Episode 19: Power Of Magic
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
Despite the worry about the words that appeared in front of them, Cruger decided to talk to his Rangers later. For now, he wanted to continue seeing the memories to see if he could find more information through them. He instructed Syd, Jack, and Kat Manx to follow his lead as the Rangers came into the room. He knew it was the right choice when he saw the Ninja Storm Rangers, still affected by what Z showed them, and Gia and the Megaforce Rangers, also shaken by what they found in the gym.
It was hard enough for them, and Cruger didn't have all the clues yet, so it was better to wait. As soon as everyone sat down, he activated the recorder in an attempt to focus his thoughts on other matters. The images that appeared showed how time had passed. The cadets they first saw at the start of the Academy were slightly older, training and studying. The city was growing, and the forcefield now covered the whole planet.
Jake, Conner, and Mike also looked stronger, having somehow a normal life. Physically, they had gotten more adapted to their life as teachers and Rangers. Mike's hair was slightly longer, while Conner and Jake's were shorter, and the three of them had well-shaped beards. In general, the three men looked more mature, probably due to their numerous responsibilities not only as teachers but also as representatives of Eltar. Not far from them, young Bridge and Skylar were doing a little training using their powers and having fun.
It wasn't easy, but they were working through it, one step at a time.
-L-
SPD Academy (2016) – Outside
Jake, Conner, and Mike had a routine of meeting for lunch whenever they had time after their classes, and that's exactly what they were doing now while they watched Bridge trying to read Skylar's aura through Skylar's shield.
Jake chuckled when Bridge frowned, trying to break through the shield, and Conner crossed his arms, watching Skylar's effort to keep the shield up and not allow Bridge to read his aura. They had a habit of making everything a competition, but at least they were becoming close friends, and their training helped them get more control of their powers.
Mike laughed when Bridge finally broke the shield by distracting Skylar and was able to read Skylar's aura. "I taught him that."
"Very nice tactic… I may need to help Skylar reinforce that shield," said Conner, and Jake nodded. "I should take some time to see how far Bridge's readings go. I don't want him to read what he doesn't need to know."
Mike chuckled. Watching both Jake and Conner act like parents was strange. He didn't know Conner that well, but he seemed more like a cool uncle, and despite Skylar's problems trusting people, they had a strong bond. He had only seen Conner be able to get past Skylar's shield without any effort, proving the young boy trusted him beyond any doubt.
His surprise came with Jake. Despite his age, Jake took the responsibility of raising Bridge as a new challenge, and the boy clearly was happy with his papa, following him dressed in SPD academy training clothes. A green shirt, black pants, and sometimes he had white gloves or black ones with white stripes, showcasing his papa's Ranger colors. Bridge always said Jake made him feel safe, and Jake found in Bridge the hope he lost when he lost his family and friends.
It was a warm feeling, watching them all interact, and it made Mike wonder how it would feel to have a kid of his own. He and Emily were too young, but he always pictured a little girl with Emily's blonde locks and his smirk. She would drive him crazy, but he would love her more than anything in the world. He smiled; it was a nice dream.
"Mike, you alright?"
Mike came back to real life and nodded as Jake touched his arm to get his attention. "Yeah, what were you saying?"
"I made it official for Skylar to be my son, but Jake and I were discussing if it wouldn't be better to change their last name like Jason did for Jake when he was young," said Conner, thinking. "We were thinking of changing their names to Carson for Bridge and Tate for Skylar if they pass the Rangers exams."
"It is a good idea," said Mike, eating a chip. "They would be more out in the open, and as Power Rangers, they don't need the extra attention of being the Commander, the Firebird's son or my nephews."
Conner and Jake nodded. "We will discuss it with the kids later," said Jake, taking a deep breath. "I don't know how dad did it, honestly. Bridge is great, but sometimes I wonder if I'm doing things right."
"I feel the same. I bet Kira would have Skylar wrapped around her finger by now. The kid can be so cold sometimes, not even fire can melt his attitude, but there is something about him I can't let go," said Conner, chuckling. "I wonder if that's what Dr. O felt when he was guiding us, and that's why he never gave up."
Mike looked at Conner and then at Jake and rolled his eyes. "You two should calm down. You are doing such a good job, you are making me want to have a kid of my own."
Conner and Jake shared a look, and both men chuckled, looking at him. "Don't speak too loud, Mike. We didn't plan for Bridge or Skylar, and look at us now, so we wouldn't be surprised if you also find a kid that steals your heart and needs someone to take care of them."
Mike rolled his eyes and was about to say something when suddenly, they felt a change in the air. A moment later, they saw a hole opening in front of them, and a familiar face for Jake fell through the hole and directly in front of their table. Her pale blonde hair hid her worried expression as she looked up, finally finding what she was looking for.
"Jake…" said the woman.
Jake jumped from his seat and ran to the woman, helping her up. The woman gripped his arms as Jake helped her to sit down. She was shaking, and yet, she tried to stay strong and speak to the young man that now was all the hope she had.
"Clare… hey, I'm here," whispered Jake, worried. "What happened?"
"Briarwood is under attack. Everything… everyone came back," said Clare, taking short breaths. She had been fighting; Jake could see the dirt on her clothes and her fingertips slightly burned from the abuse of magic she had used to keep the city safe.
"Everyone?" said Jake, looking up to his guardians. "You mean Morticon and his allies?" Clare nodded and, looking at him with fear, said, "Even Koragg is there, but he's not Nick's father… he's like when he was under the spell."
"It must be the replicas," said Conner, and Jake nodded before putting a hand on Clare's shoulder. "Clare, we need to take you to the Command Center. Our people can take a look at your injuries while we prepare to leave."
"What?" asked Clare.
"We will explain to you on the way to the Command Center, c'mon," said Jake.
Clare nodded, and while she was still confused, she didn't question Jake and followed him. Conner and Mike called for the kids, who quickly came to them. It wasn't a surprise when Bridge took off his glove and took Clare's hand in his.
"She's scared, papa," whispered Bridge. Jake smiled at her while Clare looked at them, confused. "I'll explain later. Bridge, I'm going to need you and Skylar to stay with her, alright?"
Conner also patted his son's shoulder, having an idea. "Skylar, how strong is your shield? Do you think you can camouflage her magic so whoever attacked her doesn't track her energy back here?"
"I believe I can, father, but I need her to allow me to do it," said Skylar, looking at Clare. "I won't hurt you. I promise."
Clare, still confused, only nodded as Mike helped her inside, with Jake by their side and Conner slightly behind them. It seemed they had a new challenge awaiting them, and whatever they were facing was strong enough to defeat a powerful mage like Clare, which meant only one thing.
They needed to be more prepared than ever.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
Just as the Rangers saw Jake, Conner, and Mike guide Clare inside the Command Center, a portal opened beside the Mystic Rangers, and Clare took a step, standing near her Rangers and in front of the other Rangers. She nodded towards them and hugged Maddie when she walked towards her friend.
"I was told I needed to come here," said Clare, looking at the images. "Oh, I see…"
"Clare, would you join us? We are going to see the events that brought you here, and we may have to leave soon, as the corruption will start soon," said Cruger. Clare nodded, also aware of the corruption. She took a step to the devices, feeling the energy, but something must have surprised her because she took a step back as Xander stood gently behind her.
"Is something wrong?" whispered Xander, and Clare looked at him. "I don't know yet. You better get ready. If I remember correctly, the fight will not be easy, not even with Jake using the magic we taught him."
Nick nodded, and with a movement of his hand, his body was engulfed by fire as his clothes changed to the ones he usually used in the forest. Soon, the whole team followed after him, showing the power of the mystic magic to the other Rangers.
"We are ready," said Nick, looking at the images before looking back at the SPD Rangers. "You may want to prepare with extra equipment too. The forest is not a comfortable place to be when it's surrounded by monsters, and Morticon will not go down easily."
"We will be prepared," said Jack, with a confident smile.
"Can you use magic?" asked Chip, interested in Jack's confidence. Jack raised his blaster and looked at his team. Soon, the SPD Rangers followed their leader, and Cruger too, raising his sword. All of them shared a look before closing their eyes.
"Magical source, Mystic force," whispered the SPD Rangers. To the Mystic Rangers' surprise, the blasters of the SPD Rangers glowed with different types of magic: fire, water, earth, lightning, wind. Cruger had a mix of them all, making his sword glow with a variety of colors.
"Wow…" whispered Vida, and then she looked at Clare. "You taught them that?"
"Some of it. Jake used to do tricks for Bridge when he was young, and it became a routine for them all after a while. Conner and Mike could also do some extent of magic—not like Jake, but Conner had expertise in fire, and Mike dominated the forest and could control earth to some extent," said Clare with a soft smile. "The SPD Rangers applied magic to their blasters where they have better control of it."
"With the genetic and enhanced power we got over the years, papa worried about how our bodies would handle magic, so he made sure we could use magic through a safe source," explained Bridge. "He said he had felt the pressure of having too much power himself, and he didn't want us to go through the same."
Troy looked at his team, all of them with the same expression as they realized Jake probably talked about his experience while Bastro gave and took the energy from him and how hard it was for Jake to deal with it, as he passed out or was too tired to do anything right after he used his powers.
"Look, they just arrived at the forest," said Xander, focusing the attention back to the memories. The Rangers looked as Jake, Conner, and Mike stepped into the Briarwood forest and saw Jake's clothes change into something similar to what the Mystic Rangers were wearing.
-L-
Briarwood (2016) – Forest
Jake took a deep breath as he walked into the forest he knew too well. He had spent almost a year here training with the Mystic Rangers, learning everything he could about magic and also about loyalty and family. He also learned to love nature here.
He chuckled. This place brought a lot of memories, but when he looked over his shoulder, he realized that Conner and Mike were wearing the same clothes they used at the Academy, reminding him they had never stepped into this world.
"That is no way to save magic," said Jake, and he used his magic to change their clothes. Conner was wearing a variation of the Mystic Rangers' clothes without the cape to allow his wings to spread freely, and Mike, while wearing the cape, was using green colors with a forest pattern in the vest due to his connection to the forest. "Now we look good."
"Really? You worry about our clothes?" asked Conner, rolling his eyes, and Jake chuckled. "It's not only clothes, but it also helps channel magic. You already have fire power, but in this forest, it could go out of control easily. That's why these clothes are not just to show off; they will help you control and channel the power. Same with Mike's forest abilities."
"I see… sometimes I forget you trained with all of us at some point," said Conner, nodding to himself. "Very well, any ideas?"
Clare told them to go to Rootcore, which was the last location she was while she was attacked. She believed The Master was somewhere near the area, as it would be Morticon, Imperious, Koragg, Necrolai, and probably a bunch of Hidiacs and Styxoids.
"Rootcore is the Mystic Rangers' Command Center. We should go there first," said Jake, walking towards the location. "Be aware these are powerful enemies. Be very careful—normal attacks will not work on them."
"We must hit them with magic, I presume," said Mike, his sword glowing. "We are ready."
Conner spread his wings, feeling how easy he could manage the fire, almost able to regulate the level of heat he wanted as he and Mike followed Jake towards Rootcore. Luckily, they weren't far from the location, so it didn't take them long to get there.
When they saw the state of the forest surrounding Rootcore, their hearts broke. It was all destroyed, burned, or simply wiped away. Jake looked down, upset. This was a beautiful place. His memories here were full of magic, laughter, and care, and now…
"We can't let them destroy everything," said Jake, his eyes turning gold as he looked around. His hands were already glowing with white sparks, a variation of Chip's power, and the wind directed them, as impatient and powerful as Vida could be. "Lion Ranger! Activate!"
"Firebird Ranger! Activate!" screamed Conner, and Mike prepared his sword before saying, "Wolf Ranger! Activate!"
The three Rangers, now morphed, ran to face a battle to save magic and to try and save whatever was left of this beautiful forest that was once full of life and it was now screaming for help.
-L-
It wasn't a surprise to see The Master in front of Rootcore, waiting for them. Around him, his servants waited patiently, all in line and ready for a fight by the time the three Rangers arrived. The Master chuckled.
"Finally. We have been waiting for you," said The Master, extending his hands. "You won't be able to save magic, Rangers, not this time, and I will take your energy just as I took the energy of this place." He then made a gesture, as if he savored the magic he absorbed and smiled. "Delicious."
"Keep your head cool, Jake. He's trying to anger you," whispered Conner. Jake nodded as the glow in his hands changed from the angry white fire to the calm sound of water, techniques he learned from both Nick and Maddie as they taught him how to connect his powers to his emotions.
From the side, they noticed Necrolai throwing a ball of energy towards them, but with a quick movement of his sword, Mike cut the ball in half, and it exploded away from them. Necrolai smiled, watching the display of power from the Samurai. "Hidiacs!"
Before anyone could do anything, Mike jumped away, being surrounded by Hidiacs and Necrolai herself. They were armed with axes, and along with Necrolai's magic, Mike seemed overwhelmed, but he maintained his calm, the wolf inside him watching his opponents carefully.
Mike positioned his sword, taking the stance of the stone but knowing very well that he might have to change to the wind stance when the time required it. He was well aware of the weapons in front of him, so the only one that worried him was Necrolai. But Mike wasn't naive; magic or not, the forest was always his home, and he planned to use it to his advantage.
As the Hidiacs launched themselves at him, Mike moved with the wind, as if the forest was speaking to him. It looked like a dance as he slashed Hidiacs. Occasionally, he switched his stance to the wind stance to be able to stagger the Hidiacs, pushing them against the ground with a powerful kick.
It wasn't long before it was only Mike and Necrolai. She laughed, preparing her attack as Mike touched the blade of his sword. "Masamune, claim the power of this forest to help us achieve victory." The sword, answering its master, started to glow in a soft green light, and the grass started to grow from the dead ground. Mike chuckled at Necrolai's surprised expression.
"How is this possible?" asked the monster. Mike opened his eyes, showing a soft green light in them. "I command the forest, and none of you are going to kill my element."
Branches started to create new trees, and the grass started to grow around Mike. Despite Necrolai's energetic attempt to erase the forest once again, it was impossible, so she screamed, furious, and created a big orb of energy that she threw at Mike. Mike used his sword to block it, but he didn't expect so much power, and he was pushed back, landing a few feet behind his original position. He looked back at her, completely focused.
Now it was time for the real battle.
-L-
Seeing Mike deep into his battle with Necrolai, Conner tried to help him, but he found himself trapped as he was surrounded by both Morticon and Imperious. He didn't want to use the whole intensity of his fire, knowing very well he could burn whatever forest Mike was trying to rebuild while he was fighting. So he tried to take things further, and he spread his wings, flying over the two monsters.
But then, he saw Morticon grow to the size of the Megazord monster, and the giant monster tried to catch him as if Conner were a fly. Conner flew around but was surprised such a big monster could move that fast. Meanwhile, Imperious had no problem climbing Morticon until he got to his shoulder. Soon, Conner was faced with an orb charged with dark energy and Morticon trying to catch him.
"What am I supposed to do?" whispered Conner to himself.
"Use your fire, Conner. Trust yourself and trust me. We are not made to hurt nature. But you need to believe that we can fight in this environment," said Bennu inside him.
Conner wasn't sure, but he tried his best to focus on his Firebird's words and pointed his arrow at the two monsters, firing at them. Several hit Imperious, who fell from Morticon. He wasn't defeated, but Conner noticed that the fire never spread around the areas Mike was recovering as he fought Necrolai. Unfortunately, that moment of relief distracted him from Morticon, who managed to grab him with his two big arms.
"Now you are mine!" said Morticon.
Conner screamed as Morticon started to squeeze him, sending a chilling message to his friends. Mike, distracted by his friend's scream, looked for him only to be hit by Necrolai's orbs, several of them, that put him on the floor as the Queen put her foot on his back.
"Now… I'm going to have my fun."
-L-
Not far from them, Jake was busy himself. Facing the Styxoids, Koragg, and The Master was no easy task, and Jake was beyond his power as he blocked a spear and Koragg's sword with his forearms. His heavy breath showed the effort he was making to keep both weapons away from him. He used the weapons to impulse himself, kicking another Styxoid that was coming at him and landed on the ground. But before he could turn around, he found himself face-to-face with The Master, also known as Octomus. The powerful enemy grabbed Jake by the throat and lifted him.
"The Dark Ranger is right… you will not survive this battle," whispered Octomus, and then he started to absorb Jake's energy as the White Ranger tried to free himself with no result.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
The tension was high in the room as the Rangers saw Jake, Conner, and Mike being defeated by the Mystic Force enemies. Nick himself was about to burst into flames. His protective side overwhelmed him as he saw his home and his young apprentice being crushed. Yet, the corruption didn't extend enough for them to go.
"What's happening!?" asked Kira, alarmed as she saw her husband being crushed. Sky looked at her, worried, and held her hand. "We're not sure, mother. Bridge and I weren't always aware of the battles father and my uncles fought, but he's going to be fine."
And yet, his reassurance did little to calm her, Gia, or Emily, who were currently seeing their boyfriends drained of all their energy and hit by dark orbs of energy. Not far from them, the Mystic Rangers were more than willing to go, but there was nothing they could do; it wasn't time to go yet.
"If we don't go soon…" said Madison, clearly worried, but Clare stopped her by putting a hand over hers. "Keep watching; magic appears when you least expect it."
Madison did as she was told, grabbing Nick's arm for support as they all watched the events unfold in front of them.
-L-
Briarwood (2016) – Forest
On the ground, Mike forced himself to think. This Queen was hitting him with everything, but he was a Samurai and he wasn't going to give up so easily. He needed to be fast, move quickly to stop her relentless attack.
As he was hit with another dark orb, he groaned, touching the ground. It was then that he felt the ground under him. The despair of being destroyed, the pain, and the hope for them to do something to stop the pain. Mike's resolve only grew as his wolf howled inside him.
"I can't let this end this way," whispered Mike, feeling the power of Masamune surround him. "I won't let it end like this!"
Suddenly, an explosion of green energy pushed Necrolai back as she watched Mike get up. His wolf helmet had changed slightly, resembling the face of an angry wolf, ready to attack. His armor, normally covered with samurai protection, now was also covered by thick green fur, and his beloved Masamune had divided into two smaller swords that would make his attacks much faster and more precise.
As he took the stance of the stone, Mike closed his eyes. The forest would guide him now as he was one with it. Necrolai chuckled and threw an orb at him, but Mike moved, too fast for Necrolai to see, and he avoided the orb. The Queen, angry, threw more orbs, but Mike continued to avoid them, now provided with the agility he was missing before.
"Let's finish this," whispered Mike as he raised his swords.
It was time to save this forest that was still fighting for survival.
-L-
Not far from him, Conner was feeling excruciating pain as he was being crushed by Morticon. He didn't know how to get out of this as the monster had him in a tight grip, but he had to find a way, or there would be no way to save this place and help Jake.
He couldn't save the others and Kira if he died here, and he couldn't stand the thought of that.
"What's wrong, little bird?" said Morticon.
"Finish him so we can take care of the others," said Imperius, who had climbed Morticon again and now was looking at Conner, amused at his pain.
Conner could hear them, but he couldn't stop thinking about the pain he was suffering and what would happen if he died here in this forest.
"Are you giving up, master?"
The voice of his Tyranno appeared in Conner's mind as the T-Rex roared. Like Conner, he could see the Tyranno and his Triassic trapped by two imaginary hands, suffering like him, and yet both of them seemed confident in Conner's powers.
"Conner, remember your power. Your passion for your friends, for your wife. The desire to help the Rangers. Let that fire fuel your thoughts."
Conner heard his Triassic Dinosaur groan in pain, but his words stayed with him. He was driven by passion; it was how he got his Battlizer and how he got many things in his life, with work, passion, and dedication.
"You have the power, and this is a place of magic, Conner. Take advantage of it to claim a part of you still sleeping."
That was the Bennu, and that's when Conner had an idea. It was crazy, but the Bennu was right; this was a place of magic, and Conner wanted to get out of his current situation. He looked at the monster crushing him and then chuckled.
"It's not so easy to get rid of me," said Conner, as he took a deep breath, forcing himself to forget about the pain as he thought of his wife and his friends.
He could feel the fire in his hands and then in his body. Kira had always been the source of his passion, even before he knew how important she was to him, and the desire to protect his friends and the other Rangers ignited something inside him, deeper than his Triassic powers. Conner felt his whole armor getting warm to the point Morticon was forced to let him go, and Conner flew away, leaving enough space before he revealed the source of his fire.
Conner's wings spread wide, bigger than anything he had felt before, and then he flew towards both monsters. He hit Morticon in the face with one of his wings, burning him, and then he surrounded both of them in a cyclone and got them both in the air. There, Imperius tried to attack him with a dark orb, but Conner quickly used his hands to stop the dark orb and return it towards him, hitting Imperius in the face.
Both monsters fell down, and Conner, looking down, nodded as he prepared for the real battle, his armor covered in fire and his wings bigger than ever, ready to give everything he had to save magic from these creatures.
-L-
They could not die here. That was the only thought in Jake's mind as he felt his energy being drained. There was still so much to do, and now he had Bridge. He couldn't fail him or Gia, his team, his dad and mom, his family.
This place is your home too, Jacob!
Jake raised his arm and grabbed Octomus' arm, moving his head to look at the monster in front of him. Jake felt his power grow as the magic of the forest gathered around him. This was the last magic left from Rootcore, and it was all coming to help Jake.
"Magical Source…" whispered Jake, as his armor started to glow, and Jake managed to raise the arm with his morpher to gather all the energy around it. Octomus tried to grab his arm, but it was burned as the energy created a white blast of energy that forced the monster to let go of Jake.
Jake landed on the ground, raising his arm and feeling more powerful than ever. He could feel the fire, the water, the earth, the lightning, and the wind gathering around him like a storm as he finished his call for power. "…Mystic Force!"
White light engulfed the area, forcing Octomus and Koragg to look away as Jake's armor changed. In the blink of an eye, they saw a different figure than the one they almost killed moments before. In front of them, a majestic figure stood adorned in highly detailed, ornate armor. The armor, predominantly white with silver accents, gleamed under the soft, ethereal light. At the center of the chest plate, a lion emblem with golden wings symbolized power and guardianship, echoing the valor of ancient warriors.
As the figure moved from the light, the sleek, futuristic helmet with its black visor concealed a determined gaze. Large, angular shoulder pads enhanced the commanding presence, while a star-shaped belt buckle hinted at untold adventures and cosmic battles. Draped over the shoulders, a white cape billowed with each step, its mystical symbols and patterns glowing softly, indicating magical enchantments.
Strapped to the back was a staff with a mystical design, the crystal at its top pulsating with elemental energy. In one hand, the figure held a sword with an ornate hilt and a glowing blade, ready to channel the raw power of the elements. On the wrist, a morpher device gleamed, ready to cast spells and transform the wielder into a force of nature.
Gauntlets and chest plates bore intricate spell seals and runes, signifying the mastery of arcane arts. The mystic armor, with its fiery motifs and celestial designs, told tales of battles fought and victories won. This armor was not just a protective shell; it was a testament to the legacy of the Mystic Force Rangers, warriors who combined the best of both magic and technology to protect their world.
"Impossible," whispered Octomus.
"Now, Octomus. Where were we?"
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
The silence invaded the room as they saw the three Rangers overcome their obstacles to claim new powers, using their spirits and in Jake's case, showcasing everything he learned from the Mystic Rangers as he used his staff to block Koragg and Octomus.
"He's… he's like us," said Xander, with a mix of pride and amazement. Clare nodded and looked at the images, remembering the time when she felt the same way they were all feeling now. "This power they had, it pushed them to adapt—not only Jake, whose powers are something that have never been seen before, but also Conner's and Mike's, echoing the desire to save you all and guard Jake. It was all these powers that finally achieved victory for the Universe."
"It was, and now the corruption has spread enough for us to take action," said Kat Manx, looking at the Mystic Rangers and her SPD Rangers. "Go."
Neither the Mystic Rangers nor the SPD waste any time, and they quickly disappeared to help the three Rangers while the rest looked at the image. It was then when Clare was able to see the corruption she had heard about before. It was confusing to her, as she saw remains of an energy long gone, mixed with others in a storm that apparently allowed the Rangers to travel to the memories.
She knew these memories were the place where Jake, Conner, and Mike trapped the virus the Dark Ranger used on them, but this energy was slightly different… she didn't know what it was, but it was almost magic, as if this was all planned to happen.
Maybe that was the reason why Jake wanted his video recorder enchanted in the first place. While she never asked the reason, she always wondered why he chose to do this. Now, this feeling she had could be the answer, but she needed more information.
She would make sure to talk to Cruger about this later because something told her there was something here that wasn't what they thought.
-L-
Briarwood (2016) – Forest
Despite their new powers, Mike was having trouble controlling Necrolai. She was fast and very effective, and so far, all he could do was avoid her dark orbs of energy and clash with her a few times, but he needed to defeat her. Jake had great opponents, and he had to help him.
He looked up briefly to see that the sky had turned red as if to match Conner's fire as the Firebird Ranger was blocking and kicking the two opponents he had. Conner was giving them a run for their money, but they clearly needed more help to defeat these foes. Mike wondered if somehow, the SPD Rangers would come to their aid this time, hopefully with the Mystic Rangers, since this was their home.
And as if it was a call, suddenly a strong lightning bolt hit Necrolai straight in the chest, and then, a rock hit her in the face, sending her far enough from Mike as Chip and Xander appeared beside him, both of them focused on the battle ahead while Syd and Z helped Mike to get up.
"Are you hurt?" asked Syd, worried.
"No… thanks for coming. This battle has been rough," said Mike, and Z chuckled. "It's time to put some more magic into it, ready!?" said Z, looking over her shoulder.
Chip and Xander, behind them, nodded as they showed their morphers. The forest came alive as the Mystic Rangers appeared in their home, ready to defend it, and Mike could feel the strength coming back to him as he stood beside Syd and Z.
"Ready, Chip?" asked Xander.
"I'm a hero, remember? I'm always ready," said Chip. Xander chuckled, and then, both Rangers raised their morphers. "Magical Source! Mystic Force!"
The Yellow and Green Mystic Rangers morphed as Necrolai got up and tried to attack them. But this time, it was Mike who jumped in front of them, using his sword to hit the dark orb of energy and cut it in half. Together, the three Rangers shared a look, knowing they had the power to defeat her.
Mike looked then at Syd and Z, their blasters ready. This time, he noticed that Syd was charged with electricity and Z with a yellow-brown energy resembling the ground of the forest. He wondered if they too could use magic, but he didn't question it. After all, these girls were part of Bridge and Sky's team, and he knew those kids would learn magic, as they were the sons of Jake and Conner.
"Everybody! Ready at my signal!" said Mike.
Calling for their staffs, both Mystic Rangers summoned their elemental power and touched Mike's shoulder, sending the energy directly to him and his sword while Syd and Z knelt on each side of Mike, pointing their blasters at Necrolai. Mike smiled, feeling Masamune combine with these new powers. Then, the five Rangers launched their attacks: two powerful blasts from their staffs and bullets with elemental energy from the blasters while Mike overpowered all the elemental energies with several slashes from his sword that hit Necrolai in the chest, defeating her.
"That's how it's done!" said Chip.
Mike turned around, high-fived his green counterpart and Chip before they felt the wind furiously passing them. Xander sighed when, a moment later, a spear created with water passed him and hit Imperius straight in the face.
"Well, that's what they get for getting the Rocca sisters angry," said Xander. When Mike looked at him confused, he pointed up where he could see a Pink and Blue Mystic Ranger, flying right beside Conner.
A moment later, the roar of two motorcycles was heard as Sky and Jack appeared, flying with them, firing at the Hidiacs and Styxoids on the battlefield. They jumped at the same time, landing not far from the ground. Then, Sky and Jack fired at Morticon's legs, forcing the giant monster to fall to his knees.
"Finish them now!" screamed Sky.
Conner nodded and looked at his side. Vida was keeping her and her sister in the air using the wind in their favor, and that gave him an idea.
"How about we create a nice water and fire tornado with the help of the wind?" said Conner. Both Rocca sisters nodded, and Madison concentrated, raising her hand to create long lines of water that mixed with Vida's wind, creating a tornado of water.
Conner chuckled, impressed. "Direct it to them. I'll take care of the rest!"
The two Rangers nodded and sent the tornado to Imperius and Morticon at the location where Sky and Jack were still keeping the pressure, firing their blasters charged with fire and water magic. They saw the tornado hit the monsters, and a moment later, Conner flew into the tornado and called his power, adding fire as he spread his wings, and his whole armor got covered in a red fiery glow. The monsters had nothing to do as the tornado took them away, defeating them and finally putting an end to the fight.
Conner was going to celebrate, but a blinding light forced him to fly down to his son and Jack as they reunited with the other Rangers and looked at Nick and Jake, fighting with Bridge and Cruger against Koragg and Octomus.
They were too focused to pay attention to their surroundings, with Bridge firing his blaster with Earth energy at Koragg and managing to take his shield off before Cruger was able to hit him with a powerful mix of elemental energies. The creature took several steps back and looked at them, furious. Not far from them, Nick and Jake used their staffs to block Octomus' attack, and together, they hit The Master and then quickly sent a powerful blast of fire and white fire at the creature.
Octomus took a step back, angry. "Impossible!" screamed the monster, but Nick and Jake didn't let him breathe and were ready to strike again until the monster decided on a new move. Using his tentacles, he got Koragg, absorbing him to become a new powerful enemy.
"Dude… really?" said Jake.
"Ah, this is new," said Nick, looking at Jake. "You still remember how to use all the elements at the same time, right?"
Jake nodded, and soon he saw all the Rangers appear around him. On his right side was Mike with the SPD Rangers, sword and blasters ready. On his left side were the Mystic Rangers, with Conner levitating over them, their elemental magic ready. In the middle was him, Jake. He put his staff in front of him as the Rangers focused all their energy on him. In that moment, Jake could feel their hearts beating with him along with this forest, which was claiming the end of this nightmare so it could flourish again.
It was time. Jake opened his eyes, his staff charged with energy as he ran, engulfed with white light. At the same time, Octomus tried to hit him with his sword, but the elemental energies protected him. With a powerful move of his staff, Jake ran past Octomus. He didn't look back as the monster fell, finally defeated.
Jake turned around, taking a deep breath when he was suddenly tackled down by Chip, who hugged him so hard Jake started to cough. Noticing his reaction, Chip took a step back, but as he took off his helmet, Jake could see the proud smile on his face.
"You are a hero, dude!" said Chip, hugging him again. "Look at the forest! It's growing again!"
Jake looked around, noticing that Chip was right. The forest was growing and would recover soon. He chuckled, taking off his helmet like everyone around him, and this time, he hugged Chip. "I couldn't have done it if someone didn't teach me how to be a hero."
Chip looked at him and stroked his cheek before shaking his head. "I only gave you a test run, you are doing the rest."
Jake chuckled as Xander came towards them and hugged the White Ranger. Normally, Xander was more confident, but he didn't look like that when he kept Jake in his embrace, taking a good amount of time composing himself so no one would see the tears in his eyes.
"I know you changed colors, but keep the green shining, alright?" said Xander, and Jake nodded, pointing at Bridge. "I think it's in good hands."
Xander chuckled and nodded before taking a step back. Everybody saw him pushing a rebellious tear away, but no one said anything as Vida hugged Jake. "You, Conner, and Mike keep up the good work, ok? We are all proud of you, and if you feel stressed, remember to take a break. Life is more than fighting."
Jake nodded and received a second hug before Madison walked towards him. She hugged him, and then, with a hand on his chest, over his heart, looked at him proudly. "Everything we taught you lives here. Don't forget it. Magic is always with you."
Jake nodded as he started to watch them disappear, but before they could leave, he saw Nick high-five him. The Red Ranger was beaming, proud of his apprentice and all the power he displayed today. Nick felt a sort of proud big brother and couldn't hide it even if he tried.
"This power you have is in good hands, Jake. Don't lose sight of what you want to do. It may get hard, and you may lose hope, but there is always a way," said Nick. "You must remember sometimes we only need a strong will to keep going and a goal to overcome all the obstacles."
"I won't forget, Nick. Thank you," said Jake, and they hugged before Nick looked over at the other Rangers. "Don't be scared to show your potential. The powers of the Firebird and the Wolf will guide you to victory, and please, keep Jake safe. He gets in too much trouble for his own good."
Conner and Mike nodded, amused by the last comment, while Nick's team chuckled, and even the SPD Rangers let out a small laugh, unable to contain themselves as they started to disappear. Jake rolled his eyes.
"Very funny, as if they didn't get into trouble at all," said Jake, pointing at Conner and Mike. Then, he got serious, looking at the Rangers. "We will make sure that Rootcore, Briarwood, and Clare are safe."
The Mystic Rangers and the SPD Rangers nodded as they disappeared, leaving the three Rangers alone. Jake took a deep breath, looking around the forest that was slowly recovering from the battle against their enemies. "I will call the Silver Guardians on our way home, but first, let's go see Clare. I bet she wants to know her home is safe again."
Conner and Mike nodded, and together, the Rangers went back home with the good news and the bittersweet feeling of seeing their friends and family only for a brief moment. They wondered if they would feel this empty when they saw the Mystic Rangers leave. What's going to happen when they see their teams? Will they be able to come at all?
And why does it feel as if every time someone comes, it also feels like a goodbye?
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
"I just… I don't understand. We felt the power and it was immense. How did they die?" asked Nick, feeling frustrated.
"You will see that later. Yes, they are powerful, and that is not even all the power they have, but things changed over time, Nick. You know they were affected by a variation of the Venjix virus, which is why we are traveling to these memories. We saw the other effects of that virus on them, and it wasn't easy," said Cruger.
"What do you mean?" asked Emily, worried. "What happened?"
"You'll see later," said Syd, taking Emily's hand. "Please, wait."
Emily didn't have the heart to tell her 'no,' so she nodded and squeezed her hand gently as Cruger looked at them. He needed to keep them on track. After all, the effect of the virus and everything that happened before and after that would be told here, he knew that because that was part of everyone's memories, unfortunately.
And before that, he needed to give them all the strength they could get, so that's why he made his next choice carefully. "Maybe we should take a break. Bridge, Sky, and Syd, you wanted to show your parents' house to their teams, right? Why don't you go ahead? The rest of you can take a break and take a moment to process all this information."
The request, while odd, was accepted by the Rangers. Bridge indicated to Gia, the Megaforce Rangers, Jason, and Kat to follow him while Sky did the same with the Dino Thunder Rangers and Syd with the Samurai. The rest of the Rangers left the room in silence, still talking about the powers they saw a moment ago. But when Clare was about to follow, Cruger gestured for her to stay back.
"I'll be with you in a moment," said Clare to Madison before walking towards Cruger. Only when he knew they were alone, he spoke. "Clare, did you sense any energy coming from the objects?"
"Yes, and it's definitely magic, but it seems a mix more than good or bad magic," said Clare, and Cruger frowned. "A mix?"
Clare nodded, passing a hand over the objects only to see them glow softly under her touch. "I don't know what happened, Anubis, but I can tell you there is a reason why we are seeing all this, and something tells me this is far from over."
Cruger looked at her, surprised. "We got a strange message today, coming from the objects, and it also said it was not over yet."
Clare didn't look surprised as she sighed, looking at the objects with sad eyes. There was something there, but she didn't know what it was yet. "Something is coming, Anubis, and maybe that's why they left this here for us, so we can get the Rangers ready."
Anubis Cruger looked down and took a deep breath. That's what he feared the most, and yet, it was the only explanation. Something was coming, and they, as Rangers, must prepare for a possible battle one more time.
This time without their heroes.