"That's so horrible." Kat said over the view screen. Standing on her left side was Jason the red ranger. On her other side was Kimberly. Tommy stood beside her though he was in black, indicating he was had retaken the black dino ranger powers. Last was Amber the purple space ranger. Mal was really glad to see her fellow purple ranger.
"Too top if off we're not sure what to do now." Mal said as she stood beside Ben, her arms wrapped around his. On her other side Amy stood by her sister while Audrey stood by her best friend. Her loyalty to Ben was another reason Amy was finding it easier to accept Audrey. "And with Chad possessing Maledict's blade?"
"I've never heard of that weapon." Tommy said.
Jason filled in for his old friend. "But we've heard the name." He said grimly. "It's named after one of the strongest demons ever known."
Kimberly frowned too. Each of the first three generations of rangers also knew about the demons that Maledict had spawned from. "What do we do guys?" She asked them.
Amber seemed to be deep in thought. Then she seemed to brighten. "I have an idea that I'll have to take the other space rangers to explore." She gave Ben and Mal a reassuring smile. "We'll do it immediately and hopefully we can send you something to help your majesty."
"You don't guys don't have to call me that." Ben assured them with a small but genuine smile. "We've been through too much together for that."
"What do you think about the Highlands ranger?" Amy asked now.
"Sounds like what Trey did when he first came to Earth as the Gold Zeo Ranger." Kat noted.
"But with Amber's skills or very nearly close to them." Jason added.
"That time manipulation thing you said she displayed is far more impressive than my lighting could ever be." Amber replied with a mixture of awe and even a bit of envy. "She'll reveal herself when she's ready. Just hope it's sooner rather than later."
"No argument there." Mal replied. "Both Paradias and Sermaya want her."
"I'll contact you when we have something." Tommy promised their Auradon counterparts. "Be careful guys." With that the communications with the megaship was terminated.
Amy glanced at her sister. "Seeing them is almost as cool as seeing Belle." She said happily.
"And that's our next stop." Ben said to the two girls. "Just in case mom and dad have a solution that's a bit more immediate than hoping something pans through in that world."
"Do you want us to go with you?" Audrey asked him.
Ben thought about it a moment. The idea of having the entire team with him presented a unified front that might be nice for his parents to see. Not that it was a problem otherwise but it might be somewhat inspirational. Then he shook his lightly. "I think it's better if the three of us go. The rest of you should stay here and continue working on the zord repairs and record searches."
"Ben is right." Mal agreed. "If I could get Amy to stay here I'd do that, but nothing short of an order would make that happen." She placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. "And I won't do that one."
Audrey nodded in understanding. "Alright." She relented. "But contact us if anything happens."
"Promise." Mal said and the three of them headed out of the command center.
An hour later they made their way to the castle. Each was more exhausted than they wanted to admit; after all they had now had four long and tiresome battles in one day. They entered the castle to see something they had not counted on. Belle was having a late afternoon tea with Cinderella and Wendy, with their two daughters doing homework at a table a little ways from them.
"What a surprise." Belle said as she stood up, embracing Ben and the two girls. Then she gave a mock frown to Mal. "You didn't break the dragon's eye again, did you?" She asked teasingly.
"No, ma'am." Ben said. "I'm the one with the broken weapon here."
"Are you alright? When did that happen?" Belle asked him with shock in her voice.
"I bet it was when those beast things attacked the school." Callie noted as she looked up from her homework. "There were a lot of them." She had been in one of the classrooms at the time of the attack and those who were able to were locked down. She had heard a lot of the commotion but had gotten most of the information second hand.
"Sadly it was." Ben confirmed even as he looked to his mother. "He grabbed my blade and snapped it into a few pieces. They're at the command center now."
"I'm sure repairing the sword is an easy matter." Cinderella surmised now. Mal felt a bit uneasy around her, as in a way she assumed the woman would blame them for what happened with her son, though if she did she gave no sign of it. "But I bet it's the magic that was in it that's the problem here."
Ben nodded. "You're right ma'am." He confirmed. He looked to his mother. "We were hoping something in here," He indicated the library. "Might have an answer to that."
"I also suggested we contact the rangers of Earth." Amy added with a small smile. Mal was certain her sister was looking for some approval from Belle. It was a feeling she understood, Maleficent was practically nonexistent with it. "Amber and the others said they would look into it."
"A very good idea Amy." Belle said with a smile as she stroked her hair softly. She looked to Ben and Mal. "And probably a very realistic one too." She added with an apologetic tone to her voice. "These all originated with Zordon. Being able to replace them is very hard to do, maybe even impossible."
Mal stroked Ben's hand. They were both afraid she would say that one.
"Can't Fairy Godmother place an enchantment on it?" Cinderella questioned them. She of course knew what it could do; it had won her her prince after all.
"I assume not since she never mentioned it." Mal replied. Fairy Godmother had been rather reluctant with magic use after all and only allowed it with the ranger problems because it was important to win. "Maybe it has to do with it being an item that came from Zordon."
Suddenly the power in the castle went off, making everyone jump just a little. Amy could just make out Callie and Whitney move closer to each other as if that would keep them safe. Of course she backed up closer to Mal so what could she really say about it?
"You would think that you guys could afford to pay your electric bills." Mal tried to joke weakly. As expected the joke seemed to have fallen through.
Then an eerie orange light seemed to pulse throughout the library. Ben noticed Mal and Amy both wince in pain. "What's wrong?" He asked them.
"That pulse." Mal tried to explain. "It felt wrong. Evil."
"As opposed to?" Ben asked.
"Not just evil." Amy tried to explain. "Not like Paradias's or even like moms. It felt like…" She was grasping for words and failing to find them as much as her sister was. "It felt more primal than that, more powerful."
The doors seemed to open on their own and a moment later they saw Chad standing there at the door.
"Chad?" Callie asked. She felt confused to see her brother after all this time. Her mother stood in front of the two girls a little.
"Oh, no." Mal gasped. She looked to Ben. "Text the others and tell them to get here right now." Then she and Amy stepped forward a little more to deal with him.
"Hello ladies." Chad said with an evil grimace. He looked to Belle and said nothing. Then he looked to Cinderella. "Hello, mother. Is that my darling little sister you have behind you?"
"Chad, whatever you're doing you have to stop this before it becomes too late." Cinderella tried to plead.
Chad laughed. "Stop what?" He asked as he stepped into the room. They noticed he had drawn Maledict's blade. Both girls remembered what Jordan had told them she felt when she had first seen the blade. Its overwhelming evil had helped her break out of Maleficent's spell. "I've finally realized why the Isle of the Lost was created, and that was to stop others from realizing the true power of evil."
"The true price of evil you mean." Mal stated as she reached for her iPhone. "Chad, by rights most of our parents should be dead after what they did, from Jafar and Grimholde and even our mother."
"Or imprisoned." Amy added. "Like Cruella." She too was reaching for her iPhone. "
"I was wrong to try to follow that path." Mal said. "Amy was right never to want that path." She looked hard at Chad. She wasn't sure Audrey could ever forgive him for what he had done to her but was sure the brunette princess would try if she had to. Then again, Mal wasn't sure she could forgive him for what he had done to her second in command and extended sister. But she had only so much room to talk. "You need to get off of this path before it ruins you or ends your life."
"You were the foolish one Mal. You and your friends." Chad said. "Not to follow the paths laid out before you." He raised his sword. "I am going to cement my legacy by ending the people who would think they could keep be bound."
"We won't be so easy to kill Chad." Mal promised. She and Amy took out their iPhones, input their numbers and transformed.
Chad laughed at them. "Don't think so highly of yourself Mal." He told her with amusement. "The world may revolve around you as far as Ben is concerned, but it doesn't." He again stepped toward them. "I have this for you." He waved the sword and a large scorpion like creature appeared in front of them. It had two tails rather than one and Mal was already sure they didn't want to get hit by those stingers.
"What is it you want Chad?" Ben demanded.
"I've come to end them." He pointed the blade at his mother and sister. "And then I'll end my father. Then my past will be behind me for good."
"I won't let you do that." Ben said. "And the rest of the team are on their way."
They were indeed running toward the castle. Then the team got blasted and they were forced to stop. They looked to see Reviveslime, Gregory, and Jabberwock in front of them. "You're not allowed go to the castle, they need some privacy." Gregory told them.
"Out of our way." Will demanded. Ben had told him that his sister was there and he wanted to get there and protect her.
"Feel free to try then." Reviveslime said. "Get by us, if you can."
The rangers took out their iPhones, input their numbers and transformed. Except for Jane who needed the magic wand to transform. They moved to engage the enemy though some of them were trying to slip by them to go to the castle.
"I wouldn't worry so much about it." Reviveslime said as he slashed at Will and Lonnie. "Your little sister doesn't have to die. All she has to do is stay out of Chad's way as he completes his ascension."
"I don't know what you mean by ascension but it can't be good." Lonnie noted.
Will grimaced because he knew if Whitney had to keep a friend safe she would do it regardless of the risk. And he knew Callie was probably her best friend.
"Mal, keep the safe." Amy said to her older sister. "I'll deal with the scorpion thing."
"But…" Mal started. Then she saw her sister's posture and sighed. "Be careful." She drew her dragon's eye staff even as Amy drew her rose lance. Then they went to work.
Mal jabbed the staff at Chad and he stepped back. He combined Maledict's blade with the shield to transform. He slashed the sword at her and the two weapons clashed. Mal could feel the power even from that position and it worried her.
"You're getting in my way Mal." He said, sounding entirely reasonable. "You might not live to regret it if you don't get out of my way."
"I won't let you hurt Cinderella or Callie." Mal reminded him.
Amy moved in to attack the scorpion monster and instead let out a little shriek as the two tails lashed out and tried to smash into her. She took enough steps back and then it pulled the tails back and moved into try to entangle her into its pincer. She jumped up and landed on its back, but found the skin was scaly and slimy. She was unable to stay on long and barely managed to land on her feet.
"Looks like a slippery little freak." Ben noted. He wanted to help one of them but he couldn't figure out how.
Chad tried to slip by Mal but she was able to block him again. "I won't let you get to them." She warned. "You have to get by me to do it."
He laughed at her. "Suit yourself." He replied. "But if you protect them you lose your sister. She can't take that monster on her own, your prince can't come to her aid and I have some friends that are going to make sure your friends aren't going to make it."
Mal hesitated. She suspected that he was referring to Gregory, Reviveslime and Jabberwock, as well as maybe Marcellus. She grimaced as she realized she was in a very tight spot. "It's the risk we take." She tried to convince…someone.
The scorpion monster lashed out with its pincer. Amy tried to dodge it but didn't expect the thing to raise its arm up and it sent her flying hard and into Ben. Belle let out a gasp as she saw Ben's head strike the floor and Amy was forced to power down.
Mal couldn't help it, she panicked. She ran over and tackled the scorpion creature hard.
That was the opening Chad wanted and he advanced on the two young girls and his mother. Whitney reached over and grabbed a glass and tossed it at him. It struck the armor harmlessly. "You stay away from them." Whitney said to him.
He laughed. "Do you really think you're intimidating me little girl?" He asked her.
"Chad, don't do this." Cinderella tried to plead to her son. She had already feared that she was had lost her only son but this was the final proof. Still as a mother she could always hope.
"Sorry mom." Chad said with a sardonic tone. "But I have to do what I have to do." He raised his sword, ready to take Cinderella down. Whitney was trying to intercept it but was being held back by her.
Then one of the windows shattered and the Highlands ranger flipped right in. "Sorry about that, your highness." She said as she glanced at Belle. "I'll be more than happy to pay for that." She faced Chad with her blades drawn. "Just as soon as your unwanted guests are removed."
"Don't worry about it." Belle said to her. "Just stop him." She was already at her son's side and tending to Amy as well.
"Gladly." She turned back to Chad but even felt a shiver go up her spine as she saw Maledict's blade. "That's a nasty blade ye have there."
"You'll find out when I take your head off with it." Chad promised. He tried to feint right to get to his mother but the girl was already in front of him. She lashed out and kicked him hard in the chest. Then she twirled around and brought the blade down toward him but he used his shield to block the attack.
He tried to slam the shield into the Highlands ranger but she was able to dodge the ram attack and then leapt up and kicked him in the head. She saw Cinderella and Callie flinch at that but unfortunately she could have told them it didn't have much impact.
"We have to get by them somehow." Audrey said as she slashed Jabberwock with pointy edge of her bow. She was not happy to see that the creature didn't seem to care about that and then had to dodge a stream of fire sent her way.
"No, actually only some of us have to get by them." Jordan realized. She already knew Will would want to check on his sister and Lonnie would want to go with them. She kind of assumed Audrey would want to check on her friend and Evie would want to check on Mal and Amy. "Ally, Aziz, focus on Reviveslime. Carlos, Jane focus on Gregory, Jay we'll focus on Jabberwock." The rangers nodded and three attacking units moved in and attacked as quickly as they could.
The four remaining rangers were just barely able to slip by the fight, though Reviveslime launched an attack at them that they were barely able to dodge.
"Hang on Amy, M." Evie whispered. "Help is on the way."
Chad brought his blade around and tried to take the Highland ranger's head off but she blocked it one of her blades even as she turned around and set her other blade on the ground as leverage to connect hard with his chest.
Mal dodged a dual tail strike from the scorpion monster. She then moved in and brought the staff up against its head but it didn't seem to feel it. "What are you made of?" Mal wondered irritably.
Ben moaned softly and rubbed his head. "What hit me?" He asked and then looked at Amy. "Oh right, he flung you right at me." He said and laughed.
"Yeah, flung me like I was a piece of paper." Amy said softly. She went to slide off of Ben and realized her head was spinning. "Oh, dizzy." She moaned. Ben kept her steady by his mother.
The scorpion monster slapped Mal hard and she rolled hard into one of the bookcases, causing many of them to fall to the floor. It then reared its tail back and started toward the three undefended people. The two tails lashed out at them and Mal reacted, taking the two tail stings right in the shoulders hard.
"Mal!" Belle gasped.
The scorpion thing seemed to let out what sounded like a laugh as Mal tumbled hard to the ground beside Belle and was forced to power down herself. It then reared its tails back and got ready to strike again.
"You are one ugly thing, and I can't even call you little." Audrey said as the four rangers burst in. The scorpion turned to look at them. Audrey released a hail of arrows at the scorpion creature only to see most of them reflect off.
"That's some tough skin." Will noted. He was glad to see that his sister was okay. Cinderella was protecting her and her daughter. He was also doubly relieved to see that Chad had his own problems in the form of the Highlands ranger. He and Lonnie moved to help her with Chad.
The scorpion let loose a burst of energy from its mouth and the four of them flinched at the close impact. "How are we going to beat this thing?" Lonnie wondered.
Evie had an idea. "Let's get to Chad." The four rangers moved out again and this time the scorpion monster let loose streams of energy from its open claws. That was Evie wanted though as she raised her mirror force shield and let the energy collect, forcing it right back at the monster, who seemed to implode from the impact.
With that done Will moved in and slammed into Chad hard. Lonnie was right by him and he was surrounded by the three rangers even as Audrey and Evie went to check on Belle and their team mates.
Chad growled as he realized his chances of killing his mother and sister were had just gone downhill drastically. "I don't know who you are but when we find you we're going to make sure you pay for all that you've done." Chad promised the Highland ranger.
"Oh, I'm a shakin' can't you tell." She said mockingly as he vanished.
Will was about to ask her who she was when Audrey let out a small horrified gasp. "I just lost Mal's pulse." She announced shakily.
"What?" Amy asked in panic. Will and Lonnie were immediately by their second in command side.
"Where's Jordan? Ben asked as he placed his hands on Amy's shoulders to comfort her. Belle was by her son with her hand on his arm.
"We got stopped by Gregory and the other two monsters." Evie said shakily, trying her best not to lose her footing. "We separated to come help you guys."
"They should be on their way here right now then." Lonnie said. "I bet they ran when Chad did."
Sure enough they did and had come to the castle only to find out what had happened. Jordan knelt down and placed her hand on Mal's forehead.
"What are you waiting for?" Audrey asked, trying not to explode. "Make with the potion so we can get the poison out of her."
"It's not that simple." Jordan snapped at her. After a moment the two girls calmed down and gave each other apologetic looks that conveyed their understanding. "Look, I don't recognize the poison in her. Whatever was in that scorpion things two tails is a poison I've never seen before." She explained.
"So what do we do?" Amy asked her, tears already in her eyes.
"Chad summoned that thing with that scary looking blade of his." Whitney said to them. "If that helps."
"Maledict's blade?" Jordan questioned and when the girl nodded she sighed. "It must have been some kind of demon then." She concluded. "That's why I don't know the poison."
"How do we find out what it is then?" Ally asked as Amy went over to her sister and placed her head on her lap.
"We have to contact the rangers again and see what ideas they have." Ben said. "Which means we have go to the command center."
Belle stood and went over to the fireplace. She pressed a small indention in it and it separated to reveal a large screen. "We can link to the command center's systems from here and contact the Earth rangers from here." She said to them. She was too was very worried about Mal. She looked to Cinderella. "You can use the phone there to make sure that your husband is safe as well."
Cinderella nodded, only leaving her daughter's side when Will came over to stand with her and his sister. Then she moved to the phone to make sure her husband was okay.
They hadn't really been paying attention and so they were all surprised to hear, "If that thing used a poison on her that we canna cure here, then even if we find out what to do, how do we go about doin' it?" The Highlands ranger asked.
Identity was not important right now. The truth was. "I don't know." Ben answered her grimly as Jane shakily went over to help Belle connect their system with the command center's system. "I just don't know." He repeated softly as he looked down at Mal, unconscious and slowly dying on Amy's lap.