Chapter 29: Legend War - If I Should Die (Part 1)
The Dark Man- Akuma, the embodiment of Death- had manipulated Simon, just as he had tried to manipulate Tommy years earlier. Akuma wanted the endless cycle of the Wheel of Time to end and be replaced with a peaceful existence- one of death. While the Rangers of the past battled the forces of evil, the Ultimate Power Rangers battled Akuma.
Each Ultimate Power Ranger came from a world or timeline that never should have existed, and no longer did. They knew that, if they won, they would cease to exist. But they battled on, willing to sacrifice themselves to save all creation.
The Ultimate Power Rangers used their Grand Powers to bring every Ranger, Rider and hero of the past to the present. These champions battled the Dark One’s forces, White Jokers, in the ruins of Angel Grove, now known as Demon City. Compounding the fight, the Armada started its invasion, entering Angel Grove through fissures in space and time.
The Rangers managed to destroy the Armada homeworld, but a battlefleet escaped before the destruction, along with the Armada Emperor Mavro and his two Royal Guards. Their destination: Earth.
Meanwhile, Tommy entered the Bore, the path to the Dark One’s prison, and went face-to-face with the Dark One. While there, he sensed something that gave him hope. Billy Cranston had returned to the battlefield.
Now
Angel Grove/Demon City
Random thoughts burned through Billy’s mind. The thoughts of his future self. The thoughts of his alternate self from Demon World Earth. Echoes from the two individuals who had merged with him, now separate and very much dead.
How had he survived?
His temporal/spatial power. The Heaven Time Star. When the Band-Aide Timeline ripped away, he managed to grab hold of that instability, that chaos, and use it to anchor his true self.
Nearby, Nick climbed to his feet. His eyes opened wide with shock. "You’re…Billy."
Billy nodded, his gaze solemn. "Affirmative."
Another wave of White Jokers scrambled onto the scene.
Billy armed his Master Morpher. He felt The Power call to him. Welcoming, like a long-lost family member.
"Dino! Buckler!" Energy flashed around him as he morphed into the Blue Tricera Ranger.
The Blue Ranger armed his lance and swatted through White Jokers with cold precision, each blow a perfect arc of symmetry. He felt odd, being back in the fight. It felt like just yesterday he left Earth for Aquitar. At the same time…it felt like forever ago.
Nick flipped open his morpher and moved to the Blue Ranger’s side.
"Magical Source! Mystic Force!" Energy wrapped around him as he morphed into the Red Mystic Ranger.
The Red Mystic Ranger and Blue Tricera Ranger stood back-to-back, slashing and kicking enemy soldiers.
Tricera Ranger couldn’t help but notice the familiarity of the Red Ranger’s fighting style. Tommy’s son…he thought. I’ve missed so much…wasted so much time…
The Blue Ranger struck down the last of the White Jokers. He turned his attention to the dark portal ahead, which lead into the Bore, straight towards the Dark One’s prison, where Tommy battled. Alone.
"Gather your friends," Tricera Ranger told Nick. "We’re going into the Bore."
The Bore
Samuel, Shirogane, Zadie, Eiji and Ryan walked through the Bore, a cavernous tunnel that lead to the Dark One’s prison.
Eiji cursed beneath his breath. "We’re getting nowhere. We should have stayed with the others."
"No," Shirogane said. "Can’t you sense it? Our path lies in this direction."
Ahead, a wall of darkness, pure black, blocked their path. They saw Tommy and Shadow Blade, frozen in time, locked in combat, as Tommy’s leg touched the wall of darkness.
And nearby, the Simon from the past laid injured and unconscious. Abbadon, also injured, stood over his younger self. The villain assumed his Shaded form, with chalk-white skin and hair, and solid black eyes except for red irises.
The villain kept his eyes on his younger self as his former friends and teammates approached.
"What kept you?"
"Simon…" Zadie whispered.
"You should have let me end it," Abbadon said without looking at them. "All of you…You should have left me alone and let me end everything. The Dark One’s about to win, and when he does, you’ll wish I had."
A shadowy figure entered the Bore from behind the champions. "Well stated."
They turned to see the last of the Forsaken: Moridin, still alive.
Ryan tilted his head. "Didn’t you die? It’s hard to keep track."
"I simply stepped back and waited," Moridin said. "That’s the beauty of the Dark One. The Wheel of Time turns. The forces of good can win again and again, but the war will continue. However, the Dark One need only win once."
Angel Grove/Demon City
The Ultimate Power Rangers dashed at Akuma for another attack. Their blades swung, and their blasters fired. But the Dark Man managed to block and dodge their attacks.
The Red Ranger somersaulted across the ground, pounced, and slammed his knee upside the Dark Man’s head. The blow knocked the villain backward, but he stayed on his feet.
Akuma smiled beneath his mask. "It seems you’ve found your second wind."
"Stop talking," the Red Ranger said. "Your plan failed. We stopped the Shattering from happening. It’s over."
"You are as foolish as your father," the Dark Man said. "Does it look like this is over?"
The ground shook, and White Jokers roared with power, a thundering echo.
A White Joker grew giant.
Then another.
And another.
Dozens of White Jokers grew giant.
The Battle Task Force Power Rangers of the past regrouped. They raised their hands towards the skies.
"We need Dinozord Power, now!"
Their cry echoed throughout the city. The ground trembled, and the slightest rays of sunlight parted the clouds. The earth split asunder, and the Dinozords arose.
The other Rangers of the past joined the call. And the stampede of their zords caused the darkness to tremble.
As White Jokers continued to grow giant throughout the ruins of Angel Grove, the darkness parted at the center of the city to reveal a monster that dwarfed every Megazord. The Black Cross monster towered over the city like a giant spider, with massive clawed legs, each several times longer than the tallest of robos.
The Megadinozord and MegaThunderzord stepped forward to face the gargantuan creature.
"Megadinozord Saber!" Tyranno Ranger shouted. "Battle Crash!"
"MegaThunderzord Saber!" the Red Dragon Ranger shouted. "Lightning Slash!"
The Megadinozord’s broadsword crackled with energy. The MegaThunderzord’s saber flashed with lightning.
The two Megazords slashed through streaks of energy, tearing through the monster’s lower limbs with bursts of spark. But the monster merely lifted its spider-like legs and stabbed the Megazords, hurling them backward.
Nearby, the Green Dragon Ranger played a tune on his Dragon Dagger.
The tune commanded the Dragonzord to open fire with a missile salvo.
The blasts exploded harmlessly against the monster, while the White Tigerzord charged to attack.
"White Tiger Thunderbolt!" Kiba Ranger shouted. "Fire!"
The White Tiger fired blasts of energy from its jaws. The blasts slammed against the monster but did no damage.
"White Tiger! Rise up!" Kiba Ranger shouted.
The Tigerzord shifted into warrior mode, lunged forward, and swung its golden saber.
The monster’s eyes flashed. Invisible energy smashed the Tigerzord and Dragonzord with bursts of spark, hurling them backward.
From above, Gao Icarus, the Ninja MegaFalconzord and the DriveMax Ultrazord swooped towards the monster.
Gao Icarus spread its wings; the wings’s eyes flared with waves of power, binding the monster in place.
The DriveMax Ultrazord moved in next.
"Ultrazord!" the Overdrive Rangers shouted. "Sonic Strike!"
The Ultrazord’s chestplate radiated with heat and fired an energy blast shaped like a bird. The blast speared the monster’s center with massive bursts of spark and discharges of energy.
The Ninja MegaFalconzord shot towards the wound.
"Double-Knuckle Strike!" the Ninja Rangers shouted.
The Megazord’s wolf and ape fists ignited with power, and the falcon wings flared with energy. The Megazord slammed the monster with double punches-shockwaves tearing through the streets- but the monster swatted the Megazord aside.
Nearby, the Megadinozord used its Power Sword for balance and climbed to its feet.
"Let’s regroup!" Tyranno Ranger shouted. "Dinozords assemble! Ultrazord fusion!"
The Megadinozord and Dragonzord combined and fused with Titanus, the Carrierzord, to form the Ultradinozord.
Nearby, the MegaThunderzord climbed back to its feet.
"Thunderzords assemble!" the Red Dragon Ranger shouted. "Ultrazord fusion!"
The Thunderzords and White Tigerzord combined with Tor, the Carrierzord, to form the UltraThunderzord.
The two Ultrazords moved to attack.
"Ultradinozord!" the Rangers shouted. "Grand Fire!"
"UltraThunderzord!" the Rangers shouted. "Lightning Wave!"
The Ultradinozord fired a barrage of energy blasts. The UltraThunderzord fired a spinning wave of light.
The blasts combined into a torrent of power that splashed against the giant monster, washing over its armor and skin.
The monster roared, more with annoyance than pain. It fired waves of black energy stars, thrashing the Ultrazords with bursts of spark, igniting with enough fury to rip the zords back to their individual components.
Nearby, the Centaurus Megazord and Astro Megazord stood side-by-side.
They each armed a beam cannon and fired. Their blasts speared the monster’s midsection with bursts of spark, but the creature stayed on balance.
Suddenly, another dozen White Jokers grew giant with thundering booms. Several of them slid cards into their bucklers, which spoke commands as they transformed into various giant foes from the Rangers’ past.
"DAITANIX"
"CYCLOPSIS"
Daitanix leaned forward and opened its jaws, firing a beam of energy that smashed against the Centaurus Megazord and Astro Megazord, sending them staggering backward as Cyclopsis advanced.
Cyclopsis opened its chest compartments to reveal rows of missiles. The missiles fired, blasting the two Megazords off their feet.
The Dino Thunder team watched from their cockpit.
Dino Blue shook his head at the sight of the giant White Jokers transforming into some of the largest monsters in Ranger history. "This would be sick if it wasn’t so scary."
"They won’t stop growing," Dino Red said. "We need to clear them out, quick!"
"Then stop talking and start clearing," Dino Yellow said. She opened a comline to their nearby allies. "Ready guys?"
The Thundersaurus Megazord charged to attack, along with the Predazord, Turbo Megazord, and Dino Charge Megazord in Tri-Stego Formation.
"Dino Drill!" the Dino Thunder Rangers shouted.
The Thundersaurus Megazord armed its drill arm and shot towards the monsters, drill spinning.
"Tricera Drill!" the Dino Charge Rangers shouted.
The Dino Charge Megazord extended its pink drill, spinning, and shot towards the giant monsters.
"Revolver Phantom!" Gao Silver shouted.
The Predazord attached its Gator Staff to its arm, used it like a drill, and shot forward, drill spinning.
"Turbo Megazord!" the Turbo Rangers shouted. "Spin-out!"
The Megazord spun like a tornado and throttled forward.
The four Megazords smashed through giant White Jokers, drills and blades puncturing through monstrous bodies and limbs.
A White Joker shifted into the form of Master Org.
The monster slashed the four Megazords aside with a single, wide sweep.
Jet Icarus faced a White Joker that took the form of the Infernal Dark Hell Beast.
The monster fired eye-beams of concussive force that smashed the Megazord, hurling it backward for several blocks, bashing through buildings. The Megazord crashed and skid across the streets.
"We need help!" Blue Swallow shouted.
Red Hawk nodded and called for the Jet Garuda, which swooped down from the skies.
"Jet-zords assemble!" Red Hawk shouted. "Garuda Fusion!"
Jet Icarus and Jet Garuda pulsed with energy and combined, the latter encasing the former like a suit of armor.
"Jet Garuda Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "Hyper Icarus!"
A winged monster — Condortron- dove at Hyper Icarus, extended its claws, and snatched the Megazord from the streets.
The monster flew over the skyline, bashing the Megazord through rooftop after rooftop, before hurling the robo through the air.
Hyper Icarus crashed and skidded backward, tearing through pavement and plowing through buildings.
Condortron dove at the fallen Megazord.
But blasts of energy knocked the monster aside.
From their cockpits, Jet Force watched the Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord and Samurai Megazord land on the streets.
"Man…" Hurricane Yellow said, shaking his head at the sight of the fallen Jet Garuda Megazord. "You guys are really bad at this."
Hurricane Red nodded. "Let’s show ‘em how it’s done."
The Storm Megazord’s chest compartment launched a Power Sphere, which opened to reveal the Serpent Sword. The Megazord grabbed hold of the saber.
The Thunder Megazord’s chest compartment launched a Power Sphere, which opened to reveal a fan-like blade, the Spin Blade. The Megazord grabbed the weapon.
The Samurai Megazord unsheathed its sword.
The Rangers called out their attacks.
"Serpent Sword! Triple Strike!"
"Spin Blade! Whirling Strike!"
"Samurai Megazord Saber! Samurai Strike!"
The three Megazords struck. The Storm Megazord split into three with the use of hard-light holograms; each Megazord slashed through a streak of burning energy. The Thunder Megazord twirled its Spin Blade and chopped through a streak of power. And the Samurai Megazord slashed through a streak of energy.
The blades ripped through Condortron. The monster’s body exploded, shredding to pieces with massive bursts of spark and flame.
From blocks away, the Black Cross monster opened its massive jaws and fired a spinning torrent of energy, larger than any Megazord. The energy wave bashed the Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord and Samurai Megazord, sweeping them off their feet and sending them crashing through several city blocks.
The Samurai Star Megazord swooped downward from the skies and opened fire at the Black Cross monster.
Rapid shots peppered the creature, but the behemoth barely seemed to notice.
Hurricane Red watched through his cockpit.
"Perfect timing. Let’s take care of business!" he shouted. "Megazords, assemble!"
The Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord and Samurai Star Megazord shot into the air. The zords surged with energy as they shifted shape and combined to form the Hurricane Megazord. The massive Megazord landed with a thundering boom that shook the streets.
"Full power, guys!" Hurricane Red shouted.
Together they called out: "Hurricane Megazord! Gale-Force, Tempest Hurricane!"
The Megazord fired a twirling vortex of power from its chest. The blast tore through the streets with the force of a tsunami, bashing the Black Cross monster. But the monster barely moved, even as discharges of energy tore through buildings and streets around him.
The creature fired twin optic blasts, each as thick as a Megazord; the blasts stabbed the Hurricane Megazord with massive bursts of spark that hurled the robo backward.
…continues in Part Two