Death littered the only safe haven in existence. Ninja bodies scattered, their young faces lit with bright fear left from their final moments.
Tommy could feel his blood boiling he knew who did this; he could feel the sinister energy floating through the pocket dimension.
"Oh my God…" Maria said, her face was livid with terror as she stared at the corpses.
"This is war," Tommy said coldly, "I figured you'd be used to it by now."
"E-everything I've worked for..." Kimberly mumbled, "Who did this?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Scorpina said. "His filth reeks all around us."
"Fancy catching you here," the animalistic voice growled.
The six turned to see Goldar standing among ten Ranger Sentries.
"Why attack us now?" Kimberly asked.
"Lord Drakkon has gone missing," Goldar growled. "And it's my time to reclaim myself as Lord Zed's true general."
Tommy gripped his saber as he surveyed the damage once more. The burning buildings, the fallen warriors…
"I thought you might want this," Goldar said and rolled Ninjor's empty helmet across the ground. "He barely put up a fight."
That was it. With a war cry, Tommy rushed full speed towards Goldar. Someone needed to end this madness.
"Lord Zedd will definitely promote me if I present him with your head as well," Goldar said and armed his sword.
Tommy was struck with a wave of fatigue as Goldar swung with his golden blade. Fire and sparks danced across Tommy's armor. He fell to his knees as pain danced around his body.
Goldar laughed and swung down once more though Tommy managed to block the attack with his saber.
The three teens snapped into action. They each armed their Thunder Morphers and called.
"Power of the Dragon!"
"Power of the Lion!"
"Power of the Pegasus!"
The three Rangers rushed towards the legion of Sentries. Maria had become the Red Dragon Ranger and she swung her twin Dragon Blades flawlessly. Fred became the Green Lion Ranger and used his Bo Staff to fend off the three yellow Sentries. Matthew became the Blue Pegasus Ranger and used two nunchucks in his fast-paced endeavor against the Black Sentries.
Despite their best efforts the Rangers didn't make it to Tommy in time. Two Red Sentries lifted him up against his will. Suit fatigue was its strongest yet and Tommy felt as if he could lose consciousness any moment.
"I've been thinking hard about how to handle you," Goldar said with a grin. "And thankfully Lord Zedd had just the toy." Goldar reached towards his hip and drew the golden, gem-encrusted blade.
"The Sword of Light?" Tommy asked in disbelief.
"That's right," Goldar said with a gleeful expression.
Tommy braced himself for what would come next. Goldar swung the blade and it sunk right into Tommy's torso. It didn't cut his person but instead his spirit. It reached right through his aura and severed his connection to the Dino Gem.
It definitely would have been less painful just to stab him.
Tommy cried out in agony as his body burned with black light.
For the first time in months, he was free. Unfortunately, Goldar held the Black Dino Gem which had been severed into three separate pieces.
"I can't believe it!" Kimberly exclaimed as she met Tommy's eyes. Her face was painted with shock and confusion.
Shame filled the former Ranger's chest. He could see Kimberly's broken heart.
When the Sentries pulled Tommy towards the portal he didn't fight it.
There wasn't a point anymore.
Kira awoke with a dazed feeling that buzzed around her skull like an angry bee. She looked around and saw the ruined cityscape.
It didn't take a genius to figure out where she was.
She looked up at the rose-tinted sky. Despite the sun being in the middle of the sky it only managed a red burn, like a dying candle.
Kira only recognized half of the buildings. This was very clearly Reefside, but it was as if the last decade of architectural development had come to an abrupt halt.
She shivered as she passed the skeleton of several cars. Some even had skeletons of their own inside.
This was all too unreal. It was like some manifestation of nightmares she didn't even know that she had. She caught frightened people watching her from behind their closed blinds, sitting in their powerless concrete huts.
This is the world that Lord Drakkon ruled. This was his personal playground.
Kira couldn't help but feel angry. Angry that she had fallen for Lord Drakkon's trap, angry she had abandoned her team, angry she couldn't do more.
"I don't know who you are," a voice called from the end of the alley. Kira turned to see a gorgeous brunette dressed in a makeshift uniform with a large rifle slung over her shoulder. "But if you don't want the Sentries to catch you I suggest you come with me."
Kira didn't know who the Sentries were, but by relating what Lord Drakkon had said moments before tossing her into the portal she didn't exactly want to meet them.
With no other real option available to her Kira approached the woman.
Next: Witness what the world does in the absence of Tommy Oliver in Old Friends, New Threats. Then, the story of the Lord Drakkon's twisted dimension continues in The Rescue.