"He's escaped!"

The Cyberdrones hurried frantically left and right at ArcKnight's command, filing through the halls to flood the lower levels. The warning light was flashing, a sharp alarm bleating out throughout the base. As Mileena strode in, concerned at the sudden panic, she swiftly moved to console beside ArcKnight and Ender.

"What's happening?"

"It seems your boyfriend isn't taking too kindly to his accommodations," said Ender. "He managed to slip out of the room and is racing around the halls looking for an exit."

"We should never have left him there without a guard," ArcKnight growled. "If our greatest weapon escapes, it will be a significant setback in our mission to destroy the Power Rangers."

But Lena had no interest in their opining, nor their catastrophizing of the plan. As she watched the camera, she saw Miguel hurrying through the darkened halls. He was sticking close to the walls, trying to avoid the eyes of patrols, either unaware of the cameras watching him or uncaring. But the one thing Lena did see was the fear in his eyes as they washed across the screen.

It panged at her, a surprising stab of guilt that she pushed aside with forceful thought. Miguel was only frightened because he didn't understand. But he would, she just needed to reach him.

"Would you relax?" Ender insisted to the growling colleague beside him. "The lower levels are a maze. There's no way he'll find his out of there if he doesn't already know the exit."

At that, Miguel vanished in a flash of smoke, reappearing on another screen marked two floors up.

"Then again, I guess there's that…"

"Deploy the Cyberdrones!" ArcKnight insisted. "Intercept him before he reaches the surface!"

"Wait…" The voice cut through the air, all movement in the room holding still as their eyes turned to the entry and Xaviax entered. The heads of all three minions tilted in confusion as Xaviax glided forward, hands waving in a downward motion as ordered the Cyberdrones to halt. "Stand down, there is no cause for alarm."

"My Lord, Xaviax," ArcKnight kneeled. "The Dark Ranger has escaped his confines and is loose within the base."

"I am well aware of the circumstance, ArcKnight," Xaviax replied. "Let me assure you that all will be well."

Lena scrunched her brow in confusion. "My lord?"

"Given his powers, the boy's escape attempt was inevitable," Xaviax explained before turning to the blue-skinned man. "Ender, do you now have sufficient data to complete the power dampener?"

"Yes, my Lord!" Ender replied excitedly. "Thanks to the boy's showmanship, next time some data-addled teen finds themselves locked in that room, they'll be as powerless as a superhero with an existential crisis."

He'd… he'd planned for it?

"ArcKnight," said Xaviax. "Stay abreast of the situation. If he runs too far after leaving the lower levels, go and collect him."

"Master?" Lena questioned as her robed lord was already turning to leave. "Why do this? Why allow him to escape only to send ArcKnight to collect him."

But as Xaviax turned, Lena once again swore that he was smiling beneath the metal cowl. "It's perfectly simple, my dear. Our baby bird is leaving the nest; he should at least have a chance to stretch his wings…"


The elevator doors dinged as Ray stepped into the lab, two steaming coffees in his hand as he approached the terminal on the back wall. Hilary, dutiful as always, remained hard at work, trawling for any information she could gather from the Ranger's previous encounter.

"Special delivery," Ray announced as he placed the double shot beside her.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?" Hilary smiled.

"Once or twice. Any luck with our new, spandexed friend?"

"It's not-!" Hilary stopped just short of falling for her husband's teasing. Usually, it worked; he must have been losing his touch.

A few keystrokes later and circling image of Miguel's Dark Ranger suit appeared on the screen, a series of different graphs moving beside it as Hilary went on. "I've found a few things. I utilized the Ranger's shortwave scanners in their Morphers during the fight to get some readings. They're not enough to draw any concrete conclusions, but it at least gives me a hint of how Xaviax pulled it all off."

Sipping his latte and acknowledging that the readings meant nothing to him, Ray cut right to the important question. "So how worried should we be that he managed to build himself a Morpher?"

"Apart from the fact that it let Miguel tear through our team like they were nothing?" Hilary replied. "The jury's still out, Honestly. I'm definitely worried that he was able to tap into the Black Spectrum of the Grid, that's no mean feat. But every Morpher needs its own, individual connection to its point on the color spectrum, and that's still really hard even after you've made one of them. Hell, there's a reason I was only been able to make three stable Morphers so far."

"So, he could make more, is what you're saying?"

"Kind of; at the very least, I can't see him trying to tap into the primary colors. Doubling up on active colors on the Grid is incredibly risky in the long term, especially in close geographic proximity. I guess green and pink are still available, and I'm going to look for ways to lock him out of those, but I think Xaviax has got bigger problems to fix with his current Morpher before he starts building others."

Motioning to the screen, Hilary enlarged one of the graphs, indicating a large spike before a gradual drop-off.

"His access to the grid is inconsistent," she said. "It looks like he designed it to get a big burst in power after initiating the morphing sequence. The problem is that it's like slamming the gas as hard as you can. It's not a sustainable output. The longer Miguel stays in morph, the bigger the bleed-off. While it looks like Xaviax has learned a trick or two harnessing the grid, he hasn't quite got a grasp of the nuance."

"So how does that compare to our Rangers?"

With another few clicks, more graphs appeared, only with each of the three Server Force suits.

"I designed out suits for optimal output, ensuring the best delivery of power over a sustained period of time," Hilary explained. "It's all well and good for us to unload everything we've got on a monster, but we could be toast if it's still standing after. This new Dark Ranger might pack a punch, but if our guys can weather the serve, they've got the long game in their court."

All Ray could do was stare at the screens in absolute amazement. After all of these years, Hilary's aptitude for technology was still so astounding that it was basically magic. "You got all of that from an incomplete scan?"

"That's not even half of it," Hilary admitted. "Want to see the neural readouts? That's always been more your area than mine."

"You scanned his brain?"

"Well…" Hilary looked almost sheepish as she brought up the readings. "Technically his Morpher did. I managed to create a small bridging connection between our Morphers and his. I shut it down quickly because I definitely don't want Xaviax knowing can do it, but it did give me a few extra tips."

Leaning closer Ray stared at the brain that appeared on the screen, eying the hot zones as they lit up. Something caught his attention almost immediately. "Whoa," he gasped. "His frontal lobes look like a pair of strobes."

"Yeah, I saw that too," Hilary confirmed. "What does it mean?"

"It's the area that controls impulsivity and aggression," Ray explained. "And you said it was his suit doing this?"

Hilary nodded. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"If that was when he was Morphed," said Ray. "Miguel might not have been in complete control over his actions. At the very least they were being steered in a particular direction."

"Good to see Xaviax is happy for his minions to make their own choices," Hilary decided bitterly.

But their conversation was cut short as the doors at the far end dinged, signaling the arrival of the three Ranger teens.

"Please tell me you've got something for us," Erika pleaded.

"We just had a run-in with Mileena, and she was definitely trying to psyche us out," Abbey added.

"We sure could do with an edge if running into Darth Miguel anytime soon," finished Zeke.

So much for some R&R. With a worried look, Ray and Hilary motioned for the Rangers to come over and be filled in on what they'd learned.

"You've got more longevity," said Hilary. "His Morpher's powerful in short bursts but it runs out of steam pretty quickly."

"All well and good," Zeke conceded. "But we've got to still be standing if we're going to leverage it."

He had a point, and Ray knew that the team would need more to formulate a plan. But more wasn't on the cards, not yet.

"I was able to use the data collected by your Morphers to get some intel," Hilary explained. "But it's far from enough for any certainty."

"What would you need for more?" Abbey asked. Hilary didn't reply, and her silence was answer enough. "Oh…"

As the reality slowly sunk in, Ray watched the mood drop, the sinking realization that they would need to face him again. And they were woefully underprepared. It would have been so easy for him, now that he was on the other side, to simply tell them that it was all going to be okay, that he knew they could dig deep and get through it. But hearing and knowing were too different things, and Ray knew all too well what it was like to be standing in their shoes.

To be facing what felt like impossible odds, with no idea how to overcome them. To feel the looming shadow of defeat rising above, threatening at any moment to fall and crush them.

"This isn't about one battle, guys," Ray said. "This is about all of them. Yeah, Miguel's new Ranger powers are intense. But last time, you were caught off guard; he won't get that edge again. You know a weak spot you can exploit, and that's light you can follow if things are scary. You don't have to take him out next time, you just need to hold on. Because once Hilary's found his weakness, then you can stop this Dark Ranger for good. Sometimes it's not about one big hit, it's about a million small ones. It's about taking any victory you can, even the little ones."

It wasn't much, but Ray saw a shift in the moods, a slight lifting of positivity as they refixed their thinking onto a new objective. Something they could achieve, no matter how small a victory.

"Well, I hope you guys are ready for a small win," Hilary interrupted. "Because I've just found Miguel."

All four spun around, the faces of the teens a mix of emotions. Abbey's was hopeful relief, Erika's more cautious and discerning, while Zeke seemed both frightened and resentful.

"Where is he?" Abbey asked.

"Down at the pier," Hilary replied. "And he's… well… Maybe it's easier if just show you."

All of them gathered around as Hilary switched the feed to the main display. Enhancing the surveillance to full size, all of them stared at the events that were unfolding. There was Miguel, sure as sure.

And he was locked in a desperate battle with a horde of Cyberdrones.


Sunlight!

The burst was almost blinding, hurting his eyes as Miguel tumbled from black smoke into the dry, autumn heat. He'd done it. He didn't know how, but he'd done it! The dark tunnels were now behind him, gone for good. Now he just needed to get away, far enough that they couldn't force him to return.

He took off, barely noting his surroundings as Miguel dug into the feeling that he had followed. The feeling that had awoken the power from within. He flashed away, vanishing into the darkness to reemerge at another point, the barbed wire that surrounded the yard vanishing into a maze of alleys and buildings. Then Miguel flashed again, and again, and again, with no direction, rhyme, or reason, save for the terrified desire to be as far from that place as possible.

By any means necessary.

At last, he came to a stop, almost hurling from the smoke as smacked into the wall and buckled over, gasping for breath. His mind was spinning, every breath losing the tightening band around his forehead, calming the desperate breaths while bringing with them a brand-new form of terror. He had no idea where he was, or where he was going to go.

Home would be the first choice, the lone place of sanctuary Miguel had had these past few weeks. They'd have to be wondering where he was by now, worried that in not coming home he'd done a runner. They were good people and had been good to him in the time Miguel had lived with them. He'd even caught himself a few times wondering if he'd have ever moved around so much if his first foster family had been like the Parkinsons.

But it was also where Lena would find him. And even if she wouldn't, all she had to do was lie in wait for him to go back to school, where the others would be waiting as well. Falling against the wall, Miguel's breaths began sharpening once more, short and shallow as he realized that his options were vanishing. If he didn't go home, then they'd come looking for him. If he was gone too long, then when they found him they'd send him away. One more family deciding that he was too much trouble.

But how could he go back? How could he even begin to explain what was happening or the mess that he'd somehow found himself in? Would it even be safe for him there anymore?

For them?

And that's when Miguel heard the sound, of faint whirring that accompanied the movement of mechanical joints. The shifting of robotic limbs. Miguel whipped around, gaping in horror to see two of those Cyberdrone things appear at the end of the alley, heads looking around in search.

Searching for him.

They'd found him already! Or if not yet, they were about to. He needed to move before they found him.

Launching himself from the bracing wall, dust kicked from Miguel's feet as he whipped around the corner, battering against the concrete wall as he lunged out from the alley. But while the Cyberdrone behind had yet to spot him, his haste had thrown him from relative seclusion to the exposure of the wide-open space.

The sunshine of the pier greeted him as rocketed from the gap between the buildings, skidding to a stop before the railing dropped into the sprawling lake before him. Trapped.

Miguel could already hear them, the robots appearing behind him, the flashes of emerald light heralding their arrival with a glow in his peripheral vision. People screamed and ran as more and more henchmen appeared on the wooden jetty, abandoning the stands for safety as the henchmen surrounded Miguel.

He'd run as far as he could, he used his strange powers to the best of his abilities, and still, they'd found him in an instant. There really was nowhere to run. In horror, Miguel stumbled back, feeling the railing of the pier's edge press against him as gravity playfully pushed him. He dared a look back, at the plunging drop to the lake below, and for a moment was sorely tempted. An avenue of escape, one that the robots couldn't follow.

No. They could just as easily find him again when he reached the shore. There was nowhere he could go. Nowhere he could hide. He may have escaped his cell, but he was still trapped.

And it left him with only one option.

As Miguel turned around to face the menacing horde, his eyes drifted to the device on his wrist. The device he hadn't dared use since, for fear of what it could do. Of what it could make. Of what it could bring out of him.

No!

He didn't need it. He'd fought these things before, and that was before he'd developed some sort of superpower. He just needed to show them that he wasn't going to be pushed around, that coming quietly wasn't an option.

That trying to force him was not going to be worth the effort.

Miguel's fists tightened, his heart pumping faster as he turned to face the masses. As he did, there was another green flash, and the armored figure of ArcKnight stepped into view.

"Your escapade has continued long enough," he growled in a voice that was deep and menacing. "You will come with us."

"I tried that already," Miguel replied. "Didn't work out so well."

"You are behaving as if you have a choice in the matter. Cyberdrones, seize him!"

They came at him from all, sides, but Miguel was already gone. He vanished in a flash of smoke, the first robot swiping through empty air as Miguel appeared beside the group and kicked one in the face. As his target clambered back, sprawling into his comrades, he shot a look at the ones that had tried to knab him. They were staring at their empty hands, globelike eyes looking around in surprise at his disappearing act.

All right, so they didn't seem like the sharpest of tools. That was something at least.

But there were still an awful lot of them, more than enough to make up any perceptive deficiency. And a second later, teleporting or not, the full force of numbers descended upon Miguel.

His arm snapped up, blocking a strike before cracking out his leg to knock another back. Last time he'd had the edge of surprise, lunging at the mob besetting Zeke and brawling his way out of trouble. Miguel was no stranger to fights, he knew how to carry himself, but this was on a whole new level. It was like his body was moving on its own, snapping to duck, dip, dive, and dodge on instinct, his limbs blocking and striking in synch with mere thought. But the Cyberdrones were still pushing him back, and for all his efforts were coming around on the sides.

He needed to even the odds.

Miguel flashed away, deeper into the pier toward the abandoned tables, luring his pursuers into the tighter confines. As the Cyberdrones wound between the bolted wooden tables to knab him, Miguel spun between watching them as they came at from narrow paths into easily strikable positions.

"You guys hungry?" he growled, "Well, come get some!"

The first reached him, and Miguel's feet shifted on the wooden planks, dodging a flailing blow as he grabbed the wrist and hurled it. The robot crashed its comrades, clogging up a lane as Miguel leaped onto the table and rolled as another came at him. Overcommitted to the strike, the Cyberdone flailed forward, slamming into the wooden surface as Miguel kicked it in the face. With another coming for him, he lunged from the surface, flipping over the gathered robots as they crashed into the structure behind him.

Another was coming for him, charging like a freight train ready to flatten him. But Miguel was already moving, leaping back to roll over a buckling robot, landing on the other side before booting it into its comrade. The two Cyberdrones collided, falling into a heap as two more charged. This time he didn't try anything fancy, breathing in deeply as he allowed the black smoke to coalesce around him. In a crack, he vanished, appearing at the edge of the table cluster as the two oblivious robots collided through where he'd just been standing.

With half the pursers sprawling on the ground, and the rest slowed by the tables in a vain attempt to chase, Miguel took off again, running out to the open air of the pier in hopes of final earning reprieve. But his hopes were dashed immediately. As Miguel skidded to a stop, his eyes widened in horror to see more Cyberdrones had arrived. The entire pier now was swarming with them.

They just didn't end!

Miguel had an out; he could flash away in hopes of escaping. But how long would it be until they found him again, with a horde of killer robots flooding out to find him? And then it would begin again. A fight to keep them at bay, a desperate flight which he knew would be temporary at best. And if he slipped up, they'd bring him back. Drag him back to that cell in whatever that hell they were living in was. And he was not going back.

But he still had one option.

Once again, his eyes drifted down to the device on his wrist, the one source of power that could bail him out. The power that would make them reconsider ever coming after him again. Last time it had been incredible, near invincible as he floored three practiced Power Rangers with minimal effort.

It had felt almost too good.

"Are you ready to surrender?" ArcKnight snarled as he strode forward.

It was his only shot, and he had to take it.

"Just remember," Miguel warned before snapping up the Morpher. His hand slapped the activator, summoning the power within. "You asked for this! Dark Server, Login Access!"

It came all at once, with no buildup or warning. The power surged, electrifying as the darkness flooded from the device and into his awaiting body. Miguel's chest roared, heart racing a million miles a second as his limbs tightened with newfound ferocity. Black smoke flickered at his body like tongues of flame, strengthening him with their touch, stripping him of his fear, and renewing a raging resolve to dispatch anything that stood between him and his goal. The shadows lifted as the helm encased him, the crimson visor flashing across his vision, and he stood before the enemies with his Dark Saber tight in his grip.

"Your new clothes will not protect you," ArcKnight growled. "Not when we have you surrounded!"

But the body language told a different story. As the power emanated from him, the Cyberdrones staggered back. It was as if their very sensors were telling them the battle's outcome, and even before issuing his threat ArcKnight had released an involuntary gasp in surprise. They recognized the power he possessed; the power that would destroy them.

"The only thing I'm surrounded me is fear," Miguel snarled, "and hunks of scrap."

He moved before any could react, a single charging motion in the blink of an eye. The Cyberdrone lines burst apart, like waves crashing apart from a colliding object. As the center ones dropped, those on the edges closed on in, determined to pull Miguel down before he could recover his footing.

But Miguel's footing was just fine, and these Cyberdrones were destined for the scrap heap. His gloved hand snapped up to block, grabbing the struggled drone by the wrist as he swiped with his blade, cleaving through another trio before stabbing inward. The sword burst through the robot's back, exposing sparks and wires as Miguel kicked to send it reeling over the edge of the pier.

Then, with his attackers in pieces at his feet, Miguel slowly turned his head to glare warning welcome for the rest of them to try. The Cyberdrones seemed less than keen, already backing away to give the Dark Ranger a wide berth.

"You may do well at disposing of pawns," said ArcKnight. "But let's see how you fare against a real challenge."

There was something about ArcKnight's voice, either the arrogant defiance or the quiver of uncertainty, but Miguel couldn't wait for the warrior's assault. An eagerness, trilled at his chest, twitching his lips into a cruel smile as he turned to face his foe. This power; it felt good. And all he wanted to do was push it to his limits. To find a foe that would let him unleash all that he had.

"I'm also dying for a real fight," Miguel replied lazily. "I guess you'll do until I find one."

The warrior growled to Miguel's mocking, his whole body tensing as the shield lifted and the blade rose to strike. From his place at the edge of the pier, Miguel held his saber in readiness for the bout.

For a moment, neither of them moved, each watching the other in studious preparation. Daring their opponent to make the first strike. And then, Miguel was done waiting.

He lunged, surging at his enemy like there were rockets at his feet. The Dark Saber glowed, eager for a battle, hungry for the taste of ArcKnight's armor on into edge. He crossed the gap in a heartbeat, barely a blink before the weapon flashed to strike at the center mass. But it never hit the target.

Ready for the move, ArcKnight's shield snapped up, clashing with the Dark Sabre to unleash a wave of concussive force. Miguel held, pushing further against the shield as ArcKnight also leaned in closer.

"That was impressive, Dark Ranger," he chuckled. "But it will not be enough."

"I'm just getting started."

Throwing him back, ArcKnight launched into an assault of his own, blade singing as it swung through the air and sliced for Miguel's chest. Miguel didn't stumble, recovering quickly from the throwback as his footing regained their balance. The Dark Ranger stepped back, strike after strike, giving further ground as ArcKnight's blade swung for him with ever-growing intensity.

Too intense.

With the enhanced senses of Miguel's suit, ArcKnight may as well have been moving in slow motion. Miguel could see where the strike would land and where his body could react. To read the moment when ArcKnight would become too committed to shift. And then it came.

As ArcKnight swung in his blade, Miguel shifted direction, spinning to the side instead of stepping back. The weapon hit empty air, the warrior already surging forward for the next attack, now with his target no longer in his reach. A sly smile split Miguel's lips as he swung in the Dark Saber for the blow.

But ArcKnight was still faster.

"Nice try!"

The shield struck out again, the armored knight almost leaping to spin and bat away the blade. The saber sheered against the surface, sparks bursting from the contact as the force pressed into the slab. As ArcKnight threw him off, the two warriors stepped back, flourishing their weapons while they resized their enemy.

"If that was the best you could do," said ArcKnight, "It is a wonder that Lord Xaviax is wasting his time."

"Tough talk when you can't land a hit," Miguel sneered.

It was more than just survival now, more than some desire to win a fight so well that he wouldn't have to fight another. With the power coursing through his body, Miguel felt something else, something that flittered about him when he'd fought the Rangers, now was growing ever stronger. He was enjoying this, and he wanted more.

He didn't just want to win; he wanted to destroy him.

And he was going to.

The warriors lunged again, this time ArcKnight discarding patience for a full-on assault. Miguel leaped aside, swinging the Dark Saber for a sideswipe that ArcKnight battered with his shield. Back and forth, the two warriors dueled, blades colliding as each furiously swung to land a decisive blow.

He could do it; he knew he could. With the power of the Dark Morpher, he was all but unstoppable. Meanwhile, ArcKnight was all bark and no bite, his sword swings were easily avoided or parried. He just needed to deal with the shield…

Miguel spun around, shifting into a stance to imply a preparing lunge.

"Finally," ArcKnight chuckled. "You're deciding to get serious."

"I am," Miguel admitted. "Shame you can't."

"Wha-?"

He surged forward, the power propelling his limbs into a strike of blinding speed. ArcKnight snapped up the shield, bracing to intercept the blow as he had before. But Miguel had other ideas.

Taking the runup, he vaulted high, somersaulting to land by ArcKnight's side and striking with precision. The blade caught the inside of the shield, booming on collision as all the force slammed into the surface. Already bracing for the frontal strike, ArcKnight wasn't prepared for an alternative angle. The force of the blow wrenched the shield from the warrior's grip, sending it soaring across the pier as ArcKnight saw his disadvantage and dived.

Barely in time.

The Dark Saber plunged into the space, slicing through the wooden planks of the pier as ArcKnight recovered in the distance.

"Nowhere to hide," Miguel, feeling a threatening chuckle rumble from his chest. He… he was enjoying this. And he was going to enjoy ending it.

"You will need more than a cheap trick to end this fight," ArcKnight warned.

"Couldn't agree more."

Miguel surged forward again, this time ArcKnight lunging to meet him with no protection. The blades clashed, booming as they rebounded and their wielders hurried to control the narrow window of opportunity. Miguel got it first, pushing his advance as ArcKnight was forced on the back foot.

Furious at the fatling assault, ArcKnight's sword began to glow, bolts of blue lighting unfurling from the tip, searing across the ground as Miguel dived to avoid. The blast exploded, reigning splinters across the pier as the warriors turned to face each other, one last time.

"So much for 'no cheap tricks'," Miguel taunted. "I'm getting bored of this."

"Then is an easy solution," said ArcKnight. "Come with me willingly and serve Lord Xaviax."

"How about… no?"

The armored warrior scowled as he readied for the final bout, as Miguel's eyes narrowed in the study of his opponent. For all his might, ArcKnight would fall. Of that the Dark Ranger was certain. And his cries of defeat would be all the more satisfying.

For a moment, just one, the warriors stared off, each watching the other for the break. Across the now deserted pier, a wind howled between them, catching a stray plastic bag and spiriting it upwards, carrying it in ignorant filtering between them. And still, neither of them moved. For ArcKnight knew he was on the back foot, and Miguel knew that he had won.

This time, it was ArcKnight who made the first move. It was barely more than a flinch, a flicker of movement that signaled his attack. But with his grid-enhanced senses, Miguel caught it, like a film in slow motion that betrayed every weakness. And beneath his helm, Miguel allowed himself a smile. To embrace the love of the fight, to inflict his power upon his enemy.

In that brief heartbeat, Miguel lunged as well, the two warriors launching across the open pier, each readying for a final, debilitating blow. The edge of the Dark Saber glowed as they met, both blades blitzing past as their wielders struck for the finish.

Carrying through, both warriors skidded to a stop, neither daring to look back. But Miguel didn't need to, for he already knew who'd won. His smile of satisfaction grew as ArcKnight suddenly screamed.

"All too easy," Miguel smirked.

Sparks burst from ArcKnight's chest as he suddenly dropped his sword, arcs of lightning unfurling from the wound as he flailed in a desperate attempt to stay standing. He could only groan in pain as the power seeped from his body, the damage far too great. With his body finally giving way, ArcKnight stumbled forward, and an enormous fireball unleashed from within as he relented to the gaping wound.

It surged into the sky, blazing heat flashing across the pier. But still, Miguel didn't turn. Landing the blow had been satisfying enough.

It was only as the smoke began to dissipate that at last Miguel decided to admire his handiwork, only for his teeth to clench in growling frustration.

ArcKnight was still there.

His armor scorched, sheared metal sizzling from the site of the blow, but somehow the warrior had been able to withstand the full ferocity of the Ranger's Shadow Strike. Whether was able to fight anymore was another matter.

Miguel knew it was time to leave. He'd made his point, taking down ArcKnight with barely a scratch, and even if the warrior was still standing, it would be a long time before he'd be willing to try again. If ArcKnight was the best that Xaviax could send, then the machine master was already out of options.

And yet, he couldn't help himself, stepping toward ArcKnight, Saber lazily resting on his shoulder to further revel in his victory. To take another chance to test his power.

"Still standing after all that?" he chuckled. "Good news for me then, I've got some more play time."

"MIGUEL!"

The voice snapped him back to reality, from the daze of ecstasy brought about by his victory. Spinning around, three primary-colored figures somersaulted into view. The Server Force Rangers had finally arrived.

"I guess it's time for the main event," he snarled, catching the words only as they left his tongue and snaked out for the Rangers to hear. What was he saying? ArcKnight was one thing, he was threatening to take him back. But the Rangers had not done anything to him.

Not yet.

They stood tall, stances ready while their weapons remained undrawn. As ArcKnight took the opportunity to retreat in a flash of emerald, Erika slowly stepped forward.

"Miguel," she warned. "There's one of two ways this can go. Let's not do the hard one."

"She's right," Zeke agreed. "Power down, and let's talk this over."

Power down? When he was on top of the world? Not a chance. Not when they were staying wrapped in their own suits. Although Miguel supposed he couldn't blame them; they were afraid of him.

They knew they didn't stand a chance.

He was just about to throw another taunt, another daring challenge to see if they'd meet it, when the Ranger in light blue stepped beside her comrades.

"Miguel," Abbey pleaded. "Please…"

Her voice was like a wave of icy water, splashing on a blazing pyre; a slap in the face that could've jolted him from the deepest slumbers. Miguel's breath inhaled but didn't release, almost stumbling back as he heard her voice and the feelings carried within it.

Fear for him, for her, and for her friends. Regret for what had been said between them and what he'd been dragged into. Worry for what he was becoming.

He'd taken them down once before, been so carried away that he'd blasted Abbey and barely even noticed. He'd nearly done it again, been so eager for a fight that he'd almost thrown himself at his friends.

Friends…

Were they his friends?

The people that had lied to him, that had kept him in the dark? But then again, so had the one who had dragged him further into the darkness.

"Abbey…" Miguel began to stammer, staggering as the rage left him, dropping like a lead balloon. "I… I…"

This Morpher, he needed to get it off! Before it consumed him, before it led him to make a mistake he could never take back. While it was still something he was willing to be rid of. But then another voice spoke to him.

It buzzed in his ear, crackling through com in the helmet. But it was worse than the annoyance of an unavoidable, physical buzzing. The hissing voice felt like it was churning in his mind, resonating with his very soul. With a chill that crawled down his spine, Miguel recognized it. The man in the iron mask with ember-glowing eyes. Xaviax.

"Don't go running too quickly…" he sneered in Miguel's ear. "You've got another fight to finish…"

"No!" Miguel gasped. "No, I won't fight them!" Across from him, the Rangers began looking at each other in confusion, uncertain as to why he was suddenly yelling. Miguel staggered back, doing all he could to put distance between himself and Xaviax' desired victims. "No! Stay Away!"

"I gave you power…" Xaviax warned. "And I will collect on your debt. By your willingness, or mine…"

"Get out of my head!"

"So be it…" Xaviax decided. And as he did, Miguel could have sworn he heard a relish in his voice as the die was cast. Then, his heart stopped, dread seizing him as the words crackled through the earpiece to reverberate through his very soul. "Dark Server… Override Access!"

The power surged from the Morpher again, more frightening than ever before, and Miguel could only scream as his body was wrenched from his own control.


From the edge of the pier, the Rangers stared in horror as a blood-curdling howl unleashed from Miguel's lungs. Lighting burst from his suit, black as tar as his hands snapped to his head to contain the agony. All Erika could do was watch, helpless as Miguel's own Dark Ranger suit rebelled against him.

"Hilary," she urged. "Are you seeing all of this?"

"I'm reading it all right," the programmer confirmed. "These levels are off the charts!"

"What's happening to him?" Abbey demanded.

"Whatever it is," said Zeke, "it's not good."

But it was far too late for answers. With a crack as loud as thunder and a flash of blackened light, the crackling energy vanished, Miguel stumping forward as smoke sizzled off his uniform. As he straightened, his helm lifted, dark crimson visor looking upon the Rangers with menacing intent.

"Now, Rangers," he snarled in a deep baritone voice that they no longer recognized. "You said something about a hard way?"

"Guys, be careful," Hilary warned them. "He's been in morph for a while, but he's bound to still pack a punch."

"Brace yourselves," Erika agreed the others as their weapons flashed to their hands. "He's about to come in hot."

There was something different about the Miguel way now moved, a straightening of his posture that betrayed a fresh bravado. An arrogance to his swagger as he stood almost lazily before them. Whatever had happened to him, whatever his suit had done, one thing was becoming abundantly clear. Whoever this Dark Ranger was before them, it was no longer Miguel.

Gritting her teeth, Erika shot a look to Abbey, whose concealed face was staring at her friend in disbelief. At the figure that stood in his place, wearing his skin. Erika could only listen as Abbey tried one more time to appeal to reason, her heart breaking as she heard the desperation in her voice.

"Miguel," she begged. "Please, it's not too late to stop this."

"Oh, but it is," the Dark Ranger replied, an unnerving chuckle rumbling from his deepening voice. "Not that I want to. If you want it to end, there's an easy way: stand still."

"Stick to the plan," Erika told them. "We can do this."

"We'll take him together," Zeke nodded. "Fight all at once."

But Erika had already lunged at her target.

She surged across the pier, axe raised for a devastating blow aimed right at Dark Ranger's chest. His Saber flashed, clashing at the axe's pommel as she brought it down with all strength. The two weapons struggled in the middle, each wielder holding strong and refusing to relent. Then, with the sharp edge of the axe head niggling closer, the Dark Ranger looked past the stalemate and glared through his ominous crimson visor.

"Still too eager to fight," he scoffed. "You never seem to learn."

But now it was Erika's turn to smirk. "Actually, I do."

She dropped the axe and dropped into a roll. The Dark Saber snapped downward, thrashing the wooden boards as a pair of light blue streaks seared across the sky and slammed into the Ranger's chests. Puffs of smoke burst from the sparking impact, slamming the Dark Ranger back as Erika recovered and lunged again, bringing around the full force of the axe for a direct hit into the chest. This time it connected, crashing into the dark nano-fiber and blitzing against the surface as the blow sent the Dark Ranger flying.

But they weren't taking any chances, refusing to rest on their laurels or assume he was down for the count. Sure enough, the Dark Ranger recovered as Erika and Abbey regrouped, backflipping mid-air to land on his feet with his weapon glowing.

"Neat trick," he decided. "Here's one of mine."

He burst across the pier with blinding speed, vanishing into a blur of black that gave neither Ranger time to dodge. But while the girls weren't ready, Zeke was, lunging as the Dark Ranger landed.

"I don't think so!"

The yellow shield dropped down between his friends and their enemy, straight in the blitzing path with no time to redirect. The Dark Saber collided against the barrier, bouncing off the surface as the energy flashed on contact. Zeke skidded in recoil, but his friends had his back, and their hands snapped to his shoulder and braced as the Dark Ranger ricocheted away.

They had an opening, and they had to take it. As the Dark Ranger's boots skidded on the jetty, the other Rangers lunged together, converging into a deadly whirlwind, that refused to give their enemy any reprieve. But it wasn't going to be enough. Nowhere near. The Dark Ranger's sword flashed, batting off Erika's axe before he ducked beneath the swinging shield. His boot kicked out, slamming Zeke into Erika's path as at last Abbey dared to strike against him.

And she struck with all she had.

The bow swung wide, a heavy club streaking across the sky as the Dark Ranger whipped up his saber to block. But Abbey didn't retreat, pressing against his weapon to keep him locked in place.

"Brave of you, little Blue Ranger," laughed the Dark Ranger. "Finally ready to hit your friend Miguel?"

"You're not Miguel," Abbey snarled. "Give him back!"

"No, I don't think I will."

Abbey was too focused on the saber to be watching the rest of him, unprepared for his stalling. For the subtle shifting of weight that exposed her.

"My turn," he sneered.

His black boot snapped off the ground, plunging into Abbey's stomach. She gasped gutturally as the air expelled from her chest, hurled back by the blow as her teammates closed in to support her.

"Get away from her!" Zeke demanded.

"So chivalrous. Something dead; just like you."

The shield swung high, the Dark Ranger dodging yet again before Zeke brought it down in anticipation. The metal slammed into the wooden ground, dropping to block the deadly counter of the Dark Saber. The sword and shield collided, sparks shearing off the surface as this time the Dark Ranger did not relent.

"Always on defense," he mocked. "Never to land a hit."

"Who told you that?"

With one arm bracing their shield, Zeke's hand whipped to the holster, drawing the Security Pistol and opening fire. The Dark Ranger snarled as he staggered, feet dancing as he retreated from the peppering blasts, smoke hissing from the surface as the Yellow Ranger pushed onto the offense. Closing the distance, the pistol cracked into a blade, slicing in pursuit as the Dark Ranger's footing kept him back.

"You know," the Dark Ranger sneered. "Someone else tried beating me with a shield recently. They were just as annoying."

He dived, rolling on the ground as Zeke's blade hit empty air. While the Yellow Ranger saw the feint and reacted, the Dark Ranger had other ideas. He swung down, the glowing edge of the saber slamming into the ground, bursting the wood apart as both were flung from their feet. It hurled Zeke backward, and the Dark Ranger soared up. Reaching his peak, the saber flipped and readied to plunge into the now helpless Yellow Ranger.

"Up top!"

Twin bolts of blue split the sky, streaking from the edge at the soaring target. The Dark Ranger saw them just in time, sword flashing to intercept the energy arrows, batting them into the distance. Both hit the lake behind, the water bursting like blowholes into enormous spouts of spray.

But in all his swagger, for all the ease with which he'd avoided Abbey's shots and sent Zeke sprawling, the Dark Ranger had made a big mistake. Lurking from the sidelines, Erika let a smile creep to her lips.

He'd been so busy toying with Zeke that he'd forgotten all about her.

Lunging from the debris of shattered tables, Erika wound back her axe for the strike. The Dark Ranger had landed and set his sights on Abbey, hand reaching the pistol at his belt, unaware of the scarlet streaking toward him. With the axe head glowing hot, Erika blitzed it across his suit in a dazzling shower of sparks. Slammed with the full force of the blow, the Dark Ranger went hurtling across the pier before crashing into the railing on the far end.

"Okay," he snarled as he rose from the splintered wreckage. "Now I'm annoyed."

"Just try being my principal!"

Gripping the weapon tight and refusing to relent the pressure, Erika surged again, lunging right for him with a follow-up blow. Just as expected, the Dark Saber flashed up, the blade catching the axe's edges as they sheared in a grinding battle for supremacy.

A roar unleashed from Erika's chest, pushing all her might into the blade, inching it back towards its wielder in a stubborn refusal to relent. But the Dark Ranger's head slowly turned, seeing through Erika's distracting efforts to see Abbey off to the side, lining up a shot.

"Nice try…"

With one hand still holding Erika at bay, a dark mockery of the Rangers' pistol flashed from the holster and aimed down the sights. With all her strength committed to holding the sword at bay, Erika could do nothing but watch as the Dark Ranger squeezed the trigger and unleashed a pair of black bolts from the barrel.

But Zeke, even dependable, was already moving.

The Yellow Ranger diving, the giant shield tanking the pair of shots that ricocheted like they were nothing. Then he too lunged in, shield plunging in for a heavy bludgeoning. Unable to use the saber without relenting to Erika's axe, the Dark Ranger was trapped and pinned.

Or so they thought.

He let the pistol go, discarding it without a thought as his hand lashed out, open palm catching the edge of the shield and squeezing. His shoulder reefed back, recoiling against the blow as his hand curled into a tightening grip around the metal and held both weapons in place. He'd held them back, but now he had nowhere to go. With the strength of two Rangers baring down on him, the Dark Ranger was locked in place—the perfect target.

"Abbey!" Erika ordered. "Take the shot!"

Saved by Zeke's interception, the Blue Ranger raised her bow once more, pulling back as the glowing arrows nocked. But as she did, aiming down and ready to release, the Dark Ranger whipped around, red visor locking with hers, voice quivering into a desperate plea.

"Abbey…"

It was no longer the Dark Ranger's voice; it was Miguel's.

Erika's heart seized as she heard it, the sinister growling of the Dark Ranger between the pleading tones; knowing what he was doing, and what it would do to Abbey. The Blue Ranger paused, faltering in restoration as she heard the Dark Ranger wanted her to. And the hesitation was the only opening he needed.

"All too easy."

The Dark Ranger shifted his weight, hands swinging together to swing the two struggling Rangers into their own momentum. Erika's axe bounced off Zeke's shield, both stumbling back into the recoil as the Dark Ranger flipped away.

And then Abbey's arrows lanced his chest.

She'd remained on target, angry at the deception and its effectiveness as she unleashed the shots as the soaring Dark Rangers. This time, having spent his efforts escaping Zeke and Erika, he was in no position to dodge, and the twin arrows met their mark to send him soaring. The rounds exploded off his suit, flinging him across the pier as Abbey surged to follow up, now incensed in fury from her nature being used against her.

"GIVE! HIM! BACK!" she screamed, swinging with her bow as the Dark Ranger rose and struck into parry.

But Abbey wasn't alone for long. Ever dutiful, Zeke rushed into the fray, bull-rushing with his shield like a rocketing freight train. Already on the back foot, the Dark Ranger dodged, pirouetting away as the Yellow Ranger rushed past and Abbey resumed her offense.

But repositioning was enough to tilt the odds, enough to push the two Rangers into attacking from the same direction. Enough for what the Dark Ranger wanted.

The sword glowed again, slicing down as the Dark Ranger cackled with menacing glee. The blade struck against the ground, booming into a blazing flash, and having lunged into the fray, Abbey and Zeke were far too exposed. The blast hurled them from their feet, sending them sprawling across the pier and landing in a heap.

Groaning, the pair struggled to rise, but they were already too late. The Dark Ranger was already standing above them, and the Dark Saber was glowing with murderous intent.

"Lights out," he snarled.

"Not today!"

While it wasn't the opening she was looking for, Erika took it nonetheless. She had to, she needed to. It was all she had if there was to have any chance of saving her friends. Her power flowed into the axe, the edges glowing hot crimson as she lunged at the Dark Ranger, weapon wound back as she readied a single, devasting strike.

Now it was all or nothing.

She moved with blinding speed, the power of the grid propelling her forward, launching her across the gap as close in on the Dark Ranger to rescue Abbey and Zeke. Faster than the Dark Ranger was ready for.

The blow already closing in, all he could do was redirect and bring the blazing blade around in a desperate to meet Erika's own. Then, imbued with the full power of each Ranger, they collided.

The clash unleashed a mighty boom, a flash of energy blasting the connecting weapons, a shockwave that ripped out from the impact. It slammed into all of them, sweeping them into a ball of fire that tossed the Rangers in all directions. The axe flung from Erika's grip, soaring harmlessly away as she tumbled without grace or precision, hitting the ground with a painful thud as she continued rolling. She stopped only as she skidded into the railing, the only thing stopping her from plunging into the Lake below.

Beside her, Abbey and Zeke had met the same fate, wheezing as they slid to a stop and rolled on the ground amid the throbbing.

Their morpher beeped as the Ranger suits receded, air filling with flashes of red, blue, and yellow.

And black.

Looking to the side, Erika's eyes widened as she watched the Dark Ranger stagger back, his own suit vanish in retreat. Vanishing and releasing Miguel. Now released, the boy stumbled forward, hunching over with desperate panting breaths.

He was free.

For now.

As the Rangers climbed to their feet, they watched as Miguel looked around, eyes widening as if emerging from a daze. His jaw hung loose in horror, breathing close together as at last he gazed upon them and stumbled back. With her own eyes filled with sorrow and concern, Abbey stepped closer.

"Miguel…"

"Stay away from me!" he yelled, voice quivering with terror. "Keep away!"

"Miguel," Abbey tried again. "Please, we just want to help."

"I said stay away!"

The black smoke enveloped him, steaking around to obscure his form, concealing all within the darkness. The last thing the three teens saw was Miguel's eyes, trembling in utter terror. Not of them, but himself.

And then he vanished.


To be concluded…


Next time:

With Miguel on the run, the Rangers scramble to find him before Lena. But things go from bad to worse when Xaviax takes advantage of their concern, seizing the opportunity to capture Ray. With their mentor in peril and their friend still under Xaviax's control, the Rangers are forced to face their greatest foe alone, forced to dig deep and find their strength. Will they be able to overcome Xaviax's overwhelming numbers? Will Miguel be able to wrest himself free of Xaviax's thrall? And will they be able to bring their friend home, or be forced to destroy him before being destroyed themselves?

Find out next time on:

POWER RANGERS
SERVER FORCE

Going Dark- Part III


A/N: Here we are, one more part of the big multi-parter to go. And big news, next week, the episode will be uploaded in three parts, instead of two. In a break from our regular uploads, Server Force will be updating Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hope to see you all then, and would love to hear how you think things will play out in the thrilling conclusion to the Dark Ranger Saga.

Power Rangers: Server Force is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property, with artwork character models created through Hero Forge.

Power Rangers- Sever Force updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know, and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update. Until next time, may the Power Protect You.