Chapter 22: The hunter.

Chelbell2016:

Ok just to point out I know that on fanfiction the format for date is MM/DD/YYYY but I don't I use the format DD/MM/YYYY. This is how I have always done it. So I didn't say the last chapter was posted on the fourth of September 2017. I said it was posted on the ninth of April 2017. Hope you enjoy and I will update as soon as possible. Please review.

*Keeper of the powers*

Courtney's POV:

I am at work with the others. I sigh as I spot Xander playing his instrument while I am trying to carry to very heavy boxes around on my own. I drop them down on another box.

"Need any help their me lady?" Xander asks and I roll my eyes.

"Not anymore," I reply looking over things. "Thanks for asking."

"Just doing my part," Xander says and I sigh once more.

Bowen walks over and gives Xander a look. He has noticed my lack of sleep and nightmares about things happening to our parents. The problem is I don't know whether their dreams or visions. I had spoken to both Daggeron and Bowen and they hadn't been able to give me much reassurance.

I look around as Vida walks over to me from Toby's office.

"Uh, hey, Courtney," Vida says sounding a little nervous, which makes me frown. "Toby wants to see you in his office. He seems really mad. His eye was doing that twitchy thing again."

I sigh wondering what I had done now. "Oh, great."

I walk over to the office not wanting to keep my boss waiting. I open the door a peep to see what looks like a guitar made into a trophy.

"The winner of the first ever rockployee award," Toby says and for the first time in a few days I smile. "Goes to miss Courtney Oliver."

Everyone cheers and claps as Toby places the award in front of me.

I shake Toby's hand.

"Thank you, Toby," I say as I cannot keep the smile off of my face. "Thank you, guys. Wow. Well I couldn't have done it without the help of my friends and co-workers."

Bowen spotted LeeLee. "Recent hires excluded, right Courtney."

I frown at LeeLee's crestfallen look.

"Thanks again, Toby," I say once more.

The other rangers cheer once more as I walk towards them all. I turn back and glance at the award. "It's amazing."

I walk out of the office and Bowen and Maddie stand with me.

"Looks like you finally found your groove in briarwood," Maddie says.

"Well over the last few years I haven't really stayed in many places," I tell the two. "I haven't been able to stay with my friends as I have moved from Reefside to blue bay. Then from blue bay back to Reefside and now to briarwood."

"Now you have friends again," Maddie says and I nod smiling.

As I walk away from her I feel the headache coming on that I have had the last few days. I just wish I knew where my parents are.

Me and Daggeron are throwing some food up to Fireheart.

"This is a dangerous time for you, Courtney," Daggeron says and I roll my eyes.

"What's new?" I ask him.

Fireheart bumps my back and I glance at him.

"Hi Courtney."

"Behave Fireheart please."

I then look back at Daggeron.

"The terrors will know you're the light," Daggeron continues. "They will come for you. They will use everything in their power to deceive you, capture you, and destroy you."

"Well they wouldn't be the first ones," I whisper under my breath. "But I get it Daggeron."

"No, you don't, but nice try," Daggeron continues and I shake my head at him. "When the time is right, you will understand, and you will also realize your connection to the Fireheart."

I give him a look of confusion. "Fireheart?"

Fireheart roars and I try to calm him. I then look back at Daggeron and give him an insane look. "I gotta get back to work."

Before I get out of the woods my morpher alerts me to one of the terrors being there. I flame to the others and we run off to fight the terror.

*Keeper of the powers*

We find that it is oculous the hunter that is the one after us today.

"Let the hunt begin!" I hear him say as we arrive.

"Stop right there!" I order him.

"I am Oculous the hunter!" He introduces himself. "And you are my quarry. But I'll make a deal with you."

"A deal?" Maddie questions.

"What kind of a deal?" Xander says.

"I only want the red ranger," Oculous says.

"Yeah who doesn't," I say as Bowen moves so he is standing in front of me.

"If she surrenders to me now, the rest of you will be spared," he says and I hope that it doesn't come down to this. "Interested?"

"He's the hunter, we're the prey?" Chip says questioning the situation.

"That's right," oculous agrees. "And I'm the best. Just surrender, red ranger, and save me the trouble."

"There's no way your getting her," Bowen tells him.

"Forget it!" I agree. "We don't go down without a fight."

"Okay," Oculous says slowly. "I'll demolecularize your friends one by one with my lasers. If I don't have all five by sundown, I'll surrender. That's the game."

I just hope that nothing happens to my friends because of me.

"Well," I say pulling out my magi-staff as the others do the same. "The game is on."

We make a move towards him but he fires at us and I am forced to raise a shield. Smoke appears. When the smoke is gone so is Oculous.

"Hey!" I yell as we run to where he was seconds before.

"Where'd he go?" Maddie asks in confusion.

"He split!" I say in anger.

"Something tells me he'll be back," Chip says.

"Yeah," Bowen says and then walks over to me. "But until he does. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

I sigh knowing that he is being totally serious.

"Rangers!" A voice coming from nowhere says. "The hunt is on. I can be anywhere. I suggest you start running!"

"Stay next to me Courtney," Bowen says to me.

We look back when Chip has to block a blast that came out of nowhere.

"He's up in the window!" Chip informs us.

"He's not so smart after all!" Bowen says as he blocks me from the attacks.

More shots come raining down so we all raise our magi-staffs and Bowen his sword.

"Magi-staff!" Lights come down creating one big shield to protect us.

I suddenly cry out as another shot hits me in the back of the leg. It came from behind us.

"Courtney!" Bowen says as I drop to the ground.

"That blast came from the other direction," Maddie points out as I try unsuccessfully to heal my leg. "How?""

Something in that blast is preventing my healing magic from working.

As Vida and Xander lean down next to me the others block more blasts coming from all different directions. I try to raise a shield but all my magic is drained from my injuries.

"Watch it!" Chip says as he blocks the blasts.

Bowen bends down and between him and Xander they help me to keep my weight off my foot as they pull me to my feet.

"We got to get Courtney out of here!" Bowen says.

They help me as we attempt to get as far away as we can from the hunter. The one who is after me and will at this rate get me.

*Keeper of the powers*

We are moving as quickly as we can through briarwood to get out of here.

"Come on!" Chip says as Xander and Bowen try to help me stay upright.

I suddenly drop not being able to stay n my ankle.

"Courtney!" Bowen says worried for me. "I'll carry you!"

I go to shake my head but at that moment Xander gets shot by a red light.

"Oh no!" I say as he begins to demolecularize. Then he is gone! "XANDER!"

Bowen is carrying me why Chip, Vida and Maddie are blocking the shots that are aimed at us.

"This guys going down!" Vida says.

"Keep running!" Maddie says.

I glance back to make sure that everyone is here. We stop for a second and then Chip yells out.

"LOOK OUT!" Chip yells and he pushes all of us to the ground.

I cry out as I land once more on my bad ankle. Bowen looks around and runs over.

"Bowen my ankle is swollen I cannot walk," I tell him as I try to keep the pressure off of my leg. "You guys need to go now!"

"No way!" He tells me and he picks me back up despite my protests. "I am not leaving you here. I am your guardian."

"We got to keep moving!" Vida says.

I raise my magi-staff and so do the other three. "FINISHIO!"

We disappear so we can get out of here. We then continue into the woods.

"We should make a break for rootcore," Vida says as we go on.

I had forced Bowen to not hold me so he could have his weapon. Him and Chip now had one arm each around their shoulders why the girls watched out for oculous.

"I don't want to jeopardise the base," I say remembering how with every team our command centre has been destroyed. "This guy can follow us anywhere."

"I'm running out of suggestions," Chip says from my left side. "If this was a role-playing game, I'd give myself a time out."

Bowen gently helps me to sit down on a tree stump.

"At least we have some cover from the trees," Maddie says.

As she finishes the tree begin to disappear as a bright red light hits them.

"You were saying?" Chip asks sarcastically.

"Guess I spoke too soon," she replies.

Bowen is standing over me ready to move as soon as we can.

"We're in trouble!" I point out knowing that right now this is all coming down to one alternative.

Then Vida and Bowen are both hit by a red light at the same time.

"NOO!" I scream and tears begin to run down my face. "VIDA, BOWEN!"

"SIS!" Maddie cries as she hits the ground.

I try to move to the place where my big brother and my friend had just disappeared.

"Hey, Maddie, you ok?" Chip asks as he bends down next to the blue ranger.

"VIDA! BOWEN!" I cry out.

Maddie protests as Chip pulls her to her feet and then he helps me to place an arm around his shoulder, as he lifts me back to my feet.

He then begins to drag us away from the area.

"Come on!" He says as I stumble along behind him. "We've gotta find cover!"

*Keeper of the powers*

We are once again back in briarwood. But I've had enough of loosing my friends now.

"Wait! Wait!" I say to Chip and Maddie. "Stop for a second."

Chip sits me on a wall.

"Courtney we can't stop," Maddie says.

"I'm gonna surrender," I tell the two.

"What?" Chip says in disbelief.

"You can't we're a team," Maddie reminds me.

"It's me they're after," I say to them. "If I give up, it will save Xander, Bowen and Vida."

Chip shakes his head as he stares down at me.

"If it's you they're after, then it's you we have to protect," Chip tries to make me see sense.

"Watch out!" Maddie suddenly yells before she shoves Chip aside and then like the others she is hit by a bright red light and disappears.

"Maddie!" I yell. "Oh no!"

We manage to make it back through the trees into the forest. We have de-morphed and I can see that my ankle has swollen badly. We are trying to keep ourselves covered by a tree.

"You know he's gonna find us," I point out to Chip.

"I've been thinking," Chip says. "He's probably in another dimension, which allows him to follow us wherever we go."

I nod my head even though I am barely listening to him. I know what I must do.

"Stop!" I say as he tries to continue. "I'm gonna give myself up."

"What?" Chip says once again.

"I'm not gonna loose all my friends," I inform him. "There's something I can do to stop it."

Chip shakes his head at me.

"But if you surrender, you'll destroy everything that we stand for," Chip says but I don't really feel that their is another choice. "We're power rangers. Do you really think that that's what Xander, Bowen, Vida and Maddison would want you to do."

He turns away and then he is hit by a light and begins to disappear like my other friends. I go to grab him but it is too late. All five of my friends are gone. It's over.

"Now it's just me!" I say hating the idea.

'I have to end this once and for all' is my only thought right now.

I walk out from behind the tree.

"Come on, you coward!" I yell to draw oculous' attention to me. "Show yourself! I surrender!"

"Yes, the game is over," Oculous says. "I have won!"

"It's me you want," I remind him. "LET MY FRIENDS GO! I wont even fight you!"

I can suddenly hear Oculous' voice.

"Have it your way then," He says. "You will be my biggest prize yet!"

A bright green light goes to hit me but something shoves me out of the way. I groan as I land on my ankle one more on the ground. As the guy begins to drag me away, I look up to see Phineas.

"Come on!" He tells me.

"I should have known it's you Phineas!" I growl out as he continues to drag me away.

"Good to see you to!" Phineas says. "I just saved a life again. We all have things we're good at."

He pulls me to behind a tree and I am really angry right now.

He pins me to the tree as I try to shove him off.

"Let me go!" I yell at hm. "I have to surrender to save the others!"

As I try to move he grabs me again.

"Interesting conundrum..." he says as I fight to get free. "You have to save us all."

"I've already saved the world twice!" I say to him. "I've had it my friends are more important!"

"You are the light!" He says and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. "The key to destroying the underworld. What a burden. I know. But if you surrender then we are all lost. Every bird, squirrel, and fly, caterpillar, alligator, flea. Well, no one really cares about the flea, except maybe another flea."

I sigh. "Okay, okay, okay, I get your point. I'm the light, but they're my friends. What am I supposed to do?"

He just gives me a look of confusion.

"Well I don't know," he replies. "What does your heart tell you?"

"Heart?" I say. But then something clicks. "Heart. Fireheart."

I remember Daggeron telling me the connection between me and the dragon. I know what I must do.

"That's it," I say knowing that this is the right way to go. "I am the light! Thanks again, Phineas!"

I then take move away and pull out my morpher. I press three buttons and then raise it to the sky.

"LEGENDARY SOURCE! MYSTIC FORCE!"

I then flame to where I will meet Oculous.

*Keeper of the powers*

I am outside of the woods and I begin to call for Oculous.

"Show yourself!" I order him. "Face me!"

I hear a growl behind me and he appears.

"I see you finally came to your senses!" Oculous growls at me.

"Yeah, I did," I say with my lion staff in my hand. "And you're going down!"

"Oh, really," he taunts me. "RISE!"

Hidiacs and styxoids appear all around me. Necrolai is with them.

"Well, well," Necrolai taunts when she spots me.

I notice that the army is huge and I am badly outnumbered.

"Perhaps you should have surrendered," Oculous says from behind me.

"Fire heart!" I call.

"I'm here let's do this!" Fireheart says as he arrives.

"RED DRAGON FIRE RANGER!"

He stands behind me.

"The beast!" Necrolai says clearly frightened.

I do a back flip and land on fireheart's back. He calls out as I land.

"Let's go Fireheart!"

"You've got it!"

He takes off and I make a noise like a cowboy enjoying the ride.

"ATTACK!" Necrolai ordered her forces from the ground below me.

They begin to blast at me but I avoid all of them. Fireheart then sends flames at the evil beings. The flames hit the hidiacs and send them flying to the ground.

"Nice shot!" I tell my dragon.

"Thank you!" Is the reply I receive.

I then receive my new morpher where I press it. I jump off of Fireheart and then we combine, I once again grow wings, my suit goes from red to red blue and patterned, I have two batons for weapons.

I land on the ground and my wings disappear. I feel that my power is stronger.

"Who's giving up now?" I say mockingly to Oculous. "I am the light! Hah!"

"GO!" Oculous yells.

"Get him!" Necrolai tells the hidiacs who begin to run forwards.

I run to meet them and using my new weapons I begin to strike them. I kick one and block another that is about to shoot me. I then kick the one who I had to block into a bunch of black objects.

"You want some more?" I ask the hidiacs.

Another runs at me. I point my baton into its side and it sends a wave, that knocks the styxoid flying backwards. As more and more com at me I use both my weapons and my ninja training to defeat all of them. For a big finish I throw one of my batons and like a boomerang it hits all of them and comes flying back into my hand.

"Slow learners!" I say.

As more run at me I quickly finish them before turning to Oculous. He blasts at me and they hit the ground as I dodge all of them.

"Give me back my friends!" I demand from the hunter.

"Never!" He says before once more sending a bright green blast at me.

I use the wings to fly up into the air.

I land and power up my weapons. I then throw both of them at him and they meet their target making him groan. I catch them and speed to the other side of him. He is surrounded by electricity as he blows up. He is destroyed.

"Red dragon fire ranger!" I say liking my new form. This makes four now. "YEAH!"

I turn back and sigh. I feel my ankle finally healing.

*Keeper of the powers*

I flame to where my five friends have reappeared.

"Hey look there she is," Chip says as he notices me.

They all call out and I run over to them. Me and Bowen share a hug.

We return to the rock porium and look around to see that it is completely spotless thanks to LeeLee. The girls hair is wild her makeup is running and she looks exhausted. I give the others a look wondering who made her do all of this.

"So, what do you think?" LeeLee asks smiling when she sees us.

"It's uh, clean," Bowen says in shock.

Toby walks over.

"It seems that in your absence LeeLee has earned the right to the rockployee of the month," he tells us and everyone but me doesn't look happy. "Congratulations. I think we can all learn from her commitment to excellence."

He walks away and LeeLee smiles as she glances our way.

"Looks like I'm here to stay," she says.

I nod and congratulate her. I think she is shocked, but in my opinion everyone deserves a second chance. Look at Trent.

*Keeper of the powers*

Chelbell2016:

Ok so I cannot believe it but there is about six or seven chapter till the end. One is my own for Courtney to go and find her father. Please review and tell me what you think. The snow prince is next.

This chapter was posted on the 13/04/2017 at 21:03