Episode 8: Part 1

"Where has our Winter Break gone?" Nick Adler sighed as he gave a forlorn look out the window. Outside the main windows of the Student Union's food court, a light snow continued to fall from the dreary gray January sky. The Christmas and New Year holidays had passed and the 5 Vanguard Rangers reluctantly returned to school to start their new semester.

"I hear you," Danny sighed as he stirred a bowl of macaroni and cheese, "I've just gotten through my morning courses and I've already got a ton of homework."

Sitting next to him at the table, Claire took a bite of her sandwich and shrugged, "Could be worse. There haven't been any monster attacks in several weeks."

"That's really nice of the demons," Izzy laughed lightly across the table from Claire, "Though I have a hard time imagining them celebrating any kind of joyful holidays either."

At that moment, Joe exited the lunch line and took a seat next to Danny with a big grin on his face, "All right! New ethnic food week at the Union and they're serving Filipino food!"

The others turned to look at him in amusement as he took an enthusiastic bite from an eggroll and gave a content sigh, "This lumpia tastes just the way my mom makes it… oh and I got some cassava cake for desert if anyone wants to try some."

"Wait a sec," Nick chimed in, "Hale is an English last name. You never told me you were part Filipino."

"Yeah. On my mom's side," Joe casually replied as he passed his dessert over to Izzy so she could try it.

Nick shook his head with a sigh, "I've been living with you for a semester and it's like I don't even know you. Everyone? Any other secrets I don't know about?"

Claire smirked and slanted her eyes further, "Nope. I'm still just a nerdy Chinese girl."

"Y mi familia es de Mexico tambien," / (and my family is from Mexico too) Izzy added with a playful wink.

"Well don't look at me," Danny chuckled as he continued to eat his macaroni, "I'm a total white guy too."

As the others began to laugh, Nick rolled his eyes lightly, "Well, if we're all going to talk about family heritage, then let's hope Professor Bishop's history lecture this afternoon will be a little more insightful."

Later on after lunch, the five Rangers gathered in the small familiar lecture hall Professor Bishop taught his classes in. Although the courses were scheduled by semester, the Rangers decided it was best that they continue taking one of Bishop's classes every semester to stay near their mentor. To their surprise, their teacher was already there with his notes in order.

"Hey Professor! Looks like it's just the five of us again this semester," Danny grinned as he sat down and kicked his feet up on the chair in front of him.

Bishop gave a guarded smile as the students sat down, "It looks that way, doesn't it? I hope you all had a good vacation, because I've got a lot to go over with you today."

"Oh, Professor? I'm sorry. I forgot my book today," Izzy called out apologetically but Bishop shook his head.

"No Izzy. It's not about that. I was referring more to speculative history today… about the Vanguard Rangers."

The five students exchanged puzzled looks as Bishop took a piece of chalk and began drawing what looked to be some Empyrian sigils on the board.

"Over the past few months, I've been working on the inscriptions that my colleague Father Santos had given us," he began, "there's still a lot left to decipher, but I thought you five should know what I've found because it relates to the Keyrunes you each possess. Danny, may I borrow yours a moment?"

Danny shot his friends a hesitant look before reaching into his pocket and producing the artifact. Bishop nodded and took the Keyrune. Giving a focused look, he held it up and called, "Vanguard, Ascend!"

The five students sat watching in silence as nothing happened. Bishop lowered the artifact and looked to the others, "Have any of you wondered why it is that you can call on the power of these Keyrunes, while someone like me, can't?"

"Maybe because we're not old?" Nick offered in a half joking voice before Claire gave him a sharp elbow in the side.

Bishop frowned a moment before shaking his head, "You're all aware that the Empyrians were a wise and powerful race. They were able to harness the power of the earth's elements and they created many artifacts like these Keyrunes to amplify that power. How then were the Empyrians able to use them while most of us modern humans can't?

"Maybe they took some kind of precautions?" Joe suggested, "Like the safety lock on a gun?"

Bishop gave a grim smile, "Perhaps the safest kind. Based on my research, it seems the Keyrunes were only intended for use by those of the ancient race itself."

The Rangers sat silent for a moment before Claire raised a tentative hand, "But Professor… that would mean that the five of us, are somehow descended from those Empyrian angels, right?"

Izzy shook her head in disbelief, "I'm with Claire. That can't be right. I don't see a pair of physical wings sprouting from any of our backs."

Bishop raised a calming hand, "Let me finish everyone. After the great conflict with the Cambion, there are several vague passages in the translations referring to some of the angels descending from the skies and becoming one with the earthbound humans. I can only guess that means their blood mingled with ours."

Danny crossed his arms pensively, "So going by that reasoning, I'm guessing that we must have stronger bloodlines if we can even use the Keyrunes. Still, what are the odds that the five of us would even meet here and that something like this would happen?"

"Better than you might think," Bishop answered pointing to the chalkboard, "These four sigils that I wrote roughly translate to Mountain, Cascade, Light, and Prophecy."

"I don't understand Professor, where are you going with this?" Joe asked with a confused frown.

Bishop began to pace patiently, "Within the Empyrian tablets that I've translated, they make mention of different locations in the world. These places were important to the Empyrians and blessed in various ways. I have reason to believe, this location with these four sigils refer to the city of Hyperion Falls."

"He's right!" Claire exclaimed, "Think figuratively everyone. There are Mountains nearby. Cascade may refer to waterfalls, a major natural feature of this region. Light could refer to the mythological Greek figure of Hyperion... so Hyperion Falls?"

Nick chewed his lip, "But what about this mark of Prophecy? What does that mean?"

"Whatever it means, I'm sure there's some clue around one of the mountains or waterfalls that will give us an answer," Professor Bishop answered. "That may explain why the Cambion demons have been drawn to this place."

"I'm not sure about this everyone," Danny said aloud, "It seems like a bit of a long shot, and we don't have much to work with as it is. How do we even know what we're looking for, and where it is?"

As the others paused a moment, Joe frowned and gave a thoughtful look, "There are 12 major waterfalls around the mountains of the city. Maybe our Keyrunes will trigger some kind of reaction when we find something."

"Are you really considering this?" the Pink Ranger asked with a concerned look.

"I'm just as skeptical as you are Iz," Joe argued back, "But if there really is something here, then we should at least try to find it. Maybe that something will be a new power. Or, if Professor Bishop is right about our heritage, then some kind of important clue about our past."

"Uh, everyone? You do realize that it's the dead of winter out there, right?" Claire pointed out causing everyone to fall silent again.

"Of course," Bishop said clearing his throat, "Claire has a good point, but it's important we still keep that in mind once springtime comes."

Everyone gave a tentative nod, not sure whether they should be more concerned with some ancient secret buried in their hometown, or the fact that they might all possess some kind of celestial ancestry. Before they could worry any more about it for the day, Professor Bishop opened his binder and spoke.

"Well, that's enough about that for today. Maybe we should get back to some real history, right? Pull out your pens and notebooks. I was thinking we could start the new semester talking about the fall of the Roman Empire..."

Meanwhile, within the dark stormy Abyss, the Cambion counselor Shemhazai made her way into the ornate but gloomy throne room of the Dark Spire. As she passed two elite demon guards wearing full plate armor, she approached the foot of the throne and gave a reverent bow, "I am here Lord Gideon. You summoned me?"

The fallen Empyrian angel reclined on his marble chair for a moment with a curious look. "I have. I wish to know the state of General Abaddon."

Shemhazai couldn't help but hold back a snigger, "He is still being punished for his insolence my lord. I understand he is suffering 1,200 lashes at the scourging pillar."

"Yes," Gideon sighed offhandedly, "For him to act without my consent was foolish, but his intentions and ambitions were admirable. Otherwise, he would be suffering much worse."

Shemhazai winced at the calm but sadistic threat before lifting her head slightly, "There was something else Lord Gideon?"

"There is," he nodded, "I want to know if the seal between our worlds is weak enough for us to summon an Aspect on the other side."

Shemhazai raised her head in surprise. The act of projecting a small essence of one's self into another plane was one that only the most powerful demons were able to do.

"Despite the recent setbacks, I believe progress has been made. I would guess that the seal has weakened further. You aren't considering…"

"Yes," Gideon said with a cruel smile, "I wish to meet these Vanguard Rangers in person and test the real strength of the human race."

The Cambion advisor shook her head, "But my Lord, you would be risking a small fraction of your power to do this."

Gideon rose from his throne and laughed in amusement, "A small price to pay Shemhazai. I have been wasting away in this tower for thousands of years and I finally have a reason to begin flexing my wings again. Do you question me?"

The advisor lowered her head in submission, "No, of course not."

Gideon fixed his eyes on her for a moment before continuing to walk down the throne room steps past her. "Then gather some of your sorcerers together and prepare the ritual. I do not wish to wait much longer."

Shemhazai bowed again and made her way quickly out of the throne. While a part of her wished to see the human Rangers cower before her master, she still couldn't help but have her own share of reservations too.

The next day, the three male Rangers sat together at the Mugshot drinking hot chocolate and doing their homework. They sat at the table working quietly for a while until Danny finally dropped his pencil down on the table. "I can't do it. I can't concentrate like this."

Joe and Nick stopped and exchanged a puzzled look before turning to him. "What are you talking about?" the Green Ranger asked taking a swig of his drink.

"I keep going back to what Professor Bishop was saying the other day," Danny said quietly making sure to stay out of earshot from other café patrons. "You know, about our supposed ancestors. Do you really think there's any truth in the theory?"

"Well, I guess it makes some sense," Nick admitted in a hushed voice, "Why else would the Keyrunes respond to us and why else would those monsters keep attacking this city?"

Danny grimaced, "Listen, I actually love being a Power Ranger. It's cool as hell. But if we're somehow connected to this millennia old feud, it almost seems more like a cruel cosmic joke."

"You're suggesting that because we may have a direct blood connection to this conflict then we're somehow more responsible now?" Joe asked with a questioning frown.

"Not quite," Danny answered, "What I mean is that it almost sounds like some higher power or fate is pulling our strings. To be honest, I hate the idea of predestination, or a fate that's already laid out for me."

At that, Nick narrowed his eyes and said heatedly, "You still had a choice Danny. You still took up the Keyrune and became a Power Ranger. No one is forcing you to still be one now."

"Of course I know that!" Danny fired back hotly as he met the Green Ranger's glare, "It's not like I'm going to bail out on you guys. I also want to know where I came from; especially if it is true we come from some angelic race. I just think we should all be careful of what that means is all."

Joe sat in quiet thought as his two friends argued. Finally, he set his mug down, "No one is doubting you Dan. It's a lot to take in and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't struggling a little with it myself. For now, all we can do is just stay focused on stopping any more Cambion attacks until we can learn more."

"But Joe, aren't you curious about what may be in the mountains too?" Nick protested. "You're being too cautious! We've got to take action! Maybe even act before the enemy."

"Now is not the time Nick," Joe answered firmly, "I'm just as curious and think we should be proactive. But I'm not going to send our team out half cocked and put everyone in needless danger either. Not until we know more."

The Green Ranger growled and opened his mouth to argue further when his phone buzzed. He looked down a moment, before turning to his friends. "Looks like the girls' shopping trip in the city just got cut short. They need our help."

Quickly rising from the table, the male Rangers put their three way argument on hold and rushed out the door to aid their fellow Rangers against the newest Cambion assault.