"How..." he croaked. "How did this picture get in here? My..." Mitchell tried to say it, but he could not continue. Tears welled in his eyes as his sadness took full control over him, tears boiling from his eyes. "I still remember..."
Mitchell drove, fighting to keep his eyes awake. Glancing in the back, he saw that his children were sleeping well, squinting at the rode ahead of him as he drove. "Damn me for driving this late. I should have just listened to Becca and spent the night."
He continued to drive on the curvy rode, the windy rode leading along the side of a cliff that fell over the ocean. He paused, thinking as he saw something golden flash by. With a shout, he suddenly hit the brakes as a force slammed into the car, knocking it off the road.
With a scream he hurtled and kicked the door open as the car began to teeter on the edge....
Captain Mitchell squinted his eyes close. Why was he punishing himself like this, remembering memories that would only hurt him? Yet these awful memories still burned fresh in his mind like they had taken place yesterday. Staring at the photo in his hand, he gently set it back in the book, before shoving it back drawer to his desk.
"I wish I could forget the past..."
Flames of Destruction
"Major!" Kelsey called, drawing the attention of Kendrix. The young woman smiled as she met the brunette woman.
"Need something Kelsey?"
"Ms. Fairweather wants us to report to her as soon as possible. She said she has evidence to support her theory about the demons taking host bodies," Kelsey answered. "She asked me to round up everyone for the meeting."
"Will do." Kendrix smiled, exiting the hallway and taking a lift to Ms. Fairweather's laboratory. Taking a seat, she found Chad and Ryan already waiting, Kelsey soon entering the room with a distracted looking Joel.
"Glad to see you all here," Ms. Fairweather stated as she handed each of the Rangers a folder, Ryan glancing at his momentarily before nodding.
"So it's just as you thought."
"Yes." Ms. Fairweather nodded as she brought up a screen displaying an image of . "It appears that all of the demons we have met so far are spirits that have transformed the host bodies into demon bodies to serve their purpose. The one called Dara appears to be a half demon as she has claimed. Vypra, on the other hand, seems to have taken over Ila's body, but we've already covered that. It's believed that since all of the members of the party that were searching for the demon grounds are missing as well, that demons must have taken control of them as well."
"What about the vampires?" Chad asked with interest. "What have you learned about them?"
"I can only guess, but it seems that the vampires are resurrected corpse and put to use through the power of black magic," Ms. Fairweather continued. "The armor that they wear protects them from the sun, but they are substantially weaker during the day. That is why they tend to be more powerful if you encounter them at night. They can also enter water momentarily, although they will suffer substantial damage. Which is why they were able to follow Kendrix into the ocean the day the demons first attacked."
Kendrix closed her eyes at those words. Having to remember the images of her friends like Carter and Chao dying still burned very fresh in her mind. Fighting the images away, she spoke up. "What if we manage to defeat the demons? Is it possible the human hosts could be freed, or would they die with the demon?"
"We don't know that. All that is available is that the demons are using innocents for their vampire and demon forces," Angela answered. "You may have to begin patrolling the streets. For all we know, that is what it may come to... I hope it doesn't."
"Is there any way to separate demons from the energy?" Kelsey asked.
"That can not be known." Ms. Fairweather stated. Suddenly she was contacted, walking to the wall and answering the contact. Several minutes later, she returned from the comm., shaking her head. "You're free to leave, dismissed."
Joel waited until the others had left, flashing as smile at Ms. Fairweather. "Angela, I've come to realize something...you and I...we would make a great couple, you know?"
Ms. Fairweather leveled a gaze at him asking him if he was joking. "The reason I was late was, because I was getting these for you." He pulled from behind his back a set of roses, Ms. Fairweather blushing as he handed them to her.
"Thank you."
"By the way, do you know it was that yelled at me over the com the other day when I tried to take my Rescue Runner out for a ride?" Joel suddenly asked. "I'd like to tell her a thing or too, ask her to lose that bitch attitude of hers!"
Ms. Fairweather's smile suddenly turned ice cold. "As you so kindly put it, why don't you tell me right now?"
"That was you?"
"And me," a voice called. Joel swung around to see Kendrix standing in the doorway, a slightly amused look on her face.
"Major Morgan and I have been working sometime together to create the Lightspeed powers, Rescue Runners, and Rail Liners. With so much resources initiated into this program, it's vital that we take good care of the equipment that we have," Ms. Fairweather stated. "The Runners aren't play toys that you do tricks in!"
Too embarrassed to say anything, Joel shoved past Kendrix who looked as though she were about to explode in laughter. Shaking her head out of a half amusement, Ms. Fairweather handed the flowers to Kendrix. "Knock yourself out."
"Today we're going to be timing you." Captain Mitchell stated. "Over the time that all of you have spent here at Operation Lightspeed, we've been having you perform daily exercises. We want to know just how far you have advanced in the matter of time that you have been here."
"Don't even try to beat me, people!" Joel smugly smiled. "You know you have one in a million chances of beating me! The Sky Cowboy has already won this competition!"
"Do not try to compete with each other," Captain Mitchell plainly stated. "This isn't a competition, or a test, it's just to give us information."
"But competition is good!" Joel quipped with a wide smile, only to get a fixed stare from Mitchell. Sheepishly grinning, he rubbed the back of his head knowing it was about time that he just shut the hell up and stay quiet.
The Rangers broke into their activities, each time Ryan finishing with the best time or record. Feeling slightly proud of him, the others had to stare at the Red Ranger in slight awe, clearly impressed with his abilities. Finally, after several hours of testing, Captain Mitchell nodded to them.
"We're ready to see you all in our last challenge," Captain Mitchell stated, taking them into a small room. A window looked into the room in front of it, the Rangers recognizing it as some kind of shooting chamber. "We'll provide you with these dart guns right here. Try to be precise and take down all targets within five minutes."
Kendrix was first, impressing everyone with her marksmanship, emerging with a record of two minutes flat. After accepting a round of applause she clearly didn't want thrown at her, Joel went, emerging with a dart in his arm and screaming of one hitting "the dangerous place". Wrestling out of the arms of Kelsey and Chad he reentered and finished the course, strutting out rather proudly and accepting his time of five minutes, thirty-five seconds.
Kelsey and Chad were another story, clearly competing against each other out of sheer curiosity of whom was the better. Surprisingly Chad came in at three minutes, twenty five seconds, Kelsey coming in at three minutes, twenty four seconds. Chad seemed a bit rather disgruntled at losing, Kelsey smugly smiling and giving him an "I told you so" look.
For Ryan, it was another story. Grabbing his dart gun, he entered the room without his father and immediately leapt into action, dodging the various darts being thrown at him. Rather unlike the others, he didn't care where his shots went, blindly shooting across the room as he knocked down almost every target in a matter of seconds. "35 seconds," Fairweather stated with a smile on her face.
The others cheered, rushing forward once more to congratulate Ryan on yet another victory. "Good job!" Kendrix congratulated.
"Disgusting... absolutely disgusting..." a voice called out. Glancing behind them in astonishment, the five froze as they say Captain Mitchell standing in the door, a look of utter revile and disgust on his face.
"Sir?" Kendrix asked. "Why is finishing in well under a minute disgusting? That alone calls for amazing abilities."
"Yeah!" Joel and Kelsey agreed.
"I call it blind luck." Captain Mitchell shook his head. "Ryan... why the need to prove yourself so greatly?"
Ryan tossed his hands in the air. "Here we go with the shit again..."
"You will not use that language in front of me!" Captain Mitchell shouted.
"Why?" Ryan sneered. "Because you were once my father?"
Kelsey coughed, and both Ryan and Mitchell glanced at her. For a few seconds the anger was displaced, almost like the eye of a hurricane, before it returned. "Look at that, while you took them down, your aim as awful!"
"Sir, with all do respect..." Kendrix sighed. "I missed too. No one has perfect aim!"
"Stay out of this, Major!"
"Yeah!" Ryan said agreeing with her. "But why don't we ignore that fact so you can place me over your knee and slap me right now! Show me what I did wrong and maybe I'll consider at the least your sake of argument!"
"Yes, you took down all the targets we placed in the shooting room," Captain Mitchell agreed, removing a remote from his pocket. Pointing it at a section, he clicked, cardboard half-hanging there to reveal several gas tanks. All four Rangers found themselves glancing at each other, Ryan, and then Captain Mitchell, before glancing away.
Ryan's face fell a tad bit, but it still held its complexion of anger. "So... what does that matter? I still got all the targets!" He looked around for support, but even Kendrix was shaking her head. "Fuck it, I'm out of here!"
Kendrix leapt to stop Ryan as he stormed away, only to find a firm hand on her shoulder. "Let him go Major."
"Captain," Kendrix argued. "He needs someone to talk to."
"I said let him go."
Kendrix finally sighed, shaking her head in frustration as she and the others left. Captain Mitchell, letting himself fall into a chair, took a deep breath. Perhaps he had overreacted. Had it been that big of a deal? No, he thought firmly. How can I contradict myself? If this had been real, Ryan would have caused damage and could have killed innocent people. I was right.
But how can I guide him when he won't even accept me as his father? Mitchell bitterly thought. It was then he realized he was losing Ryan just like his other two children...
"Hold on!" Mitchell screamed. Hanging on the side of the cliff, he tried with agony to pull himself up. "Just hold on, I'm almost there!"
"I'm slipping Daddy!"
"Dad, help! She's going to slip!" a scared and frantic voice called. "Hold on! Dad will save us!"
"I'm scared!" a voice whimpered. Mitchell fought to hold onto the rocks, fingers clawing at his body, desperately fighting to hang onto their father.
"Hold on!" Mitchell screamed, fighting the pain in his arms as he gripped the wet rocks, slowly pulling himself up the side of the cliff. He desperately fought the forces of the Earth, fighting the force of gravity that battled so hard to pull down him and his children. Glancing down, he saw his burning car below.
"Dad, she's slipping!"
"Daddy!" a voice screamed, Mitchell suddenly feeling lighter.
"Dana, no!"
Captain Mitchell closed his eyes, refusing to cry. He couldn't torment himself over events that had happened so long ago...
"Get you son back, Mitchell," he hoarsely whispered. "Get you god damn son back!"
As the four walked into the Operations room, the alarms rang, Kendrix shaking her head. "They always choose the worst times to attack. What is it this time?"
"Major; two demons, and a squad of vampires. Converged in the left section of the city!"
"Any word from Ryan?" Kendrix demanded.
"None, Major." A sigh. "He left his com in his room!"
"Joel, Kelsey, Chad, we'll have to manage without Ryan for now until they manage to get a hold of him," Kendrix stated with a frowned. "Let's do this!"
The other three nodded, running to take a lift. As soon as they exited, Captain Mitchell entered the room. "Report!"
"Two demons, vampires. West section of Mariner Bay!"
"Status?"
"Major Morgan has already taken the Rangers with her. We're attempting to contact Ryan now!"
"I'll be at command. Radio me once you've gotten his attention!"
"Yes sir!"
Loki laughed, staring at the innocents going about their personal lives. The worthless maggots had no idea about the presence that walked among them, waiting for the perfect time to strike. And indeed it seemed that time was now as Loki extended his battle-axe, striking an innocent down as his skin ripped off to form into his demon form. "Impotent humans, you shall soon learn of the power that the Emperor possesses! All of Earth shall be destroyed in his name!"
Infernox roared as he transformed as well. Running into the city, he unleashed fire upon the innocents, transforming them into ash into a matter of seconds. With a cold laugh, Loki joined in as well; killing whatever innocent citizens he could, whilst hurling energy shots every which way.
Glancing up, Loki cursed as he saw four of the Lightspeed Rangers running up, pointing his battle-axe forward. "Infernox, continue on! I want Mariner burned to the ground before sunset!"
"As you command!" Infernox shouted, transforming into a wave of flame as he jetted away.
"I'll take care of these pesky creatures!" Loki grinned, as he extended his axe and met the charge of the Rangers.
Ryan glanced as he walked, glancing to his left as he suddenly heard screams of terror. "Son of a bitch!" Ryan swore, as a huge blast of flame shot overhead, the young man sliding onto the ground and dodging the flame. "What the hell was that?"
Glancing up, Ryan froze in horror as he saw a demon burning the innocent man before him, the skin peeling off the man to reveal burnt flesh and bone. With an angry scream, Ryan hit his activation plate, engaging his armor as he tore across the ground. "You bastard!"
"The Red Ranger?" Infernox demanded. Unleashing a blast of flame at the Ranger, Ryan deflected it with his Shield Saber, swinging it down as he cut a large gash into the monster's flesh, before spin kicking it backwards.
"I'm not interested in fighting you!" Infernox shouted, his sword clashing with Ryan's Shield Saber. "I'd rather kill innocents, that's much more fun!"
"Ryan?" a voice crackled over the comm. "The Rangers need your help! Demons are attacking the city!"
"No duh!"
"Captain Mitchell wants you to take them down immediately!"
"Tell your Captain he can kiss my ass for all I care! I just want to see the city safe, and no one hurt!" Ryan shouted, racing after Infernox. "Get the hell over here!"
"In the nine hells stay away from me!" the demon cried out, snapping his wrist as a group of Vampires appeared. "Kill him!" He ordered to the animated corpses.
"I don't have time for this!" Ryan groaned, defensively swinging the Shield Saber forward. Swinging his weapon, he removed the head of a vampire, kicking the body away as it disintegrated. Drawing his blaster, he unleashed quick and systematic charges from it, slamming back all the vampires that were attempting to drown him. Impaling two with just one thrust of his saber, he knocked them away before destroying several more with his gun at point blank range.
"Finished," Ryan spat, glancing around him to see a field of ash, what was left of the vampires. "Now to find that freak!"
Charging into a garage, he cursed beneath his breath as he saw Infernox jetting flames in every direction, cackling cruelly were he stood. Glancing to the left, he saw the innocents running, a woman and her son knocked to the ground. "Get the hell away from them!" Ryan screamed, running towards them as he saw several vampires rushing towards the mother and her child.
"Ryan!" His father's voice crackled over the system. "Stop the demon!"
"Bu-"
"No buts!" Mitchell screamed. "Just do it!"
With a growl, Ryan shot across the floor, slashing Infernox down with his sword, the Shield Saber slamming through the demon as he impaled him into the wall. Then lifting the demon into the air, he brought the fiend smashing into the car, glass exploding outwards as the car crunched to pieces. Tossing Infernox aside, the demon chortled.
"We'll meet again Red Ranger!" Infernox screamed, as he blasted away. "Count on it!"
What was that sound? It sounded like flesh being devoured.
Ryan glanced to his left, suddenly freezing in horror. The vampires otherwise were eating the woman and child he had been about to save, before his father had stopped him. The woman had thrown herself as a shield over the child, and to get to her the vampires were eating through her body. A huge slab of rock pinned the child's feet to the floor. Suddenly the vampires bent low, ripping the heart of the woman's body, all three vampires hungrily bending over it to suck what blood remained from it.
Frozen.
Shock.
Utter horror.
It was happening all over again.
"No!" Ryan screamed, tearing across the floor. With an insane growl, he swung the sword down, completely tearing the vampire in half, whilst slamming his other hand forward and sending the head flying off of the second vampire. Bending down, he checked the pulse of the woman.
Dead.
Cursing, he leveled his blaster, blasting her body and watching it disintegrate, even though there was no way even vampire blood could revive her. With a sigh, he lifted the slab of rock of the boy, whispering to the child to remain calm as he took the now crippled youth into his arms.
"Damn you Mitchell..."
"Ryan, what the hell are you doing?!" Mitchell's voice rang over the comm. "The others need your help! Get the hell out of there and help them now!"
"Stuff it you son of a bitch!" Ryan acidly spat. "Kendrix and the others can do just fine without me! I'm getting this kid to a hospital so at least he doesn't die!"
Suddenly, he exploded as he ran. "How could you make me do it? Why did I listen to you? Why the hell did I listen to you? His mother is dead, do you hear? He'll never, ever be the same because of the decision you made! That demon was dangerous, but at the time he posed no threat! I hate you! I hate you!"
No reply.
"Do you hear me?!" Ryan yelled one more time.
Still no reply.
Finally, the com crackled. "Ryan, get that kid to a med bay. Then return to the site of incident. He'll be there waiting for you."
"Angela? What the hell is happening?"
"Just do it!" Fairweather sharply said. A ting of remorse was to her voice. "How could you say those things about your own father? You have any idea how much guilt he's had over loosing that kid two months ago?! It hit him worse than any of us, so don't you dare ever think that he cares nothing about it!"
"That's just it!" Ryan whispered. "He's not my father anymore."
Soon enough he arrived at the hospital, handing the whimpering boy onto a stretcher as he brought it down the hall to two astonished nurses. "What happened?" One asked in shock.
"Attack," Ryan flatly stated. "He was hurt by vampires. Get him checked for injuries."
The second nurse grimly nodded, running to get a nurse. The second wheeled him into emergency, Ryan letting his visor slide up as he stared after the boy, his heart breaking. How could this boy suffer so young? This was his father's fault. He would never forgive his father for causing this.
"Let's see what kind of lies you can come up with this time...Captain," Ryan icily stated, his visor sliding back down as he shot off.
"Father!" Dara called, entering the throne room. Diabolico glanced up, smiling a bit at seeing Dara with Impus. "I..."
"What is it?"
"It's her!" Dara finally broke. "She's back!"
"Who?"
"The Grand Dame!" Dara whispered. "I was in his room nursing him, when I felt a presence that I did not know move through the room! Impus called out to his mother, as if knowing that presence had been her!"
"Great Flames," Diabolico whispered. "Are you sure?"
"Positive!"
Diabolico thoughtfully turned, extending his hand as he let a sword form into it. With several quick and precise swings, he cut through the air with a sharp whistle of the blade. Pausing he turned, glancing to the portal in which they watched a battle between the four Rangers and Loki.
"Corrupting you, my young Ranger of Heart will have to wait for now..." Diabolico sighed. "If the Grand Dame has returned, I must serve her orders and plans."
With a simple twist of his wrist, the golden sword vanished as Diabolico left the room. Not wanting to be left alone, Dara followed quickly behind him, young Impus beginning to give sounds of fear in her arms.
"What is it?" Ryan acidly demanded, walking into the parking garage where he had fought Infernox. He glanced for the remains of the child's mother, but saw a cleanup crew sweeping over the area.
"You came here rather quickly," Captain Mitchell said. "Eager to prove me wrong?"
"Yes!" Ryan snapped. "I could have saved that woman and her child from the vampires! I could have easily killed those vampire and then fought Infernox! He wasn't hurting anyone! He was just jetting flame in every direction!"
"That's the point!" Captain Mitchell said. Walking over, he kicked away the rubble shielding several gas and helium tanks. "Tell me Ryan, how many people would have been hurt if these tanks had exploded? This parking garage and every building within several hundred feet would have gone up in an inferno! How then will have the child at least survived? He would be dead!"
Ryan paused. Again, the flashbacks, but this time, it had been different. Proven wrong. "I- I didn't know."
"That's right." Captain Mitchell sighed. "Ryan... I know... I know we're not on father-son terms. I've come to accept that. But you can't always regard my orders as trying to make you look like a fool just because we're estranged!"
"Estranged?" Ryan laughed. "No Captain, we're worse then just 'estranged.'"
"Do you understand?" Captain Mitchell asked softly. "I'm sorry what happened to that boy two months ago...if I could go back and live it again, I would change the call I made! I hate to see innocents hurt!"
"We agree on something at least," Ryan bitterly spat. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have a demon to rip apart!"
Captain Mitchell watched his son run off. He knew he wouldn't get an apology from his son, and in some way that was fine. He knew that Ryan was bitter and angry, and despite having given the right order, Ryan had a hard time accepting the facts.
Kendrix bellowed with rage, darting forward. Her Medi-Boa clashed with Loki's axe, the demon suddenly twisting past her and striking her down quickly with his axe. "Foolish girl! How dare you challenge the Emperor's servants!"
"I don't know who this Emperor is, but if you serve him, then I'll bet Scorpius and Trakeena did as well!" Kendrix retorted, motioning for Chad and Kelsey to flank her, the two coming up from behind Loki, weapons ready. "You're no different!"
Loki roared with rage as Kelsey and Chad struck into him from behind, trapping him in place. Both Joel and Kendrix shot forward as well, striking into him as well and trapping him. The demon roared in frustration, the four Rangers fighting to keep him trapped.
"No!" Loki screamed, turning swiftly and cutting the four backwards with one expert strike. "I will not be defeated by those that oppose the Emperor!"
"You idiot!" a voice called out. "Everyone in this universe who values live opposes the Emperor! Only a total moron would serve Asmordian! Guess that makes you an fucking moron, doesn't it?!"
Twisting to see the fool that would dare to speak and mock the true name of the Emperor, he saw the one called MegaSilver standing there. "You!" Charging forward, he slashed at MegaSilver, but very much slashing at air. With a cold grunt, the silver armored Ranger came from nowhere, faster then light as he raced across the spectrum of the battlefield, slamming into Loki and knocking him to the ground. With swift attacks, MegaSilver was soon enough revolving around Loki before slamming to a sudden stop and sending the demon sprawling across the ground.
"Foolish mortal!" Loki managed to gasp.
"Death is your only liberation in this game, demon!" Chad cried out, striking away at Loki with his blaster and sending the demon further backwards. MegaSilver also joined into the blast, the two Rangers blasting away at the demon. Loki tried to block the strikes with his axe, but the energy soon tore through him, knocking him further to the ground.
Kendrix felt it unlocking inside of her again. She brought her Medi-Boa upwards, energy crackling around it as she felt her Delta powers charge up inside of her. Energy arced its way through her, her Delta Ranger armor partially forming over her and joining with her Lightspeed armor to form a new armor.
MegaSilver paused from blasting Loki to stare at her. "You can summon that armor without the Saber?!"
"Do I know you?" Kendrix demanded of the heavily distorted voice. MegaSilver ignored her question, opting to stare at her for several seconds as her armor fluxed between the Lightspeed and Delta Ranger armor.
"You don't need me now," he stated flatly. "I've done what I need. You're very capable of finishing up this demon and leading this team. Good luck."
And transforming into a silver streak of energy, MegaSilver shot off into the sky, a stream of energy that only a well-trained eye could follow. Shaking her head, Kendrix arced her Medi-Boa upward, energy swirling and crackling around it.
"You can't win this!" Kendrix shouted, her Medi-Boa smashing through Loki's defenses, energy crackling around her weapon as she charged it. Then with one effortless swing, she brought it crashing down onto Loki, sending the demon sprawling across the ground.
Then running across the ground, she spun, kicking him from his feet, as she slammed the Medi-Boa repeatedly on his chest, sparks exploding and blood flying off as she tore into him. Then in one strike, she moved the Medi-Boa forward, energy rushing outwards in a violent explosion and slamming into and through Loki. Then as suddenly as her old armor had come across her, it was gone, returning to that of Lightspeed Pink.
"You will not defeat me...." Loki moaned. "I will not be defeated by you! Infernox!"
"Yes Loki?" the fiery demon answered, appearing at the side of Loki.
"Finish them off! Together we can easily crush them like the human maggots they truly are!"
"You!" a voice screamed. From nowhere it seemed, Ryan came running, Shield Saber extended. With a violent slash, he brought the blade slamming into Infernox, the fire demon screaming in pain as he was hurled across the ground. Ryan leapt onto the downed demon, striking away savagely with his sword, the demon screaming in pain as Ryan slashed the fire demon to near death. With a second thrust kick, the demon was hurled through the air, smashing through a barrier as Ryan raced after him.
"By the inferno!" the demon managed to spit before he found Ryan before him, Shield Saber through his chest. With a snarl, Ryan twisted the blade, blood dripping from the demon as he swung himself around and the demon falling to the ground and exploding in a violent eruption of flame. Body parts fell around Ryan as he walked, the Ranger shaking his head.
"You'll pay for that!" Loki screamed, smoke still rising from his chest. Ryan and the others assembled before him, Ryan thrusting his Shield Saber forward.
"No!" Ryan screamed. "You'll be the one that pays for attacking this city! Tell Lucifer hello for me when I kill you!"
"Not today!" Loki chuckled, drawing the card that Dara had given him and cutting his hand with a dagger. The Rangers watched as he let the blood drip onto the black card, gasping in horror.
With a sharp laugh, Loki tossed the card forward at the remains, the card unleashing a nexus of dark energy that brought the carcass and remains of Infernox together, slowly reassembling him. Then in a burst of black light, he was resurrected as a giant.
"Angela!" Kendrix shouted over the comm. "Deploy the Rail Liners, we need them now!"
"Already on it Major!" Fairweather responded. "Deploying Rail Liners now, meet at Point Beta, and deploy Rescue Runners to form Lightspeed MegaRescue!"
"Copy!"
The five Rangers took off, transporting into their individual Rail Liners as they formed the train, firing down the tracks that led into Mariner Bay. They quickly deployed their Rescue Runners, the five immediately combining the Rescue Runners to form Lightspeed MegaRescue.
"MegaRescue Online!" Kendrix shouted.
Ryan brought the MegaRescue around, deploying the Rescue Saber as he brought the gestalt's fists forward, slashing into the demon with ferocious might. Infernox howled, clutching his shoulder in anger, as he tried to fight back. But with Ryan piloting the MegaRescue, the gestalt sliding past the fire demon as it shot forward, a swift kick knocking it to the ground.
"Take this you bastard!" Ryan screamed, MegaRescue bringing it's sword slashing down as it cut through Infernox with one simple strike. Infernox fell to the ground, clutching his gut as the Lightspeed MegaRescue arced the Rescue Saber high above him.
"Energize!" Kendrix shouted.
MegaRescue then swung its fists down, slashing through the body of Infernox in one energized slash, the demon falling to the ground and exploding in a glory of flame and fire.
"Another one goes to the pit," Chad laughed. The four glanced shocked as Ryan leapt headfirst from MegaRescue and down to the ground below where he promptly deactivated his armor as he raced off.
"Let him go." Kendrix sighed, as Chad, Kelsey, and Joel turned to follow. "Best just to let him go for now...."
Loki groaned, teleporting into the throne room of Skull Cavern, cursing the Pink Ranger and all she was worth. "She and that Red Ranger that she allies herself with will pay dearly for what they have done!"
Diabolico and Dara came walking in, Vypra and Jinxer not to far behind. Falling to one knee, Loki paid his respects. "Diabolico...brother...I have failed! I will not fail again!"
"Brother! Do not ask my forgiveness, for you know that you already have it with you!" Diabolico said as Loki stood. Suddenly, the demons froze as a chilling laughter flooded through the chambers. Knowing the source of the voice, each demon in the room fell to one knee out of fear and respect as a face formed in the throne room, blood red eyes staring down at them.
"Failure is not an option, Duke Loki!" the spectral image proclaimed, staring down at the demon in disgust. Loki felt himself shaking in utter horror and fear, unable to control his movement. Staring upwards, he saw the gigantic spectral image of Impus's mother before him; the Great Dame Bansheera.
"Bansheera!" he managed to whisper.
Suddenly Loki clutched his throat, unable to breath as he felt his air cut off from him. He was then lifted into the air and thrown across the room, smashing through a stone pillar. Vypra shrieked with laughter, enjoying Loki's punishment. Diabolico and Dara were too scared to move, not noticing Vypra's laughter, nor hearing Impus' screams of fear.
"I see you are taking care of my child!" Bansheera whispered. Stricken with fear, Dara nodded, slowly standing to her feet and holding Impus outwards. An unknown force lifted Impus into the air, Bansheera staring at her son.
"Impus..." Suddenly her eyes hardened as the infant began to cry, Impus floating back down and coming to rest in the hands of Jinxer, Dara looking slightly disappointed.
"Diabolico!" Bansheera's crimson eyes flashing brightly. "I am disappointed in you! I would have expected you to destroy Earth by now with the resources that not only I, but also the Emperor provided to you as well! What is the meaning of your failure thus far?"
"Rangers!" Diabolico finally stated.
"You have encountered and slaughtered Rangers before!" Bansheera rebuked him. "What is so hard about killing this group?!"
"Something I did not expect!" Diabolico replied. "There is someone special leading this team of Rangers. We managed to kill off four of the Rangers, but soon enough they were replaced by much more powerful Rangers. Their leader...she is different. I believe her to be the Ranger of Heart!"
"Impossible!" Bansheera shouted. "I have heard no word that the Chosen Child has awakened!"
"It's true!" Dara blurted out, coming to her father's aid. "I saw her transform into the Ranger of Heart with my own eyes, she has held one of Alahyde's Sabers!"
Bansheera's eyes narrowed in worry. "I will have to take this into account..." she somberly said. "But that matters none the less! The Emperor has personally sent me to tell you he no longer wants little petty games! He wants Earth destroyed, totally and completely ripped into the matter it was forged from!"
Diabolico froze. The Emperor had sent the Great Dame Bansheera with a message to tell them not to conquer, but to destroy the Earth forever? He could all but barely stand in fear. Had even the Lord of all Darkness forgotten what Earth's total destruction meant? "Your will shall be done my Queen!" he finally sputtered out, not wanting to offend Bansheera. Still, the thought of obliterating this entire planet disturbed him, and he didn't know why.
"You must hurry, Diabolico!" Bansheera cried out. "You must hurry to raise my body and take out Earth once and for all! Understand?"
"Yes my Lady!" Diabolico cried. "We will raise you to physical form once more, and we will destroy earth in the name of the Emperor!"
"You had better!" Bansheera growled. "You had better, Diabolico!"
Ryan stared at the young boy, a nurse entering the room to check on him. The boy was sleeping, his face filled with some comfort of security, despite both of his legs being broken at the time. With a sigh, Ryan took a seat. Feeling the tap of shoes behind him, someone took a seat next to him as well.
He didn't need to guess who it was. Somehow, he already knew.
"You can't save everyone Ryan." Captain Mitchell softly said.
"I know..." Ryan sighed. "I just wish I could...I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For exploding like that." Ryan said. "Even if I didn't approve of your decision at the time, that didn't give me the right to...explode likes that."
"No offense taken."
"Thanks...I guess." Ryan said, finally standing and walking to the door. Suddenly turning around, he glanced at Captain Mitchell one last time, "You know, thinking of you as a Commander isn't too bad. But as a father...that's an entirely different story. Later."
Captain Mitchell shook his head as he saw Kendrix come walking up. "You just missed Ryan...he just left."
"I'll catch up with him in a minute." Kendrix sighed. She then looked at him oddly. "Something wrong?"
"Your friends, Kelsey, Joel, and Chad are celebrating as if they have won this war." Captain Mitchell shook his head. "We haven't won this war at all."
"You're right..." Kendrix sighed. "Only more lives will be lost as these battles wage on... hundreds for all we know..."
"That," Captain Mitchell said as he turned to leave, "is why we fight."
Mitchell drove, fighting to keep his eyes awake. Glancing in the back, he saw that his children were sleeping well, squinting at the rode ahead of him as he drove. "Damn me for driving this late. I should have just listened to my sister and spent the night."
He continued to drive on the curvy rode, the windy rode leading along the side of a cliff that fell over the ocean. He paused, thinking as he saw something golden flash by. With a shout, he suddenly hit the brakes as a force slammed into the car, knocking it off the road.
With a scream he hurtled, he kicked the door open, as the car began to teeter on the edge. He felt his children in his arms, his son clinging onto his leg, his daughter clinging onto his jacket. Reaching outwards, he grabbed the side of the cliff, the car falling below them and exploding in a large flame of fire. The wet rain beating down on him, Captain Mitchell desperately fought to climb up the mountain side..
"Hold on!" Mitchell screamed. Hanging on the side of the cliff, he tried with agony to pull himself up. "Just hold on, I'm almost there!"
"I'm slipping Dad!"
"Dad help! She's going to slip!" A scared and frantic voice called. "HOLD ON! Dad will save us!"
"I'm scared!" A voice whimpered. Mitchell fought to hold onto the rocks, fingers clawing at his body, desperately fighting to hang onto their father.
"Hold on!" Mitchell screamed, fighting the pain in his arms as he gripped the wet rocks, slowly pulling himself up the slid of the cliff. He desperately fought the forces of the Earth, fighting the force of gravity that battled so hard to pull down him and his children. Glancing down, he saw his burning car below.
"Dad, she's slipping! Hurry up!"
"Daddy!" voice screamed, Mitchell suddenly feeling lighter.
"Dana, no!"
It was then he saw one of his children fall...
"I still remember," Captain Mitchell softly said, taking one last look at the boy in the emergency room that Ryan had saved, before leaving the room as well.
Outside, a limo was waiting. Once inside, he leaned back thinking.
The day would go on.
Unknown to anyone at Lightspeed, Vypra was already cunning and developing a plan in works. "Queen Bansheera!" Vypra said, bowing before the spectral version of her Bansheera. "I am pleased to serve your name!"
"Ah Vypra, one of my loyalist servants!" Bansheera exclaimed, looking pleased to see the demoness before her. "What brings you before me?"
"I have come to show you what I have planned!" Vypra laughed, drawing her sword. With a wave of her hand, she teleported the two into a graveyard, giggling madly as she lowered the sword to her fist. She cut her hand, letting her blood slip over the blade as she drove it into the dirt, chanting her magic. "Vampire childe, hear the command of thy Sire! Awaken to this black night, serve this purpose and aid us in our plight! Vampires of old, awaken ye of new! Aid the black night in destroying light!"
Bansheera and Vypra watched, her flood rushing over the graves. This time, not several hands came pushing through the grave, Vypra was not calling forth a squad of vampires... she was calling forth every vampire with her magic.
Soon enough, a small army of vampires stood before Vypra and Bansheera, the two demons unleashing their magic, and building black armor up the vampires. "They are yours to command Queen Bansheera!" Vypra said, bowing before the spectral image.
"Go forth into the pathetic city of Mariner Bay and concentrate on raising our forces! Attack every day, so that our armies can grow day by day! When vampires are needed for battle, Diabolico, Loki, Vypra, or Dara shall summon you for battle! Go and do the bidding of Bansheera, and the bidding of the Emperor as well!"
"Aid the forces of darkness in crushing Earth once and for all!"
Casting a portal open above her, Vypra tossed her head back, cackling madly as the vampires took to the air, swarming towards the portal, yearning to obey their High Dame's orders. With vampires roaming the street day and night, attacking innocents, while the demons led attacks against Mariner Bay as well, victory was assured.
"Good job Vypra!" Bansheera praised. "The Emperor shall be pleased with your loyal work!"
"I live to serve!" Vypra smugly smiled as she lied through her teeth. "I live to serve you but alone."
This would most certainly serve her purposes from now on in the future. She no longer had to care or be careful around Diabolico. He was just a stepping-stone to rising in power, just like all of them, even Bansheera herself.
And casting her gaze into a view-portal of Mariner Bay, she saw her vampires descending into the streets of Mariner Bay. Soon enough the vampire army would begin to grow. And just as Bansheera had ordered Vypra's vampires, by each passing day the armies would only continue to grow larger...