. You gotta be faster than that!"
As the monster reached again, Yoral rolled onto his shoulder. He tripped the beast, causing it to fall onto its back again. Yoral took another step away from the Hidiac, laughing. He waited for it to stand again.
"You really are weak, huh? Faster! I need a challenge!" Yoral said, taking a shot at the monster's feet. That moment then gave him an idea.
He began shooting at the Hidiac's feet. He laughed as the monster jumped to dodge each bullet. "Yeah, that's right! Dance!"
As he went to fire another shot, he noticed the beast suddenly stop. As they both looked to the Hidiac's torso, they noticed a good size hole with smoke dancing off. The Hidiac slowly fell to his knees before erupting in a small explosion.
"Hey... You ruined it!" Yoral said, joking.
"What were you thinking!?" Trinity demanded.
"Huh?" Yoral asked, confused.
"How dare you mess around with that poor thing. Yes it's evil, but have some heart. How could you enjoy torturing it like that!?" Trinity said.
"It doesn't care. It can't feel anything." Yoral countered.
"How do you know!?" Trinity demanded.
"How do you?" Retorted Yoral. "It doesn't matter anyway. That thing would've destroyed us with the chance. It made its own bed, and now has to lie in it."
"What if it didn't? What if it is under some mind control? Huh? And anyway... it's just wrong! How can you enjoy torturing something!? I don't care how evil the thing is, to enjoy torture and to play with your 'prey' is evil in and of itself!"
Yoral frowned. "So, what are you saying? I'm evil?"
"No, it's just that... there's no reason to do that!"
"Hmph. You wouldn't understand! It's a part of the hunt! Don't worry... I'm a guy, you're a gal... you really wouldn't understand."
"So, because you're a guy, you like to torture what you 'hunt'?"
"Yeah! You know... you get the blood flowing, ready to dive in and let the thing you're fighting against know that you're the one in charge. It really makes you feel alive! It's apart of being a real man!"
"That's ridiculous! So you're saying you have no choice? It helps you feel in control, so you're justified in being disgusting to another living creature!?"
"You're twisting what's going on, but basically yeah. You know... boys will be boys."
All three parts of Trinity's mind fell upon Zordon's words from the other day, after his argument with Yoral. She looked at Yoral in the eyes. "You need to take responsibility for yourself. Stop making excuses. You are capable of making your own choices without blaming anything else. If not, then this relationship isn't going to work out!"
Yoral stood for a moment in silence. He felt as if he was slapped in the face. "Whatever. I don't need this. I'm going to hunt some more." He turned around and ran off toward the sound of fighting. He ran as hard and as fast as he could. He felt that if he was able to push himself, he could take his mind off the pain he was feeling.
Trinity of Wisdom chimed in first. It is best to voice your concerns upfront. No use in continuing a relationship if it is not going in the right direction.
Great job standing your ground! Trinity of Courage applauded. You were firm and told him without breaking. Your confidence was fantastic!
Trinity, please remember... Trinity of Heart began to counsel. Being firm doesn't mean being unkind. Being firm means to be unchanging in what you believe. I advise you to remember to be kind. You don't want to drive someone away for the wrong reasons...
Trinity groaned. "I thought you were Trinity of Heart, not Wisdom..."
Wisdom laughed. She's a quick study, if I do say so myself.
Thanks, sis. You're the best. Heart said, laughing as well.
Well, anyway... Thank you for the advice. I'll make sure to figure out what I'm going to do with him. Trinity thought to herselves. She then looked up to the sky.
I hope Tria's alright... Trinity thought, looking up into the sky at the stars.
So do I. The other parts of Trinity said in unison.
. . .
Burai sat on the bed, staring at the wall. He couldn't understand how he was unable to stand his ground against Azazel. He remembered seeing him on the ship and instantly running over to fight him. He knew he had to protect those people who he promised to serve. He remembered fighting the man who many of the troops had begun calling "Yellow Eyes". It had been a strange fight to him. He had been trying to set up the fight to be able to use his Dragon Shield, but he couldn't find the strength to summon his Dragon Dagger. Everytime he tried, he felt as if his power was being drained. The next thing he had known, he awoke in the infirmary with Priscilla's team caring for him.
"How are you feeling, General?" Priscilla asked, bringing him something to drink.
Burai shrugged. "Fine now, except for the headache. How did my tests look?"
"Just fine. I don't see anything that should alarm me."
"Odd. I don't know... when I fought him I just... it was so draining... Like I couldn't do anything against him. I had never felt anything like it before." Burai furrowed his brow as he thought back on the fight.
"Well, whatever it was, you're fine now."
"How is research on that sword on Rashon coming?"
"Rahp, Filcar, and Risp are down there with scanners. The power levels are very high, but we can't see anything conclusive about it yet. We were hoping to get your keen eye on it."
With everything going on, Burai had forgotten his primary place within The United Alliance, and that was as the new head of Research and Development. He sighed and jumped off the bed. His shoeless feet hit the cold steel floor. A shiver quickly ran up his spine.
"I'll go take a look."
"And General... we lost Private Ubi."
Burai felt the blood rush to his head. He felt as if the news was an assault on him as the acting General. He sat back down on the bed. "Was it quick?"
"She's not destroyed... she was possessed by a Demon."
Burai buried his face in his hands. "What are we going to do? How can we stop this? Are we all doomed?"
"Look at your chest, Burai." Priscilla said. She grabbed a small mirror from off the table and pointed it at him. She motioned for Burai to lift up his shirt. Doing as he was instructed, he found a small brand on his chest. It looked fresh.
"What is this?"
"It's a 'gift' from Master Zordon. He said it is a symbol that wards off Demonic possession. If we have it on us, he said it should indefinitely protect us."
Burai sat, staring at the brand. Zordon pulls through once again. He really is amazing...
"Uh... guys?" Reon asked, poking his head into the room.
"Yes, Lieutenant Talp?" Burai replied, jumping back onto the cold steel floor on his feet.
"We have a very large problem."
They ran down the hall to the main command room. Burai threw on his regular vest as he ran. Upon entering the room, he slipped his shoes on while he looked at the monitor. At first, he saw nothing. Then, he slowly recognized three of the Alliance Rangers circling the sword down on Rashon. He saw them jump as an explosion erupted at their feet.
"What's going on?" Burai questioned.
Before anyone could answer, the assailant made himself known on the monitor. His eyes were glowing with Yellow Energy.
"Give up the sword, losers, and no one gets hurt." Novact ordered.
"Not on your life, you traitor!" Alliance Blue declared.
"Oh, Drew... How many times are we going to meet like this? Remember on Solaris 8? You were left behind with the Zeo Crystal in your bag. I found you and was about to slay you when Zordon and Orion showed up in those stupid vehicles of theirs. They saved your life that day. Well, I love to finish what I start. Just ask Orion... I made sure he got what he deserved."
Alliance Red stood up. "What do you mean by that?"
"What? You didn't know? 'Master' Orion has been destroyed... by my blade. Gutted him like a fish. Like I said, I finish what I start. Drew... your day of reckoning has arrived!"
Burai felt as if he was losing consciousness when he heard that. No... not Orion! He thought.
Alliance Blue made a fist and took his place in the middle, between Alliance Red and Alliance Yellow. "It's you who will be going down today. Novact, you are under arrest for treason and murder."
Alliance Yellow pointed at him. "You are the most vile and despicable kind of filth the universe has to offer. We're taking you in."
"Commander Risp!? Oh, boy! What a treat! My two former archaeologist comrades with the Alliance puppet who brought us in and ruined our lives! Revenge is sweet!"
Alliance Yellow looked down, ashamed. Her actions, although she felt as if she had done what she was supposed to in order to protect the secret of the Zeo Crystal, continued to haunt her on a nearly daily basis.
Alliance Red spoke up. "She was following orders. If you have a problem with what happened, take it up with the Alliance council... when we bring you to trial."
"Oh, the only trial there will be is for you three here on Rashon. You know, I have a surprise... I received it as a gift from Estro. It was a war machine being developed by The Alliance. He took it from the mainframe before setting up base with Master Vile. He has handed it to me, so I can exact my revenge.Cyclopsis! Arise!"
. . .
Psycho Red looked up at the monolith from the ruins of what appeared to be a temple. He laughed. It seemed this power source was going to be very easy for him to acquire. Too easy.
Psycho Blue looked at his wrist tech. He then pointed toward the monolith. "Yep. The energy readings are coming from there. We should be able to get to that thing with no problem."
Psycho Pink made a fist and brought it in front of her helmet. Orange Energy radiated from the fist. "Soon, I will have enough power to destroy all the pink rangers in the universe. I will stand as the supreme Pink Ranger!"
Psycho Black swung his Psycho Rod. "I can't wait to see the tip on my rod meet the head of that ranger from Triforia! Hahaha!"
Psycho Red shrugged. "You know... she's really a Gold Ranger. I don't think that counts..."
"She's mostly black, so I'm going to count her! After that... I'll set my sights on the green rangers... I guess it's the next best thing..." Psycho Black said, thinking of beating his self-proclaimed arch rivals.
"Well... what are we waiting for? Let's do this!" Psycho Yellow yelled, streaking off into the jungle. The other Psycho Rangers followed suit.
Within a matter of moments, they found themselves in front of the monolith. With their amazing speed and power, they were able to get pass the trapsDulcea had left behind for any intruders. They stared up at the monolith in awe. They could feel Morphing Energy course from the monument left behind by the Nathadians, so many years earlier.
"Now what?" Psycho Red asked.
"Now... you face us." Dr. Pedro said, walking out of the wall of the monolith. Doctors Flora, Gelo, Vesgarta, and Fogo followed shortly after. Unknown to the Psycho Rangers, these were manifestations of the spell Dulcea had left behind on the monolith when she left Phaedos to join Zordon and Tria as a member of Team Victory.
"What's going on here!?" Psycho Pink demanded. Seeing Dr. Flora, she suddenly started remembering the moment when Estro had originally reprogrammed them to be his fighting machines. As she did, her N-Drive morpher kicked into gear and began blocking her from remembering. Psycho Pink grabbed her head in frustration.
Flora saw this and laughed. "Estro really did a number on you, didn't he!? You can't remember what he did to you!"
Psycho Red pointed his Psycho Sword at Flora. "What are you talking about? What does he have to do with us?"
Fogo shrugged. "What do you think he has to do with you? Maybe... he has something to do with the origins of your powers?"
"No way!" Psycho Blue yelled. "We made these when we were in our fellowship program under Dr. Finster during the war on Decrof!"
"I thought you guys hit a road block and couldn't finish the project because you were fired by the Morphing Masters." Dr. Vesgarta said, winking.
Dr. Pedro pointed at Psycho Black. "You need to think... remember!"
Psycho Blue then laughed, pointing at the five scientists standing in front of them. He showed the other four Psychos his wrist tech. "Look here... these guys have energy signatures that correspond exactly to the wavelength of some power surrounding the monolith. They're some kind of defense mechanism. They're just trying to confuse us!"
Gelo sighed. "Yes, but we are trying to help you remember your worst fear."
Psycho Red stepped forward and asked, "Which would be what?"
"Remembering that you have been brainwashed. Remember!" Dr. Fogo demanded.
"Nice try..." Psycho Pink said, recovering from her latest episode with her N-Drive. "But we know who we are and we're not going to allow you to mess with us. Psychos? Attack!"
The Psycho Rangers ran forward. Each of them began fighting their counterpart. The Psychos tried using their weapons, but it seemed their doppelgangers knew exactly how to dodge the blows. Psycho Pink shot energized arrows at Flora, who caught each midair without any hesitation. As Psycho Black swung his axe, Pedro was able to leap into the air and stand on the blade, using it as a platform. He then easily kicked Psycho Black in the face, sending him flying backward.
"We have to beat these fakes!" Psycho Blue yelled. "I don't think we can access the power of the monolith until we beat them!"
"Let's switch, then." Psycho Red suggested.
"You mean, I take your twin and you take mine?" Psycho Yellow asked.
"Exactly. Now!" Psycho Red ordered. As they switched fighters, they quickly saw the fight turn to their favor. As the battle raged on, a streak of energy made its way to the monolith.
"See ya!" Psycho Pink said, sending an arrow into Pedro's heart. He instantly turned to stone and vanished.
"Wouldn't wanna be ya!" The Blue Ranger added, chopping off Flora's head. As the blade hit her neck, she turned into a stone statue and crumbled into a pile of stone.
"There's nothing better than the original!" Psycho Black cried out, hitting Fogo in the neck. He could hear bones snapping as the fake scientist was destroyed like the others.
"Bull's eye!" Psycho Yellow declared as one of her Energy Pellets from her Psycho Slinger hit the fake Gelo in between the eyes.
"Game Over!" Psycho Red screamed as he plunged his blade deep into Vesgarta's chest. She fell to the ground onto her knees, turning into stone.
They gathered in front of the monolith, ready to receive their prize. Nothing happened.
"Well, what's wrong now?" Psycho Yellow demanded.
"It seems as if we aren't the only intruders." Psycho Blue said, typing away on his wrist tech. "Only when all defense mechanisms for each intruder has been eliminated will we get access to the power... according to what I can see from my readings and some quick mental calculations, of course."
"Who's the other intruder?" Psycho Red asked, looking around.
"Me."
The five Psychos turned to see a figure standing behind them, ready to battle.
"You? Sheesh! Leave us alone!" Psycho Black said, getting into a fighting stance. The other five rangers did the same.
"Time to fight." The Silver Zeo Ranger said, summoning his Z Staff.
. . .
"Alliance Megazord, battle ready!" The Alliance Rangers said, the cockpit guiding them to say it in unison. Once they had synced their minds to the megazord, they set their eyes on what Novact had called his "war machine".
"Okay, Alliance puppets. Get ready for your doomsday. Rocket Launchers: activate!"
Below Cyclopsis' neck, on each side of the zord's body, were rocket launchers. The rockets spewed forth and ripped into the megazord's armor.
Burai stood shocked. Novact's first attack destroyed sixty percent of the megazord's external defenses.
"I'm pulling you guys out now!" Burai cried out. He typed in the code to teleport the rangers back onto the ship then remote the megazord back in, but nothing happened.
"I'm sorry, General Burai." Alliance Yellow said. "As the primary General in this crew, I have deactivated your console. I'm sorry, but we're going to finish our battle."
"That is completely irresponsible!" Burai shouted. "How dare you! That is against protocol and... and you're going to get yourselves killed! This isn't a life or death event! Just leave the sword alone! GET OUT OF THERE NOW! THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER!" Sweat dripped down Burai's forehead. Private BJ Lovel approached him.
"Sir, she's right. We're all completely locked out. I can't target them to teleport them back."
"We're in this to the end." Alliance Red said as they narrowly dodged another blast from Novact. "If we allow Novact to get this sword, it very well may be a life or death situation. This ends here."
Having previously hacked into the ranger's communications, Novact overheard everything. Speaking to the rangers, Novact taunted them. "Oh, how touching. Walking into your destruction... And yes, this is life or death. Life for me, death for you. I will end this quickly, however, because of your bravery. Cables, activate."
Cables went flying from the war zord. They wrapped themselves around the Alliance Megazord, keeping it in place.
"V-Formation!" Alliance Red ordered. In the megazord cockpit, the rangers assembled in the position to allow them to sync their morphers for a power boost. The power then coursed through the megazord and began surging through the the cables to Cyclopsis.
"Haha!" Novact cried from his cockpit. "Nice move!"
The cables snapped, sending Cyclopsis to its knees.
"Dual Blade Beam!" The rangers said. Two vertical crescents sailed from the blades of the Alliance Megazord toward Cyclopsis. They hit the zord with maximal force. An explosion erupted from the zord.
"We did it, guys!" Alliance Green cried out in excitement.
"Wait, look!" Alliance Pink said, pointing.
From the debris, Cyclopsis walked out, seemingly unscathed. The war machine then charged forward and began boxing the Alliance Ranger's megazord. Every punch left large dents in the megazord's armor. Burai looked away, unable to continue to watch. After the final punch, Cyclopsis bowed its head and shot a blast from the green circle on its forehead.
"Brace yourselves." Alliance Red said as the charge approached them.
"Goodbye." Novact said, laughing. Yellow Energy could be seen in his eyes as he laughed. Looking on, he saw the megazord falling apart. All five Alliance Rangers flew out, sprawled on the ground as pieces of their megazord landed around them.
"Ahh!" Alliance Blue yelled. A large chunk of metal had fallen on him, pinning him down. Smoke was everywhere and he could not see anyone. His arm with the wrist tech was trapped. He was unable to call out to his team.
From the debris, he saw someone approach him. Looking up, he was able to see a sword pointing at his face. It was Novact.
"Oh, Drew... We sure do go back, huh? It's so great to catch up. Who would have thought a year ago that we would be here... You as some sort of, I dunno,superhero and me as an elite, magical warrior, huh? Wow." Novact said.
"Just end it now, Novact." Alliance Blue said.
"Let me revel in this moment!" Novact replied, smiling. "Now, when I saw you on Solaris 8, gripping your wounded thigh and with the Zeo Crystal in your bag, I knew I would end you. Although Orion and Zordon saved you, I knew I would end you. It's fate. Now, Power Ranger... prepare to meet your end..."
Alliance Blue looked up. He saw the blade lifted up, a silhouette against the blaze from the destroyed megazord. He closed his eyes as the blade descended upon him.
. . .
The Super Pink Space Ranger continued to battle her way through Tenga Warriors. The more she battled, the more she felt as if the Tengas were appearing. Although she was being powered by her five teammates, she felt herself fatiguing. One of the Tengas punched her in the chest. Sparks flew from where the gold rectangles, signifying her super mode. As she fell to the ground, she looked up, seeing four rangers she had never seen before.
The Black Aquitar Ranger crouched into a fighting stance. He focused and suddenly found himself shooting a stream of water at his enemy, Yuki-Onna. The water came from the moisture in the air, and hit the General hard. She stood up in anger.
"I've got this." The Black Ranger said to his teammates. "Go help that Pink Ranger. I'll call you if I need help."
"Right." The White Aquitar Ranger replied, motioning for the Blue and Red Rangers to follow her.
Turning to the ice monster, the Black Ranger focused on his new powers. The circuitry Burai had drawn up on the schematics Cestro had used to create their coins fed the relevant information he needed to use his powers to defeat this general. He smiled behind his visor. "Are you ready, fiend?"
"Ready to turn you into a fishscicle? Most definitely! Hi-yah!" Screamed Yuki-Onna.
The ranger attacked the monster, slashing with his sword. Yuki-Onna was able to deflect the slash, stepping away from the Black Ranger as she did. She then turned to face him again, laughing.
"Is that your best?"
"I've got more!" The Aquitian said, charging forward. He swung his blade low. He had hoped to catch her off guard with a low hit, but she was ready. Yuki-Onna met Black Ranger's blade, blocking it from hitting her. Black Ranger then took the opportunity to attack, punching her in her abdominal region. She staggered back, but quickly regained her composure.
Unrelenting, Black Ranger struck again. He then flicked his wrist, able to send Yuki-Onna's blade flying out of her hand. It landed nearby, its blade sinking into the earth around them. Its hilt stood straight up, inviting Yuki-Onna to run over and grab it.
General Yuki-Onna attempted to accept the invitation, trying to get to the blade. Black Ranger stood his ground, circling to stay in front of her. He kept a stable base, blocking her from getting the blade. In frustration, she lashed out, grabbing the Black Aquitian Ranger by the neck to choke him out.
She's frustrated... He thought. He knew he could use her anger to his advantage. Knowing she was acting on impulsive fury, he quickly staggered to his right. When he felt Yuki-Onna place her weight to her left, he quickly spun to his left. As she lost her balance, he swung his blade. It connected with some of her head armor, causing it to fall to the ground while she fell to a knee.
Seeing her down and feeling the Morphing Energy flow through him, he knew what he had to do. Placing his blade back in its holster on his back, he placed his hands together and began charging for an attack. He felt the power flowing through him as Yuki-Onna stood up.
"You think you can stop me!?" She cried out defiantly.
"Time to put your reign of terror on ice!" He proclaimed, reaching for the hilt of his sword. Pulling it out, he unleased the power the Morphing Energy had charged him with sending slashes of energy to the ice monster from afar. She took the brunt of the attack, since she had not been expecting to be hit by a sword from more than ten feet away from her assailant.
"AHHH!" She screamed as Morphing Energy enveloped her. The Black Ranger stared on as the life slowly left Yuki-Onna. She began falling to the groundbefore exploding.
The Black Ranger ran to his teammates. He wasn't surprised to see a mass exodus of the Tenga Warriors. Once they had seen Yuki-Onna fall in battle, they had decided they did not want to share the same fate, running back to their ship nearby to return to orbit.
"Power down." The White Aquitar Ranger ordered, the other three doing as she said.
"Nicely done, Corcus." Aurico said, patting his fellow soldier on the back.
"Thank you. It was an amazing experience." Corcus replied as the Space Rangers made their way to them. Once Yuki-Onna had been defeated, the Rangers were set free from the freeze spell she had put on them.
"Thank you all very much." The Black Space Ranger said, shaking Corcus' hand.
"No... thank you..." Delphine said, walking up to him. "I appreciate your help, Michael. Were it not for you and your team, I do not know what I would have done. My people are forever in debt to KO-35."
"No reason to think of debts, Delphine." The Black Ranger said. "The people of Aquitar are friends. We know you would have done the same for us."
"Who are your teammates, Michael?" Cestro asked after shaking hands with the last of them.
"Let me introduce you. Power down." Black Ranger ordered.
"Here we have the Red Space Ranger, Cory.
Blue Space Ranger, Shawn.
The Pink Space Ranger, Topanga.
The Yellow Space Ranger, Angela.
And the Silver Space Ranger, Eric.
These are good friends of mine. All throughout my time at the Academy, we kept in contact. I trust these people with my life, and I know they will be valuable assets in the fight against evil."
"We are willing to do what we can to help." Shawn said, smiling.
Cory stepped forward. "Whatever you all need from us, please, do not ever hesitate to ask."
"We will not." Aurico said, shaking hands with Cory.
"Until next time, Master Delphine." Michael said, shaking hands with his former partner.
"Yes, until next time, Master Michael." She said, giving him a hug. Up until that point, Michael hadn't realized how much he had been in pain over being ejected unceremoniously from the ranks of the Morphing Masters. Hearing another person still think of him as a master made him feel as if it wasn't for nothing. He smiled.
"Alright, guys. Let's head back to the Megaship." Michael said. His team nodded. Michael input the digits into his wrist tech and they all were sent to their ship in space.
"Now what?" Corcus asked.
"Now, we prepare for our lives as Power Rangers." Cestro replied.
"And," Delphine began. "We prepare ourselves for the final battle of our Civil War."
"Yes. To the freedom of Aquitar." Aurico said placing his hand on Delphine's shoulder. "Together, we can do it."
. . .
The Silver Zeo Ranger blocked each blow from the Psycho Rangers. They seemed unable to hit him. His power and speed were finally becoming second nature to him. Commander Zedd had felt some interference when he first regained control of his body. The Zeo powers were meant for him, and not the Dark Lord. Once he had taken full control of his body, he could feel himself also gaining full control over his Zeo powers.
"This fool is strong." Psycho Blue said, gasping.
"We can't take him on!" Psycho Yellow complained.
"I'm not going to give up that easily..." Psycho Red said, charging forward.
"Bring it on then." The Silver Ranger said, laughing.
Psycho Red swung his Psycho Sword. The Silver Zeo Ranger jumped up into the air, over the swing. As he landed, with his back turned to Psych Red, he donkey kicked the Psycho Ranger. Flying into one of the stone walls of the monolith, Psycho Red grunted as he stood back up.
"Is that all you have? For giving yourself such a menacing title like 'Psycho Rangers', you sure aren't living up to the hype." The Silver Ranger taunted.
"I'm going to rip you apart!" Psycho Red declared, charging forward.
Bringing up his staff, the Silver Ranger attempted to hit Psycho Red. Side stepping slightly, the Psycho Ranger blocked the blow with his blade. He then swung to cut the Silver Ranger in the neck, but the Z Staff met the blow before it was fatal. As a retaliation, Psycho Red attempted to kick the Silver Ranger, only to have the Silver Ranger block the kick with his shin.
"And now, we end this." The Zeo Ranger said, punching Psycho Red with his fist. Psycho Red flew through the air, being caught by Psychos Pink and Black as he crashed into his team.
Breathing heavily, the Psychos stopped and stared as something occurred behind the Silver Zeo Ranger. Three more Power Rangers appeared.
"This is getting serious. We'll get you guys next time!" Psycho Red yelled. Looking at his teammates, they nodded and flash streaked away from the scene.
Turning around, the Silver Ranger met up with Team Victory.
"Who are you?" Zordon asked, demorphing along with his team.
"Master Zordon. Master Tria. Master Dulcea... it is good to see you all again." The Silver Ranger said.
"Commander Zedd!?" Tria said, recognizing his voice.
"How is this possible?" Dulcea asked, incredulous.
"I was hit by a blast in my previous battle. It must have knocked something loose. I was able to gain control of my body. Afterward, I found myself able to transform into a Power Ranger."
Zordon could not believe his ears. After going through months of grief and guilt, it seemed like he was finally free of the burden he was carrying over Commander Zedd's possession back on planet Mirinoi, so many months earlier.
"You have no idea how glad I am to know you are okay." Zordon said, hugging the ranger.
"Why don't you demorph and join us on the Ragnarok? We can rest and catch up. Celebrate a bit." Tria suggested.
"No... I'm afraid of what will happen if I demorph. I still look like... that monster..." Silver Ranger said. The three former Morphing Masters tried to hide looks of shock. They were unaware he still had the mutated body caused from exposure to the curse Sentinel Knight had placed over the Zeo Crystal.
"Monster is quite a harsh word, isn't it!?" Lord Zedd stated, appearing from behind a nearby tree.
"What is this!?" The Silver Ranger demanded, looking petrified.
It appears to be a good, long look in the mirror! Hahaha! The Dark Lord taunted in the Silver Ranger's mind.
"Oh, no..." Dulcea said, understanding what was occurring.
Zordon, with his ability to analyze things through whatever library of information which had been placed in his mind by way of the Nathadian magic, scanned the Lord Zedd standing in front of him. He then knew what Dulcea had feared.
"What is happenin'!?" Tria demanded, staring at Lord Zedd, then at the Silver Zeo Ranger.
"This is a manifestation of Commander Zedd's worst fear. He is under the influence of Dulcea's spell." Zordon explained.
"What do we do!?" Tria asked. "I mean, I thought we were going to take the Greater Power so that no one else would be tempted to grab it."
Dulcea nodded. On the way to Phaedos, the three had counseled and agreed that they could not risk having to constantly travel from wherever they were, back to Phaedos, whenever someone threatened to take the Nathadians' Greater Power. They agreed that they would assimilate the Greater Power to themselves and guard it.
"Now that the spell is activated, and taken a target," Dulcea said. "It seems as if the bond is too great. I can't turn it off. We are going to have to defeat this manifestation of evil before we can take the Greater Power."
"I'll do what I can to help you, then." Commander Zedd, the Silver Zeo Ranger, stated to Team Victory.
"Welcome to the team then." Zordon said, extending a hand. The Silver Ranger shook it.
"Ah, how touching!" The Fake Lord Zedd stated, shooting a blast at the two. It missed, causing an explosion to occur around them as they finished shaking hands. "But now, let us get on with our battle! Afterward, I can regain control of my body! Ah-hahaha!" Lord Zedd's body gyrated with excitement as he threatened to regain control of his body.
I like how this guy thinks. I believe we should keep him around, don't you? The Dark Lord said, now trying to be as pestering as Commander Zedd was to him when their roles were reversed.
"If that's how you want it, fine. Let's morph..." Zordon said.
"With the power of the Nathadians!"
"Ninja Ranger power!"
"It's morphin' time!"
"Meledon Ranger!"
"Green Owl Ninja!"
"Gold Zeo Ranger!"
"Silver Zeo Ranger!"
"Team Victory... Defenders of the Universe!"
Going into Shadow Mode, both the Gold and Silver Zeo Rangers pounced on Lord Zedd. With lightning speed, he was able to block all of the attacks on him. While they distracted him, though, the Green Owl was able to burrow deep under ground. Once she had approached Zedd, however, she reached out and grabbed him by the ankles. Losing his footing, he fell onto his back.
Analyzing the doppelganger, Meledon Ranger pointed his red saber at the fake Z Staff. He shot it, reducing it to gravel.
"No! My power regulator!" Lord Zedd cried as he pulled himself up. He suddenly shot blasts of Red Energy out, attempting to hit one of the rangers. Without a power regulator, he was quickly exhausting himself. Soon, just as Meledon Ranger had predicted, he would use up his energy and catabolize himself until there was hardly anything left of him.
Landing, not wanting to stay too long in Shadow Mode, the Gold Ranger saw one of the blasts heading for her.
"No!" The Silver Ranger yelled, jumping in front of the blast.
Ah! Red Energy! Yes! Finally I can override that horrible Indigo Energy you had coursing through you earlier! Hahaha! The Dark Lord said, his cackles echoing through Silver Ranger's mind.
"Shut up! Nooo!" Silver Ranger yelled, falling to his knees and grabbing his head. The Green Owl and Gold Ranger ran to him to see how he was doing.
"It looks like it is you and me..." Meledon Ranger said. The nature of the confrontation was not lost to him: He was battling against a foe who symbolized one of, what Zordon had felt was at least, his greatest mistakes. He squinted his eyes as he stared Lord Zedd down.
"Yes, young Morphing Master. I suppose it is. I hope you have enjoyed wielding the powers of the Nathadians, because it will be the last time!" The Fake Lord Zedd yelled as he charged forward. He swung his Z Staff at Meledon. Quickly reading what direction the hit was coming, Meledon Ranger ducked and slashed Lord Zedd. A piece of his metal exoskeleton fell to the ground, smoke coming off of its surface.
"Argh!" Lord Zedd yelled, dropping to a knee.
"Although you aren't the real thing, and you aren't as tough as the real thing, this will be satisfying nonetheless." Meledon Ranger said, chopping the "Z" from off the top of Zedd's head. Silver Zeo Energy flowed throughout the platform area, seeping into the Silver Ranger as he was on all fours, crying out in pain while he wrestled The Dark Lord in his mind.
Meledon Ranger stared at Lord Zedd as he attempted to stand. Red Nathadian Magic swirled around him as White Energy mixed in. Getting into a fighting stance, he said, "Goodbye, Lord Zedd." And with that, he plunged his blade into Lord Zedd's exposed brain.
"Gungh..." Lord Zedd gurgled, dropping to his knees. The red light behind his visor went out, and the fake turned to stone. Then, he slowly became a pile of rocks on the ground.
The three main members of Team Victory had been blessed by Dulcea before arriving on Phaedos. They were currently immune to the effects of the magic of deception. Seeing as no other intruders were in the area, the monolith opened. A stone in a pyramidal shape presented itself. A circle with a giant owl could be seen in its center. It was offering itself to the Green Owl Ninja Ranger.
"Why only you?" The Gold Ranger asked, looking up and understanding what the stone was saying but not the reasoning behind it.
"Zordon already has Nathadian magic. He does not need the Greater Power. It would be redundant." The Green Owl stated. "As for you... I don't know..."
"Back away from the Silver Ranger. Now!" Meledon Ranger warned. It was too late: He cackled and blasted the Green Owl with his Z Staff, sending her flying.
The Gold Ranger took a step back, summoning her own Power Staff. "What's happenin'?"
"Commander Zedd lost the fight with The Dark Cloud..." Meledon Ranger said, circling toward the now evil Silver Zeo Ranger.
"That's right, Zordon." The familiar voice of Lord Zedd said through the helmet. "And like you said earlier, that wasn't the real Lord Zedd. Now, you will feel what the real thing is actually like!"
"The reason you aren't on the stone is because Lord Zedd here is currently using Zeo Powers." Explained Meledon Ranger, not taking his eyes off of the Silver Ranger. He put his blade in a ready position as he slowly approached the villain. "The monolith does not want to risk him getting the Greater Power, so it is not offering it to anyone with Zeo Energy."
The Gold Ranger, staring at the unmoving Green Owl, lying crumpled on the ground nearby, joined Meledon Ranger at his side. "How is he using this power? I thought Commander Zedd said only he could use it."
"From what I can gather," Meledon Ranger said, analyzing his foe. "He absorbed enough Zeo Energy from the fake Lord Zedd I destroyed that he can temporarily maintain his ranger form."
"Oh, goodie. Luck for me! Now," Said Lord Zedd. "If I am able to destroy the Gold Zeo Ranger, I will be able to maintain this form for much longer. Maybe indefinitely! Ah-haha!"
"I won't let that happen." Gold Ranger said.
"Tria, you need to stay back and let me handle this." Meledon advised.
"Why!?"
"Because I can't risk him stealing your Power Staff."
Nodding, the Gold Ranger ran toward the Green Owl.
"So, it is you and me, Meledon Ranger!" The evil ranger said, cackling.
Meledon Ranger continued to analyze his foe. From what he could tell, he had just as much Zeo power as the Gold Ranger herself. It did not seem as though Commander Zedd was fully able to access the Zeo template within his subcrystal, though, due to The Dark Lord's presence within him. Meledon Ranger then had the feeling the suit he was seeing in front of him was a lower, base form of the Silver Zeo Ranger's powers, and that if The Dark Lord could be purged from Commander Zedd's body, the true suit and true power of the Silver Zeo Ranger would be brought to fruition. Power wise, though, with the added strength of The Dark Lord, Meledon Ranger would be fighting this ranger who, for all intents and purposes, was even more powerful than the Gold Zeo Ranger. He knew he had his work cut out for him.
"Yah!" The Silver Ranger cried out, sending a blast from his Z Staff.
Meledon Ranger quickly analyzed the blast and ducked out of the way. He sent a blast of White Energy from his hand at the evil ranger, sending him flying backward.
"Conversion: Indigo Energy!" Meledon Ranger said on reflex. The Nathadian powers were helping Meledon Ranger get into the mode he needed to be in to have the best chance at defeating the Silver Ranger.
Rushing at the Silver Ranger, Meledon Ranger slashed him across the chest. The Silver Ranger cried out as sparks flew from his chest. Meledon then kicked the Zeo Ranger, sending him back against the wall.
"I will save you, Commander Zedd..." Meledon said as he punched the ranger in the gut, Indigo Energy pulsating around his fist. He watched as the Indigo Energy ran around the Silver Ranger's body.
"Argh!" The Silver Ranger yelled. One of The Dark Lord's greatest assets was his Red Energy, and having the Indigo Energy begin to seemingly cancel it out, the Silver Ranger began to feel powerless. He stood and sent a blast at Meledon Ranger. The blast was one of the strongest Zedd had ever sent out at an enemy. Unable to react in time, Meledon Ranger took the entire blast, sending him flying into a pool of water nearby.
Laughing, the Silver Ranger limped over to Meledon Ranger.
No... Commander Zedd said, regaining consciousness. He realized he no longer had control of his body. He then looked at Meledon Ranger floating in the pool of water.
"Goodbye, Zordon of Eltar." The Silver Ranger said, pointing his staff at Meledon. He sent another blast at him.
As the blast approached Meledon Ranger, the Silver Zeo Ranger saw him lift up his hand. The blast stopped midair, before reaching him. Meledon Ranger then stood up and stared at his foe.
"Impossible!" The Silver Ranger screamed.
"In the end, good always prevails..." Meledon Ranger said. "By the power of the Ancients... Meledon Ranger power!" With that, the ranger patterned after the ancient order sent the blast back at the Silver Ranger. It hit him and sent him to his knees. He demorphed almost instantly.
"... I... I... will not forget this, Zordon. I will have my revenge!" Lord Zedd said, standing up tall. Smoke danced off his exoskeleton. Red Energy lit up the entirety of the area around him. Then, with a blast of lightning, he was gone.
"No..." Meledon Ranger said, looking down.
For a brief moment we had him back. I'm sorry, Commander Zedd. I promise... I will free you from your prison. Meledon Ranger thought, making a fist. He then turned to see a demorphed Tria carrying a morphed Dulcea to the rock in the center of the monolith. The Green Owl was motionless in her arms. Demorphing himself, Zordon analyzed her quickly. He shook his head as he walked forward.
"I'm sorry, Tria... she's gone..." Zordon said.
"No! No! Not like this..." Tria said, placing her lifeless body on the ground in front of the stone holding the Nathadian's Greater Power.
"We need to go. We must find Master Ivicar. It's what she would have wanted." Zordon said, not wanting to waste anymore time than they had to.
Tears streamed down Tria's face. "It's not fair!" Tria said. "Why!? We were so close!"
"I know, I know. I didn't want to lose Orion, or six months of my life... but those things all happened. This is a war, Tria. We can't control what happens. We can only control how we react to it." Zordon said, hugging her.
"Wait... do you hear that?" Tria said, looking at the monolith. Zordon turned to stare as well. Suddenly, a large golden, semi-transparent owl flew out from the stone. It flew majestically through the air, as silent as a real owl. It quickly spun around and flew into the Green Owl Ninja Ranger.
"Hunh!" The Green Owl gasped, her eyes fluttering to life.
"Well I'll be..." Zordon said, smiling.
Tria ran to the Green Owl, giving her a large hug. "You're okay!"
"Of course I am!" Dulcea said, demorphing. "You didn't think it'd be that easy to get rid of me, did you?"
Zordon knelt down beside the two of them. "You know what this teaches me?"
Tria shrugged. "No, what?"
He smiled. "That we can't predict everything. That, because we are fighting for good, miracles can happen. If we keep plugging along, doing our best, we can persevere. We have courage and faith in what we're doing. We just have to never give up."
"We must never surrender." Dulcea added, smiling.
"We must stick together, and defend the universe." Tria said.
The three of them stood up. Zordon placed his hand forward, palm down. Tria and Dulcea stacked their hands on top of his.
"We will keep fighting no matter what!" Zordon declared.
Then, in unison, the three threw their arms into the air and jumped. In mid-air, they yelled out, "Go, go Power Rangers!"
. . .
Gosei and Dimitria stared at the data. Although she was still trapped in an altered plane of existence, she was grateful to have contact with the outer world, and was using her time to help Gosei.
An alarm rang. Gosei jumped up with a fright, hitting his head on a long hanging beam in his laboratory. He grabbed his head in pain as Dimitria stifled the urge to laugh out loud.
"What is it, Gosei?" Dimitria asked, regaining her composure.
"I have certain energy signatures saved into the computer. This one belongs to the Fake Gold Ranger. Zordon asked me to notify him whenever I caught a reading of her." Gosei answered.
Dimitria frowned behind her veil. "That villain is the reason I'm stuck here. Make sure to tell Zordon to bring her in. She deserves to be put to justice for all of the misery she's caused."
Nodding, Gosei punched in the code to Zordon's wrist tech.
"Go for Zordon."
"It's Gosei. I have a reading on the Fake Gold Ranger."
After a long silence, Zordon returned on the line, sounding tired. "Where is she?"
Gosei frowned before answering. "It looks as if she's back on the old base for The United Alliance. Right around the old main headquarters for the Morphing Masters."
"Hmph. She must be scrounging for some of our old tech." Zordon said simply.
"My thoughts exactly. Good luck, guys." Gosei said.
"Good luck, my friends. Let the Power protect you." Dimitria added before they signed off from Earth.
Back on the Ragnarok, as the ship began to leave Phaedos, Zordon turned to the rest of Team Victory and told them where exactly the Fake Gold Ranger was.
"Back on our old base, huh?" Dulcea said.
"Wow... it's a good place for a final showdown, you know..." Tria said, staring out the window into space.
"Yes, it is... Computer?" Zordon said.
"Yes, Zordon?"
"Set a course for the old Morphing Masters HQ." Zordon said. "We're heading for Onyx."