Part Five

Chapter Three

Even as the monster spoke, Scott grabbed the nearest two soldiers and dragged them towards the exit. "Move!" he shouted. Most of Trystenn's troops were only just recovering. But hearing the commotion, Kolobus turned towards them, reached out and swept all three into the vortex on his chest. Scott and the two soldiers instantly disappeared from sight.

"Scott!" Brendan shouted, as the remaining troops charged. But with a predatory glee, Kolobus began grabbing everyone within reach, Brendan and three more of the soldiers quickly vanishing into the vortex.

Zac made to race forward, but his gaze fell onto Trini.

"No!" Trini called, even as Kolobus lurched towards her. "Trystenn!"

Zac froze. Of course. Protect the prince. "C'mon!" he shouted.

"But my troops…" Trystenn stuttered.

"We've gotta move!" Zac shouted. One of Kolobus's arms was flashing towards them, and Zac threw himself out of the temple and onto the street, dragging the prince with him as Kolobus's hand closed on air. Still with his hand on Trystenn's arm, Zac raced over to the corner of the building and dropped to the ground, dragging Trystenn with him. Inside the temple, they could hear sounds of combat for a few more seconds while they tried to catch their breath, but then the street fell silent.

Zac's heart sank. "We're the only ones left," he said.

"Why didn't you let us fight?" Trystenn hissed. "Those were my soldiers!"

"And those were my friends," Zac replied pointedly. He watched as Trystenn's expression faded. "I had to protect you. If we'd gotten caught, we'd all be screwed."

"So now what?" Trystenn asked. "How do we get them back and stop Kolobus?" The prince nodded to Zac's communicator. "Call for back-up?"

"Even if I did, they'd never get here in time," Zac replied. "We can do this, right? Everyone goes home today. That's a promise I'm gonna keep."

"Wait, Kolobus saw us leave," Trystenn said. "Why isn't he attacking us?"

Zac held up his hand for quiet and peeked through the window, Trystenn joining him a second later. Inside the ruined temple, the giant figure of Kolobus was scouring the wreckage, sweeping piles of rubble aside and flipping over tables, clearly hunting for something.

"Where is it?" the demonic entity was saying, digging through a pile of stone. "Where are you, my beautiful treasure? What did those humans do with you?"

Zac and Trystenn sank back down. "What's he looking for?" Trystenn asked.

"The gemstone he was trapped in," Zac realised. "He wants it back."

"But that doesn't make sense," Trystenn whispered, as Kolobus continued smashing his way through the building. "According to the legend, he was trapped in that gemstone for centuries. He should be terrified of it. What do people do when they're afraid?"

Zac looked away. For a few seconds, he couldn't answer. "They run away," he said softly.

"Exactly!" Trystenn hissed. "Kolobus is finally free of that thing. He should be several planets away by now. But he isn't. Why?"

"Because the legend got something wrong," Zac said quickly, as realisation dawned. "The gem wasn't a prison. It was a soul jar. That's why he wants it back. His life force is tied to it."

Trystenn turned to the Black Ranger. "What does that mean?"

"We kill it, we kill him," Zac said. "Who had the gem last?" and he paused to replay the last few minutes in his head. "Trini. She was standing there when Kolobus broke free. Trini will know what to do. She either took it with her or she knows where it is." He tried his communicator, but all he got was static.

"Wherever they are, they're out of range," Trystenn said.

"Or maybe we just need to jam the vortex open," Zac said. "C'mon."

Zac jogged out to the middle of the street, Trystenn a step behind. Once they were in the open, the Black Ranger raised his voice.

"Kolobus!" he shouted.

The walls of the building shook, and Kolobus smashed through the wall and out into the sun, leaving the roof balancing on one corner column. The demonic figure was even more imposing in daylight, and the two warily backed away, staying out of reach of his arms. Kolobus glanced down over them, his claws scraping against the roadway, before turning his attention to Zac.

"And what are you?" Kolobus growled.

"I'm a Power Ranger," Zac said confidently. It sounded impressive in his head, but obviously not to Kolobus. An awkward silence followed. The monster barely blinked.

"You're a what?" Kolobus replied.

"You've never heard of us?" Zac asked, confused. "The Power Rangers? Zordon? Rita and Zedd? Damn. How long were you in that thing?"

"Hold your tongue!" Kolobus snapped. "I care not for the clothes you wear. You are human, are you not? Weak and spineless! It is my destiny to consume every world you inhabit until even the stars are mine! You are nothing, do you hear me?"

Zac took a step forward. "I don't know what kind of people you're used to dealing with," the Black Ranger began. "But there's something about us humans that jerks like you don't understand. When humans see injustice, when they see cruelty, do you know what they do?" In a flash of light, Zac's Power Axe formed in his hands.

"They fight."

He spun the barrel in his hands, aimed for Kolobus's chest and pulled the trigger. The blast slammed into Kolobus in an explosion of sparks and smoke. Kolobus staggered back, but before he could retaliate, Zac advanced, firing again and again, each blast slamming Kolobus back further. One final blast launched the creature into the remains of the temple. Kolobus grabbed at the walls to steady himself when Zac kicked a piece of rubble at the one remaining column, shattering the column and collapsing the ceiling onto Kolobus's head, trapping him under a tangle of debris.

Zac raised his wrist, hoping his idea had worked. "Trini, you there?" he asked.

The communicator crackled a second later. "Zac? I'm here," came Trini's voice.

"Thank goodness," Zac said. "You okay? Can you teleport out?"

There was a pause. "No, it's not working," Trini replied. "Brendan and Scott are here, so are Trystenn's troops. I'm not sure where we are. It's cold and dark. There's things in the shadows that don't have faces, and the stars? Zac, the stars are bleeding."

"The gemstone Kolobus was inside, do you still have it?"

"No, I knew it was a soul jar as soon as he broke free. I threw it into the alley! The one beside the temple!"

Zac glanced along the street. The alley wasn't far. "Just hang on Trini, just for a couple of minutes, okay?" Zac said. "I'm gonna get you guys out of there!" and the communicator fell silent. Zac turned to Trystenn. "We need to get that gemstone."

"You will do no such thing!" Kolobus roared. Extending an enormous arm, he grabbed the street and managed to drag his shoulders free of the wreckage. Gazing around the road, his eyes fell onto Zac and Trystenn. "Stardust demons, arise!"

Lightning crackled from Kolobus's fingertips, dancing along the street, and five glowing figures rose from the ground, turning to face Zac and Trystenn. The demons had red eyes and mouths filled with jagged teeth, but no other distinct features. Their bodies looked to be made of the roadway, streaked with different-coloured rocks and swirls of minerals.

"Get them!" Kolobus shouted.

Trystenn raised his sword. "He has his own minions?" he asked.

"They all do," Zac said. "Get to safety! I can deal with these clowns."

"Those troops were my friends too," Trystenn said. With that, he split his sword into twin blades. With a weapon in either hand, he held them at the ready as the stardust demons closed in. "Enchanted Horathian steel," he added.

"Nice."

"For my own interest," the prince continued, "is there an Earthen expression for this kind of situation?"

Zac tightened his grip around his Power Axe. "I think what you're looking for," he replied, "is bring it on."

The stardust demons charged, shaking the street as they thundered towards their opponents. Zac held back for a second as three of them closed in, then sprang into the air and slammed his boot into the closest demon, forcing it back. It was like kicking solid granite, and he dropped to the ground with a pained grunt. The second demon lunged for the Black Ranger, but Zac ducked the beast's outstretched arms and swung his axe while the demon was off-balance. The demon was too slow to dodge the blow, and the axe cracked the demon's torso open. Without slowing down, Zac spun around and swung again, carving another chunk out of the creature's leg with a second blow before shattering it to dust with a third. The last beast took the opportunity to attack, but Zac didn't give it the chance, aiming the barrel of his axe at the demon's head and firing.

Across the street, Trystenn held his ground as two of the demons approached. Batting their stony fists away with his swords, he forced the creature on his left back with a wide slice, while aiming his right blade for the second demon's head. The second beast stepped around Trystenn's sword while the first fell towards him like an avalanche, but Trystenn sliced through the beast's arm with one blade then carved both swords across the creature's chest. Without slowing down, he spun under the outstretched arms of the second beast. When the first beast swung high, Trystenn caught its arm with one sword, before slashing forward with both blades and taking the beasts' heads clean off.

Zac and Trystenn regrouped in the street while the last demon hung back warily. Kolobus was almost lost for words. "What is happening?" the creature stuttered.

Zac turned to Trystenn. "Damn man," he breathed.

"You ever wonder why my personal guard is always angry?" Trystenn replied, then held the twin blades at the ready. "I'll hold the last one off. You get the gem."

To be continued.