Chapter 168 The Burden Hardest to Bear Part 2
Six streaking beams of light make their way through the sky.. Pink, Red, Yellow, White, Black and Blue finally rest upon the ground of where Chris met his untimely doom.. When the beams of light are fully rested, they form into Ryan, Nakia, Zelda, Kimberly, Chet and Joey.
They look around and notice nothing but the impending darkness that shall soon envelop the area. The smoke that was once in the pit, has completely made its way to the surface, so not only does the area look kind of scary, but its foggy as well. Ryan looks at Zelda and asks.
Ryan-Zelda, where's the pit you said Chris dug?
Zelda looks around but the fog is so thick, and this is disabling her ability to be able to see where the pit actually is.. She says.
Zelda-Can't really see in this fog.
Nakia-Let's look around.. And the first one who yelps, let us know where you fell.
Ryan asks.
Ryan-What are you talking about?
Nakia-Since we can't really see. I figure one of us will probably find the pit by falling in.
Everyone starts chuckling except for Zelda.. She says after coming up with an idea.
Zelda-Don't worry. I'll.
She is interrupted by ghostly voices lurking around them. They all start to really worry.. Kimberly says.
Kimberly-Oh I am very afraid of ghosts. I really really am scared of ghosts!
Nakia-Me too!
They both hug each other shaking in fear. Zelda says to them.
Zelda-Calm down.
Nakia-Easy for you to say, you're not afraid of ghosts I think!
Zelda-I never really thought to be afraid of them.
Kimberly-Really, why not?
Zelda-I don't know. I just never really thought about them but I have always believed in them.
Chet and Joey adds.
Chet-I never really believed in them.. Till now.
Joey-I've always believed in them myself, just never really cared to take notice.. Probably because if I thought about it, I'd be scared as..
The word Joey uses after as is censored.
Ryan-I'll just say there's no time to be scared of them with Chris in the bad situation he is in now, we've got to focus and think about getting him better.
Kimberly-You're right Ryan.
Finally Nakia and Kimberly let go of each other to calm themselves down completely.
Back at the old weather station, in the healing chamber.. Jeremy walks down the stairway corridor.. He see's Lightwing still trying to understand the exact nature of Chris' unfortunate ness. He asks him.
Jeremy-Any luck Lightwing?
Lightwing sits upon Chris' bare chest.. He says to Jeremy.
Lightwing-Not yet. I'm still probing. I have to find out the nature of his condition.
Jeremy-Okay.
Suddenly flashes, very faint flashes appear before Lightwing's mind.. Flashes of death, flashes of misery, torture, war, pestilence.. It all fills his mind as he continues his work.
Back at the eerie sight.. Zelda has used her wind power to blow away the heavy fog.. She spots the pit Chris dug and leads her friends over to it.. When they do end up getting close to it, she says.
Zelda-Be careful guys. This thing is really dangerous.
Nakia says.
Nakia-Lightwing wants us to bring back something Chris touched in the pit?
Ryan-Yeah.
Loud screaming is heard and at the same time, bursts of ghostly shadows emerge from the pit and scare everyone into jumping slightly away.
Kimberly's teeth start to chatter slightly when she says.
Kimberly-G..hosts!
Ryan-We have to get down there.
Nakia grabs on Ryan's arm and asks him frightfully.
Nakia-Do we really have to?!
Ryan-Yeah babe. You know we do.
Zelda adds.
Zelda-It might be the only way to save Chris. We can't let him down.
Zelda gulps as more screaming from in the pit is heard, this time its more sorrowful. Then they hear voices saying the same thing.
Voices-Our burden hardest to bear. Take it away.. Free us from our earthly bind. Our burden hardest to bear.
Zelda says.
Zelda-They keep saying their burden hardest to bear..
Chet-This really isn't making any sense to me.
Zelda-It's not making much sense to me either. But we've got to go down there.
Kimberly's teeth still chatter..
Kimberly-I am.. So. Scared!
The voices start screaming again in a sorrowful tone.. Nakia lets go of Ryan's arm and says as she believes she's beginning to understand.
Nakia-Those ghosts. It sounds like they need help.
Joey asks.
Joey-But why do they want Chris?
Nakia-No idea.
Zelda-Those things told me because Chris touched their burden hardest to bear..
She sighs.
Zelda-Oh I'm so sick of saying that. It's like a useless riddle!
An image of Lightwing appears before everyone.. He says.
Lightwing-Rangers, return to the weather station immediately.. You don't have to go into the pit.. There has been a break through.
Ryan sighs with relief..
Ryan-Allright, we're on our way.
Kimberly starts to feel better and so does everyone else.
A few minutes pass, and everyone is back in the healing chambers of their base.. Lightwing is still sitting upon Chris' chest. He then flaps his wings to remove himself to speak directly to the Rangers.
Lightwing-I found the reason..
Zelda says without patience.
Zelda-Tell us, Lightwing!
Lightwing-The mortal Chris' body as I said before has been linked to the world of the dead. And like I also mentioned as a theory which has now been proven.. There is a war going on between the dead.
Ryan asks.
Ryan-A war?
Lightwing-Yes. But it is not just any war.. It seems the very area of where the mortal Chris dug was a war ground many centuries ago.
Chet-Whoa!
Lightwing-An evil army came to that very spot and slaughtered the land's inhabitants..
Nakia-Why didn't those people fight back?
Lightwing-Their king was weak.. He told them to just try to flee, and when they followed his foolish command, they met their doom.
Zelda-But why do they want Chris, Lightwing?
Lightwing-Apparently his spirit is very strong. The king wants to make up for so many centuries of pain, failure and misery. In a way he was trying to recruit Chris to enter their war of the dead. Yet, he wasn't trying to bring Chris himself.
Zelda-Huh?
Lightwing-His intention is simple. He wants to possess Chris and lead his people to victory. Hmm.. Although I felt another strange sense.. A stronger sense like the King thinks Chris to be someone he's not.
Zelda-What? Really?
Lightwing-Yes.
Joey-Can you please explain all of this a little bit more?
Lightwing-There are two armies.. One army is evil and the other is good but weak. The evil army was already dead to begin with and when they slaughtered the good army and its people they trapped them within their world of the dead. The souls of those people are being tortured continuously.
Zelda-Oh that's horrible!
Lightwing-Yes, I know. Problem is. I felt such a strong sense of power which told me the king will not allow Chris to slip through.. He will eventually search for him till he is found.
Ryan-We can't let him do that! It's not Chris' fault the king turned out to be a coward and led his people to their deaths..
Lightwing-I know.
Zelda-So you were right Lightwing.. Their burden is war.
Lightwing-Yes, a war that has been going on for many centuries.. It has been buried within the ground of the dead's ancient civilization.
Zelda-Why think a war is just a burden though?
Lightwing-The best explanation I can come up with is because the King still has not taken it to its heaviest depth. Yet he wants his people to be free.
Nakia-All this ghost talk is really freaking me out. Big time..
Kimberly-Me too.
Chris starts babbling again, and his body shakes violently as he says.
Chris-UGHH! DEATH! MORE DEATH! WAR, WAR, DEATH! FREE, FREE!
Zelda exclaims and everyone starts to fear.
Zelda-Oh no, he's doing it again! We've got to do something to make all of this leave Chris alone!
Suddenly Chris' shaking stops.
Zelda-Oh I feel so bad! I feel so terribly bad!
Nakia puts her hand on Zelda's shoulder and says.
Nakia-Zelda, don't worry about it too much. We'll save Chris before anything happens to him.
Joey asks.
Joey-Yeah, but how do we do that?
Zelda blurts out to Lightwing.
Zelda-Can't we just fill the hole back up again?! Won't that solve this?
Lightwing-If only it were that easy Zelda.. But it's not.
Nakia asks Lightwing.
Nakia-Then Lightwing.. How can we help Chris and stop all of this?
Lightwing-You all must go into the world of the dead.
Nakia coils up in utter fear.
Nakia-Say what?!
Kimberly protests.
Kimberly-No way.. I'm not going. I'm too scared as it is.
Chet looks down at the floor but says nothing.. Still they can all tell he is protesting going into the dead world too.
Lightwing-That is the only way. There is a dark lord in that world.. The leader of the evil army.. If he is destroyed completely from the spirit world then those who call for help will be free.. And will be at peace.
Joey-Man this is way too much.. And I thought our previous battles were tough.
Nakia-This is more than too much.. It's downright scary!
Lightwing-Rangers you are only letting your fear of spirits blind you.. Besides you have seen spirits before.
Nakia-Not spirits like this.. Not spirits that all reside in a world of the dead that we have to go into just to save them because of their stupid king who was too chicken in life to fight back!
Kimberly-Yeah.. She's right Lightwing.. Those spirits we saw just came at us all through the pit.. Like a burst of ugly looking cloud or something.
Lightwing-That is because they're in need of help. They have to be set free. Because if they don't they will hound the mortal Chris until the King inhabits his spirit.. Which for Chris means..
Zelda stops him.
Zelda-Don't say it..
Lightwing says nothing..
Ryan takes a deep look at Chris, and notices his labored breathing and the sweat build up on his chest. He says.
Ryan-We can't just let him suffer. We just can't. It's our mission to help the good beings on this planet.. Whether dead or alive.
Nakia sighs..
Nakia-You're right, Ryan.. You're right.
Ryan nods his head.
Joey says.
Joey-We did take an oath as Rangers.. Kinda like a doctor does before he actually becomes a doctor.
Zelda-Yeah, and as a team we can get through anything.
Kimberly is still scared but she can't let it get in her way.. She says.
Kimberly-I am really scared of all of this.. But I have to do my part as the White Ranger.
Chet's eyes move from looking down at the floor.. He looks at his friends and says.
Chet-Count me in.
Ryan takes a deep breath and says to Lightwing.
Ryan-Then it's settled.
Lightwing says cheerfully.
Lightwing-I knew you wouldn't let Chris down, Rangers.
Ryan-We'll do our best Lightwing, you know that.
Lightwing-Of course I do. And trust in your powers. They have done well for you all this time.. Even in the land of the dead they will still serve you well.
Nakia asks.
Nakia-Do ya have to keep calling it the land of the dead?
Lightwing says apologetically.
Lightwing-I'm sorry. Forgive me.
Nakia-I will if you don't say it again.
Lightwing-I won't.
Nakia-Then I forgive you.
Everyone chuckles.
Lightwing receives a vision.. He says quickly.
Lightwing-Rangers, I sense the spirit of the King rising again.. You have to morph, get to the site and jump into their world!
Ryan nods his head.. He looks at his friends assuringly as they nod their heads as well.
Ryan-Allright guys.. Let's do it!
They all nod in agreement again.. Soon they materialize their morphers.. Zelda steps forward and shouts out..
Zelda-IT'S MORPHIN TIME!
Now touching their color coded stars on their morphers, they each say one by one.
Zelda-STAR WINDSTORM POWER, PINK!
Ryan-STAR FIRESTORM POWER, RED!
Nakia-STAR LIGHTNINGSTORM POWER, YELLOW!
Chet-STAR HAILSTORM POWER, BLACK!
Kimberly-STAR SNOWSTORM POWER, WHITE!
Joey-STAR RAINSTORM POWER, BLUE!
Their morphers produce a blinding flash of light.. Which has now taken us to an essence of the Universe.
Quickly and very sudden, a large pink star appears twirling within the essence, when it stops, a breeze of powerful winds rip the star to pieces of pink energy that comes together and forms into the Pink Star Storm Power Ranger. She stands bravely as her suit glows and flashes with the color of pink. Now, leaping up and twisting her body around, when she lands she continues on by doing a couple of back flips. And when the final power phase is complete, she lands on her feet which sounds a screeching power wind and causes an image of the powerful elemental wind force to appear.
Next a large red star appears twirling within the essence, when it stops, a burst of fiery flames breaks the red star into red energy comes together to form into the Red Star Storm Power Ranger. There he stands with his suit glowing and flashing with the color of red as he leaps up and twists his body around.. When he lands back onto the floor of the essence, he commences on by doing a couple of back flips. And finally when the power phase is complete, he lands on his feet which sounds a blazing fire storm and causes an image of flames to appear.
Next, a large yellow star appears twirling within the essence, when it stops, a fierce band of yellow lightning bolts strike the yellow star and completely breaks it into yellow energy that comes together and forms into the Yellow Star Storm Power Ranger. There she stands with her suit glowing and flashing with the color of yellow as she leaps up and twists her body around.. When she lands back onto the floor of the essence, she commences on by doing a couple of back flips. And finally when the power phase is complete, she lands on her feet which sounds a thunder clap and causes an image of fierce lightning bolts to appear..
Next, Chet's large black star appears twirling within the essence, when it stops it becomes covered in pure ice which causes the star to break apart into black energy that comes back together and transforms into the Black Star Hail Storm Power Ranger. He stands with determination and strong will as his body suit sets off a glow and flashes with the color of black. Now he ends up leaping upward and twisting his body around, when he lands he continues on by doing back flips. Finally when his transformation phase is finished, he lands on his feet he sounds a growling pounding like hail storm force and causes an image of a fierce hailstorm to appear.
Next, a large white star appears twirling within the essence, when it freezes, a high force of snow tears the star completely apart therefore the pieces form into white energy that comes together and transforms into the White Star Storm Power Ranger. She stands with determination as her body suit sets off a glow and flashes with the color of white. Now she end up leaping upward and twisting her body around, when she lands she continues on by doing back flips. Finally when her transformation phase is finished, she lands on her feet she sounds a snarling snow force and causes an image of a beautiful snow storm to appear.
And last but definitely not least, Joey's large blue star appears twirling inside of the essence. It halts and almost instantly a strong force of rain beats the star till it completely comes apart into many broken up pieces. Those pieces form into bright blue energy that soon come together to transform into the Blue Star Rain Storm Power Ranger. He stands with honor as his body suit glows and flashes with the color blue. He ends his transformation by leaping up and twisting his body around, when he lands he does several back flips.. And when he's finished, he lands on his feet which sounds a force of beating rain and causes an image of a powerful rain storm beating upon the earth to appear.
Lightwing says to them as their bodies form into beams of light that streak upward towards the ceiling and vanish.
Lightwing-Good luck Power Rangers.. Return safely.
