AN: Happy new year to all as we continue with the final part of Yang's chapter.
Battle of Ocean Bluff (Golden Dragon part 3)
As Casey, Yang, and Camille raced towards the center of Ocean Bluff, the chaos unfolding around them was very familiar to something Yang had seen before. Civilians ran screaming through the streets as Grimm of all shapes and sizes crawled out of smaller 'Grimm pools' that had landed throughout the city. The sky around the massive swirling vortex had darkened to an ominous, unnatural, blackness.
"This is insane," Yang shouted over the noise of destruction and panic. "It's like the Fall of Beacon all over again!"
Casey glanced at Yang as they ran. "Fall of Beacon?"
"A massive Grimm attack on the academy my team and I were in back in my world," Yang explained quickly. "But this... this feels even worse."
"We'll stop it before it gets that far." Casey assured her "Camille, can you scout ahead? We need to know what we're dealing with."
Camille nodded, her form shimmering as she activated her chameleon powers and vanished from sight. Yang marveled at the ability, wishing she had something similar in her own arsenal.
As they neared the center of the disturbance, Yang felt a chill run down her spine. The air grew colder, heavier with each step. As they rounded a corner, they came face to face with a pack of Beowolves. Without hesitation, Yang charged forward, her fists glowing with golden energy. She ducked under a swipe from one Grimm, countering with an uppercut that sent it flying. Her dragon spirit roared within her, fueling her strength.
Casey's own animal spirit manifesting as he fought and tore through Grimm with fierce efficiency. As the last Beowolf fell, Yang caught her breath, looking around at the destruction. "We need to move faster. Every second we waste here, more Grimm are pouring through that portal."
Suddenly, Camille reappeared beside them, her expression grim.
"It's Serpentis and Taurus," she reported. "They're at the base of the energy pillar, and they're not alone. there's a hooded figure standing in front of it as well."
As they changed course towards the energy pillar, Yang felt a familiar chill run down her spine as her instincts screamed danger. Without thinking, she tackled Casey to the ground just as a massive, white bone claw slashed through the air where they had been standing. Camille dodged out of the way as the bull Taurus appeared in front of her nearly grazing her with its horns.
"Well, well," a chillingly familiar voice hissed. "The little dragon has learned some new tricks."
Yang, Casey, and Camille scrambled to their feet to find Serpentis and Taurus standing before them, their red eyes gleaming with malevolent glee. Yang heard Camille mumble "They have projections now too?!"
"You're too late," Taurus growled, stomping the ground aggressively. "The portal is open. Our brethren are coming through as we speak."
Casey fell into a fighting stance, his tiger spirit manifesting around him. As they squared off against the two intelligent Grimm, the portal above them pulsed ominously, growing larger with each passing moment.
"We don't have time for this," Yang growled. "We need to shut down that portal!"
Serpentis laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Yang's spine. "Oh, but we have all the time in the world, little dragon. Our King has seen to that."
"Your King?" Casey asked, his voice tense.
Taurus snorted, steam rising from his nostrils. "The one who will usher in a new age of darkness. The one who will bridge the gap between your world and ours."
Yang's eyes widened in realization. "The hooded figure by the energy pillar..."
"Clever girl," Serpentis hissed. "But knowing won't save you. Our King has waited centuries for this moment. The barriers between worlds are weakening, and soon, our Queen will walk this Earth!"
Without warning, Taurus charged forward, his massive horns aimed directly at Yang. She barely had time to dodge, feeling the rush of air as the bull Grimm thundered past her. Casey engaged Serpentis, his abilities allowing him to keep pace with the serpentine Grimm's lightning fast strikes.
As Yang traded blows with Taurus, her mind raced. They needed to get to that energy pillar, to confront this "King" and shut down the portal. But first, they had to deal with these two.
"Casey!" she called out, ducking under one of Taurus's swipes. "We need to end this quickly!"
Casey reached into his pocket and pulled out his red 'sunglasses'. "gladly" he said as he put them on "JUNGLE BEAST, SPIRIT UNLESHED!"
As Casey's transformation began, Yang felt a surge of energy in the air. In a flash of red light, Casey emerged in his Ranger form, the helmet shaped like a tiger's head, and the power of the tiger spirit radiating from him.
"Whoa," Yang breathed, impressed by the transformation.
Casey rolled his shoulders, settling into a fighting stance. His transformation into the Red Jungle Fury Ranger seemed to give him a boost of power and confidence. He charged at Serpentis with renewed vigor, his strikes faster and more powerful than before.
"Yang!" he called out as he grappled with the serpentine Grimm. "Go for the energy pillar! We'll hold these two off!"
Yang hesitated for a moment, torn between helping her new allies and potentially stopping the source of the invasion. But she knew Casey was right, they had to shut down that portal.
"Be careful!" she shouted, then turned and sprinted towards the energy pillar in the distance as Camille tagged in to fight Taurus.
As she ran, weaving through the chaos of fleeing civilians and rampaging Grimm, Yang felt a mixture of determination and dread. The hooded figure Camille had mentioned, this "King", was an unknown factor, she had no idea what kind of power they possessed, and if what Serpentis said was true about their "Queen" coming through...
"I can't let that happen," Yang muttered to herself, pushing herself to run faster, however she had to stop short as when she rounded a corner into a road leading directly to the energy pillar, she came almost face to face with a few dozen Grimm of various types. even if she could take them all on with her new powers, she would be too exhausted to continue the fight. it was then there was a blinding flash of light and once Yang's eyes adjusted, seven colorful figures were standing between her and the mass of Grimm approaching her. clearly they were Power Rangers like Casey but they appeared to be much more armored.
the one in white with gold accents on their armor spoke up first as they seemed to glance over at Yang, "Right on time!" the voice coming through the helmet clearly wasn't their own, it sounded distorted.
the one in red spoke up "Remember, we can't stay here too long. Kim, the roofs!" the one in pink responded with "On it!" as she reached the roof of a building with a single jump. Red turn to Yang and said "Ma'am, if you would follow us, we'll get you to that energy pillar." Yang could only nod in response as she ask "who are you?"
the one in Red, while she couldn't see his face she could almost hear the grin as he responded with "isn't it obvious? we're the Power Rangers!" he turned to face the now oncoming Grimm "RANGERS?" he shouted and the other six responded in unison "READY!" as various weapons appeared in each of their hands.
"Go!" they all charged forward as one against the horde of Grimm as Yang followed behind.
Yang watched in awe as the Rangers tore through the Grimm with incredible efficiency. Their teamwork was flawless, each member covering the others' blind spots and exploiting openings. The Pink Ranger provided cover fire from the rooftops with some kind of energy bow, while the others engaged in close combat. These Rangers moved with a practiced ease that spoke of years of experience.
As they fought their way through, Yang couldn't help but be impressed. Their weapons seemed to be a perfect blend of technology and mystical energy, cutting through the Grimm like they were made of paper.
The black Ranger wielded what looked like an axe, cleaving through Grimm with ease, when they switched it to a gun mode and started blasting. The blue Ranger's lance danced through the air, finding gaps in the monsters' defenses. The yellow Ranger's twin daggers were a blur of motion, keeping the Grimm at bay. The white Ranger with gold accents moved with a grace that seemed almost familiar to Yang, their sword flashing as it cut down Grimm after Grimm, as a shield appeared on his arm to block a claw swipe. The green Ranger deflected attacks with their dagger that seemed to be surrounded with a strange green fire.
"Almost there!" the Red Ranger called out as they neared the energy pillar. The dark pillar loomed before them, crackling with malevolent energy. At its base stood a hooded figure, their back turned to the approaching group.
Suddenly, a massive Nevermore swooped down from the sky, its razor-sharp feathers raining down on them. The Blue and Yellow Rangers moved in perfect sync, using their weapons that deflected the deadly projectiles.
"Go!" the White Ranger shouted to Yang. "We'll handle the Nevermore!"
Yang nodded, summoning her dragon spirit as she charged forward. As she approached the base of the energy pillar, she felt a wave of malevolent power wash over her, almost staggering her with its intensity. The hooded figure turned slowly, and Yang felt her blood run cold as she saw gleaming red eyes coming from what looked like a visor beneath the hood.
"At last," a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of eternity itself spoke. "The girl who walks between worlds. You're just in time to witness the beginning of a momentous event. Behold, for the Endless Night will fall on this world!"
Yang steeled herself, calling upon every ounce of strength and courage she possessed. "I don't know who you are," she growled, her eyes flickering between lilac and red, "but I'm putting a stop to this right now!"
The hooded figure let out a chilling laugh that seemed to reverberate through Yang's very bones. "Such bravado. But you have no idea what you're up against, child."
With a fluid motion, the figure threw back its hood, revealing a sight that made Yang's blood run cold. The face beneath was like nothing she had ever seen, a twisted amalgamation a human face with Grimm features. Bone white plates covered it's face like a face guard, with glowing red lines that outlined veins against it's muscular appearance. The eyes, set behind a cracked visor, burned with an otherworldly malevolence.
"I am known as King by the Grimm here but I'm simply a Shadow" the being announced, its voice echoing with power. "The bridge between worlds, the herald of the Queen of Darkness, and you, little dragon, are nothing but a pawn in a game far beyond your comprehension."
Yang felt a wave of fear wash over her, but she pushed it down, calling upon her dragon spirit for strength. her fists clenching as golden energy crackled around them. "I'm stopping this portal, and I'm stopping you!"
while she couldn't see Shadow's mouth due to the Bone face covering, she could almost hear the curved cruel smile. "By all means, I invite you to try."
Yang charged forward, her fist blazing with dragon fire as she aimed a punch directly at Shadow's face. But just as she was about to make contact, her fist passed right through the being as if it wasn't there.
"What the-" Yang barely had time to react before a crushing force slammed into her side, sending her flying across the plaza. She crashed into a nearby car, the impact knocking the wind out of her.
"Yang!" Casey's voice called out. Casey and Camille's fight with the Grimm had brought them close enough to the pillar. He had managed to temporarily incapacitate Taurus while Camille continued to fight Serpentis, and was running towards her, his tiger spirit blazing around his Ranger form.
Shadow turned its gaze to Casey, and with a wave of its hand, a pulse of dark energy sent the Red Ranger tumbling backwards.
"Your powers are impressive," Shadow mused, its voice eerily calm amidst the chaos. "But they are nothing compared to the forces I command. The barriers between worlds are crumbling, and soon, all shall be engulfed in darkness."
Yang struggled to her feet, her body aching but her spirit unbroken. "We won't let that happen," she growled, her eyes now glowing red as her dragon spirit responded to her determination.
Shadow's eyes narrowed with interest. "Fascinating. Your connection to this world's energy grows stronger by the moment."
Before Yang could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air. "Yang! Casey! Hang on!"
Yang turned to see Jarrod racing towards them, his own animal spirit manifesting around him. Behind them, she could make out other figures - more Rangers a Yellow and a Blue with a similar design to Casey, arriving to join the battle. As Jarrod raced towards them, his lion spirit blazing, Yang felt a surge of hope. Reinforcements had arrived just in time.
Shadow seemed unperturbed by the new arrivals. "More pawns to be swept from the board," it said dismissively. With a wave of its hand, a wave of dark energy pulsed outward, forcing Jarrod and the other Rangers to dive for cover.
Yang used the momentary distraction to regroup with Casey. "We need to shut down that portal," she said urgently. "Any ideas?"
Casey nodded towards the pillar of dark energy. "That seems to be the source. If we can disrupt it somehow..."
"On it," Yang said, determination glinting in her eyes. She charged towards the pillar, dodging blasts of dark energy that Shadow hurled her way.
As she neared the pillar, she felt an overwhelming sense of 'wrongness' emanating from it. It was like a tear in the fabric of reality itself. Yang steeled herself and, channeling all the power of her dragon spirit, launched a devastating punch at the base of the energy column. it wasn't enough, the impact sent shockwaves through the air that lunched Yang backwards as shockwaves were sent rippling through the air. For a moment, the dark energy flickered and wavered, but it quickly stabilized. Yang was thrown backwards by the backlash, skidding across the ground.
Shadow's laughter echoed across the battlefield. "Foolish girl. Did you really think it would be that easy?"
Yang struggled to her feet, her body aching but her spirit unbroken. "Worth a shot," she grunted but she suddenly felt a wave of what she could only describe as a haze of doubt fall on her.
The world seemed to grow darker, more oppressive. Shadow's voice echoed in her mind: "Why do you continue to fight? You're alone in a world that isn't yours. Your friends, your family, they're beyond your reach now. Give in to the darkness. Embrace it."
Yang shook her head, trying to clear the fog from her mind. She could feel her resolve wavering, the weight of her situation pressing down on her.
"How about something stronger?" she heard Casey yell from a distance behind her that snapped her out of whatever haze she was in. she looked over her shoulder and saw the Rangers holding a cannon like weapon, which she instinctively rolled out of the way of. All three of the Rangers yelled "Claw Cannon, FIRE!"
A ball of energy shot out of the 'cannon' , when it struck the energy pillar instead of exploding it almost looked like it was pushing against it. Shadow started laughing again saying "your weapons are no match against this darkness!" but Yang was close enough to the pillar and saw a 'crack' forming.
she felt a warmth coming from her dragon spirit as time seemed to slow down. almost instinctively she knew what to do "I am Yang Xiao Long," she thought to herself, her eyes flickering between lilac and red. "I am a Huntress of Remnant, no matter what world I end up in, if Salem wants to destroy it..." Closing her eyes, she focused on her dragon spirit, feeling its power coursing through her. This time, instead of trying to control it, she surrendered to it completely. "she's going to have to try harder than this!"
Golden light exploded outward as Yang's form began to change. Spectral armor materialized around her, taking on the vague patterns and shape of a dragon. The spectral dragon armor encased her body, scales shimmering with golden light flattening to give her an appearance like Casey's Ranger form . Her hair flowed like liquid fire, and her eyes blazed with an inner radiance. The power coursing through her was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
Shadow took a step back, its red eyes widening behind its cracked visor. "This... this is unexpected," it hissed, a note of uncertainty creeping into its voice for the first time.
Yang didn't waste a moment. With a primal roar that shook the very air, she launched herself at the energy pillar. Her dragon spirit enhanced energy mixed with the ball of energy still pushing at the pillar and this time, the effect was immediate and catastrophic. The pillar of dark energy shattered like glass, a sound like reality itself screaming, the cracks that appeared were sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The massive portal above began to waver and distort, its edges fraying.
"No!" Shadow roared, its calm demeanor finally cracking. It raised its hands, dark energy coalescing around them.
A beam of pure darkness shot towards Yang. She braced herself for impact, knowing she couldn't dodge in time, but the hit never came. Jarrod leapt in front of her, his own lion armor forming a protective barrier. The dark energy splashed against it, unable to penetrate.
Yang turned to face Shadow, her dragon armor blazing with power. "It's over," she declared, her voice resonating with the strength of her spirit. "Your plan has failed."
Shadow's eyes narrowed with hatred. "This battle, perhaps. But the war is far from over, little dragon. We are only the Vanguards for the Endless Night."
Before Yang could respond, Shadow began to fade away "We will meet again," its voice echoed as his form disappeared.
As Shadow vanished, the remaining Grimm began to retreat, disappearing into smaller portals that winked out of existence moments later. The massive vortex in the sky contracted rapidly before imploding with a thunderous boom, leaving behind only clear skies and a setting sun.
she looked at where Casey and Camille had fought Taurus and Serpentis and was shocked by what she saw. Camille had managed to use her invisibility to take out Serpentis but there was a second figure standing over the disintegrating form of Taurus with their sword embedded in the Grimm. the Ranger from before who wore armor that was a gleaming white with gold accents, a slightly different white tiger motif adorning the helmet, and the figure pulled his sword out of the disintegrating Taurus. while everyone else was too far away, Camille seemed to talk to the figure briefly before they summoned a portal, but before the Ranger walked through they turn to look directly at Yang before disappearing.
Yang felt the dragon armor fading, her energy draining rapidly. She stumbled, nearly collapsing, but Casey was there to catch her.
"Easy there," he said, supporting her weight. "That was... incredible."
Yang managed a weak smile. "Thanks. I think I might need a nap after that."
As the other Rangers gathered around and demorphed, Yang couldn't help but notice their awed expressions. Jarrod approached, a mix of pride and concern on his face. "You did it, Yang! You managed to merge with your spirit, but the toll it takes..."
Yang nodded, understanding. "Yeah, I can feel that. But it was worth it."
As they began to assess the damage and check for any remaining threats, Yang's mind was racing. They had won this battle, but Shadow's words echoed in her mind: "We are only the Vanguards for the Endless Night."
Camille joined the group, her expression unreadable. Yang remembered the mysterious white-armored figure she had seen moments ago.
"Camille," Yang said, her voice still weak from exhaustion. "That Ranger in white armor... who was that?"
Camille exchanged a glance with Casey before responding. "An ally. They were the ones that warned us and the other ranger teams about the Grimm invasion before it happened."
Yang in her exhausted state thought, yeah that makes sense, they knew about the names of the Grimm before I even got here.
Camille then added "they must know you though, they said 'thank you for watching over her' before they left"
Yang wanted to press for more information, but she could feel her consciousness slipping. The events of the day, combined with the immense power she had channeled, were finally catching up to her.
"We need to get her back to base," she heard Casey say as if from a great distance. "She needs rest, and we need to prepare. This fight is far from over."
As Yang felt herself being lifted, her last conscious thought was of the mysterious figure in white armor. Somehow, she knew their paths would cross again, and that encounter would be crucial in the battles to come. as Yang finally succumbed to exhaustion, the cheers of relieved citizens and the concerned voices of her new allies the last things she heard before slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep. she didn't notice that a morpher had appeared on her wrist.
Yang slowly regained consciousness, her body aching and her mind foggy. As she blinked her eyes open, she found herself back in her room at Jungle Karma Pizza. The events of the battle came rushing back to her: merging with her dragon spirit, shattering the energy pillar, Shadow's ominous words...
She tried to sit up but winced as pain shot through her muscles.
"Easy there," a familiar voice said. Yang turned to see RJ sitting in a chair beside her bed, a concerned expression on his face. "You've been out for almost the whole day. That was quite a stunt you pulled."
Yang managed a weak smile. "I can only assume it worked, and the city is safe?"
RJ nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Thanks to you, yes. The portal was closed and most of the Grimm were either destroyed or forced back. But..."
"But it's not over," Yang finished, her expression turning serious.
"No," RJ agreed. "the one called Shadow and any surviving Grimm managed to escape. And we still don't know the full extent of their plans."
Yang frowned, remembering Shadow's words. "They called themselves the 'Vanguard of the Endless Night.' and I think when the Grimm called 'Shadow' called himself that he might have meant that literally, I don't think he was actually there physically…well not completely anyway."
RJ leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "That lines up with what we've been able to piece together. It seems this 'Shadow' entity is some kind of advanced projection or avatar, allowing whoever is behind all this to interact with our world without fully crossing over."
Yang nodded slowly, wincing as she shifted position. "And they mentioned a Queen. I'm pretty sure they were talking about Salem."
RJ's eyes widened slightly. "The immortal being you told us about? That's... concerning."
"Yeah," Yang agreed grimly. "but what I don't get is why she would even bother coming to this world to begin with, It's not like she conquers solely for power she is just trying to get her hands on…" the idea hit her hard, it was like several minutes of thought suddenly condensed into a few seconds. "one of them is on this world!"
RJ's expression turned to slight confusion as he processed Yang's realization. "One of what, exactly?"
"one of the Maidens" Yang explained urgently, pushing herself up despite the pain. "At first I thought 'The Relics' but then realized, no all of them were on Remnant locked behind vaults that required a specific Maiden power to open them. then I thought, if I fell through here what if someone else did too?"
RJ leaned forward, his expression intense. "A Maiden? You mentioned them before, the women with incredible magical powers, right?"
Yang nodded, wincing as she sat up straighter. "Yes. There are four of them, each tied to a different season. Their powers are passed on when they die, usually to the last young woman in their thoughts. there was only one of them left that we never found. if she somehow ended up in this world..."
"It would explain why Salem is so interested in crossing over," RJ finished, understanding dawning on his face. "A Maiden's power in this world, where magic works differently..."
"Could be very dangerous," Yang said grimly. As she slowly sat up, grimacing at the effort, then realized something as she asked, "How are the others? Casey, Jarrod, Camille?"
"They're all fine," RJ assured her. "A few bumps and bruises, but nothing serious. They've been taking shifts watching over you."
Yang nodded, relieved. Then another memory surfaced, the mysterious figure in white armor. "RJ, during the battle, I saw someone... A Ranger I think, in white armor. Camille seemed to know them."
RJ's expression turned thoughtful. "Ah, yes. Our mysterious ally. They've been helping us track Grimm activity, but we know very little about them. They seem to have a particular interest in you, though."
Yang finally noticed the weight on her left wrist and looked down at the Morpher as she asked "what's this?"
RJ looked at Yang's wrist. "Ah, that appeared shortly after you collapsed. It seems your merging with your dragon spirit had an unexpected side effect."
Yang examined the device on her wrist with a mix of curiosity and awe. It was sleek and seemed to have the same color palette as her arm and gauntlets, with intricate dragon designs etched into its surface. At its center was a small crystal that seemed to pulse with an inner light. "So... I'm a Power Ranger now?" Yang asked, still trying to process this new development.
RJ nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "yes, it does appear that way" he wanted to hide the caution he's been feeling all day. Morphers don't just manifest themselves, even the most mystic ones are built by someone or something before they are used. so for one to appear that seemed to match her perfectly was very unusual.
Before Yang could ask more, there was a knock at the door. Casey poked his head in, his face lighting up when he saw Yang awake.
"You're up!" he exclaimed, entering the room. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I went ten rounds with an Ursa Major," Yang groaned, but she managed a smile. "But I'll live."
Casey smiled in relief "good because we might have something you might want to hear about. Billy just called us about it"
Yang groaned as she got up but was able to walk after she had stood up as she followed RJ and Casey down to the main loft area of Jungle Karma Pizza, where the communication console was set up. Her body ached with each step, but her curiosity and determination pushed her forward.
As they approached, she saw a screen with an image of a man with glasses and a blue shirt hovering above the console. He appeared to be in mid-conversation with Jarrod and Camille.
"Ah, there she is," the man said as he noticed Yang's approach. "Good to see you up and about. I'm Billy Cranston, former Blue Ranger and current tech advisor to, well, pretty much all Ranger teams at this point."
Yang nodded in greeting. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yang."
Billy smiled. "Oh, I know who you are. Your arrival and subsequent actions have caused quite a stir in the Ranger community. But that's not why I called. We've detected some unusual energy readings that I think you'll find interesting."
He tapped something off-screen, and a series of complex graphs and charts appeared next to his image.
"while we were analyzing the data from the battle and the energy signature of the portal, we've discovered something intriguing," Billy explained. "There were traces of three different energies that don't match anything in our database. However..."
He paused, looking directly at Yang. "unlike the Grimm's energy when they appear, all three bear some similarities to the energy signature we detected when you first arrived in our world."
Yang was at first excited, if others from Remnant were coming here was it her team? then it dawned on her what that would actually mean, it would mean that they failed.
"unfortunately" Billy continued "one of the signals has disappeared with indications that it ended up in a different dimension, and another we've been trying to get a lock on where it's going but that will take some time. the third one has landed but it's in a 'bad part of town' by galactic standards."
Yang now had a new sense of resolve and asked "so anyone know anybody with a space ship?"
the entire room and Billy responded in unison "we know a guy"
Yang then glance at RJ and back at the screen "there is something I need to tell you before I try to find those signals. although I should warn you it may sound a bit like a fairly tale"
"don't worry, we get those on both a yearly and weekly basis," Billy said with an assuring smile that made him seem much younger that he appeared. as Yang lunched into her explanation of what she knew about Salem, The Maidens, and the Relics she thought to herself:
If I ever get the chance to tell my sis and team about this there will be no need for embellishing! this world is even crazier than a fairy tale!
AN: next time...Blake's chapters!