Episode 5: Part 2
"I'm sorry everyone," Professor Bishop called as he hurried into his lecture hall back at the university. "I came as soon as I could."
The Vanguard Rangers stood waiting in the room wearing concerned faces as Bishop shrugged off his coat and carried a laptop over toward the wooden podium. Due to the unusual nature of the last monster attack, the five decided on an impromptu meeting here rather than at the Rookery.
"How is Dr. Feldman doing?" Nick asked curiously. Bishop had told him the two were good friends and longtime colleagues. It was possible she might even be Nick's Botany professor next semester.
Bishop opened the laptop and sighed, "Last I talked to her, she was fine. Still a little shaken up though."
"Shaken is an understatement," Danny muttered, "That monster is a giant earthquake waiting to happen."
Gesturing for the others to gather around, Professor Bishop pulled up a screen on his computer. "I've begun cross referencing our new Empyrian records with our own databases relating to history, religions, and mythology. Based on everything you told me, I think we may be dealing with a demonic aspect of Enten, a lesser Mesopotamian earth deity. Unfortunately, our own historical records are pretty scarce on the subject too."
"Well, whatever that thing is, we're not going to beat it with direct force this time." Joe agreed, "We're going to need a new strategy."
Everyone sat quiet for a moment before Claire spoke up, "Did any of you find it funny that Enten only approached and retreated following the dirt of the main road? I mean, if you look at the map, the demon could just cut straight through the woods if it wanted to and reach the city sooner."
Nick crossed his arms and nodded, "You've got a point. When I was fighting that thing earlier, it seemed to hesitate when I was standing near a cluster of trees by the greenhouse too."
"So what are you saying? A big scary earth dragon is afraid of leaves and bark?" Izzy asked.
"Maybe it's not scared of what's above the ground, but rather below it." Professor Bishop said thoughtfully.
The five students turned to him with questioning glances as he continued, "Think about it. Enten uses the earth as a medium, like a fish swims through water. Wouldn't it make sense that it would avoid things like trees and other large plants that have lots of thick roots underground?
"That's it!" Nick cried suddenly snapping his fingers, "That's how we can defeat the monster!"
"I'm sorry Nick," I'm not quite following you here," Izzy said shaking her head in confusion.
The Green Ranger held out his Keyrune confidently, "What we need to do is to lure Enten toward a large patch of trees. Once there, I'll use my powers to snare that thing with all the underground roots. If it can't move or escape using the soil, we can take that demon out easy."
"Wow! That's a really clever plan Nick," Claire grinned, "I'm actually kinda impressed. But isn't that going to take an awful lot of power and focus?"
Nick scratched his chin, "Well, maybe being near some fresh plants will help. It's possible their roots can help me channel my power better and reach the trees."
"I think you're all forgetting something," Danny pointed out, "Where are we going to get some fresh plants at this time of year? It's winter out there and the campus greenhouse was flattened."
Joe gave Nick a pointed look but the Green Ranger grimaced and shook his head slightly. The Red Ranger maintained eye contact with his roommate and said evenly, "Let's all take a look around campus and see if we can find any botany students willing to donate some samples." Again Nick remained silent.
"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you soon," the Green Ranger called as Joe shook his head in disappointment and led the others outside.
After the others left, Bishop began putting his laptop away. Giving Nick an innocent glance, he asked, "Got another question Mr. Adler?"
Nick sighed, "Professor, what if I said I knew a guy who had the plants we need, but is too embarrassed to let anyone else know he had them?"
"And why would he be embarrassed about that?" Bishop played along calmly crossing his arms and sitting on a nearby desk.
"Because they're all… well… flowers." Nick muttered.
Bishop nodded sagely, "I see. And he's afraid if other people found out he liked growing flowers, it might hurt his image, right?"
"Something like that," Nick shrugged looking away.
Bishop scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Well Nick, I guess I would tell him that there's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, many great kings in history were noted for their interest and love of beautiful gardens. Take the French King Louis XIV for example. Why do you suppose the gardens of Versailles are the way that they are?"
"I guess you have a point there," Nick admitted, "You don't think it's a girly hobby or anything, do you Professor?"
Bishop laughed gently, "No more than my love of cooking fancy meals."
"Wait! You actually like to cook?" Nick asked in surprise.
"Well kiddo, I'm still a single bachelor," Bishop grinned putting a hand on his student's shoulder, "If I still want to eat well, I've kind of got to like cooking, right?"
"Thanks Professor," Nick finally smiled heading out the door, "I think I know what I'm going to tell my friend now."
"You should also remind him he needs to study for a History exam later this week," Bishop added throwing on his coat.
Nick chuckled and nodded as he exited the room. After he closed the door, he pulled out his cell phone, knowing exactly what he had to do next.
Later that afternoon 4 of the Vanguard Rangers gathered at the outskirts of Hyperion Falls and kept a steady watch on the surrounding landscape. Claire and Danny stood patiently waiting for any signs of the earth demon while Joe and Nick quickly planted a large group of fresh flowers around them. Nearby, a large swath of tall old trees lined the path into the city where the Rangers were conducting their unseasonable flower gardening.
"To think, big tough Nick has a soft spot for all these flowers," Danny said to himself in amusement. The Green Ranger slowly looked up with a glare and raised a fist threateningly, "Err, not that there's anything wrong with that, of course." Danny quickly added, shying away from Nick.
"We're lucky he does," Joe interjected gently waving his Keyrune about the area to magically ward the flowers from the chill. "It may very well save our butts today."
At that moment, Claire reached for her phone and glanced at the text message. "Guys, that's Izzy. Enten is on the move again and he' headed this way."
Danny nodded and morphed, "That's my cue then." Giving a wave, the Blue Ranger called his wings and took off into the sky to help lure the monster into their trap.
While Nick hurriedly finished planting the last of the flowers, Claire curled up in her own white winter coat to stay warm. "Do you think this is actually going to work?"
Nick gently patted the earth down as he finished, "We've been protecting the earth so far. I have faith that it will protect us in return."
The Red and White Rangers exchanged an uncertain look before Claire turned and pointed out in the distance, "Look!"
The Rangers followed her finger and saw a large mound of moving earth quickly approaching their position. From the skies, the Pink and Blue Rangers flew above it, harrying and attacking the enemy. While Izzy fired several shots from her Feather Stinger pistol, Danny sprayed the ground around the demon with water to hamper its movement with mud, and guide it toward the other Rangers.
From his position, Nick stood defiantly as Joe and Claire morphed and stood ready to guard him. "Get ready Nick! We're depending on you," the Red Ranger called, trying to swallow his own fears too. "Claire, you know what to do next."
The White Ranger nodded and readied her Keyrune as Danny turned his aim toward the ground ahead of the monster, hosing it down with another powerful jet of water. As Enten emerged from the ground with a roar, Claire waved her Keyrune turning the water into ice and forming a small wall in front of them.
The surprised demon thrashed as it skidded along the ice and crashed violently against the frozen wall, momentarily stopping its slide.
At that moment, Nick focused hard and held his Keyrune close. He could feel the vibrant life of his flowers reach into the ground and channel his will, trying to coax and pull at the large ancient roots of the trees below them.
The other Rangers regrouped around Nick and drew their blaster pistols nervously as they saw the earth serpent slowly recover its senses. Giving another roar, the cyclopean serpent opened its maw and fired off a barrage of small boulders. While Nick continued to concentrate, the other 4 Rangers opened fire with their pistols and Keyrunes to destroy the projectiles, hoping they could protect Nick and buy enough time to reach the ancient trees.
As the battle raged, Nick stood calmly around his plants focused on the ground. "Please help me!" he pleaded inwardly toward the old trees. "Help me defeat our common enemy... if not for me, then for the ancient one who used to hold this Keyrune."
Slowly, he felt the trees shudder and move as the ancient roots of the trees responded to his desperate plea.
Meanwhile, the last of the projectile boulders were reduced to pebbles, but the force of the blast pushed the Vanguard Rangers to their knees. The four heroes panted in exhaustion from exerting themselves through their elemental powers, but the demon reared back again, as if still ready to renew its assault. Before Enten could react, Nick opened his eyes and a host of thick writhing roots burst from the ground binding the demon in their tight coils. Enten gave a furious roar but more roots continued to emerge and completely immobilize the serpent.
The other Rangers stared in awe for a moment before Nick's voice rang out, "This is the end for you demon. I'm not gonna let you harm another living thing!"
Raising his Keyrune, the Green Ranger stepped forward, "Vanguard, Ascend!"
In a flash of light, Nick charged forward with his warhammer and gave a furious shout. As if anticipating his movements, the roots pulled Enten lower to the ground and the morphed Green Ranger brought his hammer down in a volley of ringing strikes. Each furious blow cracked the earth serpent's body and kicked up clouds of chipped stone as the Green Ranger took one final leap high into the air with his wings. Gripping his hammer with both hands, Nick brought it down on Enten's forehead with an earth-shattering strike.
The demon serpent violently collapsed to the ground as a large crack spread from its skull all the way down it's body before the monster completely crumbled to soil and dark ash. The other Rangers let out a cheer as Nick gave a satisfied nod and dusted off his hammer, but their celebrations were cut short as the monster's Cambion sigil activated and revived it.
The Rangers looked in dismay as Enten became a giant dragon that radiated dark demonic energy.
"Time to call in the cavalry?" Danny asked turning to the Red Ranger.
"Sounds like another good plan to me," Joe nodded raising his own Keyrune and turning the Empyrian sigils to summon his zord.
The other Rangers followed suit and were soon joined by their celestial zords to stop the Cambion threat. From his griffin zord, the Red Ranger called to the others, "All right everyone, don't give that thing a moment to breathe. Let's take it to em!"
Leading the way with a screech, the red griffin zord swooped down and spat a jet of fire on Enten before pouncing on the demon's head with its talons. The Cambion roared as it shook off its momentary blindness and was mauled on both sides by Claire's white wolf zord and Nick's green bear zord. While the wolf breathed ice and bit down on Enten's tail, the bear grappled the demon's serpentine body. Again the monster's head was assaulted by a dive bombing pink kestral zord and the stinging tail of a flying blue manta ray zord.
After falling again, the battered demon thrashed and raised itself from the ground, trying to advance into the city limits. But while it had been knocked down, the five beasts had combined to form the Vanguard Megazord, which now barred its path.
"Hey Jackass the giant! Come get some!" Nick called from the Megazord as the demon snarled and surged forward. The serpent and the Megazord collided in a thundering crash and the monster pushed hard to try and knock over its opponent. Despite its best efforts, the Megazord's feet began to lose traction and slowly slide backwards.
"This isn't working," Izzy gasped pushing on her controls trying to help keep their war machine steady.
Turning to Nick, Joe gave a nod, "I think it's time we teach this demon how to fly. What do you say Nick?"
The Green Ranger nodded to his friend and gave a thumbs up. "Sounds good. Let's do it."
Grabbing the Cambion titan, the Vanguard Megazord pushed off on its legs and opened its griffin wings taking off high into the skies. As they ascended higher and higher, the megazord finally let go of the demon sending it plummeting back down to the ground.
While the Cambion thrashed in the sky, the Vanguard Megazord charged its wings and dove back down on its prey and split the monster in half with a powerful swoop. As the megazord victoriously landed again, the remains of the giant Cambion rained down around it, shattering on the ground.
As the last bits of smoke and ash cleared over the skies of the city, the Vanguard Rangers sent their zords away and regrouped on the ground where they gathered around a small black walnut shaped rock. The Rangers watched as the source of Enten's power twitched and tried to extend some weak black tendrils of energy back into the ground.
"I've already killed you twice today," Nick snorted looming over the evil seed. "Looks like the third time will be the charm."
Raising his warhammer, he brought it down forcefully and smashed the dark seed, causing it to erupt into a small puff of ash and brimstone.
"Finally," Danny sighed in relief, "That was quite a marathon battle."
"A battle that we couldn't have won without Nick and his green thumb," Claire added giving the Green Ranger a high five.
Nick sighed, "Well, since everything is in order, I'm going to go dig my flowers back up before they all freeze in this cold. Anyone want to help?"
"Hold it right there," Joe said halting his roommate with crossed arms, "I think you're forgetting to address something? Something personal?"
The Green Ranger stared at him in confusion for a moment before nodding in understanding, "Oh! Right! Sorry man."
Turning to the others, Nick shrugged, "I totally lied before and threw Joe under the bus. He's fine... no sexual frustration, or jock itch, or whatever other crazy things the rest of you were imagining. Now can we hurry up and save my plants, please?"
As he hurried away with Claire following behind, Izzy gave a laugh and turned to Joe, "Well, that's kinda too bad there's nothing actually wrong with you."
The Red Ranger frowned in confusion, "What? Why?"
Izzy gave him a gentle poke in the side as she walked off to join the others, "Even if I was just teasing earlier, who knows? Maybe if you played your cards right, I might have actually reconsidered."
Joe gaped in shock while Danny put a sympathetic arm around his stunned friend's shoulder.
"Damn dude, you just got played." the Blue Ranger sighed, "But don't sweat it. I'm sure she was just saying all that stuff to try and make me jealous. Take it from me, chicks are insane. The good news is, after you get turned down the first time, it only gets easier from there."
Joe stared at Danny for a long moment before breaking out into a fit of genuine laughter. Clapping his friend on the back, the Red Ranger smiled, "Well, I couldn't intrude. Seeing as how you're so far ahead in the game, just let me know when you and Izzy set a wedding date then."
Exchanging another good natured laugh, the two Rangers continued to follow behind the others to join Nick in helping recover his beloved flowers.
Professor Gabriel Bishop sat in the busy cafeteria of the Student Union eating lunch while he graded a stack of papers. Giving a sigh, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Ever since he had become the de facto mentor of the young Vanguard Rangers, he was beginning to find out that helping to save the world on a regular basis really cut in to his time for grading papers or doing lesson plans. As he took another bite of his sandwich, he heard the voice of an older man call out, "Gabriel, is this seat taken?"
Bishop glanced up and gave the elder priest Father Santos a weary nod, "Oh, hello Father. By all means, join me."
As the graying priest sat down across from him at the table, Bishop put his pen down, "So, what brings you to the university?"
Santos narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice. "I think you know why I'm here. People have started to ask a lot of questions after seeing demons and Power Rangers with angel wings."
"And you think the Keyrunes have something to do with it?" Bishop asked innocently.
"I know they do," Santos replied, "I've been sent here to find out what, so please, for the sake of our friendship, don't play dumb with me Gabriel."
"You know as well as I about the Cambion threat," Bishop answered levelly. "The rest, I'm still working on."
Santos studied Bishop for a moment, "And what of the Keyrunes?"
"I don't have them," Bishop replied as the priest's eyes went wide in shock. "I gave them to the Power Rangers… or rather the Vanguard Rangers to be exact."
"Gabriel! They belong to the Church," Santos hissed, but the young professor shook his head.
"No. They don't, and I'll tell you why. Just please… hear me out."
As the lunch hour wore on, Professor Bishop shared his newest research on the historical origins of the Keyrunes, and how they had been created by the Empyrian race to combat the ancient demonic threat.
After listening, Santos chewed his lip gravely, "If what you are telling me is true, then you're saying that all of Western Christianity is based on a big mistake… that it was all just some race of ancient people from the skies. Do you realize how heretical that suggestion could be?"
Bishop narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "I'm not saying God doesn't exist. It's quite possible that the magic and the imagery of the Empyrian race inspired the creation of a whole religion, but where did the Empyrians come from? For all we know, some higher power must have created them too. They coexisted with early human civilization, so there must be some common origin, right?"
Santos grimaced and sat back in his seat as the cafeteria continued to bustle around them, oblivious of their weighty conversation.
"I can't promise a good reaction from my superiors, but I will tell them," the priest finally said.
"In the mean time, whoever these Vanguard Rangers are, they will need those Keyrunes if they're going to continue fighting the monsters. I suppose it's probably for the best."
"I'm sorry Father," Bishop sighed, "I wish I could help you understand,"
Santos shook his head gently and gave a weary smile, "No, I actually wish I could help you more Gabriel. It's the people above me that I worry about not understanding."
With that, the priest rose from his seat and slowly made his way back into the throng of students, leaving Gabriel Bishop sitting alone with his own worries and doubts.
A/N:
That ends Episode 5. I know I say this a lot, but thank you again to all those who have been loyal readers, contributors, or reviewers so far. You guys are all awesome, and a big source of motivation for me too. Next episode should be coming out sometime later next week so be sure to stay tuned!