To Ashes

The Saffron Sentinel drew her bow, firing lightning bolts at the evil witch while the Solaris Knight ushered the villagers to safety after destroying the hidiacs and monsters who accompanied the dark witch.

"So, how is it to get your brother back?" Bandora taunted her.

"He is not my brother. Not anymore." Lena said vehemently, leaping back to avoid getting hit by a curse.

"Do you know the reason he wanted to learn dark magic?" She leered at the knight.

"Whatever reason, it doesn't matter." The knight scoffed, firing at the witch.

Bandora smirked, disappearing in a swirl of purple smoke and reappearing behind her.

Lena turned around just in time to erect a forcefield. Dark energy beams collided against the barrier, threatening to shatter it when the dark witch was hit by a sphere of golden light, sending her staggering backwards and forcing her to drop the spell.

The lightning knight let out a sigh as she dropped the shield.

"You okay?" Daggeron asked, rushing to her side.

She nodded as Bandora clapped her hands.

"Two against one. Not very chivalric of you knights, is it?" She snarked. "What was it that your precious Leanbow used to say about honour?"

"Don't you dare speak his name!" Daggeron warned, aiming his blaster at the witch.

"She is trying to get a rise out of you." Lena said, placing a hand on Daggeron's shoulder. "We know what you are capable of, Bandora. We won't make the mistake of underestimating you."

"You flatter me!" She laughed, her robes shifting into a form fitting obsidian armour. A rapier appeared in her hands as she charged at the two rangers.

Neil twirled his magi staff, letting loose a blast of ice that froze the hidiacs crawling towards him.

He turned around to see Vida blow away the hidiacs with her fairy wings and Xander submerge them underneath the soil. Chip eradicated a sizeable portion of the enemy soldiers with his thunder bolts and Maddie swung her trident, slashing through them.

Nick and Ryan were locked in combat with the new knight Wolf, who wore silver armour with ruby accentuations. His visor shone with purple light as he threw back the red and titanium rangers.

"Something feels wrong…" Ryan muttered, sensing powerful amounts of dark energy radiate from the new knight.

"Come on! We got this!" Nick urged, wings of flame swirling around him as he called upon his phoenix avatar and dived at the knight.

There was a burst of silver light as the knight's helmet shattered revealing the head of a gigantic wolf with gleaming eyes and jagged fangs. He let go of his sword and shield, which fell on the pavement with an ominous clatter. Claws tore through his gloved hands and his body grew, towering over Nick as he slammed against the knight. A burst of purple energy radiated from his body, extinguishing the phoenix flames.

"NO!" Ryan screamed, running at them with his axe.

The other rangers ran at them, their mystic weapons at the ready.

Before they realised, the werewolf had grabbed the red ranger by his neck, hoisting him to the air and letting out a howl of victory.

Nick fidgeted, trying to strike the werewolf with his sword, which he easily swatted away, tightening his grip.

"Let him go!" Ryan yelled, leaping at the villain with his axe, only for the werewolf to fire a blast of purple magic with his free hand, that sent him staggering back.

The werewolf bared his fangs at them, the corners of his mouth twisting into a malicious grin as he snapped Nick's neck. The red ranger fell to the ground, immediately demorphing.

"NO!" Maddie yelled, swinging her trident and an arc of blue magic slammed against the monster, forcing him back, sparks flying across his armour.

"Nick!" Ryan scrambled to where Nick lay, his eyes wide open with terror, his body sprawled on the street.

"Now it's your turn to join your leader!" The werewolf growled at them.

"You will pay for this." Vida said slowly, stepping forwards, her hands lighting up with purple energies. Fairy wings sprouted out from her back, before withering away to dust and giant leathery bat wings replaced them. Her visor turned red and her suit darkened to mauve.

Dark spell circles appeared around her, as whip like constructs of dark energies lashed at the werewolf.

As Vida flew at the werewolf, the other rangers surrounded the fallen red ranger. Maddie fell to her knees. Neil sobbed on Xander's shoulder while Chip stood still, his crossbow hanging limply from his arm. Ryan cradled Nick in his lap, his helmet dematerialising.

"There must be something we can do!" Maddie sobbed.

"No magic can bring back the dead." Ryan croaked, burying his head on Nick's shirt.

Vida didn't like using dark magic but this time, she had no hesitation. She snapped her fingers and strong winds slammed against the werewolf, tearing through his armour. Black and purple energies swirled around her magi staff as she aimed it at the monster, who whimpered as tendrils of black energies latched across his arms, preventing him from escaping.

Words she didn't understand escaped her lips, the Dark moulding her thoughts into the perfect spell.

A torrent of destructive energies slammed against the warrior, making him scream for his life as he was consumed by the attack.

She should have done this sooner instead of pretending she was still a human.

Vida landed on the ground, near the other rangers, her wings disappearing as her morph shattered. She fell to her knees as fresh tears escaped her eyes.

She could have done this sooner.

Her hesitation had cost Nick his life.

Udonna gasped, seeing the event unfold in her crystal ball. Clare and Darien had just left Rootcore hastily but the unthinkable had already happened while Imperious was attacking them.

Though she hadn't known Nick for long, tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

All her rangers had been so young…

She had condemned Nick to this fate by choosing him to be the red wizard.

The witch fell to her knees sobbing as the overwhelming feeling of loss devoured her.

I know you guys didn't see this coming but all I can say without giving spoilers, is that the next chapter will be worth enduring this cliffhanger.

Reviewer Replies:

RPM Shadow: I am sorry for your loss. Hope you feel better soon.

D.J. Scales: Thanks. I don't know enough about KH to include it.

Miley Pinkys: I posted the first chapter of the other story. It's titled "Mystic Force: A Different Destiny".