VISION OF FROST 3/4
Vivian was deaf to the voices of her mother and friends as they called out after her, her main concern was to only follow the light. The path led her across a suspension bridge and up a small hill. It wasn't until she felt the arms of her mother around her did Vivian finally stop following her instincts. Vivian couldn't seem to put words to it. As quickly as the vision came they left, all knowledge she had was now absent from her mind.
"Wow Vivian, you were just gone!" Heath chortled, "You were like a spider monkey or a speedster."
"Yeah, it's like you had on the boots of mercury, +20 speed, and maneuverability," Genesis quoted.
"No wonder you were racing up here, you think everything is a video game," Genesis' grandfather spoke, "You kids may be limber enough but not us old folks. There is no respawn in life or my energy."
"Well if you gather the seven sacred orbs of the dragon, you can have whatever you want...with a few restrictions."
"Honestly Genesis, I sometimes don't get the words that come out of your mouth."
Ava then raced through a row of trees, behind her Nick came panting. "C'mon um you- we're almost to the finish."
"That's not my name..." Nick sighed, "You go on, I'll be right behind ya," now not only was Nick magically drained but his physical stamina was nearly depleted. The route he and Ava took was supposed to take roughly 90 minutes, but thanks to Ava tenacious attitude they managed to reach the convergence point of the trails in about an hour. The final meeting spot was less than ten feet ahead and Ava was not ready to quit. Madison smiled slightly at her husband's attempt to match Ava's energic vibe. To ensure that everyone was together. Dr. Angel insisted that all groups rally at the midpoint of the mountain before proceeding onward. It was at this point that all the trails converged.
"What do you mean there's no extra credit, we got here first before anyone!" What was initiated as a familial outing swiftly erupted into turmoil. The furious voice of an angry parent lowered the overwhelmingly positive atmosphere. Noel's father was demanding.
"I already explained to you sir that there is no preferential treatment, there is no concrete grading, only effort. I can fairly say that you and your son, unfortunately, exhibited the least amount." A teacher scolded.
"We showed tons of effort, we're just that good!" Noel shouted when the ears of the principal rang to the sound of the complaint. Dr. Angel's eyes were dead set on Noel's father who undoubtedly was the cause of the disruption. "What seems to be the problem?"
"The problem is your lousy excuse for a teacher that's what!" Noel's father responded.
" is asking for a compromise on failing Noel's grade. He says that the strenuous amount of effort they put in should be rewarded. His solution is a total exoneration of his son's actions." The Teacher said.
"Oh really?" Dr. Angel announced, "Then why did I see you both hiking the trail specifically designated for vehicles?...I would like to remind you, Mr. Dexter, I am very observant and your son's track record isn't exactly the greatest. He is a frequent visitor in my office."
"I'll have you know Dr. Angel, I am the captain of the city police, I can have you arrested for child endangerment as well as a number of other safety infringements. Some of these trails are incredibly slippery, my son could have fallen and broken his neck. I also noticed that we were given insufficient equipment to complete the climb, need I say more?"
Dr. Angel sighed it was obvious to him where Noel got his stellar personality from. "If you felt unsafe Mr. Dexter you should not have signed the permission slip. Everything was laid out clearly. I can see that the respect you have toward other people and yourself is incredibly insufficient. If you would like, I can arrange for Noel to complete an extensive written assignment that can earn him the grade he desires."
The devilish grin Noel had disappeared. A paper was the last thing he wanted to do, he clung to his father and plead with him not to provoke the principal. Mr. Dexter conceded, he grumbled furiously.
"I'm surprised you're able to keep up," Ava told Nick, she sprinted past Dr. Angel, the midpoint of the mountain was an open expanse of land that overlooked the entire valley down below. The land here was incredibly fertile and just oozed with natural beauty. Just behind Ava, Nick paced himself. The depletion of his magic and the strenuous physical exhaustion of climbing the difficult path riddled his body with stiff pain. His expression became more delighted when he saw his daughter and her group arrive. Vivian was just full of joy her laughter was enough to shatter the rough and pained exterior of Nick.
She never seems to be far out of sight, since she was young Nick has always had an idea as to where Vivian was. Similar to his own father, Nick forged a mental link with Vivian for the sake of security. He's never used it to invade his daughter's privacy but to better relate and understand her view on things.
Madison smiled at the sight of her husband who rested on a stone, he waved a greeting to show that he was fine. She was so thankful that he was able to reach the meeting point in one piece and contend with Ava's icy nature. For Vivan, the landscape was more than beautiful, it almost felt alive. Everything from the vibrant grassy plain to the flow of the river nearby, everything was just perfect and at peace. Her eyes traced the line of the horizon though all was calm her gaze remained fixated on the stream of color now even more vibrant like a signal of smoke. The aurora glowed with the hues of red, blue, black, yellow, and pink wafted.
Nick could see the wonder and curiosity in the eyes of Vivian, she stood facing the direction of the opening he was in earlier.
It was hard to believe that it had been 15 years since she was born. It wasn't easy on anyone to be apart from family but it was all in the name of safety. It was evident that the same villainous forces who tried to capture Vivian in her youth would do so again if she were to stay in Briarwood. With her magic beginning to manifest once again, it seems more like another move may be prevalent. How would Nick reason this to his daughter? Would it strain the secret of her heritage even more or dissolve the trust they've built over the course of her life?
Vivian, Brandon, Genesis, and Heath each checked in with Dr. Angel and the other teachers. Along the way, they all took photographs of some of the flora and fauna which left the teachers and Dr. Angel astounded. The positive feedback only heaped coals onto the heads of Noel and his father both who fumed with the proposed favoritism.
"Of course, you'd favor a bastard," Noel spoke under his breath. The tone of his father's phone caused him to step away from his son.
"Excuse me?" Nick piped to Noel, his eyes ablaze with controlled rage. The teen whipped around to see the adult, he cursed repetitively to himself to his ignorance of Mr. Russell's presence.
"You wanna say that again?" Nick repeated as he stood up in front of Noel. His eyes peered at the teenage boy who stood quiet. Mr. Dexter looked over to see that his son was being scolded.
"I gotta call you back," The call ended with a sudden beep, he tromped in the direction of Mr. Russell with the most indignant and haughty expression.
"Pardon, who the heck are you?" Mr. Dexter stipulated.
"Well, I would have been a total stranger if he..Who is this your son?" Nick asked.
"Yes, and who are you? You have a problem?" Noel's father exasperated.
"Yes I do, in fact, why don't you repeat what you just mumbled. Calling my daughter a bastard." Nick challenged Noel.
"...Oh...so you're that girl's father." denounced. "I've been meaning to speak to you about her little attitude."
The predatorial leers of Nick and Mr. Dexter drew the attention of many onlookers. Whispers passed amongst bystanders they were all eager to see this face-off.
"Oh man look," Brandon said bewildered.
"...Round 1, fight!" Genesis murmured in an announcing voice.
Madison gulped hard, by the fire in her husband's eyes she could tell he was contemplating whether or not to strike. Vivian was intrigued by her father stood level with Mr. Dexter's throat. Married with her worries and fears was a sense of pride made evident by the smirk on her face.
Nick cocked his head to stare into the face of the enraged parent. By the look on his face, Mr. Dexter was one insult away from detonation. His fury leaked through his clenched teeth and tight knuckles.
"The school wouldn't take me seriously, hopefully, you would. You see my son has been failing, you know why because of bullying. Your daughter is the main reason." With each claim, Mr. Dexter jabbed his finger at Nick, which only fueled the firestorm brewing. The callous reference to Vivian cut deep but not a single tear peeked out of her eyes.
"Come..." A breath of a male voice heaved through Vivian's ears and even Nick's ears as he heard the word come but nothing else.
"Come child. Shine and clear a path through the darkness to a new world."
"Let your light shine in shadows until the dark is forever silent."
"Let your passion freeze the darkness until it is no more! Come.."
Brandon, Genesis, and Heath saw Vivian vanish into the treeline. They looked to Noel who snickered as the young Russell made herself scarce. Likewise, the three of them chased after Vivian to console her. Nick didn't notice when Vivian ran off but he too had heard the voice spouting come but nothing else.
"Is that right?" Nick said, his infamous smirk once again on his face. "Because Vivian has been telling me it's the other way around. Now, who am I suppose to believe?"
"...You're from Briarwood aren't you?" Noel's father accused as Nick's smirk suddenly transitioned into an aggrieved frown.
"From what I heard about Briarwood, believing shouldn't be too hard when the proof is right in front of you. It doesn't take magic to notice my son is the victim. I want to transfer him out but for some reason, he loves this school and then I come today for such an unnecessary field trip and find him in pain. They're witnesses, his nose could have broke and all he was doing was minding his own business."
Mr. Russell looked to Noel who had a fresh bandaged stretched across the bridge of his nose. "...Vivian, did that to you?"
Noel nodded his head and attempted to look as pitiful as possible.
"..I'm sorry..." Nick sighed, "I'm sorry she didn't hit you a lot harder."
"...Huh, now I see where she gets it from." Noel's father huffed. Madison looked to Nick who had also heard the slur which came from Noel's mouth. Mrs. Russell went after her daughter while Mr. Russell turned to confront the bully.
"You're a cop, right? Officer?"
"It's Captain Dexter." Noel's father corrected.
"Captain Dick-ster, got it. Let's take a step back and reroute to what transpired earlier when your little cadet decided he wanted to slur my daughter's name from his mouth. You wanna insult me be my guess but not when it involves my child. For someone who takes pride in his name and calls himself a captain, you sure do alot of talking."
The two fathers butt heads the eyes of the other parents drew close it was the first time anyone was gutsy enough to speak out against the man. Mr. Dexter towered over Nick, his body was much rounder and plumper. His hair receded into a cul-de-sac like shape. Tensions were incredibly high to the point it was almost tangible.
The vocal conflict between Nick and Mr. Dexter took center stage, the curious eyes of parents and teachers were drawn into the vicious argument. Vivian smirked giddily as she stood in silence cheering her father on. It was about time someone put this oppressive cop in his place.
Amidst the shouting match, the serene voice of nature was drowned out however a new melodic tune resonated in Vivian's ears.
The voice seemed to sing, whisper in the wind.
"Sheez Noel's dad has his whole life to be a jerk, he can't take off for one day?" Brandon smiled, "isn't that right Vivian?"
But Vivian wasn't there.
"Vivian?"
Brandon caught the glimpse of Vivian's dark hair vanishing into the woods. Brandon slipped away after her, careful not to catch the eyes of his mother. Heath and Genesis spotted Brandon's escape and went after him having grown bored of waiting.
Madison hid her face in shame, her husband has made quite the showing. Her eyes scanned the faces of the crowd, the look Vivian had in her eyes was deeply concerning. Madison searched for her daughter only to discover that she was nowhere in sight. With Nick preoccupied it was up to her to get to the bottom of this.
Vivian parted the branches that sprung up before her. Like a lioness on the prowl Vivian did not stop, all she could do was follow the pull in her gut and the voice in her head. She paused to catch her breath, it hadn't occurred to her how fast she was running until Brandon burst from the brush behind her also panting. He almost lost her several times but has managed to keep her jacket in sight. Behind him came Heath and Genesis also winded.
"Vivian!" Heath yelled. The caramel-skinned boy wheezed hunched over. He struggled to draw the air into his lungs.
Vivian turned around surprised she breathed a sigh of relief to see her friends present. Brandon moved closer he sat down on a log next to her. "Hey don't let Noel's dad get to you, he's a total creep."
Genesis squeezed in on the opposite side of Vivian's shoulder, "Yeah, he's a level one squire."
Her arms wrapped around Vivian's in a tight hug.
"To be honest I was actually worried..." Heath said.
"Worried about what?" Vivian asked.
"Your dad's got guts to confront him but I don't think he knows Noel's dad is the district captain...Everybody's afraid of him."
Genesis unconstricted herself from around Vivian's arm, "I'm not afraid of him, he's like the wizard of Galdor," She stood with her arms crossed over her chest.
"The wizard of Galdor?" Vivian perplexed.
"Yeah, it's from a retro game called Wizard Wood."
"That's different Genesis," Heath said, "that game is easily hackable. Noel's dad not so much."
Brandon inclined his head to face Genesis, "Didn't Noel's dad almost cost your grandparents to lose their retirement money?"
"Yeah but...I'm still not scared of him," Genesis looked to Vivian. The young Russell's expression was bland, the words of her friends sounded like they passed through gelatin. She felt as though she were asleep and this all was one continuous dream.
"I really do hope your dad annihilates him." Genesis was appalled by her sudden rush of anger, "...ooooh I'm sorry I don't know where that came from."
The voices of Vivian's friend were drowned out by the inaudible voice of the invisible lights above. It's like they were beckoning the young Russell to follow. The pull in her gut took hold again and Vivian was on her feet. Her friends stared at her mystified by the blankness of her gaze. Again Vivian was off completely unaffected by the voices and stalls of her friends. Rather than lose sight of her they followed blindly. Eventually, she led them to the mouth of a cave which stood like an open doorway.
Vivian motioned to intrude deeper but the firm grip of Brandon halted her progress. "We probably shouldn't go in there, it's way too dark and there's no telling what thing may be lurking inside."
"This could be the home of the witch who lives on this mountain or the doorway that leads to the underworld," Heath says.
Vivian's senses ignited like firecrackers, every fiber of her being informed her that there was nothing to fear, they just had to be bold enough to venture in. Before Vivian could plant a foot beyond the threshold of the entrance there was another rustle in the brush followed by the snap of a branch. Fear magnetized the four teens together they stood back to back looking in all directions for the source of the sound.
Another rustle caught Brandon's eye, he ventured forward his limbs shaking uncontrollably "Stay calm guys, I'll check it out."
He gulped down his fright and tore away the low bush in front of him as he sprung back with a slight wail of terror. His scream was enough to ignite the fear in Heath who yelled even louder.
"UGH! Will, you shut up Heath!" Ava called stepping out of the woods.
"How do you know my name? You may look like Ava but how do I know you weren't hired by Double-A to kill me?"
"Don't mind him, Heath is just being Heath," Brandon said.
"Brandon, shutty. Can't anyone keep code names around here?"
"Are you alright?" Brandon asked Ava.
"I am perfectly fine thanks," Ava responded coldly.
"What are you doing here?" Genesis asked. Heath remained on guard, his suspicion infected Genesis who stared warily at Ava.
"I wasn't trying to spy on you guys or anything out of Heath's unnatural nature," Ava spouted.
"That's what she wants us to think!" Heath shouted.
Ava rolled her eyes and then continued, "The hike was merely a warm-up for me so I figured the best way for me to keep in shape was to do a little bit of exploring on my own."
"Okay, then why are you just standing there?" Vivian asked.
"..Because I'll leave when I want to." Ava turned and vanished back into the brush. Before Vivian could even sigh a breath the pale-haired Ava returned.
"What's the problem?" Brandon asked.
"I don't know where back is." Ava humphed.
"Heh, of course." Vivian teased when yet again the voice returned, "Come.." Vivian turned her back to the teens, her eyes glowed away from the sight of the others. She treads again forward and behind a hoard of trees, the gurgle of what sounded like a fresh mountain spring. The group followed the source of the noise to the sight of a lake covered in ice. The frozen body of water was a marvel to behold, there was no way they were high enough for such a substance to even form. The closer they got to the river the tighter the strain in Vivian's gut increased.
"Where did this come from?" Brandon asked.
Vivian peered in the frozen pool, the water was so clear that it reflected like a mirror. Looking back at her wasn't her reflection but the guise of what looked to be a red power ranger. Her friends look into the pool as well, similar to her they each saw a reflection of them in the guise of a ranger uniform, blue for Brandon, black for Heath, yellow for Genesis, and pink for Ava.
"Holy! You guys saw that right? Please don't tell me I'm not the only one seeing it." Heath said.
"This time you're not crazy," Ava said bewildered.
The light of the aurora above settled on each of them like tongues of fire, each of their respective colors. From the depths of the river, the glimmer of light shinned which brought new excitement and zeal into the pool.
Vivian extended her hand, the solid ice seemed to liquefy the closer she reached. The others extended their hands too, there was something pulling at them they just had to reach it.
"Vivian don't touch that!" The voice of her mother surprised everyone and tore their attention away from the frozen pond which had already begun to defrost into a moving current. Madison stood on the edge of the brush and as she crept closer her eyes drew curiously at the river. The moment Mrs. Russell's eyes made contact with the stream, ice had taken over once again.
"It was weird, first the lake was just solid ice and then it melted right before our eyes," Brandon said.
"We saw Power Rangers, mom. In the water," Vivian said.
The statement baffled Madison, her eyebrow rose suspiciously. The Morphin Union was confident that there was some type of mystic ether present. Nick who is a fully trained mage further concluded that such energy existed, however, neither of them could conclude what the magical source was. "...then let's take a step back."
"..But-" Vivian said.
"This world is full of mysteries and some things are better left undisturbed. I do believe you guys saw power rangers but maybe it's a clue for something in the future. Whatever the case I think it's best that we all head back, we wouldn't want anyone to think that we've gone missing," Madison said.
"But I thought that's how rangers always got their powers. By the power of the chosen ones." Heath said.
"Well think about it in terms of those comic book heroes, most of the time its people born into heroism. It doesn't seem likely that the power is just given to them." Madison lied, knowing the true facts. The mystic blue ranger ushered the adolescents back into the forested wood in the direction of the meeting site. Vivian hung back her eyes drifted off to the horizon she stood immobilized by the visions passing through her head. In her vision all she saw was darkness, it was an all-consuming void. Countless bodies lay strewn about some of which she recognized.
"NO, STOP! GO AWAY!"
Vivian went to her knees, her fists were pressed to the sides of her head as if to extrude the terror from her mind. That darkness felt alive and tormented and that seemed to come out if it was fear. It was suffocating, all it wanted was for the pain to stop. This wave of emotion weighed heavily on Vivian all she could think about was being swallowed by that pit.
The confrontation between the fathers waged on longer than expected, it was clear to Nick that this man was used to getting his way and he did not know how to argue. The conversation had grown pointless. A tinge of pain clicked behind Nick's eyes something was off. He focused his thoughts intent to feel the essence of Vivian but he couldn't. That link was somehow severed. Mr. Russell held up his hand beckoning for silence.
"Who do you think you are!?" was not done shouting.
The vision playback left Vivian sprawled no one else seemed to experience the terrifying nightmare. Her friends continued on merrily, none the wise to the hellish visage.
"...Vivian, it's okay." The distant echo of her mother's soothing voice gave Vivian something to latch on to. It wasn't until she felt her mother's embrace did she finally quit trembling.
Suddenly the cry of her mother again dragged her out of that place. Madison's grasp brought a sudden warmth to Vivian, she hadn't noticed the chilling sensation that clung to her bones.
"What's wrong with me?" Vivian asked.
Dr. Angel injected himself between Nick and Mr. Dexter with the assistance of another teacher. A majority of force was placed on Mr. Dexter who was like a charging bull.
"Enough!" Dr. Angel ordered, "it's rather early in the afternoon. Maybe it's best that you both take a walk. Mr. Dexter, you and Noel are welcome to descend down the yellow path, which should be sufficient enough to cool down. As for you, Nick, maybe you should take a seat, you look a little flushed."
"Now how is that fair?!" Mr. Dexter demanded.
"Try to understand sir, I am doing what I can to avoid...a homicide. I would not like to see anyone hurt." Dr. Angel said.
With a fearsome huff, Mr. Dexter descended back toward the yellow path, dragging Noel behind him. He muttered curses and threats under his breath-stealing glances back a Nick. The moment the wayward captain was out of sight the fatigue hit Nick. His head swam in milky thoughts and his legs felt like jelly. Something was off, by now his magic should have recovered, yet he still felt as though he was running on empty.
With the captain now defeated Nick was hailed a hero, several parents gave him claps on the back and looks of appreciation.
"It's about time someone stood up to that guy."
"He's been a terror on all of us, thank you, sir."
Nick cleared his throat, "..I'm sure it was nothing you all couldn't handle."
"You know Nick I was going to say the exact same thing, but I'm glad you did," Brandon's Father Jeffery praised.
"A couple of us have complained to the mayor but our cries have fallen on deaf ears. You, my friend, have spoken the truth we all have been desperate to say." Another parent thanked.
Though Nick's face reflected pride his mind screamed pain. He eased himself back on the log he found comforting. Madison returned with Vivian silently fuming, he didn't need his link to know that something was up.
"Looks like you gain yourself some fans," Madison said.
"Eh it's really nothing to brag about, I really didn't do it for them." Nick poised for his daughter, the expression in her face was that of confusion mixed with anger. "Hey, you okay?"
"...No..." she responded. "I'm not okay." She stormed off once again to ponder her fury. Vivian's sudden outburst caused a steady buildup of pressure around the frames of Nick's skull. Madison could see the concerned expression on his face, she realized that he was deeply worried for Vivian just as she was. The information she gleaned from the lake may be the solution to put his mind at ease.
"Hmm, standing up to that Captain must have been hard on your head huh?" Madison wondered, her eyes alert to the action of Nick massaging his temple.
Nick scoffed, "I wanna blame that moron but I think there's more to it than that." He looked to Madison and drank in her beauty. Her silk black hair pulled into a ponytail and her deep brown eyes topped with a reluctant concern. "What happened? She just ran off and then..."
"Ummm something else is going on, I saw-" Madison had interrupted but before she could get her words out a new cry cut her off.
"Run!"
The spiel of Dr. Angel was rudely silenced by the auditory distortion produced by Noel and his father. They came from the treeline huffing and puffing with a fresh presence of sweat gathered in the pits of their arms and in the form of bib on their shirts. They were frightened and shivered from the sudden encounter from the ominous presence behind them. They must have seen a bear or something, they are known to roam around these mountains. However, by the looks of their mild burns and patches of soot, it was as if they decided to play hot potato with a live torch.
"This mountain is cursed, tons of stark monsters were chasing us!" Noel hollered.
"Stupid and a lunatic," Brandon chuckled, he froze suddenly when five horrid abominations crept forward. Their skin was the texture of stone with cracks and divots which oozed lava. Fragmented assortments of bone comprised missing limbs. Their faces or rather lack thereof was a circulating current of lava.
Terror spread through the gathered students and parents, they stampeded toward the trail furthest from the creatures but Madison, Nick, and Dr. Angel stood their ground. The mouthless spawn shrieked an inhumane cry which radiated from the cracks of their skin. The ear-piercing yell created an outbreak of extreme fright. The parents and students bustled from every direction as more faceless creatures surged from the trees and bushes.
There was still a great ringing in his ears from the screech of the monsters. Dr. Angel huffed with urgency, "Everyone, quickly get to the buses hurry!"
One of the beasts towered over Noel and his father who had slipped on a downed branch. Molten stone drooped from its orifices in preparation to singe the father and son. Without a moment's hesitation, the hilt of a knife extended from the presumed forehead of the monster, the thrower none other than Dr. Angel. With the creature stunned by the instant appearance of its new horn, the principal quickly recovered Mr. Dexter and his son.
"Holy...this is both exciting and terrifying at the exact same time!" Heath shouted.
Ava wasn't impressed, these unsightly creations were of vile descendants. In the midst of the scramble to escape, Ava bolted toward the black trail with Genesis and Heath not far behind her.
Nick and Madison stood with their backs pressed against one another, their fists positioned ready to throw a jab. From all sides, the faceless creatures closed in. The ground sizzled and smoked with each step of the amalgam creatures.
Nick wasn't yet at full power, but the level of heat generated by these monsters definitely helped to fuel his strength. A simple morph would be enough to put an end to this dispute, but there were still those who had not yet evacuated and their daughter who was currently unaccounted for.
Vivian hadn't wandered far when she heard the screaming, the faceless creatures had swarmed the meeting ground of school, and sight of her parents were lost in the sea of fleeting people and rising smoke. When she finally could make out what she saw, her heart pounded at the sight of her parents cornered.
A faceless lurched forward, her father smirked and met the creature with a strong left hook. The exuberant heat did not seem to phase him much at all. The monster reeled its horrid cry and told its allies to engage. Nick took hold of a branch near his feet and plunged into the abdomen of the creature. Flames ignited on the shaft stretching closer to Nick's hands.
"Dad!" Vivian called her hand tightened around the edges of a stone.
She lobbed it with all her might the projectile landing onto the head of the creature and was assimilated into its body. The impact shifted the faceless' gaze toward her, it roared its inhumane wale as it prepared to lunge at Vivian. In an instant, her mother appeared with the rod of a walking stick in her hand. She forced the pointed edge into the creature's neck and slashed downward perfectly vivisecting it.
"Mom?!" Vivian cheered.
She was surprised to see her soft-hearted mother so vicious, when did she learn to fight? For a long time, she always thought her mother to be cool and peaceful like water. This sight, however, was like turbulent seas and the great force of a wave just drowned the unsightly foe.
With her parents miraculously at war with the monsters, Vivian felt the courage to join them. She didn't want to let her parents get out of her sight. She took hold of a stick and prepared to leap into the fray beside her mom and dad before she could the voice of something else caught her attention. Vivian searched around for the origin of the sound only to be met with the sight of Brandon.
He was quick to understand that for any parent seeing that their child was safe is the most important. He felt obligated to make sure that Vivian was not in any danger.
"Vivian come on! We have to get out of here!" He pled.
"What no!" She argued.
Brandon pulled her by the hand away from the nefarious crusade. "Come on Vivian!"
Countless minions were strewn about the Russells who were panting with exhaustion from battle. Madison couldn't remember how long it's been since she was able to catch up with the rapidness of her breath. Since they moved to Crystal River, they had little to no need to fully exert themselves in this manner. Nick had seemed to of caught his second wind the rush of adrenaline definitely helped him maintain his composure. With one final combination strike, the last of the foot soldiers were defeated...or so they thought. The hollowed ashen husks became lit once more and revived the fallen minions. Nick and Madison couldn't believe it, this nightmare wasn't yet over.
Dr. Angel swatted another faceless down with the shaft of a collapsible staff, while Nick and Maddie kept a majority of the monsters occupied, the principal diligently worked to liberate as many people as he could. With the coast now clear he rejoined Nick and Madison.
"Everyone's gone, use what you need now to destroyed these beasts," Dr. Angel advised.
Nick and Madison turned their gazes to one another and with their mystic morpher, they dialed 1-2-0.
"Legendary Source! Mystic Force!"
"Brandon let go of me!" Vivian's barked, her feet came to a sudden stop and she rid her wrist of Brandon's grasp. She glanced in the direction from which her parents were in pitched combat.
"Why are you stopping? We have to keep moving," Brandon declared.
'Galwit Mysto Neramax!' A voice boomed from the heavens, it was deep and mighty and reverberated across the entire area. Birds took wing in fright and even Brandon was shaken.
A series of explosions bombarded above the trees and a flash of orange light like that of a firestorm, shortly thereafter a massive wave appeared from out of nowhere. It was impossible for the little creek to generate that much water. The output of the devastation appeared to claim the life of her parents. At fifteen years of age, Vivian was now an orphan.
"NOO!"
Vivian's eyes became wet with tears her whole world ended in a flash and there was not a thing she could do. The pain that Vivian felt equated to how Brandon did when his brother passed if he learned anything about life nothing can be conclusive unless he saw the remains of a body. He pulled Vivian into a tight hug, "Don't think the worst, they're fine your parents are a strong bunch, they could survive anything."
The acrid smell of smoke and brimstone wafted around Vivian and Brandon, specs of light appeared in the brush around them. From out of the woods came more of those faceless beasts this time there was nowhere to go.
Vivian shielded her eyes and expected the end but to her stupefaction, there was an abstract brilliance followed by the whinny of a horse. In a flash, a knight in yellow armor appeared on the back of his noble steed. He dismounted and charged the lava demons, he hacked through them like butter with the edge of his greatsword.
"You guys okay? Get out of here we got this."
"Please my parents they might need help!" Vivian cried.
"Where did you last see them?" The knight asked.
"They were last seen at the top of this hill, their names are Nick and Madison," She said frantically.
The knight looked flabbergasted but hid his composure well.
"Don't worry about them I'll make sure that they are okay. The important thing is that you get somewhere safe!" The knight said.
Another monster lunged, the light seemed to bend around the knight and soon he was armed with a bow. The tails of light arrows protruded from the chest and neck of the monster which instantly dried out.
Subversive to the request of the yellow knight, Vivian went forward with her determination to find her parents and nothing could stop her. In no time she and Brandon were opposed by the presence of more faceless.
From behind a boulder another ranger revealed himself. He was dawned in a blue ranger suit and his weapons of twin pistols materialized into his hands.
Trey Proud, the C.S.D agent sprung from his hiding place, the muzzles of his weapons illuminating in cobalt light. Each blast decimated the fiery creatures that came for Vivian and Brandon. Trey hadn't expected to come to face to face with homunculi created from the remains of skeletons and molten lava, even now he couldn't believe that such monsters existed. As an agent of the C.S.D, he wasn't going to let a bunch of faceless stop him from finding the missing students.
Through his initial assault, Trey managed to annihilate much of the molten creatures but unfortunately, his marksman skills weren't enough. A bulk of the Faceless were getting too close for comfort.
The Zero Hour blue ranger threw his pistols in the air. Without a moment's hesitation, the force of his punch sent a faceless stumbling. A swift hook kick detached the amalgam head of a faceless, yet it still kept charging. His suit had built-in protections against high temperatures which proved useful while he fought.
The amount of Faceless surrounding him grew exponentially. No matter how many he punched out, more just kept coming. Trey took to the air, with his weapons back in his grasp he fired a hail of blasts which reduced his adversaries to ashes. His feet touched down outside the ring of danger. He let loose a final barrage that mopped up the forces that remained. With the Faceless destroyed, Trey greeted the two students he saved.
"Greetings Miss, I am 02 Blue of the C.S.D as well as the Morphin Union. Due to the presence of these creatures, I recommend that you and your boyfriend make your way down the mountain."
"Boy-boyfriend, he not my boy-" Vivian stammered. The sound of more magical homunculi migrated toward them.
"Look, these things will keep coming so it best you head to safety. If you're worried about someone who you were separated from then rest assured that my team and I are currently looking for everyone not accounted for."
Trey punched commands onto his Morpher. His zoom ability enabled him to increase his range of sight. Through his visor, he confirmed the identities of Vivian and Brandon, in the distance however the thermal signatures of faceless shined bright.
"Proceed to the base of the mountain, rest assured that your loved ones are safe." Trey vanished into the brush chasing after the light of the faceless.
Nick and Maddie stand in their legend forms, the ashen husks of the faceless are scattered around them, and more seem to be on the way. Of the two of them Nick appeared to be the most expired, he fell to one knee his stamina nearly depleted. The flare of his legend form vanished and he returned to his standard Red Mystic Ranger form.
Nick pulls out his morpher but his fingers trembled as he pressed the numbers 1-2-8-0. Before he could announce the spell which will transition him to his ancient mystic mode the lights of the oncoming faceless vanished. The lava that flowed through their veins has become cold and the flame of life was extinguished. More faceless surged forward, Madison readied her legend staff prepared to summon another tidal wave. A rush of wind blew by her, the glint of a curved dagger caught her eye.
The faceless dissolved into ashes the depth and precision of the cut could only be done by a master. In front of Madison dressed in his red slayer ranger suit was Kenji. A faceless emerged in front of him, in a flash the tip of his dagger was plunged into the core of the creature and exited through the top of the skull. Beside him, the yellow slayer ranger plunged his knife into the back of a faceless' skull.
The creature croaked an unearthly cry before dissipating into dust. The two hunters worked in tandem with one another, the number of faceless which felt innumerable steadily reduced to almost zero. The level of carnage these wraiths brought was indiscriminate, though many were defeated more were still to come.
Kenji sheathed his knife as he approached Nick and Madison. They both were panting, virtually drained from battle. Red and blue lights passed over the Russells as they were reverted to their human forms.
"Are you alright?" The red slayer questioned.
Nick averted his eyes and tried to mask his pain, "Yeah, never been better."
Madison brushed her hand against her husband's "We've both seen better days, but we're still in one piece."
From the opposing side, Trey arrived on his cycle. "All evacuees have been led to safety, all hostiles have been eliminated. I seriously can't be doing this anymore, once this year is over it's retirement for me."
The whinny of a horse galloped into view as Tristan rode his steed toward the meeting point. "This side of the mountain is clear, those lava creatures won't be getting back up."
Kenji nodded his approval, "Excellent work."
Trey's jaw dropped at the sight of Nick and Madison. His suit vanished from his body as he instantly went to salute the historic veterans.
"Trey Proud, C.S.D 02, Zero hour Blue, it's an honor to meet you."
"Hiii.. um, there's no need to be so formal," Madison smiled.
"What are you worried about retirement for? You still have a long way to go," Tristan said to Trey as he greeted the mystic rangers, "Well hello, guys long time no see."
The yellow slayer ranger, Vincent, stooped low and ran his fingers through the ashes of the Faceless. With his communicator, Vincent scanned the residue.
"Magia?" Vincent says surprised, he turns to Kenji and the others, "these monsters were made with magic."
"That would explain why all of our detectors were on high alert. I figured the two of you uncovered the source of the ranger energy here," Tristian said to the mystic rangers.
"I have," Nick said sternly, "There's a cave on this mountain that has some strong ice magic. Normal technology wouldn't stand a chance...but I'm sure you already knew that."
Madison cleared her throat to cover Nick's crude response. "That's not all, Nick told me the closer he got to the cave the more of his own strength was siphoned. I can also confirm that the cave is a house for ranger powers. Earlier our daughter and her friends stumbled upon it. They were certain the saw rangers in this pool of ice."
Nick looked to his wife bewildered. "Wait that's where you guys went?"
"Um that's what I wanted to talk to you about earlier," Madison added.
Nick looked dismayed, he could tell by the expression on Madison's face that something was up but he never considered how deep the trouble ran.
"This cave sounds worth investigating," Kenji says, "It's possible these lava brutes could be after what's in it or better yet prevent someone from getting what's in it."
"Madison and I can handle it. Magic is something we both understand well," Nick stood upright and put on a brave face.
"You've pushed yourself enough today," Madison pleaded, "you need to rest." Her hands gripped tight around Nick's shoulder and wrist, she didn't want to let him go.
"No need to worry sir, I Trey Proud will escort you to safety and will investigate this cavern immediately." the blue ranger huffed, there was a fierce determination in his eyes.
"Ay pendejo, we can not go in there. Were you not paying attention to the meeting?" Vincent accused.
"I indeed was but if the red warrior is incapable then I must not let him down nor would I risk the life of this young lady either," Trey said with pride.
"Heh, wow those are such kind words Zero Hour Blue of C.S.D," Madison grinned.
"Aren't you reaching a little much?" Tristian knew it was common for younger rangers to fangasm over their seniors, but the degree Trey displayed was above and beyond.
"Yeah, you reach any further you might as well sleep your way to the top," Vincent jested.
"Anywho," Tristan reported, "I saw your daughter with one of her friends. My oh my she's gotten big, I told them to make their way down the mountain. "
"Uh, I-I saw her as well," Trey spoke, "She seemed determined that you two were dead. I assured her that I would find you and see you both to safety. I too gave her the instruction to proceed down the mountain."
Kenji looked intently at Nick, "Are you sure you want to do this alone. This mountain usually drains our technology and I could see it reduce some of your magic."
The red mystic ranger rolled his eyes his courtesy has expired hours ago, "Great observation, no wonder you're one of the chairmen of the Union."
"Nick!" Madison said appalled.
He looked Kenji back in his eyes, "Look thanks for your help but I think we got things covered here but if we need help with phantoms, demons, or more viruses we'll give you a call."
This was the end of the conversation, Nick didn't want to hear any more. He took hold of Madison's hand and stormed off headed toward the base of the mountain.
"Soooo...we're not going to check out that cave?" Tristan queried.
"No," Kenji stated.
"Sir yes sir," Trey saluted.
Nick paced leagues ahead of Madison, for a man who could barely stand a minute ago he was walking fine. His frustration is what drove him forward, Kenji's unwelcome appearance did nothing but fan his flames of bitterness.
"Hey," Madison called to him but her voice was drowned out by the volume of his own rage. She rounded in front of him, her eyes alert with contempt, "What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?" Nick shrugs, his eyes reflected a look of unconcern.
"We could have used their help but you denied their services?" Madison alleged but the red mystic ranger puckered his lips shrewdly.
"What happened to you? When you returned from the cave you were a little off. I know the cave sucked up some of your magic but is the change of attitude necessary?" Madison nipped at a sore nerve, the accusation in her voice tipped the condensed bottle of emotion that continued to swell inside Nick. The words escaped his lips before he could change his mind.
"..Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your boyfriend."
Madison's eyes expanded to the size of saucers. Since they've been married Nick has never been so cruel with his words. She stood there in awe of the words which fell from his lips. Her heart shattered into fine powder in her chest. What made things worse is that Nick didn't even try to apologize, he merely continued his walk.
Now that was uncalled for. She pursued after him, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.
"Nick, I'm being really serious right now. You're supposed to be the mystic phoenix and now your acting like a snow prince." Madison snapped the pain she felt seeping into her voice. Her emotions crescendoed like a tidal wave just moments from drowning an unfortunate sailing vessel.
Nick's own emotional state burned wildly, he was so focused on his own trauma that Madison's voice did not register. His lips remained sealed as he trudged on. The two walked in silence for what felt like an eternity, but finally, they could see the start of the path near the foot of the mountain.
"Nick please," Madison grabbed his arm desperate to try and heal the rift between them.
Nick exhaled through his nose and continued forward not saying a word. The sight of flashing lights accompanied by handfuls of firefighters, police officers, and paramedics were scattered about. The situation was horrible, confusion, anger, and pain hovered inside the parents and students.
Amongst the school's crowd was a platoon of tourists and innocent bystanders some of which had burns and injuries of their own. Columns of smoke wafted into the air from the many fires caused by the presence of the faceless.
"Sheez, the attack was worst than I imagined." Madison was shocked.
"Hopefully Vivian's within this mess," Nick said.
The impact of the devastation was heavy. The number of wounded and missing increased with each moment. A group of parents cornered one of the teachers like a pack of wolves ready to feast. Their angry voices drew Nick and Madison like moths to a flame.
"Where's my granddaughter?" Genesis's grandfather sobbed.
"And my nephew?" Heath's uncle demanded.
Madison took a few steps back and covered her mouth. She was with Heath and Genesis at the frozen pool and saw them safely return to the meeting point. She didn't want to consider the worst, they were so young and innocent. It was highly likely that Vivian was with those them and if she's here then they should be safe.
The tiny pinch of optimism helped Madison maintain her composure. She scanned the faces of the crowd with the hope that Vivian was within sight. She gasped at the sight of Brandon's mother being lifted into the rear of an ambulance. Her forearm had a deep char and her face was covered in smudges. Brandon's father looked on with sorrowful doubt, the paramedics focusing their attention on stabilizing their patient.
"Kathy, oh my god." Madison gasped. Nick too was disturbed by the images he saw. Brandon's father Jeffery has been a true friend since He and Madison moved here. Nick could only imagine the uncertainty he must be going through. Nick has grown so accustomed to the output of fire that he became ignorant of the harmful effects it could have on people not protected by magic.
Dr. Angel approached Nick and Madison, even he was dismayed by all the carnage and destruction.
"She got separated from her son, unfortunately, and while trying to find him a faceless found her. The Zero Hour Blue Ranger managed to save her before things got too bad," Dr. Angel responded, "Too bad her efforts were in vain, Brandon is one the ones currently unaccounted for."
"Brandon never made it down the mountain?!" Madison said astonished. That wasn't what Nick wanted to hear.
His heart began to beat heavy in his chest, first Heath and Genesis, but now Brandon. This wasn't a coincidence.
"If Brandon didn't make it down..." That's when Nick panicked.
"Vivian?!" He cut through the cluster of innocents his ears tuned to every single conversation.
"Vivian!" Madison followed behind raising her voice.
The two of them prayed hastily that where ever Vivian was, she was unharmed and within moments of being rescued instead of alone.
Nick branched off from the main host of bodies and went to the buses. At the slightest appearance of dark hair or olive skin as he approached many young girls, but none of them were her. His eyebrows sank with each red herring. It was another false hope robbed of him.
"Vivian!" He shouted turning in a full circle. He anguished a glimpse of her face in the crowd. Where was she? The anxiety was building in his chest, he had to think...think!
The words of Kenji played back in his mind, "As for your daughter if you're worried just use this."
It was worth a try even if he did feel even more distant from her. Their unique ability to communicate telepathically was Nick's only hope. He closed his eyes and focused the reserves of his magic on finding Vivian.
After years of studying the aptitude of his powers, he was able to control its functions. He used it to track Vivian in the past and read her thoughts without her having a suspicion of his interference. At any rate, he should hear her laughter or cry and best case see where she was.
He heard nothing, he felt nothing, not even the slightest tinge of pain flooded his head, "I can't believe this."
"What? What is it?" Madison glowered.
The side of Nick's fist struck the side of the bus, the same spot he had been standing when she attempted to scare him hours ago.
"I can't reach her, I can't hear her voice." He said with extreme angst.
"Oh my god," Madison couldn't face the reality, the tidal wave of sentiment finally came crashing down. Her eyes became wet with tears, this feeling of hopelessness called back to when her sister was missing for 24 hours. This time however cut deeper as it was now her daughter who was absent.
"Where could she have gone? What could have happened to her? Why did we agree to this stupid trip?" Madison bawled.
Though he was still in an emotional frenzy, Nick put aside his frustration and anger now was not the time to dwell on those feelings. He took the sobbing woman into his arms and held her close He may be exhausted from the fighting but he was now even more determined.
"Maddie..." Nick sighed a deep breath, "we'll find her, I promise," he avowed.
"If only I was there. If only I was watching her. If only-,"
"-It's okay Maddie, she'll find a way out of this." Nick looked his wife in the eyes, his soothing tone had put her at ease. The look he gave her wasn't that of fury but that of fierce resolve. She sniffed and then opened her mouth to speak.
"Nick, before all of this, while we were near the cave, I think Vivian had another vision. She was so scared afterward, I could feel her trembling."
There were so many things crossing through Nick's mind, too many variables.
"...Okay, I'm going to go look for her," Nick said assuredly.
"No, no," Madison shook her profusely, "I-I'm-I'm coming with you."
Madison could hardly get the words out of her mouth. The travesty of the day left Madison shaken, she was one step away from having a complete mental breakdown.
"Maddie, relax...look why don't you take a ride with Jeffery and Kathy to the hospital. Keep them company, you've done more than enough today. I can take things from here."
"You-you can't go alone, you're magic...it's in poor quality." She argued.
"I'll be fine alright, I could care less about my magic so long as Vivian is safe." He parted himself from Madison with tears still in her eyes. For one thing, Kenji was right, this was a job too big for Nick to handle alone, "call the others we're going to need all the help we can get."
NEXT CHAPTER-