Chapter 12

Sticks and Stones

In the dark realm of Titania, Emperor Mordred paced, his expression calculative, a stark contrast to his usual fury. General Valtor spoke up, "Your Majesty, brute force has yielded nothing but defeat. Perhaps it's time for a more subtle approach to defeating the Rangers."

Emperor Mordred raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."

Valtor continued, "Why not create a warrior whose strength lies not in muscles, but in words? A master of manipulation, capable of turning the Rangers against each other."

General Malicia's eyes gleamed with interest. "I might have just the warrior in mind for this plan."

Emperor Mordred nodded, his eyes narrowing. "See to it, Malicia. Create this warrior, while I attend to other matters. The Rangers will soon learn that our power extends beyond mere brute force."

[P.R.M.F]

Moira burst into the Sanctum of the Gods, her face red with rage. "Curses upon the gods!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls. "They're hiding something from us, something crucial to our fight against Mordred!"

Chris rushed to his mother's side, trying to calm her down. "Mother, please, let's not jump to conclusions."

But Moira shook him off. "I know what I've seen, Chris. The threads of fate are clear. The gods are withholding information that could aid the Rangers."

Jason stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "Where's Hestia? She's our mentor, she should know what's going on."

Moira's expression turned grim. "Hestia is at Olympus, trying to convince the gods to reveal the truth. But I fear she may be too late."

Just then, the monster alert sounded, and the Rangers exchanged worried glances. Moira's expression turned stern. "Go, Rangers! Face whatever monster Mordred has sent. We'll deal with the gods' secrets later."

The Rangers nodded, morphed, and stepped through Janus' Door, ready to face whatever lay ahead. But as they emerged onto the street, they were met with an unexpected sight: a pale-skinned woman with a menacing grin, her eyes fixed on the Rangers with an unnerving intensity.

Matt snarled, his confidence unwavering. "We can take her down, she's not even armed!"

Sofia placed a cautionary hand on Matt's arm. "Wait, Matt, let's not rush in. A calm approach might be better."

But Matt shook her off, his eyes fixed on Arachne. "I've got this, Sofia. She's not a threat."

With a fierce battle cry, Matt charged forward, his falchion flashing in the light. But before he could even get close, Arachne spoke, her voice low and husky.

"Your bravery is admirable, Ranger... but misplaced."

Without lifting a hand, she uttered a single word: "Fracture."

Matt's armor sparked, and he felt a sudden jolt of electricity course through his body. He tried to cry out, but his voice was cut short as he was sent flying violently into a nearby store. Glass shattered, and debris exploded everywhere.

The other Rangers stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide with horror. Emily's voice was barely above a whisper. "Matt... oh gods, Matt!"

Jason's face set in a grim determination. "We need to be careful. Arachne's powers are unlike anything we've faced before."

Sofia's eyes never left Matt's crumpled form. "We need to get him out of there, now!"

Arachne's grin grew wider, her eyes glinting with malevolence. "You may try, Rangers... but words can be just as deadly as swords."

Arachne's taunts grew louder, her words piercing the Rangers like sharp daggers. "You think you're heroes? You're nothing but fools, blinded by your own arrogance!"

Each word struck them like a physical blow, sending them flying across the street. Emily cried out, clutching her chest as if pierced by an invisible sword. Chris stumbled back, his eyes wide with pain. Matt struggled to get up, but his body felt heavy, as if weighed down by an unseen force.

Jason, determined to stop Arachne, rushed forward, his sword flashing in the light. But as he struck, Arachne spoke again, her voice weaving a spell of deception.

"Empty air, Jason. You're fighting shadows."

Jason's sword met nothing but air, and he felt himself lifted off the ground, flying violently backward. He landed hard, his armor cracking on impact.

One by one, the Rangers tried to attack, but Arachne's words deflected them all. She spoke, and they flew, their bodies battered and bruised. Their morphs faltered, and they demorphed, left vulnerable and helpless.

Sofia alone remained standing, frozen in fear, as she watched her teammates fall. She wanted to move, to help, but her legs wouldn't budge. Arachne's words had her paralyzed, unable to do anything but witness the destruction.

Arachne's laughter echoed through the street, a cold, mirthless sound. "You see, Rangers? Words can be weapons, and I am the master of language."

The Rangers lay scattered, defeated, as Arachne's words continued to haunt them, a constant reminder of their failure.

Arachne's gaze turned to Sofia, her eyes glinting with triumph. "And what about you, Pink Ranger? Will you try to fight me too?"

But Sofia didn't respond. She was already consumed by doubts, her mind racing with thoughts of inadequacy. Why had she frozen up? Why hadn't she been able to help her teammates?

Arachne's smirk grew wider as she sensed Sofia's inner turmoil. "When I return, Rangers, you will fall by my hands. And there's nothing you can do to stop it.

With a flourish, Arachne vanished in a golden sigil, leaving the Rangers in a state of despair. Sofia let out a heavy sigh, her heart weighed down by the encounter. She felt like she'd let her teammates down.

As Janus' Door opened, Sofia helped the other Rangers to their feet. They were demorphed, their spirits broken by Arachne's words. Matt leaned on Sofia's shoulder, his eyes downcast. Emily and Chris looked like they'd been drained of all energy. Jason's face was grim, his eyes burning with determination.

"We need to talk about what just happened," Jason said, his voice low.

Sofia nodded, her mind racing. "We can't let her get to us like that again."

But as they walked through Janus' Door, Sofia couldn't shake off the feeling that Arachne had already won. The warrior's words still lingered in her mind, sowing seeds of doubt and fear.

The Rangers trudged into the Sanctum, their heads hung low in defeat. But before anyone could even process what had just happened, Sofia's words cut through the air like a knife.

"I don't even know why I bothered becoming a Ranger!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking with emotion. "I'm just a liability! I didn't do anything to help!"

Tears streaming down her face, Sofia dropped her Morpher to the ground and turned away, walking out of the Sanctum without looking back. The others watched in shock, unsure of how to react.

Chris was the first to move, rushing into his mother's arms as tears poured down his face. "We're not strong enough, Mother," he sobbed. "We can't even protect ourselves."

Moira held him close, her own eyes welling up with tears. "Oh, Chris, it's not your fault. We'll get through this together."

But as they hugged, the weight of their defeat hung heavy in the air. Jason's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in determination. Emily and Matt exchanged worried glances, their minds racing with thoughts of Arachne's return.

The Sanctum, once a symbol of hope and unity, now felt like a fragile refuge, threatened by the looming shadow of Arachne's words.