POWER RANGERS ARCTIC ANCIENTS

by MORPHINTOKUSOCIETY

Magic is the force that allowed humans to manipulate creation and the daughter of Nick and Madison has lots of it. When ancient evils arise she must lead a new team of power rangers.

5. Chapter 4

VISIONS OF FROST 4/4

The feet of Vivian and Brandon were alert with pain and sweat gathered on their brows. While fleeing for their lives, Vivian witnessed the apparent death of her parents. The heavenly voice followed by a bombardment of flame and the eruption of what looked to be a tidal wave must have claimed the two souls who were fighting valiantly. She had to know, Vivian needed to confirm for herself whether or not her mom and dad were still with her.

Vivian and Brandon trudged for 10 minutes through the woods, however, with the constant fear of being attacked by those vile monstrosities, it was more likely that they were lost. Brandon halted on a rock, his mind slipped into deep recollection. Once again he had found himself separated from his loved ones. Vivian on the other hand was very eager and jumpy, she had an overabundance of energy which she channeled into her constant fidgeting and movement.

Vivian still had not uttered a word, her mind was filled with the static voice of her father calling out to her. She could barely make out the mental image of him standing in the middle of a wood searching high and low. The only thing that was clear was the roar of the faceless, the lights of which surrounded her father.

Brandon looked around but then a menacing growl followed by the acrid scent of sulfur. From the woods around, two more of the faceless emerged.

The two students were pressed into a corner with no hope of escape.

The faceless lurched forward, their earthen hands grasping the sleeves of Vivian's sweater. She wiggles out just as her coat bursts into flame from the molten lava seeping through the faceless.

The two teens skirted backward as more faceless appeared around them. Brandon's anxiety was through the roof, he could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest, and yet Vivian seemed calm, almost serene. Her focus was not intent on the volcanic golems about to roast them but instead fixated on a shelter that was very close to where they were. Brandon glanced behind him and there in the distance he could just make out what appeared to be a cave.

"Viv C'mon!" Brandon said once more grabbing his friend. She looked back at the frozen statues of the faceless who were in the midst of defrosting.

Miraculously Brandon and Vivian managed to stay one step ahead of the faceless. Eventually, they found themselves in a familiar area, once again they found themselves at the mouth of the cave with the lights of the aurora dancing wildly above them.

They ran in for cover as a chill ran up Vivian's spine and there was a tugging sensation in her gut. She ventured boldly into the mouth of the unknown with Brandon trailing behind her. The cavern was silent, only the echoes of their footsteps can be heard. The deeper they progressed the earthy ground beneath them began to crunch under their feet as it was now covered with frost. Their breaths steadily became more and more visible and the air became crisper.

"Okay, I think we're safe now," Brandon gasped for air.

"What were those things?" Vivian asked.

"I don't know, I hope the power rangers come." Brandon nodded.

"..Sheez it's cold!" Vivian then punched Brandon in the arm.

"Ow!"

"Why did you bring me in here? It's freezing."

"Where else did you wanna go up a tree? I'm sorry, did you want to get burnt alive? See a good friend will say, 'Oh thank you, handsome, for saving my life."

"...Thank you..."

"Handsome?" Brandon corrected.

"Not handsome, for making me freeze," Vivian felt as if a kaleidoscope of butterflies were congregating in her stomach. Her nerves were instantly on edge and there was this foreboding presence hanging on her like a cloak.

"Somethings not right," A tremor echoed through the frosty cavern dust rained from the ceiling as Vivian and Brandon tried to stabilize themselves. Outside, the cave mouth that once appeared open was now sealed, permitting no one entry or means of escape.

"Seriously?!" A new voice echoed.

"Ava, Heath, Genesis?" Brandon was surprised.

Ava shoved Vivian away from her and parted her hair out of her face. The anger exploded out of her like the flick of a whip.

"You guys let the door close again?!" Ava shouted.

"Close again?" Brandon wondered.

"The attitude though, miss thang. I'm not liking it." Vivian responded to Ava.

"What are you guys doing here?" Brandon asked.

"I was scared," Genesis admitted without a hint of embarrassment.

"We were running for our lives, duh!" Ava answered as she began forcing her palms against the solid stone wall.

"Allow me to regal you the tail of Heath the Mighty and his two lovely companions," Heath looks to Ava who gave him a murderous look.

"Scratch that, one and a half. So anyway there we were at the summit with the rest of the class when all Gehenna broke loose."

"Gehenna, good word," Genesis smiled.

"Gracias, finally someone who understands my creative talents. So anyway, those freaks of nature started to spring up like this rash I got on my arm... It's supposed to be poison oak but I think otherwise. Any way—"

"If you keep talking we'll never hear the end of it." Ava snapped.

"Uh oh, someone's been messing with the fires of Maegor," Genesis said.

Ava summarized, "I'll give it to you straight. Monsters showed up, we ran in here, we got stuck."

"You forgot to mention how I destroyed like 20 of them," Heath added.

There was no way of getting out now, the crevice was sealed shut. Ava was never fond of small cramped places, first the unwanted room of the shelter home and now the cold dark crevices with 4 teenagers she barely met.

Ava stepped off the scraps of stone. "You see what you did?" Ava directed her words to Vivian and Brandon.

"What did we do?" Brandon asked.

"We're locked in here, forever now."

"You want to be out there? With all those monsters?" Brandon asked.

"It's better than being in here, no food, no water, long Heath stories, we'll be lucky enough if we don't freeze to death!" Ava was angry and Vivian could tell by the kicking and grunting as Ava rushed back to the sealed crevices.

"Relax grumpy, we'll get out of here. The Power Rangers came, they should get us out soon," Vivian said as Ava treads to her.

"Hmm and how long is that going to be? Just 10 minutes with Heath and I'm already lost my mind." Ava said.

"Hey!" Heath was then uncertain, "...you really mean that?"

"Well we're all here now, so maybe if we all spread out we might uncover something?" Brandon suggested.

"Good idea," Vivian nodded.

"It's not like we haven't been doing that already," Ava grumbled.

The quintet split to different sides of the room each checking segments of the wall.

"I'm saying this now if we somehow manage to find something cool I'm taking the credit," Heath exclaimed.

While searching Brandon noticed a pattern on the floor that resembled a 6 sided snowflake. Each segment was distinguished by a different color and animal. "Hey, guys check this out!"

The teens all gather looking at the floor pattern.

"Maybe in order to get out, we need to stand a certain way," Brandon suggested.

"I don't think we have to stand on there, I think those animals do...or maybe you're right," Heath said.

"At this point, I'm willing to try anything," Ava huffed.

They each stand at a point on the snowflake.

"So now what?" Genesis asked standing at the yellow point.

"Isn't it obvious? We have to say the magic word, luckily I know what it is I saw it in a movie." Heath cleared his throat, clenching his fists tight, and said, "open sesame!"

Nothing happened.

"Abracadabra!..." Heath tried again. "Fettuccine Alfredo!"

"Okay, I'm done. This was a stupid idea we should just-" Ava was getting frustrated until surges
of energy extended from the positions the five teens were standing. Arcs raced up the walls tracing the outline of a door in front of them. Symbols were etched into the mantle overhead.

"..Sanctorum revelo, sanctorum revelo, sanctorum revelo!" Vivian read the words aloud transcribing the meaning of the symbols instantly, it was as if she was in a trance. Her friends were aghast by her sudden understanding.

All of them were in a unanimous stupor unable to properly align sentences. Vivian faced them being made aware of the sudden silence. She took a step toward them and everyone retreated backward a few paces. Once off their palette spaces, the glow along the ground ceased almost immediately.

"Guys?" Vivian said taking another step forward her compatriots retreating even further away.

"Stay the heck away from us!" Ava challenged, "All-did all of this freakish stuff start because of you?"

Vivian looked to Heath who lost all semblance of fascination. He couldn't even meet Vivian's eyes.

Genesis appeared to be on the fence, she wanted to approach Vivian to see if she wasn't replaced by some eldrich apparition but the collective concern of those around her kept Genesis anchored in her place.

Brandon was the boldest, he stepped forward tentatively. "V-V-Viv? A-Are you okay?"

"What? W-what are you guys talking about?" Vivian was confused.

"Those words you were saying, what did they mean? You were saying San-"

"Sanchez Ravioli?" Heath guessed.

"You're crazy," Ava snapped.

"That was cool!" Genesis was awestruck.

"Vivian, do you ever know what you're doing or saying?" Brandon asked.

---

Nick stumbled through the woods, retracing the path the class took when they initially arrived. The destination Nick was headed for was not the original meeting point but instead the source of all the trouble; the mysterious cave he found.

Nick began to walk around the area where he saw something lying in a charred heap on the ground; unmistakable proof that his daughter was there. It was the very sweater she had been wearing the entire day. Nick's breathing increased, he could feel panic and worry starting to seep into his mind. He took into his hand the sweater and examined it closely taking in the scent and feel of the clothing.

"Vivian!" He called out her name, anticipating she would respond back.

When Nick finally arrived his heart sank. The gaping mouth that siphoned much of his magic earlier that morning was no longer seen, it was a solid rock face.

"I have to be on the wrong side, the opening was just here!" He said in frustration. "Vivian! Vivian are you there?!"

In the frost-covered chamber, Vivian's head shot up as she heard the voice of her father.

"Dad!?"

"Dad?" Genesis questioned, "There's no Dad ranger."

"Vivian!" Nick called out his daughter's name again as Vivian rushed to the wall.

"Dad!"

" !" Brandon yelled after.

"Hey, we're in here!" Ava yelled.

"Dad-" All of a sudden the seal beneath her feet shined in red light as did the seals around everyone else. Each shining in Blue, Green, yellow, and pink light respectively for Brandon, Heath, Genesis, and Ava.

---

Now that Nick knew he was in the right place there was only one way he could think of to reach his daughter. For a fraction of a second, the universe seemed to be on his side. Nick was 100% positive that he has heard the distant voice of his daughter. She was alive and within his reach but he just didn't know where. If only she would speak to him again, and call out his name but all he heard was silence. Great indignation rose up in Nick like a raging fire and he just snapped. He summoned to his hand his magistaff in sword mode and began to strike the wall with all his might.

The scent of sulfur began to fill the air and the lights of faceless emerged from the trees around him, their molten skin setting bushes and grass ablaze.

Already Nick was at his limit, but he was not going to let these abnormal golems keep him from saving his daughter. He placed the charred sweater down gently and flipped open his mystic Morpher. Nick's hand trembled as he punched in the number combination 2-5-0, the spell that will transfigure him to his ancient mystic state. He was ready to go all out even if it cost him his life when suddenly the sound of engines blaze overhead.

"Sorry, we're late!" Xander landed on the ground along with Chip.

"Back up has arrived!" Chip bowed.

The faceless roared at the sight of their new targets but Chip and Xander were not dismayed. The whistle of an engine train sounded as the Solaris Knight Daggeron appeared on the battlefield.

"Well my take it from here my friend," Daggeron said.

The monsters bellowed streams of flame but Xander was fast on the draw, he drew his magistaff and summoned thick vines to shield himself and his friends. With another wave of his magistaff a series of dirt and rocks were launched which did nothing but annoy the lava monsters who seemed to glow hotter.

Chip drew his trusty weapon and raised it towards the sky, dark storm clouds gathered in response to the yellow mystic ranger's command and several strong lightning bolts rained down. The air became charged with electric energy, the hairs on the back of Nick's neck stood on end. This attack too proved ineffective as the monsters merely willed themselves back in one piece.

Daggeron fired rounds from his laser lamp which showed signs of delaying the monsters but not enough to completely eradicate them. Chip and Xander lock eyes and nod in agreement, drawing their morphers, they punch in the code 1-0-0-2.

"Galwit Mysto Nermax!" A heavenly voice boomed as the two rangers ascended to their legend forms.

With the ancient power coursing through them Chip and Xander were now a force to be reckoned with. Xander activated the first spell code on his lion staff. Tracing a green circle of energy in the air Xander summoned large boulders which he used to bombard the faceless endlessly, each rock cooling the magma that composed their body. Chip followed suit activating the crossbow formation of his lion staff. With a single shot, a large bolt of lighting eliminated the minions of darkness.

Though Daggeron himself did not have a legend form, he did have a powerful attack up his sleeve. He charged his laser lamp to full power and pointed it at the faceless. With a pull of the trigger, he released the feline genie which presided in the lamp in one fierce shining attack.

"A little warning next time you use that daggeron, I was in the middle of my mid-afternoon nap," Jenji said popping his head out of the lamp.

With nothing but heaping remains left the three rangers finally demorphed.

"What the heck were those things?!" Xander wondered.

"They were too short to be Muspelheim giants, but they definitely rank high in the ugly department." Chip said.

"I wish I was able to see more," The genie cat Jenji spoke once he fully manifested from the Solaris lamp. "It's so stuffy being cooped up in that lamp."

He stood with his back to his friends stretching and popping his joints. When he turns around his eyes are full of joy as he tackles the red mystic ranger.

"Nick! It's so great to see you, you look almost the same as when you left. It has to be the phoenix genes, they're really keeping you young. How's Madison? We saw her last picture it was great! I gave it two paws up."

"Nick, we came here as soon as we could," Daggeron said.

"Thanks for coming, I really do appreciate it. Sorry, we had to meet up like this...again.." Nick said.

"No need to apologize, Nick, we got your back," Xander said.

"When it's about Vivian you don't have to remind me. I dang near drove the solar train myself." Jenji said.

Nick gave a faint smile.

"You have any idea where she might be?" Xander asked.

"In there with 4 other kids." Nick pointed to the wall of the mountain.

"There's nothing there, Nick." Chip said looking to the bare edge of the mountain.

"Uh, I don't see anything. Are we supposed to be looking at something?" Jenji said after.

"No there- there was. Look, strange things have been happening as of late. The Morphin union told us that-that something was over here. I came to investigate only to find a power-hungry cave munching on my magic. After those lava monsters showed up, I thought Vivian was with the students but she wasn't. I know for a fact she's in there because I found her sweater and then I swear I heard her and the other kids screaming from the other side. The problem is that the cave is gone." Nick clarified when suddenly the ground rumbled as the rock face that blocked the cave entrance ostensibly vanished as if it never was there. The sky became awash in color as the light of an aurora danced in the heavens.

A breath of frost extended from the cave mouth which instantly froze the immediate ground around it. Wispy vapors hung close near the entrance.

"Oh what a beauty, the light hasn't faded off you yet, Nick. Now, all we have to do is head on in there." Xander was delighted as he approached the exposed entrance almost crossing the frozen ground in front of it.

"Xander don't..." Nick's words expressed urgency, but his attitude was lackluster. Nick had put absolutely no effort in his voice, knowing that Xander wouldn't have listened even if Nick had.

"Whoa!" The moment Xander crossed the frozen boundary, his hand became a deeper shade of red. He yanked it back breathing profusely on it trying to warm it up. "I just uh- I just needed to see for myself..."

"...You can't reason with it, Xander..." Nick said.

"I swear I wasn't...not this time anyway. That feels awful, I never experience frostbite before but even Udonna can't generate that much cold." Xander said distancing himself.

"Clearly you haven't caught her on a bad day," Jenji said to Xander.

Nick shook his head with an I-told-you-so gesture. Even though he did not dare to proceed close like Xander, the effects he suffered from earlier in the day started to weigh in.

"You feeling alright, Nick?" Chip asked.

Nick found himself leaning against the trunk of a tree, the adrenaline fading from his body.

"The fire blood curse is still an opposing foe I see," Daggeron assumed.

"How much magic did you give Vivian, Nick? I didn't think it was this bad?" Chip asked.

As he leaned more into the tree, Nick spoke, "This is not Vivian's fault. In fact, whatever happening here is more powerful than we think. "

"I'll say! Bloody energy nearly ripped my fingers off," Xander said.

"Then it'll be wise if we do not encroach further on the grounds until we are properly prepared. The obvious option would be to use fire magic, but based on the condition Nick is in it may not work to our advantage." Daggeron advised.

"If you ask me I'd say we gather up blankets and go on in," Jenji suggested.

No attention was given to the poor cat who looked from face to face. None of his friends seemed interested in his idea. Nick remained focused on Daggeron who assessed the situation perfectly. Nick exhaled sharply as he strained to remove himself from the tree. "Of course. How did I know you were going to say that."

"It's just a precaution Nick, it's better we-"

"Yeah spare me the lecture, Daggeron. If you rather just sit around and think all day, then be my guest. I need to act, especially when my daughter and the other innocent kids are in there. " Nick said dishearted.

"Sorry to break it to ya, Daggeron but Nick's got a point. Since we can't go through, what if we try to go under." Xander proposed.

"That could be an idea." Nick agreed.

"Yeah, that seems like a great idea!" Jenji got excited.

"Alright." Xander then pulled out his mystic Morpher, "Defodio Siranga!"

The ground at Xander's feet began to swirl and break away as if Xander was using a drill. In an instance, a shallow hole opened to which Xander began to proceed down.

"Nice going, Xander!" Chip called as he followed behind.

"That was only the first layer, we'll be under this thing in no time," Xander gloated.

With the breaking of the next layer of earth, tendrils of mist began to escape which caused Xander to panic. He and Chip raced out of the shallow tunnel.

"Siranga Celare!" The tunnel instantly sealed itself blocking the vapors.

"Uh back so soon?" Jenji jested.

"Yeah that didn't work, but I'll keep trying in another spot," Xander beamed.

"Xander enough, you're going to lose a lot more than just your fingers," Daggeron pointed out.

"What about the Morphin Union, they were just here weren't they? Maybe they could help." Chip suggested.

"Yeah, they were, apparently," Nick said.

"And why would they leave?" Daggeron said.

"...I don't know and I don't care." Nick shook his head.

"I bet I know, Kenji was here." Chip acknowledged.

"Alrighty then," Xander added.

"Aaaah, Kenji! Uh, no can do. Michi can stay where he's at." Jenji put in his own remarks.

Then an Azure and teal spell seal appeared in the air. The outer edges resembled that of a snowflake while the center design was that of three circles triangulated around the mystic force sigil. Out stepped the snow prince his eyes fixated on the rangers. "The Union's sole mission was to evacuate the civilians and you all been given the task of solving the energy siphon crisis."

"The Snow Prince?" Chip was surprised to see the ancient mystic teacher.

Daggeron kneels before standing up, "thank you for coming ol wise one."

"So uh what brings you here?" Xander asked.

"I have become aware of the situation that has arisen. I am astounded to admit that a place of this magnitude has been reposed for so long and I see that I am not the first to recognize its emergence. The faceless ones have risen which means forces that long since have been quiescent to the world are now starting to emerge."

"That sounds important but I only caught like half of it." Chip joshed.

"He's saying that those monsters we've faced are old. Much older than possibly the mystic force itself." Daggeron answered.

"Well isn't that great..." Nick pursed his lips, "Yeah, the Morphin Union said that too."

"Though I know you all have questions, however, the magic of certain regions, if left undisturbed for extended periods of time, can become untraceable. They only become active when in touch with a source of magic. Which is why now our magical forces can now detect such power." The snow prince explained.

"Who was the source then?" Xander asked.

"The Shining, green mystic warrior. Udonna and Leanbow have expressed great concern over her health ever since she first succumbed to the darkness. I fear now that the amount of magic within her has finally begun to blossom and it's beginning to have a greater effect on the wider world. This mystical signature dwelt in a frosted cavern am I correct? This seems like something within my purview, I would very much like to see this location if you please." Snow Prince said.

"You don't have to look too far, it's right there. I've tried everything but I can't get through." Nick said.

"We are dealing with a very ancient magic. Magic so pure that it can only be a direct derivative of the original source. All of our records indicate that when magic first fell upon the earth, it thrived in nature. There was no formal structure to it at all, it existed as a means to produce and maintain life. The magic the mystics practice came about after generations of experimentation. We were guided by what we now refer to as the magical source." The Snow prince articulated.

"That sounds confusing," Jenji said.

"Do you have any idea how to enter?" Daggeron asked the snow prince.

"The magic I use is slightly different than the method you all practice. I have retained some of the ancient ways, it may be enough to bypass the mistful shroud that prevents you all from entering. The only probable choice would be to enter through the mouth of the cave. I must enter alone." The snow prince concluded.

"No, you can't great one, we do not know what dangers await you, at least allow us to exhaust all other options," Daggeron offered.

"There is no time, Daggeron. We do not yet know the fate of the Shining and as strong as a mage as Bowen is, he found himself nearly devoid of magic. I cannot allow either of you to risks your lives on such an endeavor. My decision is final, I shall proceed alone."

"I will get your daughter back." The snow prince said to Nick.

"...Thank you."

"I dread to remind you, Bowen, that the findings of your Morphin Union were accurate. There is a presence similar to that of your ranger powers emulating from within this cave. I have bore witness to the calling your daughter has been presented. I can confirm that this stirring is in response to her awakening. I shall rescue her, but be advised her destiny has forever changed. She really has taken after you."

The Snow Prince approached the mouth of the cave. The blistering cold that siphoned the energy out of Nick bore no ill effects on the Mystic prince. Instead, it was as if he was welcomed like an old friend. Upon entering the prince became shrouded from sight.

---

Madison waited in the Emergency Room alongside Brandon's Father, Jeffery. Aside from the ashen smudges, he was relatively unharmed. His wife, unfortunately, had too close an encounter with the Faceless, as she was being treated for severe third-degree burns.

"He's not picking up," Jeffery raged as he hung up his phone.

"I know you're scared, but Nick's up there right now looking for both Brandon and Vivian," Madison assured.

"Is he crazy?! Let the cops handle it or the power rangers. You know what? That's actually a good idea, I'll go with him!"

"No no no, Nick uh...Nick is use to battling fires. Um, back in our old town he was a volunteer firefighter. It's basically part of his training to make sure no one else risks their lives unnecessarily." Madison totally lied.

"Really? But he runs a motorcycle company...That man never ceases to amaze me." Jeffery was impressed.

The door to Kathy's room opens and out steps two SPD officers.

"Excuse me, sir, we just finished talking to your wife, mind if we ask you a few questions? This will help us identify what happened." The officer asked.

"Yeah sure, I'll tell you everything you want to know. Excuse me Madison." Jeffery said stepping aside with the officers.

Maddie enters Kathy's room where her arm was bandaged tightly and she was connected to a nebulizer in order to clean her lungs.

"Madison, I'm glad to see you," Kathy croaked.

"Shh, don't talk. Those monsters got you pretty good I see."

Kathy nodded, "I tried to push one away. How ridiculous was I. What were they anyway?"

"I don't know, something new for the world to experience," Madison shrugged.

"More power rangers huh?" Kathy sat up, "If only they were there when my first son died...We uh, we almost didn't let Brandon go on this trip, but the school assured us that all the necessary precautions would be taken care of. But look how that went, my son, is nowhere to be found."

"Just be positive Kathy," Madison said.

"...I don't know how you're so calm. Vivian was with him."

"...I'm really good at hiding my emotions, I've done it for years before I met Nick." Madison tried to lighten the mood.

"I doubt anyone could have saw this coming."

"Well uh, we live in a world when new monsters come up it's time to move to another city, heh." Madison flashed a brief smile hoping that Kathy didn't detect the slight quiver of her chin. The heart of the mystic mermaid was racing yet she steeled her resolve to the best of her ability.

Madison continued to speak, "You know I think about what kind of impact our kids will have on the world. Just the other day it seemed like Vivian and Brandon just met. You remember don't you?"

A smile crept on Kathy'sface as she reminisced. "I do, every day."

Unexpectedly a familiar chime filled the air. Madison reached for her cell phone only to know that it was her other phone.

"That's an interesting ringtone," Kathy pointed out.

"Thanks," Madison beamed, "It's my work phone, you don't mind do you?"

Kathy shook her head as she laid back down. Maddie had stepped out into the hall and headed for the waiting room. She quickened her pace hoping to outrun the wave of emotion that was starting to crash on her. She kept her head down to mask the tears that were just beginning to fall. Not seeing where she's going, Madison is suddenly grappled into a hug. She looks up to see that her sister has arrived and the two embraced.

"Vida," Madison sighed as she was removed from her forlorn daydream. She hadn't realized it but tears had begun to streak down the side of her face as she thought about Vivian. As she looked up her sister Vida had arrived to comfort her as Madison quickly wiped away her tears.

"Shh shh I'm here Sis, let it out." Vida consoled her sister.

Maddie sobbed in the bosom of her sister Vida, she could do nothing to stop the waterfall of tears that raced down the sides of her face.

"I've already been caught up to speed, you don't have to say a word."

"It's happening again, Vida. I'm always losing her. First, it was just 2 years, then it was a few days, then it's every few days, and now who knows? I feel like I'm a bad mother. I can't even be fully present in my own daughter's life." Madison sobbed.

"Maddie don't talk like that, you know that's not true, you're a great mother. None of that is your fault. In spite of all of that Maddie, you still made it work. You were there when it mattered the most."

Vida ushered Maddie to a seat near a window and held her close while she bawled. Once it seemed that Maddie had cried her eyes out Vida loosed her grip and rose to her feet. She surveyed the expanse beyond the window with her hand pressed firmly on her hip.

"What I wanna know is where did these new creatures come from? They're lucky I'm not up there with the guys...since I lost a rock, paper, scissors match to Chip."

Madison's sobs softened to a simper as she gazed at her sister with bloodshot eyes. Vida offered her a box of tissues from a nearby table.

"You're a lot stronger than you think Maddie."

A thin smile traced the outline of Madison's face. Madison blotched another tear away.

---

A crystalline rift appeared in the air before the teens, sucking them in like a vacuum. They emerged through a similar rift now finding themselves in an even larger chamber. Against one wall were larger-than-life frozen sculptures of arctic beasts. The room was lit by a crystalline chandelier that drooped from the ceiling.

The place seemed to welcome the five teens as the current of energy that outlined the door now coursed all around them.

"Where are we now?" Genesis wondered.

There was a sound of churning liquid, cascading down into a natural reservoir was the clearest water Vivian has ever seen.

The pool was calming and serene much like the one she and her friends gazed into earlier that day. They approached the calming pool and floating towards them on a sheet of ice were the ice picks they attempted to retrieve earlier.

They sparkled under the light of the chandelier, each of the teens were absolutely mesmerized by the ice cradling five tools with curved shafts and pointed edges. They looked remarkably like hammers. Instinctively the teens grabbed the one that resonated the most with them.

"Dude! What are these?" Genesis was curious.

"They look like those ice picks you to use for climbing only miniature," Heath said.

"Then this could be our way out!" Ava took hold of one o the hammers and hurried to the nearest wall ready to start smashing. What Ava did not expect to see was the Snow Prince entering through the grand door which caught her and everyone else off guard.

"Whoa!" The teens screamed.

"No need to be afraid young ones, I come in peace." The snow prince said.

"Who are you?!" Ava demanded.

"Are you a god?" Heath asked as the snow prince drew near.

"No young one, I am a being far less powerful than a deity but much stronger than your average mortal."

"What are you?" Brandon asked stunned.

"I am what is known as an Ancient Mystic, you may address me as the Snow Prince." The ice mystic locked eyes with Vivian she shied away from the icy glare. "You need not fear me, I come on behalf of the Mystic Force."

"Mystic force? The Power Rangers Mystic force?" Genesis asked.

Vivian's eyes lit up, "My mom and dad. Do you know if they made it out alive?"

"Everyone from my knowledge was safely evacuated by the Power Rangers." The snow prince said.

"You guys should have seen, we meet the zero-hour blue ranger and the yellow knight," Brandon said.

"Ohhh lucky, I love yellow," Genesis said.

Heath gasped, "OOOOOOOO so does that mean we're Power Rangers? We're Power Rangers!"

Heath then questioned the snow prince, "...Are we power rangers?"

"I sure hope not," Vivian mumbled to herself.

"It appears that you five have definitely been chosen, but I must warn you that the path before you will not always be straight. Dark forces are rising, and should you choose to persist you will indeed face hardship. I can only hope that you are indeed up for the trials ahead." The snow prince went straight to the point.

"Wait so we're really Power Rangers?... Why?" Ava was shocked.

"What is this place?" Brandon asked.

"I am not that well aware either, it appears to be a shrine of sorts. A place most likely constructed by practitioners of the mystic arts in days long past." The snow prince answered.

The Snow Prince could not help but notice the amount of shivering the teens were doing. They all had their coats zipped up as tight as possible and kept their arms close to their bodies. "Oh dear, my sincerest apologies, you all must be terribly cold. Allow me to grant you some warmer garments if you will."

With a wave of his hand, each of the teens were outfitted with white cloaks adorned with hoods that covered them from head to toe. The cuffs and linings of their garments reflected the color space they stood on. Ava in pink and purple lining which rushed down her arms. Heath was given the colors of black with green lining as Genesis was given yellow with orange. Brandon was given the color blue and as for Vivian, she had the satisfaction of having red and sky blue linings.

"Ohhh, nice cloaks," Genesis smiled.

"What are we monks now?" Ava said.

"How did you?" Heath's mouth fell to the floor, "Did you just use magic?"

"You seem very intuitive, does this not surprise you?" The snow prince asked.

"I always knew that magic was a thing but seeing it in real life!" Heath cheered.

"I think you're having way too much fun with this," Ava hissed coldly.

"I see you all managed to navigate your way here, what I cant seem to recon is how you all managed to bypass the entrance." The snow prince wondered.

"We uh just ran here when we were running from those monsters." Said Brandon.

"But we got in here because of Vivian." Heath tattled.

The snow prince tilted his head in wonder.

"Vivian was speaking some real mumbo jumbo when we got here," Genesis exclaimed.

"Was she now?" The snow prince grew curious.

"We came across these strange hieroglyphs and then Vivian started tripping out and suddenly this weird portal thing opened and sucked us through and now we are here," Heath said.

"What are you guys talking about? I didn't say anything." Vivian said in a frustrated tone.

"These symbols, were they inscribed on the entrance to this chamber?" The snow prince asked.

The four teens minus Vivian nodded.

"Those words were inscribed in the tongue of the ancients, a language which long since has ceased being spoken."

"How was Viv able to speak it then?" Brandon asked curiously.

The Snow Prince was astonished to learn that Vivian was able to naturally speak the ancient language. Not wanting to disarticulate the would-be ranger group and out of respect for her Father, the snow prince held his tongue in regards to the truth of Vivian's ability. "My kindred must have left behind some method of translation, in which your friend has discovered and read aloud to you all. I will be delighted to teach the rest of you how to decipher the ancient words with the understanding that you five will accept the responsibility that comes with being a power ranger."

---

Nick peered intently at the cave which seemed to beckon people forward. He was determined not to remove himself from that spot until he had hard evidence that his daughter and her friends were alright. Daggeron was seated beside Nick looking equally as nervous. Both men were resolved to await word that everything would be alright. Chip and Xander on the other hand were not as inclined to be patient, they often sat casually flipping open their wands before moving to another location to repeat the process.

"So uh, I opened a new record shop. The Rock Porium is expanding. Ever since Toby made me the sole proprietor, business has been booming." Xander said.

"That's great Xander, I uhh still have that one shop... it's slowly booming...You know uh I was thinking about selling gag magic items just for pranks and stuff. What do you think, Nick?" Chip asked.

"Huh?" Nick turned around.

"I was thinking about selling gag items at my shop, you know since you and Vivian enjoy that type of thing. I'll make you two my official testers."

"...Yeah...sure..." Nick remained emotionless.

The presence of Chip and Xander brought Nick back to a happier time, but now was not the time to be happy. All he could think about was the safety and well-being of his daughter. The snow prince seemed very optimistic to go rescue her and while Nick trusted in the wisdom of his Father's teacher he could not help but assume the worst. It was looking more and more likely that his daughter will emerge from that cave as a power ranger which is the exact opposite of where he wanted her to be.

It was understandable why Nick was feeling apathetic, but Daggeron also displayed signs of apathy and he had really loosened up since the fall of the master.

"Uh, Daggeron what about you? Any new students lately?" Chip asked.

"Not myself lately but Clare has taken in two apprentices under her wing," Daggeron answered as he sat below a tree.

"It's been a minute since I saw her, how is she?" Chip asked.

A new enthusiasm washed over Xander. Just thinking about Clare made him want to run his mouth. "Oh she's great man, she comes by the Rock Porium often, dropping a couple of rare items."

"How Rare?" Chip grew suspicious. Chip was the one who operated a magic shop, so how and was Xander getting all of the cool gimmicks? He ran a music store for gosh sakes.

"Yeah how are rare? Am I missing something?" Jenji interrupted.

Xander rolled his tongue trying to appear modest. Neither he nor Clare mentioned how close they were becoming, they saw each other so frequently that their friendship was on a totally different level. "Uh you know like uh, dragon shields are a big seller-"

"This is taking way too long." Nick interrupted.

"Indeed it is." Daggeron stood up.

"Well, it's only been like 10 minutes. I'm surprised they haven't ran up here buggerd. The snow prince tends to talk heaps when he's really excited." Xander said.

"The snow prince gets excited?" Chip asked.

"Well, ya know, in his own cold collective sort of way. Like how Udonna was with us."

"Yeah, but she actually kidnapped us." Chip said.

"For the record, we kind of walked involuntarily," Xander said.

"I wouldn't call that voluntarily when a broom came out of nowhere and dropped us off at Root core." Chip said.

"What do you think the color scheme is going to be this time?" Xander changed the subject.

"Oh oh why not gold that's a great color!" Jenji said excitedly.

"I for sure know who red is going to be." Chip approved when Nick's turned his head, his eyes glared sharply at Chip.

"Or blue or none...Sorry, Nick, I guess we went a little overboard." The yellow ranger tensed feeling the malevolent glare.

"Yeah sorry mate, it's just us recollecting our childhood," Xander also apologized.

Daggeron paced, his chin rested firmly in the grove of his hand. He considered everything he knew so far and came to the realization of what the snow prince might be doing. "If these children are to become Rangers, then they would need a place to train."

"Ooo can they work at my shop this time...my uh employees quit," Chip asked bashfully.

"Can you guys be quiet already? She's not going to be a ranger, okay...none of them are." Nick huffed.

"I don't know Nick where there's magic there's rangers," Xander shrugs his shoulders.

"Uh guys, is it just me, or are there Power Rangers in the Lake?" Jenji said as the other rushed to him. The images reflected in the lake were indeed the mystic force rangers. The suits perfectly replicated the actions and movements of the onlooker.

Daggeron was the most intrigued, the clarity of this pool was something he's seen once before. As he made to touch the surface of the water, the golden knight likewise reached up.

"I've heard about a lake like this once. It was called the Waters of Aletheia, they are pools of the clearest and purest waters one could ever drink. It reveals what wishes to be kept hidden which is why they are a key ingredient in truth potions. I had thought that there were no sources left on earth."

"...Great." Nick shook his head. "All this time, we fought to stay far away from anything that could use Vivian as a tool and we were living under it this whole time. "

"This is not your fault Nick, we all thought this place was safe," Daggeron said.

"Yeah...something I've should have learned a long time ago. Nowhere is safe."

There was a grand splash that caused ripples to move across the surface of the water. The mystic rangers all watch as their ranger forms become distorted in the waves. A sharp whistle and a sharp pain erupted on the back of Chip's head.

"Yeow!"

At his feet, a smooth rock lay motionless. A few more rocks sailed striking Chip, Daggeron, and Jenji all of whom became irritated while nursing their sore spots.

A larger rock came soaring toward Xander but he was ready for it and dodged allowing it to fall toward the mouth of the cave where it froze almost instantly.

"Alright who did that!?" The yellow mystic ranger yelled angrily. The woods remained quiet.

"I got this," Xander said pulling out his wand, "Revelo!"

With a point of his wand, the branches of the tree parted ways to reveal a humanoid creature as tall as Xander's wand is long hovering in the air laughing hysterically.

"Is that a fairy?!" Chip said surprised.

"That little trickster! Let's get it!" Jenji said running after the creature with Chip and Xander.

"I guess I better go after them before Jenji makes a mess out himself. Would you be alright?" Daggeron asked.

"Yeah I'll be fine," Nick said but his body language spoke otherwise.

"Here, this should help cope with the lethargy until you are fully able to rest." Daggeron keyed in a few digits on his Morpher and punched a card before handing it to Nick. As soon as Nick gripped it, the card dissolved into nothingness spreading warmth and energy throughout Nick's body. Daggeron nodded genuinely before chasing after his friends.

Nick sat anxiously waiting for some sign of the snow prince or his daughter when suddenly he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Thinking it would be more faceless he readied his Morpher.

Emerging from the brush, carrying with them a wicker cage was a little girl with beige clothing, sparkling green eyes, and pointed ears. Her height brought her up to Nick's chest.

"Oh Hello there, you wouldn't have happened to see a small fairy fly by? I look away for one second and that little pest has writhed her way out of her cage again. She thinks it's funny but she always seems to find her way into trouble. Just last week she got loose and decided to play some tricks on a few hikers, you would not believe how many bumps and bruises the poor people left with."

"Hi...who are you?" Nick asked still with his wand in hand.

"Oh, where're my manners. My name is Skebel, and I'm pleased to meetcha."

"Uh Nice to meet you too, I'm Nick," Nick greeted with a wave of his hand.

The other rangers returned from their hunt with Xander holding the dazed fairy by the ankle. Xander, Chip, and Daggeron had bits of dirt and other questionable substances smeared on their clothes. Jenji's cape was torn and he was busy picking thorns out of his paw.

"We got her now, it was a speedy little thing but we managed to catch her," Xander said proudly.

"We're trying to decide what to do to her. Daggeron says we should let it go but I want to see what else can it do," Chip gleamed excitedly.

"Oh, Phoebe what have you gotten yourself into this time?" Skebel, the elf asked as she tried to reclaim her lost pet.

"What, where'd you come from? Who are you?" Xander asked.

"I'm Skebel, sir. I am the owner of that fairy...More like her official caretaker." Skebel said.

"Sir? Uh, the name's Xander. Calling me sir makes me feel old..." Xander asked.

"You are old." Chip said.

"Very old," Nick said.

"Like the sands of the pyramids," Daggeron said.

"You're practically ancient." Said Jenji.

"Pardon my rudeness Skebel, but I don't believe I've encountered an Elf like you before," Daggeron said.

"Oh that's perfectly fine, I'm part lunar elf you see, there's not too many of us left out in the world. Those who remain mostly stick to the shadows. We only really come out at night. I take it you all must be magic folk so I ought to warn ya, these woods are not safe at the moment. Dark things are rising, I really must be going on. My fairy please," Skebel asked politely.

"What sort of dark things?" Jenji questioned, "Does it have lots of teeth?"

"There's no need to worry about us Skebel, we are the mystic force. We're here to deal with the faceless you might have been seeing." Daggeron said proudly.

"Oh bless my heart, I've heard of your victory against the master, and dare I say it is an honor to meet you all, but I really must be moving, there's no time to spare." Skebel picked up her cage which now held the fairy phoebe who was coming too.

"Wait, do you need help or anything?" Chip pleaded.

"You can't help me, now I have to get moving before..."

There was a strong scent of sulfur followed by a monstrous growl.

"Oh dear, it's here."

---

The Rocca sisters remained in the hospital waiting room along with the families of those that were injured during the attack. Madison's leg bounced endlessly as she again hung up her cell phone.

"No answer huh?" Vida questioned shifting her gaze from her magazine page.

"Nick should have called me by now or at least sent me a text. I haven't gotten anything." Madison was getting worried, more worried than she already was.

"Relax sis, everything is going to be fine," Vida assured.

"Easier said than done V, you should have seen how he was. I'm scared he might've passed out somewhere in the woods before the others even managed to find him " Madison muttered wrapping her hands around her knees.

"It's too soon to assume the worst, " Vida rose from the plush seat, "You know what, I think we need a bit of fresh air, let's take a walk around the hospital. Maybe we can find someone to make fun of, that will cheer you up." Vida held out her hand for her sister.

Madison smiled, she began to calm her clutched nerves when a heavy rumble struck the hospital. The unsuspecting citizens all looked at each other as the tremor seemed to of stopped when suddenly another one hits.

Vida stumbled to look out the window. Growing to about 28 meters tall, 3 faceless foot soldiers cropped up and into the city, stomping on anything that would move.

"Those things again!" Madison shot up from her seat. "I'm going to try to call Nick again."

Madison began pressing digits into her mystic Morpher but Vida tugged her arm.

"There's no time and besides, why should we let the guys have all the fun?" Vida posed, "come on sis, we have work to do."

The two rangers burst from the hospital main doors with their wands activated.

"Galwit Mysto Prifior!" The heavenly voice boomed.

Madison and Vida quickly morphed as they summoned the spell to increase in size coming forth as the Mystic Mermaid and Mystic Sprite.

---

The beast lumbered out of the brush, its eyes, and fangs white-hot flames. The ground smoldering with each haughty step.

"A hellhound!" Daggeron announced.

"Oh dear oh dear, it followed me," Skebel tensed.

The monster growled at the sight of the four mages each brandishing their wands. Magma dripped from the edges of its mouth as it continued to growl menacingly. It pounced towards the rangers with claws drawn its teeth primed to remove his throat.

Without speaking, roots emerged from the ground cocooning the monster. The heavens were ripped asunder as a bolt of lightning crashed down charging the air. Chip and Xander both had their wands pointed at the monster.

"Where'd it come from?" The jeweled edge of Chip's wand cackled still primed to summon another lightning bolt.

"Just another thing to add to the mountain's secrets," Nick snorted, coming to his feet. More growls can be heard in the surrounding brush as two more hellhounds appeared growling.

"Well it looks like you guys have everything under control and would you look at the time, I think it's my bath night, see ya!" Jenji said vanishing into his lamp.

No one paid Jenji any mind. The four wizards formed a box around Skebel and her pet Phoebe both of whom were quite shaken. Fearing for her life Phoebe the fairy freed a hairpin it had stashed in her cage. Since Skebel and the mystics were distracted she quickly picked the lock to her cage and flew away speedily.

"Phoebe! Come back! I don't know how you keep doing that!" Skebel hollered chasing after her pet. The hellhound that was bound roots and struck with lightning tore free of its imprisonment looking even angrier.

"How long has it been since we've been pinned like this?" Xander gleamed peering at the lava muts which circled him.

With one voice the four men shouted, "Magical Source: Mystic Force!"

"Galwit Mysto Ranger!"

In an explosion of color, the four adults were dawned in their ranger personas. The dogs lunged at each hoping to tear the rangers only to be rebounded by the combined effort of the mystic force.

"How are you holding on Nick?" Daggeron asked.

"I'm fine, no need to worry about me," the red mystic ranger said defiantly.

The dogs stood triangulated and breathed a white-hot flame. Nick drew his magistaff and raised it high. The flames whirled around him and his friends taking the form of a phoenix before dissipating. Xander and Chip pointed their magistaffs and Daggeron, his lamp. The Green, Yellow, and Solaris Knight released their mystic energy which impacted the volcanic canines.

Two of the hounds melted into puddles of lava while the third looked severely injured.

"Is it over?" Jenji craned her head out from the Solaris lamp. The ground was singed with ashen paw prints stamped into the earth.

"Not quite," Daggeron exclaimed.

The two pools of magma that once held the shape of dogs inched toward the one that was still whole. A new fire burned bright as the injured hound grew in mass until it reached the size of a large bear. Two dog heads sprouted, bringing the total to three heads on one body.

The Magma Cerberus woofed sending a concussive wave of heat toward the rangers.

"Well this isn't good," Chip said.

---

The snow prince's explanation was very clear. He emphasized how there's a variety of magical dimensions that exist.

"No way!" Heath exclaimed. "You can't be serious."

"All that I have told you is true, many of your myths and folklore are in fact retellings of encounters when mortals have stepped into the magical world."

"So there's like a whole wizarding community?" Genesis was next to the question.

The snow prince chuckled, "You are full of questions and all will be answered in time. I must implore you to make a choice regarding your destiny. It is no mistake that you five have gathered here today."

"Alright, I'm in." Genesis took the offer.

"Genesis!" Brandon said, "That's a big step."

"So, this a chance for us all to be a part of history. It doesn't seem that hard and also you've been acting like a Dad all day, I think it's time you grow down." Genesis said.

"He does act like a father doesn't he?" Vivian said to herself.

"I must inform you all, the process by which we will awaken your mystic powers is quite simple. All you need do is simply express your belief in magic." The snow prince said.

"So all we have to do is believe? Then let's do it!" Genesis exclaimed.

Each of the rangers took a deep breath, calming themselves and focusing.

"I believe in magic," Brandon said subtlety exhaling. The ground beneath his feet erupted in cobalt blue light.

Genesis spoke with an airy flare in her voice exhaling after each word, "I, Believe, In Magic!" Beams of yellow began to emerge around her as she too was consumed.

"Oh yeah, this is seriously happening," Heath jeered, "I BELIEVE IN MAGIC!" Purple energy flashed all around him.

"I uh believe in magic?" Ava probed skeptically and pink energy washed over her.

No words escaped Vivian's lips. Flashes of color beamed all around her as each of her friends yielded their beliefs, yet she was not as willing. Nonetheless, there was an explosion of red that enveloped over her.

"On-teec Zaindaria!" A heavenly voice boomed as the spectral lights faded revealing five new power rangers. The divine voice shook the sanctuary leaving the snow prince astounded. He's heard such proclamations before but never a spell like this. "I-I must inform the mystic mother, she would want to know about this."

"OH YEAH!" Heath said, "BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!"

"Yeah yellow ranger, enemies beware, yellow Ranger is here!" Genesis said now in her yellow ranger suit.

"Wow...this actually fits kind of nice.." Ava said as the pink ranger.

"Oh, Vivian! You're red and I'm blue!" Brandon bounced on the balls of his feet and flexed his muscles. He could feel the energy coursing through him and it felt great, he looked over to Vivian who was obviously not impressed.

"That's a first, I thought you were too busy being a dad," Genesis said.

"I'm too young for that, Genesis." Brandon scoffed.

"...Why am I red?" Vivian questioned. "Red means a lot of problems...I am a problem."

Vivian could not believe her misfortune, while everyone else was overjoyed by their sudden and drastic transformation, she herself was rather confused. She never properly stated her belief so how in the world did she change? No one seemed to take note of Vivian's perplexity since they were too wrapped up with all of the cool things they could now do.

"Snow prince, quick question. So you said these were our morphers right? So in case, we have to morph again, how do we?" Heath asked.

"Yeah carrying these things around...I'll get expelled. Or worst jail." Genesis said.

"Like maybe something...radddd." Brandon nodded his head as silence grew. "What? I'm trying not to sound like a Dad."

"..Fired..." Vivian said.

The snow prince then spoke, "Hmmm, I do recall your ranger predecessors of the mystic force had a similar dilemma. I see now that it's unfashionable to carry ancient wands or more so these hammers, so perhaps a new means of disguise. The mystic mother once transfigured wands into phones, so let's see if I can do the same."

The snow prince waved his hands. "Utum Zore"

The visage of the hammers changed to that of a gold and black flip phone emblazoned with the mystic force crest.

"These should appear less harmless. The blade will only appear whenever the forces of evil are present."

"Bro look at this, this is so old school, my grandpa doesn't even carry one of these," Genesis was getting excited flipping open the phone.

"You can't actually expect us to know how to use these," Ava complained.

"Are these not the means by which you all communicate?" The snow prince questioned.

"Maybe like 30 years ago, everything is all touch screen now," Heath said.

"My transfiguration spells are not the best but let's see what I can do." Once more the snow prince held up his hands, "Utum Zore Neoformus!"

The morphers were changed to a dual-layered touch screen phone. The top screen swiveled open into the wand and hammer functions. Stamped on the lower screen was a series of dots arranged in a three by three pattern.

"Will these suffice for your generational difference? You simply need to trace the correct pattern to perform magic and as you grow, more patterns and spells will be made known to you."

No sooner did the snow prince complete his explanation did a new pattern trace itself on the Lock Screen; 3 across, one down.

"It seems you have already unlocked your first spell pattern. The morphing spell. " The snow prince said.

A frosty mist fell from the ceiling depicting a series of images. Faceless can be seen leaving the mountains and migrating toward the city.

"Um guys, look." As Genesis pointed forward an interference had struck them into a stance.

"Worry not my new comrades we can handle this," Heath beamed excitedly.

"The faceless ones are on the move, your city is in danger." The snow prince alerted.

---

Columns of flame jetted from the amorphous head of the gigantic faceless. A large portion of the city was set ablaze sending clouds of smoke into the heavens.

"We need to get those fires under control. The mountain team has been called back to base which means it's up to us to finish things here," Leading the charge was the sentinel fire red ranger, Jamie, piloting his firetruck zord.

"I'm on it, Elephant Zord coming through," The blue savage guardian ranger Cody raised the trunk of his pachyderm machine dispensing a wide shower of water.

"Just a heads up, my audio sensors are detecting more civilians still trapped in the danger zone," Cody relayed.

"Copy, Enduro Green moving in."

The green biker ranger revved his engine as he peeled into the path of destruction not far from where the massive foot soldiers marched.

On the street, citizens ran for their lives as more faceless arrived. Attacks of this sort were not common to the people of Crystal River. They stumbled and staggered trying to escape the carnage.

"Uh-oh, more of those freaks are popping up on street level," the green enduro ranger, Caleb, reported.

"I read you, leave them to me," said Matthew, the Ancient Age Black ranger. Appearing in his hand was his heavy double-sided ax conjoined by the presence of a large black beetle. He cleaved and hacked striking with the power of the rising sun.

"Bad news, it looks like those monsters are headed for an oil plant. If they set that off—," Cody was then interrupted.

"The whole city goes," Jamie said cutting off Cody. The red sentinel fire ranger paused as he weighed his options. "Cody as soon as you're done with those fires you and I will position our zords to cut them off. The union highlighted that they aren't fans of water. We'll cool them off as much as we can."

"Roger," Cody confirmed as he targeted another burning building.

"Caleb, I need you to move as fast as you can, evacuate as many civilians as possible. If things start to look dire find cover immediately. Mr. Young, I know there's no need to tell you."

"I get that a lot," Matthew reported taking down another faceless.

Rising to gargantuan heights was the blue mystic mermaid and pink mystic sprite.

"We'll handle things from here, leave the giant ones to us," Madison said.

The giant faceless turned their attention to the two mystic sisters. They roared with an inhumane sound causing the streams of lava streaked through them to burn brighter.

The golems lobbed burning stones at the sisters, each one soared like meteors. Vida being the smallest and fastest of the two soared into action. With her bladed wings, Vida hacked apart the stones reducing them to rubble.

The foot soldiers were agitated, they whipped their arms sending droplets of magma flying. Madison waved her mystic trident creating a shield of water that protected her and her sister. The mermaid then directed her tri-pointed spear sending a torrent of water their way.

The faceless howled at the touch of the cooling spring. Clouds of steam passed over the city like a heavy fog. The faceless were severely weakened the lava moving slowly through them.

"Together now, Maddie," Vida said calling the winds.

"You betcha," Madison obliged raising up more water.

By combining their powers, the two sisters created a powerful water tornado. The faceless tried to fight the pull of the vacuum, but they were sucked in and destroyed leaving nothing but dust.

---

Ascension. That was the one word that was on the minds of the newly formed ranger team. The snow prince reported that there was a large faceless presence headed away from the mountain. While the situation downtown was for the most part under control more heated golems were on the way.

The snow prince conjured a spell seal which allowed the new rangers to be magically transported to their destination. They touched down in grand style, a chilling mist expelled outward from where they landed and the light of an aurora danced in the air above them.

"We're really about to do this, how awesome!" Heath jeered, "I am ready to kick some lava monster butt!"

"Don't think you are the only one. I'm going to try and execute a killer combo I picked up in Blacktop Brawl 7," Genesis said.

"You guys do know that this is real life, we can actually get hurt," Vivian noted.

"Yeah, whatever. As long as I'm not led by a freak then it's all good for me." Said Ava.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vivian challenged.

"Okay enough with the name-calling Ava," Brandon had enough, "You don't even know Vivian or what she's been through."

"Oh, and you do?"

"I certainly know enough. We all have our problems Ava and you should know better." Brandon defended his best friend.

With each dismantling word, Vivian took a step toward Ava coming almost visor to visor with her. "You talk a lot of crap from what I'm seeing. I don't even know you and you've met me for a few hours and you already being a-" Vivian had to stop herself before saying any harsh words.

"I didn't want to be a part of this anyways..." Vivian then began to walk away.

Brandon then ran after his best friend, "Vivian wait don't leave."

"Leave me alone Brandon, she may be a jerk but she's right. Why would you all want to be led by me? Someone who doesn't even recognize that she talks to herself or spaces out. Right!?"

"Vivian, don't listen to her, the snow prince told us why. Ava is just being Ava."

Vivian said nothing but walks away from her friend.

"Wait, where are you going?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know, and I'll find out how to take this suit off myself!" Vivian took off into a sprint, the suit itself assisting her by making it seem she was barely exerting any energy. She was gone in a whoosh the vibrancy of her suit already vanishing from sight.

Brandon wheeled on Ava who shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"Why'd you do that?!" Brandon yelled.

"Do what?" Ava was clueless.

"Are you that cold? Why would you decide it was in your best interest to call her a freak?" Brandon demanded.

"You really want me to explain?" Ava said.

"How about you not," Brandon said.

"I side with Brandon. The five of us are a party, we're supposed to quest and unlock the secrets of the world together. We can't do that if our key to the unknown has been separated from us." Genesis said

"I'm not sure if you noticed but the Snow Prince seemed to have a special interest in Vivian. He was fascinated by what she could do. If I had to guess he may know something about her that we don't" Brandon said.

"That doesn't exclude that she's a-"

"And you keep talking!" Brandon was getting frustrated, "Would you like if people called you a hobo!"

"Excuse me!" Ava then slapped Brandon in his face, luckily his helmet absorb the force.

"Call me that again and I swear!"

"You didn't like it did you?" Brandon spoke, "I know nobody knows what you been through. So why is it okay for you to do the same?"

All of a sudden there was a rise in heat and the horrid smell of sulfur.

"Um guys, look." As Genesis pointed forward an interference had struck them into a stance. This time there were roughly 12 faceless foot soldiers, promenading the 4 teens as they branch their claws and careening their footing as they drew closer to the teens.

"Step aside my new comrades I'll handle this," The first point of direction was to figure out how to deal with the faceless. They were horrendous, so maybe showing them a mirror might frighten them off, no no that was too laughable. Unless Heath finally used the hammer, the one Grandmaster Flaik gave to him and the others. "Okay, I got it. First, we pull out our hammers, and then we, wait that's a not good plan either."

"Make up your mind already!" Ava shouted as the teens created a circle, standing back to back from one another.

"How about we fight? We got the suits remember?" Brandon suggested.

"Dad alert, but yeah I'll fight." Genesis went into a pose challenging the faceless.

---

The volcanic Cerberus knocked aside the volley of rocks Xander launched in his legend mode. That was child's play for the beast, it clawed and muscled its way through the barrage to the astonishment of the green ranger.

Chip pointed his lion staff and directed another fierce lightning bolt. The monster was lit up like a Christmas tree, the roar it emitted emphasized its pain but the attack only made it angrier.

All three mouths unleashed a burst of flame that appeared almost white. Acting quickly the red mystic ranger raised his magic staff the flames vanished in the phoenix emblem having been absorbed the ground in front of Nick was blackened.

Nick dropped to one knee panting heavily, his staff was hot to the touch and was still smoking after absorbing the massive configuration.

"Careful Nick, you don't have a lot of magic to spare," Daggeron warned as he fired his laser lamp. The bursts of light all collided with the hide of the beast stunning it and making it very irritable.

Xander and Chip charge forward with their lion staff going for a more direct assault. Skebel and Phoebe were cowering behind some bushes watching the battle going on.

"I'm okay Daggeron, we just need to get this hellhound out of way." determined Nick.

"I understand that, but—," Chip and Xander were sent flying and crash-landed near Nick and Daggeron.

"That is one tough puppy," Xander said breathing heavily, "Nothing we do seems to hurt it."

"Well if legend mode isn't enough, maybe we should take it up one step further?" Chip suggested.

"We need to find a way to cool it down, maybe then we really start inflicting some serious damage," Nick proposes.

"Well, we could try the lake or..."

Chip's eyes glance back to the exposed mouth of the cave. It absorbed virtually any energy source that came near it.

"Great thinking Chip," Daggeron said.

The four wizards positioned themselves near the mouth of the cave just outside the reaches of the icy mist. The Cerberus regained its composure after being assaulted by chip and Xander.

A fresh fire burned in its eyes as all three heads growled dripping lava from their jowls. The mystic force kept their weapons drawn it was all about timing.

The Cerberus charged coming at the men faster than either of them expected. They all dived out of the way just narrowly missing the teeth and claws. The monster crossed the threshold and plowed into the mist, it roared frantically as the lava which composed its body churned slower. The murderous glare wasn't so intense as the fire that burned in its eyes seems to of died some.

"Now!" Nick called and all four men unleashed their magic destroying the Cerberus on the spot. They demorphed having all been severely drained of stamina.

"Okay is it just me or was that a lot harder than it needed to be?" Chip asked quizzically.

"The snow prince said we're dealing with an ancient magic, what's to say that these creatures don't share the same protections as that cave," Daggeron pointed out.

"If more of them are going to be springing up, how are we supposed to fight them?" Xander asked next.

"Let's just hope that the snow prince can figure that out," Daggeron said.

---

"Let's do this!" Brandon bellowed as he directed the Rangers into battle. The suits felt like an extra skin, it made them strong and it made them faster and most importantly it guarded them against the burning touch of faceless. Brandon jumped in as he landed with a wheel kick, he cleaved a faceless in two with his leg and ice instantly spread across its body cooling it.

Another Faceless emerged behind Brandon, he leaped into the air to avoid being tackled from behind. A mystic chime echoed in Brandon's ear and a new spell pattern appeared on his Morpher; it was an upward arrow shape.

"So I guess I gotta another spell? Let's see what it can do," Brandon said executing the pattern.

"On-teec Vigueur!" The divine voice boomed and strength surged into Brandon's limbs. He struck the ground as hard as he could. Faceless toppled over themselves unable to stabilize themselves. Brandon's increased strength was unmatched, he easily grappled a massive boulder and lobbed it which flattened more faceless. He could get use to this.

Brandon wasn't the only one to awaken new powers. Genesis soared high in the air, two faceless struggled in her grasp.

"On-teec Volan," She said smiling. The pattern she entered resembled a backward L. Genesis once more took to the skies and performed a sharp dive bringing arctic winds with her.

"I want cool powers," Heath complained, he tripped a faceless and uppercut another. A musical chime echoed in his ear and to his joy a new spell pattern appeared; it resembled an acute angle with the point facing left.

"On-teec Uda!" The heavily voice boomed.

Heath's throat felt weird when he opened his mouth a shrill screech traversed the air. Heath screamed with all of his might dissolving the faceless that stood in his immediate path. The were instantly reduced to cooling spots of magma. By the time Heath finished his throat felt raw and he could barely catch his breath.

All these powers and Ava couldn't figure out why her spell wasn't working. She entered the three-note pattern of a diagonal line stretching left to right and spoke the magic incantation On-teec cura but nothing happened.

She would need to dispatch the faceless the old-fashioned way. She rapidly climbed a tree and rebounded off the trunk which caught her adversary unaware. With a well-placed punch, the faceless was splattered. She gripped another in a judo throw and slammed it on the ground where it melted instantly. She was robbed of the remaining few as her new teammates expressed their new abilities one more time.

The four rangers cheered at their first victory and were even more excited to of used magic.

---

From the confines of the ancient sanctuary, the snow prince observed the multitude of battles that waged around throughout Crystal River. He was relieved to see the defeat of the colossal faceless that marched through the city by the hands of the mystic mermaid and sprite.

He was even overjoyed to see that his own students were doing well against the faceless that were still present on the mountain. He could see that they all have awakened a new spell which aided them greatly in battle.

He was very disturbed to see that Vivian had wandered away from the group. She was very much like her father, not wanting to be a team player right out of the gate. The mystery that currently perplexed the prince was the origins of the shrine he found himself in.

The handiwork of the sculpting could have been done by one who followed his path of magic, while at the same time an entirely different practitioner, one more closely related to the original source of magic.

The snow prince waded around the area of the shrine taking in all of its natural beauty. The way the crystal chandelier illuminated the entire cavern. The peaceful gurgling of the falls, the way the ice sculptures were perfectly molded and shaped. All of this spoke to the creativity of a gifted hand.

The question was who? Who established this place and outfitted this tomb with all of its wonders and protections? How was this person or being tied back to the original source of magic?

It suddenly dawned on the snow prince when he took note of the unique structure of ice along one of the walls. The way it was aligned depicted a rune of sorts. The snow prince was at a loss for words.

---

Vivian had made it to the edge of the wood, her feet carried her far beyond what she thought physically possible. It was odd that she didn't even feel tired. With no one around Vivian immediately began to tug at her suit trying to remove it.

"Come off!" She complained trying to free her fingers from the gloves but nothing seemed to budge. The echoes of a divine voice reached her. Like before she instantly translated the ancient words to grasp that the spells granted immense strength and loud voice.

Vivian sat against a tree, her head in her hands. She felt absolutely worthless. She couldn't save either of her parents from certain death, she was forced to embrace a destiny she didn't even want, her friends think she's a freak, and to top it all off she could not do anything about it.

The contemplation of her grief was short-lived, as there was a rustling in the woods around her. Oh great, she thought more of those creatures.

She stood, ready to fight or flee when from the woods, a fairy emerges and wraps itself across her visor. The red ranger was caught totally by surprise as she struggled to remove the pest. Vivian shook her head fiercely and made to grab at the small humanoid figure, but the creature was very nimble and strong.

"Phoebe! Phoebe no! Get down!" A new voice emerged from the woods and was shouting around Vivian. "Hold on still sweetheart, I'll get her off you," the voice said soothingly.

In the midst of Vivian's struggle, she lost her footing and fell to the ground. She felt no pain as her suit absorbed the force of the damage. Vivian's eyesight became clear as the tiny figure that was latched to her visor was finally removed, to her surprise, the fairy fluttered playfully around the new figure. Vivian was confused as to how and why a thirteen-year-old girl had found herself still trapped on the mountain even after everyone has been evacuated.

The girl looked human until Vivian took notice of her ears which were much longer than they should be.

"I hope she didn't frighten you, then again I'm sure in your line of work not much does," Skebel said politely.

"Who...er what are you?" Vivian questioned utterly fascinated.

"Well, what does it look like dear? I'm an elf of course. My name is Skebel and this pain-in-the-butt is my pal Phoebe. As I'm sure you've seen she's quite the prankster. No sooner do I get her back in her cage does she go running off again." The fairy Phoebe glittered happily around Skebel, happily eating snacks the elf pulled from her pockets. "We just ran into some of your comrades up by the cave, they were very brave to take on those hellhounds."

"Comrades?" Vivian was confused, her friends were nowhere near a cave. The Snow Prince transported them somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. They were supposed to be exterminating the last of the faceless.

"I take it you're with the mystic force too, it's very odd the fact that there are two of you red ones. But then again we of this forest haven't seen much of any magical brotherhood, at least none as revered as the mystic force. I'm sure I don't need to rehash your triumphal defeat of the master, still to this day we all celebrate. I can't thank you all enough." Skebel droned on.

"uh...you're welcome?" Vivian responded still utterly confused. "Uh...do you know where I am?"

"Oh, you lost your teammates?"

"They're not my teammates. I just wanna get home."

"The way I take it dear, you didn't cast a spell."

"W-what? Uh..How old are you calling me, dear?"

"Oh I do not look my age, everyone says that. I'm not comfortable saying my age but between you and me I just turned 378."

"378?"

"I know it still on the young side."

"Young side? That's practically a fossil." Vivian said.

"No never, my skin is still glowing."

"Yeow!"

"Oh quiet Phoebe, I have radiant skin."

"Yeow!"

"Wait what? They're in serious trouble? Oh no!"

"Talking to a bug...okkkay."

"Yeow!"

"Ugh stop!" Vivian fought off the fairy once again.

"Phoebe!" Skebel yelled, pulling her pet off of Vivian's face, "I'm sorry about her, young Mystic, fairies can be such a handful as I'm sure you know. Now you were asking me about how you can get home."

As Skebel talked her words started to get warbled as if she was speaking underwater. Vivian pressed her hands to the sides of her head as a fierce pain began to congregate there. Her eyes were shut tight as she could hear a voice calling to her.

Her body felt ruined as it had been blasted to pieces, from the darkness of her eyes she could see figures celebrating before her. They were adorned in Red, Yellow, Green, and Gold. Vivian couldn't move but there was a simple plea being whispered into her ears.

"Please...master...let me...rise. Destroy...magic..."

Vivian tried to shut the voice out, attempting to shift her mind to something else, but the more she tried the more it insisted.

"Please!...give the command!...we must rise!"

Vivian couldn't take the pressure growing in her brain, she said softer than a whisper, "Ascendia Volare."

She did not know where the words had come from, but she spoke them nonetheless. The pain behind her brow lessened as she could feel the energy being siphoned from her.

"Are you alright there dear? You seemed a little lightheaded. I could have sworn you muttered something but you said it so softly I couldn't hear ya."

"I'm...fine," Vivian said quickly.

"You know dear, I've been around for a pretty long time, you would be surprised at how much I know. There's something about you that not many people know, a secret of sorts. I can gleam that on you clear as day. You don't need to tell me about it if you don't want to, that's none of my business. The way I see it though, if it's something bad then you should be obligated to try and make it good, that's the reason you wear that suit right?"

---

"So where do we go next?" Ava posed looking to Brandon.

"Beats me, none of those lava creeps are showing up so I think we beat them all," Brandon replied.

"The snow prince called them faceless," Genesis said. "Too bad Vivian missed out, she probably would have leveled up with us."

"Someday she might but today, we were awesome and that's enough said," Heath added.

"These suits are incredible, I barely felt a thing when they attacked me, and my strength, I'm pretty sure I could bench press a truck," Brandon said flexing his muscles.

"That was cool, but it was nothing compared to the heights I achieved. I didn't even need to touch the ground." Genesis leaped for joy allowing herself to hover for just an instant.

Heath for the first time was not too amused, "I wish my powers were that cool. I need a cough drop or something, my throat is killing me."

Ava was quiet, she stood at a distance from the others with her arms crossed. It did not make sense as to why she could not manifest her unique abilities.

"What could you do Ava? I didn't get a chance to watch," Genesis said inquisitively.

"It doesn't matter alright."

"As much as I hate to say it, I think she-Vivian had the right idea of things. All of this is so stupid. Being a power rangers is not all it's cracked up to be." Ava huffed turning on her heel and storming off.

"Hey, wait!" Heath called.

Ava stopped when their morphers chimed, it was the snow prince.

"Rangers come quick, there's a great deal of trouble just 3 miles from the mouth of the cave. I'm sending you a transport seal now."

As soon as they hung up their phones the mystic spell seal flashed in the air in front of them.

---

Nick and Daggeron were the last two standing. The Cerberus the mystic quad were facing, had morphed once again. No sooner after they could finally relax did remains of faceless from everywhere, all congregate into this one being.

The beast rose to gargantuan heights, not large enough to where the power of the titans needed to be invoked but large enough to where it towered over the battlefield.

With the addition of more faceless, the monster took a more demonic appearance. Four faces revolved around a single head, leathery wings spread from its back, and six arms all extended from its sides. Chip and Xander did what they could to try and restrain the monster as it formed but its firepower destroyed any bonds they generated.

Even the cooling power of the cave wasn't enough to slow the behemoth down. All four of the mages were finding their magic reserves running dangerously low, they weren't even sure if they could ascend into their ancient mystic modes.

Nick dove to one side in order to avoid being stomped. Daggeron charged up his lamp and fired the ethereal blasts which targeted perceived weak spots, but it did nothing but annoy the monster. Nick slashed with his sword but even that didn't seem to stop it.

The behemoth swiped with one of its massive limbs, Nick tried to dodge but due to his fatigue he reacted too slow. Was sent flying toward the mouth of the cave, there was nothing he could do to stop himself. Daggeron made to catch Nick but the Behemoth blasted the knight off his feet.

Nick tensed his back as the last of his energy was sucked out of him. He screamed a cry of pain as if he were being boiled alive and fell forward. His suit dematerialized off of him as he collapsed, unmoving.

"NICK!" Chip, Daggeron, and Xander all called seeing the downed red warrior.

Before the rangers could act, the behemoth sent cascades of burning rocks toward the two rangers which instantly demorphed them.

"Cover Nick!" Chip, Xander, and Daggeron all moved to shield their unconscious leader, while the behemoth bared down on them.

Then the sound of engines filled the air as Vida and Madison arrive on their mystic force speeders.

"Down there, Maddie!" Vida called jumping down.

At the sight of her demorphed husband laying motionless Maddie could not jump down fast enough.

"Nick!" Madison yelled fighting back tears.

While Maddie ran to be beside Nick, Vida chose to hold off their enemy. She drew her magistaff and activated her famed tornado spell, but her winds bore no ill effects. The pink ranger was swatted mercilessly like an annoying bug.

"VIDA!" Madison, Chip, Daggeron, and Xander hollered, though Vida remained unharmed as she demorphed, rushing her way to the other rangers.

The massive behemoth roared at the presence of the 6 mystic warriors. The force of the blast was like taking a grenade to the face. The rangers all crowded around Nick to shield his demorphed state with their own bodies only to have their suits torn away from them also. The six mystic force rangers were all sapped of energy and one of them was critically injured. The sizable monster stood over the legendary team, prepared to finish them with another grand fire attack when the seal of the snow prince appeared in the air between the rangers and the behemoth.

Emerging from it were Brandon, Genesis, Heath, and Ava all still dawned in their ranger suits.

"Whoa!" Chip was surprised.

"Who are you guys?" Vida questioned looking to the new rangers.

"Have no fear, the mystic force power rangers 2.0 are here!" Heath announced.

"What?" Vida, Xander, and Chip were all confused. "2.0? Please."

"He...I mean black ranger. Read the room," Brandon said. He tried to avoid looking at the injured Mr. Russell.

"That's a lot bigger than the ones we just faced, can we even beat that thing?" Genesis questioned.

"There's only one way to find out, come on rangers!" Brandon ordered as he, Heath, and Genesis charged after the monster all of them activated their new spells.

Ava too was ready to fight but she could not seem to stop looking at the injured Mr. Russell. The wound on his neck looked very serious and Mrs. Russell was already a mess of tears.

"I can't feel his pulse!" Maddie cried as Vida went on to perform CPR.

"Oh no I don't like the sound of that," Jenji said inside the lamp.

"You're not leaving us, Nick! Not now!" Vida yelled.

"This can't be the end is it?" Chip was in self-doubt.

"Come on Nick!" Xander pleaded for his best friend to wake up.

"You can't leave us now my friend," Daggeron said.

"No, please, no." Madison cried even louder.

Against her better nature, Ava moved toward the grown-ups. She didn't know Vivian's parents that well but her dad was cool enough. The musical chime played in Ava's ears much like before and when she looked at her Morpher, the magic spell pattern appeared to her again.

"Excuse me, let me try something." Ava placed her Morpher on the scarred flesh, not paying any attention to the snarling looks of the mystics around her. Swiping in the spell pattern Ava spoke the incantation; "On-teec Cura!"

A cooling sensation passed through her wand and Nick breathed a sigh of relief while still remaining comatose to the world. Madison cried new tears of joy seeing that the scarring near Nick's neck was disappearing.

"How did you do that?" Vida questioned seriously.

"Okay, that was cool." Chip said.

"Real cool," Xander said.

"...Thank you," Madison was grateful.

The young rangers did well to hold off the behemoth. Brandon's strength permitted him to inflict heavy blows, Genesis' flight made her practically untouchable while she soured through the air, and Heath's voice constantly destabilized the monster, there was nothing they could not do.

From the corner of its eye, the behemoth saw that the Mystics and Ava were defenseless. One of its arms extended looking to flatten the pink ranger along with her ranger predecessors. A shell of ice knitted together creating a perfect shield that deflected the blow.

"Excellent Work Pink Warrior, now go and join the others, they are going to be needing your help." The snow prince emerged from the mouth of the cave with his arms extended.

Ava nodded and followed the snow prince's orders. Having now understood the application of her magic she played a real supportive role in the fight against the behemoth. Her healing magic continually renewed the strength of her friends which allowed them to continue fighting.

"You're alive, thank the heavens," Daggeron said relieved.

"You all must retreat from here immediately, it is much too dangerous for you now." The snow prince said.

"Some of us can still fight!" Chip surged but quickly sat back down feeling his own injuries rile up.

"You've all done enough for today, it's time to let a new generation manage things."

"But teacher!" Daggeron insisted.

"Take Bowen back to Root core, have Clare look over him. He is no longer in any serious danger, but he is still quite depleted. The rest of you should likewise be examined."

"But wait, Snow Prince our daughter, is she—" Maddie asked before the snow prince set off to help the new rangers.

"She is fine. She's much like her father in many regards. It is not my place to reveal her destiny, but the time is quickly approaching." The snow prince added.

"We cannot thank you enough great teacher," Daggeron muttered to himself.

"Is Vivian...is she the red ranger?" Madison asked.

"She is." The snow prince said before personally joining the fight.

"Okay let's get out of here then." Chip said as Xander pulled out his Morpher, he enchanted the spell, "finisho."

The wand sparkled, but the magic did not pass over them

"Nothing happened," Xander said with worry in his voice.

Vida even tried but it was still of no use.

"Did we just lose our powers?" Vida wondered.

The light of Daggeron's Morpher was growing dimmer as the magic energy which charged it was siphoned away. He knew it was from being in such close proximity to the cave. "It looks like it's only a temporary effect from when the Cerebus got close to the cave. It affected all our morphers."

"So we're stuck here?" Vida asked.

Madison held tightly to Nick, ready to shield him from all manners of danger. The behemoth wailed as it shook its great head scattering droplets of lava around the mystics which instantly formed into faceless.

"Oh great...the walking lava pits are back." Chip said.

The limbs and wings of the behemoth kept the new ranger team occupied, even the snow prince found himself unable to lend a hand. The mystics themselves were quite defenseless as they could barely call forth enough magic to bypass the draining effect of the cave. It wouldn't have been so bad if they could get Nick out but there was absolutely nothing they could do. This looked to be the end of the mystic force.

"On-teec celeritas!" Hope returned at the announcement of a spell. A streak of red and blue rushed around the mystics striking the Faceless which loomed close. No one was able to tell who or what the attacker was. In an instant, the encroaching foot soldiers were petrified statues having been cooled completely.

Skebel came panting out of the woods with Phoebe fluttering behind her. The elf ran to the demorphed mystic rangers while Vivian stood guard with her back to her parents.

"Aren't you all in a pickle, don't worry we'll get all of you out, transportation magic is Phoebe's specialty." Skebel smiled as she began to loop her arms around Daggeron and Vida.

"Who are you?" Vida asked.

"I'm Skebel, and I'm glad to meet all of you. Now if you don't want any bits of you left behind I recommend that you all link up and hold on tight."

"Skebel, that ranger, just who is that?" Daggeron asked.

"Oh, that's a story in and of itself. Funny thing I actually thought she was with you guys but after watching those guys. I say that's even cooler."

"Skebel, you said you can get us out?" Chip asks.

"Yes, just let Phoebe know where and you'll be on your way. She doesn't do this often it drains her stamina, but this is an emergency." Skebel said.

"Rootcore," Madison spoke up, "get us to rootcore."

"Rootcore...Yes Rootcore." Skebel said. "Phoebe."

"Yeowwwwww!" Phoebe had sent them away with her fairy powers.

The warm tingle of magic washed over the mystics and they instantly vanish. Vivian looks to the behemoth and a surge of bravery flows through her.

"Vivian?" Genesis posed glancing down from her high vantage point.

"Viv?" Brandon asked firmly holding on to one of the creature's limbs.

"Welcome back," The snow prince was excited to witness the re-emergence of his student.

The monstrous behemoth bellowed as one of its four faces turned to face Vivian. From its mouth a white-hot jet of fire blaze toward her.

Vivian's speed spell was still active, time appeared to move slower around her she could feel her heart beating heavily in her chest.

She ran out of the way of the fire and traced up the arm of the giant. She punched with all of her might dispersing a tremendous amount of energy.

Everyone was amazed at how fast the red ranger moved. She was a whizzing blur striking at all the perceived weak points of the monster, her teammates could barely keep up with her.

"Yeah! You go girl!" Heath cheered as Vivian appeared striking one of the creature's joints.

Though she was moving fast and dealing many significant hits, it was not enough to bring the creature down. Vivian dropped to one knee panting heavily, there was no telling how much magic she expelled blitzing the demon but she needed something more final.

"Don't move," Ava said appearing behind Vivian. A cooling sensation passed through the red ranger's body and she could feel the exasperation leaving her.

"Uh...Thanks?" Vivian said bluntly.

"You're pushing yourself too hard, are you trying to burn yourself out?" Ava asked.

"Uh no...yes. No!"

Snow then began to tumble out of the sky, Vivian reached out her hand to grasp one of the falling snowflakes only to clutch the handle of a sword just over three feet in length. The weapon felt perfectly balanced in her hand and it moved like an extension of her arm.

"How did you get that?" Ava pondered but Vivian herself was unsure. This was just the edge she needed to finish this fight.

"You really are your father's daughter," The snow prince spoke to himself noticing the sword in Vivian's hand. "Rangers! We must create an opening for Vivian."

The snow prince's voice cut over the roar of the monster. Ava, Heath, and Brandon nodded their agreement.

"I trust you'll know what to do with that," The snow prince said looking at Vivian.

The red ranger nodded agreeing with her mentor.

Mystic energy sparkled on the snow prince's hands as he struck the ground sending a cascade of ice toward the behemoth. With its limbs trapped, Brandon and Heath stormed in.

With his heightened strength Brandon punched the limbs on the left crippling them. Heath was on the right using his powerful voice to weaken the limbs on that side.

Genesis swooped down and took Ava into her arms. The two rangers flew toward the monster's four-faced head and delivered a powerful kick which brought the body crashing to the ground.

It was all up to Vivian now. She gathered her magic around her and rushed forward as a blur. She hacked and slashed with all of her might destroying each of the four faces in one smooth attack. The monster bellowed as the fires that composed its lifeblood were steadily extinguished. The dried-out husk crumbled to dust and ashes.

The young rangers and the snow prince return to their icy lair. The cold air no longer bothered as much but in fact, felt incredibly nice. The rangers all removed their helmets to better take in the crisp air. They were all dreadfully tired from having exerted so much magic in one day especially Vivian.

"A job very well done rangers. No team before you could have hoped to of done more than what you all have accomplished today. The mystic force would be proud." The snow prince said.

"Where were the mystic force anyways? They should have came with you BUT I'm glad they did or else we would have to pay tribute." Genesis said.

"Believe me, yellow warrior, they were there but let's be honest their magic wouldn't of compared to the likes of yours."

"Was that a roast?" Heath asked.

"Roast?" The snow prince tilted his head in utter confusion.

"Yeah it means when you make fun of somebody, call them out for what they're wearing or how they are shaped," Heath explained.

"So you besmirch their honor?" The snow prince clarified.

"I don't know what that means but I'm going to say yes," Heath answered.

"Hmmm, sounds very disrespectful. My past students wouldn't stand for that." The snow prince shook his head.

"Students? Are we going to be your students?" Genesis asked.

"Well, I suppose after this day it only seems right that I do so. Your powers, this structure, I've learned so much since my time here. You have all proven yourself valued for this power." The snow prince said.

"What do we call ourselves?" Brandon asked.

"How about Super Mystic Force?" Genesis suggested.

"Oh, I like that." Heath agreed.

"Super Mystic Force?" Vivian questioned.

"Mystic Super Force?"

"How about neither, whichever way you put it's still terrible," Eva said.

"Yeah-yeah that's bad, Genesis," Heath said.

"Then what you have in mind, miss know it all," Genesis said to Ava.

"It's Eva, thank you very much. And how about Ice Mystics."

"What about Artic Ancients?" The snow prince suggests and every agreed.

"Arctic ancients, guardians awaken!" Genesis cheered, "Ooooh that could be our morphing call."

"Snow Prince, are we ever going to meet the mystic force?" Brandon asked.

"Maybe sooner than you think but that'll be on their timing."

Vivian was awkwardly silent. While her teammates were in a rather festive mood, Vivian was not feeling joyful at all. The snow prince noticed this and drew near to her.

"You seem distracted Red Ancient, is there anything you would like to say?"

"When I rushed in, I saw my father hurt and my mom crying. When those faceless first attacked I thought they both were dead."

"Something tells me that your father is not the type to be defeated easily. It is my guess that he has a valiant heart, an attribute he's inherited from his father, which I can also see resides in you. Your mother likewise is a very brave soul. Something about her temperament tells me that she can be calm as still water or viscous as a raging sea. I have a feeling that a mixture of both lights blazes in you like twin suns. Your love for them is what drives you forward. I think you would be pleased to know that the pink Ancient has to seen to his needs. he should be recovering sometime soon."

Vivian stole a glance at Ava who bashfully looked away. To think a girl with her rough exterior had soft insides.

"So I guess this means we're all a team now? Then this calls for a hand stack, come on guys." Heath said as he, Genesis, and Brandon already had their hands stacked on one another. They motioned for Vivian to join which helped to cheer her up. Ava was the last to join the pile-up as it took a lot of pleading. The five rangers all looked to their mentor the snow prince who was unfamiliar with the custom but found it to be the most thrilling.

"Come on Snow prince," Brandon said.

"Um, I really don't believe it's befitting for me." The snow prince said.

"Oh come on, quit being a prude princess," Vivian said.

"Pardon?"

"Uhhhh, snow prince. Like come on, don't be shy." Vivian said taking the snow prince's hand.

The snow prince sighed, "Alright, just this once."

Their hands all went skyward the combined magic releasing a Borealis which danced above them.

---

Nick's eyes fluttered open to see that he was in a different area than he last remembered. Madison's head was propped on his chest as she snoozed softly. She woke to feel that he had moved.

"You're awake!" She gasped gripping Nick in a hug.

"H-Hey, I'm alright. Nothing's broken," Nick had hoped. His shoulder felt incredibly stiff and he could feel bandages along his neck.

"I was so scared, I thought I lost you." Maddie teared.

Unable to really say what he wanted to say, Nick held Maddie close and brushed her hair with his free arm. He could understand how his wife felt as he too was once in her shoes. As he looked among his surroundings, the familiar layout of the room finally started to sink in.

"What are we doing in Rootcore?" Nick asked.

Madison pressed her lips together to keep from saying anything.

"Where's Vivian, did she and her friends make it out?" Nick asked rather quickly.

"Yes she did, all of them exactly but as um..as power rangers." Madison hesitate to tell Nick who remained silent.

"I see..." Nick swallowed hard.

"When you went down, we had our powers depleted until they came and saved us. The pink ranger healed you and Vivian arrived later as the red ranger."

It was a lot for Nick to take in as Madison helped Nick to his feet. The red mystic ranger was a bit wobbly but he quickly found his balance.

"The others are waiting for us downstairs, they'll be glad to know that you're awake and they could explain everything," Madison said.

The door to the main command center opened as Madison slowly led Nick through. Chip, Xander, Vida, Daggeron, and Clare all rose from their place, each of them were bandaged. Their injuries were not as severe as Nick's.

"Nick, you're awake." Chip become relaxed when he saw Nick walking.

"Ah, Nick! You're alive! I feel soo happy now!" Jenji cheered almost rushing into tackle the red mystic ranger.

"Jenji!" Daggeron called out.

"Oh right. You're a little fatigued. No cat pouncing right now." Jenji said.

"You gave us quite a scare mate," Xander said offering Nick his seat.

Vida briskly went to help her sister.

"We're glad you're alright," Daggeron said.

"If you left us I would have never forgiven you." She said easing Nick down into the chair.

"I for one never doubted you at all," Chip said with a relieved smile.

"Guys please, I'm fine. But thank you all for being there." Nick winced as he tried to set his injured shoulder on the crystal ball table.

"Do you need something, Nick? I'm glad to see you walking, your magic reserves were practically weakened. If you tried to do any more your own life force would have been drained." Clare said.

"I think he gets it," Vida said.

"So uh..anyone know what we're up against?" Nick asked.

Clare then sat next to Nick, "I've been here doing research ever since the others went to help. I was really surprised to learn that there were other magical regions that we hadn't mapped yet. I've also been searching for information on those creatures you've all been fighting but none of our history books ever mention those things."

"Figures," Nick said when suddenly a brilliant sphere of light touched down on the pedestal behind the Xenotome. When the light faded Udonna stood with her vibrant red hair greying and flowing white robes. Across her brow was the golden headdress of the mystic mother. Standing next to Udonna was her loving husband Leanbow. His clothes were a fiery crimson with a sheathed sword at his side.

The mystic rangers all gasped at the appearance of their former mentor.

"Bowen," Udonna raced to her son along with Leanobw.

"Are you alright son? Is everyone's body alright?" Leanbow inquired.

"Why did you guys not tell us?" Udonna snapped at the rangers.

"Uhhhhh for the record, you have more responsibility now sooooo..." Chip defended himself as the others nodded, nervously.

"Honey, everything's alright now." Leanbow tried to calm Udonna down.

"Everything is not alright, look at him," Udonna argued.

"Mom, I'm fine, really."

"No, you are not here drink this. It should help." Udonna hand Nick a potion.

Nick sipped the concoction, it had a strong bitter taste that lingered in his mouth.

"That's uh," Nick almost choked, "great. I'm feeling better already," he lied putting the ceramic cup down.

"Are you sure?" Udonna wanted to be certain.

"Yes, I"m 100 percent sure," Nick responded.

"And what is this about my granddaughter? Where is Eirian?" Udonna demanded.

"Mom, calm down. From what I'm hearing she's with the snow prince." Nick said.

Daggeron then spoke, "We were given special notice by the Morphin union to investigate a strange magical occurrence. When we arrived we've encountered creatures long thought to be vanquished; the faceless ones."

"The faceless?" Udonna could not believe the name by which Daggeron mentioned. Prior to becoming the mystic mother, Udonna had no idea those cursed beings ever existed. Once she assumed the mantle, a library of events long forgotten in the common era was made available to her.

Both she and Leanbow were now even more intrigued. How was it that these ancient beings were stirred?

Daggeron then began to explain, "In the midst of the chaos, Vivian and a group of kids wander off into a forbidden cave, a cave not even we can enter. The snow prince was the only one who could. As we waited for his return we were attacked by a hellhound who was able to mutant into 3 different forms. Our powers were short-lived, but it was worst for Nick after he gave some magic of his to Vivian earlier in the day. Then not too long after, 5 rangers saved us with Vivian as their leader."

Thereafter the snow prince's magic sealed arrived and there he stepped out. He kneeled quickly at the sight of the mystic mother and Leanbow.

"Mystic mother, I didn't think I'd find you here but it is a good thing too." The snow prince then stood to his feet. "I am relieved to see you awake, Bowen."

"We've already been informed of what has happened today. What is needed to know is what have you recovered." Leanbow went straight to the point.

"Of course, I can confirm that the Shining was the one to stir the ancient powers. By her coming of age, the untapped magic she's tethered to also awakes. There was a shrine hidden in the cave by which Bowen and his allies have located, and I've come to believe that it is a shrine dedicated to someone or thing in close relation to the original source."

There were muttered gasps throughout the room.

"I don't know how long it's been since that shrine was occupied, but someone or thing was most definitely waiting patiently for such a time as this."

"What does this have to do with Vivian?" Madison demanded.

"I believe that she is the key to it all. I was fortunate enough to win her to our side before the darkness within her could tempt her to awaken even more malevolent powers."

"Well I mean that's always the obvious answer that some is always the key. Nick, Leanbow, and...Clare.. but in regards to all this, where exactly do these powers come from?" Xander said.

"Yeah like we know who gave us our Morphing powers and whatnot. How is this all coming out of the blue so suddenly?" Vida wonder.

"The reason it is appearing to us now is because this is the power drawn by the original light. The same magical energy which fought the void, the epitome of darkness. The same source of energy you saw the midnight circle once tried to revive." Snow prince ended his sentence leaving the rangers startled.

---

Reunion. One of life's sweetest fruits. Before leaving to meet with the mystic mother, the snow price kindly provided another transport seal for the arctic ancient rangers. They were all taken to the places where their families eagerly awaited them.

When Brandon entered that hospital wing, his father ran to him and held him close tears were streaming down his face. For Genesis her grandfather was all smiles, she hugged his hand while he caressed her face.

Heath's uncle was rather furious and fiercely scolded his nephew for running off. Once the anger subsided the two of them were laughing like old friends.

Ava stepped off a city bus and walked down the street alone while looking at the picture of a little boy smiling.

Vivian was dispatched right outside her home. There was no car in the driveway and she couldn't see any lights on in the living room. When she walked in the door, however, both of her parents were there waiting for her. Nick's arm was in a sling and Madison had ashen smudges on her face.

They all ran and held each other closely not minding the sniffles or the tears. Everything had been put to right.

Until next time!

(PLEASE don't be afraid to comment and tell us your thoughts, commenting motivates us to keep writing and publish sooner. Thanks again to the ones who stood by our side. UNTIL NEXT TIME!)