So uh...surprise!
This has been something I've had in the works for a little while (you should see my notes, the ravings of a madwoman). This is a brand new series of what I'm calling standalone stories, the first of which being Mystic Force. It's not linked to Ari's series, it's completely new and different!
The timeline kind of got yeeted out the window, and I've done a lot of chaotic worldbuilding.
I hope you like it!
Chapter 1: Broken Spell Part 1
There was an uneasy feeling in the air, and it set Carvallain on edge. If someone had asked him what was making him so uneasy, he wouldn't have been able to give an answer, and that only annoyed him more.
It wasn't unreasonably quiet in the forest where he walked; birds were singing as usual in the trees, and the cool breeze that was blowing created an almost constant rustling to accompany the birdsong. Yet Carvallain still felt as if something was off, and his hand twitched as if wanting to move to his side where the sword hung from his hip.
The forest itself seemed to different to him. The trees towered overhead; their foliage so thick that it hid most of the cloudy sky from sight. Well used to it, the sights usually comforted Carvallain as he stretched his legs after another gruelling training session, yet this time was different.
Stopping his long strides, he closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath to calm himself. Even if the uneasy feeling hadn't quite faded, the deep breath allowed him to relax a little, and his muscles stopped tensing as his hand stopped twitching towards his blade.
"Boo!" the sudden noise directly behind him startled a cry from Carvallain, and he launched forwards before spinning, trying to see what had crept up on him, before he tripped over a tree root protruding from the ground. With a grunt, he landed on the soft ground, kicking up the leaves that covered it.
A peal of tinkling laughter filled the air, cutting through the birdsong. Carvallain's dark brown eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed in an embarrassed glare as he looked up at the one responsible for scaring him.
Swinging upside down, a young woman with long, thick black hair plaited neatly was still laughing hard. Like Carvallain, she wore a plain tunic, only while his had a long-sleeved undershirt, hers didn't; revealing bruises dotted along her arms. She wore dark brown trousers tucked into a pair of leather boots, and while Carvallain carried his sword on his hip, she carried one on her back that seemed to be about to fall.
"Titania…" the furious growl finally stopped her laughter, and Titania's eyes opened. She also had brown eyes, but hers were a shade lighter than his almost black ones. "You're lucky I didn't try to cut your head off!" finally Carvallain got to his feet, brushing off leaves that clung to his clothes.
"Oh yes, so lucky…" Titania smirked, and swung to unhook her legs from the branch she was dangling from. Flipping through the air, she landed on her feet with easy and straightened up. "Your scream was so sharp it did indeed risk separating my head from my shoulders," she taunted. Carvallain blushed; a silverish hue making his fair complexion seem almost ethereal.
"Do you not have more important matters to take care of?" he asked, making a point of continuing to brush dirt from his tunic as he willed his blushing to fade. 'Unbecoming,' he scolded himself as he patted his clothes even though the dirt was long gone.
"As a matter of fact, I was on my way to Rootcore," Titania answered, fixing her hair. She tucked a stray lock behind her ear, revealing how it tapered into a point at a downwards angle. She didn't miss his irritated sigh, and her eyes lit up with glee. "Oh, were you also on your way there? Excellent, let's go together," she decided, and without waiting for him to answer her, she began walking in the direction that Carvallain had been walking in before she had scared him.
"Sounds fantastic," he muttered. It didn't take long for him to catch up with her - he was far taller than the dainty young woman.
"Do you feel it?" for a moment, Carvallain didn't register Titania's words. They were almost dreamy, as if she was in her own world, and he was too busy complaining to himself to focus on them.
"Yes," he answered honestly, seeing no need to lie to her. She hated when he did, anyway, and an annoyed Titania was the last thing he needed. "Do you know what's causing it?" Carvallain asked, looking down at her. She barely passed his elbow.
"Nothing I've ever experienced before," she answered, much more serious than she had been before. "Penny was just as nervous," Titania frowned.
"Lady Penelope was?" Carvallain almost stopped at her words. She nodded, looking grim. "That does not bode well at all," he considered.
"No it does not," Titania murmured.
The two lapsed into thoughtful silence as they walked - Carvallain couldn't help but note that it must be serious to have Titania so solemn. Finally the thick cluster of trees parted to reveal the massive trunk of a dark tree taller than any other in the forest. Carved into the side of it from one of the roots jutting out was a dragon's head, which opened as they approached to allow them to step inside. Well used to it by now, they stepped inside without hesitation.
The inside of the tree had been almost completely hollowed out, and the main room that Carvallain and Titania walked into was large and warm. Lights flickered overhead, and directly in front of them was a wooden table with wooden stools all around it for people to sit on. The walls were lined with shelves, some threatening to collapse under the weight of the tomes bundled in together, while others were filled to the brim with bottles and jars of liquids, leaves, berries and other ingredients.
"Lady Udonna?" Carvallain called out when he didn't see anyone around. There was no response, and his unease grew. He looked at Titania, whose expression told him that she felt the same.
"Udonna? Claire?" Titania called out as she walked further inside. She ignored the showcase by the entrance that was sectioned into seven different colours with brooms inside.
"Yes, I'm here," finally they heard a response, and both relaxed visibly as an older woman emerged from one of the many hallways that made up Rootcore. Wearing a pair of trousers and a pretty top with sleeves that flared out at the hands, both in white, Udonna was still the picture of grace. Her fiery red hair was neatly out of her face in an elaborate style, and her green eyes were as warm as her smile. "Carvallain, Titania, it is good to see you both again," she smiled as she approached. She took Titania's hands and squeezed them gently, before turning to Carvallain. Her right hand touched to her heart, and she bowed.
"Please, there is no need," he raised his hands quickly to stop her as Titania giggled.
"It is always a pleasure to see you both, although I confess it is surprising to see you together," Udonna said as she looked from one to the other. "Carvallain, I know the reason for your arrival, but Titania-"
"Penny asked me to come," Udonna's eyebrows rose at Titania's words. Her smile started to fade, and with a sigh she turned away from them.
"Then she senses it too. And if I am correct, you both do too?" she asked, starting to walk away. She crossed the room and ascended the steps to the raised floor, where a large, very old book was sitting on a podium.
"Yes," both said together, following her along.
"Lady Udonna, what is this unease in the air?" Carvallain asked her, and she looked up at them with a grim expression.
Before Udonna could answer his question, the ground suddenly began to quake. They stumbled, catching hold of furniture around them to steady themselves. Around them, books fell from the shelves around them, clattering loudly as they fell to the ground, before there was the loud shattering of glass as the bottles nearby also tipped from their shelves. The shaking only lasted a few seconds before stopping as suddenly as it had started.
"What was-" before Titania could finish asking, the book near them suddenly began to glow. She instantly fell silent, eyes going wide as she stared at it. In all her life, she'd never seen the book do anything.
"There is a crack in the Gate," Udonna spoke gravely as she looked at the image that had appeared in the book. She then looked at Titania, and then at Carvallain before speaking again. "The darkness has returned," her words stunned the pair into silence, who had no idea just how to react.
It had been 18 years since the final battle had taken place. 18 years since dark magic had finally lost the war and been banished; the Gates to the Underworld sealed.
Now there was a crack in the Gate. Dark magic could once again return.
Two hours had passed since Udonna had delivered the grave news to Titania and Carvallain. She had left almost straight after, telling the two to wait there until her return. She still had yet to come back, and Carvallain was practically wearing a hole in the ground by pacing the whole time.
"What if something has happened to her?" Carvallain wondered aloud as he continued to pace. Titania was cleaning up the last of the mess that the brief earthquake had caused, getting rid of the broken bottles while noting down what had been destroyed.
"Something happen to Udonna? You're talking ridiculous, Car," her words were blunt, but it was the nickname that made him wince. He hated that nickname. "She has her Snow Staff. As long as she has that, she'll be fine," Titania said, so confident that he couldn't help but believe her.
"Yeah, you're right," Carvallain sighed and walked over to the table. He sat down, resisting the urge to slump, and lifted one of the books that was sitting there. "This is just…not what I expected. Dark magic…it's supposed to be in the past. Supposed to be…" he trailed off, and frustration welled up inside of him. He slammed his fist against the table, causing it to shudder. Titania didn't even flinch, continuing to sweep up.
"I don't want to fight," she said quietly as she gathered up the broken glass.
"I know," Carvallain replied quietly, his head lowered. Titania sighed, and raised one finger into the air. Drawing a circle in the air with the tip of her finger, the mess she had swept up vanished. She then shook her head, and returned the broom to the side.
"I wonder where Udonna went," she spoke, trying to sound less sad as she walked over to the large book. It hadn't done anything since the earthquake, and sat open on the page that had appeared at the time. Titania traced the lines with her finger. "I've never seen a spell seal like this. Have you?" she asked, looking over at the young man sitting sulking at the table. It took him a moment before he gave a suffering sigh and got up to approach.
"It's very different to what I've learned," Carvallain admitted as he looked down at it. The longer he looked at it, the more his unease returned. "I believe it's a dark spell seal," he considered, and Titania shuddered. She drew back from the book, not noticing Carvallain as he turned his head slightly.
"I should-"
"Shh," Titania frowned when Carvallain suddenly shushed her. He had turned his head away from her, eyes not particularly focused on anything as he listened intently. "Listen," he said quietly. Seeing his expression, Titania closed her eyes and focused on listening, wondering what his sharp ears had caught.
It took her longer, but eventually she heard it too; screaming, and it was getting closer and closer to Rootcore. Her eyes opened, and she met Carvallain's gaze.
"Should we go see what's going on?" she asked, finding herself more than a little nervous. There were too many unknowns; Udonna wasn't there, and with a crack in the Gate, Titania couldn't help but assume the worst about what was going on outside.
The screaming stopped abruptly, and Carvallain frowned. He could hear muffled voices outside, and he didn't recognise them. His hand went to his sword in reflex, and Titania flitted over to his side as they heard several sets of rushed footsteps echoing in through the entrance.
Scared without a clue of what was going on, the five practically shoved at each other to move faster. They hadn't considered what they were doing by rushing through the root carved into the shape of a dragon's head, they just wanted away from the stranger who was following them through the forest.
As soon as they stepped into the light, the five stopped abruptly as they stared at Carvallain and Titania, who stared back at them.
"There's more of them?" the young man in a leather jacket moaned as he started to back up.
"They don't look like the monsters we saw back there," the red-head pointed out.
"Monsters?" Titania repeated as her curiosity got the best of her. "What do you mean by monsters?" she asked. Carvallain instantly held out his hand to block her path as he felt her starting to move.
"How did humans get here?" he asked, wary of the five strangers who had stumbled into Rootcore. They all looked startled to be addressed as "humans" - after all, it wasn't a normal thing in their world.
"I brought them," the five jumped, and both Carvallain and Titania turned quickly as Udonna reappeared on the raised platform. She wore a black hooded cloak, which she removed as she smiled warmly. "I hope you will give them a proper welcome," Udonna said as she met Carvallain's eyes. Her words were stern, and he reluctantly removed his hand from his sword.
To say that the five were confused, was an understatement. After the earthquake, they had heard an old man in town begging for help to find his brother. Most had declined - wary of the mysterious woods - but they had agreed to help.
Now they found themselves lost, almost attacked by monsters before broomsticks had carried them for miles and dropped them at the base of the massive tree. Inside wasn't any better.
Udonna's attention returned to them as she finished warning the young man who was standing there with a guarded expression and a hand on the sword by his side. Both he and the young woman he seemed to be trying to protect were dressed like it was medieval times, and the two were staring at them like they were the weirdos.
Seeing their fear, Udonna gave a gentle smile. "I am the sorceress Udonna," she introduced herself, and wasn't surprised by the range of emotions she saw in response. Awe, disbelief and derision. "These are Titania," the young woman gave a wave that the red-head returned. "And Carvallain," Udonna introduced the two. Carvallain just regarded them silently. "Welcome to my home," she moved her hands in a careful gesture, and the lights flickered to life once more, revealing the entirety of the room.
The broomsticks that had carried them there were already returned to their storage, and they saw bookshelves all around the place, along with a large wooden table in the centre. Another table, close to the raised platform had a large crystal globe filled with swirling smoke. There was even a cauldron off to the side.
"This is awesome!" the red-head exclaimed, seeming to be taking everything oddly well. Titania watched him with fascination; he was the only one who was accepting everything he saw instantly.
"When the five of you entered the forest, you stepped into a Magical Dimension," Udonna explained as they all looked around. Most of them were still struggling to take it all in.
"A parallel dimension outside of Briarwood?" the red-head gasped, his eyes shining. "Do we live in a great city or what?" he laughed. Three of the four others gave him exasperated looks, clearly well used to his attitude.
"A few years ago, there was a great battle in our world," they whirled around as Udonna reappeared beside Carvallain and Titania. "Dark magic conquered our realm, and was about to enter your dimension when we finally defeated them and sent them back to the Underworld," Udonna explained, walking past. The way she told the story had them all enraptured, and they watched her as she walked by. "But at a great cost," she finished sadly. Titania's stomach churned, and Carvallain's fists were clenched at his sides.
Udonna continued as she turned back to her audience. "The Gate was sealed with a powerful spell. However, during the recent earthquake, a crack appeared in the gate. Evil has slipped through," she warned them gravely.
"Hey there," the tallest of the group spoke with an Australian accent. "Name's Xander -" he stopped as Carvallain closed his eyes, leaning his head back, and Titania couldn't stop the giggle from escaping. While he wondered what the strange reaction was, the young man cleared his throat, but turned back to Udonna. She had given Titania a tired look. "I'm just wondering…what does that have to do with us?" he addressed the sorceress.
"It could mean the end for both our worlds," she answered honestly, before turning and walking back up to the raised platform.
"Please! None of this are buying this fairy-tale!" the young man in the leather jacket spoke up. His derision had been obvious from the start.
"Oh, we have a non-believer. Wonderful," Carvallain rolled his eyes and turned to follow Udonna. Titania couldn't help but smile as she made her way up to the raised platform too.
"This is not a fairy-tale," Udonna said as she stood by the large book above. "What I tell you is what happened," despite her calm voice, the young man just scoffed.
"Guys-"
"Hey," the young woman with cropped hair and a streak of white through it turned to him quickly. "Let's hear what she has to say. We can always leave after that," she offered. He grimaced, not wanting to even do that much.
"The Xenotome," Udonna started to speak again before he could argue. "The Book of the Unknown," she said as they slowly made their way up as well, unable to deny their curiosity. Nick, who had wanted to leave, followed them reluctantly. "In it, is everything we do not know," she explained. They peered at the book curiously, but found strange runes staring back that they didn't recognise.
"What kind of language is that?" the quieter young woman with long black hair and a resemblance to the other young woman asked, fascinated. "I've never seen it before," she admitted as she got close to take a better look.
"It is the language of the Ancients," Udonna answered her, glad that she was taking an interest. "You will soon learn it," she promised. There was a flicker in Maddie's face that made her almost seem excited. "It says that when evil rises again, five mystical warriors from the human realm will step forward. You are those warriors," they stared as Udonna addressed them. "You are the Power Rangers," she announced.
"Nice!" Chip exclaimed, taking it well.
"Lady Udonna!" Carvallain couldn't hold back any longer. He stepped forwards, earning their attention, and they all took notice of his ears, which were shaped almost like a leaf, tapering into a gentle point. "They're human. How could they possibly-"
"It is what is in the Xenotome," Udonna cut him off before he could fight the decision. "This is not my decision," she reminded him patiently.
"It's the Xenotome," Titania said as she stood on Udonna's other side. Compared to both Carvallain and Udonna, she could almost be considered tiny. "It's not as if this was decided on a whim. If they're the ones…" she looked up and met Chip's eye. "Then they must have some incredible potential," Titania said with a shrug. Despite her words, Carvallain scoffed and turned away.
"I'll believe it when I see it," he muttered.
"We're standing right here," Vida hissed to her sister. Maddie just shrugged, at a loss for what to say as she tried to process what Udonna had said. Carvallain heard her, of course, but ignored her.
"Carvallain…" Udonna rested a hand on his arm, seeing how frustrated he was. "If they are truly the warriors we have been waiting on, then you must accept them. They are a part of your team now," this had an immediate effect on him.
"You mean…" he trailed off, looking hopeful. Udonna nodded, while Titania's own smile had faded.
"Um…excuse me?" Xander raised his hand as he earned their attention. "How are we supposed to defeat pure evil?" he asked, uncertain.
"Yeah, like snobby boy over there said, we're human," Vida said.
"Snobby boy?" Carvallain whirled around and glared at her, but she met it evenly.
"These are your magic wands," Udonna interrupted before Carvallain could muster up a reply. His attention was diverted as she pressed a wand into his hand, and his anger faded as he stared at the half Moon symbol at the top. As he gripped it, the symbol flashed Silver. "Never go anywhere without them," Udonna instructed as she gave Chip the Yellow wand, Maddie a Blue one, Vida the Pink wand, while Xander's was Green and Nick's was Red. "Titania, my dear," she looked up as Udonna addressed her, holding out the final wand.
"Take it," Carvallain encouraged her when Titania hesitated and looked at him with a worried expression. He then looked at the one in his own hand, focused on the half moon symbol. "I can't think of a better successor," he said. Titania's eyes widened, and her determination returned to her.
"Thank you," she said, taking the wand from Udonna. As soon as she held it properly, the hourglass at the top flashed Black. Titania smiled faintly at it, unable to believe that she was finally holding it.
"Udonna!" another voice called out, interrupting the moment. "Udonna!" a young blonde woman wearing a dress ran into view, almost tripping as she hurried up the steps. As she did, she stopped abruptly, realising they weren't alone. "Oh, hello!" she exclaimed with a flustered smile. "Nice to meet you," Titania giggled, fond of the apprentice. Carvallain just shook his head, but there was a faint smile on his own face. "Uh, excuse me. Udonna," she leaned in to whisper to the sorceress. Udonna's eyes widened.
"You must stay here until I return," she instructed. "Carvallain, Titania, come with me," she decided, and the two nodded. "The rest of you, do not go in the woods by yourselves," Udonna said as she backed up. Titania and Carvallain stood on either side of her, and the three vanished in a flash of white snowflakes.
The Woodland village was only about half a mile from Rootcore, and not only had it been affected by the earthquake that had taken place not long ago, but now monstrous creatures were swarming, attacking anything that moved.
"I don't know how you monsters have returned," a beautiful woman with hair as red as Udonna's spoke as she stood in a defensive stance in front of a group of terrified villagers. "But it will be your last mistake to attack our home! Galwit Aqua Amnis!" the blue light of her magic lit up her hands, and water formed in a ball in front of her. It exploded out, hitting the monsters and sending them flying.
As the water moved with her gestures, she took out as many of the monsters as she could. "Get to safety! Caspian is gathering everyone on the far side of town," she called.
"What about you?" a terrified half-elf asked. She smiled.
"I'm fine; nothing I'm not used to already. Go!" she urged. The group ran in the direction she had guided them in, and some of the monsters split away to try and go after them. "As foolish as you were 18 years ago," the woman murmured, and water exploded from the ground beneath their feet.
More of the monsters appeared, and she grimaced as she took a step back. She was growing tired, and her magic was less effective as a result. However, before they could get close to her, a chill carried through the air, and in a blink, the monsters were frozen. Darting in, Carvallain swung his sword, shattering them into pieces.
"Penny!" a familiar voice reached her ears, and she turned just in time for Titania to collide with her chest. Penelope smiled with relief. "Are you alright?" Titania asked, looking up at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Penelope saw the last of the monsters destroyed by the combined efforts of Udonna and Carvallain.
"I am now. Thank you for the help, I was worried my message wouldn't get to you in time," Penelope admitted as they walked over. "It seems my concerns were correct?" she asked, looking at Udonna. The Sorceress gave a grim smile.
"Indeed. That strange earthquake caused a crack in the Gate," she explained. They watched as the colour drained from Penelope's face.
"I see," she whispered, hugging Titania closer to her. "We ought to check on the rest of the village. I don't sense any more darkness, but people may need help," Penelope said, and they nodded.
"We're happy to help," Titania told her. Penelope studied her for a moment, sensing something different about her, but kept it to herself. She wasn't quite ready to ask the question yet.
When it became apparent that the Hidiacs were gone - for now - the village started to come back together. Everyone was hard at work figuring out what needed repairs and what was beyond repair, while Penelope took care of the injured.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine," she soothed the crying child as she smeared a salve over the cut on his arm. "There, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Penelope smiled as his tears slowed.
"Thank you," the Elvish mother smiled, shaking her hand before carrying her son away. The break allowed the woman to take a deep breath as she tried not to think of how exhausted she was. She had been non-stop since the earthquake had hit and this was the first chance for quiet as things started to settle down.
"Are you okay?" Titania asked as she walked over, offering the bread and water she'd been passing out to people. Penelope took it gratefully.
"I'm fine, little one," she assured her, taking a drink. "It has been a long time since I was in combat, so I'm a little tired, but that's all. I just need a good night's sleep," Penelope told her. Titania nodded, but didn't lose the worried look on her face. Penelope watched her for a moment, before sighing. "If what Udonna said is correct and there's a crack in the Gate…is there something you need to tell me?" Penelope asked the question that she'd been dreading.
Titania was silent for a moment at the question, pulling back from Penelope. The taller woman didn't push her, but watched with her usual sharp gaze. Finally, Titania held out her hand, and the wand that Udonna had given her appeared. A weight seemed to form in Penelope's stomach as she looked at the black hourglass at the top. "I see," she murmured.
"I'm glad to take it on, but I don't want to worry everyone," Titania admitted. Penelope patted her head.
"We were always going to worry about you, little one. That's just how it works," she said, and Titania smiled a little at her words. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would have wondered just how dire things are if Udonna has finally passed on the Mystic Wands," Penelope admitted.
"Unfortunately, you have seen firsthand why I had to," they looked around as Udonna spoke. She approached with a man who she had been speaking to, whose dark hair was streaked with grey. He looked tired, but had a smile on his face as he saw the two. It faded a little at the sight of the wand, but he quickly pushed aside the fear and gave Titania a reassuring nod.
"If you've given Titania a wand, then…" Penelope looked over at where Carvallain was helping to repair one of the damaged homes. She could sense the same change in him as she did with Titania, and it reminded her of a time almost twenty years ago.
"The new Mystic Force were chosen," Udonna confirmed. Her words were caught by others who were working to repair their village, and the whispers started to carry. The man standing with her couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, I hope you were okay with everyone knowing. By sundown I believe half of the Magical Realm will know," Caspian said, and Udonna shot him a stern look, but it was marred by the corners of her mouth tilting up. "Come, little one. You can help me check the damages on the farther edges of the village," he said, and Titania nodded.
"Zeph and Cyrus are alright, aren't they?" she asked as she followed the man.
"Half the time it feels those two are indestructible," Caspian smiled fondly about his sons. "They're fine. Mercifully the injuries throughout the village were minor," he said, and saw Titania relax a little.
They walked around, checking for damages and repairing anything minor they could, while noting the worst of it so that it could be taken into account. "Anyone with injuries, please check with Penelope," Caspian called as he walked by the cluster of Gnomes who were cleaning up the wreckage of the small farm.
"Think we're going to need Fafnír in here to help!" one of them called out.
"He's on his way back. Shouldn't be more than two days ride from here," Caspian's answer seemed to appease the group. "And how are you feeling, little one? I know that you've always harboured mixed feelings about taking on that mantel," he said as he watched Titania from the corner of his eye.
"I'm…glad," Titania admitted. Caspian's eyebrows rose. "I never wanted the darkness to return, obviously. But now that it has, I want to help. I don't want to fight if it can be avoided, but seeing these monsters today…I know that it can't be avoided," she told him. Caspian patted her head, smiling at her words.
"Spoken like the former Mystics themselves," he chuckled. Titania didn't reply to his comment. "You'll do great, I know it," Caspian told her as they rounded back and met back up with Penelope and Udonna.
"You really don't need to do all this for us," one woman fretted as Carvallain repaired the wall of their home that had been destroyed. Thankfully they had enough supplies to replace it, and Carvallain was hard at work.
"It's quite alright," he smiled at her soothingly. "Everyone needs to help where they can. I won't sit back simply because I-" he stopped, his smile fading as he heard quiet voices approaching the village. Carvallain shook his head, and smiled as he turned to the woman again. "I'm almost finished," he told her.
"Oh?" Penelope noticed the arrival of the five teenagers as they wandered closer. Their eyes were wide as they took in not only the destruction, but the different magical creatures that were trying to work together to get some semblance of order back.
"I should have known you wouldn't stay at Rootcore," Udonna smiled as she approached them. Titania and Penelope followed, with the older woman studying them curiously.
"What happened here?" Maddie asked as she pushed past the others.
"The Woodland Village was almost destroyed," Udonna explained sadly, turning her head to look at the damage done. "Tomorrow it will be another village. The darkness destroys everything within their path until they find what they want," she warned as they stepped closer.
"What are they looking for?" Chip asked. His previous excitement was gone as the severity of the destruction dawned on him too. Titania and Penelope both looked at Udonna, knowing the answer to that question.
"Me," Udonna answered honestly. The five stared at her, not expecting that answer. "And then they will go after you," her warning had a clear effect on all of them. Not one was able to hide their fear at the idea of the darkness coming after them, and Titania didn't blame them. She'd had plenty of time to prepare herself, but even now the idea still scared her - she'd be a fool not to be afraid.
"So these are the ones you've chosen?" Penelope whispered to Udonna, looking at the Sorceress beside her. "Human Mystics?" she couldn't help how it sounded.
"The Xenotome said that five would come from the Human Realm. I did not choose them," Udonna explained quietly as the five tried to process the threat that was now over their heads.
"Hold on just a sec," Nick spoke up. His frustration was obvious - everything was being shoved on them without a moment's break, and he didn't even believe in any of it. "I never agreed to be part of this," he pointed out.
"Well, well," before Udonna could address Nick's comment, Caspian walked over and folded his arms. "I take it these are the new protectors of the realm?" he asked. His gaze was scrutinising, and Nick bristled visibly when his gaze went to him. A whisper had gone round those who were also watching curiously.
"Hail, the new Mystic Force!" one shouted, and the crowd gathering knelt before them.
"You just had to set them off, didn't you?" Penelope shot Caspian a droll stare. He smiled back innocently.
"I always wondered what it would be like to be worshipped," Xander grinned as he looked at the various creatures kneeling before them. "It's not so bad," he admitted. The other three standing with him rolled their eyes, used to his attitude.
"Don't get used to it," Penelope warned, amused by his comment. "The novelty wears off rather fast," she told him.
A loud roar then echoed through the village, and people began to scream in fear at the massive golem that was ambling towards them. Seeming ten feet tall, it towered over all of them.
"Okay, that's bad," Xander gulped as they backed away from it. Carvallain ran over, done ignoring them as he saw the threat now there.
"Everyone, get to safety!" Caspian shouted to the terrified villagers, leading them away from the monster.
"I'll go with them and make sure nothing else is coming," Penelope told Udonna, who nodded. She couldn't help but smile.
"It seems that after 18 years, you still hold onto those habits," she said. Penelope shook her head, and chose not to reply. Instead, she turned and followed the villagers, making sure nothing crept up behind them as they fled. "Take out your wands," Udonna instructed.
"Uh…we kinda left them back at the tree," Chip admitted.
"What part of 'never go anywhere without them' did you not understand?" Carvallain groaned.
"It's alright," Udonna soothed. "You two, stay with them. These foul creatures rarely travel alone," she warned. Titania and Carvallain nodded. "Stand back," Udonna instructed, and they all did as she said as she approached the massive monster. "You leave me no choice…" she held out her hand, calling on her own wand. It appeared in a flash of white, with a snowflake on the top. "MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" there was a flash of white light, accompanied by a cold wind, and Udonna had Morphed into her White suit. "Flurry of Snow, White Mystic Ranger!" she chanted.
"Now that's cool," Vida laughed breathlessly.
"Udonna is a powerful Snow Sorceress," Titania smiled. They watched as Udonna leapt into the air, battling the golem with strength and speed.
"No kidding," Chip had to agree as they watched Udonna flip through the air to dodge the golem's strike. Even brand new to it all, they could see just how incredible she was.
Carvallain's sharp ears twitched, and he looked around quickly before cursing. Emerging from the other side of the village, more of the monsters from before scurried towards them. Grotesque in appearance, they all looked similar to one another, and made strange shrieking sounds.
"Udonna was right - it didn't travel alone," he warned, and they all turned quickly to see the Hidiacs.
"Well, as I see it, we have two choices," Chip gulped as they backed away from the Hidiacs. There were a huge amount of them, and Udonna was busy with the golem. "We can surrender and be destroyed…"
"Or fight?" Maddie finished Chip's trail of thought, sounding baffled by the very notion. The sound of ringing steel echoed through the air as Carvallain drew his sword.
"We fight," he answered for them.
"Wait!" Xander pushed forwards, standing between them and the monsters. Carvallain lowered his blade, staring at him. "There's a third option. Plan Xander," he grinned. Behind them, Maddie, Chip and Vida groaned. "I'll just reason with them," he said. Carvallain spluttered, unable to comprehend what Xander had just said.
"You want to reason with the monsters from the Underworld?" Titania demanded. Xander nodded. "Humans have the weirdest notions," she declared.
"Trust me, it's not all of us," Vida told her. They were all tense, ready to fight if they had to. Xander, on the other hand, turned to the Hidiacs and flashed a smile.
"Hi, I'm Xander. We're not really from these parts," he started, and for a moment, the Hidiacs stared at him as if they hadn't expected him to start conversing with them. "So if it's okay with you, we'll just be heading off-" Xander was cut off when one of the Hidiacs launched at him and kicked him hard. Winded, he fell back, and Carvallain just about caught him.
"If that was your best attempt at persuasion, I recommend we go with my previous suggestion," he rolled his eyes and pushed Xander away. Righting himself and fixing his shirt, Xander coughed awkwardly.
"Guess we fight," he sighed, and all hell seemed to break loose.
Responding to the words, the Hidiacs went on the offensive once more, and channelled their dark magic into an explosive burst that lifted all seven off their feet.
"No!" Carvallain yelled as he realised he'd dropped his sword. Before he could grab it, the Hidiacs swarmed.
Everyone was separated in the chaos, and while the five humans struggled, both Carvallain and Titania fought back. Pushing thoughts of his weapon from his head, Carvallain fought with swift, precise strikes that got past their defences. Leaping from a fence that he'd only just repaired, he kicked out and sent several Hidiacs tumbling to the ground.
They kept coming, undeterred by his attacks, and he scowled. "If you're truly so desperate to perish, I'm more than happy to help with that!" Carvallain raised his hands to the sky, and his eyes started to glow with bright silver light. An image of the moon materialised behind him, and smaller silver lights shot like little missiles with deadly accuracy. The Hidiacs squealed, and turned to dust, and Carvallain's eyes returned to normal.
Titania's fighting style was very different. Using the trees to her advantage, she weaved around them so quickly that the Hidiacs chasing her crashed into them. She grinned as she suddenly whirled around, jumping up and using one of the thick trees as a spring board to launch at the Hidiacs, who couldn't even start to defend themselves with just how quick she was.
With her attacks nowhere near as strong as Carvallain's, Titania used her size to her advantage, tripping more up and dancing around them so they collided with one another. She then giggled, and all of a sudden she was several feet behind the Hidiacs, who all collapsed and vanished.
"How did you do that?" she heard Chip gasp, and glanced over to where he was struggling with the Hidiacs going after him. She smiled at him.
"It's easy to use magic, if you believe in it," she said simply. Chip's eyes widened, but before he could question it, more Hidiacs swarmed them both, and Titania darted away to lead them off.
"To use magic, you just have to believe in it?" Chip repeated, backing up against a tree as the Hidiacs closed in on him. "Well I do! I believe in magic!" he shouted, before crying out as the monsters lunged forward with their weapons raised.
A strange feeling, almost like static electricity, rose inside the red-head, who threw up his hands in a desperate attempt to protect himself against the monsters. That feeling then burst out in the form of lightning that struck each of the monsters. They roared in pain, and he stared as they collapsed, twitching, before turning to dust. "It works…" he breathed in awe, barely able to believe what he'd just done.
"Told ya," Titania called out as she darted past. Chip laughed, his smile wide.
"Guys, the magic really works!" he shouted, seeing Xander slam his back against a tree and sink down, winded once more. "Just believe!" Chip yelled, encouraging his friends.
"I believe…I believe in magic," Xander called out - how could he not believe, after everything they had seen? A warm feeling stirred in his chest, and he jumped as the branches of the tree he was leaning against came to life and rammed the Hidiacs to throw them aside.
Seeing this happen, Maddie squeezed her eyes closed and kept low to the ground where she had been tossed.
"I believe in magic," she whispered. A cold sensation rose up almost like a wave inside her, and Maddie's shot open as she felt the ground rumble. Water exploded up from underneath the Hidiacs, launching them high into the sky. She stared, mouth open at the power she'd been able to use.
"I believe…I believe!" Vida grinned as she saw the magic her friends were unlocking. A weightless feeling took hold, and she gasped as her entire body transformed. "I'm a tornado! And I'm pink?!" she realised. The winds were powerful enough to lift her enemies off their feet, tumbling as they were swung around and tossed away like ragdolls. Vida then returned to normal, stumbling a little as she landed on her feet. "I like! Well…all except the colour," she complained.
Carvallain couldn't help but find himself impressed by not only how quickly they had been able to call on their magic, but their raw power as well. Titania was right, they had some serious potential.
He would never tell Titania that he agreed with her, of course.
"I guess I believe too," Nick's reluctant words caught his attention, and he turned to where the young man was on the ground. The last of the Hidiacs were advancing on him, ready to finish him off, and Nick didn't look remotely surprised when nothing happened. Seeing that he wasn't about to demonstrate the same power as the others, the Hidiacs shrieked and raised their weapons. Before Carvallain could intervene, the monsters were hit by a cloud of snow magic, and shattered.
Unsure of what had just happened, Nick lowered his arms and peered up, just in time to see Udonna walk over and lower her Snow Staff.
"Power down," at her command, her White Ranger suit turned to snowflakes and vanished. She looked at Nick with raised eyebrows, not speaking as he got to his feet. Carvallain's eyes widened as he saw the sword in Nick's hand.
"Hey!" anger overtook him, and he stormed over to snatch it from Nick's hand. "What gives you the right to-
"Carvallain!" Udonna's voice was loud and uncharacteristically angry. Nick, who had been ready to fight back, turned to Udonna as Carvallain did too. For a moment, there was tense silence that had everyone concerned that another fight was going to break out. Then Carvallain let out a long, weary sigh.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, barely glancing at Nick. Udonna shook her head, and she dropped it. Turning instead to the others, she smiled, and they took it as a sign that it was okay to approach.
"Very nice. You truly are the ones," Udonna praised as they walked over to her. "Are you up to the task?" she asked, resting her hands on her hips as she almost looked expectant. "Are you now ready to accept your legacy?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, bring it on!" to nobody's surprise, Chip was the first to agree. Adrenaline was still pumping, and he was practically bouncing on the spot.
"I'm in," Vida answered next, just as excited as he was. "I kicked some serious evil back there," she said, a little giddy.
"This is so unlike me, but I'm sticking with my sister," Maddie moved to stand with the two.
"Someone's got to look after these guys, right?" Xander grinned as he stood with them, on board too. Udonna smiled, glad that they had come around to it. Carvallain gave a nod, seeming happy with their answers, and Titania grinned.
Nick had been silent since Carvallain had snatched his sword back, and was rubbing the back of his neck where it hurt from one of the many times he'd fallen. It was only when he realised they had fallen quiet, that he looked up and saw them all looking at him.
"Me? No way," he scoffed, brushing dirt off his leather jacket. Their excitement vanished at his flat denial. "I'm out of here," Nick declared.
"Are you sure this is what you choose?" Udonna asked as she walked over to him. Nick gave a frustrated sigh.
"Look, the "I believe in magic" thing, it didn't work for me," he pointed out. Of course, he hadn't been surprised in the slightest.
"That's because you have to believe for it to work," Titania pointed out, and he met her gaze. There was something eerie about it, and he quickly looked away.
"Try believing again. Maybe it didn't catch on the first time," Maddie suggested, trying to be positive against his gruff behaviour.
"He is a non-believer," Udonna said sadly. "I can do nothing for him," she admitted. Carvallain's faint smile had vanished and he looked bored again, while Titania looked disappointed. "Claire will see you out of the woods safely," Udonna decided. "Claire?" she called out, knowing her apprentice was nearby.
"Here I am!" Claire's response was bleated, and Udonna couldn't stop her laugh as Claire scampered into view. Titania put her hands to her mouth, and even Carvallain couldn't stop his snort as Claire, transformed into a sheep approached them.
"Oh, my dear child," Udonna laughed gently. "When will you get your spells right?" she couldn't help but wonder. Claire lowered her head, embarrassed as all but Nick tried to hide their laughter. "See him safe passage out of the woods," she instructed.
"Yes, Udonna," Claire bleated again. Nick shook his head but held his tongue as he reluctantly walked over to the sheep. "Follow me," she called, already walking away. Nick followed silently, wanting nothing more than to be out of the forest.
"What happened?" Titania asked as the two walked away, disappearing into the thick of the trees.
"It was awesome!" Chip exclaimed.
"She was trying to get us to stay back there," Xander answered, still not quite sure what had happened. "Something about freezing us where we stood," he remembered.
"Ambitious spell," Titania hummed thoughtfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. Not for the first time, his gaze was drawn to her strange ears, which were long and pointed downwards. This time, however, Titania noticed, and a grin flickered across her face. "I'll tell you what you want to know, if you'll exchange something with me," she offered, and he couldn't help but find it oddly devious.
"One word of advice, if we're going to be a team," Carvallain spoke as his fist landed on Titania's head. She yelped, and darted away to hide behind Maddie, who jumped but didn't pull away. "Don't take Titania's deals," he warned.
"Why?" Vida asked, suddenly suspicious of the young woman hiding behind her sister.
Before Carvallain could answer, a cold and heavy feeling filled the air, seeming to come from behind them. Spinning around, they stared at the figure who had appeared from a purple spell seal on the ground. Wearing purple armour, the man carried a sword and shield and seemed to radiate dark power.
"You may have defeated my Hidiacs…" the stranger started, his voice deep and lacking emotion. "But you will not defeat me," he warned as he drew his sword to point it at them. Not giving them any time to prepare, a haze of dark magic formed around him. "Wolf Attack!" his power was impressive, and not even Udonna could protect them from the blast of magic that hit the ground at their feet and exploded up, launching everyone.
Everyone cried out as they landed, all in pain as they tried to process everything that had happened within a matter of moments. "It is the end for you," the stranger warned, and for just a moment, they believed that he might be right.
For anyone wondering, Ryne's final chapter with Dino Fury is coming. But right now this is what I wanted to work on!
Let me know what you think!
Please review!