Mystic Force: A Better Tomorrow - FallenArcana (2024)

Chapter 1: Broken Spell: Part 1

Chapter Text

There was an uneasy feeling in the air, and it set Carvallain on edge. If someone had asked him what was making him so uneasy, he wouldn't have been able to give an answer, and that only annoyed him more.

It wasn't unreasonably quiet in the forest where he walked; birds were singing as usual in the trees, and the cool breeze that was blowing created an almost constant rustling to accompany the birdsong. Yet Carvallain still felt as if something was off, and his hand twitched as if wanting to move to his side where the sword hung from his hip.

The forest itself seemed to different to him. The trees towered overhead; their foliage so thick that it hid most of the cloudy sky from sight. Well used to it, the sights usually comforted Carvallain as he stretched his legs after another gruelling training session, yet this time was different.

Stopping his long strides, he closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath to calm himself. Even if the uneasy feeling hadn't quite faded, the deep breath allowed him to relax a little, and his muscles stopped tensing as his hand stopped twitching towards his blade.

"Boo!" the sudden noise directly behind him startled a cry from Carvallain, and he launched forwards before spinning, trying to see what had crept up on him, before he tripped over a tree root protruding from the ground. With a grunt, he landed on the soft ground, kicking up the leaves that covered it.

A peal of tinkling laughter filled the air, cutting through the birdsong. Carvallain's dark brown eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed in an embarrassed glare as he looked up at the one responsible for scaring him.

Swinging upside down, a young woman with long, thick black hair plaited neatly was still laughing hard. Like Carvallain, she wore a plain tunic, only while his had a long-sleeved undershirt, hers didn't; revealing bruises dotted along her arms. She wore dark brown trousers tucked into a pair of leather boots, and while Carvallain carried his sword on his hip, she carried one on her back that seemed to be about to fall.

"Titania…" the furious growl finally stopped her laughter, and Titania's eyes opened. She also had brown eyes, but hers were a shade lighter than his almost black ones. "You're lucky I didn't try to cut your head off!" finally Carvallain got to his feet, brushing off leaves that clung to his clothes.

"Oh yes, so lucky…" Titania smirked, and swung to unhook her legs from the branch she was dangling from. Flipping through the air, she landed on her feet with easy and straightened up. "Your scream was so sharp it did indeed risk separating my head from my shoulders," she taunted. Carvallain blushed; a silverish hue making his fair complexion seem almost ethereal.

"Do you not have more important matters to take care of?" he asked, making a point of continuing to brush dirt from his tunic as he willed his blushing to fade. 'Unbecoming,' he scolded himself as he patted his clothes even though the dirt was long gone.

"As a matter of fact, I was on my way to Rootcore," Titania answered, fixing her hair. She tucked a stray lock behind her ear, revealing how it tapered into a point at a downwards angle. She didn't miss his irritated sigh, and her eyes lit up with glee. "Oh, were you also on your way there? Excellent, let's go together," she decided, and without waiting for him to answer her, she began walking in the direction that Carvallain had been walking in before she had scared him.

"Sounds fantastic," he muttered. It didn't take long for him to catch up with her - he was far taller than the dainty young woman.

"Do you feel it?" for a moment, Carvallain didn't register Titania's words. They were almost dreamy, as if she was in her own world, and he was too busy complaining to himself to focus on them.

"Yes," he answered honestly, seeing no need to lie to her. She hated when he did, anyway, and an annoyed Titania was the last thing he needed. "Do you know what's causing it?" Carvallain asked, looking down at her. She barely passed his elbow.

"Nothing I've ever experienced before," she answered, much more serious than she had been before. "Penny was just as nervous," Titania frowned.

"Lady Penelope was?" Carvallain almost stopped at her words. She nodded, looking grim. "That does not bode well at all," he considered.

"No it does not," Titania murmured.

The two lapsed into thoughtful silence as they walked - Carvallain couldn't help but note that it must be serious to have Titania so solemn. Finally the thick cluster of trees parted to reveal the massive trunk of a dark tree taller than any other in the forest. Carved into the side of it from one of the roots jutting out was a dragon's head, which opened as they approached to allow them to step inside. Well used to it by now, they stepped inside without hesitation.

The inside of the tree had been almost completely hollowed out, and the main room that Carvallain and Titania walked into was large and warm. Lights flickered overhead, and directly in front of them was a wooden table with wooden stools all around it for people to sit on. The walls were lined with shelves, some threatening to collapse under the weight of the tomes bundled in together, while others were filled to the brim with bottles and jars of liquids, leaves, berries and other ingredients.

"Lady Udonna?" Carvallain called out when he didn't see anyone around. There was no response, and his unease grew. He looked at Titania, whose expression told him that she felt the same.

"Udonna? Claire?" Titania called out as she walked further inside. She ignored the showcase by the entrance that was sectioned into seven different colours with brooms inside.

"Yes, I'm here," finally they heard a response, and both relaxed visibly as an older woman emerged from one of the many hallways that made up Rootcore. Wearing a pair of trousers and a pretty top with sleeves that flared out at the hands, both in white, Udonna was still the picture of grace. Her fiery red hair was neatly out of her face in an elaborate style, and her green eyes were as warm as her smile. "Carvallain, Titania, it is good to see you both again," she smiled as she approached. She took Titania's hands and squeezed them gently, before turning to Carvallain. Her right hand touched to her heart, and she bowed.

"Please, there is no need," he raised his hands quickly to stop her as Titania giggled.

"It is always a pleasure to see you both, although I confess it is surprising to see you together," Udonna said as she looked from one to the other. "Carvallain, I know the reason for your arrival, but Titania-"

"Penny asked me to come," Udonna's eyebrows rose at Titania's words. Her smile started to fade, and with a sigh she turned away from them.

"Then she senses it too. And if I am correct, you both do too?" she asked, starting to walk away. She crossed the room and ascended the steps to the raised floor, where a large, very old book was sitting on a podium.

"Yes," both said together, following her along.

"Lady Udonna, what is this unease in the air?" Carvallain asked her, and she looked up at them with a grim expression.

Before Udonna could answer his question, the ground suddenly began to quake. They stumbled, catching hold of furniture around them to steady themselves. Around them, books fell from the shelves around them, clattering loudly as they fell to the ground, before there was the loud shattering of glass as the bottles nearby also tipped from their shelves. The shaking only lasted a few seconds before stopping as suddenly as it had started.

"What was-" before Titania could finish asking, the book near them suddenly began to glow. She instantly fell silent, eyes going wide as she stared at it. In all her life, she'd never seen the book do anything.

"There is a crack in the Gate," Udonna spoke gravely as she looked at the image that had appeared in the book. She then looked at Titania, and then at Carvallain before speaking again. "The darkness has returned," her words stunned the pair into silence, who had no idea just how to react.

It had been 18 years since the final battle had taken place. 18 years since dark magic had finally lost the war and been banished; the Gates to the Underworld sealed.

Now there was a crack in the Gate. Dark magic could once again return.

Two hours had passed since Udonna had delivered the grave news to Titania and Carvallain. She had left almost straight after, telling the two to wait there until her return. She still had yet to come back, and Carvallain was practically wearing a hole in the ground by pacing the whole time.

"What if something has happened to her?" Carvallain wondered aloud as he continued to pace. Titania was cleaning up the last of the mess that the brief earthquake had caused, getting rid of the broken bottles while noting down what had been destroyed.

"Something happen to Udonna? You're talking ridiculous, Car," her words were blunt, but it was the nickname that made him wince. He hated that nickname. "She has her Snow Staff. As long as she has that, she'll be fine," Titania said, so confident that he couldn't help but believe her.

"Yeah, you're right," Carvallain sighed and walked over to the table. He sat down, resisting the urge to slump, and lifted one of the books that was sitting there. "This is just…not what I expected. Dark magic…it's supposed to be in the past. Supposed to be…" he trailed off, and frustration welled up inside of him. He slammed his fist against the table, causing it to shudder. Titania didn't even flinch, continuing to sweep up.

"I don't want to fight," she said quietly as she gathered up the broken glass.

"I know," Carvallain replied quietly, his head lowered. Titania sighed, and raised one finger into the air. Drawing a circle in the air with the tip of her finger, the mess she had swept up vanished. She then shook her head, and returned the broom to the side.

"I wonder where Udonna went," she spoke, trying to sound less sad as she walked over to the large book. It hadn't done anything since the earthquake, and sat open on the page that had appeared at the time. Titania traced the lines with her finger. "I've never seen a spell seal like this. Have you?" she asked, looking over at the young man sitting sulking at the table. It took him a moment before he gave a suffering sigh and got up to approach.

"It's very different to what I've learned," Carvallain admitted as he looked down at it. The longer he looked at it, the more his unease returned. "I believe it's a dark spell seal," he considered, and Titania shuddered. She drew back from the book, not noticing Carvallain as he turned his head slightly.

"I should-"

"Shh," Titania frowned when Carvallain suddenly shushed her. He had turned his head away from her, eyes not particularly focused on anything as he listened intently. "Listen," he said quietly. Seeing his expression, Titania closed her eyes and focused on listening, wondering what his sharp ears had caught.

It took her longer, but eventually she heard it too; screaming, and it was getting closer and closer to Rootcore. Her eyes opened, and she met Carvallain's gaze.

"Should we go see what's going on?" she asked, finding herself more than a little nervous. There were too many unknowns; Udonna wasn't there, and with a crack in the Gate, Titania couldn't help but assume the worst about what was going on outside.

The screaming stopped abruptly, and Carvallain frowned. He could hear muffled voices outside, and he didn't recognise them. His hand went to his sword in reflex, and Titania flitted over to his side as they heard several sets of rushed footsteps echoing in through the entrance.

Scared without a clue of what was going on, the five practically shoved at each other to move faster. They hadn't considered what they were doing by rushing through the root carved into the shape of a dragon's head, they just wanted away from the stranger who was following them through the forest.

As soon as they stepped into the light, the five stopped abruptly as they stared at Carvallain and Titania, who stared back at them.

"There's more of them?" the young man in a leather jacket moaned as he started to back up.

"They don't look like the monsters we saw back there," the red-head pointed out.

"Monsters?" Titania repeated as her curiosity got the best of her. "What do you mean by monsters?" she asked. Carvallain instantly held out his hand to block her path as he felt her starting to move.

"How did humans get here?" he asked, wary of the five strangers who had stumbled into Rootcore. They all looked startled to be addressed as "humans" - after all, it wasn't a normal thing in their world.

"I brought them," the five jumped, and both Carvallain and Titania turned quickly as Udonna reappeared on the raised platform. She wore a black hooded cloak, which she removed as she smiled warmly. "I hope you will give them a proper welcome," Udonna said as she met Carvallain's eyes. Her words were stern, and he reluctantly removed his hand from his sword.

To say that the five were confused, was an understatement. After the earthquake, they had heard an old man in town begging for help to find his brother. Most had declined - wary of the mysterious woods - but they had agreed to help.

Now they found themselves lost, almost attacked by monsters before broomsticks had carried them for miles and dropped them at the base of the massive tree. Inside wasn't any better.

Udonna's attention returned to them as she finished warning the young man who was standing there with a guarded expression and a hand on the sword by his side. Both he and the young woman he seemed to be trying to protect were dressed like it was medieval times, and the two were staring at them like they were the weirdos.

Seeing their fear, Udonna gave a gentle smile. "I am the sorceress Udonna," she introduced herself, and wasn't surprised by the range of emotions she saw in response. Awe, disbelief and derision. "These are Titania," the young woman gave a wave that the red-head returned. "And Carvallain," Udonna introduced the two. Carvallain just regarded them silently. "Welcome to my home," she moved her hands in a careful gesture, and the lights flickered to life once more, revealing the entirety of the room.

The broomsticks that had carried them there were already returned to their storage, and they saw bookshelves all around the place, along with a large wooden table in the centre. Another table, close to the raised platform had a large crystal globe filled with swirling smoke. There was even a cauldron off to the side.

"This is awesome!" the red-head exclaimed, seeming to be taking everything oddly well. Titania watched him with fascination; he was the only one who was accepting everything he saw instantly.

"When the five of you entered the forest, you stepped into a Magical Dimension," Udonna explained as they all looked around. Most of them were still struggling to take it all in.

"A parallel dimension outside of Briarwood?" the red-head gasped, his eyes shining. "Do we live in a great city or what?" he laughed. Three of the four others gave him exasperated looks, clearly well used to his attitude.

"A few years ago, there was a great battle in our world," they whirled around as Udonna reappeared beside Carvallain and Titania. "Dark magic conquered our realm, and was about to enter your dimension when we finally defeated them and sent them back to the Underworld," Udonna explained, walking past. The way she told the story had them all enraptured, and they watched her as she walked by. "But at a great cost," she finished sadly. Titania's stomach churned, and Carvallain's fists were clenched at his sides.

Udonna continued as she turned back to her audience. "The Gate was sealed with a powerful spell. However, during the recent earthquake, a crack appeared in the gate. Evil has slipped through," she warned them gravely.

"Hey there," the tallest of the group spoke with an Australian accent. "Name's Xander -" he stopped as Carvallain closed his eyes, leaning his head back, and Titania couldn't stop the giggle from escaping. While he wondered what the strange reaction was, the young man cleared his throat, but turned back to Udonna. She had given Titania a tired look. "I'm just wondering…what does that have to do with us?" he addressed the sorceress.

"It could mean the end for both our worlds," she answered honestly, before turning and walking back up to the raised platform.

"Please! None of this are buying this fairy-tale!" the young man in the leather jacket spoke up. His derision had been obvious from the start.

"Oh, we have a non-believer. Wonderful," Carvallain rolled his eyes and turned to follow Udonna. Titania couldn't help but smile as she made her way up to the raised platform too.

"This is not a fairy-tale," Udonna said as she stood by the large book above. "What I tell you is what happened," despite her calm voice, the young man just scoffed.

"Guys-"

"Hey," the young woman with cropped hair and a streak of white through it turned to him quickly. "Let's hear what she has to say. We can always leave after that," she offered. He grimaced, not wanting to even do that much.

"The Xenotome," Udonna started to speak again before he could argue. "The Book of the Unknown," she said as they slowly made their way up as well, unable to deny their curiosity. Nick, who had wanted to leave, followed them reluctantly. "In it, is everything we do not know," she explained. They peered at the book curiously, but found strange runes staring back that they didn't recognise.

"What kind of language is that?" the quieter young woman with long black hair and a resemblance to the other young woman asked, fascinated. "I've never seen it before," she admitted as she got close to take a better look.

"It is the language of the Ancients," Udonna answered her, glad that she was taking an interest. "You will soon learn it," she promised. There was a flicker in Maddie's face that made her almost seem excited. "It says that when evil rises again, five mystical warriors from the human realm will step forward. You are those warriors," they stared as Udonna addressed them. "You are the Power Rangers," she announced.

"Nice!" Chip exclaimed, taking it well.

"Lady Udonna!" Carvallain couldn't hold back any longer. He stepped forwards, earning their attention, and they all took notice of his ears, which were shaped almost like a leaf, tapering into a gentle point. "They're human. How could they possibly-"

"It is what is in the Xenotome," Udonna cut him off before he could fight the decision. "This is not my decision," she reminded him patiently.

"It's the Xenotome," Titania said as she stood on Udonna's other side. Compared to both Carvallain and Udonna, she could almost be considered tiny. "It's not as if this was decided on a whim. If they're the ones…" she looked up and met Chip's eye. "Then they must have some incredible potential," Titania said with a shrug. Despite her words, Carvallain scoffed and turned away.

"I'll believe it when I see it," he muttered.

"We're standing right here," Vida hissed to her sister. Maddie just shrugged, at a loss for what to say as she tried to process what Udonna had said. Carvallain heard her, of course, but ignored her.

"Carvallain…" Udonna rested a hand on his arm, seeing how frustrated he was. "If they are truly the warriors we have been waiting on, then you must accept them. They are a part of your team now," this had an immediate effect on him.

"You mean…" he trailed off, looking hopeful. Udonna nodded, while Titania's own smile had faded.

"Um…excuse me?" Xander raised his hand as he earned their attention. "How are we supposed to defeat pure evil?" he asked, uncertain.

"Yeah, like snobby boy over there said, we're human," Vida said.

"Snobby boy?" Carvallain whirled around and glared at her, but she met it evenly.

"These are your magic wands," Udonna interrupted before Carvallain could muster up a reply. His attention was diverted as she pressed a wand into his hand, and his anger faded as he stared at the half Moon symbol at the top. As he gripped it, the symbol flashed Silver. "Never go anywhere without them," Udonna instructed as she gave Chip the Yellow wand, Maddie a Blue one, Vida the Pink wand, while Xander's was Green and Nick's was Red. "Titania, my dear," she looked up as Udonna addressed her, holding out the final wand.

"Take it," Carvallain encouraged her when Titania hesitated and looked at him with a worried expression. He then looked at the one in his own hand, focused on the half moon symbol. "I can't think of a better successor," he said. Titania's eyes widened, and her determination returned to her.

"Thank you," she said, taking the wand from Udonna. As soon as she held it properly, the hourglass at the top flashed Black. Titania smiled faintly at it, unable to believe that she was finally holding it.

"Udonna!" another voice called out, interrupting the moment. "Udonna!" a young blonde woman wearing a dress ran into view, almost tripping as she hurried up the steps. As she did, she stopped abruptly, realising they weren't alone. "Oh, hello!" she exclaimed with a flustered smile. "Nice to meet you," Titania giggled, fond of the apprentice. Carvallain just shook his head, but there was a faint smile on his own face. "Uh, excuse me. Udonna," she leaned in to whisper to the sorceress. Udonna's eyes widened.

"You must stay here until I return," she instructed. "Carvallain, Titania, come with me," she decided, and the two nodded. "The rest of you, do not go in the woods by yourselves," Udonna said as she backed up. Titania and Carvallain stood on either side of her, and the three vanished in a flash of white snowflakes.

The Woodland village was only about half a mile from Rootcore, and not only had it been affected by the earthquake that had taken place not long ago, but now monstrous creatures were swarming, attacking anything that moved.

"I don't know how you monsters have returned," a beautiful woman with hair as red as Udonna's spoke as she stood in a defensive stance in front of a group of terrified villagers. "But it will be your last mistake to attack our home! Galwit Aqua Amnis!" the blue light of her magic lit up her hands, and water formed in a ball in front of her. It exploded out, hitting the monsters and sending them flying.

As the water moved with her gestures, she took out as many of the monsters as she could. "Get to safety! Caspian is gathering everyone on the far side of town," she called.

"What about you?" a terrified half-elf asked. She smiled.

"I'm fine; nothing I'm not used to already. Go!" she urged. The group ran in the direction she had guided them in, and some of the monsters split away to try and go after them. "As foolish as you were 18 years ago," the woman murmured, and water exploded from the ground beneath their feet.

More of the monsters appeared, and she grimaced as she took a step back. She was growing tired, and her magic was less effective as a result. However, before they could get close to her, a chill carried through the air, and in a blink, the monsters were frozen. Darting in, Carvallain swung his sword, shattering them into pieces.

"Penny!" a familiar voice reached her ears, and she turned just in time for Titania to collide with her chest. Penelope smiled with relief. "Are you alright?" Titania asked, looking up at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Penelope saw the last of the monsters destroyed by the combined efforts of Udonna and Carvallain.

"I am now. Thank you for the help, I was worried my message wouldn't get to you in time," Penelope admitted as they walked over. "It seems my concerns were correct?" she asked, looking at Udonna. The Sorceress gave a grim smile.

"Indeed. That strange earthquake caused a crack in the Gate," she explained. They watched as the colour drained from Penelope's face.

"I see," she whispered, hugging Titania closer to her. "We ought to check on the rest of the village. I don't sense any more darkness, but people may need help," Penelope said, and they nodded.

"We're happy to help," Titania told her. Penelope studied her for a moment, sensing something different about her, but kept it to herself. She wasn't quite ready to ask the question yet.

When it became apparent that the Hidiacs were gone - for now - the village started to come back together. Everyone was hard at work figuring out what needed repairs and what was beyond repair, while Penelope took care of the injured.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," she soothed the crying child as she smeared a salve over the cut on his arm. "There, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Penelope smiled as his tears slowed.

"Thank you," the Elvish mother smiled, shaking her hand before carrying her son away. The break allowed the woman to take a deep breath as she tried not to think of how exhausted she was. She had been non-stop since the earthquake had hit and this was the first chance for quiet as things started to settle down.

"Are you okay?" Titania asked as she walked over, offering the bread and water she'd been passing out to people. Penelope took it gratefully.

"I'm fine, little one," she assured her, taking a drink. "It has been a long time since I was in combat, so I'm a little tired, but that's all. I just need a good night's sleep," Penelope told her. Titania nodded, but didn't lose the worried look on her face. Penelope watched her for a moment, before sighing. "If what Udonna said is correct and there's a crack in the Gate…is there something you need to tell me?" Penelope asked the question that she'd been dreading.

Titania was silent for a moment at the question, pulling back from Penelope. The taller woman didn't push her, but watched with her usual sharp gaze. Finally, Titania held out her hand, and the wand that Udonna had given her appeared. A weight seemed to form in Penelope's stomach as she looked at the black hourglass at the top. "I see," she murmured.

"I'm glad to take it on, but I don't want to worry everyone," Titania admitted. Penelope patted her head.

"We were always going to worry about you, little one. That's just how it works," she said, and Titania smiled a little at her words. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would have wondered just how dire things are if Udonna has finally passed on the Mystic Wands," Penelope admitted.

"Unfortunately, you have seen firsthand why I had to," they looked around as Udonna spoke. She approached with a man who she had been speaking to, whose dark hair was streaked with grey. He looked tired, but had a smile on his face as he saw the two. It faded a little at the sight of the wand, but he quickly pushed aside the fear and gave Titania a reassuring nod.

"If you've given Titania a wand, then…" Penelope looked over at where Carvallain was helping to repair one of the damaged homes. She could sense the same change in him as she did with Titania, and it reminded her of a time almost twenty years ago.

"The new Mystic Force were chosen," Udonna confirmed. Her words were caught by others who were working to repair their village, and the whispers started to carry. The man standing with her couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, I hope you were okay with everyone knowing. By sundown I believe half of the Magical Realm will know," Caspian said, and Udonna shot him a stern look, but it was marred by the corners of her mouth tilting up. "Come, little one. You can help me check the damages on the farther edges of the village," he said, and Titania nodded.

"Zeph and Cyrus are alright, aren't they?" she asked as she followed the man.

"Half the time it feels those two are indestructible," Caspian smiled fondly about his sons. "They're fine. Mercifully the injuries throughout the village were minor," he said, and saw Titania relax a little.

They walked around, checking for damages and repairing anything minor they could, while noting the worst of it so that it could be taken into account. "Anyone with injuries, please check with Penelope," Caspian called as he walked by the cluster of Gnomes who were cleaning up the wreckage of the small farm.

"Think we're going to need Fafnír in here to help!" one of them called out.

"He's on his way back. Shouldn't be more than two days ride from here," Caspian's answer seemed to appease the group. "And how are you feeling, little one? I know that you've always harboured mixed feelings about taking on that mantel," he said as he watched Titania from the corner of his eye.

"I'm…glad," Titania admitted. Caspian's eyebrows rose. "I never wanted the darkness to return, obviously. But now that it has, I want to help. I don't want to fight if it can be avoided, but seeing these monsters today…I know that it can't be avoided," she told him. Caspian patted her head, smiling at her words.

"Spoken like the former Mystics themselves," he chuckled. Titania didn't reply to his comment. "You'll do great, I know it," Caspian told her as they rounded back and met back up with Penelope and Udonna.

"You really don't need to do all this for us," one woman fretted as Carvallain repaired the wall of their home that had been destroyed. Thankfully they had enough supplies to replace it, and Carvallain was hard at work.

"It's quite alright," he smiled at her soothingly. "Everyone needs to help where they can. I won't sit back simply because I-" he stopped, his smile fading as he heard quiet voices approaching the village. Carvallain shook his head, and smiled as he turned to the woman again. "I'm almost finished," he told her.

"Oh?" Penelope noticed the arrival of the five teenagers as they wandered closer. Their eyes were wide as they took in not only the destruction, but the different magical creatures that were trying to work together to get some semblance of order back.

"I should have known you wouldn't stay at Rootcore," Udonna smiled as she approached them. Titania and Penelope followed, with the older woman studying them curiously.

"What happened here?" Maddie asked as she pushed past the others.

"The Woodland Village was almost destroyed," Udonna explained sadly, turning her head to look at the damage done. "Tomorrow it will be another village. The darkness destroys everything within their path until they find what they want," she warned as they stepped closer.

"What are they looking for?" Chip asked. His previous excitement was gone as the severity of the destruction dawned on him too. Titania and Penelope both looked at Udonna, knowing the answer to that question.

"Me," Udonna answered honestly. The five stared at her, not expecting that answer. "And then they will go after you," her warning had a clear effect on all of them. Not one was able to hide their fear at the idea of the darkness coming after them, and Titania didn't blame them. She'd had plenty of time to prepare herself, but even now the idea still scared her - she'd be a fool not to be afraid.

"So these are the ones you've chosen?" Penelope whispered to Udonna, looking at the Sorceress beside her. "Human Mystics?" she couldn't help how it sounded.

"The Xenotome said that five would come from the Human Realm. I did not choose them," Udonna explained quietly as the five tried to process the threat that was now over their heads.

"Hold on just a sec," Nick spoke up. His frustration was obvious - everything was being shoved on them without a moment's break, and he didn't even believe in any of it. "I never agreed to be part of this," he pointed out.

"Well, well," before Udonna could address Nick's comment, Caspian walked over and folded his arms. "I take it these are the new protectors of the realm?" he asked. His gaze was scrutinising, and Nick bristled visibly when his gaze went to him. A whisper had gone round those who were also watching curiously.

"Hail, the new Mystic Force!" one shouted, and the crowd gathering knelt before them.

"You just had to set them off, didn't you?" Penelope shot Caspian a droll stare. He smiled back innocently.

"I always wondered what it would be like to be worshipped," Xander grinned as he looked at the various creatures kneeling before them. "It's not so bad," he admitted. The other three standing with him rolled their eyes, used to his attitude.

"Don't get used to it," Penelope warned, amused by his comment. "The novelty wears off rather fast," she told him.

A loud roar then echoed through the village, and people began to scream in fear at the massive golem that was ambling towards them. Seeming ten feet tall, it towered over all of them.

"Okay, that's bad," Xander gulped as they backed away from it. Carvallain ran over, done ignoring them as he saw the threat now there.

"Everyone, get to safety!" Caspian shouted to the terrified villagers, leading them away from the monster.

"I'll go with them and make sure nothing else is coming," Penelope told Udonna, who nodded. She couldn't help but smile.

"It seems that after 18 years, you still hold onto those habits," she said. Penelope shook her head, and chose not to reply. Instead, she turned and followed the villagers, making sure nothing crept up behind them as they fled. "Take out your wands," Udonna instructed.

"Uh…we kinda left them back at the tree," Chip admitted.

"What part of 'never go anywhere without them' did you not understand?" Carvallain groaned.

"It's alright," Udonna soothed. "You two, stay with them. These foul creatures rarely travel alone," she warned. Titania and Carvallain nodded. "Stand back," Udonna instructed, and they all did as she said as she approached the massive monster. "You leave me no choice…" she held out her hand, calling on her own wand. It appeared in a flash of white, with a snowflake on the top. "MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" there was a flash of white light, accompanied by a cold wind, and Udonna had Morphed into her White suit. "Flurry of Snow, White Mystic Ranger!" she chanted.

"Now that's cool," Vida laughed breathlessly.

"Udonna is a powerful Snow Sorceress," Titania smiled. They watched as Udonna leapt into the air, battling the golem with strength and speed.

"No kidding," Chip had to agree as they watched Udonna flip through the air to dodge the golem's strike. Even brand new to it all, they could see just how incredible she was.

Carvallain's sharp ears twitched, and he looked around quickly before cursing. Emerging from the other side of the village, more of the monsters from before scurried towards them. Grotesque in appearance, they all looked similar to one another, and made strange shrieking sounds.

"Udonna was right - it didn't travel alone," he warned, and they all turned quickly to see the Hidiacs.

"Well, as I see it, we have two choices," Chip gulped as they backed away from the Hidiacs. There were a huge amount of them, and Udonna was busy with the golem. "We can surrender and be destroyed…"

"Or fight?" Maddie finished Chip's trail of thought, sounding baffled by the very notion. The sound of ringing steel echoed through the air as Carvallain drew his sword.

"We fight," he answered for them.

"Wait!" Xander pushed forwards, standing between them and the monsters. Carvallain lowered his blade, staring at him. "There's a third option. Plan Xander," he grinned. Behind them, Maddie, Chip and Vida groaned. "I'll just reason with them," he said. Carvallain spluttered, unable to comprehend what Xander had just said.

"You want to reason with the monsters from the Underworld?" Titania demanded. Xander nodded. "Humans have the weirdest notions," she declared.

"Trust me, it's not all of us," Vida told her. They were all tense, ready to fight if they had to. Xander, on the other hand, turned to the Hidiacs and flashed a smile.

"Hi, I'm Xander. We're not really from these parts," he started, and for a moment, the Hidiacs stared at him as if they hadn't expected him to start conversing with them. "So if it's okay with you, we'll just be heading off-" Xander was cut off when one of the Hidiacs launched at him and kicked him hard. Winded, he fell back, and Carvallain just about caught him.

"If that was your best attempt at persuasion, I recommend we go with my previous suggestion," he rolled his eyes and pushed Xander away. Righting himself and fixing his shirt, Xander coughed awkwardly.

"Guess we fight," he sighed, and all hell seemed to break loose.

Responding to the words, the Hidiacs went on the offensive once more, and channelled their dark magic into an explosive burst that lifted all seven off their feet.

"No!" Carvallain yelled as he realised he'd dropped his sword. Before he could grab it, the Hidiacs swarmed.

Everyone was separated in the chaos, and while the five humans struggled, both Carvallain and Titania fought back. Pushing thoughts of his weapon from his head, Carvallain fought with swift, precise strikes that got past their defences. Leaping from a fence that he'd only just repaired, he kicked out and sent several Hidiacs tumbling to the ground.

They kept coming, undeterred by his attacks, and he scowled. "If you're truly so desperate to perish, I'm more than happy to help with that!" Carvallain raised his hands to the sky, and his eyes started to glow with bright silver light. An image of the moon materialised behind him, and smaller silver lights shot like little missiles with deadly accuracy. The Hidiacs squealed, and turned to dust, and Carvallain's eyes returned to normal.

Titania's fighting style was very different. Using the trees to her advantage, she weaved around them so quickly that the Hidiacs chasing her crashed into them. She grinned as she suddenly whirled around, jumping up and using one of the thick trees as a spring board to launch at the Hidiacs, who couldn't even start to defend themselves with just how quick she was.

With her attacks nowhere near as strong as Carvallain's, Titania used her size to her advantage, tripping more up and dancing around them so they collided with one another. She then giggled, and all of a sudden she was several feet behind the Hidiacs, who all collapsed and vanished.

"How did you do that?" she heard Chip gasp, and glanced over to where he was struggling with the Hidiacs going after him. She smiled at him.

"It's easy to use magic, if you believe in it," she said simply. Chip's eyes widened, but before he could question it, more Hidiacs swarmed them both, and Titania darted away to lead them off.

"To use magic, you just have to believe in it?" Chip repeated, backing up against a tree as the Hidiacs closed in on him. "Well I do! I believe in magic!" he shouted, before crying out as the monsters lunged forward with their weapons raised.

A strange feeling, almost like static electricity, rose inside the red-head, who threw up his hands in a desperate attempt to protect himself against the monsters. That feeling then burst out in the form of lightning that struck each of the monsters. They roared in pain, and he stared as they collapsed, twitching, before turning to dust. "It works…" he breathed in awe, barely able to believe what he'd just done.

"Told ya," Titania called out as she darted past. Chip laughed, his smile wide.

"Guys, the magic really works!" he shouted, seeing Xander slam his back against a tree and sink down, winded once more. "Just believe!" Chip yelled, encouraging his friends.

"I believe…I believe in magic," Xander called out - how could he not believe, after everything they had seen? A warm feeling stirred in his chest, and he jumped as the branches of the tree he was leaning against came to life and rammed the Hidiacs to throw them aside.

Seeing this happen, Maddie squeezed her eyes closed and kept low to the ground where she had been tossed.

"I believe in magic," she whispered. A cold sensation rose up almost like a wave inside her, and Maddie's shot open as she felt the ground rumble. Water exploded up from underneath the Hidiacs, launching them high into the sky. She stared, mouth open at the power she'd been able to use.

"I believe…I believe!" Vida grinned as she saw the magic her friends were unlocking. A weightless feeling took hold, and she gasped as her entire body transformed. "I'm a tornado! And I'm pink?!" she realised. The winds were powerful enough to lift her enemies off their feet, tumbling as they were swung around and tossed away like ragdolls. Vida then returned to normal, stumbling a little as she landed on her feet. "I like! Well…all except the colour," she complained.

Carvallain couldn't help but find himself impressed by not only how quickly they had been able to call on their magic, but their raw power as well. Titania was right, they had some serious potential.

He would never tell Titania that he agreed with her, of course.

"I guess I believe too," Nick's reluctant words caught his attention, and he turned to where the young man was on the ground. The last of the Hidiacs were advancing on him, ready to finish him off, and Nick didn't look remotely surprised when nothing happened. Seeing that he wasn't about to demonstrate the same power as the others, the Hidiacs shrieked and raised their weapons. Before Carvallain could intervene, the monsters were hit by a cloud of snow magic, and shattered.

Unsure of what had just happened, Nick lowered his arms and peered up, just in time to see Udonna walk over and lower her Snow Staff.

"Power down," at her command, her White Ranger suit turned to snowflakes and vanished. She looked at Nick with raised eyebrows, not speaking as he got to his feet. Carvallain's eyes widened as he saw the sword in Nick's hand.

"Hey!" anger overtook him, and he stormed over to snatch it from Nick's hand. "What gives you the right to-

"Carvallain!" Udonna's voice was loud and uncharacteristically angry. Nick, who had been ready to fight back, turned to Udonna as Carvallain did too. For a moment, there was tense silence that had everyone concerned that another fight was going to break out. Then Carvallain let out a long, weary sigh.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, barely glancing at Nick. Udonna shook her head, and she dropped it. Turning instead to the others, she smiled, and they took it as a sign that it was okay to approach.

"Very nice. You truly are the ones," Udonna praised as they walked over to her. "Are you up to the task?" she asked, resting her hands on her hips as she almost looked expectant. "Are you now ready to accept your legacy?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, bring it on!" to nobody's surprise, Chip was the first to agree. Adrenaline was still pumping, and he was practically bouncing on the spot.

"I'm in," Vida answered next, just as excited as he was. "I kicked some serious evil back there," she said, a little giddy.

"This is so unlike me, but I'm sticking with my sister," Maddie moved to stand with the two.

"Someone's got to look after these guys, right?" Xander grinned as he stood with them, on board too. Udonna smiled, glad that they had come around to it. Carvallain gave a nod, seeming happy with their answers, and Titania grinned.

Nick had been silent since Carvallain had snatched his sword back, and was rubbing the back of his neck where it hurt from one of the many times he'd fallen. It was only when he realised they had fallen quiet, that he looked up and saw them all looking at him.

"Me? No way," he scoffed, brushing dirt off his leather jacket. Their excitement vanished at his flat denial. "I'm out of here," Nick declared.

"Are you sure this is what you choose?" Udonna asked as she walked over to him. Nick gave a frustrated sigh.

"Look, the "I believe in magic" thing, it didn't work for me," he pointed out. Of course, he hadn't been surprised in the slightest.

"That's because you have to believe for it to work," Titania pointed out, and he met her gaze. There was something eerie about it, and he quickly looked away.

"Try believing again. Maybe it didn't catch on the first time," Maddie suggested, trying to be positive against his gruff behaviour.

"He is a non-believer," Udonna said sadly. "I can do nothing for him," she admitted. Carvallain's faint smile had vanished and he looked bored again, while Titania looked disappointed. "Claire will see you out of the woods safely," Udonna decided. "Claire?" she called out, knowing her apprentice was nearby.

"Here I am!" Claire's response was bleated, and Udonna couldn't stop her laugh as Claire scampered into view. Titania put her hands to her mouth, and even Carvallain couldn't stop his snort as Claire, transformed into a sheep approached them.

"Oh, my dear child," Udonna laughed gently. "When will you get your spells right?" she couldn't help but wonder. Claire lowered her head, embarrassed as all but Nick tried to hide their laughter. "See him safe passage out of the woods," she instructed.

"Yes, Udonna," Claire bleated again. Nick shook his head but held his tongue as he reluctantly walked over to the sheep. "Follow me," she called, already walking away. Nick followed silently, wanting nothing more than to be out of the forest.

"What happened?" Titania asked as the two walked away, disappearing into the thick of the trees.

"It was awesome!" Chip exclaimed.

"She was trying to get us to stay back there," Xander answered, still not quite sure what had happened. "Something about freezing us where we stood," he remembered.

"Ambitious spell," Titania hummed thoughtfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. Not for the first time, his gaze was drawn to her strange ears, which were long and pointed downwards. This time, however, Titania noticed, and a grin flickered across her face. "I'll tell you what you want to know, if you'll exchange something with me," she offered, and he couldn't help but find it oddly devious.

"One word of advice, if we're going to be a team," Carvallain spoke as his fist landed on Titania's head. She yelped, and darted away to hide behind Maddie, who jumped but didn't pull away. "Don't take Titania's deals," he warned.

"Why?" Vida asked, suddenly suspicious of the young woman hiding behind her sister.

Before Carvallain could answer, a cold and heavy feeling filled the air, seeming to come from behind them. Spinning around, they stared at the figure who had appeared from a purple spell seal on the ground. Wearing purple armour, the man carried a sword and shield and seemed to radiate dark power.

"You may have defeated my Hidiacs…" the stranger started, his voice deep and lacking emotion. "But you will not defeat me," he warned as he drew his sword to point it at them. Not giving them any time to prepare, a haze of dark magic formed around him. "Wolf Attack!" his power was impressive, and not even Udonna could protect them from the blast of magic that hit the ground at their feet and exploded up, launching everyone.

Everyone cried out as they landed, all in pain as they tried to process everything that had happened within a matter of moments. "It is the end for you," the stranger warned, and for just a moment, they believed that he might be right.

Chapter 2: Broken Spell: Part 2

Chapter Text

A lot had happened within only a handful of moments. A stranger, clad in purple and black armour had appeared from nowhere and used his dark magic to knock the group to the ground. Now he stood over them, imposing and terrifying.

"On your feet," he ordered when they all tried to catch their breath. For the four humans, they'd never been hurt so badly, and the pain winded them. They were slow to get to their feet, but after a moment they stood once more with Udonna, Carvallain and Titania. "Darkness has come," the stranger said coldly.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Maddie gulped, unable to deny that she was intimidated by the stranger.

"I do not know you, warrior," Udonna admitted as she watched him carefully. "But if it's a battle you want, I am ready to fight," she declared, stepping away from the six.

"Hold on," Xander spoke up, still trying to catch his breath. "Let me try and reason with him," he tried, reluctant to fight someone so strong. However, as he tried to step forwards, a hand caught him by the back of the shirt and pulled him back.

"Not this time," Titania warned with a shake of her head. "Those creatures were one thing, but this warrior…" she trailed off as she looked over at the man. The darkness came off him in waves, and it had her fight or flight response in overdrive.

"Who are you, warrior?" instead, Carvallain called out to him. The man returned his sword to the centre of his shield.

"I am Koragg. The Knight Wolf," he answered, before throwing out a hand. When he spoke again, he instead uttered words that not even Titania and Carvallain understood, but they knew what the language had to be. The language of the Underworld. Another purple spell seal appeared under his feet, growing larger and larger. "Rise up from the depths!" Koragg commanded, his voice carrying. There was a loud whinny, and a massive horse taller than the trees emerged from the seal.

"Is that…" Carvallain stared at the black horse. Koragg then chanted another dark spell, and leap into the air. He passed through a spell seal that appeared, growing large enough to match the horse.

"Power of the Centaur!" Koragg combined with the horse to become a Centaur.

"A Centaur…a real Centaur!" Chip exclaimed as he stared at the towering foe. "I want one!" he then whined. Carvallain tore his eyes off Koragg to give him an incredulous look.

"You are now just pebbles under my hooves," Koragg declared as he now held a lance in his hand and his shield in the other.

"Get back!" Udonna warned. "You are not ready to fight his kind. None of you are," she added as she saw Carvallain prepare to argue back. She then took a breath. "I am," Udonna stepped away from the team, not taking her eyes off Koragg.

"No problem here. He's all yours!" Xander gulped.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" Udonna morphed once more, and with another spell, she grew to much greater heights until she matched Koragg.

"I'm ready," Koragg growled as he turned to her. Those on the ground watched as Udonna attacked, charging forwards. Koragg reared up to kick her backwards, and Udonna groaned as she managed to stop herself from falling. Titania's stomach churned as she watched, praying that Udonna would be okay.

"Have I seen you before, Wizard?" Udonna asked as their weapons clashed and they both pushed against one another for a moment. "You are too familiar," she confessed as she watched him, trying to understand what it was about Koragg that bothered her so much.

"You too, witch," Koragg admitted, finding Udonna just as familiar. "But that will not stop me from destroying you. Behold, the Eye of the Master!" Udonna looked at his shield as it opened, revealing an eerie red light. It burst out, too fast for her to defend herself against, and Udonna screamed as it exploded against her body. The force behind it threw her, and she landed on her back.

"Udonna!" those on the ground could only watch as Koragg charged, delivering a blow as he passed Udonna. Her suit rained sparks as it struggled to absorb the powerful slash, and she staggered.

"You are defeated," Koragg announced as Udonna screamed and collapsed. Her Snow Staff embedded in the ground with enough force to send a tremor through the ground, before shrinking back down to its normal size.

"Udonna!" Titania spotted the Sorceress as she staggered into view, and raced over to her as Udonna collapsed in the dirt. Exhausted and badly hurt, Udonna's Ranger suit shattered, and snow started to fall from the sky.

"He's so powerful," Carvallain breathed as they all helped Udonna back to her feet.

"Are you okay?" they asked, but she didn't answer. Instead, her eyes were on her Snow Staff as Koragg pulled it from the ground.

"My Snow Staff…" she breathed, horror filling her as she saw it in the hands of the dark wizard. He turned to them, and Carvallain quickly moved in front of them as he drew his sword. However, before he could speak, two figures stepped between him and Koragg.

"I'm going to request that you drop the Staff," Penelope requested as she raised her hands in a fighting stance.

"I would listen to her," an unfamiliar man warned. He was much taller than the woman, and despite his slight frame, there was something about him that told everyone else that he wasn't to be underestimated.

"I think not," Koragg said, still without any emotion in his voice. "I will spare all of you so that you will witness first-hand the terror and destruction that unfolds on your land," he said as dark magic started to fill the air once more. "Remember this day. You will wish it was your last," with that, he conjured another spell seal, and vanished.

"What a cheery fellow," the man commented, but Penelope didn't reply. Instead, she whirled around and rushed over to Udonna.

"How bad is it?" she asked, fussing over her. Udonna sighed, her head lowered.

"The pain will fade, but I fear the threat is much greater than my injuries," she admitted. Penelope didn't reply, and instead looked at the man who accompanied her.

"Let's get back to Rootcore, shall we?" he suggested, and Udonna nodded.

Udonna was trying to keep a brave face as Penelope tended to her injuries, which were mercifully minor. Penelope was tempted to scold her for being so reckless, but instead chose to focus on the problem at hand.

"I've never seen that warrior before," Penelope said as she dabbed a green coloured salve over the small cuts that covered Udonna's hands.

"Nor I. His power was fearsome indeed," she said. Koragg was far stronger than she was. Whoever he was, he was a true threat. She had to find the final Mystic to help the others.

"I'm surprised he left without killing us," the man standing with them admitted. Penelope shot him a droll look. "What? It's true!" he exclaimed.

"Hermes, you're just going to scare them. They only just found out about magic today," she told him. He glanced over his shoulder at the group, and flashed an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," he apologised, and folded his arms. "But taking your Snow Staff…he knew the implications of that," Hermes thought about the stranger. He wanted to think that it was the arrival of himself and Penelope that chased off Koragg, but he knew it wasn't that simple.

"Implications?" Vida was the one to ask. It was obvious they were listening in the entire time, all with their own questions about what had happened. Udonna stood, and returned a smile to her face as she thanked Penelope for her help.

"Without my snow staff, I cannot fight anymore," she admitted to them. The four humans stared. They hadn't expected this - after seeing Udonna in action, they'd felt safe to fight too. "But I can still train you. I can teach you the ways of magic," she told them. Reassured by that, they relaxed a little.

"Thanks for stepping in," Carvallain told the two who stood with Udonna.

"Eh, old habits," Penelope waved it off. She then turned her attention to the others. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Penelope," she told the group.

"Hermes," the man with her gave a friendly smile. Their attention lingered on him, and he couldn't blame them. He had a mop of mousy brown hair, and his eyes were a startling shade of green, while his ears were pointed just like Carvallain's. He chuckled. "I'm an Eladrin," he explained, and saw Chip's expression light up while the others looked confused.

"Wow, really? That's so cool!" he exclaimed.

"You're the one who summoned lightning, aren't you?" Hermes asked. Chip nodded eagerly, and Hermes grinned. "Of course you are," he chuckled.

"Perhaps you should elaborate for those who aren't so well-versed in your kind," Penelope suggested as she saw the three confused looks.

"Oh, right, yes. Humans," Hermes nodded in understanding. "I'm an Elf. A Seasonal, if you will," he said brightly.

"Basically there are different types of Elves," they looked at Carvallain as he spoke. He was cleaning his sword nearby. "Eladrin resonate with the Seasons, and can utilise that in their magic. Hermes commands Spring magic," he explained without looking up.

"Right…" Maddie nodded as she tried to understand what he had said. It made sense, but it was still hard to process. Their attention lingered on Carvallain even after that, the question hanging in the air, and after a moment he sighed and looked up.

"I'm a High Elf," he answered the question they had wanted to ask from the moment they met him.

"And you?" Chip asked Titania, who was watching them all carefully. The moment he asked, she grinned.

"I'm no Elf," she said simply. Chip wanted to ask more, but he heard Carvallain clear his throat in warning. Titania's smile didn't fade, but she jumped off the table and walked over to Hermes and Penelope. Hermes grinned and patted her head.

"I guess Carvallain already warned them not to make deals with you, huh?" he said, and she nodded.

"Probably for the best," she allowed. "I know Fáfnir is on his way back, but where's Taliesin?" she asked curiously.

"He was checking the outskirts of the village. After the Hidiacs attacked, he wanted to make sure none of the wildlife were hurt," Penelope explained, and Titania nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, he'll be here soon to help out with some training too," she said, her attention mainly on Carvallain when she spoke.

"You're going to help train us too?" Chip's excitement seemed never ending, and it made Penelope smile.

"Of course. We have to help train our successors after all," their eyes went wide at her words. Hermes winked.

"Successors?" Xander repeated.

"The previous Mystics who once guarded our lands against evil, preventing it from spreading to your world in the great Magical War," Udonna gestured to the two, who bowed to them.

"After the Gate to the Underworld was sealed, we retired. The war took its toll, and after all these years, it's up to a new generation," Penelope said, her gaze saddening. Even Hermes' cheerful disposition seemed to fade just a little. "Though…you do seem to be one Mystic short," she glanced at Udonna, who sighed.

"Regrettably the young man I believed would suit Fire could not get past his barriers of denial," she said, and both winced. "Which reminds me…Claire?" Udonna called out, wondering if her apprentice had returned.

"Coming!" the bleat echoed down the hall, and Claire, still a sheep, came into view. Hermes couldn't stop the undignified snort, clapping a hand to his mouth, and Penelope closed her eyes as she fought to keep her face straight.

"Oh child," Udonna smiled fondly, waving her hand and chanting in the language of the Ancients. There was a flash of white magic, and Claire returned to normal.

"Why didn't you do that before?" she complained, still on her hands and knees. "Do you know how warm it was in all that wool?" Claire grumbled as the others behind Udonna started to giggle.

"If I do everything for you, then how will you ever learn?" Udonna asked her. Claire got to her feet, dusting herself off as she looked embarrassed. "Titania, if you would fetch the wands for me dear," she requested, and Titania crossed the room with light steps to lift the wands from where they had been abandoned on the Xenotome. "This time, go nowhere without them," she repeated her earlier lesson as Titania passed them out again. She looked at the one with a red top, and her eyebrows furrowed before she passed it to Udonna.

"We already learned our lesson," Xander chuckled as he looked at the wand in his hand. "But to tell you the truth…walking around town carrying a wand-" he stopped as Chip started to swing the wand more like a sword. "It may be good for Chip, but…" he trailed off as Vida laughed.

"What's wrong with wands?" Hermes wondered, and Penelope shook her head with an exasperated smile at his confusion.

"It won't help them blend in much in their world," Titania pointed out as Udonna looked thoughtful. She glanced at Claire, who nodded in encouragement.

"Very well," Udonna agreed, casting another spell as she waved her hand. The wands, including the ones that Carvallain and Titania had, changed to smaller devices that flipped open. "I hope you find these more to your generation's liking," she said, almost teasing as they admired them.

"Mine was perfectly fine," Carvallain huffed as he set his sword down at last and studied his own. Titania didn't complain, instead she looked as fascinated as the other four.

"Cellphones…very cool," Vida grinned.

"They are your Mystic Morphers," Udonna explained. "They are activated by spell codes that you will come to learn along the journey," she told them as Titania saw the keys waiting to be pressed. "Now, go back to the city. Live your normal lives and wait until you're needed," she instructed, and they glanced up as if they had forgotten that they had normal lives. "Remember, there is evil everywhere, and you would be best served speaking to no-one of what has happened," Udonna warned.

"I can show them the way out of the woods," Claire offered, eager to be of some help.

"No," Udonna denied this time with a shake of her head. "They must find their own way. Just remember, the trees are your passage," she advised mysteriously.

"I think you only confused them more, by saying that," Hermes considered as the four new Mystics left Rootcore to return home.

"They will understand soon enough," Udonna said, confident in the four. "For now, I must find out about the fifth. The Xenotome said five would come from the human realm. Yet the fifth, the first to volunteer, could not believe," she shook her head and turned to walk over to the book.

"It's been a while since we've seen Udonna like this," Penelope said to Hermes, who smiled a little.

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this again," he admitted, and Penelope's own smile faded.

"Me too. Especially for-" she stopped. Carvallain was still at the table, but was deep in thought, and Claire was following Udonna up to the Xenotome. "Oh…Titania," Penelope gave a weary sigh as Hermes grinned.

"Well, they are her team now. Best she starts making friends her own age, eh?" Hermes nudged Penelope. "Can't mother-hen her forever," he said, and she huffed.

"I hoped I could for a little while longer," she admitted.

Once they left Rootcore, Chip bounded ahead while Vida, Xander and Maddie followed at a slower pace and looked around. They had no idea where to even begin to leave. After all, they had been carried a good distance from where they had entered the Magical Realm by the broomsticks that had saved them from the Hidiacs, and none of them wanted to spend all day walking when they weren't even sure what direction to go in.

"She couldn't have given us a map or something?" Vida complained as she looked around.

"That would defeat the purpose of finding your own way," they jumped and looked around quickly at Titania, who was following with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.

"Why are you following us?" Vida asked, still suspicious of Titania after Carvallain's warning. She seemed harmless, but something seemed devious about the short stranger.

"Curiosity. We're teammates now, remember? I haven't been back to the Human Realm for a few months, so I wanted to come too," Titania shrugged as she caught up to them with fast strides of her short legs.

"Can you tell us how to get there?" Maddie asked hopefully, and Titania looked at her. Instantly that devious smile returned.

"Even after Car's warning? Brave," she teased, and Maddie faltered.

"Hey…" Vida warned.

"I'm kidding," Titania giggled, raising her hands quickly. "Udonna said you have to figure it out yourselves. I'm not going to give you an easy out," she told them.

"Not even a hint?" Xander asked hopefully. Titania shook her head.

"Nope!" she smiled up at him. "You'll figure it out," she said, oddly confident in them. "Just remember what Udonna said, and you'll be fine," Titania encouraged as she kept walking with them.

"'Trees are your passage'," Maddie repeated what Udonna had told them.

"How could a tree be our passage?" Chip wondered, reaching out to touch one of the trees. The others gasped, and Titania grinned as part of the tree split, and Chip was sucked through with a cry. In a flash, the portal opened again and Chip reappeared, stumbling backwards. "Whoa, guys! It's so cool! Just touch the tree and bam! You're flying through roots, branches, stems, leaves and bark!" he rambled as he bounced back over. Xander walked over to the tree, wary. "Just think of the tree outside the record shop - really! It works!" he exclaimed.

"Nah, there's no way that this tree-" as soon as Xander slapped a hand to the tree, he was yanked through the portal with a yell.

"Whoa," Vida and Maddie stared as Titania giggled.

"Trees are your passage," she repeated, and watched as the other three ran over to the tree. One by one they vanished, and she hummed as she bounced over to it. I hope they thought to move," Titania hummed as she pressed her hand to the tree.

Her body was yanked forwards by an unseen force, and she was pulled through until she landed feet first by another tree. At her feet, the four lay groaning after colliding with each other. "You okay?" Titania asked, helping Maddie to her feet.

"Someone didn't move out of the way," Vida said, glaring at Xander as they all got up.

"How was I to know that you'd all come crashing out behind me?" he fired back at her. "Does that work with all trees?" Xander asked Titania, turning to her. As he did, he noticed that her attire had changed, and a rainbow shimmer was fading from around her. Instead of the strange tunic and slacks she wore, now she was dressed in a pair of black high-waist jeans and a pale orange cropped top under a black denim jacket that was large on her baggy frame. A grey beanie covered her head, obscuring her ears from view as her hair was now loose, curly from being in a plait. "When did you change?" he asked, baffled. Titania co*cked her head.

"What, you expect me to wander around your world like that? I'd be asking for trouble," she scoffed.

"She's got a point," Maddie nodded, and Xander huffed.

"Yeah, but I asked when?" he stressed.

"Just now," Titania smiled as she answered simply. He groaned, giving up.

"Hey!" they glanced across the road at the shout, and saw a man with wild curly hair staring at them. "Did you guys just…" he trailed off as the five crossed the road to walk towards the shop he was standing in front of. Titania looked up at it, fascination in her gaze.

The entrance was small, almost hidden, if not for the large sign over the door that stood out against everything else around. The words 'Rock Porium' were on the sign overhead, with 'Rock' designed to look like rocks, and 'Porium' was spelt in different musical symbols. "…from the tree?" the man asked, looking baffled.

Xander glanced at the tree, and back at their boss with a confused look, putting a hand on Titania's back to guide her past the man. "Never mind," the man frowned as he looked at the young woman he didn't recognise.

"You feeling okay?" Vida asked with concern, distracting him from Titania.

"What is this place?" Titania asked as they walked inside. Instantly the four grimaced as they saw how messy it was.

"It's supposed to be where we work," Maddie said as Titania lifted one of the fallen records.

"You work here? But it's so…" Titania trailed off as she looked at it. Records and CDs had fallen from their racks, and magazines were scattered all along the floors. "Chaotic," she decided.

"It's not normally this bad," Vida grumbled as she made her way across the shop. Amongst the chaos, there was a small, raised platform where a DJ table was set up, and across from it the building seemed to extend, allowing for some seats. "That earthquake messed everything up," she complained. Titania turned to her.

"You felt the earthquake here too?" she asked, surprised.

"Wait, it happened in the Magical Realm too?" Xander asked, and she frowned.

"Of course it did, that's how the Gate was cracked. I didn't realise it was here too," Titania said quietly as she set the record on the rack beside her.

"Is that weird? I mean, the gateway is here," Chip pointed out, and Titania shook her head.

"The gateway, yes, but that's it. They're separate dimensions," she said. Titania moved around the chaos with ease, and hopped up onto the counter. "I have to ask Fáfnir about it," she decided, and shook her head. Instantly the worry left her gaze, and she looked around the shop again. "For now, I think you need to worry about this place," she giggled, and all of them groaned.

Reluctantly, they got to work, slowly making their way around the shop as they debated where to even start. The place had been a mess before the earthquake had hit, and now it was just ridiculous. It didn't help that they were all distracted by the events of the late morning and early afternoon.

"You want to help out?" Vida asked as they slowly started. Titania looked up from the magazine she was reading.

"Uh, V," Chip grinned as he set down the pile of records that he'd gathered. "No deals, remember?" he pointed out, and Titania pointed at Chip as if to say that he was right.

"Okay, that's it," Vida set down the records heavily on her DJ table. "What's this whole 'no deals' thing about?" she demanded, frustrated by the lack of answers.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" before Titania could answer, Chip spoke up. She instead kept quiet, watching him with a curious look. Something uncomfortable stirred in her as she wondered if he really did know the answer.

"To you maybe. Not all of us are fantasy buffs mate," Xander reminded from behind the counter, leaning on it beside Titania. "Uh…though I guess you can't really be considered fantasy, can you?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Fantasy does imply that you're imagining me, so no," Titania answered, and looked back up at Chip.

"So, tell us Chip. What's the big secret?" Maddie asked him.

"There's one group of magical creatures that are big on making deals. Fae," Chip answered, his eyes gleaming as he turned to Titania. "I'm right, aren't I? You're a Faerie" he accused as the other three looked at Titania curiously.

"Pixie, to be precise," she answered with a nod. Chip cheered, bouncing on the spot.

"I knew it!" he cheered. "Fae Folk are all about making deals with people. You ask for something, they'll deliver, but you have to give them something in return. Like your first born or something," Chip explained. Titania's nose scrunched up.

"No thank you. I'd rather not have a human child to look after," she refused so seriously that they couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't Faeries have wings and stuff?" Xander asked, and Titania looked around as he straightened up and seemed to study her intently. "I thought they were like…tiny," he said, gesturing with his thumb and finger to demonstrate the size.

"First off, I do have wings. Second, you're thinking of a different kind of Fae," Titania answered. Seeing his blank stare, she rolled her eyes with a faint smile. "I keep a glamour spell up. I look a little different to this normally," she explained.

"So there's different kinds of Faeries?" Maddie asked. "Like Elves?" she remembered what Carvallain and Hermes had said before. Titania nodded.

"Yup. The tiny ones are what humans know as Fairies; a-i, not a-e. They tend to be the ones who are viewed as kind and generous," she said.

"Are they?" Xander asked, and saw something darken in her gaze.

"Wouldn't know," Titania answered, looking down at her hands. "I've never met another Fae before," she admitted quietly. Something about the sudden weight on her deterred the four from pressing her words, despite their own curiosity.

"So what you're saying is that to get your help on something, we have to offer something in response?" Vida summed up, and Titania looked up. Surprise flitted across her face, before she nodded.

"Basically. It's just the rules of Fae Folk. I can't help it," she shrugged.

"There are other rules too, like not telling you our names," Chip added, and the others immediately looked concerned. "Because it gives you power over us," he remembered.

"What? But you know our names," Maddie instantly looked nervous at the idea. Titania blinked, looking a little startled.

"Yeah, but you didn't offer them. You addressed each other, there's a difference. Well," she glanced at Xander. "Almost all of you," she smirked, and he instantly paled.

"You did offer your name!" Vida remembered, wide eyed. There was a tense moment of silence, before Titania burst out laughing.

"Don't worry. You didn't offer me your name. You addressed Udonna," she pointed out, and watched as Xander managed to relax from the initial fear. The other three started to laugh as well, and he glowered at them, embarrassed. "Can we talk about something else? This is boring," Titania complained, her attention wavering after being focused on herself for so long.

"Hey," Xander nudged her as he recovered. "That sounded like a request. Got something to offer in exchange?" he teased, and Titania's eyes lit up as her smile returned.

"Now you're getting it," she giggled.

Udonna couldn't stop herself from sighing as she gazed into the crystal ball in the centre of the table. It had been a while since she had used it, and while her intention had been to find the fifth Mystic from the human realm, she found herself looking at Nick again as he struggled to fix his bike.

"Are you sure he wasn't the one?" Hermes asked, making her jump as his voice pulled her from her thoughts. "The Xenotome said five Mystics, and when you asked for help, you say he was the first to volunteer," Hermes leaned on the table and watched Nick working on his bike. "Just like Dusk always was," he said, and Udonna's brow furrowed.

"Yes, but unlike Dusk, even in great peril, he did not believe," she said.

"Maybe it's harder for him to believe," Claire said softly. She had been sweeping nearby, and approached curiously. In the crystal ball, she saw Nick talking to Maddie. "We don't know what he's like. Maybe…" she trailed off, unable to put it into words.

"Humans don't live with magic as we do," Hermes reminded as he didn't take his eyes off the crystal ball. Udonna was quiet for a moment, watching as Maddie walked away and left Nick to work on his bike.

"Forget him. It is not to be," she decided. Claire sighed heavily.

"I guess so," she said, trusting in Udonna's judgement. "I just don't know why the Xenotome showed five warriors, not four," Claire admitted. Her eyes lit up. "Maybe I'm the fifth warrior!" she gasped, and swung her broom like a staff. It would have hit Udonna if the woman didn't duck to dodge it. When it came at her again, she caught it, and Claire snapped back to reality.

"Probably not," she teased gently, smiling affectionately at her.

"Right. We move on!" Claire agreed.

"Sweep, please," Udonna reminded her of the chore she was supposed to be doing, and made her way back up as she looked through a smaller book to work on a potion.

"But it's a good thing you didn't move on when I started here," Claire admitted as she followed Udonna. "Any other sorceress would have tossed me to the trolls when I cracked the crystal ball…or when I dried up the lake," Claire listed.

"That was you? I was wondering why Pen was so annoyed," Hermes commented. Udonna angled her head to shoot him a stern look as Claire went red.

"Yes, there was a long list of things you needed to learn," Udonna turned back to Claire, phrasing it in a nicer way than Claire had. "Not to mention turning yourself into a sheep," she added, and Claire's blush darkened at her teasing. "You child, you are not someone I would ever give up on," she told the apprentice earnestly. Claire smiled bashfully.

"And I appreciate that," she said, before hesitating. "But…just for reference, so when I become a powerful sorceress I'll know," Claire swallowed her nerves to ask Udonna what was on her mind. "Why is it that we're giving up on Nick?" she asked curiously.

The silence that followed was deafening, and Hermes had to hold back his laughter as he saw the look on Udonna's face. The woman looked at her apprentice, but found she had no answer for her.

"Seems the apprentice has a thing or two to teach the master," Hermes muttered under his breath, curious about what Udonna's reply would be.

It didn't take long for Titania to see that her new team had about the same kind of attention span as she did. They'd lost interest in cleaning as their boss - Toby, she had heard them call him - had left to continue what was meant to be his day off.

Chip was bouncing around the store now that most of the floor was uncovered, and he was practising what the others claimed was his sword-fighting. Titania couldn't wait to see him go up against Carvallain.

Music had filled the shop again, as Vida went back playing music on the DJ table, and Titania had been watching with fascination as the new Wind Mystic danced and had fun with it. Xander was sprawled across one of the chairs, eyes closed as he relaxed, while Maddie had disappeared out of the shop to talk to Nick. She had returned, looking a little dejected, but had quickly put a smile on her face as she took out her video camera and filmed the group.

"For a Faerie from the Magical Realm, you seem pretty used to our world already," Chip accused as he took a break from fighting imaginary pirates. Titania had gotten distracted from Vida's music, and had been reading a book - a biography about a band she'd found on display - when Chip addressed her again.

"I like to come to this world now and again. It's always interested me," she admitted with an embarrassed smile.

"Does Carvallain come here too?" Chip asked her, and Titania shook her head with a snort.

"Car's head would explode if you suggested it. The two dimensions have been separated for a very long time, and a lot of people feel it should stay that way. Carvallain's people included," she told him. Chip nodded as if understanding everything she was saying. "Don't worry about Carvallain, you'll see what he's really like soon enough. He acts mean, but he's a good person. He wouldn't have been chosen to become a Mystic fighter if he wasn't," she said confidently.

"Let's hope so, or V might end up punching him," Chip grinned, and both looked up at the young woman still dancing.

"That would not go down well," Titania said, but smiled all the same.

The relaxed atmosphere was interrupted as a strange chiming noise filled the air, somehow audible to them over Vida's music. She stopped playing as they pulled their new Mystic Morphers from their pockets, discovering them to be the source of the sound.

"Dark forces are back," Carvallain's warning came from their Morphers as they flipped them open.

"On our way," Vida answered, before shoving her Morpher back into her pocket. "Honestly, I'm a little surprised that he called us," she admitted.

"Carvallain is stubborn, but he's no fool. He won't charge headfirst into a fight against evil without allies," Titania said confidently, and they hurried out to join their teammate as excitement and nerves filled them all.

Carvallain ran through the forest to the area that the crystal ball had warned him about, determined to stop the darkness before they did any harm to anyone else. Thoughts of the Woodland Village flashed through his head, and the damage done to the homes of innocent people.

At those thoughts, anger welled up inside of him, and he almost didn't react in time to stop as four figures burst from a tree and kept moving so they didn't collide with one another. Carvallain skidded to a stop, moving around Vida as she couldn't stop in time.

"Nice reflexes," Titania commented as she stepped out of the tree last. "And I see you've learned from the last tree," she grinned, but the four didn't pay any heed to her teasing as they realised their clothes had changed the moment they had passed through the tree.

"Check out the uniforms!" Maddie couldn't help but laugh as she looked down at her clothes. All of them had the symbols and colours of their elements on their trousers and tops, along with leather braces on their wrists and long capes that made Chip look delighted. Each had their own little differences; Maddie's waistcoat was shorter than Vida's, while Xander's jacket had shorter sleeves and a hood, while Chip's was more like a jumper under the open waistcoat.

"And cloaks!" he exclaimed, flinging it so eagerly that it hit Xander in the face. "Nice!" Chip grinned.

"Mystics have got to look the part, after all," Titania grinned as she moved to stand with Carvallain. His uniform was similar, with a silver hemmed collared jacket with a half moon on the chest and right trouser leg. Titania's was a little different, with a waistcoat that was primarily white with a black hem and a black hourglass. It was over a sleeveless shirt, and the leather braces were brown with black lines visible along them. On her leg, the symbol was outlined in white to stand out against the black trousers.

"I hate pink," Vida complained, her expression souring as she saw how much pink was on her outfit. Hearing a low rumble, Carvallain and Xander both looked up to see a spell seal not too far away from them that lit up the dim area of the forest.

"You can go to the complaints department later, Vida," Xander patted her shoulder as he directed their attention over to the seal. "Look," he warned. The rest looked over just in time to see the Hidiacs rising from the seal, and Maddie groaned.

"I hope every day isn't going to be like this," she mumbled.

"Maybe not every day," Carvallain said as he drew his sword.

"But I imagine it won't be a rare occurrence either," Titania said, bouncing on the spot. Spotting them, the Hidiacs squealed and rushed them, causing a fight to break out. Everyone fought hard, but there were far more of the monsters than last time, and even Carvallain and Titania found themselves swarmed.

"She said we'd know when to use our wands!" Chip shouted over the chaos as they were yanked back to their feet. "I think this is the time!" he yelped as he broke free of their grasp.

"Y'think?!" Vida snapped.

"I believe you might be onto something," Carvallain allowed, cutting through the Hidiacs restraining Vida.

"Let's Ranger up!" Xander shouted. Titania darted around, waving her hands as they shimmered with a rainbow hue for a moment, and the Hidiacs were repelled by an unseen force that allowed the team to regroup and toss their capes aside. They grabbed their Mystic Morphers, and found a code instinctively coming to them. As if compelled, they dialled in the code and their Morphers flashed.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they chorused, causing a rumble and a pulse of powerful magic.

"Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"

"Ever-changing as the wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"

"Fluid as the sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"

"Fast as lightning! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"

"Fleeting as time! Black Mystic Ranger!"

"Ethereal as the moon! Silver Mystic Ranger!"

The moment the six Morphed, every one of them felt the magic surge inside of them. Their strength increased, and all of them couldn't help but feel invincible as they stood in their coloured suits, with capes flowing in the wind behind them.

The battle resumed, only this time it was completely reversed as the Hidiacs couldn't even attempt to land their attacks. They were thrown and kicked around, turning to dust as they were destroyed.

"Magi Staff!" Xander tried out the staff by his side, channelling his magic with ease to manipulate the flora around them. Vines wrapped around the Hidiacs, restraining them so they were held in place. "Magi Staff, Axe Mode!" he then transformed it and slammed it against the ground, sending a quake straight towards them that exploded up and destroyed them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Carvallain saw Maddie use her Water magic to launch the Hidiacs high into the air. He hummed, before turning his attention to the monsters that were rushing him again.

"Seems you don't learn. Magi Staff!" he drew his staff, and held it up. His Moon magic rose to the surface, easier than he'd ever found it, and it made him smile faintly. He was starting to understand just what the previous Mystics had meant by the power their wands had given them. His Magi Staff flashed, and he swung it, sending a curved pulse of Silver energy straight at the Hidiacs charging him. It exploded as it hit the closest ones, catching some of the others with the aftershock.

"Whoa," Vida breathed as she saw the power he controlled. She then grinned, knowing what she could do too. "Pink is not my favourite colour, but trust me, it's not going to be yours either!" she grabbed her Magi Staff and summoned a burst of Wind magic so strong that it lifted the Hidiacs off their feet and cast them back.

"Are you guys getting tired?" Titania addressed the Hidiacs that were chasing her around. Having been darting around, Titania was running circles around the monsters. "How about a little pause?" she asked as she lifted her Magi Staff. It flashed, and instantly a silence fell as everything stopped. The Hidiacs leaping at her were frozen in mid-air, leaving them open for Titania to run by. She struck them as she moved, hitting all the enemies she could before stopping a short distance away.

Titania's Magi Staff flashed again, and the chaos of the battle resumed as the Hidiacs shrieked and crashed to the ground from the delayed injuries. To everyone else around Titania, she had been in one spot, and then suddenly another as the monsters collapsed around her.

Seeing them all demonstrate their own power, Chip eagerly lifted his own Staff to do the same.

"Let's give them a little Magi Staff jolt and enlighten them!" he shouted as he raised his Magi Staff to the sky. Lightning shot down from the clouds at his command, hitting his Magi Staff. It flashed, and transformed into a crossbow. "Crossbow Mode," Chip took aim at the Hidiacs that had gathered to focus on him. He fired several shots of lightning with startling aim, destroying them. "Yeah!" he pumped a fist into the air as the others ran to his side.

"Not bad for your first fight," Carvallain said as they cheered.

"Wow, you must have been good if you're getting praise from Car," Titania giggled, and he pushed her with a roll of his eyes. The others laughed, enjoying the rush of adrenaline still flowing through them.

Thunder cracked overhead, and Carvallain jumped as they whirled around. As it suddenly grew darker, they looked up to see the sky grow dark, and lightning flashed through the sky.

"There!" Carvallain spotted the purple spell seal, and they whirled around to see Koragg appear with a low chuckle.

"I'm back," he announced as he straightened, turning to the team.

"It's Koragg," Xander recognised the warrior who had easily defeated Udonna.

"We can take him!" Vida said, confident in their abilities after fighting the Hidiacs. As he slowly approached, Koragg gave a laugh that didn't suit him at all.

"You can try, but you are no match," he warned as a pulse of dark magic came from his hand. They felt it from their small distance away - a cold, sickly feeling that made them all shudder. "I call on my sword from the darkness!" at Koragg's shout, his shield appeared in a burst of dark magic, and he drew his sword from inside it. "This is your end," he warned as he pointed the sword at them.

"Okay…now what?" Xander gulped.

"Now you will feel the power of dark magic!" a new spell seal appeared behind Koragg, and the shield opened. Like it had against Udonna, a burst of red light shot out, and it struck all of them. The blow made them cry out, and they were forced off their feet as pain coursed through their bodies.

"I will not be merciful this time," Koragg warned as they struggled on the ground, trying to catch their breath. The power behind his attack was intense, and they could understand how he'd easily defeated Udonna. Everything hurt.

Carvallain cursed under his breath as he tried to push himself up, but his arms were shaky and he fell back in the dirt with a grunt. He clamped his eyes shut, desperately willing himself to get back up. They had only just become Mystics. He had only started, and he was already down.

'I can't give up now…I won't give up now. Come on!' he willed himself to get up. Finally he was able to muster enough strength to get back to his feet, but Carvallain could feel the majority of his strength was being put into just staying upright. His body desperately needed a respite; they all needed it, but Koragg wasn't about to let them recover.

"Stay back, Koragg," Carvallain warned with such authority that for a moment, Koragg stilled, and the other Rangers looked up in surprise. Then the warrior laughed.

"You speak with power you have yet to achieve, boy," Koragg told him, and Carvallain flushed under his helmet. "You are defeated. Accept that," the wizard continued his advance towards them, raising his sword.

"There's no honour in accepting defeat when victory can yet be achieved," Carvallain grabbed his Magi Staff and fired another bolt of Moon magic at Koragg. However, the wizard deflected it with his shield, and the light hit a nearby tree, carving a chunk out of the bark.

"And there is no honour in desperately clinging like you do now," Koragg replied, lifting his sword over his head, prepared to strike the Silver Ranger down. "Any last words?" he asked. Carvallain's eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything, he heard a dull rumble that was coming towards them. Whatever it was, it was moving fast. His head turned, right before a familiar voice shouted out.

"Yeah, just one!" Nick shouted as his bike hit a mound of dirt and launched into the air, straight at Koragg. "Hyah!" leaping from his bike midair, Nick flew towards Koragg and moved his leg in a kick that the warrior barely managed to block in time. While he didn't do any real damage to Koragg, Nick was carried by the force of his speeding bike and managed to shove Koragg back. The wizard barely managed to stay on his feet as he staggered backwards.

"Nick!" the Rangers shouted as Nick landed between them and Koragg.

"Now there are seven…" Koragg mused as he recovered and faced Nick, who pulled his helmet off.

"I guess there are," Nick glared at him as he tossed it aside. "This is as good a time as ever to start believing in magic…" he muttered as Koragg ran at him, sword raised. When he brought it down, Nick gave a yell and raised his hands instinctively.

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed around the forest at the same time that a bright red light formed between Nick's hands, blocking Koragg's strike from hitting him. "I do believe in magic!" Nick's yell carried just as far, and the light grew, repelling Koragg and throwing him several feet away.

"Not bad at all," Hermes murmured, impressed by the power they saw in the crystal ball.

"Yes," Udonna smiled widely as Claire laughed with delight. "He finally believes," she said, glad that she hadn't given up on the young man after all.

"Seven new Mystics…they're finally together," Hermes said, his green eyes bright. "Let's see just how strong they'll become."

Nick's chest was heaving as he felt the burning power of his magic under the surface of his skin. He could barely even begin to believe what he was doing. The flash he'd seen of the team struggling against Koragg had drawn him back to the Magical Realm to help before he could start to question it, as Udonna's words echoed in his mind.

In that moment, he'd drawn on belief he'd had when he was younger, remembering a time when he, like most kids, truly believed that magic was real. And it had worked. He had no idea how, but he had drawn on magic so strong it had repelled Koragg. He couldn't help but laugh quietly.

Magic was real.

With that thought, Nick felt that same fiery magic rise to the surface again, and for a moment he thought he was about to burst into flames. He looked down at his hands, seeing the red light of his magic start to surround him.

In a flash, his biker outfit was gone and he couldn't help but smirk as his outfit changed to his Mystic uniform. He tossed his cape aside, and the wand that appeared in his hand changed to a Mystic Morpher like the rest. Flipping it open, Nick dialled in the code that came naturally to him, letting his instincts take over as he finally accepted his role.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" there was a flash of red light, and he Morphed into the Red suit.

"Red Ranger!"

"Way to go, Nick!"

"He believes!"

"Amazing…"

"Way to go!" the Rangers still trying to recover watched in awe as Nick flicked his new cape behind him.

"Fearsome as fire! Red Mystic Ranger!" Nick yelled. Koragg, having watched Nick accept his magic, gave a low growl and approached him.

"Prove to me your worthiness! Battle my forces!" he shouted, wanting to test Nick's capabilities. "Hidiacs, arise!" Koragg summoned another small fleet of monsters. They squealed and snarled as they emerged and targeted Nick. The Red Ranger moved to draw them away from the other Rangers, letting the monsters surround him.

"You fight with words? So be it!" Nick called, unimpressed with Koragg's test. He drew his Magi Staff and channelled magic that came to him naturally to transform one of the Hidiacs into a ball. He repeatedly kicked it at the others with so much strength that it knocked them down, and as it bounced back, he leapt up and kicked it back down. Hitting the ground with force, it caused a small shockwave that sent the Hidiacs scattered.

"He's so powerful," Titania breathed as they watched Nick transform his Magi Staff into a sword.

"His control over magic is incredible for someone who only just started to believe," Carvallain spoke up, unable to hide how impressed he was.

"Seems more like he just refused to accept that he believed," Titania considered, now sitting up with her legs crossed as Nick used both impressive sword skills and fire magic to cut through the monsters. The more he watched, the more Carvallain had to agree with her.

"I summon the power of the Phoenix!" Nick shouted, sending a burst of flames through to destroy the last of the Hidiacs. He laughed to himself, before turning as he heard the others hurrying over. While they were still worn out, the rest they'd managed to get had helped a lot.

"Nick, that was awesome!" Chip cheered.

"Mystic Force?"

"Mystic Force," all of them chimed in response to Nick, holding their hands in a circle. Footsteps nearby made them stop their cheers, and they moved apart quickly as Koragg stood a short distance away.

"Do not celebrate, Rangers," he called out a warning. "This was just one battle. Next time, the outcome will be different," Koragg promised them, and vanished into another dark spell seal.

"I doubt that," Titania muttered, as despite the wizard's warning, their team felt unbeatable.

Carvallain couldn't stop his stomach from churning with nerves, but no matter what he did or said, Titania refused to stop dragging him along. She had a vice-like grip on his wrist, dragging him towards a tree.

"Come on, Car. You can't hide away from them forever. We're a team now, and you know that you can't just join us when there's a fight to be had," Titania told him as they reached the tree. Carvallain glared at her, before finally yanking his wrist free. He straightened up, unable to do so as she held onto him, and fixed his jacket.

"If it will stop your incessant chattering towards me, then I will agree," he finally allowed, irritated. Titania smiled, and pressed a hand to the tree. The moment she did, she vanished, and Carvallain gave a weary sigh. "Oh great Goddesses, please never let my uncle hear of this," he pleaded, and reached out to touch the tree.

Instantly Carvallain felt himself yanked forwards before his feet landed suddenly on new ground. Staying balanced, he straightened once more and adjusted the new jacket he now wore, and turned to Titania as she stood at his side. He saw the remnants of her Fae magic fading from around her clothes that allowed her to blend in.

"This way," Titania refrained from grabbing him again, and instead led Carvallain down the street towards one of the buildings. As he followed her, Carvallain cast a look around, taking in the unfamiliar sights of the human realm. It was vastly different to anything he'd seen before, and he quickly focused on Titania to follow her through a door. They passed Toby, who was staring at the tree across the road and didn't even notice them.

"At least one of you blends in here," Xander said as he saw the two walk in.

"And I see this place is still a disaster," Titania replied as she looked around at the disaster that was Rock Porium. Carvallain looked around, trying and failing to hide his disdain at the mess.

"Well, it would have been in better shape if someone had helped earlier," Xander told her as he lifted the box filled with CDs and balanced in his arms.

"I was perfectly happy to help you. You were the one reluctant to find out my price," Titania smiled innocently back at him. Xander pulled a face and walked away as Carvallain adjusted the headphones that rested over his ears to hide their unusual shape.

"I think you're a little overdressed for this place," Nick told the Elf as he saw them approach. Carvallain looked down at his suit as Nick grinned. It was neat and formal, standing out against the rest of their clothing.

"My apologies…I was unsure of what to wear and my magic simply went with what was appropriate," Carvallain said, and Nick was surprised by how flustered he seemed. It was a far cry to how he was in the Magical Realm.

"Appropriate for Carvallain, at least," Titania said, and Carvallain shot her a warning look. Nick's eyebrow rose at the expression on the Elf's face, but chose not to question it. He didn't want Carvallain getting mad at him again, like he'd done for using his sword.

"Well now that we're a team, do any of you feel like helping?" Xander asked the three expectantly. "Titania excluded, of course," he added, and she grinned.

"I have to respectfully decline," Carvallain said, adjusting the headphones again.

"And Nick?" Xander turned to their leader.

"I fight soulless mutants. I don't clean," Nick answered honestly. Xander rolled his eyes and walked away from them to put away the box as Titania giggled. Nick turned, and reached out his fist to bump against hers.

"Then out of the way, bucko," Vida bumped Nick out of the way with her hip as she passed, smirking at him as he closed the book he'd been reading as they cleaned.

"Okay…" Nick couldn't help but laugh. "But as a wise old woman once asked…do you believe in magic?" his question made them all pause.

"Finally someone caught on," Titania giggled, moving to take a seat nearby.

"You think…?" Vida wondered aloud, not having even considered the idea of using magic.

"This ought to be good," Carvallain murmured. He shook his head and moved over to the wall, ready to watch the chaos unfold.

"Well…I believe…" Maddie was the first to draw her Mystic Morpher and flip it open. Focusing her magic through it, she pointed it at the comic books still scattered on the floor. The feeling of magic filled the air, making them all shiver at the sensation, and the records began to lift off the floor to arrange themselves neatly on the display.

"Sweep like lightning!" Chip tried next, commanding the broom in the corner to begin sweeping up the dirt. Nearby, Xander had the bags of rubbish floating out the backdoor, far from where he had to smell them.

'Their control is impressive, but only because of their wands,' Carvallain considered as he watched them cleaning the shop at a much faster pace. 'I wonder just how much power they have outside of that…for humans they certainly are…interesting,' he allowed himself to think, even if he wouldn't say it out loud. He could feel Titania watching him, trying to figure out what he was thinking just from his expression, so he kept his expression as blank as he could.

"Whoa!"

"Sorry Chip!" Xander apologised as he nearly took him out with a radio.

"Hurry it up," Carvallain spoke up. "Someone's coming," he warned. Though muffled by the noise-cancelling headphones he wore, he could hear footsteps clunking back towards the shop.

"Okay!" Toby shouted as he stalked into the shop, right as the last of the record boxes was moved back into place and everyone tried to act casual. He was ready to bust his employees for not cleaning the shop as he'd asked them that morning. "I knew you wouldn't…" he trailed off, losing his fire. Briefly stunned into silence, Toby looked around his spotless shop. "You would…it's clean," Toby frowned. "Very clean…it's the cleanest it's ever been," he said, suddenly looking worried. "Maybe it's too clean…maybe it's lost its edge," Toby started to fret as he looked at his employees. They laughed, well used to their eccentric boss by now. "Have I become a megashop?" Toby started to panic.

"I like this guy," Titania murmured to herself as she watched him.

"Hello?" a voice called out expectantly, and Toby jumped. They looked over to the doorway where a pretty young woman with long blonde hair stood. "I'm new in town, can somebody help me?" she asked, looking around. For a moment, she met Carvallain's gaze, and a shiver ran down his spine. He frowned, before she was blocked from his view by Xander and Chip fighting to greet her first.

"You okay?" Titania asked as Carvallain moved away from her.

"Yeah, just…" he trailed off, unsure of why he had reacted in such a way. After the initial shudder, he felt fine. Titania gave him a reassuring smile.

"You'll get used to humans. Just give them time," she said, quiet enough that the others missed it, but he could still hear her.

"I want…him," the blonde shoved the two away and walked over to Nick, who only looked up from what he was reading as she stood in front of him. He gave an awkward laugh.

"Sorry, I don't work here," he denied, and her smile fell.

"You know, Toby, you've really got to hire this guy," Maddie turned to Toby with a grin. Nick gestured for her to stop, but she ignored him. "He was instrumental in cleaning the store," she smirked as Nick glared at her.

"I wasn't looking for a job," Nick said through clenched teeth.

"Who's the greatest guitarist ever?" Toby challenged Nick suddenly. Caught off guard, he answered honestly.

"It's gotta be Jimi, but-"

"You're hired," Toby cut him off and shook his hand. "Now help the customer," he said, walking over to the counter before Nick could even try to protest.

"Thanks for only throwing me under the bus. Not like there's two others here," he hissed at Maddie, glancing pointedly at Carvallain and Titania.

"Can you imagine Mr. Snobby working here?" Vida snorted, and Carvallain glared at her as Titania giggled.

"And her?" Nick asked. Instantly the others exchanged looks.

"Uh…we'll tell you later. You've got a customer to help," Vida smirked, seeming to enjoy Nick's discomfort. He turned his attention fully on the expectant blonde, who wrapped both her arms around one of his to pull him away.

"My name's LeeLee Pimvare, and yours?" she asked, fluttering her lashes up at him. He pulled away, and glared at the others as they giggled.

"I'm in trouble," Nick muttered as he wondered if he'd made the right decision after all.

Chapter 3: Code Busters

Chapter Text

Walking through the forest, Penelope couldn't help but let out a loud yawn that she didn't bother trying to stifle. Despite her desire to return to bed, she kept walking, even as she yawned again.

A few days had passed since the earthquake that had caused a crack in the Gate to the Underworld, allowing evil forces to return to the surface. The Woodland Village had been badly damaged, and while most people had mercifully escaped uninjured, there was still a lot of work to be done to make it a liveable home again.

Looking up as she heard someone else around, Penelope managed to smother her yawns to smile warmly. The young blonde didn't even seem to realise she was there, not looking up from her list.

"Beetle's Bane…check!" Claire ticked off items from her list that she had collected. "Slug Root…check," she nodded, before Penelope cleared her throat. Claire jumped, almost knocking all the supplies she'd gathered out of the basket that was swinging from her arm.

"Good morning, Claire," Penelope greeted. "I didn't mean to startle you," she said, and Claire smiled back, flustered.

"Oh, good morning Penelope," Claire was chipper as ever, and it made Penelope's smile soften as her mind was drawn to a memory of the past. "Out collecting supplies too?" she asked, and Penelope nodded.

"Most of my supplies were used up after the attack on the village, and I'd like to keep a large stock just in case," Penelope said. Claire's smile faded at her words.

"How is the Woodland Village doing?" she asked. She'd often visited the small village growing up, and it had hurt to hear that it had almost been destroyed by dark magic.

"It'll take some time to recover, but they'll manage," Penelope said with a nod. "They're a strong people, and with Caspian in charge, they'll be back to normal in no time," she assured, trying to coax Claire's smile back. "Are you…" Penelope trailed off as she heard strange sounds in the distance.

"Penelope?" Claire tilted her head, before she heard the whizzing sound in the air too. The loud cheers then earned Penelope's attention, and she turned quickly.

"Get down!" she shouted, grabbing Claire and tugging her to the ground carefully. Claire's eyes went wide, and they watched as five colourful figures shot overhead.

"Sorry!" Nick shouted over his shoulder, having seen the two at the last moment as he and his team of Rangers practised their flying on their Mystic Racers. Penelope shook her head as she straightened, and Claire couldn't help but laugh.

"I best get these collected before the Rangers return to try again," Penelope said, patting Claire on the shoulder. "Good luck, and…try to keep sharp," she told her, and Claire nodded, waving as Penelope left her to it.

Up in the air above, the five Rangers cheered as they raced one another back to Rootcore. So far, Nick had maintained the lead, and he couldn't help but challenge the others behind him.

"Come on, Pinkie! Keep up!" he taunted, tipping his Racer into a nosedive.

"No-one calls me Pinkie!" Vida yelled. The others cheered as Vida tipped down to follow Nick. They dove beneath the treeline, weaving around the trees. As Nick and Vida taunted each other, neither noticed Chip slowly gaining on them, and as Nick was forced to stop before he crashed into a tree, Chip took the lead.

"No!" Vida groaned, urging her Mystic Racer forwards to try and catch up to Chip.

"On your left!" Vida's eyes widened at Titania's voice, and turned just in time to see the Morphed Black Ranger fly past, far faster than Vida had been able to move, and she wasn't even using a Mystic Racer.

Fluttering so fast they were a blur were a pair of pink and green insect-like wings, and they carried Titania through the air. She giggled as she twirled and spun around each tree, gaining on Chip. "Hey Chip! Can you go any faster?" Titania shouted, and before he could even think to look around, Titania flew out from under him and kept going.

As they reached Rootcore, Titania and Chip circled the tree once, slowing to allow the other four Rangers to catch up. At Nick's call, the five on their Racers leapt off, demorphing as they dropped to the ground. When their feet hit the ground, they looked up just as their Mystic Racers returned to their broomstick form, and dropped from the sky.

"Hey, you learned this time," Titania grinned as she landed much more lightly. As she did, her Black Ranger suit shattered, and the wings vanished in a ripple of rainbow light.

"Very good Rangers. That's enough Mystic Racer practice for today," Udonna called out as she walked over. Instantly both Chip and Vida groaned loudly.

"Oh come on! Just one more lap around the forest?" Chip pleaded with big eyes.

"Yeah, I'm just getting warmed up," Vida said as she looked at her broom. "We almost had Titania that time," she said, before hearing a scoff nearby.

"Trust me. You didn't," Carvallain said as he walked over to join them.

"Missing Racer practice again, huh?" Nick eyed the Elf, who gave him a haughty look.

"I finished my beginner practice on a broom when I was half your size," he said, and Nick bristled. However, their argument stopped before it began as Udonna cleared her throat.

"I'm afraid not," she said, giving both a stern look. Udonna had made it clear from the beginning that she wouldn't tolerate the team fighting. "It's time for elementary incantations," she told the group.

"Boring!" Chip and Vida chimed together. Even Nick and Xander looked a little disgruntled that they were forced to stop racing to learn incantations.

"Hey…I think that sounds kinda interesting," Maddie admitted as she lowered her broom and started to follow Udonna away.

"Only you, sis," Vida muttered.

"What about us?" Carvallain asked as he caught up to Udonna. "Please don't tell me that you intend for us to sit through these lessons too," he almost pleaded with her.

"Worry not, you will have your own lessons," Carvallain visibly relaxed. "But you will accompany the other Rangers. You are a team, and I expect you to act as such," she said. He nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the group. They were laughing amongst themselves, and Titania said something that had Nick swat at her with his broom. She giggled, darting out of reach as Carvallain turned away.

"Udonna, the Mystic Racers are amazing," Vida said as she caught up to the sorceress to talk to her. "But now that we're Power Rangers, don't we get other cool stuff too?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah! No-one's more excited than me to finally get to wear a cape, but-"

"Finally?" Xander repeated as he shot Chip a knowing look. "If I remember correctly, you used to come to school with a pillowcase pinned to your back!" he pointed out, winning a laugh from the others. Chip went red.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago," he defended.

"That was last week, mate," Xander corrected, earning even more laughter.

"Why did you use a pillowcase…?" Titania wondered, a little confused even as she giggled.

"Vida's right!" Chip pressed on, ignoring the laughter of the others. "We're official superheroes now. Where's the rest of the vehicles, weapons and gadgets that we get?" he asked Udonna eagerly as he increased his pace to catch up with her.

"The Xenotome holds the Spell Codes that can unlock magical powers beyond your imagination," Udonna answered, smiling faintly at how eager the Pink and Yellow Rangers in particular were. It was bringing back fond memories for her.

"So what we waiting for?" Vida asked as she jumped ahead and turned to face her. "Let's bust it open, load the Codes and get our booty!" she cheered.

"It doesn't work that way, Vida," Udonna smiled. Vida's excitement faded and her shoulders slumped. "As you perform heroic deeds and grow as Rangers, the Xenotome will reveal the Spell Codes. When the time is right," she stressed, and continued walking. While most of the others followed, Vida and Chip stayed behind.

"When the time is right?" Carvallain heard Vida whisper to Chip. "I don't wanna wait that long," she complained. Carvallain barely resisted rolling his eyes at her impatience.

"Me neither…" Chip agreed. "There's gotta be a quicker way to get those Codes," he grumbled. Vida's laugh was quiet; barely audible to the eavesdropping Elf.

"Got it. Come on," she smirked to her best friend. "We'll catch up with you guys later!" Vida shouted, running off with Chip before the others could stop them.

"What's that about?" Nick wondered.

"Knowing those two, it can only mean trouble," Maddie smiled as she shook her head, well used to their antics by now.

"They're very close," Titania mused as they made their way back to the massive tree that towered over the rest. "You all are, but Chip and Vida…"

"They've been best friends since we were little. Vida was always getting into trouble for fighting kids who picked on Chip," Maddie explained, and Titania nodded, looking fascinated.

"Doesn't surprise me at all," Nick chuckled. It was easy to picture the two when they were younger, getting into as much trouble as they seemed to now. After all, they had been the first to volunteer to help after Nick, when Udonna had come to them for help disguised as an old man.

"You'll get used to them…eventually," Xander said, but even he sounded uncertain.

"Well if they're off causing chaos, then it means plenty more incantations for you to learn," Titania grinned as the entrance to Rootcore came into view. Even now, they were still adjusting to the sight of the massive dragon's head that acted as the entrance to the massive tree.

"It's just some words, it can't be that hard," Nick scoffed, but grew uncertain as he saw Titania's smile grow. "Right?" he asked.

"You know Fae can't lie, right?" her words made him frown. He'd learned that she was a Pixie, but unlike Chip, he had barely any knowledge of magical creatures, so he was still learning all about her strange quirks.

"So you're not going to answer?" he asked. Titania smiled brightly.

"My silence could be either a confirmation or a denial of your question," she told him, and Nick groaned.

"Something tells me that you're rarely silent," Xander told her, and Titania stuck her tongue out at him.

"You'd be right," Carvallain's mutter was caught by the others, and they couldn't help but laugh. A faint smile tugged at the corner of Carvallain's mouth, and he hid it by walking on ahead as Udonna smiled, not missing it.

Titania's so-called silence, it turned out, was a denial. Not only did the Mystics have to learn an entirely new language and its sometimes odd pronunciations, but they had to remember the words and combinations in order to do the spells they wanted.

They worked on basic incantations with Udonna's help, while Titania and Carvallain were working on their own, much more advanced spell. Having grown up in the Magical Realm, they had a distinct advantage over the new Mystics, and worked on their own as Udonna tried to help where she could.

Xander's groan of frustration was loud, cutting through the quiet after a while of attempting to study. Udonna had left them to work by themselves for a while, leaving them with plenty of books to help them while she went back to the potion she was brewing.

"Man…look at all these incantations!" he whined as he glared at the page in front of him. He'd barely understood the runes to begin with, and after staring at it for so long, they were all beginning to blend together. "How is my brain supposed to fit in all this information?" he complained.

"Why don't you let me help you out with that?" Maddie smiled. It was an oddly devious look, and it reaffirmed for Titania that she and Vida were definitely related. After setting down the pile of books on the table, Maddie pulled her Mystic Morpher from her pocket and cleared her throat. Xander and Nick looked up, curious. "Cranior…magnis!" she chanted the spell she had seen in one of the books, and blue light flew from her wand. Nick and Titania instantly burst out laughing as Xander's head started to grow much larger. "Now you have lots more room!" Maddie giggled.

"And I thought he had a big head before!" Nick laughed with her as Xander struggled to keep his head upright.

"It's certainly a new look," Titania giggled. Carvallain sighed, shaking his head as he refused to look up from his book.

"Very funny," Xander sounded oddly calm as he put most of his focus into stopping himself from toppling over. "Madison, if you wouldn't mind?" Maddie was still giggling, but raised her Morpher and cast the counter-spell.

"You're catching on quick with those incantations," Maddie was surprised at Titania's comment, and blushed.

"What? No, I-"

"You are," Titania nodded, not letting her deny it. "Pronunciation is just as important with spells, and you were flawless," she said, which only made Maddie blush harder. "You've got talent, for sure," Titania beamed.

"She's right," they were surprised when Carvallain spoke up. He finally tore his gaze off the book in front of him to look up at her. "They're beginner spells, but considering you only started learning magic a few days ago…" he stood up suddenly, and walked over to a nearby shelf. They were all quiet for a moment, watching as he walked back and held out a book to her. "They're a little more complicated, but you should get the hang of them quick enough," Carvallain told her as he pressed the book into her hands.

"Thank you…" Maddie said quietly, surprised by his help. Carvallain cleared his throat and turned away quickly, but the pointed tips of his ears were turning red as he went back to his seat.

"Even if you're just using them to disrupt everything, at least you'll be learning," he muttered, going back to his work. Titania shook her head, exasperated by his insistence on being aloof and rude.

"Claire?" nearby, Udonna was dropping petals into the cauldron as she stirred. "I thought I asked you to gather some stickleberries for this protection potion?" she asked her apprentice, who walked over with a sheepish look.

"Oh…I did have a big basket of them…" Claire remembered as she moved out of the way of the bottle that Udonna summoned from the table. "But I accidentally dropped it when I was attacked by the giant worm…I'm really sorry," she apologised. Udonna frowned as she stopped stirring.

"Giant worm?" she repeated, loud enough for the others to hear.

"I think it was a giant worm…I didn't really see it because it never surfaced," Claire admitted. "Then this freakish looking gnome or troll…or goblin knocked me out of the way and saved me," she told her. Udonna tossed a frog into the potion as she looked up.

"Did you see who it was?" she asked, wondering just who had put themselves in harms way to save Claire.

"No! He took off before I could thank him!" Claire exclaimed. Titania leaned back in her seat, looking thoughtful as she forgot about the book in front of her.

"I wonder…" she murmured.

"This is troubling…" Udonna murmured, worried as she wondered just what had attacked Claire. "Titania?" she called over her shoulder, and the young woman looked up at her. "Taliesin is in the area, is he not?" she asked. Titania nodded.

"Yeah, he shouldn't be too far away. He was checking to see if the dark forces who attacked the village the other day had disrupted the wildlife," she answered.

"All of you, be careful. The return of evil may have more consequences than we realised," Udonna warned, and they nodded, not about to argue with her warning as Claire's story about a giant worm stuck with them all.

Finally Udonna took pity on the team who had stuck around for their lessons, and allowed them to leave to get something to eat and rest up. Carvallain had stayed behind, wanting to spend a little time in the quiet that he was more accustomed to, but Nick, Maddie, Xander and Titania were more than eager to take a break.

"I think I'm gonna be seeing those incantations in my sleep," Nick complained, rubbing his eyes as they walked through town in the human world. Maddie and Xander had to agree, just as worn out from studying so much. After all that work, and eating, they were all in need of a rest.

"You'll get used to it," Titania reassured them. Despite their earlier complaints, she'd seen them working hard to learn what they could. They took it seriously, even if they messed around with some spells on each other.

"Who knows how long that'll take," Nick complained.

"Was there some kind of school that you learned this in?" Maddie asked Titania, who shook her head and laughed a little.

"No, Penny taught me magic. I at least had the advantage of growing up there, so I've been learning for years," she answered, smiling at the memories of learning magic from the former Mystic.

"Do you know all the former Mystics?" Xander asked her curiously, and instantly saw Titania's brightness fade. She avoided his gaze, staring at the ground as they walked.

"I know some of them. Three died during the Great Magical War," she said quietly. They fell quiet, and both Nick and Maddie glared at Xander, blaming him for bringing down the mood. He cleared his throat, and awkwardly put a hand on her head.

"Sorry," he said quietly, and Titania looked surprised by his attempt to comfort her. Slowly, her smile started to return.

"It's okay," she said.

"Hey, Chip and Vida never showed," Xander realised, deciding to change the subject. "Where do you think they went?" he asked, looking at Nick and Maddie.

"I dunno," Maddie shrugged. "But when my sister gets that crazy look in her eye, it usually means trouble," she warned, well used to Vida's antics. Xander nodded, knowing that Maddie was right, and Nick and Titania exchanged curious glances as they wondered just what Vida and Chip had gotten up to in the past.

"I'll show you real trouble," the four stopped, surprised as a figure landed on the bench in front of them. Tall with a set of leathery wings on her back, the dark magic radiating off her was enough to set even the inexperienced Mystics on edge.

"Who are you?!" Nick shouted, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I am Necrolai, dark mistress of the Underworld," she introduced herself with a flourish.

"She's a Vampire," Titania's quiet words made the other three look at her. Xander, who had been ready to try and charm her, stopped instantly.

"I thought Vampires couldn't go out in sunlight," Nick hissed. While his knowledge of magical beings was nowhere near Chip's level, he still knew that much at least. Titania nodded.

"That's right, unless they're really powerful," Titania clarified. She didn't take her eyes off Necrolai.

"That's right, little Fae," Necrolai sneered back at her. "Interesting disguise. It's as strange to see one of your kind here as it is mine. I thought you all sealed yourself away?" her comment made Titania stiffen. Necrolai laughed, seeing the visible distress on her face. "Enough talk!" she threw out a hand, and the four jumped back to dodge the explosive magic that hit the ground.

"Let's Ranger up!" Nick shouted, and they grabbed their Morphers from their pockets.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!"

Necrolai shrieked as she fought the Rangers, demonstrating skill much greater than their own. Any hits they managed to land glanced off her, and she laughed mockingly as she tossed each of them aside.

"Playtime's over!" Necrolai threw out her arms and her wings expanded as she did. Lifting off her feet, Necrolai gave a screech as she flew through the air and blasted them. The four cried out, barely staying standing as she soared past the group.

"Look out!" Nick shouted, but before they could avoid it, Necrolai flew past again and bombarded them with more blasts of the purple energy.

"Let's go for a ride!" Necrolai cackled as she grabbed Nick, Xander and Maddie and hauled them up into the air. "Catch us if you can, little Fae!" she taunted over her shoulder.

"No!" Titania gasped as she pushed herself up again. The light shimmered around her, taking on a rainbow sheen, before her wings became visible and stretched out behind her. Narrowing her eyes, Titania lifted off the ground and gave chase, not able to let Necrolai get away.

Unlike the Rangers learning to use their Mystic Racers, Necrolai was well used to flying. Even while carrying three Rangers who continuously fought her hold, she kept ahead of Titania. The Vampire gave a quiet laugh as she flew out of the city, and over the forest to where Mucor had been teleported to by Koragg.

"Hungry!" Mucor roared as he grew massive and towered over the trees he was surrounded by.

"Patience, Mucor!" Necrolai laughed. "Dinner is on the way!" she promised, and the struggling Rangers looked over at the massive monster. Their eyes widened in fear, and they struggled even harder. "Good riddance, Rangers!" Necrolai stopped abruptly in the air and swung hard, sending the three tumbling through the air.

"Stop!" Titania darted past her and managed to catch Xander's hand, but his weight dragged her down with him. Before she could try to correct, all of them were sucked into Mucor's mouth, where everything went dark.

Once the other four had left to get something to eat, Carvallain found it much easier to study. He memorised incantations, using his Mystic Morpher to get some practice in while he had the chance, all while ignoring his own rumbling stomach and the quiet thought in the back of his mind that told him that he should have joined the others.

He continued to ignore those thoughts as he sharpened the long, steel sword that rarely left his side. The action relaxed him, but he couldn't help but wonder about the strange worm that had attacked Claire in the forest.

"Let's check the Xenotome!" Vida's excited voice carried into Rootcore, and Carvallain was pulled from his thoughts. Chip and Vida ran in, straight past him as they made their way up to where the large book remained on its pedestal. There was a thud that reverberated through Rootcore, and Carvallain looked up. Both Chip and Vida were staring at the blank pages in shock. "What? Nothing?!" Vida gasped. "This thing must be broke!" she complained loudly.

"What are you doing?" Udonna asked, looking up from her cauldron at her frustrated voice.

"We've been out doing heroic deeds all day, and haven't gotten one new code," Chip huffed. "Being a superhero is kind of a ripoff," he decided, unhappy with the lack of results. Carvallain raised an eyebrow and got to his feet.

"It seems you know very little about being a superhero," Udonna accused as she kept her usual smile on her face.

"Are you kidding?" Chip scoffed at her words. "No-one knows more than me! I've spent a fortune on video games, DVDs, graphic novels, trading cards…" he listed, making Vida laugh.

"These…heroic deeds you did," they looked at Carvallain as he walked over, unable to stop himself from joining their conversation. "Did you do them because you wanted new Spell Codes? Or simply because someone needed your help?" he asked, his tone oddly innocent. Instantly the two began to splutter.

"A question like that could only be poised by someone who understands," another voice cut across their attempts to answer, and Vida and Chip looked around curiously. There was a strange sound that echoed through Rootcore; a clopping sound as if a horse was being led through the main room of Rootcore.

The pair fell silent, staring at the new arrival as he walked into view. Clean shaven with a mop of black hair, the newcomer had a kind smile and dark eyes. However, what had caused the two to lose their tongues were his legs. Covered in a thick layer of black fur, his hindquarters were more goat than human, ending with a pair of hooves that hit the hard ground loudly.

"Whoa…" Vida breathed as excitement shone on Chip's face.

"Taliesin," Udonna smiled warmly as he approached. "It is good to see you. Thank you for coming," she said as he approached. His bare chest had a tuft of fur, and a long scar curving from his stomach and around his side that was partially obscured by the leather straps that went around him, holding a short sword and some small pouches in place.

"It's good to see you too, Udonna. I just wish it were under better circ*mstances," he told her, and she nodded in agreement. "Carvallain, it's always a pleasure. You've grown since we last met," he said, bowing to the Elf.

"I'm glad you could come. It's been too long," Carvallain smiled at him. Vida and Chip were surprised by the warmth in his face, both starting to think that he wasn't capable of such an expression. Taliesin noticed their expressions, and chuckled.

"Excuse my intrusion. I'm Taliesin, and I'm guessing from your faces, you've never seen a Satyr before," he introduced himself with a polite bow. "You must be-" before he could finish, a loud, deep chime echoed through Rootcore that sounded almost like a bell. All of them turned to the crystal ball in the centre of the table.

"Something's wrong," the smile vanished from Udonna's face as she hurried over to see. "The others are in trouble," as she approached, the crystal ball reacted to her presence and showed her the large monster Mucor laughing. "You must stop it," she told Vida, Chip and Carvallain.

"At once," Carvallain nodded, but stopped as he saw the expressions on the faces of his teammates.

"Us?! Look at that thing, it's massive!" Vida exclaimed. She was unable to keep the fear from her voice. "We'll get pummelled!" she said. She couldn't see a way where they challenge the monster and win.

"You might," Udonna agreed, which took her by surprise. "There are only three of you and you've hardly mastered your Ranger powers," she considered, looking the three over. "Are you afraid?" she asked when neither Chip nor Vida replied.

"No, I'm not afraid, I-" as Vida started to stammer a denial, Chip cut her off.

"I'm totally scared," he admitted, unashamed to say so.

"I am too," Vida turned to Carvallain as he spoke honestly too, seeing no need to lie. "I've trained for this, yes, but fighting an enemy this large? It's daunting," he confessed, watching Vida.

"Okay…I guess I'm a little freaked," she finally admitted.

"You should be," Udonna told her, sounding oddly pleased that she'd admitted how she really felt. "That creature's size and strength are unlike anything you've encountered," she stated as she kept her gaze on the crystal ball.

"Recall what I asked? If those so-called heroic deeds you did earlier were done for spell codes, or to simply aid those who needed it?" Carvallain addressed the two, and they looked up at the Silver Ranger. "If a deed is done because you want something from it, it is hardly heroic, is it?" he asked, and Vida let out a deep breath.

"He's right," Chip agreed with a nod. "We did those things for selfish reasons. But this…we need to save our friends," he said, turning to Vida. Determination shone in her eyes.

"Maddie needs us. And Nick," she said, unwilling to leave her sister to a horrific fate.

"Titania too, even Xander," Chip laughed a little. "They need us," he said. Vida nodded, fighting her fear as she stood taller.

"We've got to try and help them," she agreed. "Come on," with that, she walked over to where their brooms were stored.

"Not too bad," Taliesin told Carvallain, and saw the blush on his face as the Silver Ranger followed Chip and Vida.

"Real heroes are born in the face of real danger," Udonna said as she watched the three stand together.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" the three Morphed and turned to their broomsticks. They grabbed them, and ran to the section to the side that had moved, which transported them to the top of the tree.

"Galwit Mysto Aerotan!" they shouted together, transforming their broomsticks into their Mystic Racers. Landing on them, the three took off out of Rootcore and shot over the forest.

"You know, I kinda thought you didn't know how to ride a broomstick - er, Racer," Chip admitted as Carvallain flew with them. The Silver Ranger's eyebrows furrowed under his helmet.

"I told you already. I don't partake in your practice because I've long since grown used to flying on one," he replied.

"Yeah, but we figured that was just to make yourself sound better," Vida shrugged, and earned his glare next.

"I don't need words for that," Carvallain said, and leaned forwards as he sped up. Vida scoffed, and Chip laughed as they watched him shoot ahead.

"You know, he's kinda cool," Chip said. Vida rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, for an arrogant jerk," she muttered.

With the speed of the Mystic Racers at their disposal, it didn't take too long for the three Rangers to reach Mucor. Despite his massive size, he hadn't moved much, seeming to have expected them to come to him.

"Rangers!" he laughed as he spotted the three Racers coming straight towards him. "Good!" Mucor roared, and they slowed to a stop. Grabbing his Mystic Morpher, Chip opened a link to contact their friends.

"Guys, it's Chip! Where are you?" he asked when the link opened.

"Inside the belly of the beast!" Nick shouted back. His voice was muffled as he spoke, and when Mucor roared, they could see inside to where the four Rangers were trapped in a pool of slime. "Stay back, Chip! I think he's got room for seconds," Nick warned.

"I don't care! I'm going in!" Vida shouted, impatient and wanting to save her sister. She flew in at such speeds that Mucor couldn't keep up. He swatted at her, but she flew rings around him before leaping from her Racer.

"Mystic Wings!" Vida launched into the air and used her Magi Staff. A massive pair of bright pink butterfly wings materialised behind her, keeping her aloft. "Fairy dust!" with the wings behind her creating a gust of wind, Vida scattered dust down on Mucor. He inhaled it, and gave a loud sneeze that sent the four trapped Rangers flying out.

"It worked!" Vida cheered as she landed with them.

"Ew…" Maddie moaned as she got to her feet, covered from head to toe in slime.

"I'm covered in monster-muck," Nick complained.

"Hold on," Titania giggled, holding out her hands. In a flash, the slime vanished, leaving them clean.

"So much better. Thanks," Xander said, relieved to not had the slime clinging to him anymore. Even in his Ranger suit, the feeling was disgusting.

"I thought you don't do favours without something in exchange," Nick narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. Titania shrugged.

"You bought me lunch. I owed you," she reminded him. Nick groaned at the reminder. He'd bought her food, telling her that she didn't have to worry about repaying him. He hadn't considered that Fae deals worked both ways.

"I'll make that deal any time," Maddie said fervently, and Titania giggled. They looked up as an explosion rocked the ground, and saw Mucor spitting explosive balls of slime at Chip and Carvallain. They dodged each one with ease, as even Chip reacted fast enough to avoid them.

"Somebody's got to take this freak down, and we're just the Rangers for the job," Chip called to Carvallain. Before the Silver Ranger could question it, Chip jumped up to balance on the front of his Racer, which kept flying straight.

"Reckless," Carvallain rolled his eyes, but took his Magi Staff from his side as Chip did the same.

"Magi Staff, Crossbow Mode!" Chip took aim at Mucor. "Sneeze on this," he fired powerful bolts of lightning at Mucor, knocking the monster backwards.

"Magi Staff, Spear Mode!" Carvallain raised his Staff, allowing it to grow longer and more pointed. It began to glow silver, and he launched it at Mucor as he passed. It ripped through the monster's tough skin and came out the far side, and Carvallain caught it before he and Chip jumped from their Racers and landed by the rest of their team.

"Great job!"

"Nice work!"

"That was incredible!" the others cheered as they ran to meet the pair.

"Just doing our job. Right guys?" Chip glanced at Carvallain, who shrugged, and then at Vida. He patted her shoulder, and she grinned widely.

"All in a day's work," she laughed.

Their victory was short-lived, as the ground rumbled once more and they looked up to see Mucor getting back to his feet. Injured and in pain, the monster roared angrily, and the deep roar vibrated through their chests.

"Ready, Rangers?" Nick grinned as they looked up.

"Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"

"Ever-changing as the wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"

"Fluid as the sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"

"Fast as lightning! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"

"Fleeting as time! Black Mystic Ranger!"

"Ethereal as the moon! Silver Mystic Ranger!"

"Forceful as fire! Red Mystic Ranger!"

"We call forth the magic! Power Rangers Mystic Force!" the team yelled together, ready to fight even against a massive enemy. As they shouted, strange lights flew down from the sky and went to their Mystic Morphers.

"What's going on?" Maddie asked as they grabbed their Morphers and looked. As they glowed, certain keys began to glow in sequence.

"It's a new Spell Code!" Vida realised, her eyes lighting up.

"I get it now. Udonna was right. Carvallain was right!" Chip looked at the Silver Ranger, who stayed silent as he looked at his own Morpher. "Amazing," Chip laughed quietly to himself.

"Alright Rangers, let's do it!" Nick shouted. They dialled the new code into their Morphers and cast the spell.

"It's Titan time!" they shouted together, raising their Morphers into the air.

"Mystic Minotaur!"

"Mystic Sprite!"

"Mystic Mermaid!"

"Mystic Garuda!"

"Mystic Kitsune!"

"Mystic Luna Lepus!"

"Mystic Phoenix!"

"Mystic Titans!" the team transformed, growing massive to stand over the trees. Xander towered over the rest, while Vida stood on his shoulder as her Titan form was barely taller than a tree.

Mucor initiated the fight by spitting more balls of slime at them, but it did no damage to the team. Instead, they fought back, and Titania's Kitsune rammed head first into his gut, leaving him open to attack from Nick and Chip.

With another quick spell, Vida's Titan form transformed into a ball, which Xander tossed into the air. Maddie leapt up, using her fin to slap the ball towards Carvallain. The rabbit-like Titan hopped up, and with a powerful kick, put power into it that was only increased as the others hit it, and Nick sent it straight at Mucor.

With a fearful roar, Mucor was unable to do anything but watch, and when the ball slammed into him, Vida let loose the magic that had been poured into it, causing the monster to explode. Thrown back by the shockwave, Vida returned to her normal Titan form and landed on Xander's shoulder once as they cheered loudly.

"I'm proud of you all," Udonna smiled at the six who stood with her in Rootcore. The thrill of battle was still racing through them, and they all smiled with delight at their victory against Mucor. "And you've only begun to tap into the potential of the Mystic Titans!" she pointed out, delighted that they had achieved such levels of power.

"Yeah but…now green-freak is gone, right? So it's all good in the woods?" Maddie asked hopefully. Despite their victory and Udonna's praise, she couldn't help but worry that they weren't quite done.

"Let's hope so," Xander said as his own excitement started to fade. "We don't know if that was the same creature that attacked Claire," he pointed out. They all sobered at that comment. There was still a potential threat in the woods, and they knew they had to be ready.

"Nick accompanied Taliesin to investigate that," Udonna told them, and Titania couldn't help but laugh.

"Nick working with Taliesin? That's bound to be interesting," she murmured. Carvallain had to agree, and Udonna hid her smile as the others wondered just why that was.

When Nick had volunteered to help find out just what was responsible for attacking Claire in the forest, he hadn't expected to be joined by a man who looked like he was half goat.

Taliesin was quiet, to his relief - Nick hadn't quite recovered from meeting Hermes, who was a bigger chatterbox than Chip. Instead of trying to make conversation with the Red Mystic, the Satyr was moving around with more grace than Nick would have expected from someone with hooves.

"You were one of the Mystics, right? Before us," Nick asked, breaking the silence himself when the question wouldn't leave him alone. His companion glanced over his shoulder, seeming surprised that Nick had asked him.

"That's right," he answered. He kept his gaze on Nick for a moment longer, somehow avoiding tripping anything. "You're wondering why you were chosen, if we're still around," Taliesin accused, and Nick felt himself going red at the astute observation.

"I guess. I mean, people seem a bit iffy with humans around here. Why would you trust us with such an important thing?" Nick asked, not fully understanding it.

"When the Gate to the Underworld was sealed, all the Mystics who remained at the time, including myself, were exhausted. So much battle, so much loss, and there was so much still to be done. We couldn't stay Mystics forever - we'd been at war for so long, and we had studied to be Mystics for years before that. We even lost members of our team," Taliesin turned away and continued walking. "We had hoped that the Gate would stay sealed forever, and for 18 years, it did. It's been almost two decades since we've been in battle - we're older now. We don't have the ability to charge into battle anymore," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry," Nick apologised, hearing the weariness in his voice.

"Nothing you need to apologise for. Quite the opposite," Taliesin chuckled. "You've taken on a role that you could have walked away from, yet you've embraced it and shown potential that far surpasses anything that we were capable of," he said, and Nick blushed again.

"Right," he said quietly. Taliesin slowed to walk beside him, and patted his shoulder.

"You'll do great. Udonna wouldn't have made her decision lightly, and Titania and Carvallain wouldn't accept just anyone to join them," he added. Nick instantly scoffed.

"Feels like Carvallain hasn't really accepted anything," he muttered, and the Satyr gave a bleating laugh that startled Nick.

"Yeah, that boy is rather high-strung. Just like his father," Taliesin chuckled. "In my time teaching him the ways of Moon magic, he never quite accepted the idea of relying on a team. Give him time, and you'll see the truth of him," he assured. Before Nick could say anything in response, Taliesin's eyes lit up. "Ah, I believe we've found where this creature came up for the attack," Taliesin broke the silence and moved quickly. Nick followed and his eyes grew wide as he saw the massive hole in the ground.

"What the…" he murmured, reaching out to touch the disturbed ground. It had burst outwards, as if something had exploded from under the ground. Taliesin hopped around, studying it as he muttered to himself.

Whatever he was saying was too quiet for Nick to hear, but before he could ask, he heard movement in the bushes behind them. Taliesin stopped as well, falling quiet as he turned and looked around. "Hello?" Nick called, slowly approaching the bushes. "Anybody there?" he asked as he reached out to part the leaves.

"Aha!" a short figure leapt up, arms up, and Nick screamed in alarm, both at the surprise, and the creature's appearance. He screamed too, and both stumbled several feet away from one another.

"Stand back!" Nick shouted, and the creature yelped but did so, his hands raised in defence.

"I should have known," Taliesin's tired sigh briefly earned Nick's gaze before he turned back to glare suspiciously at the creature.

"You're not from around here, are ya?" the creature started to move when Nick glanced away, and Nick kept his distance, circling him.

"No…not really," he admitted.

"Didn't think so. I've seen mump-toads with prettier faces!" the creature exclaimed, and Nick scowled at his mockery.

"Phineas," Taliesin called his name, earning the creature's attention.

"Oh, it's Taliesin! Didn't see you there," the creature smiled widely and revealed several rows of sharp teeth. Nick recoiled in horror.

"What are you doing here?" the Satyr asked sternly.

"You know this…guy?" Nick asked him, keeping his voice low as the creature started to mutter to himself.

"I've seen him around. Bit odd, but harmless," Taliesin answered in just as quiet a voice. "Phineas, stop talking to yourself and answer me-" he cut himself off abruptly as a low rumble vibrated along the dirt they stood on, and the ground under Phineas' feet vanished. He dropped into the darkness with a scream, and both Nick and Taliesin leapt back with gasps.

There was a moment were nothing happened, before Phineas was launched back out with another scream. He landed with a heavy thud in the dirt, covered in blue slime. Nick walked over and helped him to his feet, making him whimper in alarm before he realised that Nick was helping him.

"You okay?" he asked as Phineas stared at him.

"You saved me…" Phineas breathed, but as he outstretched his arms to hug the reluctant young man, the rumbling started up again.

"You can thank him later. For now, we need to move!" Taliesin warned, and they looked around to see the ground bursting up where the monster from before burrowed just underground and hurtled towards them.

"I'll take care of it!" Nick shouted, turning and starting to run. "You two get to safety!" he called over his shoulder as the monster started to follow.

"Be careful! Hydra Worms are particularly nasty creatures!" he heard Taliesin shout as he led the monster away and grabbed his Mystic Morpher.

"No kidding," he muttered, and opened a link with the rest of the Rangers. "Guys, I think I found what I was looking for!" Nick yelled as he kept running.

When Nick called them, sounding as if he was running as he spoke, Titania turned to the crystal ball and pointed her wand at it. Instantly it lit up, showing the ground breaking in a line chasing Nick.

"What is he running from?" Xander stared, eyes wide.

"Taliesin called it a Hydra Worm!" Nick shouted.

"That's problematic," Titania breathed as she recognised the name. "The Hydra Worm is a massive monster, legends say it's so huge and so ancient that it was the one who carved out the pit of the Underworld itself," she warned them.

"Nick needs our help," Vida said despite the weight of Titania's explanation.

"Then let's get out there," Carvallain said.

When Nick was sure that he was a safe distance away from Taliesin and the strange creature they'd found in the forest, he finally allowed himself to stop running. His lungs were burning, but he didn't stop as he Morphed and tried to fight the massive creature.

The Hydra Worm was powerful, and Nick's Magi Sword did nothing to cut through its thick body. As he was knocked to the ground, his Staff thrown aside, Nick stared up at the Worm as it screeched and lunged for him again.

"No!" he yelled, raising his hands, only for Xander to leap in the way. With a powerful swing of his Magi Axe, he managed to damage the Hydra Worm enough to make it rear back and burrow back underground. Nick breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks man, I owe you one," he said, taking Xander's hand to get back to his feet.

"That was awesome!" Titania cheered as the others caught up to them. The ground shuddered again, reminding them that the Hydra Worm was still there, before it burst up again. They cried out as eight heads emerged, and it loomed over them.

"He looks mad," Nick gulped.

"How can you tell?" Chip wondered, glancing at him. Xander, meanwhile, had lifted his Mystic Morpher as he felt it grow warm by his side.

"I got a new Spell Code!" he realised as they peered curiously. The keys sparkled, showing him how to use it.

"Nice one!" the others cheered, taking out their own Morphers.

"Udonna said the Titans have more power," Vida grinned.

"Let's just see what they can do!" Nick called. Casting their spell, they called on their Titan forms to grow much taller to face the Hydra Worm.

"Mystic Titans, Dragon formation!" Nick turned as the rest began to glow, and their Titan forms combined to form a massive dragon.

"How cool is that?!" Nick laughed as he stared up at them. "Hang on everybody, I'm ready to ride!" he yelled as he leapt up to land on their back. They took to the skies, and Nick held on tight as they dodged the Hydra's multiple heads.

With the agility of the dragon, it didn't take long for them to gain the upper hand, destroying it with a burst of fire. "Alright! That was a snap!" Nick yelled.

"Oh, so these are stickleberries," Nick mused as he dug out the berries from under the jagged leaves of a bush and compared them to the sketches in the book he'd been given. They were a rich blue in colour, almost looking like blueberries, and he couldn't resist sticking on in his mouth.

The taste couldn't have been any different to blueberries. A sour, sickly feeling filled his mouth, and instantly he gagged and spat it out, coughing as his stomach churned. A laugh caught his attention, and he turned to see Taliesin walking towards him. It was still a strange sight to see the Satyr, but Nick's mind was more preoccupied with the disgusting taste in his mouth.

"You make it rather easy to tell that you're not from this world," Taliesin teased, and went to the pouch by his hip. "Children tend to learn early that the only time Stickleberries are used, are in potions," he fished out something wrapped in a leaf, and handed it to Nick. Curious, he opened it to find smaller berries that were a vibrant purple in colour. "They're not poisonous, trust me. They'll help with the taste," he said. Trusting him, Nick instantly shoved all of them into his mouth and bit down.

Taliesin hadn't been lying. These berries were far sweeter - almost on the verge of being too sweet - and instantly rid him of the taste of the stickleberries. Nick sighed in relief.

"Thanks," he said, and the Satyr nodded.

"What brings you back out here? Looking for more Worms?" Taliesin asked him.

"Not this time," Nick couldn't help but laugh. "Just collecting some supplies for Udonna since Claire was interrupted this morning. She's still a bit freaked out, so I said I'd handle it," he said.

"Very good of you," Taliesin said, watching as Nick walked back over to the stickleberry bush to pick more. "I had hoped to run into you, I have someone here who-" as Nick parted the bushes to collect more berries, the same creature from before burst out. Nick gave a shout of alarm, but to his credit he didn't launch himself backwards this time. Taliesin sighed as Phineas stood up and waved.

"You gotta stop doing that," Nick pleaded with him.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," he didn't respond to Nick's complaint, but emerged from the bushes. "I wanted to thank you, for saving me," he held out his arms to hug Nick, but Nick raised a hand to keep him back.

"To tell you the truth, I don't think I saved you, so much as that monster spit you out," Nick admitted, and saw his face fall.

"Rat feathers…even that hideous beast rejected me…" he sighed. "I don't belong anywhere…not even in a worm's stomach!" he sniffed as he started to get emotional.

"In this case, I would consider rejection a good thing," Taliesin told him as Nick pulled some stickleberries off the bush and dropped them into the basket.

"I guess…" he sniffed, and held out his hand to Nick. "I'm Phineas," he introduced himself, and Nick took his hand. Phineas clasped it in both of his as he sniffed again.

"Phineas is a Troblin," Taliesin said, and Nick's eyebrows furrowed.

"A what?" he asked. Again, he knew bits and pieces thanks to TV and movies, but he'd never heard of a Troblin before.

"It's the unfortunate result of the union between a Troll and a Goblin," Phineas explained brightly, but his grin then fell again. "Both sides hate me," he muttered. Nick frowned at his words.

"Unfortunately there is a lot of discrimination around these woods, and a lot of it is aimed at hybrids," Taliesin said, and his expression made it clear that he hated it. Nick's frown grew, suddenly feeling the same. He didn't know much about Phineas, but he could tell that, like he'd been told, Phineas was harmless. He didn't deserve to be shunned.

"So I wander the forest on my own," Phineas continued, not seeming to hear them.

"Well, part of the reason I'm out here is because you helped a friend of mine, and I wanted to thank you," Nick said. Phineas gave a bashful smile, not having expected gratitude. He'd never experienced it before.

"I must warn you, young warrior. This forest is full of danger," Phineas warned, suddenly ominous. Nick gave a laugh.

"Tell me something I don't know," he chuckled. "My friends are up against Necrolai and Koragg. It can't get worse than that," he said, but frowned when he saw Taliesin's expression.

"Yes…yes it can," Phineas spoke with a tremor in his voice. "You still haven't faced…him," he warned.

"Him? Who's 'him'?" he asked.

"Phineas," Taliesin's voice was warning, his arms folded. Phineas hesitated for a moment, before he answered.

"The supreme Master of the Underworld," Phineas answered. Nick frowned, and saw the dark expression on Taliesin's face as he looked away. In that moment, he understood that whoever this Master was, he was the one to really fear.

Chapter 4: Rock Solid

Chapter Text

Rock Porium was a fascinating place for someone like Titania to hang out. As someone who wasn't from their world, she was always learning about her new friends and teammates.

Unlike Carvallain, who rarely graced them with his presence outside of the Magical Realm, Titania would frequently hang out with the team, and had already become a good friend to them. Even Toby hadn't minded much about her being there - the moment he found out that she didn't know much about music, he had been more than happy to impart his wisdom.

At this moment, Titania was sitting with her legs pulled in close as she read one of the many graphic novels sold in the shop, while she listened to Vida playing music. The Pink Ranger was dancing behind the DJ deck that she constantly used, while Maddie filmed her on her camera.

"What's got your attention this week, Titania?" Maddie got her attention, and Titania looked up to see the camera pointed at her. That had been something she'd struggled to get used to at first - Maddie was usually filming in her spare time, or when the shop was quiet, and she was more than happy to include Titania in that.

"Uh…this one's called Horimiya! Chip said it was good," she said, holding up the manga in her hand.

"I did recommend some other stuff, but she's really into the slice of life stuff," Chip grinned as he walked by, trying to do some work for once. Titania shrugged.

"I like seeing what you humans consider 'normal life' in your literature," she answered simply, and Maddie couldn't help but laugh.

"Trust Chip to get you hooked on the nerdy stuff," Xander teased, sitting on one of the other chairs with a paper in hand. Titania stuck her tongue out at him in response.

"And what are you reading?" Maddie asked as she turned her camera on him.

"There's been another attack," Xander held up the paper for Maddie to see the headline. "Man turned to stone," he read, and Titania moved to perch on the arm of the chair to read it.

"Even I know that's not normal for this world," she said, keeping her voice down. LeeLee, the pretty blonde who frequented the shop trying to get Nick to go out with her, was browsing the CDs nearby.

"Any ideas on something from your world?" Xander asked as he glanced up. Titania hummed.

"There's a few creatures with the ability to turn people to stone. Gorgons, Basilisks, Beholders…co*ckatrice-"

"Aren't those big chickens?" Xander interrupted, which made Titania start laughing.

"Not quite," she giggled. "Any number of them could have agreed to work Koragg and Necrolai. They all reside in the darker parts of the Magical Realm, and none of them are very nice," Titania added, remembering the reason they had asked in the first place. "And as payment for answering your question, I'm taking this," before Xander had realised it, she'd snatched the paper from him and darted off with a devious giggle.

"Hey! I was still reading that!" he complained, but she was already back in her own seat and reading it. Maddie was laughing, delighted that she'd caught the whole thing on her camera.

"You should know by now that you can't just ask Titania a question," Chip shook his head, and Xander turned an irritated look on him. They all knew that asking a simple question wasn't enough to be considered a 'deal', but Titania always enjoyed teasing them about it if they had something she wanted.

"Aren't we meant to be marking them down?" he asked, and Chip turned to him with an expectant look.

"Yeah, we are," he stressed as the camera was turned on him. "I suppose you're supervising, right?" Chip guessed, and Xander's grin returned.

"He catches on fast!" he exclaimed as Maddie turned back to him to get his response. She shook her head, before hearing Chip fall back into his own world again.

"Every price shall fall under my mighty hands!" he declared as he put stickers onto the records, deciding to have some fun with the boring task. "For I, am Count Discount!" Chip whirled around to point the labeller at the camera. Maddie laughed as Chip swung it around. "Defender of the Bargain Bin, hero to slacker and collector alike!" he made shooting noises as he lost focus on the actual task.

"That does it," Xander sighed and got to his feet. "Come here mate," he took the machine from Chip and started covering him in labels. Confused about what was happening, Chip just let it happen, and Xander smirked. "One last touch," he ran it over Chip's forehead, leaving one last discount sticker there before flipping up his collar. "Now you're really Count Discount!" he declared.

"So does this mean that Chip is on sale as well?" Titania wondered, distracted from the paper as she watched their antics. Maddie wandered off to film Toby, who was snapping at a customer, and Chip looked down at the discount stickers all over his shirt.

"Technically as an employee of Rock Porium, he is property, and therefore can be sold as such," Xander nodded seriously.

"Hey, I'm not property!" Chip protested as Titania started to giggle again.

"You're right mate, nobody would buy you," Xander told him seriously, and Chip frowned at him when he patted him on the shoulder. "I like to think of it more that he's advertising the sale, rather than being on sale himself," he then said to Titania, who nodded slowly as she tried to understand what he meant. "And since I answered your question…" Xander grabbed the paper back, and Titania let out a wail.

"Hey! That wasn't a serious question!" she protested, lunging for the paper. She collided with Xander's chest, and the two tumbled to the ground. Chip shook his head and took the paper himself to see what the paper had reported on people being turned to stone.

"Throwing yourself at me, huh?" Xander teased as he pushed himself up and found Titania on his lap. When her eyes went wide, he reached up, and tugged her hat down to cover her ear again, not missing the blush that crossed her face.

"You're full of yourself, even for a human," Titania retorted as she got up quickly and went back to her chair to continue reading the book she had abandoned. Xander laughed quietly to himself as he stood and brushed himself off, not taking his eyes off the flustered Fae as he moved and sat down again.

Walking into Rootcore, Carvallain tried not to grunt at the heavy weight in his arms. The crate was large, and while his slight frame was deceptive, even he was starting to grow weary of carrying it.

"Carvallain?" Udonna almost walked into him as she emerged from one of the side rooms. "I didn't expect to see you here. There are no lessons, I hoped you might be spending time with your team," she admitted, almost a little disappointed that he wasn't.

"I was helping out with the Woodland Village," he said, and shifted the box in his arms. "Penelope sent these over. Minor healing potions," Carvallain added, and Udonna looked down at the crate.

"Ah, those will come in most useful for you all," Udonna nodded. "I recall many a battle where everyone came home covered in bruises," she reminisced with a faint smile. Carvallain didn't reply, and she realised her words. After all, not all of them came home. "You can set them there. I'll have Claire put them away," she said, gesturing to the table as she changed the subject. "Claire?" Udonna called when she didn't see her apprentice. "Claire, where are you?" she called again, expecting the young woman to be there.

"I'm down here!" Claire's voice was strangely muffled, as if she was submerged, and bubbles popped as she spoke. Both Udonna and Carvallain frowned, and there was a heavy thud as he set the crate down and shook out his arms. They looked around, before Udonna spotted the fish bowl by the cauldron, with a goldfish swimming around a castle. "I think I made a mistake…again…" Claire admitted.

"Good heavens, child," Udonna laughed, and raised her wand. There was a flash of white, and Claire was returned to normal. She was soaking wet, and her hair stuck to her face. She then spat out water that was in her mouth, and it landed in the cauldron.

"Sorry…" she mumbled, embarrassed at messing up again.

"Mix up the words again?" Carvallain guessed, and she nodded. "Take a breath before you cast the spell. Your magic responds to your emotions, and getting excited or flustered makes your magic do the same," he said, and Claire smiled.

"Thanks, Carvallain. I'll try that," she said, appreciating his advice. He shrugged, and as he made to walk away, there was a loud chime like a bell that echoed through Rootcore.

"There's trouble," Udonna warned as they saw the darkness show in the crystal ball.

Most of the Rangers in Rock Porium were working, as even Xander was dragged into helping out as more customers came in. Titania watched from her spot on the sofa as she studied the groups of people came in. Most were around their age, and the first word that came to Titania's mind as she watched them was 'carefree'.

"You're still here?" the slightly nasally voice caught Titania's attention, and she looked up at LeeLee.

"Same could be said for you," Titania smiled back at her. She didn't really like the blonde - she could tell when someone was looking down at her, and this was definitely someone who did that. LeeLee barely acknowledged her, Maddie or Vida as she flirted incessantly at Nick while enjoying both Xander and Chip's attempts to talk to her.

"For your information, I left and came back," LeeLee defended as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. Titania's senses were assaulted with the overly strong smell of her perfume, and it took all her willpower not to grimace at the smell. "You seem to live here," she accused.

"Just spending some time with my friends," Titania answered, making a show of going back to her book.

"They're working?" LeeLee stressed, as if she didn't think Titania knew this. The Fae arched an eyebrow. "Maybe you should come back when they're done. Makes you look less desperate," she sneered. When Titania didn't respond, the young woman frowned. "What's wrong? Hit a nerve?" she taunted.

"Not at all," Titania answered. "I just find this book to be more interesting that whatever nonsense you're spouting in some sad attempt to make me feel bad," she said, and LeeLee flushed as she spluttered.

"I was just trying to give you some advice," she growled, and Titania sniffed.

"Your so-called advice is unwanted, so forgive me but I will decline your offer," she said, making a deliberate showing of turning the page. With a loud huff, LeeLee turned on her heel and stalked off.

"Whoa, what happened to her?" Titania looked up as Xander leaned over the back of the sofa.

"She claimed to be offering advice. I turned her down," she answered, but as she looked down at her book again, her eyebrows furrowed. "You said that it's okay for me to be here. That's still true?" Titania asked, hesitant. She didn't like the idea of LeeLee getting to her, but she also valued her new friends and didn't want to be in their way.

"Of course it is," Xander frowned. He didn't understand why she was asking, but considering what Chip had told them about Faes and lies, he answered her regardless. "I think Toby would be more distraught if you stopped hanging out. He's loving having someone to teach about the 'classics'," he said, and Titania couldn't help but laugh.

"I would hate to disappoint him," she admitted, and hummed to herself. "That reminds me, I need to repay him for teaching me all about 80s rock," Titania said, more to herself than Xander.

"Try not to go overboard with your Fae stuff," Xander warned, patting her head. Before she could reply, their Morphers chimed. They looked around quickly and moved to stand with Nick and Chip, while Vida jumped down from the stage. "Xander here, what's up?" the Green Ranger answered as they looked around to make sure nobody was listening.

"I'm sensing Dark Magic energy just outside the forest," Udonna warned. "Carvallain is on his way and will meet you there," she told them before they could ask.

"It could be the thing that's turning people into statues," Chip considered as he looked at the others. "We gotta stop it," he said.

"Wait, where's Maddie?" Vida whispered, not seeing her sister anywhere in the shop.

"She got all mad about something and left," Nick shrugged. His words made Vida frown. That didn't sound like her sister at all.

"She should have heard Udonna contacting us. If we get into trouble, we can call her again," Titania said as she saw Vida's expression. "Right now we need to focus on whatever this dark magic is," she said, and the Pink Ranger nodded reluctantly.

"Lunchbreak, Tobs, back in a bit!" Xander called as they hurried out of the shop, and none of them heard their starving boss' distressed cries.

Flying over the forest, all but Titania were on their Mystic Racers as the Black Ranger used her wings to keep up with them.

"So, what happened back at the shop, Nick?" Titania asked curiously as she angled to fly alongside the Red Ranger. "Maddie looked pretty mad even before LeeLee said anything to her," she said, and Nick frowned. Of course she had to have seen the two talking.

"What did you say to her?" Xander asked as they all flew to catch up.

"Yeah, what did you say?" Chip asked once they were all lined up. Nick rolled his eyes, growing defensive at suddenly being bombarded about the Blue Ranger.

"I didn't say anything!" he shouted, rolling his eyes. "Can we just focus on what we're doing here?" Nick demanded, looking straight ahead. Carvallain watched him, hearing the subtle inflections in Nick's voice that made it clear that he wasn't telling the truth. Before he could decide if he wanted to say anything, Nick growled and pushed his Racer faster.

"Weird," Titania tilted her head, wondering just what was on Nick's mind. She couldn't question it, as they reached the area that Udonna had warned them about and returned to the ground. As soon as they did and looked around, all of them stopped in horror, forgetting all about interrogating Nick.

"We're too late," Chip hissed as they stared at the group of magical creatures that were gathered by the river.

"This is awful…" Titania moved to fly down to the petrified creatures. "Half-elves by the looks of them. They must have been ambushed when travelling," she realised, and Carvallain spat out a curse. He wanted nothing more than to find the creature responsible and destroy them then and there. His anger was so strong that he almost missed the quiet movements above them, causing his eyes to widen. Quickly the Silver Ranger whirled around, grabbing his Magi Staff.

"How do you like my rock garden?" Necrolai's taunt made the rest of the Rangers realise that they weren't alone, and they whirled around with gasps. "Soon, everyone will be like this, both in the human and magical worlds!" she told them, smirking and flashing her sharp fangs.

"Never!" Nick vowed angrily, but as he took a step towards her, Carvallain grabbed his arm.

"We've got others to contend with," he warned as Nick went to question why he'd stopped him. Carvallain pointed off to the side, and they quickly turned to see a reptilian monster with sharp pincers and a bird-like head.

"Magi Staff Striker!" Nick changed his Staff into a sword and charged at Clawbster with a yell. However, the monster's scaly body was strong, and Nick's sword glanced off. In a beat, he'd grabbed the Red Ranger and thrown him back towards his friends.

"Come on!" Chip shouted as they pulled Nick back to his feet, but he blasted them with rapid shots of burning red energy that had all of them on the ground.

"That did the trick," Clawbster taunted as he approached, holding his pincers out.

"Now there's no-one to stand in our way," Necrolai taunted, and with a cackle, she summoned a spell seal under their feet.

"No!" Nick yelled as he used his sword to push himself up. Still on the ground, Titania raised a hand, shimmering with rainbow light as the two vanished. "They got away!" Nick shouted, frustrated as he managed to get up.

"No, they didn't," Titania said as she stood too, ignoring the dull ache in her shoulder. "I was able to see where they were going," she said, her eyes closed as the rest got up.

"Quick thinking," Carvallain nodded.

"Where'd they go?" Vida asked impatiently as they called their Mystic Racers back to them.

"Give me a second. I only had a moment to slip my magic in…" Titania took a breath, squeezing her eyes tighter as she tried to pinpoint their location. "Got them!" she opened her eyes and turned to the team. "They're headed to the human world, to Briarwood," she warned.

"Then let's go!" Nick yelled, already on his Racer and back in the sky. The others followed, hoping that they weren't too late.

By the time they reached the area where Necrolai and her monster companion had gone to, they could hear screaming. People who had been enjoying a walk through the park on their lunch tried to flee, with many of them being turned to stone by Clawbster's petrification blast.

"There!" Vida felt horror seep in once more as she saw a familiar face amongst the statues. "No!" she yelled as she leapt off her Racer and sprinted towards Maddie, who was frozen in a fighting stance.

"Maddie?" a young man stood beside her, staring at her statue as he tried to process what was happening.

"Get to safety," he turned quickly as Carvallain spoke. He swallowed, looking at Maddie once more before running off. As he escaped, the other Rangers reached Maddie's statue.

"Hard luck," Necrolai taunted as Vida stared at her sister. "Even your little Faerie magic wasn't enough to get you here fast enough to save your friend," she mocked, and Titania glared at her furiously.

"You witch! You're gonna pay for this!" Vida promised, grabbing her Magi Staff. "Magi Staff, Wind Power!" a massive pair of pink butterfly wings appeared behind her. They began to flap, creating wings strong enough to throw both Necrolai and her monster down the path. "Want more?" Vida goaded, ready to take out her rage on the two.

"Foolish girl," Necrolai growled as she got back to her feet. She was unharmed - just embarrassed. "Don't you see? You can never stop us, especially now that you're down a Ranger," she taunted, and once again the two vanished.

"We've got to get her back to Rootcore!" Vida didn't dwell on them escaping, and instead focused on her sister.

"I can handle that," Carvallain said, and snapped his fingers. A spell seal appeared below them, and in a flash of silver, they vanished from the park.

As soon as they had arrived in Rootcore, Udonna had gotten to work trying different manners of spells to free Maddie from her petrification. Penelope and Taliesin had even come back to Rootcore to offer their help.

"You told me that the co*ckatrice wasn't a big chicken," Xander accused Titania as all the Rangers but Vida stayed back out of the way. "That thing looked pretty chicken to me" he said as she tore her gaze from Maddie to look at the Green Ranger.

"I said 'not quite'. It has the head of a rooster, but the body is a Wyvern," Titania answered. "Therefore, I answered your question accurately," she said simply.

"I wouldn't argue semantics with a Fae," Carvallain cut across as Xander tried to argue what she had said. "You'll never win," he warned, arms crossed as he watched Udonna fail another spell.

"This creature's magic is very strong," she admitted, winded from using so much magic to try and free Maddie.

"Titania," Vida whirled around so quickly that it made the Black Ranger jump. "Free my sister, please. I'll do anything," she pleaded, and Titania's eyes grew large at the request. "Whatever deal you want, it's done," Vida promised. Carvallain winced, biting his tongue.

"I…" Titania started, and trailed off as she looked at Maddie. "I can't," she shook her head, turning back to Vida with a guilty look. "I'm not strong enough," she admitted, having reached out to see if she was capable of breaking the spell herself, but the dark magic behind it made her wince.

"I thought Fae could do anything if the price was right," Vida said, and quickly realised that was the wrong thing to say as Titania flinched as if she'd been hit. Penelope put a gentle hand on Vida's shoulder.

"That's not how it works. Fae have their limits too; they're not all encompassing, and Titania is still very young for a Fae," she explained. "Even if we were to encourage a deal - which we're not - Titania lacks a Fae teacher and so is still learning," Penelope told her, and Vida remembered what Titania had told them the day they'd met - that she'd never actually met another Fae before.

"I'm sorry," Titania's words were quiet as she dropped her gaze to the floor. She wanted to help Maddie, regardless of making a deal, she just lacked the power to do so.

"Me too," Vida reached out, able to push aside the anger for just long enough to squeeze Titania's hand in reassurance that she didn't blame her. The guilt in Titania's face didn't lessen, but she squeezed Vida's hand back.

"I've come up with a few potions, but all of them only work on low grade petrification," Penelope shook her head as the last of her potions failed to sink through the stone.

"co*ckatrice have powerful petrification magic," Taliesin said as he walked around Maddie. His hooves were loud against the stone ground, echoing as nobody spoke. "And this one in particular is very strong," he said as he ran his finger along Maddie's stone arm.

"There has to be something we can do," Carvallain frowned as Vida looked close to exploding.

"There is always something that can be done, my young student," Taliesin nodded, and Carvallain struggled not to huff in response. The Satyr was the most eccentric of the former Mystics; it was typical that Carvallain was his successor. "In this case, you will need to destroy the monster responsible. Only then will the spell be broken," he determined.

"Oh, I'll destroy him alright," Vida snarled, tearing her gaze off Maddie. "With my bare hands," she turned away. Xander was the first to see the look on her face, and quickly moved to block her path.

"Slow down, V!" he pleaded with her as she glared at him. "Cool it V, please," he held his hands up and quickly pulled back just in case she tried to hit him to get him to move.

"Move it, Xander!" she yelled, her expression warning him that her punch was incoming unless he was able to say something to calm her down.

"If you rush in without a plan, you'll end up just like her," he said, pointing to Vida. She glanced over at her sister, and some of her reckless anger faded as she thought about what Maddie might say.

"Xander's right," Nick's word pulled Vida from those thoughts. "That's how Maddie got into trouble in the first place," all of them stared at Nick as he approached Vida. "She shouldn't have been out there alone," he pointed out. Confusion mixed in with Vida's anger, and she stared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"She probably got in over her head, V," Nick's shrug made Chip wince.

"Oh boy…he shouldn't say stuff like that about Maddie," the Yellow Ranger muttered, knowing just how fiercely protective over Maddie that Vida could be.

"I doubt that's true," Carvallain said as he approached as well. "Of you all, Maddie seems like the least reckless. I doubt she would try to take on the monster by herself unless absolutely necessary," he said, and the others nodded as they agreed. Vida was surprised that he was the one to say it, but her surprise was quickly smothered by the anger brewing towards Nick.

"Unless this is something to do with what you two were talking about earlier?" Titania co*cked her head, addressing Nick. He turned a glare on her.

"All I'm saying is that Maddie should have run. She shouldn't have tried to prove anything," Nick shrugged. Vida scoffed.

"You don't know my sister," she told him as she stalked towards him. "She may be shy on the outside, but inside, she's got the heart of a warrior!" Vida declared, her belief in her sister strong. Nick shrugged, looking dubious.

"Right," his response made it obvious that he didn't believe her. "That's why she's always hiding behind that camera," his dismissive words made that protective streak in Vida flair, but instead of hitting him, she stepped back with a shake of her head.

"You are so clueless," Vida growled. She went to Titania, whispering to her, and the Fae looked at her surprised, before holding out her hand. In a flash of rainbow light, Maddie's video camera appeared, and Titania handed it over to Vida. "Here's why she's always behind her camera," everyone else was silent as they watched the interaction, and Vida cast a spell that projected the camera's footage up in front of everyone.

The footage that came up focused on Vida smiling and dancing behind the DJ booth. It was obvious she was having fun as she played.

"Introducing DJ Vida," Maddie's voice-over started as she introduced her sister. "The best sister ever," her pride for her sister was obvious as the video showed different clips of Vida DJing. She was talented; it was obvious, and from the occasional shot that drifted away from Vida, they saw that her audience enjoyed too.

It then transitioned to Xander, who flashed the camera a smile. "Can't forget Xander! Not only a great friend, but he's sick on his board!" Maddie exclaimed as she showed him on his skateboard, performing tricks that had the others stunned.

'This is the same guy?' Carvallain wondered, glancing over at Xander, who had a small, proud smile on his face as he watched. The stunts he saw on screen were impressive, and didn't seem anything like what the laid-back young man was capable of.

"Chip Thorn, known him since grammar school," Maddie's narration continued as the footage changed to focus on Chip. It showed off his talents at archery, where he performed dramatically for the camera all while hitting his target perfectly. "There's nobody in this world quite like Chip," Maddie laughed, and they all couldn't help but smile as Chip blushed.

When the video suddenly changed, Carvallain straightened and his arms fell to his sides as he saw himself on screen. He was meticulously cleaning the sword that was often by his smile, and there was a soft smile on his face as he did. "Our little group has grown lately, and I'm looking forward to getting to know each one of them," Maddie spoke up with a smile in her voice. "Carvallain seems dark and brooding, but there's a kindness to him, even if he'd rather we didn't see it," the Elf went red at Maddie's comments, watching as the footage showed him ducking away from the camera with an embarrassed smile on his face.

Next up was Titania, who was sitting upside down on a seat reading a book intently. Penelope, who was watching silently with Udonna and Taliesin, shook her head with a faint smile, not even remotely surprised by the Fae's behaviour. "There's a lot to learn about Titania, but I already feel that she's like a little sister - one who's just as chaotic as my other sister," it cut to Titania and Vida laughing at Chip.

Titania was silent as she watched, surprised that she too had been included. There was something so personal about the video, and she couldn't help but feel touched that Maddie had included her, let alone refer to her as a little sister.

Nick was silent as he watched, realisation sinking in the more he watched of Maddie's work. "Then there's Nick, the new guy in town," his eyes widened as Maddie turned the focus to him and his bike. "We don't know too much about him yet, but I can feel it. He's something special," Maddie's voice took on a softer, more pensive tone as she talked about their Red Ranger.

Aware of the eyes on him, Nick refused to look away from the video as the clips alternated between them all, and Maddie's narration continued. "So those are my friends; old and new. I know I can count on them for anything," she finished, and the video ended. The projection vanished, and the camera stopped playing.

For a moment, there was a quiet over Rootcore. Vida of course, knew all about Maddie's work, and Chip and Xander had both known Maddie for long enough to know the extent of her film-making. Titania shuffled on the spot, not wanting to be the one to break the quiet that had fallen, while Carvallain had crossed his arms again as Maddie's words about him repeated in his mind.

"Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves, Nick," Udonna was the one to break the quiet. Nick turned away, a hand to his face as he regretted both his assumptions about Maddie, and the harsh things he'd said to her. "Maybe Madison does it through her films?" Udonna suggested. Nick let out a heavy sigh.

"You're right. I was clueless," he agreed, turning to Vida. She looked satisfied that he now understood the truth behind her sister. He opened his mouth to continue, before stopping himself and walking back down the steps to where Maddie's statue stood. "I shouldn't have gone shooting my mouth off," he muttered, and looked at Maddie. "I'm gonna get you out of this, Maddie. I promise," Nick vowed, determined to right his wrongs.

A loud chime echoed through Rootcore and made everyone jump, before they heard the sound of pages turning at a rapid rate. Instantly they all turned to the Xenotome as it revealed a new spell to them.

"Apparently, you now have a clue," Udonna smiled, and Nick's eyes widened.

"A new Spell Code!" Nick flipped open his Morpher, and saw the keys light up. Titania shuddered suddenly.

"Just in time, apparently," she said, earning their attention. "That monster is back; he's used another Spell Seal to travel from the Underworld," Titania warned, able to feel the monster surfacing using the small spell she'd placed on him.

"He's returned to the human world, no doubt to collect more statues," Penelope was the one to point out the crystal ball on the table nearby. It had lit up, showing Clawbster petrifying more people around town.

"You guys ready to do this for Maddie?" Nick asked, making Vida grin.

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, running down to stand with Nick. "Let's rock!" the Pink Ranger cheered.

"Interesting choice of words," Taliesin mused from the sidelines. Vida winced, realising what she'd said as the other Rangers stood with her.

"Sorry, sis," Vida apologised to Maddie as Penelope shot the Satyr standing with her an exasperated look.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they Morphed in a flash of magic, and all but Titania turned to grab their broomsticks. She threw out her hands, and her wings unfurled behind her. She then vanished, using her magic to teleport to the top of the tree while the others travelled up the usual way.

Titania spun through the air, and the moment the other Rangers shot from the tree, she followed them and kept pace as they hurried to stop Clawbster.

"Come on Rangers!" Nick cheered on his team, keeping the new Spell Code in his mind.

As they left, Penelope turned to Udonna with a smile on her face.

"It would appear that our services are not required, so I will return to the village and continue my work there," she said. Taliesin bowed to them, and headed out.

"Oh, Penelope!" Udonna called her fellow red-head back. "Thank you for the healing potions. I'm sure they will come in most useful for the team," she said. Penelope's eyebrows rose.

"It was Carvallain's idea to have a steady stock here," she pointed out, taking the sorceress by surprise. Penelope then sighed, shaking her head. "I should have known he'd omit that part. I should have left a note. Either way, I'm happy to keep a stock flowing here. Heavens know these potions came in handy back in the day," with that, Penelope took her leave, and Udonna gave a quiet sigh.

"Oh, Carvallain. What am I to do with kindness hidden behind such stubborn anonymity?" she wondered aloud, worried for the new Silver Ranger.

The Rangers were so focused on getting back to Briarwood to defeat Clawbster and save Maddie, that they almost missed the danger waiting to ambush them on their way to the fight.

"Where do you think you're going, Rangers?" Koragg's voice boomed from below, reaching them as they flew overhead. It was the only warning they got before Hidiacs fired weapons charged with dark magic, trying to shoot them down.

"Watch out!" Nick yelled, and the group scattered in the air to dodge the attacks.

"Clearly they do not intend for us to reach our destination," Carvallain frowned as he veered sharply to dodge the attacks aimed for him. He reached for his Magi Staff, ready for a fight.

"You go ahead and stop that monster," Nick told his team as they managed to regroup. "I'll hold off Koragg and his goons," he volunteered.

"Be careful," Xander warned as they nodded.

"I'll catch up!" Nick shouted over his shoulder as he tipped his Mystic Racer into a dive, headed straight for Koragg and the Hidiacs while the others pressed forwards.

It didn't take too long for the remaining five Rangers to reach Briarwood, and they followed Titania straight to the monster who was still chasing innocent civilians down to petrify them too.

"Found him!" Titania dropped down and rammed Clawbster as he fired his petrification beam once more. It went wide, hitting a building instead of the people running away from him.

"Little brat!" he snarled as she backed away. Titania's wings vanished as she moved, and as Clawbster turned to attack her instead, Xander landed a kick from behind that shoved him away.

"Back off!" Xander warned as Vida, Chip and Carvallain stood beside them.

"Magi Staff, Crossbow Mode!" Chip used his weapon to assault the monster with bolts of magical lightning. However, before they could hit, Necrolai intercepted and shattered them with a wave of her hand.

"No!" Vida gasped as they were left open to a counter attack. Necrolai threw a burst of dark magic that exploded when it got close, and all five Rangers were thrown to the ground. Necrolai laughed as she stood over them.

"I suppose I'm impressed that you found us so quickly. The perks of having a Fae at your disposal," she glanced at Titania. The Black Ranger didn't speak as she got to her feet, glaring at the vampire. "Though not one that's very powerful - she couldn't break Clawbster's spell on your precious friend? Or did you now want to pay the price?" Titania flinched at the cruel words, and tears stung her eyes.

"Shut your mouth," Vida snarled as she got back to her feet and stood with Titania. "We'll defeat you and your stupid monster, together," she vowed.

"Right!" Chip and Xander echoed together.

"You act like you know so much about Fae, but you haven't the slightest idea," Carvallain spoke up too. Necrolai looked sharply in his direction.

"I know far more about Fae than you could ever dream of, foolish boy," she warned him, and launched into an attack. With a shriek, she leapt up and kicked Carvallain backwards, before turning to Xander as he rushed in. Necrolai ducked under his kick, and then caught Vida's strike, tossing the Pink Ranger aside with a laugh.

"Enough!" Titania grabbed Necrolai's arm, but the vampire cackled and swung her arm hard enough to knock the Black Ranger off balance. She kicked out, knocking Titania to the ground.

"Come on!" Vida shouted as they pushed themselves up, unwilling to give up when Maddie was relying on them.

"Silly Rangers!" Necrolai taunted, crossing her arms over her chest as she began to spin. Shrieking once more, she flung out her strong wings and bombarded the five with rapid strikes that knocked them to the ground once more. "They're all yours," as she stopped spinning, Necrolai addressed Clawbster.

"I'm gonna rock this town!" the co*ckatrice-like monster declared with a laugh as he stalked towards the fallen Rangers, who were too stunned to be able to get to their feet. Hearing the low rumble of an engine, Carvallain turned his head just as Nick's voice rang out.

"Not on my watch!" he shouted, racing into view on a bright red motorbike designed in the Mystic Force motif. Clawbster's laughter abruptly changed to screams of pain as Nick fired the weapons on his bike, blasting the monster several times. "Enough's enough!" he declared as he stopped in front of his team.

"Nick! Alright!" Vida cheered, happy to see their leader safe after his fight with Koragg.

"Hey, I want a bike like that!" Chip shouted.

"It's amazing," Titania agreed as she stared at the powerful bike born from the magic that Nick had unlocked. Clawbster recovered from the surprise of the attack, and roared in anger.

"You've done enough damage for one day. Magi Staff!" Nick drew his sword and moved into a fighting stance.

"This is too easy," Clawbster scoffed, letting his power charge up. However, Nick cast one of the few spells he remembered, creating a mirror that rose from the ground in front of him. It deflected the dark magic, sending it straight back at Clawbster. The monster roared, and turned to stone.

"He did it!" Vida laughed.

"Amazing!" Chip shouted.

"That was quick thinking," Titania grinned as even Carvallain couldn't deny that he was impressed. The mirror sank back down into the dirt, and Nick stood taller.

"How do you like that?" he taunted as Necrolai gave a scream of anger. "Now to end this. Power of the Phoenix!" Nick yelled as he launched himself forwards, fire starting to surround his body as the strength of his magic allowed him to smash straight through Clawbster's petrified form.

The moment he did, the spell broke, and the petrified people of the city returned to normal, confused but otherwise unharmed.

"Koragg!" Necrolai's shout made the Rangers turn to her quickly. They had defeated Clawbster, but the fight was far from over. "Help this worthless heap," she growled. The cold of dark magic filled the air, sending a shiver down all of their spines as a dark spell seal appeared on the ground where Clawbster had stood.

"No way!" Nick gasped as Clawbster reappeared, and started to grow until he towered over the city.

"To restore a monster and enlarge it in one spell…" Carvallain hissed as they took a step back. "Koragg is a formidable foe," he allowed.

"We've got to do something!" Xander shouted as Clawbster's laughter, deep and booming, rumbled through them.

"Maddie!" Vida's gasp made them all turn as the Blue Ranger slowed to a stop beside them, having passed through a nearby tree to rejoin her team. "You're okay," Vida's relief was obvious as Maddie turned to her and smiled.

"Looks like I got here just in time," she said softly, ready to join their battle even as Clawbster loomed.

"Hey Madison," Nick started, oddly awkward as he addressed her. "I was a jerk. I'm sorry I said you were too shy," he apologised to her. Maddie's eyes flashed with surprise, before a warm smile returned to her face.

"Apology accepted. Let's just forget about it," she told him, ready to move on. A relieved smile crossed Nick's face, hidden by his helmet, before they heard a chime from Maddie's Morpher. She grabbed it, opening it to see a new Spell Code flash across the buttons. Her smile grew. "I guess we both learned something today," Maddie considered, and Nick laughed quietly.

"We sure did," he agreed.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" Maddie Morphed, and they activated their Mystic Titan forms to stand on Clawbster's level.

"You can't handle this!" he shouted, undaunted by their transformation.

"Watch us!" Nick shouted back, but before he could charge in, Maddie spoke up.

"Let's try my new Spell Code," she suggested.

"Go for it, sis!" Vida cheered her on from Xander's shoulder.

"Yeah, let's see what you've got!" Titania giggled, eager to see what they would be able to do next. Following Maddie's lead, they chanted the new spell, and their Titan forms began to glow. The next thing the Rangers knew, they were sitting in strange seats within a Megazord, moving into position.

"Whoa…this place is freaky," Xander considered as they looked around. Illuminated by their spell seal, the co*ckpit was strange, to say the least.

"You got that right," Vida agreed.

"I get it!" Maddie gasped as she looked down to see the black and white tiled floor. "The co*ckpit is like a chessboard! We control our fight with strategical moves," she realised.

"Chess?" Carvallain tilted his head. "It would appear our worlds have something in common then," he considered.

"More than that! I belong to the chess club at school!" Chip declared.

"Then this should be fun," Titania determined.

"Okay guys! Let's get serious!" Nick told them, returning to the battle at hand.

"Titan Megazord!" they chorused, waking up the Megazord that combined all of their Titan forms into one powerful being.

"That doesn't scare me," Clawbster scoffed, and threw a jet of fire at the Titan Megazord. It collided with the Megazord, causing a small explosion to kick up. "Got 'em!" Clawbster laughed.

"Not even close!" the Rangers shouted back as the smoke cleared, revealing their wings had wrapped around the massive form to shield them. Clawbster stopped laughing, and let out an angry shout. "Titan Sabre!" they called on their sword as the monster started to run at them in a desperate attack. The sword appeared by their side, and with a powerful swing they sent Clawbster sprawling backwards.

"Altogether!" Nick shouted as they let their magic rise, filling the air with warmth. They held their hand over the front of their seats, and they started to glow.

"Ancient Power, Mystic Spell Seal!" the team called out, swinging their Sabre in a full circle to create the glowing spell seal in front of the Megazord. It lit up with the power of all of their elements, and swung down hard.

Clawbster roared as it ripped through his thick armour, and he staggered in a desperate attempt to stay standing. "Checkmate!" at their shout, the monster fell backwards and exploded.

Music filled the air in Rock Porium, almost seeming to bring the place to life. Vida was standing on the raised platform behind the decks, dancing to the music she was working on. As she did, she noticed Maddie filming her once again. Her grin widened, and her dancing became more pronounced.

"Make sure you get my good side, sis!" she requested, making Maddie laugh.

"Vida's not too bad at this," Carvallain confessed, still feeling out of place as he sat stiffly on one of the sofas. He held a book in his hand, one that Chip had insisted that he would enjoy, but hadn't opened it yet. While he wore more casual clothes than his first visit to Rock Porium, he stood out even in the grey jumper and black jeans he wore.

"You can hear her music?" Xander asked, his eyes going to the headphones that Carvallain was wearing. "They look noise-cancelling," he commented. Carvallain gave a shrug that almost made him seem embarrassed.

"They are, to an extent. While they're primarily to hide my ears…" he reached up to touch the black headphones that never left his head, hiding his delicately pointed ears. "They also help to muffle the rather…extensive sounds that come from your world. I can hear everything, clear as day," Carvallain told him, and while Xander nodded, it was obvious from the look on his face that he was still getting used to it all.

Carvallain didn't entirely blame him for it. Not only were they still adjusting to the knowledge of another dimension parallel to their own, but he didn't spend much time with them outside of training. They were well used to Titania now, who was perched on the arm of Xander's chair as she asked him about skateboarding, but Elves were still something that only Chip seemed to really know about.

"Hi," the bright greeting was followed by Maddie's sharp inhalation and abrupt end to her laughter, and Carvallain was pulled out of his thoughts as he turned and looked over at her. A young man was standing between her and Vida, smiling shyly at Maddie.

"That's the guy from the park," Titania realised, having looked up as well. A blush had started to turn Maddie's cheeks pink as she lowered her camera.

"Hey…hi," she greeted, stumbling over her greeting.

"I've been looking all over town for you, Maddie. I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day," Ben admitted.

"Oh, that was nothing," Maddie's blush grew as her modesty made her unable to accept his gratitude. Ben laughed.

"Are you kidding? It was incredibly brave. In fact…" Ben continued, both of them unaware that they were being watched as they walked through the shop. "Before all that happened, I was gonna ask you out, but I guess I was too shy," Maddie's eyes widened and her blush grew at his confession.

"You were?" despite the squirming of nerves in her stomach, Maddie began to smile. "Really?" she couldn't quite believe it, even when Ben nodded. For a moment, they just looked at each other, until a customer walked by and reminded them that they weren't alone. Instantly both blushed harder.

"This looks like a cool place to work," Ben said, clearing his throat as Xander, Chip, Titania and Carvallain all quickly turned away, trying not to look like they were watching. Maddie nodded, not missing their actions. "You want to show me around?" Ben's question distracted her, and her smile returned.

"Sure!" she nodded eagerly, and the two walked off to look around and chat quietly.

"Looks like Madison's really trying to come out of her shell," Nick commented, having noticed as he worked at the front of the shop. Vida, who had been listening to the pair too, grinned.

"Yeah, but if that guy messes with my sister…" Vida started as she pulled her headphones down. "He's gonna have to deal with me," she promised. Nick laughed as he sat down on the edge of her stage, lifting a magazine.

"Don't worry, she can take care of herself," Nick said confidently. Vida looked impressed, while the others couldn't help but laugh.

Chapter 5: Whispering Voices

Chapter Text

What little of the sky that was visible through the thick foliage of the trees around Rootcore was cloudy as ever, and it left Carvallain with a faint frown on his fair features as usual. He stepped over a large root that threatened to trip him up, deep in thought as he made his way back to the temporary home that he had at Rootcore.

As the tree came into view, he angled his head just a little, and let out a quiet sigh as he was pulled from his thoughts. The unhappy look on his face grew.

"Titania, are you trying to startle me again?" Carvallain asked, stopping under the tree that the Black Ranger was currently perched in. On a protruding branch high above, Titania sat with her legs swinging freely. She grinned, looking down at him with the carefree expression that Carvallain couldn't help but envy.

"If I was trying, I'd succeed," the Fae pointed out. Carvallain couldn't argue with that - even with his sharp hearing, Titania was crafty enough to have been able to sneak up on him many times in the years they had known one another. "I was just thinking. About that Vampire, Necrolai," she said, having gone outside to get some quiet to think. With the addition of five new Rangers, Rootcore could get loud quickly.

"She's a powerful foe. As the Queen of the Vampires, I'm not too surprised," Carvallain admitted as he folded his arms and leaned against the thick tree trunk. Titania hummed her agreement.

"She also knows a lot about Faeries," Titania reminded him. Carvallain was quiet, having noticed the same from their last interaction with the Vampire who worked for the Master. "Hermes said that Vampires normally stick to their own kind, when they're not…you know…" she put a hand to her neck, and a shudder passed through the Elf.

"It could be because of the former Mystics," Carvallain said quietly, almost sympathetic in his words. "Not only does she have a lot of knowledge about your kind, but she certainly seems to hold a grudge against Fae. Either way, you'll need to be careful," he warned his teammate. Titania co*cked her head, her sharp, dark eyes on him.

"Careful. It almost sounds as if you care," Titania warned, and suddenly tipped forwards. If it had been anyone else, Carvallain might have jumped as the Black Ranger fell. However, a rainbow light shimmered around her feet, and she lightly stepped down towards the ground. When she landed on solid ground a small distance from Carvallain, she turned to him. "But we both know you don't like to show people that you do," Titania said simply. She saw the tips of Carvallain's delicately pointed ears turn red - a telltale sign that she'd gotten under his skin.

"You're being ridiculous," he said shortly, pushing off the tree trunk. He started walking towards Rootcore, and Titania rolled her eyes.

"No I'm not," she followed him, wondering just how she was going to be able to convince him that it wasn't wrong to show compassion to the people who were supposed to trust him.

The two walked in silence towards Rootcore, stepping through the massive enchanted dragon head-shaped root as it opened up when they got close. There was laughter and chatter inside, and Carvallain suppressed a huff at the sound. Titania, on the other hand, smiled at the sounds, and they walked into view of the other Rangers.

"Hey guys!" Vida waved from where she was sitting, a book in front of her that she had been ignoring in favour of chatting with the others.

"Where'd you wander off to?" Maddie asked Titania, having been wanting to ask her some questions.

"Just needed some air," Titania answered, walking over to them. "You guys make it hard to hear myself think sometimes," she said, nudging Vida. The Pink Ranger's grin widened, and she nudged her back.

"It's all Xander," Vida told her, nodding her head towards where Xander was sitting on the steps, looking far too relaxed for someone who was supposed to be studying.

"I'm not surprised," Titania giggled.

"Hey! I'm not making all the noise by myself," he complained. When Vida arched an eyebrow at him in a challenging look, Xander swallowed. "Chip's been playing Knights again," he quickly directed the attention elsewhere, instead of throwing the blame back at Vida.

"Playing Knights?" Carvallain repeated, confused. Titania laughed, having experienced Chip's role-playing antics in Rock Porium. The Silver Ranger turned in the direction that he heard Chip bouncing around, and his dark eyes went wide.

"Hyah! Fearsome enemies, you shall perish at my blade!" Chip declared, completely immersed in his own world as he swung the sword in his hands at imaginary foes. He moved strangely, copying what he'd seen on TV and in video games, not even realising when the sword hit the ground.

"Enough!" the Yellow Ranger was taken by surprise, as were the others watching, when Carvallain suddenly grabbed his arm roughly and wrenched the sword from his grasp. "How dare you touch this! Do you have any idea what you're messing with?" the normally quiet, brooding Elf was furious as he glared at Chip. "Trust a human to-"

"Hey!" Nick had charged over and forced Carvallain to release the bruising hold he had on Chip's arm. The Yellow Ranger was forced backwards as the other Rangers rushed over to stop their furious teammates. "You need to cool off," Nick warned as Carvallain turned a furious look on him.

"Unhand me!" Carvallain snarled, yanking his wrist free. "That fool had no right touching this. None of you have the right to," he glared at Nick, making it clear that he hadn't forgotten when the Red Ranger had borrowed it in their first fight.

"Carvallain, stop!" Titania pleaded with the irate Silver Ranger, but he ignored her as he continued to glare at Nick.

"You need to back off. Cool your damn head. It's just a sword," Nick warned him. Carvallain made a noise that was almost a scoff.

"You may be the leader of this team, but even you have no authority to tell me what to do," the Elf told him. Nick glared back, a headache still prickling behind his eyes and his own frustration over Carvallain's attitude clear.

"You need to get off your high horse. You're a part of our team," Nick warned him, his voice low as the temperature in the room seemed to rise. "You act high and mighty, but we're your equals," he gestured to the Rangers standing behind him, watching worriedly.

"Equal?" Carvallain repeated, sneering at him. "If you truly believe yourself my equal, then you are far more delusional than I first believed," he spat the cold words, surprising Nick long enough that he turned on his heel and stalked off back to his room. They heard the slam of the door, and a silence descended over the remaining six.

"What the hell was that about?" Xander wondered, breaking the stunned quiet.

"He's lucky I didn't break his legs for talking like that," Vida growled. Maddie was holding her sister's hand, trying to ground the fiery Pink Ranger who had been ready to tackle Carvallain the moment he had grabbed Chip.

"Are you okay?" Titania asked Chip, who was still rubbing his arm.

"Of course!" the red-haired young man exclaimed, puffing out his chest. "It takes more than that to hurt the mighty Yellow Ranger!" he told her, only to yelp a protest when Xander poked his arm.

"Don't lie to the girl who can't lie," he warned lightly as Titania's eyebrows furrowed.

"Humans…" she complained under her breath, dragging Chip over to a seat before starting to root around in the potion collection that Udonna kept on hand. Chip rolled up his sleeve, revealing the bruises that were already starting to form where he'd been grabbed.

"What the hell is Carvallain's problem?" Vida demanded, her anger only building as she saw the bruises. "He flipped out over a sword," she shook her head.

"He did before too," Nick reminded them, and they thought about how he'd almost lost his cool before Udonna stopped him.

"It's not just a sword to Carvallain," they turned to Titania as she spoke softly, smearing a salve over the bruises on Chip's arm. His nose wrinkled at the smell, but he could already feel the pain starting to fade. "It belonged to his father," she told them without looking up.

"His father?" Nick frowned, walking over as Titania corked the bottle and returned it to a shelf. "Why is he so protective over his dad's sword?" he asked her. Titania paused, her back to them.

"He died. During the Great War," she said quietly, and a hush fell over the rest of the team. "Carvallain was just old enough to remember him, and that sword is all he has to remind him of his father," Titania said. "That's all I can tell you about it," she turned back to them, a pained smile on her face.

"I'd be pretty messed up if my dad died," Chip allowed, sniffing at the dark, swamp green coloured paste on his arm. Instantly he wrinkled his nose and turned his head again. "If someone messed with the only thing that reminded me of him, I'd be mad too," he admitted.

"We wouldn't mess with it if he just talked to us," Vida growled, still angry. Maddie squeezed her hand.

"Give him time. He'll learn how to open up once he gets used to you," Titania told them confidently. There was still some pain in her gaze, and not for the first time it hit the team that Titania too had lost people to the Great War that happened 18 years ago.

"While he cools off, we should probably try and learn something before Udonna gets back," Maddie suggested, gesturing to their abandoned books.

"Of course you'd suggest that, sis," Vida levelled a droll stare at her sister, who smiled back at her.

"I'd rather the books than another run," Xander said, patting Titania on the head. She managed a smile back, turning to them.

"I know, I'll teach you a levitation spell," she suggested. Chip's eyes lit up with excitement.

"You guys go ahead. I need some air," Nick told them as he rubbed his temples. They nodded, not stopping him as he left Rootcore.

"That headache's been bothering him since our shift earlier," Maddie noted, worried about their leader. "Getting all worked up with Carvallain won't help," she added. Vida nudged her with her elbow, walking away from the Blue Ranger.

"Don't fuss. He'll be fine. Probably just the stress of getting used to being a Ranger," she said, much less worried.

"He'll be fine after he gets some rest. With all this Mystic training, working and fighting, we're all a bit worn out," Xander pointed out. Maddie nodded, knowing he was right. They were all still getting used to their new activities, and she was sleeping much more than she used to.

"About that levitation spell," Chip said to Titania, who giggled.

Carvallain's blood was still boiling a little while later, and he slipped out of Rootcore while the others learned a levitation spell from Titania. His hand remained firmly on the hilt of the sword by his side, comforted by its presence.

"I never should have left it there. Those foolish humans always end up messing with things that don't belong to them," he hissed under his breath as even the cool outdoor air couldn't soothe him.

A more logical part of Carvallain's mind told him that it wasn't Chip's fault. The new Lightning Mystic didn't know how important the sword was. He didn't know the legacy behind the weapon that had been all his father had left him. However, the hotheaded part of Carvallain was still angry, and thinking of his argument with Nick only amplified that anger.

"That temper of yours, my dear nephew, is proof entirely that you are not ready. Let us hope that your time with Udonna will help quell that raging inferno," the voice echoed in Carvallain's memories, and finally his footsteps slowed and stopped. Closing his eyes, the Elf took in a deep breath, and finally his anger began to fade.

"What the-" the distant, confused voice caught Carvallain's attention. It was Nick, and he sounded odd. Not moving, the Silver Ranger opened his eyes and angled his head in the direction that he heard Nick; his sharp ears picking up his voice from a distance. "Stop…what-" Nick gave a cry of pain, and as he did, a shiver ran down Carvallain's spine at the cold sensation that pricked his senses.

Dark magic, and it was coming from Nick's direction.

"What is he doing?" Carvallain whispered, but the moment he turned fully in the direction that he could hear Nick, the feeling of dark magic suddenly grew stronger, and the purple light of a Dark Spell Seal materialised in front of him. Carvallain hissed, drawing his sword as Hidiacs rose from the summoning Seal, shrieking and growling at him.

Not waiting to question what was going on, Carvallain charged forwards towards the creatures born of pure darkness; the byproduct of the Master's power. Swinging the sword in his hands with well-practised strikes, Carvallain fought off the Hidiacs with ease. "Filthy creatures, you will regret coming here!" he told them, cutting through another and causing it to vanish in a cloud of darkness.

"Such bravado from someone so young," he turned quickly as Koragg appeared from another Spell Seal, drawing his sword. Carvallain's dark eyes narrowed, and he finished off the last of the Hidiacs before turning to Koragg.

"What's your plan, Koragg? To pick me off when I'm alone?" he challenged the dark knight who stood opposite him.

"To dispose of one Mystic would be a blow to good magic. To dispose of you would be far greater blow to more than just the side of good," Koragg's words made Carvallain bristle. He returned his sword to his side, and grabbed his Mystic Morpher.

"That will never happen. There is too much at stake for me to ever consider losing to you," Carvallain declared, flipping open the Morpher. "MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" he shouted as he charged Koragg, Morphing into his Silver suit. "Magi Staff, Spear Mode!" Carvallain swung the weapon he'd drawn, changing its form to a much longer weapon that collided with Koragg's sword. The power behind their strikes caused both to bounce back.

"You have power, but not the ability to wield it effectively yet," Koragg warned him as he recovered faster than Carvallain. He pushed forwards, slamming his shield against Carvallain's chest. The Silver Ranger gave a shout as he was pushed backwards, barely staying on his feet, and he pushed to the side to avoid Koragg's follow-up strike.

"You constantly underestimate me, dark knight," Carvallain warned as he breathed heavily through the pain of the strike. "That will be your downfall," he vowed, charging in again.

"I estimate you correctly, Elfling," the words only angered Carvallain again, and he gave a shout as he jabbed at Koragg with his Magi Staff. The powerful wizard knocked the spear away, and slashed down Carvallain's front. Sparks showered from where his Mystic suit tried to protect him from what could have been a lethal blow, and he crashed backwards. "In time, you may become strong, boy. But right now, you have no chance to defeat me," Koragg warned him, lowering his sword as Carvallain glared up at him.

"I will never stop fighting you," he said, pushing himself up, only to fall to one knee as pain ached through his chest and stole his breath. Koragg stood over him, making no move to finish him off. "None of us will," Carvallain said, lifting his head to glare through his visor at his enemy.

"Ah yes, the Fae girl and your human companions," Koragg said, his sword still lowered. "Can you truly trust such a team? The Fae are notorious tricksters, and humans…they lack honour. So easily corrupted," his words made Carvallain frown.

"What are you-" before Carvallain could ask, a blast of yellow coloured magic came from between the trees and exploded against Koragg's armour. The knight staggered away from Carvallain, who turned in surprise.

"Carvallain!" Titania called out as she ran into view with Vida, Maddie, Xander and Chip, who was carrying his crossbow. "Are you alright?" she asked as they reached the Silver Ranger's side.

"I'm fine," Carvallain answered with a slow nod, and they helped him to his feet.

"Back off, Koragg!" Vida snarled as they raised their weapons, ready to fight.

"You are not worth the effort," Koragg shook his head, returning his sword to its sheath behind his shield. "I waste my time with you all," with a burst of magical power, he vanished into another Spell Seal.

"He's gone!" Xander frowned.

"But for how long?" Maddie wondered. They demorphed, turning to each other, and Carvallain rubbed his chest. "Are you okay?" Maddie asked him, and he almost looked surprised by her concern.

"I'm alright," he said, somewhat stiffly. "Thank you, for coming to my aid," he bowed his head.

"Hey, we're a team," Xander grinned easily at him.

"Even if you don't really accept that," Vida muttered. Maddie elbowed her sister quickly, and Titania didn't bother to hide her amused look as Carvallain dropped his gaze to the ground.

"Right," he nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry, for messing with your sword," he was surprised when Chip suddenly blurted out the apology. "Titania told us why it's important to you. I'm sorry," he apologised again, and Carvallain instantly shot a glare at Titania. The Black Ranger raised her hands quickly.

"I only told them that it belonged to your father," she defended.

"Which she only did because you don't tell us anything," Xander spoke up, putting a hand on the small Fae's shoulder. Carvallain looked at the protective action, his angry look slowly fading.

"I was out of order, shouting at you as I did," he instead turned back to Chip, who didn't hide his own surprise that Carvallain was apologising to him. He bowed to the Yellow Ranger. "I apologise. It won't happen again," he vowed.

"And I won't mess with your stuff again," Chip promised, his smile so easy that Carvallain couldn't help but envy the Yellow Ranger, who got on so well with Titania, thanks to their easygoing natures. His eyebrows then furrowed just a little.

"Where is Nick?" Carvallain realised that they were still missing their Red Ranger, turning in the direction that he'd heard the confused mutterings before.

"No idea. He's had a bad headache all day, so he went for a walk," Maddie answered.

"Probably too far away to hear the fight," Vida shrugged. Carvallain was silent as he thought over the strange mutterings he'd heard from their Red Ranger.

"And humans…they lack honour. So easily corrupted," Koragg's almost ominous words echoed in Carvallain's mind. They were so similar to what he'd heard from others over the years; especially those who felt the losses they'd suffered in the attempt to prevent the Great War from spreading to the Human Realm were unnecessary.

"We should get back," Xander suggested, casting a look around quickly as if expecting Koragg to return with more monsters.

"Yeah! I still have to finish learning that levitation spell!" Chip exclaimed, still excited as Titania laughed. They started to walk back, and Carvallain remained quiet, still thinking about the feeling of dark magic that had come from Nick's direction.

"It can't be…can it?" he wondered to himself, keeping quiet for now as suspicion laced his every thought.

Carvallain's suspicions only grew when Nick didn't rejoin the team. After they had finished up in Rootcore, the team had returned to Rock Porium for another shift, and Nick had barely said a word to them as he remained outside to work on his bike.

"What do you think of the book?" Chip asked Carvallain, who was sitting trying to read as they served customers and tidied up the shop. Chip had been almost pestering the Elf in what seemed like innocent attempts to get to know him, while avoiding setting off his temper.

"It's…" Carvallain hedged, looking at the book that Chip had lent him. "Interesting," he admitted, lifting the book to hide his face as he coloured red from his confession. It was a murder mystery, and despite the terrible things that humans seemed willing to do to one another in fiction, he had been fascinated, eagerly looking forward to finding out who the killer was.

"I knew you'd like it!" Chip grinned, ignoring the exasperated looks from the team as he floated by the DJ stage where Vida was playing. With it being a quiet day, there were few enough customers that Chip felt it was okay to practice the new spell he'd learned, and hadn't touched the floor since.

"If his headphones were off, you'd see the tips of his ears going red," Titania whispered to Xander, who was sitting playing a ukulele as he claimed to be supervising. Not missing either her words or Xander's laugh, Carvallain turned a glare on the two of them. Xander stifled his laughter with a cough, and Titania quickly turned her gaze to the ceiling in what she seemed to think was an innocent look.

"I heard Nick in the forest, not long before I was attacked," they sobered at Carvallain's quiet words. Even Chip paused, still levitating off the ground. "And I'm confident that I felt dark magic from that direction before I was attacked," Carvallain told them, knowing that now was the best time to broach the subject, while Nick was outside.

"Nick said he didn't hear anything," Maddie spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at her sister. Vida was frowning, but stayed quiet.

"You talked to him when we got back here, didn't you?" Titania asked the Blue Ranger, having seen her step outside to approach Nick as he worked on his bike. "Nothing attacked him, so I wonder what you sensed," she said as she turned back to Carvallain. He looked unhappy.

"It's not like Nick has your crazy hearing. And he's been acting off all day," Vida shrugged, wondering where Carvallain was going with his words.

"Something just feels odd," Carvallain said, looking at the book in his hands. "Nick was muttering to himself. And…" he trailed off, making the others exchange looks.

"What is it?" Xander asked. Carvallain let out a quiet breath.

"Something that Koragg said was strange. He said that humans were 'easily corrupted'," he said, and instantly Vida scowled, insulted by the comment. "If this is how he truly views our team, then it will be his downfall. But I still feel that the manner of his words seems…strange," Carvallain said, well aware that Vida was ready to explode.

"Maybe you should talk to Nick?" Maddie suggested gently. "Especially after earlier. You two should clear the air," her words made Carvallain frown, before he sighed and rose to his feet.

"You're right. I should talk with him," he agreed.

"I don't think Nick could be corrupted to evil," Maddie said as Carvallain headed for the door. "It just doesn't seem like him," she shook her head.

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," Titania said, still perched on the arm of Xander's chair. "Of everyone, you all know him the best. If you don't believe he could be swayed to dark magic, then…" she trailed off, seeing the look that passed between the four humans around her. "What is it?" she asked.

"We…we don't know him that well," Chip admitted, swaying in the air as he fought to remain upright. "He'd only just arrived in town. We met him when we volunteered to go into the forest," he confessed, and the others nodded.

"He's a pretty private guy," Xander added, leaning back in his chair as he looked thoughtful. "Don't know much about him at all," Vida nodded in agreement. Even Maddie was quiet.

"I see," Titania's words were quiet as well as an uncertain look crossed her face.

Outside, Carvallain was hesitating just by the doors of Rock Porium, watching as Nick worked with expertise on his bike. Whatever he was doing, Carvallain had no idea, but he couldn't bring himself to cross the road and approach the Red Ranger.

"If you truly believe yourself my equal, then you are far more delusional than I first believed," he winced as he recalled his sneering words to the Red Ranger. Carvallain had already apologised to Chip, and he knew he needed to apologise to Nick as well. It wasn't their fault that they didn't know anything about him. Not that he knew much about them either - especially Nick.

The quiet groan of pain was followed by the muffled thud of Nick dropping his wrench in the grass as he put his hand to his head. Carvallain looked up quickly, and moved his headphones just enough to hear everything clearly. The noise of traffic and other every day sounds made him wince, but he heard Nick's whispering words.

"Stop…shut up…" he groaned, eyes squeezed shut in pain. Again, Carvallain felt the faint presence of dark magic like ice running down his spine, and it seemed to come from Nick. Then it vanished as quickly as it appeared, and Nick was able to take a breath.

"What in the name of the Goddesses was that?" the Red Ranger looked up quickly, still on his knees beside his bike. Carvallain had stormed over, his expression even more stormy than when he'd caught Chip messing with his sword. Instantly Nick turned guarded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, voice flat. "Unless you're here to apologise, leave me alone," Nick warned him as he lifted the fallen wrench to continue working on his bike.

"Apologise?" Carvallain repeated, incredulous. "You expect me to apologise to someone like you, after what I just felt? After what I just heard?" he demanded.

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about," Nick repeated, getting to his feet to glare at him.

"What's going on?" they looked around as the others hurried over to them, having gone to check when Carvallain hadn't returned.

"Nothing," Nick ground the word out, clutching the wrench in his hand tightly.

"I felt that dark magic again," Carvallain's words were cold as he didn't take his eyes off Nick. His hand twitched towards where his sword usually lay, but it was in his room at Rootcore. "It was coming from you, Nick. Right as I heard you muttering to yourself. Just like I heard before, just as I was ambushed by Koragg and his Hidiacs," Carvallain took a single step towards Nick as the others held their breaths. "What is happening to you?" he demanded. Nick's gaze hardened.

"Nothing. It's just a headache. You're imagining things," his dismissive words did nothing to help him, but he refused to drop his guard. Especially to the confrontational Elf who was glaring at him as if he were an enemy.

"Then I can only suspect the worst. You are working with Koragg," he accused, and Nick's eyes widened.

"That's crazy!" he snapped, louder than he intended. "Why would I work with the creep who has tried to kill us?" Nick demanded, glaring back at Carvallain. "It's just a headache," he repeated.

"How can they trust you, when they don't know you? When you don't know yourself?" the cold, dark words he'd heard repeated in the back of his mind when the headaches were at their worst earlier in the forest, and it made him close up.

"Koragg told me that humans were easily corrupted. Perhaps he was hinting that he'd already corrupted one of you. Perhaps when you fought him alone, while we faced Clawbster," the others looked stunned at Carvallain's accusation. Nick looked just as stunned.

"You really think I'm evil?" he demanded, and looked at the others. They looked uncertain, keeping quiet, and it seemed to seal the accusation for the Red Ranger. His shoulders slumped. "Right. I get it, I'm the new guy. I can't be trusted. I charmed my way into your lives, just so I can destroy you from within, is that it?" Nick demanded, pulling his gloves on as he sat on his bike.

"If Carvallain sensed dark magic from you…then something is wrong," Titania shifted on her feet, sounding uncertain.

"Elves are really in tune with magic. No way he could just…be confused," Chip hedged at the end as he realised what he was saying. Nick sighed, unable to hide the hurt on his face.

"Right," he agreed with a nod. "And I thought you guys were my friends," Nick gave a quiet scoff, and looked up at Carvallain. His anger grew. "Though I don't know why I'm the one you're giving a hard time about trust, when you're the one who refuses to be around the rest of your so-called team," Carvallain's eyes widened and he flinched like Nick had physically hit him. Not acknowledging the reaction, Nick pulled his helmet on. "Nice knowing you," he muttered, and with that he took off, the rumbling of his bike engine fading into the distance.

"Maybe we made a mistake," Maddie said as she watched him go.

"He just took off. He didn't even deny it," Xander pointed out, hands shoved into his pockets as even he felt uneasy about what had happened.

"But he seemed…sad…that we didn't believe him," Titania considered, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. "Carvallain?" she turned to the Silver Ranger, whose hands were clenched into tight fists by his sides.

"Excuse me," he murmured quietly, striding to the tree nearby. He pressed his hand to it, and vanished in a flash.

"Are we really a team?" Vida muttered. "Cause we just seem like a mess to me," she admitted. Nobody denied it.

The mood over the remaining five Rangers hadn't improved as they walked into Rootcore, hoping to find answers about Nick's strange behaviour. He wasn't answering his phone, even when Maddie called him.

"I've seen happier faces on Trolls," the familiar voice made them look up, and they saw Taliesin standing with Udonna. "And they're miserable creatures," the Satyr commented, earning an almost exasperated look from Udonna.

"Carvallain and Nick were fighting again," Titania was the one to explain as they sat at one of the tables. "Carvallain accused Nick of being a spy," she explained, and even Taliesin had a rare surprised look on his face.

"I know that boy has a temper fiercer than an Orc, but that seems rather extreme," he said. Udonna had to agree, walking down towards her team of Rangers.

"We weren't much better. We didn't even try to defend Nick or work out the truth," Maddie sighed, miserable as she sank lower in her seat. "Carvallain sensed dark magic from Nick, and he's been acting strange all day," she explained to Udonna when the sorceress went to ask.

"Don't forget how Carvallain was attacked by Koragg right after hearing Nick in the forest earlier," Vida piped up.

"That is very concerning," Udonna admitted.

"You have to admit, it's kind of easy to catch Carvallain alone," Chip piped up, unable to keep his thoughts to himself. "He only really hangs out with us when there's a fight," he pointed out, and the others nodded their agreement. Titania lowered her head, keeping quiet.

"There is a reason for that boy's stubborn heart," Udonna spoke up with a sad smile. "But I assure you, I would not have allowed him to assume the mantel of Moon Mystic if I did not believe his heart was in the right place, as it is for all of you," she said, and they all managed faint smiles back.

"But why is he so…" Vida trailed off, biting her tongue.

"As his mentor, I believe I should be the one to explain that much," Taliesin decided. He walked down to them, his hooves echoing against the stone floor. "Carvallain has lost so many of those he has cared for in his life, that he remains constantly afraid to get close to anyone else, in fear that he will lose them too," he explained.

"His dad died during the Great War, didn't he?" Xander remembered what Titania had said earlier that day. Taliesin nodded.

"Indeed. His mother perished in an attack on their home, Miramalos, and his father died in battle only a few months later," he explained, grim. "Many lost loved ones during those days. Years may have passed, but wounds of these kinds don't truly heal," Taliesin mused.

"My parents died during the battle too, so I can understand Carvallain's reluctance to let anyone get close," Titania said softly, confirming the unspoken thoughts they'd had. "I don't remember them, but I know their legacy," she lifted her head and smiled softly. "They were part of the former Mystic Force," that confession took them by surprise.

"What?" Vida breathed, stunned.

"The Red and Pink Mystic Force Rangers, Dusk and Nimble," Taliesin put a comforting hand on Titania's shoulder as the young Fae took a shuddering breath. "True heroes, and some of the only Faeries who took part in our battle to save our realm. We never found out what happened to them; their Morphers simply appeared here, sent away by Nimble's magic," he told the stunned Rangers. Vida lifted her Morpher to stare at it as suddenly the weight of what she'd been given hit her.

"I am sure that there is more to Nick's story that we know," Udonna told them, keeping calm as always. "First we must find him, and talk to him," she said, turning to the glowing crystal ball.

"What about Carvallain?" Maddie asked.

"He'll be fine. He just needs to cool off for a little while," Taliesin soothed, knowing his student well enough by now. They nodded, knowing that Udonna was right. They had to find Nick, and figure out what was going on.

"I don't know why I'm the one you're giving a hard time about trust, when you're the one who refuses to be around the rest of your so-called team," Nick's frustrated words, spat at Carvallain, haunted the Silver Ranger's steps as he walked through the forests near Rootcore.

He knew what he felt. The dark magic was coming from Nick, reacting when his headaches seemed to get worse. Something was wrong with the Red Ranger, and he had just been defensive and run off when accused.

Carvallain sighed and ran a hand down his face as he realised that once again he had let his temper best him. He had jumped straight into an accusation against Nick, who was supposed to be part of their team.

"Seems it's a bad day for everyone," Phineas said cheerfully, making the Elf jump and let out a startled sound.

"Phineas!" he turned a glower on the Troblin that he'd met a few times over the years. Phineas bowed to him, and instantly discomfort prickled at him. "Don't, please," Carvallain requested, raising his hands as he stepped away.

"As you wish!" Phineas said, as cheerful as before. Carvallain put a hand to his heart as it calmed from the sudden appearance of the hapless creature. "Lose your temper again?" he guessed, and Carvallain's face twisted.

"How'd you guess?" he asked.

"You usually get all stompy around these parts when you get mad," Phineas said, so straightforward that Carvallain blushed. He sighed, and took a seat on a nearby rock.

"I'm just…so unprepared to work with a team. I've been training for years to become a Mystic, but I never thought about the teamwork aspect," he confessed as Phineas took a seat beside him. "Especially with humans," Carvallain added.

"Humans are confusing creatures," Phineas said, and the Elf almost laughed. For such a thing to come from the Troblin was truly entertaining. "You never know what they're going to do. And they don't know a thing about us. It's nice to meet new friends who you get to learn about," he said, making Carvallain look down at his hands. "Like how Nick's headaches are so bad he passed out," Phineas said. Carvallain's head snapped up.

"You were with Nick earlier?" he asked, and Phineas nodded.

"Sure was! He was having a bad day too. He mentioned fighting with you," Phineas nudged him, but Carvallain barely reacted.

"And he almost passed out from a headache?" he asked. Phineas nodded again. "Did you feel dark magic when he did?" he pressed, trying to work out just what was wrong with him.

"Sure did," the confirmation almost made Carvallain jump to his feet. "Was all around him like some creepy cloud," Phineas said, and he stilled.

"Around him? Not from him?" Carvallain knew he was bombarding the Troblin with questions, but he needed to know. Phineas nodded, and Carvallain sucked in a breath. "What in Lux's name is happening to him…is he hearing a voice?" he wondered, before shaking his breath. "Impossible. He's a Mystic. Even untrained, someone couldn't break through the magical barriers that our Ranger powers give us," Carvallain spoke aloud as he tried to work it out.

"Unless they used something belonging to a Ranger?" Phineas once again made Carvallain go still.

"Like Udonna's Snow Staff," he leapt to his feet. "I'm a fool. Koragg's been manipulating us from the start. I must find Nick and warn him," Carvallain realised, dread making his heart race. "Thank you for all your help, Phineas," he bowed to the Troblin before running off, determined to help his teammate.

"Good luck!" Phineas waved after him.

'I won't let Nick suffer alone anymore. I will correct my mistake and stop Koragg,' Carvallain vowed.

By the time Carvallain reached the beach with the use of a tracking spell, Nick was already locked in fierce combat with Koragg. To the Elf's eyes, it was a lot less one-sided than he had worried it would be, but Koragg was still the more experienced fighter.

"Hey!" when Nick crashed to the ground, his sword clattering on the rocks they were fighting on, Carvallain let out a shout. Both looked up quickly, just in time for the Silver Ranger to fire a blast of Moon magic that hit like a laser, slamming into Koragg. Caught by surprise, the wolf warrior was lifted off his feet and carried a small distance away from Nick.

"Whoa…" Nick breathed as Carvallain landed beside him, Morphed and ready to help. "What are you doing here? I thought I couldn't be trusted," despite everything, Nick couldn't help but spit the words out. He was still angry and hurt.

"I was wrong," Carvallain angled his head enough to look at Nick, while keeping Koragg in his peripheral. "I'm sorry, Nick. I let my pride blind me," he apologised, surprising Nick enough that he stayed quiet. "It finally dawned on me that Koragg was using Udonna's stolen Snow Staff to bypass your mental defences, and I realised I'd fallen for his trap. He wanted you isolated, and thanks to my foolishness, he succeeded," the Silver Ranger said, having been berating himself the entire way to the beach.

"As much as I'm enjoying listening to you beat yourself up," Nick chuckled as he got back to his feet, lifting his sword. "I was wrong too. And you got here in time to help me out. I appreciate it," he told the Silver Ranger, who nodded slowly. "Now let's finish what this creep has started," Nick said, turning to Koragg. He'd gotten back up too, his armour dented but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

"Admirable that you of all of them would be the first to come to his defence," Koragg commented, addressing Carvallain. The Elf stayed silent, staring him down. "But it doesn't matter. I will destroy you both, and the rest of your team will follow," Koragg vowed. Nick hissed an angry breath as Carvallain's eyes narrowed.

"Never going to happen," Nick promised.

"Your powers are weak. You have not learned to harness your magic. Your defeat will be swift," Koragg said, unimpressed. "As a human, you have far much more to learn. And the Elf is just as untrained compared to his predecessors," he dismissed Carvallain as well.

"I'm not as weak you think, pal," Nick spat angrily. "Watch this! Power of the Phoenix!" at his yell, Nick burst into flames so hot that a wall of heat slammed into both Koragg and Carvallain.

"What?!" Koragg growled, caught off guard by the sudden burst of power from the Red Ranger.

"His elemental form is already manifesting? Incredible," Carvallain breathed, standing back and watching as Nick swung an arm and sent the magical flames barrelling into Koragg. The warrior let out a yell as the power slammed him backwards, hard enough to create a small crater in the cliff he collided with.

"It's on now!" Nick declared as he charged in.

"You are more powerful than I expected," Koragg admitted as he managed to free himself from the rocks and got back to his feet. As Nick got close, Koragg raised his shield and let his own magic rise in power. "Wolf Attack!" he fired a blast of dark magic.

"Magi Staff!" before it could hit Nick, Carvallain sent another burst of Moon magic at Koragg. The two energies collided and exploded, sending all three backwards. Nick and Carvallain cried out as they landed amongst the pebbles of the beach, feeling the pain that their Ranger suits had been unable to prevent.

"Pathetic," Koragg recovered faster, on his feet and standing over them as they got back to their feet. Their fighting continued, but Koragg was far more powerful than either of the Rangers, and continued to throw them around. "You will be defeated today, that I promise you!" he taunted Nick as their swords clashed. He pushed Nick's blade up, and brought his own back down faster than the Red Ranger could react.

As Nick crashed to the ground, Carvallain charged back in and ignored his own pains to jab his Magi Staff at Koragg. With a sharp swing downwards, Koragg knocked it enough to throw Carvallian's aim off, and he staggered right into Koragg's next strike. "You should not have interfered, Elfling," he told the Silver Ranger as he crashed to the ground, barely remaining Morphed as he gasped through the pain.

For a moment, Koragg just watched Carvallain, almost seeming disappointed. "You will die too, but first…" Koragg turned back to Nick, who was struggling with everything he had to get up. "Now, young Ranger, you will meet your destiny!" Koragg raised his sword over his head to deliver a final blow.

"No!" Nick yelled, only for a burst of magic to explode against Koragg's armour, throwing him off just enough to save the Red Ranger.

"Hang on buddy!" the two looked up to see the rest of their team racing towards them. With a yell, Xander launched forwards with his Magi Staff Axe, slamming it down to create a powerful burst of Earth magic that pulsed through the ground. It exploded under Koragg's feet, once again throwing him aside.

"Nick!"

"Carvallain!"

"Are you alright?" the Rangers asked as they helped Nick and Carvallain back to their feet. They nodded, unable to stop themselves from wincing in pain.

"We're really sorry for earlier, Nick," Xander turned to the Red Ranger, who looked at him in surprise. "We should have trusted you and tried to understand what was going on," Xander told him.

"We're sorry we jumped to conclusions," Vida apologised.

"It was Xander's fault," Chip grinned, earning a glare from the Green Ranger.

"We let our imaginations run away with us. It was all of our faults," Maddie corrected, and Nick rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, it was," he said bluntly as he turned to them properly. "Maybe you should have thought about that before!" Nick scolded his team, but it lacked true anger.

"And you!" Carvallain let out a yelp when Titania punched his shoulder. "Why'd you run off alone? For a moment we thought you were going after Nick for another fight," she scolded the Elf, who rubbed his arm.

"Carvallain saved me," Nick interjected, and the shock coming from the other Rangers was enough to make Carvallain blush.

"Enough of this," he sighed, pointing past Nick's shoulder. "We have something to finish here," Carvallain warned as Koragg stalked towards them again.

"Now that you are all here, I shall finish this," he declared. Their eyes widened as dark magic pulsed from the warrior, and a massive dark Spell Seal materialised as he grew much bigger, and summoned Catastros.

"That's what he used to defeat Udonna!" Maddie warned Nick, who hadn't seen Koragg's transformation until now.

"Looks like it's time to Zord up!" Xander shouted.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Carvallain agreed. They grabbed their Mystic Morphers and flicked them open, entering the spell code to activate their magic and transform into their Titans, before all but Nick combined to form their Dragon Formation.

"Fire!" they yelled, shooting a burst of flames at Koragg. It died out against his armour, and the centaur-like being slammed his sword against Nick's.

"You will never defeat me!" Koragg vowed, and the two pushed back.

"Full power!" Nick shouted as the Dragon flew through the air and dodged Koragg's ranged attacks. With both his own fire magic and the power of the dragon, they sent down an even more powerful jet of flames that exploded against Koragg. "We've got you right where we want you!" the Red Ranger warned, flying in when it seemed Koragg was on the ropes.

"Now I have new power…" to their surprise, Koragg used another spell to change his form, creating a Megazord that had combined with Catastros.

"No!" Nick gasped in horror.

"The time has come to take this fight to the next level," Koragg decided, chanting another spell as he held out a hand. Nick cried out as the dragon crashed to the ground heavily, the Rangers finding their energy fading rapidly as a ball of light flew from them and went straight into Koragg's hand.

"What happened?!" Nick shouted as he pushed himself up. "Guys?!" he pleaded with the fallen dragon as realisation dawned on him. He could feel power missing. "We can't combine…" he realised with a hiss.

"I shall use your own magical powers against you, as I summon the evil Morticon from the Underworld," Koragg announced, which made Nick frown. He'd never heard the name before. "Rise, Morticon, rise!" he used the stolen power to create a spell seal, and there was a loud laugh as a powerful monster rose from it.

"Free at last!" Morticon cackled as he raised his sword into the air. "Now that I am released from that evil cell, I shall run this dimension as the most powerful warrior of all time!" his arrogant words of assumed victory echoed for miles as Nick swallowed. Koragg was already beating them, and Morticon looked just as powerful. "Let's finish this, Koragg," Morticon turned to his ally, who gave a single nod. "Destroy them!" he roared as he charged at Nick and the dragon.

Nick blocked Morticon's first strike, but flinched from the power behind it. Not only was he worn out from his battle with Koragg, Morticon was truly powerful. His sword was forced out of his hand, and with a punch, the monster knocked him from the dragon's back. Morticon then grabbed the dragon by the neck, and with a powerful swing, he swung them through the air.

"Dark Magic Spell Seal," the cold feeling of dark magic filled the air as Koragg channelled his magic, using it to deliver a powerful strike to both Nick and the dragon. The Rangers cried out as the dragon was split apart, and the Titan forms of the Rangers scattered around the battlefield.

"He's so strong!" Maddie cried in horror as she pushed herself back up.

"We can't give up!" Vida shook her head. Titania gave a shout as she charged at Morticon, who laughed and grabbed her Kitsune form, hauling her into the air.

"I will kill you, just like I did the last Time Mystic!" Morticon's vow made Carvallain go cold, stopping in his tracks. "That Elven King was so full of pride, but he died like a fool!" his laughter rang in the air as he threw Titania aside. She landed on her side as horror seeped through her.

"He killed one of the last Mystics?" Chip breathed aloud as the implications of what the monster said sank in for them all.

"You bastard!" the scream of fury was followed by Carvallain launching himself at Morticon.

"Carvallain, stop!" Chip shouted as the Luna Lepus Titan hurtled towards Morticon, who only laughed and swung down with his sword. Carvallain let out a roar of pain, thrown aside to land at Koragg's feet. Other than his dark spell seal that had split the Rangers from their dragon formation, he seemed content to watch Morticon fighting.

"How does it feel, Mystic Ranger?" the monster resumed beating up Nick, who refused to stop fighting even as the others collapsed. Morticon punched him several times, before grabbing him in a headlock to press his sword to Nick's neck. "This will be my finest hour. The day I destroy the leader of the Mystic Rangers!" he declared, lifting his gaze to Koragg. "Join me for the final strike," he offered, but Koragg shook his head slightly.

"My work is done. The Master will be pleased," he declared. Morticon scoffed.

"Have it your way, Koragg," he dismissed, happy to claim the kill for himself. However, before he could kill Nick, the Red Ranger broke free of his hold.

"Red Mystic Ranger!" Nick yelled as his eyes lit up green for a moment. His Titan form was suddenly encompassed in flames, powering him up enough to launch into the air.

"What?" Koragg breathed, baffled that the young man could still have enough power to fight.

"What's happening?!" Morticon couldn't understand it either, looking up at the flaming bird overhead.

"Counterspell!" Nick threw his magic down, and it collided with Morticon before the monster could avoid it. He let out a roar of fury as he felt it overpowering the magic that had allowed him to escape his prison to begin with.

"Do something!" Morticon shouted at Koragg, but it was too late.

"That's impossible…" Koragg breathed. "How could he counter my spell?" he wondered, unable to do anything but watch as Morticon vanished once again. Nick landed gently, breathing heavily as most of his power was spent. "I don't know how you did that, Mystic Ranger, but I have your Megazord power now," Koragg warned as Nick fell to one knee.

"No!" Nick shouted, now the one unable to do anything as he escaped, leaving them alone. As he did, Carvallain let out an angry yell, loaded with emotion as he vowed to destroy Morticon.

"So not only did Koragg manage to steal your combination magic, but he also used it to summon Morticon from the underworld…that is truly concerning," Taliesin admitted as he summed up what had happened in their fight.

"Morticon…a name I wish I never had to hear again," Penelope breathed as she tended to their cuts and bruises. "I had hoped he was destroyed when the Gate was sealed," she admitted, casting Udonna an apologetic look. The Snow Sorceress simply gave a sad smile in response.

"And now you know the truth," Taliesin addressed Carvallain, who hadn't spoken since his scream of anguish on the battlefield. The others had all been curious, but hadn't dared to say anything. The Silver Ranger closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before rising to his feet.

"As you know, my father was killed in the Great War," Carvallain said, addressing his team. He swallowed, refusing to drop his gaze. "He was the former Time Mystic, King Aegis Ajax Hythlodaeus Clurichaun," his fists clenched tightly as tears he couldn't fight stung at his eyes.

"King?" Xander repeated, eyes wide. "You mean…" understanding had hit them all like a brick wall.

"My true name is Carvallain Aegis Thalin Clurichaun, Crown Prince of Miramalos," Carvallain put a hand to his chest and bowed to them.

"Whoa," Chip's jaw hung open.

"You're a Prince?" Maddie breathed.

"That explains the attitude," Vida smirked, and Nick snorted as the tips of Carvallain's ears went pink. Maddie elbowed her sister as Titania covered her mouth to hide her smile.

"Sorry about her," Maddie apologised for her sister, who just rolled her eyes.

"No, she's right," Carvallain ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. "I have treated you all unfairly from the moment we met, and I'm truly sorry for that. It is…difficult…for me to get close to anyone. From now on, I will do my best to treat you as my allies…and friends," he gave an awkward smile.

"About time," Nick snorted, standing to clap him on the shoulder roughly. Carvallain barely managed to hide the wince.

"And Nick, I'm sorry for turning on you as I did," he apologised to the Red Ranger, who immediately looked uncomfortable.

"Me too," Xander spoke up. "I'm sorry for not believing in you," he apologised to their leader.

"We're your friends, Nick, and you deserved better," Maddie spoke next, still feeling guilty for their reluctance to back him up.

"No more jumping to conclusions. For any of us," Vida eyed Carvallain, who blushed harder and nodded. Chip nodded, grinning.

"It was Xander's fault," he said, making them giggle. Xander shot him another glare, which only made them giggle more.

"We have your back, Nick. Now and forever," Titania told their leader as even he couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks, guys," Nick nodded as he sobered. "And I owe you an apology too. I should have come to you when I started hearing Koragg's voice. So…I guess we've all learned our lesson about trust and friendship?" he said, and Carvallain once again found himself the focus of their looks.

"Indeed," he confirmed.

"No more secrets between us," Xander nodded.

"Well this is nice, but we're late for work," Maddie reminded them. Instantly Vida let out a groan.

"Not work," she whined, letting her sister pull her away as Maddie giggled.

"Come on, your majesty," Xander grinned, elbowing Carvallain in the ribs as he walked past the Elf. "Someone needs to entertain Titania while we work," he teased.

"Please don't call me that," Carvallain requested.

"And I don't need entertaining!" Titania was offended as she jogged after the grinning Green Ranger. "Nor do you ever seem to do any real work!" she added. Instantly the two began bickering as Carvallain shook his head.

"No more secrets," his sharp ears barely caught Nick's whisper under his breath, and Carvallain didn't miss the weight in the words. For a moment, he slowed, before shaking his head.

'I trust him. No matter what it is,' he told himself, smiling faintly.

Chapter 6: Legendary Catastros

Chapter Text

The thunder that boomed outside of Rootcore was loud enough to rattle the shelves, leaving an eerie sort of feeling within the massive tree as the magical lights that floated by the ceiling flickered in response. The storm raging outside had made it impossible for outdoor training, to the chagrin of the Rangers, who were now stuck inside as they waited for it to subside.

"If I try to learn one more spell, my eyes are going to fall out of my head," Vida complained as she leaned back and groaned.

"I may not be the most knowledgeable of your kind, but I'm certain that can't happen," Titania supplied, far too cheerful for Vida's liking. The Pink Ranger fixed her with a droll stare, which only made Titania giggle. "Come on V, the more we learn here, the more we can put to use in battle," she pointed out with a grin.

"She's right!" Chip nodded, just as chipper as the Fae. Vida wasn't even remotely surprised by how well the two got along, considering they both had optimistic, playful personalities. The more she got to know Titania, the more she wondered if Chip was secretly Faerie himself. "How fun would it be to turn Koragg into a sheep?" Chip continued, earning laughter from the others. Even Carvallain cracked a smile. Vida, however, just turned back to Titania.

"Can I make a deal to get out of this?" she asked her with a serious look on her face. Titania didn't lose her smile.

"Nope," she answered in that same cheerful voice.

"You can't get me out of it?" Vida looked horrified, but Titania's bright eyes shone with mischief.

"I could, I just don't want to make a deal," the Black Ranger told her simply, and leaned back in her chair as she popped one of the sweets that Chip had brought for them all to share into her mouth. "You have nothing I currently want," she said. Vida huffed, offended as the others continued to laugh.

"Rare indeed for a Fae to turn down a deal," Carvallain spoke aloud as he idly turned the page of the book he was reading. "Truly an insult," he commented. Vida glared at him.

"I miss when you just ignored us," she told him, which only brought a pleasant smile to the Elf's face.

"Then you shouldn't have been so persistent," Carvallain replied.

"Well, seeing as you all are thoroughly distracted from your studies…" they looked over at the tell-tale clopping sound of Taliesin approaching. "Perhaps a tale will be more interesting than your books," he suggested, and lifted his gaze as thunder boomed once again, causing the floating lights to flicker again. "And I have an appropriate story for such an atmosphere," the Satyr raised a hand, and the lights dimmed.

"Is this a spooky story?" Maddie sounded a little hesitant as they rose to their feet and walked over to Taliesin.

"I love scary stories!" Chip grinned widely. Taliesin chuckled.

"And this is quite the tale," he held up his hands in front of him, and silver magic shimmered in a similar fashion to Carvallain's own magic. "It speaks of a powerful beast, born from the Gods themselves," the Rangers all inhaled quietly as the magic in Taliesin's hands formed a beautiful stallion that whinnied and galloped through the air before fading from their sight. "One that you know quite well by now - the legendary Catastros," the name was of course familiar to all of them by now.

"The horse Koragg uses in battle," Chip said eagerly. Taliesin held up a finger, and the Yellow Ranger fell silent.

"Koragg does not use Catastros; they work together in an alliance that many had coveted," he explained patiently. "From the moment Catastros came to reside in the Magical Realm, there were those who sought to break the divine beast, and all of them failed," he gestured to the crystal ball that sat in the centre of their table, and it lit up in response to his magic.

The Rangers peered closely, watching the powerful, massive black stallion gallop through the forest. Various people tried to capture Catastros in all manners of ways, but the stallion's strength was obvious as he evaded capture. "As the child of the Gods, Catastros possesses strength greater than a hundred men, and so he remained free, until the Great War between good and evil," Taliesin spoke as they watched, enraptured as a dark spell seal appeared below Catastros, forcing him to stop.

Even with his great power, the stallion was unable to break free of the magic that held him in place. "In the final moments of the war, as the Gate to the Underworld was sealed, tendrils of that dark magic reached up and ensnared Catastros, dragging him down into the lowest depths of the pit," as Taliesin's story came to an end, he waved his hand, and the crystal ball went dark.

"That…was the scariest story I have ever heard," Chip breathed, his blue eyes bright. "Tell it again!" he asked eagerly, making the Satyr laugh as Maddie put a hand on Chip's shoulder to settle him.

"Even I'm a little freaked out…" Vida admitted, and when she realised they were all looking at her, she blushed. "Just a little," she grumbled, challenging them to say anything.

"Glad to see you learned your lesson about admitting to fear," Carvallain told her, earning another glare from the Pink Ranger.

"It is scary to think that such a powerful creature could be captured by dark magic," Titania admitted, shivering. Xander laughed, a grin still on his face.

"Well, I'm not scared," he boasted. Mischief flickered in Taliesin's eyes as they kept their back to him, and he flicked a hand. As thunder continued to rumble outside, the lights above suddenly went out for a few seconds. When they flickered back to life, the Rangers found Xander in Carvallain's arms. The Elf looked startled, supporting him instinctively.

"Quite okay, Xander?" he asked, and Xander's grin returned to his face.

"Just making sure you're safe," he blustered, and Carvallain rolled his eyes.

"How noble," his words were dripping with sarcasm, and Xander let out a yelp as the Prince dropped him to the ground. Taliesin chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he walked away to speak with Udonna.

"I'm quite sure that leaping into his arms like a damsel in distress means you're scared too," Titania accused as Xander got to his feet and brushed himself off. Without replying, the Green Ranger just ruffled her hair and pushed her away as she squirmed, complaining as she ducked behind Maddie.

"You guys can't possibly be afraid of a silly horse," Nick scoffed.

"Catastros is a divine creature," Titania turned to him, her eyes wide as she looked incredulous. "The power inherited by a child of the Gods is far greater than we could ever imagine," she pointed out. The very idea spooked her.

"But Koragg must have tamed him, since he has control over him," Maddie theorised, thinking about the two times they had witnessed Koragg call on Catastros to help him fight.

"If he were locked in a pit in the Underworld for 18 years, I can barely even begin to imagine how those two formed an alliance," Carvallain shuddered.

"Ah, don't you just love a good rainstorm?" Claire's question distracted the group, who turned to her. Instantly their eyes widened, and Titania put a hand to her mouth to stop the snort of laughter from escaping her. "It just washes away the stress of the day!" the apprentice smiled brightly, not noticing their reactions.

"Claire…you're steaming…" Maddie tried to warn her as Vida couldn't stop her giggles. Titania started too, the pair leaning against each other. Even Carvallain couldn't stop his laughter.

"Oh, yeah! I crossed a hot cocoa spell with a spell of protection," Claire exclaimed, looking proud of herself. "It keeps me warm on these cold, stormy nights," she explained.

"Your hair…" Vida managed to force the words out between laughs, gesturing to the whipped cream that was wrapped around Claire's head and upwards. Confused, the young woman touched what she had thought was her hair, and tasted it. She cried out in horror, putting her hands to the mound of cream on her head.

"I forgot to omit the part about the toppings!" Claire realised as they continued to laugh. "I'm allergic to whipped cream!" no sooner had she warned them did Claire sneeze so violently that it splattered them all with cream. "Quick, Nick, use the Finishio spell-" Claire barely managed to get the words out before she sneezed again, and more cream went splattering around her.

"Finishio?" Nick tried as he pointed his wand at her. Red magic flew from his wand and collided with Claire, causing the whipped cream to vanish. Her hair fell down around her, back to normal, and Claire breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks Nick," she smiled at him, and sneezed again. "Well I better go…" embarrassed, the apprentice hurried off.

"She's got power, but really needs to learn the control," Carvallain considered as he wiped the cream from his shirt.

"What was that spell she had Nick use?" Chip asked, always eager to learn more spells.

"It's a basic reversal spell. It counters minor spells, like Claire's hybrid spell, as well as minor injuries and messes," Titania explained as a rainbow hue shimmered around her for a moment, and the cream on her clothes vanished.

"Sounds useful," Maddie considered, making a mental note to try the spell out herself.

"And how come you're all clean and the rest of us aren't?" Chip complained. Titania flashed a smile at him.

"A prestidigitation spell," she said simply. Beside them, Carvallain was murmuring under his breath, and his own clothes were instantly cleaned. He gave a smug smile as they glowered at him.

"What? It's a basic trick that novices learn," he told them.

"Show offs," Xander complained.

As the storm finally lessened enough to go outside, the Rangers left to return home before it got too late, leaving through the dragon's head root as Titania and Carvallain called out their goodbyes.

"It's so cool that they get to live at Rootcore. I want to live here!" Chip whined as they reached a nearby tree.

"Good luck explaining that one to your folks, Chip," Xander patted his shoulder, and touched the tree. He vanished in a flash as Chip pouted and the other three laughed.

"I don't know about you, but I'd rather a proper house than a giant tree," Nick told him honestly before vanishing as well.

"Yeah, I like my bed. And a proper shower," Maddie agreed, making Vida laugh. Chip huffed, but didn't argue as they travelled through the tree, back to their dimension.

All of them tired after a long day and ready for bed, none of them had been aware of the figure standing in the darkness watching them, their face obscured by a cloak.

"Human Mystics…how interesting," the voice was gruff and male, and filled with intrigue as he vanished into the shadows of the night.

The thunderstorm continued all night, finally subsiding by the time the sun rose. Carvallain emerged not to long after that, yawning as he tried to smooth his hair down. He wasn't too surprised to see Titania already up and reading a book as she ate her breakfast.

"Morning," he yawned as he sat down with porridge of his own. "More of those books from the human world?" Carvallain guessed, even as he felt awkward asking. He was trying to come out of his shell more and be more himself around the team, but it was a lot to get used to.

"A book on Faerie culture. Hermes gave it to me," Titania answered, lowering the book to look up at him. Instantly she laughed. "Nice hair," she teased, and Carvallain let out a sigh.

"Thanks, I was working on it all night," he said dryly. It earned him another laugh from the young Fae, who went back to her book.

"And it's good to see you're being more yourself," she added. Carvallain rolled his eyes, and decided not to dignify that with a response as he instead began to eat. Titania smiled to herself, and focused instead on the book in front of her.

Their peaceful morning didn't last too long, however, as the crystal ball in the centre of the table gave a loud chime to warn them of trouble. Titania looked up from her book quickly as Carvallain stopped tending to his sword, and both got to their feet to check out the problem.

"We'll call the others on the way," Carvallain told the Fae as they saw the dark magic detected within Briarwood. With a nod, Titania followed him out of Rootcore and off to the fight.

With the heads up from their teammates, the other five Rangers reached the town square where the dark magic was lingering, reaching there as Carvallain and Titania did too.

"See anything?" Nick asked the two, who shook their heads. It was oddly quiet, but there were no monsters roaming around. Not even the Hidiacs who accompanied them.

"Look!" Maddie was the first to spot the dark spell seal in the sky. They looked up to see Koragg pass through it, growing much larger as he summoned Catastros from the Underworld.

"Let's Ranger up!" Nick shouted. The team grabbed their Morphers, punching in the code.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they shouted, and as they Morphed into their Ranger suits, Koragg combined with Catastros to form the Centaurus Wolf Megazord.

"Prepare to be defeated," Koragg declared as he towered over Briarwood with his dual-blade.

"How can we fight him without our Megazord power?" Vida wondered. None of them had forgotten how the last battle with Koragg had gone - it was only thanks to Nick that they had even survived after Koragg had stolen their power.

"Good question…" Maddie breathed. Even Carvallain couldn't stop the pang of worry as he stared up at the powerful warrior who had bested him every time they battled.

"Come on guys!" Nick shouted, trying to rally them. "We can do this! We don't have a choice," he pushed, refusing to just lay down and accept defeat.

"Yeah. Let's Titan up!" Xander agreed. They grabbed their Morphers once again, calling on their Dragon Formation as Nick transformed into his Titan form and landed on their back.

"Fire!" Nick yelled as they flew through the air, battering Koragg with a blaze of fire.

"Come on!" Koragg roared, his armour smoking as he turned to them. The dragon landed on the ground heavily, ready to attack again.

"You don't have all our powers, Koragg," Nick reminded him. Koragg gave a scoff as dark magic began to surround his dual-blade, and he conjured another spell seal.

"That was nothing!" with a shout, the warrior swung up and sent a powerful burst of magic that collided with the Rangers. It exploded, so strong that their dragon formation shattered, and the Titans were thrown apart.

"Our Dragon formation…" Titania breathed as she tried to force herself up. "Even that couldn't stand up to Koragg's might," she moaned, falling back to the ground.

"Get up and fire," Koragg ordered impatiently, before he suddenly jerked. A pulse of dark magic rushed through his Megazord form, and as he staggered, there was a loud laugh.

"That will teach you to lie to Morticon," Necrolai taunted, carrying a crossbow in her arms. Hearing her, Koragg turned to stare down at her.

"What?! I will crush you, hag," he warned, furious that she'd turned on him. Necrolai let out another laugh, not threatened in the slightest.

"You'll have to catch me first," with a shriek, Necrolai flew off, too fast for Koragg to catch up.

"My own allies are turning against me…" Koragg muttered, barely sparing another glance at the worn out Rangers. "I must deal with this," he decided, casting another spell seal that lit up below his feet.

"No!" Nick roared, on his feet and lunging at Koragg in a desperate attempt to stop him from escaping. Koragg gave a grunt as the Red Titan collided with him, stunned and off guard after Necrolai's sneak attack, and couldn't fight him off as the spell seal under his feet exploded, splitting Koragg and Catastros apart. Nick yelled as the loud whinny from the powerful stallion echoed.

"Nick!" Maddie yelled as she tried to get up, only to fall once more.

"No, stop!" they could only watch as Nick and Catastros vanished through the unstable spell seal, which disappeared once they had.

"That's not good," Carvallain breathed.

Once they had regained enough strength to move, the six remaining Rangers returned to normal and raced back to Rootcore, barely talking amongst themselves as desperation clawed at them. The doors had barely opened when they squeezed through to run inside.

"Udonna!" they yelled, searching for the sorceress.

"What?" she appeared from upstairs, hurrying down at the sound of the commotion. "What is it?" Udonna asked, seeing their panicked expressions. Even Carvallain was paler than normal.

"Nick's gone!" Chip's words had her stop abruptly.

"We tried to contact him on his Morpher, but he didn't answer," Vida spoke up next as they reached the shocked woman.

"We were battling Koragg, and poof, Nick gets sucked into a seal with Catastros," Xander elaborated, trying to stay as calm as he could.

"Koragg was ambushed by Necrolai, and he tried to leave. Nick tackled him, and then…" Titania sucked in a breath, unable to find Nick with her own magic either.

"Sounds to me that your friend disrupted the spell and made the seal unstable," they whirled around at the gruff voice that came from behind. Pulling the hood of his cloak down, the new arrival revealed a surprisingly youthful face, with an impressive blonde beard and thick eyebrows. His long blonde hair was braided out of his face with pieces of engraved metal, and his diminutive stature made it obvious that he was no ordinary person.

"You're a dwarf!" Chip blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Aye, that I am," the Dwarf arched a thick eyebrow at him. "And you'd be the Lightning Mystic, with manners like those," he considered. Chip coloured red at the comment.

"Fáfnir!" Titania exclaimed, almost managing a smile. He winked at her.

"Apologies, Fáfnir. Greetings will have to come after," Carvallain sighed, looking back up at Udonna. "What can we do about Nick?" he asked, unsure of how to proceed. He'd never heard of such a thing before.

"If what Fáfnir says is true, since we do not know what dimension Nick is in, I can't transport you there," she warned them. They sucked in a sharp breath at her lack of an answer.

"We have to do something!" Chip protested. "Come on, guys!" he rushed over to the crystal ball, trying to will it to show their lost leader.

"Even the crystal ball can't find him," Maddie breathed.

"I can't locate him either," Titania said as rainbow lights shimmered around her again. "The dimension he's fallen into it far too distant from our world," she shook her head, frustrated once again by her lack of power.

"Let us hope he didn't end up in Shalafar," Fáfnir piped up, earning an almost withering look from Carvallain. "Either way, you have your work cut out locating him," he said, brutally honest.

"Who are you?" Vida growled, not appreciating his commentary.

"This is Fáfnir, former Earth Mystic," Carvallain introduced the Dwarf, who gave a small bow.

"Good to see you again, my lord," the small smile he had as he greeted Carvallain told them his words were intentionally to fluster Carvallain, whose ears had gone red.

"Please don't call me that," he requested with a tired sigh. Fáfnir chuckled as he straightened, and lifted his head to lock his gaze with Xander's. The much taller, current Earth Mystic was staring at him, and Fáfnir knew it wasn't because he was a Dwarf.

"Sounds like this is more important than an old friend stopping by. Don't let me get in your way. I'll just chat with Udonna in the meantime," the gruff but cheerful Dwarf told them, already walking by to talk with Udonna, whose eyes were clouded with worry.

"But…what are we going to do?" Titania wondered aloud.

When the crystal ball remained cloudy despite their attempts to locate Nick, the Rangers went outside to get some air and clear their heads. A miserable air had fallen over all of them, and even Titania was stifled as she dragged her feet through the grass.

"I can't wrap my head around it," Vida angrily threw the stick in her hand away, barely paying attention to where it flew. "Nick's gone…really gone…" she said, glaring at the ground as Chip moved to walk beside her.

"Well…technically he's just gone from this dimension," the Yellow Ranger spoke up as if this made everything better. However, it just earned him several glares, and his smile faded. "Technically…" he repeated, falling silent.

"Without Nick, we have no leader," Carvallain pushed his hair from his face again, trying to smooth it down. "And we can barely stand up to Koragg as it is," he couldn't stop himself from thinking about the fights they were barely surviving.

"There's got to be something we can do to get him back," Maddie spoke up as she pushed through the bushes in their path.

"I don't know how. We can't track him, and even the crystal ball can't figure out what dimension he's ended up in," Titania kicked a rock out of her path.

"Even Udonna didn't have an answer," Xander pointed out. They'd all felt that Udonna was all knowing, and seeing her at a loss for an answer had been disheartening. Carvallain's sharp ears caught the sound of rustling, and his eyes narrowed. "Nick's in real trouble this time," Xander continued, not hearing the sound himself.

Carvallain started to reach out to stop Xander, hearing more rustling overhead, before a figure barely taller than Titania flipped down from a branch. All but the Silver Ranger gave shouts of surprise at the sudden arrival, who landed on his feet with his back to them. They jumped back, partly to prepare for a fight if needed, and partly to get away from the smell.

"What's that?" Phineas turned to them quickly, his eyes wide. "Nick's in trouble?" he asked.

"Who are you?" Xander demanded, staring at the strange creature. He had a massive, bulbous nose, and when he smiled at them, they saw a row of dangerously sharp teeth.

"What are you?" Vida asked, her eyebrows rising so high that they almost vanished into her hair.

"That's Phineas," Titania giggled, making them glance at her. "The Troblin that Nick was telling you about?" she reminded them off what their missing friend had told them about the strange creature who roamed around the forest.

"He didn't tell us that he was so…freaky!" Chip exclaimed as he looked back at Phineas.

"Do you have any filter?" Carvallain wondered of the Yellow Ranger. However, rather than looking offended, Phineas looked flattered.

"Stop, I'm blushing," he laughed, and threw his arms around Chip. Instantly the young man grimaced, both at the sudden contact, and the smell. He quickly pushed him away, unable to hide his reaction. Phineas turned, seeing the others standing there. He smiled at Maddie and Vida as he moved past them. "Oh! Girls…I love that…" he said.

"Phineas, what are you doing here?" Titania asked, giggling.

"Oh!" Phineas let out another exclamation as he remembered why he'd jumped down. "What was that about Nick being in trouble?" he asked, turning serious.

"He's trapped in an evil dimension," Maddie explained softly, shrugging her shoulders as misery descended on the team again. "And there's nothing we can do to get him out," she said bitterly. Phineas co*cked his head.

"Oh…yeah, well I guess giving up is the right thing to do," he nodded his head sagely, making them frown. "No point in getting up just to fall on your face again, I always say," Phineas said, making them all bristle.

"Hold on, we didn't say we were giving up," Xander defended, not liking the way that Phineas was talking. Phineas quickly raised his hands.

"My mistake! So you…moping around here with the long faces is actually helping. Yeah, I get things wrong sometimes," he said as he walked past them again. Titania couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head and rested her hands on her hips.

"I swear, he says these things on purpose," she murmured.

"I'm not too sure about that," Carvallain muttered to her, making Titania's smile grow.

"He's right," Vida admitted, the indigence draining from her. "Walking around feeling helpless isn't going to bring Nick back," she pointed out.

"Yeah," Maddie nodded.

"I agree," Xander spoke up, still watching the strange creature. "We've got to at least try," he pointed out. The others nodded.

"We wouldn't be very good friends if we left Nick alone," Titania smiled, ready to resume their search for a way to save Nick.

"Breaktime's over, let's get to work," Carvallain flashed a small smile.

"Thanks Phineas, you really put things in perspective," Maddie smiled warmly at the Troblin as they started making their way back to Rootcore.

"What did I say?" Phineas wondered quietly, before smiling and waving to them. "Any time!" he called after them, hoping he sounded confident. As they hurried away, the Troblin smiled to himself. "I've got new friends," he giggled happily.

With Udonna out with Fáfnir, the Rangers were left to pour through every book and scroll they could get their hands on in hopes of finding a way to track Nick.

"Nominimus…rox!" Xander tried, stumbling over the pronunciation of a spell he'd found in the book. Green magic streamed from his wand and hit the crystal ball, but nothing happened. His shoulders slumped.

"Did it work?" Chip asked hopefully.

"No! And I even winked," the Earth Mystic complained.

"I'm afraid you'll find that magic can't be charmed into working," Carvallain replied from where he stood. A spell seal was fading, and he was surrounded by random items, including a small pile of odd socks.

"What happened to you?" Chip asked. The Elf gave an embarrassed shrug.

"A spell to find lost things. I suppose a person isn't quite a thing," he admitted, before humming as he lifted a book from the pile of socks. "I wondered where this had gone," Carvallain set the book down on the table. "No luck from either of you, I take it," he guessed. Chip shook his head, and Xander huffed.

"Like you said, magic can't be charmed," he grumbled. Chip and Carvallain exchanged amused glances.

"What about your scrying potion, Titania?" Carvallain called over to the Fae, who was carefully pouring a vibrant purple liquid into the bubbling cauldron. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Nothing," she answered, disappointed. "I'd hoped if it were powerful enough, it could transcend dimensions, but I guess not," Titania continued to stir in hopes of finding something, but saw nothing but a vibrantly purple liquid in the cauldron.

"Let's try this one," Chip suggested as he held up his wand and looked over a spell in one of the older books he'd found. "It's supposed to contact lost loved ones," he said, calling out the words he read on the page. However, once again nothing worked. "Come on!" he exclaimed, frustrated by his own lack of progress.

"Let's count ourselves lucky that spell did not work," Carvallain's words made them look up in surprise. "That one only contacts spirits," he explained. Chip shivered at the implications of his words.

"Just keep trying," Maddie called from the raised platform. She held a small book in her hand that was filled with handwritten scribbles, making it harder to decipher.

"Hey guys!" Vida called suddenly, surrounded by books near the back. The hopeful tone in her voice drew them all over quickly. "It says here: 'a spell of transport is a one way deal, unless a source can reverse the seal'," she recited from a dusty tome that had been hidden away at the back.

"Oh goodie, a riddle," Maddie smiled, both at the challenge and the chance that they could bring Nick back.

"'Reverse the seal'?" Chip repeated, confused. "But how?" he asked.

"Well, the seal was created by an incantation, right?" they turned to Titania as she spoke thoughtfully. "Maybe it means reverse the incantation?" she suggested.

"That could be it! If we say the spell backwards, it might release Nick," Maddie considered, and Titania nodded eagerly.

"It's worth a shot," Vida agreed.

"But does anyone recall the spell that Koragg used?" Carvallain cut through their excitement with his question, and their smiles faded.

"Oh! It was something like…fettuccine alfredo!" Chip's exclamation earned him several exasperated looks. "It was!" he insisted as he went red at the looks he got. Titania huffed, trying to think back to their battle with Koragg. Everything had happened so fast, and they had all been disorientated after the powerful warrior had broken apart their dragon formation.

"We've made one step towards helping Nick, and found an even bigger obstacle in our way," Carvallain sighed. "Make sure to get rid of that potion before Claire mistakes it for dinner," he warned Titania, who nodded and walked over to empty the cauldron.

"What could that spell have been?" Titania wondered as she tipped out the cauldron and cleaned it down with the bucket of soapy water she'd conjured, making sure it wouldn't contaminate whatever was made in it next - something that Penelope had drilled into her before she'd even begun to teach her how to make potions of all sorts. "I wish I could remember…" she murmured, her scrubbing slowing. "I wish I was stronger…what sort of Fae am I when I can't even help my friend?" Titania berated herself, and scrubbed the cauldron harder.

"Easy with that, or you're going to scrub it out of existence," Xander's teasing comment made Titania jump and look up. He grinned at her. "You've been out here a little while, we were wondering what you were doing," he commented as he crouched beside her.

"Just making sure it's clean. Don't want to cause Claire's next potion to blow up or something," Titania shrugged, making the young man snort.

"Something tells me she'll manage that by herself," he said, almost getting Titania to smile. "You alright? You've been quieter than usual," Xander pointed out as she continued to clean the cauldron.

"We should get back inside, we need to find Nick," Titania flashed a smile at him, rinsing out the cauldron before standing. The bucket vanished, and she hoisted the cauldron up into her arms to walk back inside. Xander hummed to himself, noting that she'd evaded his question entirely, but made no attempt to push it.

As Titania set the cauldron down, making sure it was balanced properly, they all heard the chime of warning from the crystal ball. Turning quickly, they heard the ferocious roar before they saw the creature responsible, newly summoned from the Underworld.

"Looks like we're gonna have to deal with him first," Xander groaned as he grabbed his Morpher from the table.

"Keep thinking Chip, you have to remember that spell," Maddie told the Yellow Ranger, who seemed to remember the most about the dark incantation that Koragg had used.

"Peppercini All Day…oh…" Chip stumbled over the words, knowing how ridiculous they were before he'd even finished saying them.

"By the Goddesses…" Carvallain sighed. Chip cleared his throat.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" the others called as they flicked out their Morphers. "MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" with a burst of magic, they Morphed and hurried out to fight the new monster.

The Rock Troll that Koragg had empowered and sent to do the fighting for them roared as he stomped around the centre of Briarwood, attacking anything that moved. It didn't take long for the Rangers to spot him.

"Let's get him!" Xander shouted as they raced down the stairs to start fighting, but the Rock Troll laughed.

"Let's make this interesting!" before they could reach them, the Rock Troll held out his hands and summoned magic that was familiar to them all.

"It can't be!" Titania gasped as a shiver ran through her.

"He has our Megazord power!" Maddie shouted. Before they could stop him, the monster absorbed the magic fully into his body and began to grow.

"No way!" the Rangers jumped back to avoid being crushed.

"We don't have a choice. We need to Titan up and stop this creature," Carvallain looked to his team, who nodded. Going for their Morphers again, the Rangers called on their Titan forms, hoping it was enough to stand up to the monster.

"Boulder Blast!" with a roar, the Rock Troll slammed a foot down and created massive boulders from his own magic, hurling them at the Rangers. Too great in number to dodge, all of them felt the pain of the rocks smashing into them, knocking them to the ground as they barely managed to avoid crushing the buildings around them.

"We have to remember that spell!" Maddie groaned as the Rock Troll stomped towards them.

"Chip, you're our only hope here!" Titania told the Yellow Ranger as she forced her Kitsune form back up and charged. She collided with the Rock Troll, making it grunt from the force.

"Titania!" Vida shouted as she tried to get up, watching as the two pushed against one another.

"Be careful!" Carvallain warned as he tried too, but his vision was still swimming after taking a boulder to the head.

"I remembered the spell!" Chip gasped. "It was Basalichi Infredo!" as soon as the words left his mouth, they knew he was right.

"So? Say it backwards," Vida exclaimed. Chip took a breath, hoping that he was saying it right. It wasn't just Nick's life that depended on it.

"Oderfni Ihcilasab," he tried, and the effect was immediate. A strange sensation washed over them all, and even the Rock Troll paused at it. They looked up as a massive spell seal appeared in the air, in complete reverse of how Koragg's had looked.

"Come on," Titania whispered as she staggered away from the Rock Troll. A beat passed, and they heard a familiar yell as Nick passed through the spell seal. To their shock, however, he wasn't alone.

"Go, Catastros!" Nick cheered from the saddle of the legendary stallion, who carried him into battle.

"It's Nick!" Vida smiled in relief at the sight of their friend.

"I can't believe it worked," Chip admitted with a laugh.

"Unbelievable…" Carvallain breathed at the sight of Catastros allowing Nick to accompany him in battle.

"Hey guys!" Nick waved to his team. "Need a little help?" he grinned, full of confidence now that he had conquered his fear of the mighty creature. "Centaurus Phoenix Megazord!" Nick raised his sword to the air as his burning magic filled the air. He and Catastros passed through another spell seal, and they combined into a much more powerful form.

"He combined with Catastros!" Xander gasped.

"This is nuts!"

"No way!" Vida and Chip could barely believe what they were seeing.

"Catastros found someone else worthy? What happened in that dimension?" Carvallain couldn't help but wonder.

"This is how it's done, Red Ranger-style," flames began to swirl around the dual blade that Nick was wielding. He spun it over and over again as the Rock Troll roared at the newcomer to the battle.

"I'm not afraid of you," the monster bolstered as he charged Nick, swinging his club. It bounced harmlessly off Nick's weapon, sending streams of fire scattering around.

"I'm all fired up," summoning even more power, Nick channelled flames from his helmet, using them to destroy the rocks that the Troll threw at him. With the same power, he struck the Rock Troll with one powerful final move, making it stagger and shriek. "Time to rock out!" he laughed as the monster exploded. As it did, another spell seal appeared in the sky, formed with seven different coloured lights. It then separated, floating down to each of the Rangers.

"Our combining power!" Xander realised as he reached up and touched the green magic, which vanished into him.

"We got them back," Chip grinned with relief.

"Now we can kick some evil butt," Vida gave a laugh as she spun.

"We have a chance against Koragg again," Carvallain let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful to have the small portion of his power back.

"Thanks, Catastros," Nick reverted back to his normal Titan form, still on Catastros' back. As he reached out and patted the horse's neck, Catastros gave a whinny and bucked, throwing Nick off.

"Nick!" Maddie gasped, crouching to help Nick up. Catastros had bounded off, straight to Koragg, who had been watching from a nearby building. He leapt up, and formed his Centuar combination.

"Catastros rides with me," Koragg declared, victorious despite the loss of their power.

"No! I thought he had changed," Nick took a few steps towards Koragg, sad to lose Catastros after connecting with him.

"I don't know how you were able to combine with my mighty Catastros, but I promise you, I will find out," Koragg warned Nick, his words cold and angry. "Something about you is troubling," he confessed. Nick frowned.

"I don't understand…what are you talking about?" he demanded, but Koragg simply turned his back on them.

"We will meet again, Red Ranger," there was a flash of purple light, and Koragg vanished.

"I don't understand…" Nick murmured.

"Not many can say they've ridden the mighty Catastros," Udonna spoke as she walked with Nick and Fáfnir back to Rootcore. He had told them all about the dark dimension he had ended up in, and how he'd managed to heal Catastros and earn his trust enough to fight in battle together.

"Aye lad," Fáfnir nodded, and not for the first time Nick shot him a wary look. The others had told him on their way back about the former Earth Mystic, but he was still bizarre. "From all the legends I've heard of the beast, you can count on one hand how many he's even let near him, let alone allowed to ride him. You're something special," Fáfnir told him. Nick flushed with pride, and the Dwarf laughed. "Taliesin will be fuming, I can't wait to see his face," he said, almost seeming gleeful.

"It is impressive," Udonna said, trying to resist rolling her eyes as Nick looked at her to gauge her reaction to Fáfnir. "How was it, to not only ride the child of the divine into battle, but combine with him?" she asked Nick.

"It was pretty amazing," the Red Ranger said, unable to hide his disappointment. "Even though he probably only let me ride him cause I helped him out," he shrugged.

"Yes," Udonna nodded, understanding his meaning. "Unfortunately, the next time you meet Catastros, you will be enemies again," she warned. Nick's disappointment grew. "But you conquered your fear and were rewarded. I'm proud of you," Udonna's words made Nick's eyes widen just a little as he realised how happy hearing that made him.

"And what a reward it was," Fáfnir chuckled.

"Thanks. And don't forget about the others, they really came through for me when it counted," Nick admitted, making her smile.

"Apparently they had a little help from that Troblin friend of yours," Udonna said, and Nick couldn't help but laugh.

"Phineas?" he asked, and she nodded.

"That fella is still about? Good to hear, I haven't seen him in almost twenty years," Fáfnir admitted, stroking his beard.

"Man, if you had told me that I'd be hanging out with a magical sorceress and a Dwarf," he glanced to Fáfnir, who grinned up cheerfully at him. "And a half Troll, half Goblin, I'd have never believed it," Nick shook his head.

"Your journey is just beginning, Nick. There are many adventures ahead, for all of us," Udonna told him as they reached the dragon head.

"Now that I can believe," Nick laughed, vanishing inside.

"I hope for my sake, not for me," Fáfnir just chuckled as he followed the two, and the dragon's head closed behind them.

Chapter 7: Fireheart

Chapter Text

Every time Carvallain set foot in the human world, worry made his stomach churn. As he passed through the tree across the road from Rock Porium, he gave a quick glance around to make sure that nobody had seen him.

"You really need to stop looking like you're going to be struck down for simply setting foot in this world," he glanced over his shoulder as Titania materialised. A rainbow hue was fading from around her, changing her outfit from her Mystic uniform to clothes more appropriate for their location.

"The stories I heard as a child tell me I would be," Carvallain retorted, adjusting the grey jumper he wore over a white shirt and dark jeans. Titania laughed, patting his arm as she passed and crossed the road with the light, floaty steps that he was used to from her.

"I'm certain that your uncle only told you those stories so you wouldn't go sneaking off to see what it was like," she said. Carvallain didn't reply as he instead adjusted his headphones and followed her across to the music store where their friends and teammates could usually be found. Titania just grinned wider, knowing that he couldn't help but agree.

"Alrighty! Work the beat, work the beat!" Xander's cheers made the two non-humans slow as they stepped into the shop, taking note of what was going on. The Green Ranger was sitting on a wheeled chair, rolling back and forth, while the others were all standing in a row sorting the stock in front of them. "Stocking doesn't have to be boring!" Xander's encouragement fell on deaf ears as they shot irritated looks at him.

"What is going on?" Titania asked curiously as they stopped beside Nick.

"We're organising the new stock that just came in. Well, most of us are," the Red Ranger shot a glower at Xander, before going back to the records in his hands.

"Sometimes I wonder who the leader of our team is," Carvallain confessed as Xander spun in the chair, waving to the pair in a welcome. Titania indicated behind him with a small smile, and the young man turned again. He couldn't stop the yell of surprise when he found himself staring at a cardboard cutout of an older man with long black hair and heavy makeup who seemed to be yelling. Toby then peeked out from behind it, looking a little startled, and Xander's shoulders slumped.

"It's you, boss," Xander let out a breathy laugh, embarrassed as Carvallain and Titania didn't hide their laughter. He carefully got to his feet in what he seemed to think a subtle move.

"Nice work, Xander," Toby didn't seem to notice that he'd been messing around in the chair. "I like the way you've got everyone…working!" he exclaimed, a little surprised at the sight. He often wondered why he had hired the group of friends, who spent more time messing around than actually working. "You are a born leader!" he told him. Xander's chest puffed out with pride.

"Hear that guys? Born leader," he stressed with a wide, overconfident smile. Maddie laughed as Vida and Nick rolled their eyes. Chip just shot an exasperated look at Titania and Carvallain, who were still laughing.

"Who is this?" Titania approached Toby, her head tilted as she studied the cardboard cutout of the hunched man in a studded leather jacket. Toby turned to her, looking almost offended.

"Who is this?" he demanded. Her head still tilted, Titania gave a nod. Spluttering in disbelief, Toby looked at the rest of the group. Xander and Carvallain looked confused as well, and the others weren't entirely paying attention. "Guys! Jake Bonebreaker!" he gestured eagerly to the cutout. Again, he received nothing but blank looks. "The man who put the 'metal' in 'metalhead'. Lead guitar and vocal of the metal mega classic, Hairy Hatchet!" Toby exclaimed.

"What a foul name," Carvallain shuddered at the mental image behind the band name.

"That's heavy metal for you," Nick muttered. When it was clear that none of them had heard of the band that Toby loved, he gave a weary sigh.

"Okay. Your lesson: play it, like it. Class dismissed!" with that, Toby strode off to his office and shut the door.

"Does that apply to us?" Titania wondered, looking at Carvallain as he drifted over to her.

"I would hope not," he murmured, still staring at the cutout of Jake Bonebreaker with a look of mild distaste. "I don't think my uncle would approve of me listening to music by someone known as 'Bonebreaker'," Carvallain confessed, and Titania giggled.

"All the more reason to try it," she told him, and he shot her a look of exasperation.

"Guys, who wants to take care of the king of metal?" Xander asked, gesturing to the cutout.

"Not me," Nick answered instantly without even looking up.

"Me either," Maddie had a similar look of distaste on her face as she looked up at it. "He's older than my dad," her words made Vida laugh.

"I got things to do," the Pink Ranger then said as she gestured to the pile of records in front of her that she'd been organising.

"Sorry, heavy metal makes my nose bleed," Chip shrugged.

"And don't even look at us. We don't work here," Carvallain reminded as Xander cast a look in his direction. The young man huffed in irritation.

"Fine! I'll do it myself. Like everything else around here," Xander grumbled, turning back to the cutout. Vida pulled a face at him as Titania co*cked her head.

"I seem to recall that being the opposite of what really happens around here," she said quietly to Vida, who didn't bother to suppress her snort.

"No kidding," the Pink Ranger agreed. Titania huffed, resting her hands on her hips.

"You humans are so confusing," she complained. Vida just grinned and patted her on the head. Hearing Xander's quiet mutters, Carvallain turned back to the Green Ranger just in time to see him cast a spell. There was a gentle brush of magic that caught all of their attention, just before a shout rang out.

"Hello, Cincinnati!" their eyes went wide when they saw the cardboard cutout had come to life.

"Oops…" Xander gulped as he stared at the man. "That's a slight magical malfunction," he muttered.

"You mixed up the animation spell with the levitation spell," Carvallain said, arms crossed as he sounded unimpressed. "You really need to work on your incantations," he scolded as Xander laughed weakly. As the cardboard cutout looked baffled about his sudden arrival in the shop, their Morphers suddenly chimed.

"Rangers, there's a very strong dark magic presence in your area," Udonna warned them urgently.

"We'll go," Titania said, already heading to the door.

"Not alone," Nick stopped her, even as he glanced at Jake Bonebreaker. The man was rocking on an air guitar, oblivious to their conversation. "We can't all split on Toby…V and I will join you," he decided. The team nodded. "You guys help with…heavy metal boy," Nick laughed as they hurried out, leaving Xander, Chip and Maddie to handle the cardboard cutout come to life.

Following the direction that Udonna had pointed them in, the four Rangers ran through a car park until they picked up on the faint presence of evil lingering. As they left the view of the street, there was a flash of their own magic as they changed from their normal civilian clothes, into their Mystic uniforms.

"That way, it's Necrolai!" Carvallain heard the Vampire muttering to herself, and led them down another path. As they reached the area, they all stopped when they found the place was deserted.

"Nothing down here but a taxi…" Vida frowned as they barely gave the car a look over. "I thought you said Necrolai was here?" she asked Carvallain, turning to him. The Silver Ranger was quiet, listening out for any sign of the Vampire. He could still feel the trace of dark magic, but he couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

All four jumped when the taxi suddenly started to move, despite there being no driver behind the wheel. The bonnet lifted, and the taxi began to change form until it was a monster that loomed over them.

"Steady," Nick warned as Vida took a step back in alarm.

"I suppose that is the source of the dark magic," Carvallain murmured. "Shapeshifters are always a hassle," he complained. The insectoid monster then roared loudly at them and lunged, starting to fight the four with pure strength.

Titania gave a cry as she was knocked to the ground, and Nick pulled her up before landing a kick that barely even made the monster move. As all four were shoved away, they grabbed their Morphers and flipped them open.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they Morphed, but even that wasn't enough to gain the upper-hand against the monster. The cackle of laughter caught Carvallain's sharp ears as he hit the ground, and he turned to see Necrolai watching with an old scroll in her hands.

"Stop!" he pushed himself up, only to be hit by the same burst of magic that hit the other three, and they fell in a heap.

"Necrolai!" Vida growled as she glared up at the one responsible for the attack.

"Who else?" she taunted as the monster laughed at the sight of the four on the ground. "And I believe you've met my friend," Necrolai sneered. She glanced at the monster, who immediately charged in to continue the attack.

"Guys!" Titania grabbed her Morpher to reach out to the others as Nick, Vida and Carvallain got back up and continued to fight. "We could use some help out here!" she warned. Not wasting time, the Black Ranger shoved her Morpher away and rejoined the fight.

"Pathetic," Necrolai mocked Vida as she held her wrist tight enough that it made her wince in pain. With a wave, she threw her aside, and dodged Titania's attack. "Is this the best you can do? How did you manage to overpower Morticon and Koragg?" she wondered idly, kicking Titania back.

"We don't give up!" Vida shouted, and Necrolai hissed a curse when the Pink Ranger managed to land a punch that made her stagger backwards.

"She's right," Titania held out her hand, and rainbow lights shimmered around her as she threw out a bolt of offensive magic. However, Necrolai easily blocked it and retaliated, knocking both of them to the ground again.

"Fae magic against me? Please. Your power doesn't hold a candle to mine. It's nothing compared to those creatures I've fought before," Titania glared up at her as Necrolai laughed. Nearby, Nick and Carvallain went tumbling to the ground as the insectoid monster overpowered them as well.

"There they are!" to the relief of the Rangers, their backup arrived not long afterwards.

"Hold it!" Xander shouted, and Necrolai turned to look at them.

"Time to end this party," she decided. She gave a sharp whistle, and the growling monster spun around to look at her. In an instant, it changed shape, reverting into a taxi. "Deliver the map," Necrolai ordered as she tossed the old parchment into the back seat.

"That's just crazy!" Vida exclaimed. With the shriek of the wheels spinning, the taxi monster took off, speeding away. The Rangers started to give chase, turning their backs to Necrolai, and the Vampire didn't hesitate to launch a volley of magic at them. The Rangers cried out in pain, crashing to the ground from the force behind the attack.

"That's nothing compared to the power I'll soon have," Necrolai warned, turning on her heel. With a shriek, she flew off.

"More power?" Titania gasped.

"Let's go after her!" Nick shouted, but the moment he was on his feet, Xander suddenly grabbed his arm and forced him to stop.

"Wait!" he told him, and the horror in his voice made them all pause instead of going after the Vampire. "We've got another problem," Xander warned, gesturing up. Their eyes went wide as they saw themselves looking at a camera pointed at them, the red light flickering telling those from the human realm that it was recording everything.

"Smile…we're on camera," Maddie gulped.

Udonna gave a disapproving shake of her head as she and the Rangers watched the footage they had magically connected to, seeing not only the fight, but Nick, Vida, Titania and Carvallain Morphing. They'd managed to delete it from the computer systems it had been saved to, leaving them with the only copy.

"Humans love to make things more complicated with all those toys," Fáfnir complained. The Dwarf was watching too, almost looking amused until Udonna shot him a warning look.

"You must protect your identities at all cost," Udonna scolded, making the Rangers wince. "This tape could put us all in danger," she reminded as the tape looped.

"Wait, what was that?" Maddie asked. When they all looked confused, she stepped forwards and used her magic to start the recording from the beginning and zoom in on Necrolai.

"That's the parchment that Necrolai was carrying," Carvallain remembered the old scroll the Vampire had been holding. "The one she sent off in the taxi," he said.

"It looks like a map," Nick considered as the footage zoomed in even more on the parchment that Necrolai was looking over.

"Wait," Titania took several steps forwards to stare at it. "That writing…it's Old Fae!" she exclaimed.

"Indeed it is," Udonna nodded. Titania waved her hand, letting her Fae magic flow as she copied what was on screen to create a replica in front of them. Udonna lifted the paper, studying it curiously, and inhaled.

"Oh my…" she breathed as they all gathered close. "I thought this was lost…it's the map to the Fireheart!" Udonna exclaimed. Fáfnir sucked in a breath at her words.

"The Fireheart?" Chip's eyes lit up. "No way!" he grinned, before pausing. "What's the Fireheart?" he asked curiously. The other Rangers hid their amusem*nt.

"A legend that Dusk told us about," Titania started at the name that Fáfnir spoke.

"My father told you about it?" she asked him. All of them were quiet, aware that Dusk had been the previous Red Fire Mystic.

"That's why the map is written in Old Fae," Fáfnir nodded. "He told us that it was a source of tremendous power, one that had to be protected until the time was right. He never told us where he left the map," the Dwarf sounded almost awestruck as he peered up at the map in Udonna's hands.

"What kind of power?" Chip asked, eyes bright. Fáfnir shrugged.

"No idea. Dusk never told us anything else about it. Never even told us how he knew about it, or how he got the map in the first place," he answered. Chip sighed.

"If the map is in written in Old Fae, maybe it's some kind of Faerie power?" Xander suggested, glancing to Titania as she stared at the map wordlessly.

"But now Necrolai has that map," Carvallain pointed out with a frown.

"Then we need to find it, before Necrolai gets her scaly little hands on it," Vida hissed, pressing her fist to her open palm. Udonna let out a shaky breath.

"That won't be easy," she warned, studying the map. "It says that you must traverse the Cimmerian Forest," Udonna's words were grave. Titania openly flinched, and Carvallain hissed a curse as even Fáfnir looked unhappy at the idea.

"That's alright," Xander said, not seeming to notice their reactions. "We like forests, don't we guys?" he asked. Most of the other Rangers nodded, not showing any fear. Fáfnir cleared his throat, and shook his head when they glanced at him.

"This one is unlike any you know," Udonna's warning was quiet and grim. "Imagine your worst nightmare-"

"That's easy!" Chip piped up brightly. "My mom puts my Morpher in the dryer, and the next time we Morph my uniform is really tiny!" he exclaimed, earning snorts of laughter from the others from the human realm.

"Enough!" Udonna's sharp tone startled them into silence. Chip's smile vanished as he stared at the almost angry look on the Snow Sorceress' face. "You are about to begin the most dangerous journey that you have ever undertaken. Your path will be filled with unimaginable danger; evil creatures, ravenous demons!" once she was satisfied by the nervous looks on their faces, Udonna gave a nod. "Now go. Remember, returning with the Fireheart will not be your success - your success will be to return at all," she warned them.

"Never thought I'd have to go near this place again," Fáfnir complained as he trudged through the dirt with surprisingly fast strides for someone of his size. With his speed, he was easily able to lead the Rangers towards the Cimmerian Forest. He had offered to take them to the border of the forest, knowing the way best.

"What's so bad about it?" Vida asked him, glancing to the former Earth Mystic as she hopped over a fallen tree. The Dwarf slowed to a stop, not turning around for a moment.

"There's this legend. A story of a man, a Prósopo-"

"A what?" Chip interrupted. Fáfnir shot him an incredulous look.

"You're being trained by one, lad," he pointed out, which only made their confused looks grow.

"I thought…" Nick started, and trailed off. He'd never wondered about who Udonna was, past the powerful Sorceress thing, at least.

"She was human? Typical humanoid reaction," Fáfnir snorted.

"Fáfnir," Carvallain's voice was warning as he saw the insulted scowl flash across Nick's face.

"Prósopo are similar to humans. Udonna and Penelope, and a lot of the inhabitants of the Woodland Village, are Prósopo," Titania spoke up softly. "They share your lifespan, but they tend to be more resilient, stronger and faster, with a deep connection to magic," she explained, and they nodded slowly.

"Anyway," Fáfnir cleared his throat. "There was a man named Draven, a powerful Wizard. He lived in a small kingdom as adviser to the King, but he craved power and often sequestered himself in his tower in his studies to become stronger. When he learned about the magic of Artificing, he became obsessed," his voice was rough.

"Artificers are rare, with the ability to infuse their creations with magic," Titania spoke up again to elaborate further. "Draven was one of the first…and it gave them a bad name," she said, her smile twisted.

"What did he do that was so bad?" Maddie asked curiously.

"And what does it have to do with the Cimmerian Forest?" Nick added.

"Getting there," Fáfnir waved a hand. "His initial experiments were going too slowly, so he began to absorb magic from those he deemed as…lesser beings," his expression was dark, and the rest of the Rangers started to understand the grim looks on their faces.

"Dwarfs, Elves, Faefolk. Goblins, Orcs, pretty much anything that wasn't Prósopo, was fair game to Draven," Carvallain had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a tree.

"At first it seemed to work. The artifacts that he was creating were powerful, meaning he was powerful. Too powerful," Fáfnir sighed as he ran a hand through his beard. "He couldn't control it. All that magic from different sources, fuelled by pain and greed, it exploded out. Levelled the entire kingdom," horror washed over the Rangers at the story.

"That's what created the portals between our worlds," Titania spoke up again as a hush fell over the group. "The explosion was so great that it tore the very fabric between our worlds, and left magic within your world. It's why the Master wants your world as well as ours," she explained.

"It was so great that it left magic unpredictable for a very long time. Races were wiped out, civilisations fell or were set back centuries," Fáfnir shook his head. "And the site of the explosion left stagnant magic in the air, so heavy it feels like a heat weighing down on you. That site became the Cimmerian Forest," they each sucked in a breath at his words.

"Stagnant magic? What's that?" Xander couldn't contain his curiosity. Fáfnir's eyes glittered at the question.

"The most dangerous kind of magic. Neither good nor evil, it simply lingers in the air and suppresses all energy around it. At least, it was, until the Master tried to turn it evil," Fáfnir said gravely. "It was one of the biggest battles that we faced. It's where Morticon…" he trailed off, glancing warily at Carvallain. The Elf's hands were clenched into fists.

"It's where my father died," he said shortly. Maddie reached out, putting a sympathetic hand on his arm. Carvallain glanced at it, and offered a faint smile of thanks.

"As the Master predicted, the battle did have an effect on the magic there, but not in the way he expected," Fáfnir looked uneasy now. "All that death, the damage of battle, it turned the stagnant, neutral magic into Necrotic magic," Carvallain couldn't stop the shudder running through him at those words.

"Death magic," Titania whispered. Fáfnir nodded.

"Even most dark magic practitioners don't mess with Necrotic magic. It's too unpredictable, going against the laws of magic. The few who have, found their lifespans drastically shortened," Fáfnir then gave a smile that was far too cheery. "And that's where the map to the Fireheart leads you," he gestured with his thumb. "That way," they all looked quickly in the direction that he was pointing. "Good luck," with that, the Dwarf began to walk in the opposite direction.

"You're not coming with us?" Vida asked, her voice trembling despite herself.

"Not a chance, lass," Fáfnir snorted. "I was there in that battle," he glanced over his shoulder at them. "Be careful. I told you that story for a reason. Keep your wits about you," he warned, and continued walking.

"Great…" Nick huffed, unable to deny his heart was beating faster at the idea of walking into such a terrible place.

"Nowhere to go but forwards," Titania patted his arm.

"Right," he nodded. Nick started to lead the way forwards, feeling the temperature of the forest starting to change. There was a strange weight to the air, just as Fáfnir had said, and something about it had his instincts begging him to turn around and walk away.

"This isn't…so bad…" Chip managed to say, before pausing as he saw the sign nailed to the tree that read 'GO BACK! Cimmerian Forest Ahead'.

"I'm not looking forward to this," Maddie muttered as they ignored the sign and kept walking. Nick held the map in his hand, looking around.

"Me neither," he muttered, still fighting that feeling that danger was all around him.

"I am," they all looked at Xander as he strode forwards, a co*cky grin plastered on his face. "I'll take the lead on this one. I know how to read maps pretty well," he said confidently. Nick eyed him warily.

"Are you sure?" he asked, wondering if Xander had just dismissed Fáfnir's story.

"Like Toby said," Xander grinned, his chest puffed out once again. "I'm a born leader," he bragged. Nick shrugged.

"Okay, it's all yours," he allowed, handing over the map. Xander's co*cky grin only widened with excitement at the chance to show off. Turning away, he looked down at the map to work out where they were and where to go next.

"Okay…Team Xander! Onward!" Xander eagerly began to walk, and the others followed without a word.

The further into the Cimmerian Forest the group travelled, the more they felt the weight of magic weighing down on them. Unlike the gentle warmth of good magic, or the icy cold of dark magic, the Necrotic magic that plagued the lands was heavy and almost humid, making sweat cling to them. The seven barely spoke, simply following Xander's path and keeping their eyes open for any of the monsters that Udonna had warned them about.

Even Xander paused at the skeletons they passed, which were monstrous in appearance and had obviously been lying in the dirt for a very long time ago.

"This is my kinda place," Chip gave a breathy laugh as he stared at the skeletons. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and he almost enjoyed the shiver that ran down his spine the more he looked at it.

"It sure isn't mine," Maddie muttered.

"Let's keep moving. I'd rather not find out what had the strength to take out a Minotaur like that," Carvallain told them, levelling a warning look at Chip to not fall behind. Despite his awe, the Lightning Mystic nodded. A groaning sound overhead earned their attention, and Maddie slowed.

"Okay…what was that?" her voice shook with her fear.

"The trees," Titania couldn't deny her amazement as she looked up at the trees that grew so thickly that the sky was barely visible through the foliage. "The magic is so thick that it's embedded itself in their roots. The poor things," she whispered, her dark eyes shining. Titania then swallowed. "Don't touch the trees if you can avoid it," she warned quietly, and they nodded, none of them about to argue.

"Just keep going," Nick called over his shoulder to them, aware that Xander was charging ahead and barely looking back at them. As they kept walking, Carvallain glanced over his shoulder at the sound of a twig snapping nearby. He frowned, but kept walking silently. The sooner they found the Fireheart, the better.

The nervous quiet continued for a while, with Xander and Chip seeming to be the least effected by their surroundings. Xander kept marching forwards, occasionally veering in a different direction while muttering to himself, and Chip was still staring wide-eyed at everything around him.

"Whoa!" Xander called suddenly as he raised his hand into the air. He stopped so abruptly that Vida walked straight into him, almost knocking him over as they all tripped over each other.

"Next time, just say stop," Vida growled as they recovered. "'Whoa' is for horses. I don't see any horses here, do you?" she demanded. Xander flushed, and nodded.

"Okay, I got it," he laughed nervously, and looked back down at the map in his hand. Carvallain then hissed for them to be quiet. "What's-" before Xander could ask, they all heard the rapid rustling around them.

"Do you hear that?" Maddie breathed, her heart racing.

"I wish I didn't," Titania gulped. The group drew closer to one another carefully.

"I've had a feeling that something's been following us since we started," Chip admitted nervously. "I didn't want to say anything because…I always think something's following us," his words almost drew a laugh from Maddie.

"Something has been following us for a while," Carvallain warned in a low voice. "It's kept its distance until now, I assumed whatever it is was simply curious about us," he said carefully, looking around for whatever it was that was approaching. With the rustling all around them, and his senses overcharged from their location, it was hard to tell where it was even coming from.

Then a figure suddenly flipped to hang upside down in front of them, making all seven jump a foot in the air. Realising that it was Phineas, the team let out a sigh of relief and their shoulders slumped.

"It's only Phineas," Nick breathed, heart slamming against his chest.

"Oh, it's only the Rangers," Phineas drawled, offended by Nick's words. It made Maddie laugh, relieved to see a familiar face in the terrifying forest.

"What are you doing here?" Titania asked the Troblin.

"Well-"

"Sorry, Phineas," Xander stopped him before he could start talking. He waved the map in his hand. "Important mission. Don't have time for a visit," he said. With a grunt, Phineas launched off the tree branch and landed on his feet easily.

"Tell you what, seeing as you asked so nicely, I'll take you through the forest," he offered with a warm smile.

"Maybe we should let Phineas lead," Nick suggested as they all turned to Xander. The Green Ranger had lost his grin and was going pale.

"Having someone who knows this forest is better than following a map," Titania pointed out, eager to get through the woods as quickly and as safely as possible.

"I like them! They know what they're talking about," Phineas spoke brightly - too brightly for someone wandering the Cimmerian Forest. "I know this forest like the back of my ha-" Phineas stopped as he stared at the back of his hand. "Oh! Lucky me, new wart!" he beamed.

"We don't need any help," Xander forced the co*cky grin back to his face. "I know exactly where I'm going," he insisted. He looked down at the map for a second, taking a deep breath, and gestured in another direction.

"Okay!" Phineas called as he watched them walking off. "No problem! Have a nice day!" he shouted after them. "Just sorry that I'll never…ever see you again…but hey, have fun!" only Carvallain's sharp Elf ears caught the Troblin's warning, and he let out a sigh.

Titania watched Xander as they kept walking, noting his pale face. So focused on the map and leading the way, he didn't notice he was being watched, and his smile faded almost immediately as they left Phineas behind.

"This is bad…" she whispered to herself.

With the sky barely visible, it was hard to stay aware of the time, but it felt like hours had passed as the Rangers traversed the dangerous Cimmerian Forest. The sweat was now rolling down them, and dirt clung to their faces and clothes as they continued to trudge along. A fog had descended on them, making it harder to see where they were going.

"Hey! Hold up!" Nick shouted as he jogged forwards to catch up with Xander. "Excuse me, leader?" Xander finally stopped and looked around at the Red Ranger. "We're going in circles. We've passed that tree stump like three times," he gestured to a tree stump that was covered in moss.

"He's right," as Xander scrambled to say something, Titania spoke up. She gestured to the small pile of stones that had been balanced beside the tree stump. "I found that stump familiar the last time, so I left a marker," there was almost an apology in her gaze as Xander's eyebrows furrowed.

"Admit it, we're lost," Nick said, which only made a stubborn look appear on Xander's face. He scowled at Nick.

"We are not," he said stubbornly, and tried not to wince at how childish it made him sound.

"We are too," Nick argued, tired of walking and too on edge to let him continue to charge ahead blindly.

"We are not," Xander refused to back down, not breaking Nick's gaze even as Carvallain suddenly cleared his throat.

"I believe we should address the topic of our current location at a later moment. We may or may not be lost, but…" the Elf gestured downwards. "We are certainly sinking," his words made them all realise with a start that while they had been standing watching Xander and Nick argue, they had slowly been sinking into what they had thought to be mud.

"It's Swamp Sand!" Titania gasped. It was already up to her knees, and the others weren't faring much better.

"Everybody Ranger up!" Xander shouted. They each grabbed their Morphers, shuddering at the slimy cold muck that was dragging them down.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they shouted, but nothing happened. Their Morphers remained lifeless, and the Rangers remained unmorphed.

"Great, our Morphers don't work out here!" Chip realised with a groan.

"It's the Necrotic magic," Carvallain huffed as he started to force himself towards what looked like solid ground. "It smothers all other magic. We're on our own," he said, grabbing hold of a root to try and yank himself out.

"This is disgusting," Titania complained. Her small stature had her at a disadvantage, and she was getting dangerously low by the time she managed to get to the side for Nick to yank her out. She slumped onto the side, her body shaking as it adjusted to being on solid land again, and they managed to pull themselves out.

"Let's re-evaluate," Nick said as all of them breathed heavily. "Take out the map," he told Xander, whose eyes widened. Having almost completely submerged, he'd lost track of the map. Looking around quickly, he saw it slowly sinking into the swamp sand. With a loud squelch, it vanished.

"No…" Xander groaned as Nick cursed.

"Great!" the Red Ranger threw himself backwards in frustration. Now, on top of being lost, they had no way of telling where they were going.

"Who needs a map?" Xander spoke louder as he tried to get to his feet. "I looked at that thing a million times! It's all up here!" he insisted, pressing a fingertip to his temple.

"And that's supposed to make us feel better?" Vida growled at him. Xander didn't reply, almost falling back into the swamp sand.

"It's all we've got," Titania managed to get to her feet, flicking her hands. Mud splattered everywhere as she did, making her grimace. The mud was freezing cold, making them all start to shiver. "We have to keep going forwards. Necrolai can't be allowed to find the Fireheart," she said, helping Maddie to her feet.

"Titania's right," Nick sighed, pushing himself up as well. "We have to keep moving," he told them. The others nodded, weary and cold, but got up and continued to move.

What little morale the team of seven had before the swamp sand was now long gone. Lost in a dangerous forest and following Xander, the others were entirely silent as frustration made their tempers boil dangerously close to the surface.

The mud was starting to dry out, but they were no less uncomfortable as it only made them stiff and itchy. Now, on top of the mud, they were having to push their way through cobwebs that clung to every available surface.

"I am never going to feel clean again," Titania complained under her breath as she pulled cobwebs from her hair. As she did, she eyed them warily. "Please don't be what I think you are," she whispered.

"Are you alright?" Carvallain asked her, hearing her whispers. Titania shook her head, brushing her hand on her mud-caked trousers.

"None of us are going to be until we get out of here," she pointed out. Carvallain huffed out a sigh, knowing that she was right. Her dark eyes lingered on Xander, worry gnawing at her. When she saw him stop abruptly, the Fae tilted her head and moved forwards. "Are you alright?" she asked, before seeing what he was staring at.

A fork in the road. And judging by the panic that he was desperately trying to mask, Xander had no idea which route to take.

"Now where?" Nick groaned as he saw the fork in the road. Xander inhaled deeply, his gaze darting from one path to the other.

"It's that way," he decided, starting to turn left. He hadn't even taken two steps in that direction, however, when Phineas suddenly appeared once again upside down and made all but Carvallain jump. The Elf hid an amused smile, having been aware that he'd been following them the entire time.

"I wouldn't go that way," Phineas warned, still upside down as he crossed his arms over his chest. He then flung himself off the branch, flipping through the air to land on his feet with his hands raised over his head. "Only took me a couple of years to realise that landing on my feet was easier than landing on my face," he grinned, revealing several rows of wickedly sharp teeth.

"Maybe now is a good time to ask Phineas for his help?" Maddie suggested gently. The stubborn look flashed across Xander's face.

"We don't need anything! We are fine!" he insisted. The others sighed heavily at his stubborn refusal.

"He's right," Phineas' agreement confused Xander. The Troblin was nodding with a thoughtful expression. "You don't need anything, because very soon, you're going to be eaten by a Borbeast," he warned simply. Titania hissed under her breath, looking at the cobwebs still clinging to her filthy clothes.

"Of course a Borbeast would make this place its home," she said quietly.

"But hey!" Phineas raised his hands and stepped away from them. "Once again, have a nice day," he smiled at them.

"He's just trying to scare us!" Xander shook his head, desperately trying to pull them back to his side.

"Even if that were true," Carvallain spoke up, idly brushing at his trousers as if he expected to be able to dust off the thick layer of mud dried into the fabric. "As you no longer have the map, I feel that Phineas and his concerning knowledge of this place is the smarter, safer option if we are to succeed in returning," he said simply, and sighed as he saw the look that flashed across Xander's face. "It is nothing against you. There is simply too much at stake," Carvallain told him, and walked over to Phineas.

"I'm going with Phineas too," Nick spoke up, following the Elf with a shake of his head.

"Me too," Vida agreed.

"I trust you, Xander," Titania started, meeting his gaze as she saw the desperation cloud his eyes. "But if there is one creature I would rather avoid coming face-to-face with, it's a Borbeast," she offered an apologetic smile, and started to follow Vida.

"I'll make a deal!" Xander blurted the words out before he could stop himself. Titania froze, her eyes going wide, and Carvallain hissed a curse as his hand twitched towards where his sword normally lay. He'd left it behind, too afraid that he'd lose it in the forest.

"Have you lost your mind?!" he demanded, taking an angry step towards Xander.

"It's fine," Titania spoke, stopping Carvallain where he stood. The other Rangers looked equally wary, and even Phineas didn't dare to speak as Titania turned to Xander. "You want to make a deal?" she asked him, and somehow, despite the stifling presence around them, a faint shimmer of rainbow light flickered around Titania. She didn't notice as she kept her gaze locked on the Green Ranger. "Be sure now, because you can't break a deal with a Fae," she warned, her voice harder than they'd ever heard from the usually cheerful young woman.

"Y-yes," Xander managed to force the word out even as his heart slammed against his chest. "Come with me," he requested as Titania watched him, standing between him and Phineas.

"That's all?" she tilted her head.

"Specifics," Chip hissed. Xander's eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't look away. "You need to be specific with a Fae bargain," the Lightning Mystic warned him. Xander swallowed.

"I want you to…accompany me through the rest of the Cimmerian Forest. Until we find the Fireheart," he managed to say, and could have sworn he saw a flash of approval on Titania's face. For a long moment, she stood entirely too still.

"How do I become stronger?" Titania had blurted out the question before she could stop herself, addressing Penelope. The red-haired woman had looked up in surprise from the healing potions she was brewing. "My magic…it's not strong enough," Titania lifted her hands to glare at them. "I know I need to practice, and I am, but it feels like I'm lacking, and I…" she took in a shuddering breath. "I can't let my team down," her words were a plea to the woman who had raised her in the aftermath of the Great Battle.

"Titania…" Penelope whispered, before letting out a sigh. She rose to her feet and walked over to the delicate Fae, who had tears in her eyes as she waited for some kind of answer from her. "First of all, you could never let your team down. Your strength comes from your heart, and your courage," Penelope told her, putting a hand to her cheek. "You need to believe in yourself," she told her.

"But my Fae magic…" Titania whispered as the tears broke free and ran down her face. "I couldn't free Maddie when she was turned to stone, I couldn't find Nick in the dark dimension. What kind of Fae am I, if I don't even have that kind of power?" she asked, almost desperate.

"My dear little spark," Penelope bent down to rest her forehead against Titania's. "You are stronger than you believe. You just need to give it time," she assured her, before drawing back and smiling. Seeing that Titania didn't look fully reassured by her words, Penelope hummed. "You've never made a true deal before, have you?" she asked, surprising the Black Ranger.

"Not…really," she shook her head. She teased the other Rangers, often taking something in payment for a question or something she'd helped with, and her nature meant she always repaid them for anything they did for her, but there were no true deals she had made.

"Perhaps you should start with something small there, and see how things go," Penelope suggested. Titania co*cked her head, looking thoughtful.

Blinking, Titania pulled herself of her memory with Penelope, and walked over to Xander. When she stood in front of the much taller human, she grinned at him; a devious look that somehow suited her perfectly.

"We have a deal," she told him, holding her hand out. Too desperate to have at least one of them follow him, Xander grasped her hand quickly. Again, Titania didn't notice the flicker of her magic that shimmered around their hands. Her grin widened. "I'll tell you my price after we get out of this place," she told him.

"Rookie mistake," Chip shook his head. "Always find out the price first," he muttered, but only Maddie, who stood beside him, and Carvallain, heard him.

"You better not regret this, Xander," Carvallain warned. "Because there's no breaking a deal with the Fae-folk," he said, angry that he'd been so desperate that he'd made a deal with Titania.

"Guys, come on," Vida called to Chip and Maddie, who were still standing between the pair. Seeing that they hadn't fully moved yet, Xander tore his gaze from Titania and looked over at the two.

"Guys, I know where I'm going!" he insisted as they started to walk over to where the others stood with Phineas. When neither looked convinced, Xander glanced at Titania, and an idea came to mind. "Okay then! I'll cover your shifts for two weekends at Rock Porium, if you stick with me," he offered. Instantly their interest wavered.

"You're bargaining work hours in the middle of the Cimmerian Forest? You truly have no shame," Carvallain huffed. Titania hid her amusem*nt behind a cough. Maddie just sighed.

"Make it three," she bargained.

"Deal," Xander nodded. "Chip?" he looked at the red-haired young man, who nodded.

"Deal," he agreed just as quickly. "I always wanted to see a Borbeast anyway," Chip grinned as Xander started walking, and Maddie and Titania followed.

"If you knew what a Borbeast really was, you really wouldn't," Titania warned over her shoulder.

"He better not get my sister killed," Vida muttered as Phineas started to lead them away as well.

"I'm surprised she went along with his offer," Carvallain admitted as he stepped over a fallen branch. "Maddie always seemed the smartest of you all," he said. Neither Nick nor Vida looked offended, knowing that he's right.

"That's the power of a free weekend," Vida only shrugged.

While Phineas led Nick, Vida and Carvallain in one direction, Xander continued down the path he had chosen, insisting that they were close even as the fog grew thicker around them and the trees blocked out even more sunlight.

"It's not much further!" the Green Ranger insisted as he charged forwards, squinting to see through the fog. He stopped as abruptly as the others as they heard a loud shrieking sound in the distance that echoed all around them.

"Was that a Borbeast?" Maddie whimpered, looking at Titania. The Fae was pale under the mud, her dark brown eyes wide.

"Let's just keep moving," she chose to say instead of answering, and gave Xander a gentle shove to get him moving again. He snapped back to attention and kept moving. Titania, Chip and Maddie followed, staying quiet even as Xander continued to urge them on.

After a while, the fog started to lift and the magic grew less stifling, allowing them to take the first full breath since setting foot in the Cimmerian Forest. With that breath, some of the tension faded, and Xander's eyes lit up.

"Guys look! I think we made it!" he exclaimed, charging forwards. They followed quickly, making sure they didn't lose sight of him as they hoped that he was right. When he spotted a clearing in the trees, Xander let out a laugh of delight. "See gang? Team Xander comes through safe and sound," he said as he put his arms around Chip and Maddie. Titania frowned. While the stifling magic was less intense, it still lingered. As she looked around, she spotted more cobwebs around them.

"Wait!" she gasped, running forwards. As they turned to her, a shriek came from above, similar to the one they'd heard before. Titania reached the other three just in time for the Borbeast above to spit a thick, strong webbing at the group. Crying out as the web covered them, the four were pinned to the rough grass under them.

"Xander…what exactly is your definition of safe and sound?" Chip groaned as the three humans struggled in the webbing they were trapped in.

"Any bright ideas?" Maddie asked as she yanked at her arm, but it was nothing like the normal cobwebs she was used to. The more she struggled, the tighter its hold seemed to be on her.

"Save your strength," Titania warned as she stayed wedged under the thick webbing beside Maddie. "Borbeast Web is one of the strongest materials in this realm. You have to unravel it, not break it," she said as she fidgeted, trying to find a loose strand to break free.

"That thing is going to eat us before we can untangle this mess," Chip groaned, still struggling. The Borbeast was slowly descending on them, drool dripping from its mandibles, ready for its next meal.

After Phineas had led Nick, Carvallain and Vida to the edge of the Cimmerian Forest and vanished back inside, the three Rangers had managed to find a way down the steep cliff. With careful steps, it was only when they reached the bottom that they allowed themselves to breathe in relief.

"I don't think I'm ever going to feel comfortable again," Vida shuddered. Her skin was still crawling even now, when they were free from the Cimmerian Forest.

"I am in full agreement there," Carvallain rubbed his arms, creating flakes of mud that fluttered around him. "I can understand why it's off limits to most," he said.

"Come on," Nick called over his shoulder, already scanning their surroundings. "We need to find the Fireheart," he reminded. They joined the search, trying to find something that stood out against the grey of the cliff base.

"Now that we're out of the Forest, it should be easier to call on our magic again," Carvallain pointed out as he looked around carefully. "And easier to detect. The Fireheart is hidden by Fae magic, so keep watch for anything unusual," he explained.

"Over there!" Nick was the first to spot the glimmering gold that surrounded what seemed like an ordinary pile of rocks. They hurried over, and the golden light grew stronger. "Think that's it?" he asked.

"It's worth a shot," Vida told him, ready to find the Fireheart and go home.

"There is indeed Fae magic here," Carvallain stared at the glowing golden light. While it looked and mostly felt different to Titania's magic, there was still a similarity that convinced him that they had found their prize.

"Well, let's see if you were right about it being easier to call on our magic," Vida said, grabbing her Morpher to flip it open. Instantly the feeling of her magic filled the air as she transformed into a pink-hued tornado, almost sending Nick and Carvallain flying as the power of the tornado smashed through the protective barrier around the rocks. "Yes!" Vida cheered as she returned to normal and saw the rock with a strange golden symbol.

"A little warning would suffice next time," Carvallain said as he adjusted his shirt. Vida ignored him and ran over to the rock. She tugged at the golden metal that protruded, but it refused to budge. "The writing is in Old Fae…unfortunately it is not one of the many languages I had to learn as a child," the Elf folded his arms.

"I'll take it from here," they looked at Nick, who had drawn his Morpher. Sensing what he was going to do, the pair backed off quickly so that Nick could use his Fire magic on the rock. As the temperature around them rose to levels uncomfortable for Vida and Carvallain, the rock started to melt, revealing a strange metal tube that was untouched.

"Hot stuff," Vida laughed as Nick cut off his spell. After checking to make sure the tube wasn't hot, Carvallain lifted it and hummed.

"A Fae protection case. There were a few left around Rootcore…this is newer than the Old Fae writing would suggest," he commented.

"Forget about that, what's inside?" Vida asked eagerly. The Silver Ranger resisted rolling his eyes, and instead used a small burst of magic to open the case. When the top came off to reveal a rolled up piece of parchment, he tipped it out into Vida's waiting hands.

"The secret of the Fireheart," her eyes were lit up with excitement as even Nick and Carvallain couldn't deny their eagerness to see what it was.

Before they could do anything, however, they were blasted by a volley of dark magic missiles that exploded and threw them into the side of the cliff. Vida gave a cry of horror as the parchment was knocked from her hands.

"I'll take that!" Necrolai flew in to catch it with a laugh, swiping it from the air before landing. "Fireheart is mine!" she declared as she landed, and threw out a hand. "Hidiacs!" at her shout, the foot-soldiers appeared from above and started to charge in to fight once more.

Titania let out a frustrated hiss as she desperately tried to find a loose strand to break free of the Borbeast's trap. Knowing they were unable to move, the giant spider-like monster was taking its time to descend on its meal.

"Guys…this is all my fault," Xander moaned, helpless to do anything but stare up at the Borbeast.

"A little late for that," Maddie growled, still struggling despite Titania's warning that it was useless. "It's not like you can make up for it," she huffed.

"At least he's willing to admit his mistake," Titania mused, almost idly as she continued to pick at the sticky webbing.

"And he could at least volunteer to be eaten first," Chip grumbled as he managed to turn his head just enough to glare at the Green Ranger.

"If that's what you want!" Xander blurted, and groaned again. "I just thought I knew everything. I should have listened to Phineas," he berated himself for his mistakes. As if on cue, a familiar figure leapt through the trees and landed by their heads.

"It's never too late for that," Phineas grinned as he stood over the four.

"Phineas!" Maddie smiled with relief at the sight of their Troblin friend. He grinned wider at them, before lifting his head to look at the Borbeast.

"Yoo-hoo! Uh…spider! Come and eat me!" he offered, holding out his arms as if in invitation. "You know what they say, 'once you've tasted Troblin, other food will be a problem'!" he sang as the Borbeast screeched at him. "Sorry guys, I'm not a great rhymer…especially at this…timer," he giggled at his own joke as they sighed.

"Jokes, now?" Maddie groaned.

"Best time for jokes, in my opinion," Titania said, resigning herself to watching Phineas. The Troblin had turned his attention back to the Borbeast.

"Come on! Over here! Come try a rare delicacy; Troblin Tartar!" Phineas taunted the Borbeast, who was continuing to screech at him as it ambled closer. It finally leapt off the massive web it had made, and landed heavily enough to send a shudder through the hard ground. Phineas began to flip away, laughing and jeering as he led the Borbeast away from the Rangers.

"Is he going to be okay?" Maddie asked, worried for their friend.

"He'll be fine," Titania reassured her, before there was another loud crash and rumble a short distance away. "Phineas is smarter than he seems," she reminded them, before there was a second rumble. After a few moments of quiet, they heard the low, heavy footsteps of Phineas running back over to them.

"Hey," he greeted the four still stuck together. He then tilted his head, looking over the webbing before he started to pick at it.

"Phineas, will you lead us?" Xander asked as they felt their bindings start to come loose.

"Sure, Xander," Phineas beamed happily at him for the question. "It would be my honour," he said, and pulled another thick piece of web free.

"How did you get rid of it?" Titania asked curiously as she felt her arm become free.

"A not-so-bottomless pit," Phineas' answer made her laugh.

By the time Phineas led the four out of the forest, the battle was in full swing. Nick, Carvallain and Vida had Morphed as they fought Necrolai and her shapeshifting taxi monster.

"V!" Nick shouted as the Pink Ranger was thrown to the ground by Necrolai, and he and Carvallain ran to help her up. Necrolai laughed as she watched, assured of her victory.

"Hey!" they looked up quickly at the arrival of the rest of their team, who had Morphed and were ready to join the fight.

"You made it," Nick sighed, glad to see them safe.

"Thanks to Phineas. Xander almost got us eaten," Titania piped up. The Green Ranger shoved her, and she laughed.

"Sis!" Maddie called out to Vida, glad to see her after the terrors of the Cimmerian Forest, but worried after seeing her fall. Vida nodded to her, before standing taller.

"Let's show this overgrown bat what we're made of!" she shouted. The others cheered, and the battle resumed. Nick, Vida and Carvallain focused the shapeshifting monster, pushing it back as the others challenged Necrolai to stop her from interfering.

"Magi Staff, Tornado Power!" Vida shouted as she held up her Magi Staff and channelled her magic through it. Lifted off her feet by the tornado that formed around her.

"Magi Staff!" Carvallain lifted his own weapon and sent a barrage of silver-hued magic to break through the monster's defences. It roared in pain, staggering backwards and almost falling over.

"Fire power!" Nick followed up, not letting the monster have time to recover from the powerful strikes that the two had landed, and with a powerful final strike, he cut through its thick armour.

"That cab's busted," Vida grinned wildly, but it was wiped off her face by the sudden chill in the air that accompanied dark magic. Their eyes went wide as the monster reformed and grew much bigger, earning all their attention.

"Time to go Titan!" Xander called as Necrolai backed off. Casting their spell, the seven Rangers transformed into their massive Titan forms to fight the shapeshifting monster. It returned to its taxi-like form, racing towards them as Nick landed on the hood and caused it to swerve.

"A little help? The metre's running!" he shouted over his shoulder to the rest of the team.

"The what?" Titania asked, not understanding his reference.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Carvallain shook his head in exasperation at Nick's choice to make quips in the heat of battle.

"How about we shoot to score?" Vida asked as she transformed into her ball form. Nick cheered, leaping off the taxi to deliver a powerful kick to the ball. It slammed hard into the taxi, forcing the monster to revert back to its normal self.

"Alright!" Vida cheered as the monster lay stunned on the ground, giving them time to group together.

"Titan Megazord Formation!" the team used their magic to combine their Titans into their powerful Megazord form, determined to finish the battle. Trying to get in close, the shapeshifting monster roared and charged in. With a powerful swing, their Sabre carved through the ground and create a burst of rocks and debris that caused the monster to overbalance and fall over. "Mystic Spell Seal!" they held their hands over their consoles, charging up with magic.

"You're toast!" Nick grinned as the monster roared and exploded once again. The team cheered, glad that one of their battles was over. From the ground below, Necrolai was unaffected by the loss of the monster as she held the parchment in her hand and smirked.

"Time for me to get back to the pit," she decided, having seen enough.

"Give me that!" however, before she could escape, Vida had launched herself at Necrolai from above and managed to grab hold of the parchment. The two struggled furiously as Necrolai shrieked angrily, and there was a loud tearing sound before Vida fell backwards, barely landing on her feet.

"Whoops," she gulped, staring at the torn paper in her hand.

"Sis!"

"Are you alright?" the others reached her, and their eyes went wide as they saw the torn parchment in her hand.

"Look what you've done!" Necrolai screamed, glaring hatefully at Vida. Knowing when to cut her losses, the Vampire turned on her heel and flew off with a screech.

"Well…at least we have half of it," Maddie managed to say, trying to look on the bright side.

"Yeah…whatever it is," Xander added. They all peered closely as Vida opened the parchment, revealing a strange drawing that none of them could understand.

"I bathed more times last night than I had done all month, and I still don't believe I'll ever feel clean again," Carvallain complained to the other Rangers as they stood in Rock Porium the next day. Udonna had been relieved to see them all back in one piece, even if they had returned with only half of the mysterious parchment.

"Tell me about it," Vida grumbled, still feeling phantom muck clinging to her. "And someone used all the hot water," she glowered at her sister, who didn't look the slightest bit remorseful.

"You didn't almost get eaten by a giant spider," Maddie reminded her.

"And you did not have to follow Xander," Carvallain pointed out, making both Nick and Vida laugh as Maddie went red.

"I think I got scammed…three weekends off was not enough," she complained, and their laughter grew. Chip nodded his agreement, before pausing.

"Hey, what price did you give Xander in the end?" he asked Titania, who was studying one of the records that they had been sorting. Her eyes shone with devious amusem*nt at his question, but before she could answer, the cardboard cutout of Jake Bonebreaker landed beside her.

"I'm really sorry, everyone," Xander apologised as he balanced the cutout carefully. "I guess part of being a born leader, is knowing when to follow," he allowed.

"I guess it's not a total loss," Maddie teased him. "You learned from this, Xander," she said, making it clear that she'd forgiven him. Xander's grin returned, before he suddenly sneezed.

"What the-" the other Rangers jumped away from the burst of rainbow of glitter that exploded from Xander's nose, and Titania gave a devious cackle.

"And that would be the price of bargaining with a Fae," she laughed as the other Rangers backed away in fear of getting glitter all over their clothes.

"I just swept up…" Nick complained, glaring at the glitter that now covered the ground and furniture, shimmering in an array of colours. "You couldn't have made him pay some other way?" he asked Titania, who shrugged.

"I was going to go easier on him," she said, and looked at Xander as he sneezed again. "But then he almost got me eaten by a Borbeast, so I upped the price," Titania smiled sweetly as Xander glared at her.

"The glitter is making me sneeze even more. I'm going to be covered in it for the rest of my life!" he exclaimed, and Titania laughed even harder. Her delight, and his discomfort, made the others start to laugh too.

"Good luck," Nick grinned, pressing the broom into Xander's hand. "Because I am not cleaning up this mess," he told the Green Ranger.

"G'day mates!" they turned around at the greeting called, and their eyes went wide as they found themselves staring at the real life Jake Bonebreaker. "My tour bus broke down, so I though I'd kill some time in here while it's getting fixed," he told them with a grin, before spotting the cardboard cutout. His eyes lit up. "Hey! Handsome lad, ain't he," he grinned as they laughed.

"You have got to meet our boss! He's your biggest fan," Vida told him, making Jake's smile widen.

"Toby! Guess who's here!" Nick's shout drew Toby from his office. The man pushed the door out to look. "Jake Bonebreaker!" he pointed to the man, but Toby only huffed.

"I'm not falling for that again. I've got work to do!" he gestured to the phone before slamming the door shut, confusing Jake.

"What?" he asked, not understanding. Xander just sneezed loudly, sending out another cloud of glitter. This time it caught the others, clinging to them.

"Now I really am never going to be clean again…" Carvallain sighed.

Chapter 8: Stranger Within: Part 1

Chapter Text

It was curious to Titania, how when night fell, Briarwood didn't seem to stop. People continued to wander the city, either working or partying, and the Fae couldn't help but watch the group of young women who seemed barely older than her walking together as they laughed and chatted excitedly about the new DJ performing in a local club.

While she had been coming to the human world for some time now, the people always fascinated Titania, especially their fashion. She eyed their shoes curiously, wondering how they were able to walk so confidently in the narrow heels, and found herself a little envious.

Finally she remembered the reason why she was in the human realm, and crossed the road to approach Rock Porium. The lights inside had been dimmed, but still illuminated the small shop in the dark of night that had fallen over the city, and she pushed the door open.

"We're-" Nick started as he turned, and stopped as he realised it was Titania walking in. "Oh, hey. We're almost done here," he told her as she smiled at him.

"Sounds good. Carvallain wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten," she told them as she watched them cleaning up to close for the night. Nick gave a light-hearted roll of his eyes.

"How could we after his incessant 'this is extremely important, we must find out what secrets this parchment holds before dark forces claim the Fireheart for themselves'?" he mimicked, making them all grin at the perfect impression of their Silver Ranger.

"It doesn't help that Xander was banned from Rootcore for a week," Vida shot a stern look at Xander, who was behind the till counting the money to be put away for Toby. He went red.

"That was Titania's fault!" he pointed to her as she hopped up onto the counter to watch them. She looked at him innocently.

"You were the one who wanted to make a deal," she reminded him. Xander's blush grew, and he huffed, going back to counting the money as Titania shot a grin at the others. They laughed, but were just as glad as Xander was that his week of sneezing glitter was over. It had gotten everywhere, and Toby had been baffled about just where it was coming from.

"Let's hope he's learned his lesson about making deals with Faeries," Vida laughed.

"Xander? Not likely," Nick grinned, earning a glare from their friend.

"Not that I mind. Penelope says that making deals should help my magic grow stronger, and it's about time I embraced my Fae heritage," Titania looked mischievous as she looked over her shoulder at Xander. "So make as many deals as you'd like. I'm happy to assist," she said, trying to look and sound serious. Xander just stuck his tongue out at her in response before going to Toby's office to leave the money in the safe.

"If you're going to, at least make the payment less messy," Nick grinned as he walked past to flip the sign on the door from 'Open' to 'Closed'. Before he could shut it fully, a familiar figure almost collided with it, stopping him from doing so.

"Hey!" LeeLee protested, and Nick sighed, reluctantly opening the door.

"Sorry LeeLee, we're closing-"

"Perfect!" the pretty blonde beamed at him as she strutted into the shop. "That means you have no excuse for not taking me to see this great new DJ tonight!" LeeLee held up a flyer for a DJ - the same one Titania remembered hearing the girls passing by talking about.

"No can do," Nick declined, shutting the door and walking past her to continue the last of the cleanup. "Already have plans," he said shortly, trying to make it as obvious as he could that he wasn't interested in the young woman who had been trying to get him to go out with her from the moment they met.

"Please?" LeeLee pouted, sounding genuinely sad that he wouldn't go with her.

"Don't waste your time throwing yourself at him, Lee," Xander told her as he walked out of the office and carried the comics back to the shelf. He winked at her. "Throw yourself at me," he suggested. LeeLee struggled to hide her distaste.

"Okay…you can come with me," she relented with a grumble, but didn't look very happy about it.

"I wouldn't consider this a proper example of human 'courting'," Vida leaned on the counter to whisper to Titania, who was watching with a baffled expression. "Actually…never take anything Xander does as an example of that," she whispered, and Titania hid her laughter behind her hand.

"And he can't go either!" Nick shouted over as he heard them talking. Xander's eager smile vanished. "He's the one I have plans with," he shot Xander an annoyed look, and the Green Ranger rolled his eyes and stalked off in disappointment. Curious, Vida weaved around the counter and took the flyer from LeeLee's hand.

"DJ Fly? Never heard of him," Vida admitted as she studied the flyer. "Any good?" she asked, always interested in hearing about other musicians, especially DJs. LeeLee gave a small laugh as she grinned.

"He's just like, the hottest new DJ around. Surprised you haven't heard of him," LeeLee told her, and Vida's eyebrows lifted.

"I better check this guy out," she commented, making LeeLee beam.

"Great! You can go with me!" the blonde decided. Vida nodded, still looking at the flyer and Titania cleared her throat.

"We have a prior engagement tonight, remember? Carvallain really needs our help with this," she reminded Vida, who finally tore her attention away from the paper to look up at her. She pouted.

"But there's new talent in town!" she protested. "Our plans can wait until tomorrow!" she pleaded with Titania, who looked unhappy.

"No, they can't," Nick spoke up, walking over to guide LeeLee to the door with a firm hand on her back. He gave Vida a disapproving look over his shoulder. "You gave your word that you'd help, V. Thanks for the invite, LeeLee. Some other time," Nick pushed LeeLee out of the shop. "We're closed," he repeated, shutting the door in her face. She glared through the window at him, before storming off.

"At least one of you has your priorities correct," Titania rolled her eyes as Nick locked the door.

"We have half the Fireheart scroll to figure out," Nick reminded them when Xander and Vida huffed, still looking put out. "Chip, Madison and Carvallain are waiting at Rootcore, remember?" he asked as he grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger.

"Since when did you become Nick, the Good Witch of Briarwood?" Xander complained as he dropped the magazine on the counter. "You sound like Carvallain," he added, and Nick rolled his eyes as Titania couldn't stop her laugh.

"Better than someone with their desperate attempts to get a date," she said. Xander shoved her lightly, which only made her laugh more.

"Are you coming, V?" Nick called to the Pink Ranger, who was looking at the flyer in her hands again.

"Be there in a few," she called after them as they made their way to the back door to leave. "I got some paperwork to catch up on," Vida said. Nick nodded, and followed the other two out.

Rootcore was busier than usual as the Rangers stayed there even after the sun rose, having told their families that they were staying with one another for the long weekend. At least, most of them did, as Vida didn't show up even after the sun rose and started to set again.

"Hey folks," they looked up at the familiar call, and grinned as they saw Caspian, the leader of the Woodland Village and Penelope's husband, walk into Rootcore with a bag. "Penelope told me that you were all working hard trying to find the Fireheart, so she sent me over with some food," he announced, setting the bag down on the table.

"Thanks Caspian," Carvallain said to the man, who nodded.

"Not a problem. Anything to help the defenders of our realm," Caspian said cheerfully. Most of them gave embarrassed smiles, while Xander grinned, still enjoying the awe and respect that most people of the Magical Realm gave them simply for being the new Mystics. "How's it going?" he asked, seeing their tired faces.

"No luck so far," Maddie sighed. She pushed another book aside and leaned back in her seat, tired. "And Vida still hasn't shown up," she added, annoyed that her sister had ditched them.

"Take a breather, have some dinner, and then get back to it. You'll be fine," Caspian told them with the smile of someone well used to giving such advice. "Trust me. I'm old enough to remember how it was for Penny and her lot. Breaks are just as important as the work itself," he told them, earning a few tentative smiles. "And I think I've used mine up. Better get back to the village. Let me know how the stew is," he told them, already on his way out.

The team of Rangers took a short break, devouring the stew that Caspian had dropped off before returning to their search with fresher minds. The sun had fully set by now, leaving the twin full moons to illuminate the skies.

"I can't believe that Vida hasn't shown up," Nick huffed as he tossed aside another book and rubbed his eyes. They had barely slept for the last two nights, choosing instead to take it in turns to sleep for a handful of hours to keep researching as much as they could. Since Necrolai had half of the parchment, it was a race against time to see who deciphered it first.

"Sleeping like the dead, my dad said," Maddie shook her head, having called her dad during the day when Vida hadn't returned any of their calls.

"Must have been one hell of a performance from this…DJ Fly," Carvallain said dryly, stifling a yawn.

"I give up," Xander groaned, earning their attention. "Maybe we're not meant to find out the secret of the Fireheart," he grumbled.

"I'd think of all of us, you would be most determined to find it after the fiasco in the Cimmerian Forest," Titania grinned, and he glowered at her.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" he asked. Titania shook her head, a sweet smile still on her face.

"Come on," Nick shook his head and strode over, shoving another book into Xander's arms. "Don't give up. Never give up," he said as he passed another to Titania, who flipped it open and dutifully continued her search.

"Wow Nick, that's inspiring," Maddie smiled, impressed by his determination. Nick gave a weary sigh.

"Yeah…that's what I thought when Udonna yelled it at me this morning when I was ready to quit," he admitted sheepishly. Even Carvallain smiled in amusem*nt at his confession. Nick's eyebrows then furrowed. "By the way…where is Udonna?" he asked, looking around for any sign of their teacher.

"The last time I saw Udonna…she was teaching Claire an invisibility spell," Maddie remembered Udonna leading the apprentice out to leave them to work in peace.

"Which could be the problem right there," Chip grinned, and they laughed. It faded quickly when they heard the entrance to Rootcore open, and the inner doors slid open.

"Yo, crew," Vida practically swaggered into Rootcore. "Sorry I'm late," her words were almost bland.

"Late?" Nick repeated as Vida took a seat and stretched. "We haven't seen you since yesterday, that's beyond late. So much for giving us your word," he frowned, and Vida's eyebrows rose as she saw the unimpressed looks on all their faces. She then rolled her eyes.

"Relax. You're not my dad. So I missed a night of saving the world," Vida shrugged, looking bored by their conversation. "Good news is, the world's still here," she leaned forwards to balance her elbow on the table, and rested her cheek in her hand.

"Uh…V?" Xander co*cked his head. "It's not just that you missed last night…you missed all day too. It's night time again," he pointed out.

"We've been working since last night to try and find something out about Fireheart," Carvallain's words were icy, and Vida lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. His frown grew as something seemed off. He couldn't quite place it, but something felt wrong.

"I was worried about you," Maddie spoke up, and Vida tore her gaze from Carvallain to look at her sister. She then sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. I gave my word, and I blew it. It won't happen again," Vida told them, sounding more earnest than she had a moment ago.

"Hey, no problem V," Chip was the one to answer when the rest still looked unhappy. "We all make mistakes," he said, and she smiled at him.

"So it was a mistake that she went to that performance instead of helping us?" Carvallain wondered aloud. Vida's smile fell, and she turned a much harder look on him.

"Car, don't," Titania put a hand on his arm. Carvallain turned to her to argue, knowing that the others felt the same, but he stopped as he saw the look on Titania's face. She could tell that something was off as well.

Before they could press it, Nick suddenly gave a grunt of pain. His face scrunched up and he put a hand to his temple as he slumped forwards. "Are you alright?" Titania asked as she saw he pain on his face, and they all shivered at the dark magic in the air.

"It's Koragg again, isn't it?" Carvallain realised. The pain faded, and Nick was able to take a breath before he nodded.

"Let's go," he said, voice low.

Dawn was still a few minutes off as the Rangers raced through the dark forest, using the light of the two full moons to traverse the terrain as they followed Nick to where Koragg had told them to meet. They had barely even slowed to a stop when Hidiacs burst from the shadows, roaring at them.

"Let's Ranger up," Nick told them, but as most went for their Morphers, Vida swaggered forwards with a co*cky smirk.

"Why bother?" she asked, surprising them as she charged forwards and started to take out the Hidiacs by herself. The monsters stood no chance against the Wind Mystic, who seemed to have both speed and strength on her side.

"Man, look at V go!" Nick couldn't help but laugh at the sight in front of them.

"This catching up on your sleep thing seems to be paying off for her," Xander mused as they watched Vida lift two Hidiacs into the air and toss them effortlessly away.

"Go sis…" Maddie couldn't help but laugh in amazement. "I've never seen her like this before," she admitted.

"Neither have I," Chip spoke up, but his amazed smile faded. "It's just weird," he said as concern for their friend started to rise in him.

"It certainly is," Carvallain agreed. His arms were folded as he watched Vida's every movement with a sharp gaze. She was faster and stronger than before, and it didn't seem to be purely because she'd gotten more sleep than usual.

"I would suggest joining the fight but…I think we would just get in the way," Titania said as Vida used her magic effortlessly in battle, creating a tornado around herself to sweep away the last of the Hidiacs.

"Whoa, sis!" Maddie cheered as Vida landed and let the winds vanish. They hurried over to her, and she gave an almost wild grin in response.

"That was incredible."

"Way to go, V," Nick praised her efforts as Vida laughed, but both Carvallain and Chip couldn't hide their concern over her strange behaviour.

"Very impressive," before they could say anything, Koragg's voice cut through their celebrations, and they turned to see the Knight striding through the dark of the pre-dawn. "Now how about a real challenge?" he shouted. As they moved into fighting stances, Koragg rose off the ground and dark magic swirled around him as he used a spell seal to grow much larger.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" the Rangers didn't waste time as they Morphed and transformed into their Titan forms.

"Welcome to your last fight," Koragg called as he drew his sword.

"That's what you think!" Nick shouted back. With loud shouts, the Rangers dodged Koragg's blast of magic and fought him hard, with both sides landing solid blows.

"A little game of catch, Koragg?" as the Knight looked up from where he'd tossed Titania's Kitsune form into Nick, Chip hurled Vida's ball form right at him. The power behind it made Koragg shout as he staggered backwards.

"I'm not done yet," he warned, and as they prepared for another round, he summoned Catastros from a spell seal. They combined into the Centaurus Wolf Megazord, and Koragg prepared his dual bladed sword to fight. "Now, you will feel my real power," Koragg declared.

"Talk is cheap," Nick spat. "You don't scare us!" he told the wizard as they refused to back down against him.

"We will take you down, Koragg!"

"Let's show him!"

"Let's do this!"

"Let's go!"

"Right!" the Rangers all cheered. Koragg stared them down as they channelled their magic.

"Mystic Titans, Dragon Formation!" the Rangers shouted, calling on the magic that would allow them to combine. However, they all stumbled at the sudden disruption that came from Vida as she gave a pained scream.

"The sun's so bright!" she wailed, lifting her arm to shield herself from the sunlight that had just broken over the horizon. "I feel…" Vida fell backwards with a moan as she toppled off Xander's shoulder.

"V!" the Minotaur Titan shouted, trying to catch her, but the much smaller Sprite Titan crashed to the ground amongst the trees. "What's the matter?" he called as they all turned to her. Koragg gave a quiet, curious grunt as Vida cried in pain, before her Titan form vanished and she landed in the dirt.

"Sis!" Maddie shouted down, terrified for her sister's sudden loss of strength.

"V!"Chip called when Vida didn't move.

"What happened to her?" Titania wondered as she crouched down to try and get a better look at their fallen teammate.

"Look out! The battle is not over yet!" Carvallain's warning reminded them that they weren't alone, and Koragg gave an angry growl.

"You lose one and you all quit?" he demanded as he stalked forwards. Turning quickly, Xander used his much larger Titan form to defend the others, taking the full brunt of Koragg's magical attack. "Look at your pitiful selves," Koragg sneered as Xander fell to his knees in pain, barely managing to hold his Titan form. "You are defenceless. I waste my time," he scoffed, turning on his heel and vanishing before they could stop him.

"Xander, are you alright?" Titania moved to his side as he groaned, giving a wordless nod.

"Koragg-"

"Guys! We have to help her!" Chip shouted before Carvallain could move, and they turned back as the Yellow Ranger didn't look up from Vida's fallen form. By the time the Rangers had demorphed and returned to normal size, Vida had passed out, not responding as they raced towards her and called her name.

"Taking that hit was reckless. You're lucky you didn't suffer anything worse," Penelope was still scolding Xander as she shoved a healing potion into his hand. His ears were burning in embarrassment over the scolding she was giving him. "Drink that, and you'll be as good as new in a few hours," she instructed.

"Thanks," he managed a sheepish smile. The former Water Mystic huffed and rolled her eyes, muttering about the recklessness of Earth Mystics as she stalked off.

"Don't worry about Penny," Xander glanced at Titania as she walked over with a sympathetic smile. "She's always telling us off for getting injured, but that's just because she worries. You'll get used to it," she said as Xander opened the small bottle of red liquid and sniffed. Instantly he recoiled. "The taste is better than the smell," Titania assured, and Xander looked dubious.

"I'm glad you can't lie," he told her, and downed the bottle in one go. Much to his relief, it was a sweet flavour, much nicer than how it smelled. Titania's eyes gleamed.

"You're lucky in this case. I said it was better. I didn't specify just how much better," her words made Xander groan as he set the small bottle on the table of Rootcore.

"Why do you have to be this way?" he complained, making her laugh as he gently pushed her away.

"Because it's more fun?" Titania offered. Xander hummed, before looking over to where Carvallain was going over several books.

"Is he back to the search for Fireheart already?" he asked, surprised that the Elf was refusing to take a break even now. Titania's smile faded, and she shook her head.

"No…he's looking into what might have affected Vida," she said softly, and Xander's frown grew. After Vida had passed out in the forest, Maddie had taken her home to rest, and was staying with her while Nick and Chip talked to LeeLee to see if anything had happened at the club when they had gone to see DJ Fly.

"If she doesn't get any better, give me a call," Penelope called over to them, already clipping her cloak on over her blue tunic. "I have to get back. Try to stay out of trouble," she warned, and Titania waved with a sweet smile.

"Thanks for the help," Xander flashed her a charming smile of his own. Penelope rolled her eyes.

"I trust that look as much as I trust the smile of a Fae," she told him, disappearing out the door as Xander looked down at Titania. She co*cked her head with an innocent look before turning and walking over to Carvallain.

"Any ideas on what could be affecting Vida?" Titania asked him as Xander followed, rubbing his chest where the pain of Koragg's attack was slowly fading. Carvallain let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his seat with a shake of his head.

"Too many to count. Without an idea of how it began, it could be anything from possession to a magical parasite," he ran a hand down his face, weary after working so hard to research the Fireheart scroll. Xander went pale at Carvallain's words, and the Elf noticed. "Whatever it is, we will figure it out. It could be nothing severe, we won't know until Vida wakes up," he tried to sound more reassuring.

"And we have Penelope if we need," Titania offered a gentle smile. Xander nodded, but as he opened his mouth to speak, a strange yipping sound echoed. For a moment, it felt like he'd been the one to make the sound - even Xander looked confused. Then Carvallain bolted out of his seat.

"Obsidian?" he gasped, staring past the two. They turned quickly, and Titania inhaled sharply as Xander stared, trying to understand what he was looking at.

It was a small, fluffy bipedal creature with large pointed ears, white fur and big black eyes, almost resembling what Xander knew as a fennec fox, but he knew it was far more than that with just one look. Its pure white fur had an almost ethereal glow to it, its tail split into three points, and a small ruby-red horn jutted from its forehead.

"What is-" as Xander spoke, the little creature yipped before turning and bounding out.

"Obsidian, wait!" Carvallain launched himself after it with the least amount of grace that Xander had ever seen from him.

"What is that thing?" he and Titania followed the Elf out of Rootcore, chasing down the surprisingly nimble creature.

"That's Obsidian, he's Carvallain's companion," Titania answered, her eyebrows furrowed in a confused look. "But he should be back at Miramalos with-" Carvallain had abruptly stopped, causing the two to crash straight into him, and they fell in a heap on the ground. "Car, what are you doing?" Titania groaned, squashed between the two. Carvallain didn't answer, but a gentle laugh made the Fae look up.

"As clumsy as the last time we met, Titania," her eyes widened at the young woman who was standing in front of them. Obsidian was nestled in her arms, purring happily as he tucked his head under her chin, careful not to stab her with his horn.

The young woman was beautiful, to say the least. With vibrant turquoise eyes that seemed to sparkle even in the dim light of the forest, and long golden hair, she almost seemed out of place, if it weren't for her ears that were as delicately pointed as Carvallain's.

"Who-" Xander started, before giving a cry as Carvallain lurched under him and Titania, knocking them off as he leapt to his feet. For a long moment, nobody spoke as Carvallain got up and brushed the dirt from his clothes and straightened up, staring at her.

"What are you doing here?" he broke the silence at last, ignoring the Earth and Time Mystics who were getting to their feet behind him. His focus was entirely on the young woman, whose smile widened at his question.

"Obsidian wanted to visit, and I couldn't say no," she looked down at the purring creature in her arms, who yipped. Obsidian then leapt down, and bounded over to Carvallain. Without hesitation, he jumped up, and the Elf caught him easily.

"You demanding little brat," Carvallain gave a smile warmer than Xander had ever seen before burying his face in his fur.

"Okay, I'm completely lost," the Earth Mystic decided, barely able to take his eyes off the young woman in travelling clothes. Finally remembering that he wasn't alone, Carvallain lifted his head and cleared his throat.

"Yes, of course, right," he seemed more flustered than usual, still holding the creature in his arms. "This is Tári, my…" a blush coloured Carvallain's cheeks as he cleared his throat. "My betrothed," he said, and Xander's eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. Titania couldn't hide her laugh at his reaction. "Tári, this is Xander, the new Earth Mystic. And you of course know Titania already," he gestured.

"Of course," Tári rushed forwards and hugged Titania tightly. "It's a pleasure to see you again," she smiled warmly at the Fae, who smiled back.

"You too. It's been too long," she told her friend, who nodded in agreement.

"And a human Mystic. I heard the rumours," Tári's golden eyes were glimmering with fascination as she took in the much taller young man who had barely been able to stop himself staring at her. "Where are the others?" she asked, looking around curiously.

"They're back in the human realm," Carvallain told her, still looking a little stunned to see her. "We're having a little bit of trouble with our Wind Mystic, so they're looking after her," he explained, before Obsidian gave a yip. "Oh, my apologies," the Elf chuckled. "This is Obsidian, a dear companion of mine. He's a Moonstone Carbuncle," he said.

"They're rare creatures infused with magic, and can create gemstones filled with power," Titania explained at the blank look on Xander's face. He nodded, but still looked a little clueless. She then cleared her throat. "We'll leave you two to chat," Titania said, already backing away from them.

"Thanks," Carvallain nodded. "Would you take Obsidian with you?" he asked, and the Carbuncle leapt from his arms and bounded over to Titania.

"Sure. Have fun," she grinned, a knowing look on her face that made Carvallain blush as Tári giggled.

"So Carvallain has…" Xander started speaking only when he was sure that their sharp Elf hearing wouldn't pick up on his words. "A girlfriend?" he asked Titania, who giggled as she bounced around with Obsidian. With night starting to descend on the Magical Realm again, the creature's glow seemed to illuminate the Fae.

"'Girlfriend' is more of a human term. Though to put it in your terms, consider it more that they're…engaged," Titania started as she dodged Obsidian's playful lunge. "As the future King of Miramalos, Carvallain has been betrothed to be married since Tári was born - she's the daughter of a high ranking Eladrin noble, who was good friends with Carvallain's parents," she explained.

"Eladrin…" Xander repeated, trying to remember why the term was familiar. "That's the kind of Elf that Hermes is, right?" he remembered, thinking of the former Lightning Mystic who had taught them a handful of basic spells.

"Yep," Titania nodded cheerfully. "Only, Hermes is a Spring Eladrin. Tári is Summer," she explained, and ducked as Obsidian leapt over her head with an excited yip.

"Betrothed, eh?" Xander was leaning against a tree, watching the two playing. "Didn't look like it was all political," his observation made Titania nod.

"Not at all. They were childhood friends, sure, but somewhere along the way that line of deep, platonic friendship was crossed, and they fell in love," she said, giving an almost dreamy sigh. "Not that Carvallain would ever admit it out loud, but when it comes to Tári, he wears his heart on his sleeve," Titania grinned. Xander had to agree, having seen the look on Carvallain's face.

"Sounds almost like two people I know," he murmured, his mind going elsewhere. Titania straightened as curiosity took hold.

"It does?" she asked, and Xander cleared his throat quickly.

"Nope, no idea what I'm talking about," he flashed a charming smile at her in hopes that she wouldn't press it. Instead, Titania's eyebrows furrowed.

"Obsidian, go get!" she pointed at Xander. His eyes widened, and a moment later he was being tackled by the surprisingly sturdy creature with soft fur. "Don't lie to a Fae, Xander. I don't appreciate it," Titania warned him lightly as Obsidian licked his face, ignoring his yells to stop. It was only when Titania whistled, that the Carbuncle leapt off and ran back to her.

"I deserved that," he allowed, and Titania grinned back at him.

"Yes, you did," she agreed.

Eventually they got a call to let them know that Vida had woken up, and Xander had left to check in with the rest of his team, before they returned to work. He'd promised to keep an eye on Vida - just like the rest were doing - as even though she claimed she was feeling much better, she still had a painful aversion to the sun, and her skin had turned a sickly pale colour.

Titania had continued to play with Obsidian in the forest, having always held a fascination for the fluffy creature who enjoyed bouncing around the forest as much as she did.

Night had well and truly set in by the time Carvallain and Tári had found her, grateful that she was wearing out the energetic Carbuncle while also letting them have some space. Carvallain's blush hadn't fully vanished when they had found her, but Titania refrained from commenting on it, to his relief.

"It's good to see you again, my dear," Udonna smiled warmly at Tári when the three returned to Rootcore. Titania had resumed jumping between the search for the secret of the Fireheart, and reading through the book on Faefolk that Hermes had gifted her. Obsidian was snoozing on her lap, waking occasionally for the treats that she would slip him.

"And you as well, Udonna," Tári's smile was equally warm. She then looked around Rootcore. "Something about this place feels…different. Full of life, even if it's quiet at this moment," she mused aloud.

"Having a brand new team of Mystics does that," Udonna told her, returning to the potion she had been brewing. "It was the same twenty years ago," she said as she thought back to the days of the former Mystics training. They never had a quiet day. "Will you be staying long?" she asked, and Tári's eyes flickered to Carvallain. He had gone to check with Titania about Vida, but his cheeks warmed as he heard Udonna's question and felt his fiancée's gaze on him.

"A few days, if that is alright with you?" Tári returned her bright blue eyes to Udonna, who gave a knowing smile.

"Of course it is. You're always welcome at Rootcore, and it fills me with joy to see this place full of life again," she told the Eladrin, who gave a thankful smile.

"V?" Maddie's call drew their attention, and Obsidian woke with a purr as they all looked over to the doors.

"Chip?"

"Guys?" Maddie, Nick and Xander hurried into Rootcore, looking around before stopping as they saw everyone watching them.

"You're out here awfully late," Udonna commented, a little surprised to see them back. After two nights of research, she had assumed they would return home to get some rest - especially with Vida not seeming herself. "What is going on?" she asked as Nick and Maddie stared at Tári in surprise. They quickly turned to their mentor, too worried to address the young woman that Xander had briefly told them about.

"Chip and V didn't show up for work. We think there might be a problem," Nick explained. Obsidian made a disgruntled sound as Titania got to her feet.

"They seemed alright the last time you saw them?" Udonna asked, concerned for their friends too.

"I thought Vida was feeling better," Carvallain frowned.

"Well, not exactly," Xander shrugged, struggling to hide his grin. "She said she was feeling better, but she's been acting very strange. Chip thought that she might be…" he was struggling to stop himself from laughing. Despite their worry, Nick and Maddie couldn't help but laugh either. "These are Chip's words, not ours. A Vampire," Xander told them. To their surprise, none of them laughed.

"Well, there are many things in the woods that seem…unbelievable, but I assure you…they do exist," Udonna pointed out, trying to be gentle as their smiles vanished.

"We've already encountered a Vampire on many an occasion. Necrolai," Titania reminded them. Maddie looked like she was going to be sick as they realised that Chip might be correct.

"But she looks so…gross," Nick's face twisted as he thought about Necrolai.

"Her appearance is not what matters," Carvallain shook his head. "Though I will admit…it is unusual for her to have such a form. Normally Vampires have a much more…human-like appearance. To help them blend in. But that's besides the point," he waved a dismissive hand. "The aversion to light is a possible symptom of a Vampire Spawn, but we'd need to check for others too, to be sure," he considered.

"Well, this morning I took some video of Vida…" Maddie remembered as she took her Morpher and cast a spell to link the nearby screen with her camera.

"Hey V, say a few words to your fans," Maddie's voice came from the speaker as she spoke from behind the camera, but none of them really heard the words as they found the video focused on nothing.

"Alright…I'll show you a new pose that came to me in a dream," Vida's voice was as clear as Maddie's, but she too wasn't visible on screen. They frowned.

"After such a long nap, you must be very thirsty, V," Chip offered a glass goblet filled with what Titania hoped was tomato juice, his voice oddly enticing.

"Okay, that's weird," Maddie frowned, her panic growing. "She was dead centre-frame when I took this, and now-" she was cut off by Vida's noise of disgust as tomato juice splattered all over the floor. "She's not there…" Maddie breathed.

"Her image will not show appear on video, as it will not reflect in a mirror," Udonna warned gravely.

"Aversion to the sun, pale skin, sudden increase in strength and speed…and now she doesn't show up on video," Carvallain listed everything that was strange with Vida.

"Chip was right," the words Udonna spoke cast a level of dread over everyone there. "She is a Vampire," she declared. "Find them, Rangers. They need your help," Udonna urged the team.

"Let's go," Nick growled, but Maddie didn't move from where she stood. She was still staring at the screen, which was paused as it focused on what should have been Vida.

"If she has an aversion to the sun, then she is simply a Spawn," Tári was the one to speak as she put a hand on Maddie's shoulder. "There is yet hope for her," she gave a reassuring smile that settled the rising panic in the Water Mystic, who nodded. She turned and followed the others out, ready to save her sister.

It didn't take long for the Rangers to find the presence of dark magic within Briarwood, where DJ Fly had transformed back into his monstrous form as he commanded a small legion of Vampire Spawn who were brainwashed by his music.

"V!" Maddie shouted as she spotted both Chip and Vida facing off against Flytrap, already Morphed. "You okay?" she asked. The Pink Ranger nodded to her sister.

"Never better!" she grinned, striking the pose that she had shown them earlier that day.

"Good! Let's swat this fly!" Nick nodded as they turned back to Flytrap.

"Watch out for the Spawn. They're under his control for now, but if we defeat him, it should reverse both the transformation, and the hypnotic state," Carvallain said as he studied Flytrap carefully. He could sense the touch of Vampiric power around the monster, who wasn't a Vampire, but wielded enough of its power to create Spawns.

"Strong as a tree! Green Mystic Ranger!"

"Ever-changing as the wind! Pink Mystic Ranger!"

"Fluid as the sea! Blue Mystic Ranger!"

"Fast as lightning! Yellow Mystic Ranger!"

"Fleeting as time! Black Mystic Ranger!"

"Ethereal as the moon! Silver Mystic Ranger!"

"Forceful as fire! Red Mystic Ranger!"

"Courage is our magic…"

"And your downfall!" Vida finished for Chip, pointing at Flytrap. The monster scoffed at their declaration, seeming to find it almost amusing instead.

"No problem," Flytrap held out his arms, and tentacles shot from his body to wrap around the Rangers. The Spawn stood nearby, hissing as they got ready to follow whatever commands that Flytrap gave. They watched as the Rangers struggled against the tight bonds that kept their arms pinned to their sides.

"It's not so easy to restrain a Fae!" Titania shouted. Rainbow magic shimmered around her, and the tentacle that was restraining her suddenly began to change. Flytrap gave a startled yelp as he felt his power over the tentacle vanish, and he watched as it turned into a harmless tree vine that fell from around the Black Ranger.

"Whoa!"

"That was awesome!" Vida cheered as Titania stumbled from the sudden dizziness of using so much Fae magic in one burst. She recovered faster than Flytrap did, and used her Magi Staff to cut through the rest of the tentacles, freeing the rest of her team.

"Magi Staff, Crossbow Mode! Fire!" Chip shot a bolt of lightning at Flytrap, making the monster roar in pain and stagger backwards.

"Nice one Chip!" Vida cheered, and they all leapt forwards to surround Flytrap. "Tornado Time!" she shouted, and the seven began to spin rapidly, creating enough power to lift the already weakened monster off his feet and throw him aside.

"Mystic Force!" the team cheered as Flytrap pushed himself back up, staggering as his body sparked with dark magic.

"Shut your traps…" he groaned, before starting to grow much larger than before. He roared down at them as the Vampire Spawn nearby snarled once again.

"Oh, take a break," Carvallain pointed his Morpher at them, and they vanished in a flash of silver. "They're somewhere safe for now, away from this fight," he told the others before they could ask.

"Great, then let's even this out," Chip said as he looked up at Flytrap. The team grabbed their Morphers, casting their Titan spell before combining to form their Megazord.

"Let's get him!" Maddie grinned, ready to get payback on the monster who had messed with Vida. She glanced to the energetic Pink Ranger. "You alright, sis?" she asked her. Vida gave an eager nod.

"Never been better," she grinned wildly under her helmet, striking her pose once again.

"Liking the new pose, V," Chip laughed, before turning his attention to the fight. "Titan Sabre!" he shouted, and their magic summoned the powerful blade.

"Try and stop these!" Flytrap threw out another round of tentacles at them, but the Rangers were ready this time. Duplicating their Sabre, they hurled the copies forwards to cut through the tentacles while bombarding the monster with attacks.

"The sun!" Titania gasped suddenly, seeing the light start to trickle over the city. "It's starting to rise," she warned, and they all gulped, knowing that Vida would lose strength soon.

"We have to break the spell, fast!" Chip shouted.

"Ready!" the Rangers held their hands over their consoles, filling them with magic before they raised their Staffs.

"Ancient power…Mystic Spell Seal!" they landed the powerful finishing blow on Flytrap, who roared in agony.

"You're planted," Nick smirked as the monster exploded.

The humans who had temporarily been Vampire Spawn were all emerging from the club where Carvallain had sent them, looking thoroughly confused about how much time had passed, and how little they remembered of the gig they had been attending. As they left the club and started to trudge home, they remained entirely unaware that their saviours were watching from the bridge above.

"Chip saved the day," Maddie beamed, putting an arm around their friend. "I got my sister back," she reached out and took Vida's hand. "And Briarwood teenagers are back to normal," she listed, and Nick cheered loudly as adrenaline still coursed through him.

"Not a bad day at all," Titania laughed, before pausing. "Or…uh…night," she corrected, making them laugh.

"I do wonder how that monster got the power to turn humans into Vampires," Carvallain confessed, adjusting his headphones.

"Necrolai likely gave him the power to do her bidding. Stupid hag," Titania huffed.

"Hey, at least it's over now," Xander said, patting Titania's head as he grinned widely. "And now Chip and V get to meet Tári," his words made Carvallain go rigid, and Titania giggled.

"Who's Tári?" Chip and Vida chorused together, curious about the mischievous look on Xander's face.

"Carvallain's girlfriend," Nick sang. Carvallain whipped his head around to glare at Xander, knowing instantly he was responsible for telling them.

"You have a girlfriend?" both shouted in disbelief. "I get turned into a Vampire and I miss out on everything," Vida complained.

"She is not my girlfriend," Carvallain groaned, striding forwards quickly to try and get away from them. The Rangers followed, all laughing.

"No, she's his betrothed," Xander corrected, which only made the Elf's blushing grow.

"I rue the day humans were allowed to become Mystics," he said aloud.

"No you don't," Nick shoved him with a grin, and despite his embarrassment, Carvallain grinned back at him.

Music was filling the air as usual in Rock Porium, as despite being up all night - once again - the Rangers were filled with energy. Especially Vida, who was dancing with LeeLee after jumping down from the DJ decks with a cheer. She seemed to have completely recovered, but there was a faint dark magic still around her that Udonna gathered would fade in time.

"I can see why your uncle was so adamant that we refrain from visiting this realm," Tári said to Carvallain as they watched. She wore a pretty white sundress and a pair of boots, with her long golden hair styled to hide her ears from view. "If I visited here in the past, I might not have left," she laughed. Hearing her, Vida grinned and grabbed her arm, pulling her in to dance with her and LeeLee.

"Exactly as I feared," Carvallain mused, watching from the sidelines with his arms folded. Despite that, he couldn't help but smile as he watched them.

"So Nick," Chip turned to their Red Ranger, who was the only one attempting to do any work. "Now that you know Vampires do exist, how about joining the COUNT-V club?" he suggested, holding a bag up.

"Not interested," Nick declined.

"COUNT-V club?" Titania asked, intrigued by his words. Chip nodded eagerly.

"Containment Of Underworld Nocturnal Transylvanian Vampires!" he elaborated, and Titania co*cked her head as a baffled look crossed her face.

"But…we already fight the creatures of the Underworld," she pointed out, keeping her voice low enough that LeeLee wouldn't hear her. "Why would you need a club for that?" Titania asked, not understanding. Nick snorted.

"It's a great question," he said, but Chip wasn't put off by their words.

"Not everyone has the power we do - and this will help keep everyone else safe. Let me show you guys what $200 gets you!" he set the bag down and opened it. Nick looked baffled at the price that Chip had paid for what he assumed was going to be random junk. "Three cloves of garlic…the 'How To Spot a Vampire' handbook, mirror, Vampire Chalk, a vial-"

"Wait," Nick stopped him as Titania eyed the garlic, which was looking a little wilted. "Vampire Chalk?" he repeated with raised eyebrows.

"No Vampire Hunter worth his wooden stake goes anywhere without it," Chip declared, his chest puffed up.

"Just to make you aware, wooden stakes only work on Vampire Spawn," Titania supplied, and Nick shot her a look to tell her that she wasn't helping. Titania smiled sweetly back at him.

"You just draw a circle around the vampire, and they cannot cross the line," Chip held up a large, pale blue piece of chalk he'd taken from his Vampire Kit. He then went to the open space where LeeLee, Vida and Tári were dancing, and started to draw on the ground.

"What is he doing?" Maddie asked as she went to walk past, pausing when she saw Chip.

"Showing how Vampire Chalk works," Nick answered, still sounding sceptical as Titania giggled. Maddie started to laugh too, always entertained by Chip's overzealous behaviour.

"Uh, sorry? These are $300 boots," LeeLee jumped away, looking horrified. "Draw your chalk near someone else's feet," she grumbled. Chip just shrugged and continued to draw around Vida and Tári, who were still dancing.

"If this Vampire Chalk supposedly traps Vampires…how can you get a Vampire to stay still long enough to draw around it like this?" Carvallain wondered as he drifted over to watch. Once the circle was drawn, Chip got back to his feet.

"Let them have their fun," Tári said, stepping over the circle line with a smile. She walked over to Carvallain, who softened and nodded.

"So…if Vida was a Vampire…she couldn't cross that line," Nick summed up. Chip nodded, and Maddie and Nick burst out laughing.

"It's a good thing we broke Flytrap's spell on her then," Titania said. The others nodded their agreement, even as they continued to laugh at the ridiculous collection of items that Chip carried.

"Hey V! We got any Coltraine on CD?" Xander called over to her, knowing she had been the last to check the stock.

"Lemme check!" Vida finally stopped her dancing, but the moment she moved to step out of the circle, the chalk lit up with a pale blue light and she screamed in pain. Everyone froze, and Xander hung up the phone to run over. Her breathing unsteady in confusion and pain, Vida tried to step over the line again, only for the light to pulse again, creating a barrier that she collided with. She screamed again, stumbling as she barely stayed on her feet.

"V?" Chip called out softly to the Pink Ranger as she sagged forwards, breathing heavily as everyone stared at her. Fear crept in over the group when she didn't answer. "V? Are you alright?" Chip tried again.

This time Vida lifted her head and hissed at them through fanged teeth, her eyes glowing red as the Vampiric energy around her fell over the room, and nobody dared to speak.

Chapter 9: Stranger Within: Part 2

Chapter Text

The atmosphere in Rootcore was tense, with the Rangers oddly solemn as they stood facing Vida. The Pink Ranger was standing within a circle drawn in chalk, exactly as it had been in Rock Porium when it had been discovered that Vampiric power remained inside of Vida.

"Guys," Vida's voice was oddly whimpering and pathetic as she stared at her friends with a look of fear. "I know you think you need to do this, but I'm alright," she insisted, but none of them budged. Her skin was still a sickly pale, and her eyes darker than usual. "Please let me out," she pleaded.

"We're gonna help you, V. I promise," Chip was the one to speak when Maddie couldn't bring herself to say anything. All of them knew that they couldn't risk letting her free. While she seemed in control enough to destroy Flytrap, the Vampire Chalk had caused that control to slip, and she'd almost bitten them several times when they had dragged her back to Rootcore.

"These items were being sold by a human, how is it having an effect on Vida?" Titania wondered quietly to Hermes, who was holding the Vampire Chalk in his hand and studying it with a look of curiosity in his bright green eyes.

"Simple. It's been blessed. Any form of prayer, even by non-magical folk, can bless an item," Hermes explained, setting it down on the table. Vida looked around at them all with a desperate look that tugged at them all, making them feel guilty for keeping her imprisoned.

"Maybe you should let her out," Claire suggested, giving into the guilt as she moved forwards. However, when she drew closer to the edge of the circle, Vida let out a snarl and lunged at her, hitting the forcefield as her eyes flashed red. All of them leapt back, and Claire stumbled backwards into Udonna, who moved protectively in front of her apprentice. "Maybe you shouldn't," she whimpered, visibly shaking.

"If Flytrap was destroyed, Vida should be fine," Maddie said as they walked out of earshot of their imprisoned teammate. "All the others were," she added, thinking of the others who had been under the monster's control.

"Well, Flytrap wasn't a true Vampire. He had been given the powers by someone else to put humans under his thrall," Carvallain reminded her, his arms folded.

"Then Vida must be under the control of that Vampire," Tári theorised as she stood beside him. She tucked a lock of her golden hair behind a pointed ear as she looked thoughtful.

"Indeed," Hermes agreed, glancing over his shoulder at where Vida was breathing heavily. "One that chose to keep that Vampiric power hidden, not letting it truly surface. It's only because of Chip's trap that it activated, which is why Vida's mannerisms are all over the place," he considered. "She will now desperately try to find her way to her master, whoever they are," he said.

"But who is this mysterious Vampiric Master?" Carvallain wondered.

"What if it's Necrolai, like Titania said before?" Chip suggested, thinking to Titania's comment after they had defeated Flytrap.

"Koragg would know," Xander pointed out, and they turned to Nick.

"Nick, Koragg seems to be able to contact you whenever he likes. Have you ever tried to contact him?" Chip asked the Red Ranger, who was surprised by the question. He gave a slow shake of his head.

"No…but I can try," he told them. He didn't like the idea of contacting the powerful knight, but they had to try anything to save their friend. Nick closed his eyes and put his hands to his temples, taking a deep breath as he focused on the feeling of that connection that often sprang up between him and Koragg. They all felt the air grow warmer around him, but it faded quickly and he opened his eyes. "I guess it doesn't work like-" Nick stopped, and after a moment gave a yell from the pain that threatened to split through his skull.

"That's Koragg alright," Carvallain growled.

"Next time Chip," Nick was breathing heavily as the sharp pain faded to a dull headache. "You can call him yourself. He's in the glen," he warned.

"While you go after Koragg, there is something I need to do. Hermes, Tári, I will require your assistance," Udonna told the two Eladrin, who nodded.

"Of course," Hermes agreed.

"Whatever you require," Tári offered a small smile.

"Who's gonna stay with V?" Maddie asked, worried about her sister as Udonna left with Hermes and Tári. She didn't like the idea of leaving Vida alone while she was suffering.

"I will!" eager to help out where she could, Claire volunteered.

"Claire, she will try everything and anything to get you to release her," Xander warned the apprentice gently. Claire nodded, her eager smile falling.

"Don't worry, I'm a lot smarter than I look," she said, trying to be reassuring. When the others exchanged wary looks, Claire blushed crimson. "Never mind…I'll be fine, I promise," she told them, determined to help. The Rangers turned to leave, only to pause.

"Where's Chip?" Nick groaned. The others turned, and found that the Yellow Ranger had already vanished.

"I'm guessing…the glen," Titania sighed wearily.

Dusk was approaching over the Mystic Realm, and the clashing of magic could be felt for miles as Chip fought Koragg alone, desperately trying to get answers about Vida's condition from him. At first it had seemed that he was strong enough to stand up to the powerful knight, but one well-placed Wolf Attack had sent the Lightning Mystic flying.

"Chip!" Nick yelled as the rest of the Mystic Ranger arrived. Chip was groaning on the ground, fighting to hold his Morph as Nick, Carvallain and Xander stood protectively in front of their fallen teammate.

"Are you alright?" Maddie asked Chip, helping him to his feet with Titania.

"If you are looking for the one who turned the Pink Witch into a Vampire, look no further than Necrolai," Koragg warned them coldly, not making a move to attack as he surveyed their actions.

"Necrolai!" Maddie growled.

"If you're lying…" Chip snarled, winded from the strike that had almost shattered his Morph. He leaned heavily on Maddie and Titania as he got to his feet, angry and wanting to take it out on the knight who clearly had the answers they needed.

"If you want the Pink Witch back, defeat Necrolai," Koragg ignored Chip, his focus seeming entirely on Nick before he turned his back and started to walk away.

"Why are you telling us this?" Nick demanded, unsure of the knight's reasoning when it benefited his enemies. Koragg paused, but didn't look around.

"If you are strong enough to defeat the Queen of the Vampires and get the Pink one back…then, and only then, have you earned the right to fight me," his words made them all bristle with offence at the arrogance that rolled off him. Without another word, Koragg vanished through a spell seal, leaving the Rangers alone in the glen.

"Defeat Necrolai, and then fight Koragg? I don't like this," Titania murmured, still supporting Chip.

"We'll play your game…" Nick hissed, glaring at the space where Koragg had been standing.

"Come on, we should return to Rootcore and check on Vida and Claire," Carvallain told them. They nodded, hurrying back the way they had come.

The air was tense around the Rangers as they returned to Rootcore, with Chip's silence unnerving them even more. He'd barely spoken as they had checked on him, making sure he wasn't injured after his attempt to take on Koragg alone. Even Carvallain had spared him a lecture, seeing that it wouldn't help. Not that he truly blamed Chip; all of them were worried for Vida.

"Koragg called Necrolai the Queen of the Vampires," Titania broke the unsettled silence as the dragon's head root opened to allow them access. "I knew she was powerful, but for her to be the Queen bodes ill for us all," she admitted.

"Oh no," Maddie gasped as they walked inside. "Look!" she stared forwards to where Claire was looking very sorry for herself, standing within the circle of Vampire Chalk.

"I knew it!" Xander groaned.

"Claire!" Titania ran over to the apprentice, who peered up at them with a mournful gaze. "Are you alright?" she asked, but before she could get too close, Carvallain caught her arm and stopped her from getting too close.

"I'm so sorry…" Claire apologised, tears in her eyes. "She got really sick, and then she fainted-"

"No need to explain, Claire," Nick shook his head, weary but not entirely surprised.

"I just thought…what if something really bad happens? I would never forgive myself," Claire looked down at the chalk circle around her. "I just erased a little bit of the circle and she…got out," she said shamefully.

"Well…" Chip tried for a reassuring smile - they all did, not wanting Claire to feel even worse. "At least she didn't bite you," he shrugged, before pausing.

"You weren't bitten, were you?" Carvallain asked, his mind going to the same place as Chip's.

"No," Claire lifted her hair out of the way to reveal her neck. While pale, she had no puncture marks on her neck that they could see. "But she reversed the power of the circle, so I can't get out," she gestured to the circle around her. "Please let me out," she pleaded with them. With a sigh, Xander stepped forwards and smudged the circle with his foot, creating an opening for her to step out of it. "Thanks…I better find Udonna," Claire was rushing off the moment it was open.

"I still say anyone with half a brain wouldn't have been tricked," Xander grumbled, annoyed that Vida had managed to escape.

"Be nicer about Claire," Titania warned, her eyebrows furrowing. "She may be a bit of an airhead, but she's the kindest person I've ever met," she told him. Carvallain nodded, looking unimpressed. His face burning, Xander quietly apologised, before footsteps caught Carvallain's attention. He frowned, recognising them as he turned and saw Claire walking out of another room.

"Oh, hi guys!" her cheerful voice made the others spin around quickly. "I didn't hear you come in," Claire smiled as she set down the broom in her hands. The team stared at her, before looking in the direction that they had seen her run off in. "Gosh, that Vida is a tricky one. She tried to convince me that she got sick, but I-" Claire froze as she saw the empty circle. "Hey…where did Vida go?" she asked them, confused.

"What was that about half a brain?" Titania asked Xander, almost sounding smug as he closed his eyes and let out a groan of irritation.

With Vida in the wind and no way for them to track her, the Rangers focused their efforts on looking for a way to save her.

"Koragg said that we have to defeat Necrolai to save Vida…" Titania reminded them as they stood around the table. The books they had been combing through in their attempts to find out about Fireheart had been pushed aside, leaving the few texts about Vampires in front of them.

"But how do we destroy her? Flytrap was one thing…" Maddie ran a hand down her face, stressed and scared for her sister.

"Do you two know anything about Vampires?" Nick turned to Carvallain and Titania.

"My knowledge on their species is rather limited," Carvallain shook his head. "They do not often…co-exist with others. Not in a positive way, at least," he sighed.

"They have a natural inclination to dark magic, so they don't tend to be welcome within communities," Titania told them, playing with the end of her braid as she spoke. "Because of that, they often keep to themselves, so there isn't much known about them," she admitted, and their shoulders slumped.

"Chip's book," Xander remembered the kit that their Lightning Mystic had brought with him. "It's got to have a chapter on destroying Vampires," he considered. Chip looked down at the book in front of him. It was worn from how many times he had read it since he'd gotten it, and was filled with the scribblings of his thoughts even before becoming a Mystic.

"Chapter 13," he said, barely looking at the book. By this point, he knew it practically by heart. "Basically, it's the old 'stake in the heart' scenario, but Titania pointed out that this only works on Spawn, not true Vampires. Holy water, a full concentrated power of sunlight-"

"Hey, there's Moon Magic," Nick looked at Carvallain. "What about Sun Magic?" he asked. Carvallain cleared his throat.

"Sun Magic is rare. So rare in fact, there's only been one recorded instance of someone wielding that kind of magic within the last two centuries," he then gave a bitter smile. "Unfortunately, that wielder vanished in the Great War. Nobody has seen or heard from him since," his words made Nick groan, growing more frustrated by the second.

"And it wouldn't really matter, seeing as we're dealing with the Queen of the Vampires…" Chip had an almost apologetic look on his face.

"What does it say about destroying them?" Nick asked, an eyebrow raised at the expression on Chip's face.

"It says you can't," he admitted quietly.

"That's encouraging…" Xander grumbled, his own frustration boiling over. However, his scowl only lasted a moment before another idea sprang to mind. "Wait, the Xenotome. That tells us what we need to know, when we need to know it. We need to know it now," he pointed out. They all nodded in agreement, hurrying across the room to climb the small stage, where they gathered in front of the large, magical book.

"Xenotome," Chip willed his voice to stay steady as he looked down at the blank page in front of them. "How do we destroy the Queen of the Vampires?" he asked. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then a wave of magic washed over them all, and ink lit up on the blank page.

"A Dawn Crystal?" Titania repeated what was written on the page.

"That must be the only way to defeat Necrolai," Chip realised as he scanned the page in front of him. They had all learned the language of the Mystics by now, but of the humans, Chip was the best in deciphering it. "It says how to make one, but it takes time," he told them.

"These ingredients, some of them are incredibly rare," Titania spoke up as she studied the method to create a Dawn Crystal. "I don't know if we have the ability to gather these," she confessed.

"You don't," before they could consider it another dead end, Udonna's voice rang out. "But we did," she rushed through the doorway with Hermes, Tári and Obsidian following behind her. All of them carried small baskets and jars of ingredients that they had been collecting while the Rangers searched for ways to save Vida.

"I understand why Obsidian wanted to come to you," Tári smiled at Carvallain. He tilted his head. "Only with the help of a Carbuncle, can a Dawn Crystal be forged," she explained. His eyes went wide, and he stared down at the white quadruped, who wagged his three-pronged tail.

"You cheeky little thing," Carvallain crouched to pet him. "We will forever be in your debt," he told Obsidian, who chirped in response.

"We must hurry. There is not much time," Udonna warned, already at her cauldron and setting down the ingredients. "We must make the Crystal before-"

"Before what?" Maddie asked her sharply, her heart leaping into her throat. Udonna was quiet as she turned to the Blue Ranger. "Before it's too late, is that what you were going to say?" Maddie pressed her. Udonna looked grave.

"Make no mistake, Rangers. We are in danger of losing one of our own," she warned, knowing that they needed to understand the risks of everything going on. They were silent as Maddie took in a quiet, shuddering breath.

"That's not gonna happen," Nick was the one to speak up as tears trailed down Maddie's face. She looked at Nick in surprise when he reached out to squeeze her hand in encouragement. "Udonna, you make the Dawn Crystal. We'll find Vida," Nick decided.

"No," they were surprised when Chip spoke up suddenly. "I'm staying to make the Crystal. I owe Vida that much," he said when everyone turned to look at him.

"I'll stay with Chip," Carvallain clapped the Lightning Mystic on the shoulder, offering him a small grin. "As his companion, Obsidian will only share his power with me. We'll get the Dawn Crystal ready, and then we'll take down Necrolai," he said, his confidence making the others stand a little taller.

"Let's go," Nick said to the rest of them, and they nodded, turning to hurry out and find their missing friend.

Despite his worry and desperate desire to save Vida, Chip couldn't deny that he was enjoying the potions lesson. Udonna guided him through every step, measuring out the ingredients and preparing them for Chip to toss into the water that bubbled over the low heat of the flames. Hermes helped where he could as well, offering little bits of advice.

"Purified flakes from a first snow," Chip sprinkled the snowflakes that barely stayed solid before hitting the water. "Hair from a bat's wing, blood from a ghost vine plant," he poured the bright yellow sap into the cauldron, causing smoke to gush up and pour over the side of the cauldron. "I'm sounding like a Sorcerer," Chip couldn't help but laugh.

"Chip, you are a Sorcerer," Udonna reminded him with a pleased look on her face. Hermes hid his laugh. "Now stir," she encouraged.

"He's certainly energetic," Tári smiled as she watched Carvallain's side. The Prince was sitting on the floor cross-legged with Obsidian curled up on his lap. The faint glow of his white fur was brighter than normal, and faint light was shimmering in his ruby horn.

"They all are," Carvallain said softly as he stroked the Carbuncle's soft fur. "We rarely have a quiet moment in Rootcore these days," he said, which made Tári's smile widen.

"It is good to see that they have succeeded in lowering that iron-clad guard of yours," she told him. Carvallain looked up at her in surprise, and Tári nudged him. "You are…gentler, than before. It's nice," she said simply, getting to her feet and walking away as Carvallain blushed crimson.

"She must say these things simply to get a reaction," he muttered to Obsidian, who lifted his head to look at him. The expression on the creature's face was almost a knowing smile, and Carvallain's blush grew stronger. "Oh…go back to channelling your magic, pest," the Elf huffed, but the corner of his mouth tugged up as he spoke.

"Vida!" the calls for the Pink Mystic echoed through the forest as Nick, Maddie and Xander searched from the backs of their Mystic Racers. With more speed and manoeuvrability thanks to her vibrant wings, Titania darted around the trees and searched all around them, expanding their search.

"V!" Nick shouted as they flew through the night, only able to see thanks to the light of the twin moons overhead.

"Sis!" Maddie yelled, but heard no calls in response. She gave an angry, frustrated moan. "Where is she?" she wondered as Titania caught up to them again to shake her head.

"I didn't find her hiding below," she told them as she easily kept up with their Racers.

"She has to be somewhere!" Maddie shouted, leaning further forward on her Mystic Racer. "I'm not giving up," she vowed, determined to find her sister and help her. Udonna's words echoed in her head, only pushing her to fly faster.

"No-one is Maddie," Nick assured her, flying close enough that he didn't have to shout back at her. "No-one is," he repeated. "Let's keep moving!" Nick shouted over his shoulder to them, and they continued their desperate search past the woods of the Mystic Realm, and through the boundary to return to Briarwood.

Despite the ingredients that Chip was dropping, pouring or sprinkling into the smoking cauldron, the smell was oddly pleasant. The heat was getting intense, and all of them were sweating as the hours passed.

"Here, you need to keep your strength up," Tári handed Chip a bottle of water, and he gratefully chugged it down. "And this is the toad oil…I hope I did not mix those up," a flicker of mischief was seen in her eyes as Chip took the dark green bottle. He flashed a grin back, still energetic despite having been slaving over the cauldron for a few hours.

"I would hope that Chip would have noticed when drinking, but with how fast he finished that water…who can know for sure?" Hermes sounded equally as cheerful as he passed over a small jar of powdered Valerian root.

"Eladrins, practically nothing can truly bother them," Carvallain stated from where he still sat tending to Obsidian. The glow of his ruby horn was even brighter now. Tári, who'd gone back over to him, nudged him with her boot, and Hermes grinned as if to show his agreement with Carvallain's statement.

"You've never met a Winter Eladrin. Miserable beings," he said, and Carvallain almost snorted at his words.

"I think that was the last of the ingredients," Chip frowned as he carefully scattered the powder into the cauldron, watching as it turned bright yellow. The smell that wafted from the bubbling concoction was fresh and pleasant, as if it were sunlight itself. "Now what?" he asked Udonna.

Before the Snow Sorceress could give an answer, Obsidian gave a loud yip and leapt from Carvallain's lap as the sun rose over the horizon and hit Rootcore. His horn light up even brighter, and the ruby glow suddenly shot from the pointed tip to slam into the cauldron hard enough to cause it to wobble precariously. Torn between shielding himself from potential splash, and keeping the cauldron steady, Chip reached out towards it, only for a bright flash to practically blind them all.

With their search unsuccessful before the sun rose, the Rangers who had been out searching for Vida returned to Rock Porium.

"Maybe she left town," Maddie was listing all the various different possibilities about what could have happened to her sister. "Maybe she was taken, maybe she-"

"We'll find her, Maddie," Nick stopped her before she could wind herself up enough that she had a panic attack. He put a reassuring arm around her, squeezing her shoulder as Maddie forced herself to take a breath. "I promise," he soothed as she managed to look up.

"Find who?" all four jumped and spun around, unable to believe their eyes as Vida swaggered up to them with a co*cky grin on her face.

"Vida!" without waiting, Maddie ran over to throw her arms around her sister.

"Sis, I'm fine," Vida laughed as she hugged her back. "Calm down, I'm fine," she reassured her as Maddie let go, tears in her eyes. "I had quite the night, but I'm okay," she insisted, and grunted when Maddie pulled her into another hug, laughing.

As the sisters laughed, Nick and Xander looked at Titania, who was watching Vida with a quizzical look on her face. Unable to sense anything strange around Vida, Titania wasn't sure what to make of her sudden reappearance.

"How did you escape Necrolai's thrall? And to walk in daylight…" Titania looked at the open door, where sunlight was streaming in. Vida glanced up at the three over Maddie's shoulder, and her grin widened.

"It's a long story," she laughed.

Chip had never been so careful in his life, than he was as he carefully lowered tongs into the still smoking cauldron to lift out the Dawn Crystal. It shimmered with the power of the sun, golden in colour with three sharp edges that caused it to resemble an arrowhead.

"It worked…" Chip breathed a sigh of relief, able to feel the magic radiating from the Crystal he had helped to create. Udonna beamed with delight.

"Well done, Chip," she praised him.

"Indeed. Not many can claim to succeed at such a potion, even master Alchemists," Hermes nodded, impressed by Chip's skill. The Yellow Ranger blushed.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys," he insisted. "Especially Obsidian," he grinned, but it faltered as he saw the Moonstone Carbuncle curled up in Carvallain's arms. His almost ethereal white fur was dull. Seeing the concern, the Elf gave a reassuring smile.

"He'll be fine. He just used up a lot of magic helping to create the Dawn Crystal. Let's not see it go to waste," he encouraged, and Chip smiled again. Udonna carefully took the Dawn Crystal from him, checking over it to ensure it was flawless.

"You won't be needing that," Nick's voice echoed through Rootcore, earning their attention. To their surprise, the four Rangers had returned, led by Vida herself.

"V!" Chip's eyes lit up and he bounded over to hug her tightly. Vida laughed as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around.

"Not that Carvallain would ever admit it out loud, but when it comes to Tári, he wears his heart on his sleeve," Titania grinned. Xander had to agree, having seen the look on Carvallain's face.

"Sounds almost like two people I know," he murmured, his mind going elsewhere.

Remembering Xander's comment, understanding hit Titania, but she remained quiet at the back as she continued to watch Vida carefully, still unsure of what had happened. "Are you alright?" Chip asked, staring at Vida with a bright smile.

"Is she alright?" Nick laughed as he hopped up onto the table. "She defeated Necrolai all by herself," his words made Udonna slow as she held the Dawn Crystal carefully. Casually, Hermes moved to place himself between her and Vida, protecting both the Snow Sorceress and the Crystal they had worked so hard to craft. Carvallain passed the sleeping Carbuncle in his arms to Tári, who nodded in understanding at the look on his face. While she seemed back to normal, they had to be sure.

"Why didn't you call? We all wanted to help," Chip stared at her in awe.

"I know," Vida gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "But it was my problem. You know me," her grin was co*cky.

"Defeating the Queen of the Vampires as a lone Spawn," Hermes kept his usual cheerful tone as Vida barely glanced at him. "Must have been one hell of a fight," he mused.

"We were a little suspicious before," Xander admitted, not having been quick to believe her. "But she walked all the way here in broad daylight. Not many Vampires can do that," he pointed out. None of them could argue that, especially after seeing Vida struggle in daylight before.

"Hail Vida!" Chip cheered, striking the pose that Vida had come up with a few nights ago - a V sign by his eye. "Vampire Slayer," he declared. Instead of mirroring his action, confusion flickered across Vida's face. Alarm bells started ringing for the Yellow Ranger, who slowly lowered his hand.

"Vampire Slayer…" Vida lifted the bag she'd been carrying since arriving in Rock Porium. "And gift giver," she fished out a bright red apple. "I picked you all a little something," she passed out apples to everyone, including Udonna, Hermes and Tári. "A gift from me, to all of you. My best friends in the whole world," she beamed at them. Hermes spun the apple on the tip of his finger, watching it carefully. "To the Rangers!" Vida declared as she held up an apple of her own.

"To the Rangers!" only Nick, Maddie and Xander echoed her, the rest too wary to react.

"Wait," it was Chip who spoke up, stopping the three before they could bite into the apples. "Something's wrong. She couldn't have picked these apples; they're not grown in Briarwood," he pointed out.

"There's certainly a magical element to them," Hermes mused as the apple still spun on the tip of his finger.

"That's because I picked them in the Magical Realm, not in Briarwood," Vida said. Her smile had vanished when Chip had spoken up, but she forced it back to her face.

"What about the pose?" Chip demanded, repeating the action that Vida hadn't responded to. "You didn't even recognise it," he accused her. Maddie's smile faded as anxiety started to make her stomach churn.

"I recognised it. I've just moved on from it," Vida shrugged, almost dismissive of Chip's concerns. "You know me, I never stick with anything for very long," her words earned uneasy laughs from her sister and friends.

"But how could you defeat the Vampire Queen and break her hold on you?" Titania asked softly. She'd set the apple down on the table beside her - something about holding onto it felt wrong.

"Through a lot of hard work and magic," Vida fired back, her tone clipped. "Like I would ever lose to that hag. Now, I'm gonna get a complex if none of you eat my gifts," she encouraged once more, and took a large bite out of the apple she'd been holding as if to prove they were fine.

"No!" Chip yelled as Nick, Maddie and Xander went to follow suit. He lunged at them, flailing enough that he managed to knock the apples out of their hands. "I'm telling you, this is not Vida!" he insisted as they groaned in annoyance.

"Chip…" Maddie chided, bending down to pick up the apples from the ground. "Now you've gone and ruined perfectly good apples," she scolded him.

"I wouldn't do that," Hermes' voice was soft, but the warning was clear enough that Maddie stopped and looked up. "Not if you value your mortal life the way it is," they all froze at the sight of the apple he'd been spinning. Still balanced on his finger, he'd stopped it from spinning, and they found that it was rotting. Black ooze dripped from it, dripping to the ground. Instantly all three reared back from their fallen apples.

"What?" Titania gasped, glancing at the apple she'd left on the table. There was a small burst of heat, and the ones that Tári and Carvallain were holding vanished, with Tári's turquoise eyes shimmering with magic.

"Took a little bit of digging, but I worked out the magic within these apples," Hermes said lightly, and the apple he'd been holding vanished in a small burst of magic. "They must have been grown in the Underworld with the amount of Vampiric magic within them," he considered. The Rangers shuddered, particularly Nick, Maddie and Xander, as they realised how close they'd come to ingesting something so dangerous.

"We have another problem," Titania gestured to where Vida had been standing.

"She's gone!" Nick hissed, leaping from the table. "She can't have gotten far. Let's go," he said. All of them nodded - they had a lot of questions, but they had to wait. Vida was still in a lot of trouble.

It didn't take too long for the six Rangers to chase down their errant Wind Mystic, who was fleeing through Briarwood.

"Hold it right there!" Nick yelled. Titania flung out a hand, and rainbow light shimmered in front of Vida like a barrier. She stopped before she could collide with it, and snarled over her shoulder at them. "There's nowhere else to run," Nick warned. Vida sneered, and turned to face them fully.

"You are so right," she growled. When a clawed hand rested on her head, the Rangers recoiled in horror. Necrolai laughed as she stood beside her Spawn.

"Good servant. Very good servant," she praised, happy that while Vida hadn't managed to get them to eat the apples she'd sent, she'd still managed to lure out the Rangers. After everything that had gone on over the last few days, they were clearly worn out. "Now get them!" she ordered.

"Yes, Mistress," Vida's voice was flat and lacked emotion as she Morphed and slowly started to approach her friends. Instantly the team hesitated, taking a step back.

"No, Vida!" Maddie shouted at her sister.

"We don't want to fight you!" Titania pleaded, but Vida didn't listen. Drawing her Magi Staff, she charged at them.

"Don't hurt her. I'm going after Necrolai," Chip decided, running off before they could say anything. He Morphed as he ran, leaping over Vida's head and continuing to run as he approached Necrolai.

Vida immediately turned to try and stop him; the instinct to protect her mistress stronger than the orders to defeat the Rangers, but the other Rangers threw themselves forwards to grab a hold of her and restrain their friend. With her Morphed, however, Vida easily broke their hold and tossed all five to the ground. She laughed mockingly at them as they got up, wincing in pain.

"Going easy on Vida is easier said than done when she's not doing the same to us," Carvallain considered as they regrouped. Vida then waved her Magi Staff, and the butterfly motif shone bright pink as it channelled her magic and created a strong burst of wind that threw them all off the side of the walkway to a lower section. As they fell, each of them Morphed, and rainbow light shimmered around them as they found themselves righted and landing lightly on their feet.

"Thanks, Titania," Nick called to the Black Ranger, who nodded back. They didn't have time to talk as Vida landed in front of them and charged once again. "Stop!" Nick yelled as she kicked Maddie and Xander, knocking them to the ground again. Dodging her strikes, Nick grabbed Vida's arm, and Carvallain grabbed her other. "It's us, Vida!" he pleaded, but she broke free and shoved him into Titania, who was lunging for her Magi Staff. The two tumbled to the ground, and Carvallain was thrown into a table nearby, rolling backwards off it.

Even Morphed, the team of Rangers were easily overwhelmed with Vida, whose only concern was destroying them. They all held back, trying to restrain her as they hoped that Chip could use the Dawn Crystal and defeat Necrolai.

"Vida, you don't have to do this," Titania pleaded as she latched onto Vida's back, holding steady even as the Pink Ranger thrashed. "You're our friend, not her servant. Please!" she shouted as she used more of her Fae magic. It connected with Vida, only for something dark that surrounded the Pink Ranger to respond. Titania cried out as the clashing magics caused her to be flung off Vida, and she crashed against a wall.

"Titania!" the others yelled, and Vida took advantage of their distraction to strike them all with her Magi Staff. When they hit the ground, she leapt back up to higher ground at Necrolai's summoning.

"We have to go after her!" Nick groaned, pushing himself back up.

"Necrolai's magical presence has completely engulfed Vida," Titania said as she managed to get up, wincing. "That's probably what gave her the ability to walk in daylight and hide her alignment," she warned as they followed Vida. Their injuries made them slower than Vida had been, taking a longer route.

"Vida!" Chip's yell reached them, and they pushed themselves. They finally came into view of Necrolai and Chip's battle, and found Vida standing in front of Necrolai as she acted like a shield to the Vampire Queen.

"Chip, you can't!" Xander yelled as horror hit them. Chip was aiming his Magi Staff directly at Vida; the Dawn Crystal shining brightly where it was attached. "It's Vida!" he pleaded.

"Don't do it, Chip!" Maddie pleaded.

"There's got to be another way!" Titania insisted, unwilling to lose their teammate.

"We can still save her!" Carvallain's yell was hoarse. All of them were rooted to the spot, not knowing what they could do.

"Put it down, now!" Nick ordered, but Chip ignored them all.

"I believe in you, V," Chip breathed. "Fire!" he launched the Dawn Crystal directly at them, and right before it hit Vida, she darted to the side. Necrolai screamed as the Dawn Crystal pierced her chest, draining her of her magic. "V is for Victory!" Chip laughed as he struck the same pose as Vida had done - the same one she hadn't remembered in Rootcore. "Vida showed me her sign. Even though she said she wasn't with us anymore, I knew she was," Chip explained with a grin to the other Rangers as they ran to stand beside him.

"You tricked me, Pink Witch?! You'll pay for that," hearing his words, Necrolai let out a pained snarl and snapped her fingers. Vida started to scream as the dark magic surrounding her suddenly turned against her, feeling like electricity running through her body. There was a flash as Vida demorphed, pale and weak.

"You have to stop her," she pleaded to her friends, finally thinking somewhat clearly.

"You got it!" Chip agreed. "Do it for V, guys!" he shouted as he held up his Magi Staff. The others followed suit, and they moved into a circle as they channelled their magic into their Staffs, causing them to glow.

"Magi Staff, full power!" all but Chip then moved aside as he held the combined magics.

"Bite this, Necrolai," he taunted, and hurled it at Necrolai. She screamed as it collided with her, causing the Dawn Crystal to bury deeper into her chest.

"This can't be happening…" she groaned, and screamed as she exploded.

"We did it!" Titania cheered, and they ran over to Vida. Already the colour was returning to her skin, and her teeth were no longer pointed into sharp fangs as she smiled up at them.

"Are you alright?" Chip asked as he helped her back. Her smile grew wider.

"Yes! I feel my power surging back into my body," she laughed.

"You're back!" Chip cheered, and both struck the V-Pose that had helped them win the battle against Necrolai.

"I can't believe you really defeated the Vampire Queen," Carvallain clapped Chip on the back. "You really are something," he praised.

"We all did it," Chip insisted, and they all cheered, excited to have defeated one of their most formidable foes.

Their joy was shortlived as the ground suddenly rumbled beneath their feet, and Koragg appeared from a spell seal to tower over the city.

"You seven have shown great power and cunning to defeat Necrolai. This is what I have waited for," Koragg declared as he loomed over them. With another spell, he summoned Catastros and combined to form his Megazord. Without hesitation, Vida pulled her Mystic Morpher from her side.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" she Morphed, and they all called on their Mystic Titans for form their own Megazord.

"Let's show him!" Nick shouted as they faced off against Koragg.

"Ancient Power, Mystic Spell Seal!" they chorused together as they combined their magic into the powerful Spell.

"Dark Magic Spell Seal," Koragg followed up with his own power, and when the two combined, the Titan Megazord was thrown backwards.

"He's stronger than we are!" Maddie groaned.

"We can't just give in…but what can we do against his strength?" Titania wondered. Chip straightened up, still riding the high of the victory against Necrolai.

"I say we fight back. We don't give up," he

"Chip's right," Vida agreed as she held her Magi Staff tightly. "We fight back, we never give up!" she shouted.

"Count me in!" Xander nodded.

"Let's take this wizard down!" Carvallain shouted.

"One for all…"

"And all for one!" Chip finished for Nick. As their seats moved so that Chip was in the centre, a bright light started to shine down from above. Instinctively, they held up their Magi Staffs to the light, feeling their power grow. "What's going on?" Chip wondered as the light went into their Staffs.

"Your belief in me has given us a new spell!" Vida realised with a laugh.

"Nice!" Chip cheered. Still standing in front of them, Koragg grew impatient.

"Battle me!" he roared, ready for another round after overpowering them. When they activated the new spell, the wings of their Megazord flung open, taking him by surprise. "You have new magic?!" Koragg demanded.

"Titan Megazord, take flight!" at the shout, a golden spell seal appeared above them. The Titan Megazord shot into the air, passing through the spell seal as Koragg could only watch. "Spirits of the Ancient Titans!" images of their Elemental Spirits - Phoenix, Mermaid, Garuda, Sprite, Minotaur, Kitsune and Luna Lepus - appeared all around the Megazord as they powered it up. "Titans attack!" they then descended on Koragg, delivering a powerful magical blow with their sword that caused Koragg to collapse as they landed safely nearby.

As the seven cheered at their victory, a noise behind them earned their attention. To their horror, Koragg was getting back to his feet. He had split from Catastros, who vanished through a Dark Spell Seal with a loud cry, and looked worse for wear, but was able to stay standing.

"Impressive," Koragg murmured. "You grow more powerful by the day. But so do I!" he warned as he turned on his heel. "Our next battle will have a different outcome," with the threat made clear, Koragg vanished through another Spell Seal.

"We did it!" despite the threat, Nick refused to let him sour their victory. They had destroyed Necrolai, and won their battle against Koragg.

After being fussed over by her team and checked over by Penelope, Vida was finally confirmed to be back to normal. Happy with that and full of energy now that she no longer had Necrolai controlling her, Vida and the other Rangers returned to Rock Porium.

"Looks like LeeLee is still freaked by what happened the other day," Vida mused, spotting the blonde lurking a small distance away. She looked somewhat uncomfortable, as if she were still bothered by Vida and the Vampire Chalk only a few nights ago.

"I'm enjoying the distance," Titania admitted, arms folded.

"She doesn't seem that bad," Tári said, leaning her head against Carvallain's shoulder. She peered at the book he was reading, looking fascinated. "Just a bit…odd. But all humans are odd to me," she admitted.

"We're not odd!" Xander protested. Tári looked up to eye him as he sat in one of the other seats.

"You're the oddest of them all," she told him honestly. Titania burst out laughing at the look on the Green Ranger's face.

"Surely Chip should be the oddest of us," he protested. Chip shrugged, not arguing against what he said. "It's only because you've never met humans before. You'll see," Xander huffed. Tári tilted her head.

"I have met a human before," she said softly. "He saved me when Miramalos was attacked when I was young. He still lives nearby to our kingdom," she elaborated when they all looked surprised.

"A human lives so close to the Elf kingdom?" even Titania hadn't known this. Tári nodded with a smile.

"He's an exception," Carvallain said, not looking up from his book. "Not only did he save Tári and a number of Elflings in the attack on Miramalos, he made it abundantly clear that he was simply searching for a quiet place to live, unbothered by anyone," he explained, and after a short pause, he looked at the beautiful blonde still leaning against him. "And honestly, with those skills he demonstrated, he is likely the oddest human I've ever met. Xander included," Carvallain smirked, and the others started to laugh again as Xander rolled his eyes.

"Guys, I'm gonna clear things up with Leelee," Vida decided, walking over to where LeeLee was looking through CDs.

"There goes my peace," Titania sighed.

"Be nice," Xander chided lightly, reaching out a hand to ruffle her hair. She protested as it knocked her hat askew, revealing her long pointed ears for a moment.

"Hey, you know that Vampire thing in the store the other day?" Vida started as LeeLee looked up at her. Wariness was obvious in her gaze, but she nodded all the same. "I was just playing a joke on the guys," she lied.

"Yeah!" LeeLee forced a too-wide smile onto her face, but her nerves were still obvious. "I knew that," the blonde told her, struggling to meet her gaze. "You didn't think that I thought that you were really a Vampire, did you?" she asked.

"Of course not," Vida smiled pleasantly at her, fighting laughter. LeeLee looked away, her smile fading for a moment before returning.

"I gotta run!" with that, she turned on her heel and quickly stalked out the door. She was barely out of view before the team of Rangers burst out laughing.

Chapter 10: Petrified Xander

Chapter Text

Rock Porium seemed the most chaotic right before their lunchtime, as customers crowded in on their own lunch breaks to peruse and occasionally enjoy listening to Vida on the DJ stage. However, even as most of them rushed around helping customers find what they wanted or serving them at the tills, Chip wandered around without looking up from the worn fragment of paper in his hands.

"Maybe you should sit down while you do that?" Titania suggested as she quickly guided Chip around a man before he could walk straight into him. Chip didn't seem to notice even as the man glared at him.

"I don't know what good staring at it will do. You've spent weeks hitting your heads against the wall," Tári commented as she moved the headphones she was using to listen to a CD that Nick had recommended.

"Better than nothing, I suppose," Carvallain mused idly, watching Chip as if hoping that something would click for the Lightning Mystic. Unfortunately, Chip had been staring at it for hours, barely speaking, and had figured nothing out.

"Hey Chip!" Vida called over as Chip walked by her and Xander at the counter. "Any luck with you know what?" she asked, barely looking up from the receipts she was counting. Chip tilted the paper to the side as if a different angle would help.

"Nah," he sighed. Vida then let out a sharp laugh, slamming the receipts against the counter.

"I've outsold you by $12 and 50 cents. I win the bet," Vida declared as Xander organised the vinyls on the shelf behind the counter. "You owe me lunch," she told the Green Ranger.

"Not so fast," Xander refused to give in as Titania stopped Chip from walking into him. "Xander the Great still has four minutes to go," he pointed out. Vida rolled her eyes, doubting that he'd be able to make enough in time.

"Has he ever beaten you?" Titania asked as she turned to Vida, aware that the two ended up making a bet about who the better salesperson was at least once a week. Vida smirked at her.

"Never," she declared, making Titania laugh. Xander ignored the pair, but they didn't miss him grumbling under his breath. They laughed more, until a familiar face strutted into the store.

"LeeLee," Vida's acknowledgement was flat as the blonde tossed her hair over her shoulder. Titania fell quiet, slipping out from behind the counter before a snide comment could be made.

"Can somebody help me here?" LeeLee asked expectantly. Sensing a potential sale that could win him the bet, Xander instantly whirled around. Vida didn't bother to try and intercept, choosing to risk her victory instead of helping the rude young woman.

"Afternoon, LeeLee," Xander flashed his most charming smile at her, shoving Vida aside. "You look like a Zeppelin fan," he said as he leaned on the counter. "Can I interest you in something?" he offered, only to be surprised when LeeLee sneered at him, not bothering to hold back her laughter.

"Nice zit, Rudolph," at her sneer, LeeLee turned on her heel and strutted away.

"Zit?" Xander repeated, until it finally caught his attention. Right on the end of his nose was a massive pimple that was blotchy and red. Horror made him go pale. "Whoa!" he gasped, and pushed Vida aside again to peer into a mirror nearby. He sucked in a breath, staring in horror at the blemish as Vida and Chip both burst out laughing.

"Oh, Xander the Great…" Vida mocked with a laugh. "…Big Pimple!" she declared. Even Titania couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculously large the pimple was.

"It totally ruins my perfect profile…" Xander moaned in horror, unable to take his eyes off it. "This zit is like having an extra nose!" he complained loudly. Instantly a thought sparked in Chip's head, and his eyes lit up.

"That's it!" he shouted as he rushed closer. "Maybe the scroll to the Fireheart is like two halves of the same face! Minus the zit, of course," he added. Instantly Vida and Titania hissed at him to lower his voice, well aware that there were others around. LeeLee quickly turned away from them as they looked up, making sure she hadn't heard.

"Yes!" Toby's roar was so loud that it shook open the blinds to his office. "Success!" his delighted yells earned drew their attention, and they missed LeeLee slipping out of Rock Porium as their boss pushed open the door to his office. Titania stared, caught off guard by the strange magnifying glasses he wore as he gestured to the strange, multicoloured puzzle in his hands. "I finished this entire crypto-magnetic puzzle in just under 40 minutes," Toby bragged to them, proud of himself. "I should work for the CIA or the FBI…" he mused as Vida giggled. "Or better still…the Power Rangers!" his declaration made them all jolt as even Xander tore his gaze from the mirror to stare at him. Toby frowned, some of his eagerness fading as he didn't understand their reaction. "What did I say?" he asked, confused.

"Nothing!" Vida said quickly.

"That's a great idea," Chip gulped as Titania watched them, more curious about how they would explain their strange reactions to his consideration.

"You should…uh…"

"Give them a call!" Chip finished for Vida, who nodded. Toby's excitement returned full force.

"A call! Give them a call!" he shouted, already turning to run back into his office.

"Does…does he think he knows our number?" Titania wondered, which made Vida and Chip burst out laughing again as Xander just sighed at his reflection.

Once their lunch break started at the Rangers were able to return to Rootcore, where Nick, Maddie and Carvallain were already gathered. Tári was standing with Claire, helping her tend to the flowers that Claire had gathered that morning as a gift for Udonna.

"Then it hit me!" Chip was chattering eagerly as he told them how he'd managed to finally decipher the scroll of the Fireheart.

"Tell us!" Maddie said eagerly.

"Yes, please spare us from any more late nights trying to understand," Carvallain almost pleaded with him, worn out from their fruitless attempts to decipher the scroll.

"The mirror was the key!" Chip grinned widely. "So while Xander was staring at himself, and I was staring at Xander…" they glanced over to where the young man was moping, staring into another mirror and prodding at the pimple that seemed to be getting even bigger. "The answer was staring at me," Xander let out a whine of protest when Chip yanked the mirror from his hands.

They all watched, curious as Chip held the parchment up to the mirror, creating a symmetrical appearance. Instantly recognition hit them all. "What mountain does that look like?" he grinned.

"Mount Fuego!" the other Rangers - bar Xander - exclaimed together. They recognised the mountain not too far from Rootcore, having learned about the area from Taliesin during one of their lessons with the former Moon Mystic.

"Incredible," Carvallain breathed, leaning closer to study it. "Great work figuring it out," he praised the Yellow Ranger. The others echoed the sentiment, and Chip beamed with pride.

"So this Fireheart is somewhere on Mount Fuego. We need to find it. We may have defeated Necrolai, but that won't stop Koragg or one of the Master's other minions from going after it in her place," Titania looked up from the map, pushing down the feelings that stirred at the knowledge that her father had been the one to create it.

"You're right," Nick agreed. "Let's go. The Fireheart is waiting; we'll have to split up to cover that much territory," he said, and walked over to Xander to earn his attention. When the Earth Mystic turned, Nick winced and walked away without a word.

"There should be a concoction around here to help reduce the swelling. Do you want me to get that before we go?" Titania offered, seeing the distress in Xander's face. She didn't fully understand why he was so distraught, but she wanted to help all the same. Xander opened his mouth to accept, but stopped when another thought came to him. He glanced over to where Tári was walking out to check on Obsidian, who was still recovering his strength after helping to create the Dawn Crystal.

"Let's make a deal," he said instead. Temptation shone in Titania's dark eyes, and she co*cked her head.

"You only stopped sneezing glitter a short while ago. You truly are a glutton for punishment," she teased him, and Xander felt a little bit more hopeful when she didn't turn him down immediately. "What do you want?" Titania asked as the air seemed to shimmer with power.

"Restore my perfect profile. Get rid of this zit," Xander said, trying to be as specific as he could as he thought about their last deal and Chip's words of advice. Titania nodded.

"Alright," she agreed. "But in return…I want a secret from you. It doesn't have to be right now," Titania was well aware that the others were waiting for them. "But I want a secret, one that you've never told anyone," she requested. Xander hesitated, wondering if it was worth it. Brushing the painful pimple with his fingers again, he nodded.

"Deal," he clasped her much smaller hand and shook, feeling the familiar pulse of magic around them. Titania grinned the same devious smile as last time.

"I have a feeling, Xander, that you're going to be my best customer," she teased him. Before he could say anything, she reached up and poked the pimple on his nose, making him wince in pain.

"Hey!" he complained, and Titania laughed.

"Give it a few minutes, and your perfect profile will be back to normal," she said, still teasing, and Xander couldn't help but blush in response. "Now come on," Titania grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of Rootcore before he could say anything else.

It didn't take too long for the Rangers to reach Mount Fuego; a mountain with twin peaks that stretched up above the treeline and into the clouds. Once they arrived at the mountain, the Rangers split up into three groups to explore, trying to find anything to do with the Fireheart.

"So what do you suppose this mysterious Fireheart is?" Titania asked Carvallain as she followed him up the steep climb. His longer legs gave him the advantage, but he kept a slower pace so she didn't fall behind.

"I would hope that it's something powerful enough to give us an advantage over dark forces," he admitted as they took a break, both breathing heavily from the exertion of climbing such a steep path. "But this all feels too elaborate to be a weapon. Your father hid a map in the Human Realm that led to another map deep within the Cimmerion Forest. And this map led us here, to Mount Fuego," Carvallain shook his head as he spoke the thoughts he'd been having for a while.

"Penelope said that it's just like my father to lead us in circles like this," Titania shuffled her feet and turned to look out. From the height they were at, they could see for miles. "Though that could just be a Fae thing," she said softly.

Carvallain watched her, hearing the same tone in her voice that he often had when he thought about his parents. At least he had some memories of them, and still had Tári and his uncle, not to mention the kingdom he would one day rule. He quickly shoved that thought down.

Titania still had her back to him when she spoke again. "I believe you're right. It wouldn't be a weapon. He would have shared that knowledge with the other Mystics and retrieved it during the Great War if it were something that would help give them an advantage," she said confidently.

"Either way, let us hope that we can find it first," Carvallain said. Titania turned back and nodded. They continued to walk, searching for anything that seemed out of the ordinary, until they felt the rumbling across the mountain. Carvallain's sharp ears heard the telltale boom of an explosion, and frowned.

"It would seem that the others have either found what we're looking for, or they have run into trouble," he warned his companion.

"Let's go find out," she said, and they carefully but quickly started to make their descent back down the mountain. They met up with Nick, Maddie and Chip as they reached the bottom of the mountain again, and judging from their looks, they'd heard the commotion too.

"There!" Carvallain heard Xander and Vida approach, and they hurried to check on the two. They found the two out of breath and carrying a large chest between them, while Vida was covered in green slime that was drying in the sun.

"We heard an explosion," Nick said when the two set the chest down in the middle of them. Maddie crouched beside it to study it curiously, and Chip and Vida tried to wrench it open.

"That won't work," Titania warned them as she knelt beside it too. Her sharp eyes were scanning every inch of the large chest, as she sensed familiar magic surrounding it that called to her own. "It's enchanted. I think it's a Fae Puzzle," she realised.

"A Fae Puzzle?" Nick repeated. Titania nodded as she looked up at him.

"I've never seen one, but apparently my mother would often hide things away inside to torment Penelope and the others," she said. "They're highly complicated, and if they aren't opened within the time limit, they'll be sealed forever," Titania explained, making them wince.

"Look at this," Maddie spotted a scroll attached to the front of the chest, undoing the ribbon to pull it free. As she did, a timer started to tick down.

"What was that about a time limit?" Vida winced as Maddie bit her lip. Titania took the scroll from her when she spotted the Old Fae handwriting, reading it aloud.

"This ancient puzzle is your task at hand, solve it quickly to receive what's grand. But if you fail this timely chore, the Fireheart will be no more," she warned gravely. It was as she'd warned - it was a Fae Puzzle, and they had less than an hour to solve it.

Before they could start to try deciphering the puzzle, a blast of dark magic hit the ground by their feet and exploded up, sending them flying.

"Hand over the chest!" a monster demanded as they landed in the grass. The chest was completely unharmed, repelling the magic. Hidiacs burst up from all around them, roaring and snarling in anger.

"Let's Ranger up!" Nick shouted. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" they shouted, Morphing and immediately launching into battle. The Rangers scattered, each taking on a small group of the Hidiacs that were trying to get the chest they kept safe in the middle.

"Magi Staff, Spear Mode!" Carvallain raised his weapon, focusing magic through it so that it changed forms. As it did, he spun the Spear and tripped up the Hidiacs launching themselves at him. They hit the ground with squeals, and Carvallain kept moving around the attacks that seemed to come from everywhere, destroying them with bursts of Silver Moon Magic that shot from the tip of his spear.

With a laugh, Titania moved around the Hidiacs with swift movements. She swiped at any monster that got too close; her Magi Staff hitting weak spots with ruthless precision. She was still grinning when she spun suddenly, facing the Hidiacs that she had herded together without them realising.

"Magi Staff!" she held up her Staff as it flashed with her magic, and the Hidiacs froze as they were trapped within a small bubble of time.

"Magi Staff!" Maddie moved to stand beside Titania, and with a wave of her own weapon, she created a burst of water that swept the Hidiacs away before they even realised it. "Nice!" she laughed, high-fiving Titania as the Fae giggled with delight.

Nearby, Nick found himself thrown back by the leader of the Hidiacs, who was larger and stronger than the rest of the footsoldiers. As he hit the ground, Xander leapt in and countered before the monster could strike Nick again.

"That was close," Nick jumped to his feet and patted Xander on the shoulder thankfully, as the Hidiacs were destroyed. "Come on, let's get it back to Rootcore before anyone else shows up," he told the team.

"And hopefully figure out just how to solve it," Carvallain added, well aware that their time was ticking down.

"I didn't think I'd ever see one of these things again," Fáfnir mused as he stood in front of the Fae Puzzle chest with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Forgot how much I hated 'em," he complained.

"So you don't know how to solve it?" Titania asked sadly. The Dwarf shook his head and shrugged.

"Penelope was always the best at figuring out the answer," he looked up at the red-haired woman who was crouched beside him, studying it with sharp eyes.

"I had to be. Nimble was forever locking away my things in them," there was a sadness in her gaze as Penelope spoke. "Especially my wand…and any tokens of affection Caspian sent when he courted me," she added. Fáfnir snorted at her words, and Penelope shook her head to clear her mind of thoughts of the past. "This is a far more difficult puzzle than Nim ever created for us. Dusk truly intended for the Fireheart to stay out of the wrong hands," she told them seriously.

"And it's still counting down…" Maddie groaned as the timer ticked down to 39 minutes.

"Chip? You're really good with this stuff," Vida looked at her best friend, who was pacing around the chest as he studied it carefully.

"Sorry guys…I've never seen a puzzle like this," he looked apologetic. "I don't know where to even begin," Chip admitted.

"That's the fun of a Fae Puzzle," Fáfnir shrugged once again.

"Titania?" Nick glanced at Titania, who shook her head quickly.

"Even I don't know. This is my first time seeing one, remember?" Titania pointed out. "Even if I tried to use my magic to counter my father's, it would take far longer than the time we've got left just to try and understand it," she admitted with a frustrated huff. Penelope straightened, and put a comforting hand on the Fae's shoulder.

"We've already lost half an hour," Maddie pointed out, unable to stop watching the timer ticking down. With every second that ticked down, the tension seemed to grow heavier.

"You've still got leaves stuck in your hair from the battle," distracted from the chest, Nick walked over to Xander to pull free a leaf that was sticking out from behind his ear. To his surprise, it didn't budge, and Xander let out a cry of pain that startled him into letting go. "Whoa," Nick stared at him, realising that there was more than one leaf in his hair.

"It's nothing, really," Xander turned away, and the others saw the leaves sticking out. After a moment, he let out a sigh and turned back. "I'm just having…a little issue," all of them, including Penelope and Fáfnir, gasped as he lifted his arms from under his cape to reveal that they had gained a wooden cover.

"What the-" Fáfnir snorted as the others couldn't control their laughter at how ridiculous he looked. Instantly a hurt, defensive look crossed Xander's face.

"This is funny to you guys?" he demanded as tears of laughter rolled down Vida's face. Maddie was the only one who tried to contain herself, but only managed to stop her laughter for a moment before she broke.

"Come on, Xander," Vida giggled as she saw Xander's face. "Hey, you always laugh when Claire turns herself into funny stuff," she couldn't even finish speaking before she burst out laughing again.

"I'm sure it's just a side effect of your organic powers," Maddie suggested, looking at Fáfnir for an explanation. The former Earth Mystic was staring at Xander and stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"Possibly," he grunted when he realised they were watching him. "I never experienced anything like it, but it's not exactly common for humans to wield magic, especially as powerful as you lot seem to be," Fáfnir considered, voicing his thoughts aloud. "Should settle shortly. Just don't use magic for a little while," he suggested. Xander grumbled under his breath as the others continued to laugh. Even Carvallain had a hand over his mouth as his shoulders shook as Titania giggled at the sight.

"Yeah!" Maddie nodded, trying to sound encouraging. "It'll go away…knock on wood," she giggled, and the others laughed even harder.

"Guys, come on, enough," Nick scolded, trying to sound stern. They managed to compose themselves at their leader's request, before the Fire Mystic's grin returned. "Leaf Xander alone," he giggled, starting up another wave of laughter.

"Yep, definitely the perfect successor to Dusk," Penelope muttered under her breath. Fáfnir chuckled as Xander rolled his eyes.

"Guys, can we focus on something more important, like opening the chest?" he asked, nodding to the puzzle chest as he hid his arms back under his cape. "We're running out of time," Xander reminded. His words instantly sobered the others, and they fell quiet as they turned back to the chest in hopes of thinking of some way to open it.

"Hey, I got it!" Chip exclaimed suddenly, making them all turn to him.

"What, you solved the puzzle?" Maddie asked, both hopeful and in disbelief. Chip shook his head, but was grinning.

"No, but I think I know who can," he said.

Toby's eyes shone with excitement as he studied the chest that had been set on the counter in front of him. The moment Chip had told him that it was a puzzle, he had tuned out anything else that was said.

"Hardest puzzle in the world, huh?" his voice quivered with excitement at the very notion. After solving his crypto-magnetic puzzle that morning, the owner had been bored, looking for something that would prove even more difficult.

"Next to impossible," Chip said brightly. "One chance to solve it. Can you beat the clock?" he asked their boss. Toby inhaled quietly.

"I can solve it in less than an hour," he said with utter confidence, lifting the chest to haul it into his office.

"This better work," Vida warned. They had all been concerned about leaving the Fae Puzzle with Toby, but Chip had insisted that he was the only one who could solve it with what little time they had left.

"Hey, don't worry," Chip grinned at her. "As soon as he figures it out, Titania's gonna use a little Fae magic to create a diversion before he can open it," he gestured to where Titania was sitting on the counter nearby. She grinned at them deviously, and Vida had a suspicion that she was enjoying the idea of creating a distraction more than she should have. "Simple," Chip declared, pleased with himself for coming up with the idea. Vida didn't look fully convinced, but she knew it was their only shot.

"Famous last words," she warned him as she walked away. Titania laughed.

"I believe in your plan. And I've seen Toby with those other puzzles. If anyone can figure out this puzzle, it's him," she told Chip, who smiled.

"Titania," hearing the hissed voice, she looked away from the Yellow Ranger as he got back to work, and her eyebrows rose as she took in Xander's appearance. He wore a large hat, sunglasses and heavy coat that seemed too warm for the nice weather they were having, almost entirely obscuring his appearance.

"Xander?" she jumped down and followed him as he gestured for her to follow out of sight. "What's going on? Why are you dressed so strangely?" Titania asked when he pulled his sunglasses off.

"It's getting worse," he whispered to her, tugging down the collar of his coat to reveal the moss growing on his chest. Titania co*cked her head, looking confused. "I didn't use my magic at all, just like Fáfnir said, but it's getting worse instead of better. I think it's out of control," he told her.

"Maybe it just needs more time to settle? It's only been a few minutes," she pointed out, but Xander shook his head and scratched at his chest. To his horror, what had been moss a moment ago was now wood that was spreading up his neck.

"What if it doesn't stop? What if it gets worse?" he asked, his voice tinged with fear. "I can feel my magic under the surface where the wood is, even when I'm not using it," Xander shook his head, and Titania glanced over to where Chip was trying to discreetly keep an eye on Toby. "I've gotta get out of here before anyone sees," Xander hissed, and put a hand to his face as he felt the wood spreading across part of it, almost like a mask.

"I'll go back to Rootcore and see if I can find anything out. You should come with me," Titania told him. Xander shook his head, taking a step back.

"I can't let anyone see me. Just…call me when you find something out," too embarrassed to let anyone see what he looked like, he turned and rushed back out before Titania could stop him.

"This isn't good," she whispered. "Chip, I have to go, but I'll send Carvallain to help," she called over her shoulder to the Yellow Ranger. He looked curious, but nodded, and Titania ran out the door.

To Titania's relief, Penelope was still at Rootcore when she returned. Having been checking their potion supply and making a note of what was needed, the former Water Mystic turned at the sound of her walking into the main room and smiled.

"What brings you back so suddenly, little spark?" Penelope asked, having expected Titania to stay with the others while they waited for Toby to solve the puzzle.

"I'm worried about Xander," the Fae told her, walking over to the woman who had helped raise her. "His powers seem to be growing more and more out of control by the moment. It's almost like he's becoming a Ghillie Dhu," she considered. Penelope hummed, setting down the paper in her hand to face Titania fully.

"Well if his magic is unstable and causing a physical reaction to his body, there must be a reason for it," Penelope said, thinking about what she'd seen of the young man when he'd shown the bark on his arms. "If it had been anything in the fight you had, I believe more of you would be showing some form of symptoms, so perhaps he cast a spell incorrectly that's backfired? It wouldn't be the first time any of you had done so," Penelope considered. Titania shook her head.

"He would have said if he'd done somethi…" she trailed off, and the colour leeched from her skin.

"Titania?" Penelope called her name gently, seeing the horror on her face.

"He made a deal…" she whispered so quietly that the woman barely heard her. Penelope went still, and Titania lifted her gaze to meet hers. "He wanted a pimple on his nose gone. I did it, but maybe…"

"It could be that you went too deep with your magic, drawing out his inner-self, so to speak," Penelope mused, shaking her head. "That boy. First he makes a deal that almost got you both eaten by a Borbeast, and now this. Daggeron would have his head for such frivolous deals," she muttered. Titania blinked, surprised that she would mention the knight whom Hermes often said was so straight-laced that he was shocked he believed in magic.

"I don't even know if I can break a deal," Titania said, her fists clenched at her side.

"I don't believe you need to," Penelope put her hands on her young charge's shoulders when she saw the frustration in her face. "You are more powerful than you realise, Titania. Use your magic to untangle what's been done. This wasn't part of the deal, so it should be fine," she encouraged her. Titania nodded, still looking uneasy.

"Okay. Thank you," she managed a small smile at Penelope.

"Maybe it'll teach him not to be in such a hurry to make deals with Fae. Honestly," her smile grew at the exasperated words. "Now go, before you can't find the tree for the forest," Penelope shooed her lightly, and Titania raced out of Rootcore. "Maybe I was right to be worried about how much of an influence the humans are on her…particularly Xander," she mused aloud.

"I believe it's a good thing," she glanced over her shoulder as Tári walked in, carrying the snoozing Carbuncle in her arms. His fur was still somewhat dull, but looked a lot better than before. "And it's certainly interesting," the Eladrin smiled knowingly. Penelope sighed.

"I'm so not ready for that," she complained.

It didn't take Titania too long to find Xander, who had retreated into the magical forest in his misery. He'd run into Phineas, who was letting him mope in his small camp when Titania arrived.

"Hey Phineas," she smiled warmly at the Troblin, who grinned back.

"Watch what you say. Tough crowd," he warned, jerking his head obviously towards Xander. Titania glanced over to the Earth Mystic, who had abandoned his disguise as he'd turned almost entirely into some kind of tree.

"Thanks," Titania patted his arm as she walked past. Xander jolted as she approached. "I've been looking everywhere for you. I told you that you should have come back to Rootcore," she scolded him, hiding her concern under her annoyance.

"I figured I'd fit in better here," he grumbled back at her, bitter as she looked at the leaves protruding from the top of his head.

"I think I figured out what happened," Titania said as she stood in front of him. Xander just shook his head, barely looking up at her.

"It's too late. Look at me!" Xander's bitterness grew as he glared at his bark-covered hands. "I was so worried about looking perfect, and now…I'll never be able to show my face to anyone ever again. Xander the Great is gone for good," his voice shook as Titania sat down beside him.

"Why does it matter so much?" the soft question surprised Xander, and he finally lifted his head to look at the Fae sitting beside him. "Looking perfect. You were so worked up about it that you even made a deal to restore your looks. Just because you look different, doesn't mean you're any different on the inside," Titania smiled as Xander stayed quiet, not sure how to answer her question.

When he didn't reply, Titania nudged him gently. "You're still the same self-assured, confident guy we know. And I'm sorry for laughing before," she apologised, resting a hand on his arm. The wood was rough, scratching her palm.

"Can I really still be that guy when I look like this?" Xander wondered quietly. Titania's smile was confident.

"Of course you can," she said, so simply that he almost believed her. "Because you were never just a pretty face to me. Or Carvallain, or anyone who matters," Titania told him. Xander took in a breath as he mulled over her words, and gave a tentative nod.

"You're right," he agreed. "I am more than just my looks," his words brought an even bigger smile to Titania's face.

"Good," she nodded, pleased with his words. She took his hand, getting to her feet. "So get up and let's revert the problem I caused, shall we?" Titania laughed. Wanting to see that smile on her face still, Xander got to his feet.

"Is that what happened? Our deal?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Sort of. Apparently when I was restoring your perfect profile, I dug too deep. Your magic reacted and wanted to help," she said, and he winced. No wonder his magic felt so out of whack. "Close your eyes," Titania instructed, taking his other hand as well, and both closed their eyes. For a moment, it seemed like nothing was happening. Then a shiver ran down Xander's spine as he felt the brush of her warm magic, tangling with his own before tugging. Like a knot coming undone, he felt his magic suddenly flowing more steadily. So steadily that he stumbled, almost tripping backwards over the log he'd been sitting on.

For a moment, Xander was afraid to open his eyes. While he meant what he said; he could be more than just his looks - he was still afraid to look down and see himself still tree-like. Titania's giggle rang out. "You can open your eyes now," she said, and Xander finally did so. His hands, still clasping Titania's, were back to normal. His arms too, and he could feel the breeze against his face again instead of the uncomfortable feeling of wood.

"I'm back!" Xander laughed, pulling Titania close to lift her off her feet in a tight hug. "Thank you!" he exclaimed, whirling her around as she laughed.

"Next time, just take up my offer of a potion," Titania teased as he set her back down on her feet.

"Lesson learned," he agreed, before his Morpher chimed and earned their attention. He pulled it from his pouch, flipping it open to see every of the keys flashing with magic. His smile widened. "New Spell Code," he said as Titania's smile widened.

"Nice work," she praised.

"Guys!" Nick's shout earned their attention. "We need your help, hurry!" he told them, and their smiles faded.

"I guess the bad guys haven't taken kindly to us getting the Fireheart first," Titania said.

"Let's go," the two raced off, unaware of Phineas returning to find nobody but the trees around him.

After the last batch of Hidiacs had been so thoroughly trounced, the next wave was far greater in number with a powerful monster leading them.

"Nick!" Carvallain shouted, earning his attention. The Silver Ranger swung his sword, cutting through the Hidiac in front of him. "Over there!" he warned, gesturing to the leader whose red eyes seemed to glow even in the daylight. With a growl, the monster stalked off in the direction of Rock Porium, but Nick found himself surrounded by even more Hidiacs before he could try and give chase. "Relentless fools!" Carvallain kicked another Hidiac away from Vida and carved down its chest with his prized sword, only for another three to take its place.

"They just keep coming!" the Pink Ranger growled. She could feel her strength waning from constantly fighting, and judging from Carvallain's heavy breathing, he was the same.

"Over there!" to his relief, Xander's shout caught his attention over the battle, and the Green and Black Rangers ran into view already Morphed.

"Nick!" Titania called, and he looked up from where he was holding onto a thrashing Hidiac.

"Just in time," he shouted over, glad to see them. "That bonehead's going after the Fireheart!" Nick warned.

"Okay. I'll get him," Xander told Titania, who nodded.

"Good luck," she said, running to help the others with the Hidiacs as Xander veered off to chase after the monster. "Magi Staff!" Titania grabbed her weapon and cut through the Hidiacs that were in her way before she reached Nick. Using her smaller size to her advantage, she ducked under his arm and punched the Hidiac lunging at him from behind.

"Thanks," Nick nodded to her, taking the moment to catch his breath.

"They really want the Fireheart," she considered as she dodged the Hidiacs lashing out at her. Her Staff flashed, and they froze.

"Well they can't have it!" Nick declared as he swung his sword to cut through the monsters. For a moment, nothing happened. Then they jerked and turned to dust as time returned to normal for them.

Slowly but surely the six Rangers started to gain the upper hand against the Hidiacs, and finally started to notice their numbers dwindling. With a laugh, Vida conjured up a powerful tornado, lifting their enemies off their feet and sending them flying.

"That never gets old," her wild grin was hidden by her helmet when she landed lightly.

"Did Xander go after the big guy?" Chip asked when they at last found themselves alone in the square that had become their battlefield.

"Come on!" Nick didn't wait around, leading them in the direction that the monster and Xander had gone in. They spotted their teammate right as his opponent was smashed to pieces, exploding.

"You did it!" Vida cheered as he glanced around at them. Nick looked at the punching gloves that Xander wore curiously, seeing the Mystic symbol on them.

"Those are…unusual," Carvallain commented, a little taken aback by the strange gloves.

"Got a new Spell Code!" Xander explained with a laugh, lifting his fists before the gloves faded.

"We all got it! I guess we can all use it," Chip realised as he grabbed his Morpher and saw the Code flashing. He bounced on the spot, excited to give them a try.

"We better get back to Toby. There's only a few minutes left for him to solve the puzzle," Carvallain reminded them, and they quickly hurried to return to Rock Porium.

"I see you're back to normal," Maddie smiled as they stood in Rock Porium. Toby was still in his office, looking even more frazzled than usual as sweat ran down his face.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. He glanced at Titania, who was peering in the window curiously, and shrugged. "It's a long story," he told Maddie. Her smile grew.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," she told him. Xander huffed out a quiet laugh.

"Me too," he said, rubbing his arm as if trying to reassure himself that he wasn't going to suddenly turn into a tree. Glancing at Titania again, he reached out and caught her attention. "I guess I still owe you a secret," Xander remembered once they were out of earshot of the others.

"It can wait if you still need time," Titania said patiently, watching the indecision on his face. She grinned. "Fae bargains don't have to be called in immediately," she explained. Xander frowned.

"Then why did you call in the last one right after I finished getting all that muck off from the Cimmerion Forest?" he complained. A mischievous look shone on Titania's face.

"Because it was funny," she answered so simply that he couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay then. I'll wait for now," Xander agreed. Titania nodded. "But thank you, for helping me out today," he added.

"Anytime," Titania winked.

"Wait! I think I've got it!" Toby's elated voice was loud and earned everyone's attention. They all rushed to his office, which was a mess of papers stuck to every part of the wall with string connecting them.

"You solved it?" Chip asked eagerly. The timer was down to the last few seconds as Toby's hands shook.

"Yes, yes! It's a mathematical conundrum," Toby's voice was rambling. "You see, each of these buttons corresponds to a number that when divided by Pi gives us a series of images that all point towards…this button," he gestured. Tense, all of them watched as Vida, the closest to the chest, reached out to press a button. Instantly the chest began to make a series of whirring sounds, and with the timer ticking down to one second, the lock opened.

"It worked," Carvallain's shoulders sagged in relief as everyone let out laughs.

"I'm the greatest puzzle solver on the face of the planet!" Toby yelled with glee, delighted that he had solved what Chip had described as the most difficult puzzle ever created.

"Thanks a lot, Toby!" the Rangers chorused, and Chip and Nick quickly lifted the chest from the table before he could see what was inside. When he realised, he gave a shout for them to wait.

"What's inside?!" he demanded, still shaking from the adrenaline of solving the puzzle in time. "You gotta tell me," Toby pleaded with them. Chip glanced to Titania, whom he had tasked with distracting the man while they got away with the chest.

"Actually, Toby," the Black Ranger stepped between him and the others with her usual disarming smile. "My father made that puzzle," her confession took them all by surprise.

"Your father?!" Toby reared back, looking awestruck. Titania nodded.

"I wanted to try and learn from him, so I made this," she held up a smaller box in her hands, and the others felt the lingering presence of her Fae magic around it. "This one's for you. If you can solve it, can you tell me how it was?" Titania asked. The idea of another puzzle made Toby's eyes light up.

"Yes! This is amazing!" he exclaimed, taking it from her and rushing back into his office.

"Did you really make a Fae Puzzle?" Maddie asked as they hurried out before Toby could realise he still hadn't learned about the other. Titania laughed.

"I can't lie, remember?" she pointed out.

"No, but you're remarkably talented at working around the truth," Carvallain's dry comment made her stick her tongue out at him.

"In this case, there's no working around anything. After getting a look at that puzzle, and going from what Penelope and now Toby said about them, I was able to craft one," Titania explained.

"What's inside it?" Chip asked as they hauled the chest out the door. Titania flashed a grin at him.

"That's for Toby to find out," she said, and the others laughed.

When the team managed to finally haul the puzzle chest back to Rootcore, Udonna had returned from her errands and Fáfnir looked just as curious as she did.

"How did you open it?" Tári asked as Carvallain took Obsidian from her. His companion looked up sleepily to nuzzle his chin, before returning to sleep.

"Toby cracked it. I think it almost cracked him, though," Vida grinned, thinking about how wild their boss had seemed by the time he worked out the answer.

"Not bad for a normal human," Fáfnir snorted. "Would have liked having him around back in the day, especially when Nimble locked away my axe," he commented.

"Be careful," Nick warned over his shoulder to the Dwarf. "Titania figured out how to make them," he said, and Fáfnir gave a laugh as he turned to the mischievous Fae. She looked entirely unapologetic.

"Is that so? Nice work, lass," he praised her. Titania's smile widened.

"Just don't lock away our stuff," Xander requested. She grinned at him.

"I can't promise that," she said, and they all groaned before turning to the chest in front of them. Finally they couldn't wait any longer, and Nick took a breath before grasping the lid. They all leaned closer, holding their breath as he lifted the lid to reveal the contents inside.

For a moment, the five Mystics from the human world were confused at the sight. Carvallain swore quietly in awe as Tári put her hands to her mouth. Titania tilted her head, and looked up as Fáfnir whistled.

"Is that…" Titania started, but Chip spoke first.

"An egg?" he asked, not understanding. "The Fireheart is an egg?" he asked. The egg was larger than an Ostrich egg, mainly red in colour with a golden mosaic pattern and blue spots that glimmered in the light like gemstones. Heat seemed to radiate from the egg even though it had been in a chest for an unknown length of time, and they could feel the magic in the heat.

"That is no ordinary egg, Chip," Udonna looked stunned. "This…is the last Dragon egg."

Chapter 11: The Gatekeeper: Part 1

Chapter Text

Titania's giggles were non-stop, and she couldn't help but squirm from the ticklish sensation of the snout that was pressed up against her ear, breathing hard enough to blow her hair aside as the owner tried to nibble on the tapered point.

"Stop," she pleaded through the giggles, backing away.

"I'm afraid that Brightstar is a little more difficult to deter than that," Taliesin said, watching without helping Titania, who was a source of fascination for the beautiful unicorn. "I wonder what her fascination is…do you remind him of your parents? Or perhaps you simply smell better than I do," he mused as Titania managed to move back enough to deter Brightstar with the oats and berries they had brought.

"Whatever it is, I am less appetising than this," Titania assured the unicorn, who seemed to agree as she immediately dug in. She laughed, and backed away to rejoin Taliesin. "It's good to see Brightstar back in this dimension. I thought we wouldn't see her again for a while," she admitted, leaning back against a tree.

"The same thought did cross my mind," the Satyr confessed. "Brightstar is one of the only unicorns left - at least to my knowledge. It could be more have chosen to settle in other dimensions, but either way, it is good to see a familiar face," he smiled faintly as he watched Brightstar.

"She helped you out before, didn't she? Back when you were still Mystics?" Titania remembered.

"It was more like we helped each other," Taliesin chuckled, and Brightstar snorted, her ears flicking as she made it clear that she was listening to their conversation. "Though I suppose she helped me more than I helped her," he amended, and Titania giggled as the unicorn went back to eating. "Her ability to jump between dimensions certainly helped us, especially once we lost the Solar Streak," the former Mystic mused, and Titania glanced at him as she heard the loss in his voice. Even Brightstar stopped chewing to glance over. "So, what is my wayward student doing today? Too princely to help bring what I asked for?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Tári is returning to Miramalos this morning," she said. Carvallain's betrothed had her own duties to attend to, and now that Obsidian was recovered, she didn't have the excuse to stay. Taliesin chuckled.

"An acceptable reason to avoid helping me," he allowed, the same knowing look on his face. It made Titania giggle. "Ah yes, and the Fireheart. Any progress?" Taliesin remembered, glancing to her with curiosity in his eyes. The moment he'd heard about the mysterious Fireheart being a Dragon egg, he had raced back to see for himself. Dragons had vanished from their world shortly after he was born, and as someone who dedicated their life after being a Mystic to tending to magical creatures, he was exceptionally eager to learn about it.

"Nothing yet," Titania shook her head. "Claire's keeping an eye on the egg, but there's been no signs of it hatching anytime soon," she told him. They had all been concerned about the egg, wondering if it would even hatch considering it had been locked away for so long. Taliesin had looked over it, determining that there were signs of life within, and a powerful life at that, and Dusk's Fire magic had lingered around it long enough that it was able to generate its own heat source to survive even after his death.

"I see. Well, please contact me when it hatches," Taliesin's request was polite, but Titania knew it was more of a demand, and it made her smile before her Morpher chimed. Brightstar snorted at the sound, returning to eating as Titania grabbed her Morpher quickly.

"You guys aren't gonna believe this," Chip's voice was breathless from running. "But Necrolai's back!" Titania went pale at his warning.

"Necrolai?! No way!" Nick groaned.

"How is that possible?" Carvallain spoke up. "The Dawn Crystal destroyed her. We saw it. How did she return?" he wondered.

"I don't care how she came back," Vida growled, her anger audible. Of all of them, she was the one with the biggest grudge against the Vampire who took control over her. "I'm gonna send her back to where she came from as many times as I need to!" she declared.

"It gets worse. She grabbed Toby and flew off with him," Chip warned.

"What does she want with Toby? He's a regular human," Titania breathed.

"Let's get out there," Nick growled. Closing her Morpher with a snap, Titania turned to Taliesin, who had been listening the entire time.

"It is troubling that the Dawn Crystal did not fully destroy her, Queen of the Vampires or not," Taliesin commented. "Go. I can finish tending to the creatures here," he urged her on, and Titania nodded. She turned and bowed respectfully to Brightstar, who bowed her head in response before watching as she pressed a hand to the tree behind her, vanishing in a flash of magic.

While Nick had gone ahead on his bike, the other Rangers met up as they used their Mystic Racers to fly across the city in the direction of the presence of dark magic. It didn't take long to spot Nick climbing off his bike while Necrolai snarled, getting to her feet after an attack had smashed her through a box. They leapt down as Titania's wings vanished, and each of them landed lightly before moving to stand with Nick.

"Back off, Rangers!" the Vampire shrieked, but they ignored her and launched their attack. Even now she was relentlessly strong, overpowering each one of the Rangers and tossing them aside. When Necrolai had a moment to look around, she spotted Toby cowering behind some empty crates. She snarled, charging towards him to grab him again.

"Stop!" Nick shouted, moving to stand between her and the man. Toby scrambled away to find another place to hide.

"Out of my way!" Necrolai warned coldly.

"What do you want with him?" Nick demanded, refusing to step aside. Necrolai's dark eyes narrowed at the Red Ranger.

"The Gatekeeper will be mine!" she declared. Her words didn't mean anything to Nick, or most of the others of the team. Carvallain was the only one who understood the meaning of her words, and pushed himself to his feet.

"Gatekeeper?"

"He possesses more power than all of you put together!" Necrolai taunted. Seeing her opportunity was wasted, she took a step back and spread her wings. "I'll be back," she vowed, and flew off with a cackle.

"No!" Vida growled. Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides, furious that Necrolai had thrown them around before escaping.

"What was she talking about?" Nick asked, not understanding.

"What's a…Gatekeeper?" Titania tilted her head curiously.

"You don't know either? Figured it was some magical term we hadn't learned yet," Chip shrugged to the Black Ranger.

"I've never heard the term before," she admitted.

"I have," they turned to Carvallain as he spoke up. His words were grim as he turned to where Toby was peeking out at them, trying to determine if he was safe or not. "But Necrolai is mistaken. It's not him," the Elf let out a sigh. "We need to get back," he warned, deeply unhappy that Necrolai had turned her sights on the Gatekeeper now.

"What about Toby?" Maddie glanced over at their boss.

"I have something to help," Titania raised a hand that started to shimmer with rainbow lights. The same lights shimmered around Toby, who was oblivious to them.

"What did you do?" Xander asked.

"I've cloaked him so that anyone who seeks to harm him won't be able to see him. It's limited though, so hopefully Necrolai will give up soon," Titania explained.

"Thanks," Nick let himself relax a little. "Come on, let's talk to Udonna about this," he told them. The team ran off, leaving Toby wondering just what was going on.

Udonna was keeping herself busy restocking the potions that Penelope had sent over when she heard the Rangers return. The Crystal Ball had alerted her to the darkness in their world, and she was surprised that they had returned so soon after.

"Udonna, something weird is going on," Maddie warned as she looked up at them.

"We just had a close encounter with Necrolai," Xander explained.

"Who is as strong as ever," Titania said, rolling her shoulder as she climbed the steps. Udonna's expression had turned grave at the mention of the Vampire, just as surprised to hear that she was back.

"She was looking for the Gatekeeper," Carvallain said carefully. The grave expression vanished, and for the first time it seemed that Udonna was entirely caught off guard by what was said. Her fair skin turned pale and almost sickly.

"She thought it was their boss, but he's a regular human," Titania said, shifting on her feet uneasily.

"Do you know who she's talking about?" Nick pressed, needing to know the answer before Necrolai could find it.

"Nick," Carvallain surprised him by speaking up first. "Give her a moment," his warning confused the others, but none of them argued. Grateful for his defence, Udonna composed herself and took a breath.

"The Gatekeeper was a powerful Sorceress named Niella," she finally started to speak, walking past them and over to the Xenotome. When they turned to watch her, Udonna gave a sad smile. "She was my sister," the Rangers, except for Carvallain, stared at her. Her use of past tense didn't escape their notice. "In the final battle, our energies were spent. Those of the Mystics who remained were badly injured. I was too. We'd lost three of our most powerful Knights, and…" pain shimmered in Udonna's gaze, but she kept it together and focused on the memory of her sister. "Niella cast a spell that sealed the Gate and banished Morticon and his armies to the Underworld. The spell was so strong that it depleted all of her life force," Udonna's words shook as she recalled the darkest moment of her life.

The Rangers were silent, almost holding their breaths as they listened to the story of how the Gate was locked away. "When the Gate was lowered to the Depths, Niella was gone," Udonna's eyes shone with tears. Her grief weighed on them all, and even Vida took a shuddering breath at the knowledge of how much their mentor had lost. "But her spirit lives on in my heart…and through the legacy of her heir," again, the Rangers were surprised.

"She had a child?" Maddie understood, eyes wide.

"Yes, and that is who I fear Necrolai is seeking," Udonna admitted.

"So we have to find the child first and protect them," Vida growled, not about to leave Niella's child to face the threat of Necrolai.

"You won't have to look far," Udonna smiled softly. "Niella's daughter, and heir to the Gatekeeper's power…is Claire," her words not only stunned them into silence, but managed to disrupt Claire's magic enough for her invisibility spell to break, revealing her to them. Udonna lost her smile, horror returning to her face as she unknowingly revealed the secret she had guarded so closely to her niece.

While Udonna went after Claire to talk to her about the secret she'd kept from her, the Rangers returned to Rock Porium as the majority of them had to get to work.

"I still can't believe it, Claire has legendary powers strong enough to lock up the forces of evil?" Maddie couldn't help but laugh as she summed up what they had found out that morning.

"Or unlock them," Nick warned, thinking of the very reason that Necrolai would have been hunting for the Gatekeeper.

"And you knew about it?" Vida turned a look on Carvallain, who paused the music he had been idly been listening to. "Why'd you never tell us?" she asked him.

"You never asked," Carvallain pointed out, earning a glare. He then shrugged. "I was very young and not only did I not fully understand, my mind was…elsewhere," he glanced away, and they didn't push him. They were fully aware now that Carvallain had lost both his parents in the Great War, and as a result become acutely aware that he was to become the ruler of his kingdom much earlier than anyone expected. "Udonna asked me to keep it a secret, as the knowledge that Claire was heir to the Gatekeeper powers would place her in a lot of danger, as proven today," Carvallain pointed out.

"And you didn't know?" Xander asked Titania, who had been very quiet as she listened. She shook her head.

"Claire was a little older than me, and I was only a baby. I simply assumed that Udonna had taken her in when her parents were lost. I never considered there was more to it than that," she admitted. "But I don't entirely understand what the Gatekeeper is. How are they different to Knights or Mystics?" Titania turned to Carvallain, expecting him to have the answer.

"Well…" Carvallain folded his arms over his chest. "The Gatekeeper is a title and magic passed down through the bloodline. Eldest daughter to eldest daughter. The books say that the Goddess Lux, elder of the Moon Goddess sisters, bestowed her Moon Magic on a brave woman to grant her the power to open or seal away gateways between worlds, choosing her to represent the power of the Moon Goddesses within our Realm," his explanation left most of them with more questions than answers.

"Every time I think I'm getting the hang of this magic stuff, you come out with something else entirely insane," Nick complained. Carvallain smirked at him.

"That's the wonder of magic," he retorted, and Nick rolled his eyes.

"Elves worship the Moon Goddesses more than anyone else. You'll not find anyone more knowledgeable on the subject than Car," Titania said, seeing the awestruck look on Chip's face. "They also tend to be the most powerful practitioners of Moon Magic. King Aegis and Taliesin were…"

"Oddities," Carvallain supplied. "My father's control over Time Magic was powerful enough that nobody questioned it. And considering most can only control the magic of one Moon, the fact that Taliesin can manipulate the power of both Lux and Umbra meant he was perfect for the role of Moon Mystic before myself," Carvallain gave a shrug that he seemed to intend as modest.

"Again…I have so many questions," Nick groaned, feeling a headache coming on. He was well aware that the Mystic Realm had two moons by now - he had seen them for himself. But everything else that Carvallain had just said was too much for the young man who had struggled to believe in magic to begin with.

"Guys, guys!" they looked around as Toby walked in and spotted them. Somehow, he looked less frazzled than he had done deciphering puzzles. "You'll never believe what happened today. I actually met-" before Toby could finish, Xander's Morpher chimed loudly.

"Sorry boss, gotta take this," he apologised, moving away to listen. "Oh no…it's Necrolai. She's shown up in the city plaza," Xander warned them quietly.

"Let's go," not wasting any time, Nick charged out the door. Caught off guard, Toby didn't try to stop him or the others.

"Where are you going?" he shouted, stopping Vida as Titania and Carvallain both hurried out as well.

"Breaktime," Vida shot Toby a smile. "Back in a few!" she called, already starting to run again.

"I feel a little bad, he was so excited to tell us his news," Titania admitted as they ran.

"He was going to tell us how he met us," Carvallain rolled his eyes.

"I know! It would have been nice to hear that awe," she grinned back at the Elf. He rolled his eyes.

"Now you sound like Xander," he pointed out.

"Hey!" Xander protested as Titania laughed, finding that he was right.

Necrolai was standing in the now empty plaza as she waited for the Rangers. She'd already chased away all of the innocents who had been minding their own business, and as she expected, the Rangers showed up at last.

"Hold it right there!" Nick shouted as Necrolai turned her head to look at them over her shoulder.

"I'm glad you could make it, Rangers," there was an arrogance in her tone, as if she had already won against them.

"You're never going to find the Gatekeeper, so give it up," Vida warned her. Necrolai laughed as she turned to them fully, smirking widely so her sharp fangs flashed in the sun.

"Oh, I have another plan," the Vampire sneered. "I'll let the Gatekeeper find me," she declared, flinging out her arms. There was a crackle of dark magic, and sharp blades materialised on her arms. "Someone so noble would never stand by while the Rangers are being destroyed!" she laughed as she brandished the weapons. "Do you like my new power?" Necrolai taunted as the Rangers inhaled sharply.

"Like this! Magi Staff!" Nick yelled, grabbing his weapon before leaping through the air. Before he could reach her, Necrolai shot a bolt of dark magic at him that collided with his chest. Nick cried out in pain as he was knocked off course, crashing to the ground.

"Nick!"

"You alright?" the others ran to his side to help him, but the moment he was back on his feet, Necrolai gave a shriek and swung her arms to send out another burst of dark magic. She cackled with glee at their pain as the Rangers crashed to the ground.

"This is crazy…" Carvallain groaned, a hand to his chest as the pain burned. "She's got a whole new level of power…how?" he wondered. He still didn't like that she'd managed to resurrect.

"We have to stop her. She can't get the Gatekeeper," Titania pushed herself back to her feet, but Necrolai's new power borrowed from Koragg made her faster and stronger, catching any attack they tried to land.

"Oh, little Fae," Necrolai laughed mockingly as she grabbed Titania's wrist tight enough that it made her cry out. "You can't stop me from getting what I want. You're powerless," at the sneer, Necrolai threw the Black Ranger aside, and she crashed into Carvallain. The two tumbled to the ground as she cackled with laughter. "All of you are powerless! Either the Gatekeeper comes to your aid, or I destroy you. Either way, I get what I want!" Necrolai laughed at them.

"We won't go down so easily!" Chip shouted, leaping to his feet and charging back in with Maddie. Dodging their attacks, Necrolai kicked him hard before slashing down Maddie's chest, and launched another barrage of magic that threw them back down.

"Foolish Rangers!" Necrolai was laughing at her assured victory, enjoying the sight of the Rangers on the ground in front of her.

"You're the fool if you think I'm giving up!" Nick shouted, forcing himself back up once again. "You'll never get the Gatekeeper while we're around!" Calling on as much power as he could, the Red Ranger used his sword to deflect Necrolai's dark magic so that he could get in close, but her new bladed weapons on her arms were just as dangerous. With two slashes, she forced him back enough to land another blast of magic that sent him sprawling to the ground with the rest again.

"Nick!" the others groaned, but none of them could find the strength to rise again. Carvallain slammed a fist against the ground in frustration as Titania tried to use her shaky arms to get up, only for them to give in and cause her to fall once again.

"You're beat, and no-one has come to save you," Necrolai mused as she slowly stalked towards them, toying with her prey. "Maybe there is no other Gatekeeper," she considered, but before she could raise her blade to deliver a final blow, a burst of silver magic crashed against her chest and made her scream in pain as she staggered away, barely staying on her feet. "What?!" she screeched, staring at the young woman running towards the battle with her hand raised.

"Wrong, Necrolai!" Claire shouted at her, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. "My mother's spirit lives inside me!" she declared.

"Claire!" Nick groaned.

"No, get away!" Titania pleaded with the Apprentice. Fear clutched at her heart at the sight of their friend throwing herself into danger to save them. Claire didn't listen, clutching the silver circlet in her hand that practically hummed with magic. Fighting her fear, Claire placed the circlet on her head, and the magic within pulsed out as it changed her clothes to much more regal robes.

"Power of the Shining Moon! Behold, the Gatekeeper!" Claire declared. Carvallain couldn't help but shudder as his own Moon Magic reacted, warning him that the power of the Gatekeeper was far greater than his own.

"The Oracle was right…" hearing Necrolai's mutter, the Silver Ranger cursed. So that was how she'd learned of the Gatekeeper's existence. "So, there is another," Necrolai just laughed as she faced Claire, pointing her double-bladed claw at her. "And my plan to draw you out as worked perfectly!" she taunted. Claire stared her down.

"You're going to regret ever meeting me, witch," the Rangers stared in awe as Claire sounded entirely different. Full of confidence given by the sheer power stored within the Gatekeeper's Circlet, she was ready to help protect her friends. Moving instinctively, she held out a hand as her magic rose to the surface, creating a staff. She used it to create a shield, blocking the dark magic that Necrolai sent towards her.

"No!" Necrolai gasped, horrified that the magic she had gained from Koragg and the Master had been so easily deflected by the Gatekeeper. Without waiting for Necrolai to recover, Claire jabbed her Moon Staff forwards and created a powerful burst of magic that surrounded Necrolai. The Vampire screeched in pain, and the blades on her arms vanished into sparkles. "My new powers, they've gone!" she gasped.

"Incredible," Titania breathed as they got to their feet. They ran over to Claire, cheering her on. "You neutralised her power, that was amazing!" she smiled at her friend, who nodded as she remained serious. While Necrolai's new power was gone, the Vampire Queen was still powerful in her own right.

"Let's give her a hand, Rangers!" Nick called. The Mystics nodded, and they leapt into the air. Claire's circlet flashed, and they all felt their strength rising as they came back down, allowing them to deliver one powerful kick to Necrolai at once, sending her flying with another screech.

"You will still lose, Rangers…" Necrolai vowed furiously, her mockery long gone as she staggered. Her wings spread out behind her as she hissed. She then turned and kicked off the ground, flying away as she screeched once again. "I'll return!" she vowed, her voice fading as she disappeared into the distance.

"Great job, Claire!" the Rangers turned back to their friend, but she shook her head. Even now, she seemed like a completely different person.

"There's no time for that," she warned, and their cheers faded. "Udonna's been captured," as Claire explained to them of Koragg ambushing her and Udonna in the forest, Nick let out a pained yell and Koragg's dark magic flickered around him. He put his hands to his helmet, staggering as they turned to him quickly.

"Let me guess…Koragg?" Titania folded her arms over her chest with a scowl. Nick waited a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

"He wants to fight you. Alone," he panted as he addressed Claire. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I accept," she said coldly.

None of the Rangers were happy as they paced in Rootcore. The Crystal Ball showed them Koragg, who waited patiently for Claire to arrive and battle with him as he had demanded. They had wanted to go too, but Claire had insisted they return to Rootcore and tend to their injuries.

"It's a good thing that Penelope sent a fresh supply of healing potions. You may need more before this day is over," Taliesin mused as the Rangers downed the potions and immediately started to feel better.

"I'm just glad that Claire stepped in when she did," Titania admitted, setting the empty glass bottle on the table beside her. "That new power that Necrolai was showing off was scary strong," she said. Taliesin hummed.

"I've been thinking about her. That form she has is unusual for a true Vampire, especially the Queen. That may be the reason why she was able to survive the Dawn Crystal," he told the team.

"Great. So we need to find something else entirely if we want to destroy her," Vida growled.

"One problem at a time," Carvallain said as he set his sword on the table and crossed his arms. "We can work on a way to defeat Necrolai once we find a way to keep Claire safe," he said, but the look on his face spoke volumes. They had barely survived against Necrolai, so how would they keep Claire safe from those stronger than the Vampire?

"We shouldn't have let Claire go on her own," after downing the potion in her hand, Maddie spoke up unhappily.

"You saw how she sent Necrolai running," Vida shrugged, trying to sound confident in their friend.

"Yeah…" Nick nodded, but sounded much less convinced as they turned to the Crystal Ball to watch. "But Koragg's a whole other story," he reminded them as they watched Claire arriving on the battlefield. The fight started quickly, and was destructive enough to tell the Rangers that both sides were far more powerful than they were.

"I can't believe how strong Claire is…" Xander breathed as they watched her not only match Koragg's power, but push him back. "Is this really the same girl?" he wondered aloud.

"Right now, most of the power is coming from that circlet she's wearing," Carvallain spoke stiffly. His dark eyes were locked on the Crystal Ball. "It's imbued with power, my guess from Niella before she died. Since Claire is her daughter and heir to the Gatekeeper power, she's able to naturally draw on it with a lot greater ease than her usual spellcasting," he explained.

"But she also believes in her mother's magic," Titania said softly. "Part of Claire's problem is that she doesn't believe in herself enough. She trusts her mother's magic, not realising that a part of it is hers. That's why she seemed so different out there," she told them. "We just have to hope that with the Gatekeeper's Circlet, she'll be able to tap into enough of that latent power to stop Koragg," Titania said, but had her arms around herself to keep herself steady.

The team fell silent, needing to keep watching Claire's battle with the powerful Knight. If they couldn't be out on the field with her, they owed it to her to watch, even when Koragg took a particularly powerful hit and remained unharmed.

"Quite impressive, I must confess," he told her, before holding up his shield. With his dark magic, he used it to send out his powerful Wolf Attack, and Claire tried to shield herself against it. Unfortunately the power was too great, and her shield shattered, leaving her vulnerable to the attack. She got back to her feet despite the blow, and used even more magic to conjure armour as she grew much larger.

"How did she do that?" Chip's eyes were like saucers as Koragg laughed and leapt through a spell seal to become larger as well before combing with Catastros to form his Megazord.

"The Gatekeeper has her own armour. It's just like Knights would have…if any of them were still around," Carvallain shook his head as they watched the battle become even more destructive. For a moment, Claire gained the upper hand as she restrained Koragg and fired another burst of Moon Magic at him. However, Koragg's shield opened and the dark magic within shattered his restraints, allowing him to then deflect her spell.

"No more holding back. Witness the strength of the Master himself," the magic that surrounded Koragg was even darker than usual. "Dark Magic Strike!" the blow was so powerful that it destroyed the armour Claire wore, forcing her to return to normal size. "It's over. You're all mine," Koragg shrank down as well.

"Enough," Nick slammed his fist on the table. "I don't care what Koragg said. We can't leave Claire alone with this creep," he growled.

"Claire didn't abandon us even when it meant revealing herself," Titania agreed with Nick. The others nodded, calling on their Mystic Racers to fly to the location of the battle.

Claire was winded, struggling to catch her breath. She couldn't even try to stand or use any magic as Koragg stood over her, his sword aimed directly at her chest as she scrambled backwards. When her back hit the full barrels behind her, she glared up at the Knight.

"You will open the Gates and the Underworld will rise," Koragg told her, knowing that he had won.

"Never!" Claire shouted. She refused to undo the work that her mother had sacrificed herself to do. Koragg raised his sword into the air, ready to bring it down.

"I said do it!" he roared. Even as her eyes widened and her fear made her shake, Claire refused to obey him.

"Koragg!" as he brought the sword down and Claire squeezed her eyes shut, Chip's yell rang out. Before Koragg could cut down Claire, a bolt of Lightning Magic caught his hand and knocked his aim off, causing him to strike the ground beside the terrified Apprentice instead.

"What?!" he looked up, just in time for Vida to swing her Magi Staff and create a burst of wind that shoved Koragg away from Claire.

"Rangers!" Claire gasped.

"Do not interfere!" Koragg warned them coldly.

"Too late for that," Titania called, and Nick leapt up from behind the team.

"Mystic Force Fighters!" he called on the enchanted gloves, and as he landed on Xander and Chip's shoulders, the two tossed him high into the air. "Spin Attack!" flames surrounded the Fire Mystic, who began to spin through the air. He collided with Koragg before the Knight could react, making him roar as he was thrown aside. "Pick on someone your own size!" Nick shouted. Claire gave a breathy laugh of relief, only for a clawed hand to grab her by the wrist.

"Claire!" Carvallain yelled as they heard her cry, turning to see her being restrained by Necrolai.

"Stop!" as they ran towards her, Koragg blocked their path.

"Let her go!" Nick yelled, but as they ran to try and get past the powerful Wizard, Necrolai twisted her clawed hand into Claire's hair and yanked her head back. Her dark magic twisted around the circlet that Claire still wore, forcing the magic to activate.

"By the power of the Gatekeeper, let the Gate rise up!" Necrolai shouted. Claire screamed as she felt the magic in the circlet, along with her own power, being forced to activate. It twisted, becoming dark as it mixed with Necrolai's own power.

Everyone looked up as blinding purple light shot into the sky, exploding out. Thick dark clouds began to cover the sky, casting darkness over everyone as the dark magic grew strong in the air. Necrolai laughed, tossing Claire aside once she was satisfied that she'd served her purpose. The ground started to rumble in the distance, and when they turned, the Rangers saw clouds of dirt and debris rising up, along with a massive gateway.

"The Gate!" Koragg hissed as the Rangers backed away to Claire's side, helping the injured young woman to her feet.

"Oh man…now what?" Nick growled, all of them unable to do anything but stare at the massive Gate that now. cast an even greater shadow over the city of Briarwood.

Chapter 12: The Gatekeeper: Part 2

Chapter Text

For a long moment, none of the Rangers, or Claire, spoke. Even Koragg and Necrolai were quiet as all of them stared at the massive, imposing Gate to the Underworld. With thick black iron doors and a layer of rocks around it, the Gate looked as miserable as it felt. Dark magic leaked from it, leaving a heavy, depressing feeling in the air.

"I'm sorry, Rangers…" Claire apologised, weak and exhausted from not only losing her battle against Koragg, but from the amount of magic that had been forced from her to raise the Gate to their world.

"It wasn't your fault," Maddie tried to soothe her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, guys…something's going on with the Gate," Titania warned. They looked back up to see the gargoyle statue embedded in the rocks around the Gate come to life, leaping free and roaring a laugh before firing a burst of lightning that exploded by the Rangers, throwing all of them off their feet.

"Get up," Koragg was ready and waiting when they landed, scattered around the yard. He grabbed Claire roughly by the arm and yanked her to her feet.

"Let her go!" Nick yelled as they saw their friend being dragged away.

"Stop!" Carvallain leapt to his feet and jabbed his Magi Staff Spear at Koragg. The Knight was ready for him, knocking the weapon aside with his sword before slashing down his front. Carvallain crashed to the ground, curling up as the pain burned.

"Carvallain!" Claire cried out as she kept fighting Koragg's painful hold on her arm, trying to reach out to the fallen Silver Ranger. The other Rangers ran over, helping Carvallain back up.

"You won't get away this time," Koragg yanked her away from the team. "And the Gargoyle of the Gates will take care of you," he warned as he used his magic to form a teleportation Spell Seal under his feet.

"No!" the Rangers ran towards them in a desperate attempt to stop Koragg, whose booming laugh echoed as he and Claire sank through the Seal. As they disappeared, the ground shook violently from the Gargoyle as he slammed his foot down in front of them. It was so strong that the Rangers overbalanced, tumbling back to the ground.

"Look out!" Nick yelled as he saw the Gargoyle jab his spear at them, sending another round of lightning towards them. Titania swung both hands up, creating a pocket of time around the team that just about allowed them to move faster than the attack, calling on their Titan forms. Nick and Chip kicked back the Gargoyle to give themselves some space, and it growled as it fell back against a building. "Alright, Phase Two!" Nick shouted.

Combining to form their Megazord, the Rangers were ready as the Gargoyle lunged at them once again. "Mystic Spell Seal!" Nick yelled as they combined their magics into a powerful strike. However, the Gargoyle was faster, dodging their strikes.

"Stay still!" Titania yelled, frustrated, and they cried out as the Gargoyle dodged once again and threw their Megazord backwards so they collided with the Gate.

"Hello, Rangers," the growling voice from behind the Gate sent a chill down their spines. All of them remembered the voice of the monster who was trying to pry open the Gate.

"Morticon," Carvallain snarled, rage boiling to the surface as they came face to face once more with the monster who killed his father.

"Your Megazord cracked the gate enough for me to slip through," Morticon taunted as he forced the Gate open even more.

"No…" Maddie breathed. They remembered their last attempt to battle the monster, who was incredibly powerful and had almost beaten them.

"I can't believe it…" Xander groaned.

"Now your whole world will know my crushing power!" Morticon laughed as he managed to force the Gates open wider. "Yes! The time has come. The destruction of the surface world is at hand!" his roar was deafening as the Rangers found themselves trapped between Morticon and the Gargoyle.

"Stop!" Titania raised her hand towards the Gate as she focused both her Faerie and Time magics into holding it in place. However, the moment she did, a painful jolt stabbed through her hand and made her scream. Instantly she yanked her hand back, cradling it close to her chest.

"Are you okay?" Chip asked beside her.

"The Gate is made of iron…I can't stop it," the pain was excruciating, and nausea churned in her stomach. The Rangers could only watch helplessly as Morticon forced the Gate open fully.

"I've done it!" he roared gleefully as he stepped out and brandished his sword. "I'm free!" he laughed, and before he'd even taken a second step, he swung his sword and used his magic to send a rolling slash of power to smash against the Megazord's chest.

"He's out!"

"What now?"

"We've gotta fight him?" the Rangers watched as Morticon stepped free of the Gate, which remained open by a crack. They once again remembered the last time they battled against Morticon, who had come far too close to destroying them.

"Of course we do!" Carvallain growled, his anger growing as he stared down the monster.

"Looks like we don't have a choice!" Nick shook his head, snapping to attention. As Morticon got close again, they swung their sword to attack, but he was far faster. His first swing knocked their arm up, leaving them unable to protect against the second and third strikes that slashed down their chest, causing damage that made the Megazord shudder.

"What do we do?" Titania shouted as a fourth strike made them stagger backwards. They could feel the magic waning, threatening to cause them to break apart.

"Let's take it to the sky!" Nick shouted. Using their wings, they leapt up onto the air towards the Spell Seal that appeared.

"Spirits of the Ancient Titans!" the team yelled together.

"Come on!" Morticon challenged, raising his sword.

"Titans attack!" the Megazord then plunged back down towards him, only to be blocked by Morticon's power. With a roar that seemed to contain power itself, the monster threw them backwards and sent the Rangers tumbling to the ground.

"Is that the best you've got?" he taunted as they got back up.

"Hardly!" Nick yelled, refusing to give up. Magic that was completely black surrounded Morticon's sword as steam billowed from the pipe on his head.

"Now you'll see what true power feels like. Dark Magic Strike!" he swung the sword to send the magic hurtling towards them, striking the Megazord.

Instantly their magic shattered, causing the Megazord to vanish as the Rangers lost not only their Titan forms, but their Morph as they crashed to the ground below.

"He's even stronger than last time…" Chip moaned from the ground.

"He's got more dark magic energy than before," Maddie realised.

"How are we supposed to fight him if we don't have that kind of power?" Xander wondered as they all struggled to even try and sit up.

"Something else is happening," Titania warned as a shudder ran down her spine. Even darker clouds began to fill the sky, casting more darkness over the city and sending a chill down their spines.

"He's destroying the city," Carvallain breathed as he stared at Morticon and the Gargoyle gleefully destroying every building they could.

"Is this really how it's going to end?" Maddie whimpered.

"No!" the question angered Nick, who pushed himself to his feet. "This is not how this ends. Udonna said that we're the protectors of this city. And that's what we're gonna do," he growled. His words inspired the others, who found the strength to get back to their feet. "You guys hold off Morticon and the Gargoyle however you can. I'm going to get Claire and Udonna out of there," Nick told them.

"Now that we can do," Titania smiled, ignoring the pain still burning in her hand.

"Go get them," Chip grinned. Nick nodded, and took a step back as they lined up.

"MAGICAL SOURCE, MYSTIC FORCE!" all but Nick Morphed and called on their Mystic Titans once again, merging into their Dragon form to fly through the air and dodge the attacks from both monsters who turned to them in surprise. Summoning their strength, they dove at the Gargoyle and let loose a breath of fire that engulfed the monster, destroying it.

Below, Nick Morphed and called on his bike, racing towards the crack in the gate as Morticon was distracted by the Dragon in the air. Flying around his blade, they spat out another burst of fire that split into three, only for them to be caught by his sword and destroyed. Before they could get clear, he grabbed a wing and then locked their neck under his arm.

"Don't you know who you're dealing with?!" Morticon hauled them up into the air, striking them hard before they could try and recover. The Dragon form shattered but the Rangers managed to hold their Titan forms as they crashed to the ground around the city.

"We aren't giving up," Carvallain snarled as he got back to his feet and faced Morticon, who sneered.

"The last Mystics were far more of a challenge than you pathetic fools," he taunted, watching as Carvallain grew even angrier. "And look what happened to them!" he let out a booming laugh. Furious, Carvallain lunged at him, only to be tackled from the side.

"Car, please!" Titania shoved him back before Carvallain could get himself hurt.

"Get out of my way!" he yelled at her, but the Kitsune Titan blocked his path wherever he turned.

"I know you want your revenge, but please. All you're doing right now is falling for his trap," Titania pleaded.

"She's right," Vida agreed as she landed on Titania's back. "We need to work together if we're gonna hold the line for Nick to save our friends," she reminded him. Carvallain remained glaring at Morticon, breathing heavily, but didn't try and fight his way past them.

"We'll help you," Chip grinned, his usual cheerful air strong even in the dire situation.

"We're with you," Maddie nodded.

"Are you with us?" Xander asked the Elf, who let out a soft growl.

"Of course I am," he muttered. Embarrassment was creeping in at how easily he'd lost it. "Seems I still have a long way to go," Carvallain told them, making them grin.

"We could have told you that," Vida nudged him. Carvallain grumbled quietly. "Now let's go!" she shouted, turning to glare at Morticon.

The Rangers continued to fight against Morticon, who easily kept them at bay with his greater power. However, no matter how many times he struck them down, they kept getting back to their feet and fighting him back. His jeering had long since stopped even as he threw Vida into Titania with enough force that both collided with a building and caused a large crack to run up it.

"You okay?" Titania asked Vida, who nodded wordlessly as she got to her feet. They split, moving in separate directions as Morticon's sword swung down at them.

"Back off!" Chip rammed Morticon when he was distracted, making the monster grunt in irritation. He whirled around, slashing him hard. Chip crashed to the ground, but Morticon was once again distracted as Carvallain kicked him from behind, hitting the back of his head.

"You are weak and doing nothing but delaying the inevitable!" Morticon snarled.

"If that's all it is, then at least we're annoying you until then!" Titania told him, rushing in again. He caught her and Maddie with one powerful blow, knocking them to the ground before Xander managed to block his sword for a moment, before he too was overwhelmed. As he crashed to the ground, a glimmer of light managed to pierce the thick black clouds overhead and draw their attention.

"What's that?" Morticon wondered, straightening to look up. He watched, confused as the light cut through the clouds to hit the Gate behind him. It began to glow as the Gate shut and began to quake. "What's happening?!" he roared in horror, staring at the Gate that was beginning to sink back below the surface.

"Look!" Chip yelled as he saw from where he lay on the ground.

"The Gate?!" Xander stared, unsure of what was happening.

"Impossible! Who has done this?!" Morticon demanded, furious that his plan had been ruined. While he had managed to escape from a crack, his army was still waiting to be freed.

"Claire?" Titania breathed, wide-eyed as the Gate vanished, banished back to the Underworld. The dark clouds above vanished, revealing a clear blue sky.

"My Dark Magic!" Morticon screeched as he felt the magic he'd been drawing on from the Master sever, fading from the air around him. "Who dares interfere?!" he wondered.

"Hey!" Nick's shout earned their attention, and the Rangers gave shouts of amazement as they saw their leader riding back into battle on Catastros. "That would be me," he declared with a grin.

"It's Nick!"

"And Catastros!"

"No way!" the exhausted Rangers laughed as Nick combined with Catastros to form his powerful Megazord

"Just in time," Carvallain grinned.

"Fire Tail!" Nick summoned his flames, swinging them at Morticon. This time the attack was strong enough to smash through Morticon's defences, and the monster fell back. "Come on Rangers," he called to his team, who got back to their feet to stand with him.

"Amazing, Nick," Xander laughed.

"Now that was cool!" Vida grinned, standing on Nick's shoulder.

"Nice to see that Catastros gave you another chance," Titania commented, making Nick's grin widen.

"You insolent little ants!" Morticon howled, his fury building as not only had the Gate been banished, but the Rangers had gained even more power to fight him.

"You guys ready?" Nick asked his team, who nodded. They combined their Titans with Nick and Catastros, using the extra power to this time find themselves faster than Morticon. They blocked his sword and knocked him backwards. As they did, the warmth of magic lit up above them and made them look up in surprise.

"This isn't Catastros' power," Titania said as they instinctively raised their Staffs towards the light, letting it fill them with even more power.

"Where'd this energy come from?" Xander asked as he stared at the glowing green magic.

"I dunno, but it couldn't have come at a better time," Vida laughed.

"Let's see what it can do," Nick held his hand out over the console in front of him, and it flashed with power. Morticon snarled, not sensing the shift in power as his anger at their defiance grew.

"Time to end this," he decided as the dark magic crawled around his sword again. "Dark Magic Strike!" as steam billowed from the pipe on his head, Morticon swung the blade with as much force as he could muster.

"Ancient Power, Mystic Spell Seal!" the Rangers swung their sword at the same time. The two powers collided, and for a moment it seemed like a stalemate. Then the Rangers' sabre began to glow white, and the darkness around Morticon's blade froze.

"What?!" he roared, once again caught by surprise. The Rangers stared at the ice, just as surprised.

"How did we do that?" Vida wondered.

"We froze it?" Xander stared as Morticon staggered back, unable to believe that they had completely overwhelmed his strongest attack.

"There's only one person we know who can control that kind of magic," Titania smiled widely.

"It's gotta be…" Maddie realised it too.

"Udonna?!" Nick gasped.

"You mean the White Ranger!" Chip declared. At his words, a gentle hand rested on theirs, making them jump. Looking to their side, they saw a phantom of Udonna's Snow Titan form stand beside them.

"Udonna!" they cheered, and she nodded back.

"Now we can't lose! Together!" Nick shouted. Drawing on Udonna's power along with their own, they sent it all to their Sabre.

"Mystic Strike!" they swung down, sending a burst of magic to cut straight through Morticon. He roared as his magic vanished and his strength failed him.

"The Great Morticon has fallen, but the Master will prevail!" he vowed.

"Checkmate!" the Rangers chorused, snapping their fingers. Morticon screamed once more, and exploded.

"Great work Rangers, Morticon is gone!" Nick shouted. All but Carvallain cheered at their decisive victory, as the Silver Ranger closed his eyes and let out a relieved breath.

"Once again the Gatekeeper has proven that I made the right choice," Claire heard the gentle voice, and it drew her from the depths of unconsciousness she had fallen into after banishing the Gate back to the Underworld. "Using what power remained to not only beg a boon from the divine yet misguided Catastros, but to seal away the Gate to the Underworld," slowly she managed to open her eyes, and found herself lying on a marble floor more intricate than anything she had ever seen.

"She almost died, sister," the chiding voice was odd for how soft it was.

"'Almost' being the key word," Claire finally found the strength to lift her head, and found herself in a beautiful throne room. Silver light illuminated pillars of marble. "Welcome, Claire," the voice belonged to a tall woman with long silver hair and silver eyes that shone brightly. She sat on the larger of two thrones, tall and graceful as she held her head high. Claire had never felt more out of place.

"It's good to see you awake," on the other throne was a shorter, more subdued woman. Her silver hair was tied back in an intricate ponytail, and she had a sympathetic look on her face. "Don't worry, my sister makes everyone feel like they've never experienced a moment of grace in their life," she said, rising and walking towards Claire to offer a hand.

"You're…" for a moment, Claire hesitated to take her hand as she realised who she was in the presence of. "You're the Moon Goddesses," she whispered.

"I'm Umbra," the shorter sister smiled, taking Claire's hand to help her to her feet. "And this is Lux," she introduced her sister, who bowed her head. Gasping, Claire dropped to her knees to bow to them. Umbra winced as Claire's knees banged painfully against the marble floor.

"Rise, dear Gatekeeper," Lux chuckled, and Claire lifted her head in confusion.

"Why am I here? Did I…?" her voice shook.

"Not quite, but you gave it a good try," Lux told her as Umbra returned to her seat, sitting in a much more relaxed manner than her older sister. "Normally the Gatekeeper awakens to their power naturally before we grant them an audience, but Umbra insisted that you were a special exception," Claire glanced at the younger sister, who winked.

"Then…my mother was here?" she asked, looking around the room as she tried to imagine what her mother what have felt.

"Your mother, her mother, and her mother's mother, going back many generations," Lux nodded. "You have acted nobly and bravely, dear heart. Even though you haven't truly awakened to your own power yet, you have proven yourself worthy of the Gatekeeper name," both sisters bowed their heads to Claire, who felt her face going red.

"But I…I'm not good at magic. I tried to help and dark forces were able to raise the Gate," she said, looking down at her feet.

"You embraced your heritage to save your friends. You were ready to sacrifice yourself to save everyone," Lux corrected her gently. "But as for how you were able to do this, was the power within the Circlet," she gestured with a delicate hand to the circlet that Claire still wore. "For generations, your family have stored the Moon Magic in there to ensure that if anything happened to them, the next Gatekeeper would be able to do what was needed. Now that power is spent, so until you awaken your own, you will be unable to use the powers of the Gatekeeper," Lux warned her. Claire lifted the circlet from her head to stare at it.

"Don't worry. We know after watching you that your heritage is in good hands," Umbra told her confidently, her grin soothing Claire's turbulent emotions as she took everything in. She still couldn't entirely believe that she was really speaking with the sister Goddesses.

"We are looking forward to the day you become a full sorceress, dear Claire. You are stronger than you believe," Lux told her with a smile, raising a hand again. "Have some confidence," her words were almost scolding.

"Thank you both…" Claire whispered. Lux smiled, and there was a flash of silver light.

When Claire came to again, there was a chill in the air. The ground she was lying on was different to the cold marble; rough and bristling.

"Wake up, child," a familiar voice spoke softly, and Claire lifted her head. Her eyes cleared, and to her relief, she saw Udonna approaching her with a warm smile. "It's over," she told her.

"Udonna…" Claire's voice broke. "You're alive," her relief was overwhelming, and tears started to run down her face.

"A little frozen around the edges, but yes, I'm alive," Udonna chuckled as the Mystics walked into view as well, making Claire's smile widen.

"It's good to see you're okay," Titania went to her side and helped Claire to her feet. She was worn out, clutching the Gatekeeper's Circlet in her hand as she realised she was right outside of Rootcore. She was home.

"Morticon's gone, Claire," Nick told her.

"For good," Xander grinned.

"Udonna was able to channel her power of the Snow Staff to help us," Vida explained as Claire leaned on the shorter Fae, not entirely able to rely on her own strength to stay upright.

"But we couldn't have done it without you, Claire," Maddie told her, and Claire gasped quietly.

"You sealed the forces of evil back into the depths!" Chip exclaimed as he bounced on the spot. "You're like…a super Sorceress!" he declared, making them all laugh. Even Claire couldn't help but laugh as a blush turned her face bright red at their words.

"Yeah, I guess I am…" she shrugged, before noticing the circlet still held tightly in her hand. Her smile fell as she remembered talking with Lux and Umbra. "But that was my mother's power…and now it's all gone," Claire's voice shook as she looked to Udonna, guilt in her chest as she realised she'd used up the last of what little reminder Udonna had of her sister. However, Udonna walked over to her with a smile.

"Niella would be proud of you today," she told her instead, putting her hands on Claire's arms. "And so am I," Udonna told her. Claire's smile returned, her guilt fading as she allowed herself to be happy at their victory.

Carvallain was silent as he walked through the forest. Even his footsteps didn't make a sound as he made his way through the hedged off section that he'd entered, passing by trees of varying heights until he came to a section near the back. He faced two trees of dark wood that had only grown taller than him in the last handful of years, their leaves a beautiful purple colour, and knelt in front of them. At their roots, small plaques named Aegis and Erina. His parents.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been to visit in so long," Carvallain spoke softly as he bowed his head. "We did it, father. We defeated Morticon. He won't be able to hurt anyone else again," tears stung at his eyes as he spoke to his father. "We'll stop them all. We'll finish this battle," Carvallain wiped the tears from his eyes and gave a confident smile.

Moving to sit in front of his parents graves, Carvallain talked to them, telling them of his adventures since becoming a Mystic, and of his new friends. "I think you would like them. Humans are not quite as terrifying as we're led to believe as Elflings, but I suppose that's the best way to deter us from going to their world," he mused quietly, chuckling a little bit. "I'm…I'm still working on my temper. On being a better person. My team are helping me with that, and they'll always have my back. I trust that," he said confidently, and felt a warm breeze blow past as if his parents were responding.

Carvallain then rested a hand on the sword he'd set beside him. "One day I'll be ready to lead my people. I'm not ready yet, and I know that. But one day, I'll make you proud," he promised them.

"I believe they would already be proud of you," a hand rested on his shoulder, and Carvallain looked up at his uncle. The Elf was as regal as Carvallain remembered his father to be, handsome with the same pale features and black hair.

"Thank you, Uncle Triam," Carvallain bowed his head to him, and Triam squeezed his shoulder before stepping back.

"At the rate you're going, you'll be ready to take your place as King of Miramalos in no time," he told him, and Carvallain flushed at the praise from the man who had raised him after his parents died. "Now, how about we get some food into that skinny body of yours? You can join Tári in telling us all about what is happening in the Woodlands," Triam told him, and Carvallain chuckled.

"I assure you, she is exaggerating," he insisted.

"I'm sure," Triam didn't sound like he believed him as he led him away. Carvallain glanced over his shoulder to the two trees, and clasped the handle of his sword tighter.

Chapter 13: Scaredy Cat

Chapter Text

Magic was flowing steadily in the air at Rootcore, offering an oddly comforting presence for the Rangers as they studied and tried new spells out. Their battle against Morticon had been too close for any of their liking, and they were all trying hard to get stronger.

"Raise your hand a little more," Titania told Xander, who was trying to guide books back onto a shelf. They seemed reluctant to listen to him, flying to the wrong places. One crashed against Carvallain's head, making the Elf let out an undignified yelp.

"Sorry," Xander shot him an apologetic smile. Carvallain glowered at him, rubbing his temple as he lifted the fallen book.

"Word of advice. Focus is important," he warned the Green Ranger, setting the book down on the table before walking away to help Chip, who was trying his levitation spell again and had got caught in the rafters.

"He's right," Titania smiled, stretching up to adjust Xander's hand as he kept his spell going. "This kind of spell is tricky because you have to focus on multiple aspects at once. Controlling multiple objects and having them go to the correct places, all while making sure you don't wipe out our friends in the process," her teasing smile made Xander roll his eyes. His attention then went to the bandage wrapped around Titania's hand.

"How's your hand doing?" he asked instead. She looked at it as if having forgotten, and her smile faded. She'd explained to the other Rangers after their battle with Morticon when they had seen the bloody mess of her hand. Faeries had few true weaknesses, but iron was one of them, and when she had tried to use her magic against the iron Gates, it had created a backlash to tear open her hand.

"It hurts, but I'm getting used to it," Titania answered after a moment. While the surface layer had healed, it had created a web of scarring that would never fully go away. The pain would fade, but not entirely. Seeing the concern on his face, Titania's smile returned and she waved her hand lightly. "Don't worry. I'll still be able to kick your butt in training," she told Xander, who grinned.

"Not for long," he promised her, watching as her smile widened. A loud clattering made both jump as Xander's spell broke and the books he'd been moving around all fell to the ground. Clearing his throat as he turned away to hide his blush, Xander quickly went to tidy up his mess.

"Xander and focus truly do not go hand in hand, do they?" Carvallain wondered aloud as he made sure that Chip wasn't about to float away again. The Yellow Ranger grinned widely at the comment.

"Especially when a pretty face is around," Chip said, and was surprised by the snort that Carvallain let out. Immediately the Elf clapped a hand to his mouth, his ears turning red.

"Do not tell anyone about that," he warned Chip, only for an elbow to dig into his side.

"Too late for that," Nick smirked, having heard the undignified sound.

"Yeah, you're not as fancy as you try to make us believe," Vida said as she appeared on his other side. Both were a little worn out from their sparring, having chosen to train their combat instead of magic. Carvallain glared at her.

"Guys! Rangers…help!" Claire's shout from the lower level of the room made them all turn quickly and race to her. She stood in front of the Dragon egg, bouncing on the spot as they reached her. "Come quickly, you've got to see this!" she squealed, gesturing to the Fireheart. They all watched, curious, for a long moment.

"Uh, I don't see-" Nick started, but Claire shushed him. The egg suddenly shook visibly, and all of them gasped as Claire let out a delighted squeak.

"Did you see it?!" she grabbed Xander by the shirt, shaking him violently.

"I saw it, it moved!" he laughed, trying to pry her loose.

"This is so great! I'm so excited!" Chip exclaimed as they all kept watching, waiting for the egg to move again. "What does it mean?" Chip's question earned him several looks.

"It means it's gonna hatch!" Vida exclaimed.

"I wondered how long it was going to take," Titania beamed with excitement, having been one of the most excited about the Dragon egg after Claire.

"So…does anyone know how to hatch a Dragon egg?" Maddie asked the question that nobody else had considered. Carvallain frowned when they all turned to him.

"Why do you assume I know? Dragons disappeared long before I was born," he told them.

"You're kind of a know-it-all," Nick smirked, earning a scathing look from Carvallain in return as the others giggled.

"Surely you should expect Titania to know, considering who seems to have been responsible for hiding the Fireheart to begin with," he pointed out, looking at the Fae who was running a finger along the golden trails of the egg. She blinked, and glanced up at him with a bright smile.

"No idea," she answered honestly, making them groan.

"Udonna will know!" Chip suggested, confident that their teacher knew practically everything at this point. He then yelped when Claire grabbed him and started shaking him next.

"Udonna's not here!" she yelled frantically.

"I know where we can find info," Maddie spoke as the others tried to free Chip from the Apprentice's panic. She went to the shelves of books that lined the walls of Rootcore, searching for any kind of book that would give them the information that they were looking for. As Claire finally released Chip and took a deep breath to try and calm herself, Maddie pulled a book from a shelf. "1001 Things You Want To Know About Dragons," she announced, showing the large book to them.

"Udonna must have brought that from the library," Carvallain realised as Maddie flipped open the book to skim the pages for the information they needed.

"Here we are. 'Hatching Dragons'," Maddie started to read aloud. "To hatch a Dragon egg, set the egg upright and…" she paused, as if unsure she was reading it correctly. "Proceed to bludgeon with a sledgehammer until open," she read.

"This just got interesting," Titania laughed as Vida's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Excellent! Let's get a hammer!" she cheered.

"Oh no you don't!" Claire yelled as she practically threw herself over the egg to shield it from their violent plans.

"What's that knocking?" Carvallain asked suddenly, distracting them from the problem at hand. For a moment, they looked down at the egg, before realising it was coming from the entrance to Rootcore.

"Do we have a door?" Nick wondered as he walked in the direction of the sound.

"Technically if you count the dragon head root," Titania suggested as she followed him and Vida. "Though I suppose it's less of a door than an entrance," she amended when Nick shot her a droll stare. She smiled back.

"Knock, knock!" Phineas called as he banged his knuckles loudly on the intricately carved snout of the dragon head. When smoke began to billow from the nostrils, he jumped back and watched as the mouth opened and the three Mystics walked out.

"It's only Phineas," Nick relaxed after they took a look around and found nobody else around. The Troblin groaned as he put a hand to his swollen jaw; a filthy bandage wrapped around his head. "You alright?" Nick asked when Phineas didn't speak.

"Do I look like I'm alright?!" to their surprise, Phineas snapped at him as he shoved Nick's hand off his shoulder. "Do I ever come and knock on your dragon nose…thing? Do I ever wear a rather unflattering bandage around my head? Do I ever have a throbbing, pulsating…excruciating pain echoing throughout my mouth?" he ranted as he paced around them. "Do I ever ask four questions in a row? Oh, five, if you include this one-"

"You have a toothache?" Vida realised, cutting Phineas off before he could start rambling.

"Ah, bingo!" he whirled around and smiled, before wincing in pain. "Can someone please help me before my head explodes?" Phineas pleaded.

"Let me see that. Say 'ah'," Nick requested.

"Not a good idea," Titania warned, but Nick and Vida were already leaning close as Phineas opened his mouth to reveal several rows of dangerously sharp teeth he had inherited from his Goblin side. Vida winced and leaned away at the foul smell of his breath.

"Aren't there dentists in the Woods?" Nick grimaced as he let go and moved back.

"Yes…no!" Phineas guessed, before looking sheepish. "What's a dentist?" he asked. Nick glanced at Titania, who tilted her head with a confused expression.

"The person you go to when your tooth hurts," Vida elaborated with a heavy sigh.

"Oh, there's the boulder roller!" Phineas told her. Titania winced.

"He's still in business? I thought he'd gotten crushed by his own boulder," she commented almost idly.

"The what?" Nick sounded weary at this point.

"He's this little Gnome, and he ties one end of a vine to your bad tooth, and the other to a 500-pound boulder," Phineas explained.

"Which is why he's known as the 'boulder-roller'. After the rope is secure, he rolls the boulder off a cliff," Titania continued for the Troblin as he winced from talking too much. "Either your tooth is yanked free, or…" her smile was too devious as she trailed off. "Either way, the pain is definitely gone," she shrugged. "Did you try Penny in the village?" she asked Phineas.

"She has no potions to help with a bad tooth. At least, none that won't take weeks to make," Phineas moaned, having already tried the former Water Mystic.

"Well, what do you or Carvallain do about your teeth?" Nick asked Titania, who shrugged.

"Car has a fancy Elf physician in Miramalos. He's royalty," she reminded them. "As for me…Penny is the closest thing I have, and I never really had a problem with my teeth," she considered.

"We gotta get him to a dentist," Vida sighed as Phineas let out another moan of pain.

"I'll get the others," Titania laughed.

"Oh, I really am not sure about this," Carvallain said for what seemed to be the hundredth time as the team of Rangers walked through Briarwood. Accompanying them was Phineas, who was wearing a large coat, hat and sunglasses to disguise himself. Titania had also placed a small glamour spell on him, obscuring his pointed ears and bulbous nose.

"We don't really have a choice. We can't leave him in pain," Titania pointed out. Carvallain looked unhappy, but didn't argue as Phineas gawked at the buildings surrounding them.

"It's all so…tall! And shiny!" he exclaimed with a laugh, stepping off the curb without looking. Vida and Maddie grabbed him and yanked him back as a car sped by, honking its horn loud enough that Carvallain winced and readjusted his headphones.

"Can't just go stepping off the curb in front of cars," Xander warned him, and winced as Phineas hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, I didn't know," Phineas admitted sheepishly. "New in town and all," he laughed, before staring at the large jeep that drove by. "Wow, a lot of these…car…things," he considered, before letting out a delighted yell. "Oh! Can you eat them?!" he darted forwards, and they had to grab him once again to stop him.

"Are we sure the boulder roller isn't around anymore?" Carvallain sighed, already exhausted. Nick looked weary as well.

"Could always get your fancy pants doctor to take a look at him," Vida fired over her shoulder as she heard his complaint. Carvallain only held his head higher and glowered at her.

"It's hardly my fault that I'm royalty," he sniffed.

"Help me!" a familiar voice shrieked down the street. Moving instinctively, the team turned quickly as they prepared to fight, and found LeeLee racing down the street. "I've gotta find the Power Rangers!" she screeched, not noticing as they moved to surround Phineas and hide him from view. "Monsters, beach, cave!" she yelled. Others passing by glanced at her, but didn't really pay her any heed.

"Hey, LeeLee, LeeLee," Nick soothed as he went to her. Vida was rolling her eyes at the young woman's dramatic screaming. "We don't know where the Power Rangers are," his words made Carvallain roll his eyes, and Titania hid her smile. "Why don't you look on the other side of town, and we'll look around here?" Nick suggested as LeeLee huffed in irritation.

"You can never find those costumed freaks when you need them!" she complained, pouting as she shoved past all of them to storm off.

"Pushy, I like that," Phineas murmured as he watched her storm away. Titania started to giggle at his words.

"Who's she calling a costumed freak?" Vida growled, offended by LeeLee's angry words.

"Sounds like there's trouble at the beach cave. Wonder why the Crystal Ball didn't pick it up," Chip glanced at the others, who shrugged.

"Either way, it's not good. If dark magic creatures are lurking around a cave in the human realm, there's something they know that we don't," Carvallain grimaced as he spoke.

"Hi," they turned as Phineas spoke up, a hand raised. "Over here. Remember me? Yeah, the one with the tooth," he reminded them of the reason why they were in town already.

"Right…someone should stay behind and take him to the dentist," Maddie smiled as she patted Phineas on the shoulder sympathetically. "Any volunteers?" she looked at the others.

"Don't look at us. We're not from here either," Carvallain shook his head. Titania smiled sweetly. The Mystics from the Human Realm all looked at each other expectantly.

"No, don't all jump at once," Phineas grumbled, the pain making him grumpier than usual. "I'm sure I'll be fine…" he muttered as he lowered his head.

"Aw, Phineas," Titania rubbed his back sympathetically.

"Come on, one of us has to stay," Xander tried to sound stern as he addressed the rest of the team. Immediately his smile fell as all of them turned and looked at him expectantly.

"Hey guys!" as Xander started to look nervous, they heard Toby call out to them. They turned and smiled at the man, and Xander's grin returned as an idea came to him.

"Then again, maybe not," he chuckled. Carvallain gave an exhausted sigh.

Once the Rangers were confident enough that Toby could take Phineas to the dentist without raising too many questions, they hurried to the beach where LeeLee had apparently seen monsters.

"There!" Titania shouted as she spotted the Hidiacs that were gathered outside of the cave. They frowned, only seeing a handful of the footsoldiers and nobody else around.

"There's a few Hidiacs…" Xander murmured as he looked around for anyone else.

"Hardly what I'd call a global alert," Chip shrugged. The Hidiacs shrieked and launched at them, but within moments they had been defeated.

"Good job," Nick said as he straightened. Having Morphed pre-emptively, they weren't even slightly out of breath.

"I wonder what they wanted in that cave," Titania peered at the cave in the side of the cliff curiously. The more she focused, the most she could sense something about it. "There's magic there. Something must be inside," she told them.

"Let's check it out," Nick agreed, giving into his curiosity.

"How did something magic get here?" Xander wondered as they approached the cave.

"Well, when the holes were torn between our dimensions, magic did end up flowing into your world thanks to the Great Disaster," Carvallain reminded them of the story they'd heard when learning about the Cimmerian Forest.

"But it's more likely that someone from the Magical Realm hid something here," Titania said as they stepped past the threshold into the cave. They shivered at the sensation of magic as they passed, but didn't stop as they looked around.

"Then how did nobody find it?" Vida asked curiously. Carvallain glanced over his shoulder, squinting in the dark.

"Well, did any of you ever come here before?" he asked. Vida opened her mouth to answer, before frowning.

"No," she answered honestly.

"Me neither. I always wanted to, but something about it always freaked me out," Chip admitted cheerfully. Vida and Maddie nodded. The three of them had always ventured towards the cave when they were young, only to find themselves deterred.

"That's the power of magic. Same reason why everyone in town is too freaked to go to the forest. A survival instinct turns you away," Carvallain explained.

"And now?" Nick asked as he looked over his shoulder at the Silver Ranger.

"You're a Power Ranger and a Mystic. You run towards the things that make most people run screaming," he pointed out. Nick couldn't argue, almost laughing.

"Stop," he then called out, stopping so abruptly that the others crashed into him. "I can't see where I'm going," Nick complained as they walked far enough into the tunnel that the light from outside couldn't reach.

"Will this help?" Chip asked, grabbing his Magi Staff. It pulsed with magic, and light began to spill from the top of his Staff. They all gave a sigh of relief as they were able to see around them again.

"Chip, you are a - frog!" Maddie screamed so suddenly that it made the others jump. A small green frog had landed on her shoulder, and she immediately began to flail. "Get it off me, get it off me!" she screamed, before tripping over a rock and tumbling to the ground, taking Xander and Nick with her. The frog landed safely nearby, and the four Rangers still on their feet ran to their fallen friends.

"You can't be afraid of a little frog," Nick couldn't help but laugh as Carvallain helped him to his feet.

"I'm not afraid," Maddie whimpered from the ground. Vida crouched beside her, giggling at her sister's over the top reaction. "I'm petrified! Ugly, slimy frogs," she moaned, her heart slamming against her chest.

"Poor frogs," Carvallain murmured, but his voice echoed in the cave and Maddie glared at him through her helmet.

"Speaking of ugly," Vida spoke up as she found herself distracted. "What's that?" she wondered, gesturing across the cave.

"It looks like a…mummy?" Xander wondered as he crawled towards it curiously. Before he could get too close, Titania caught his cape and pulled him back.

"Don't touch it," she said softly, and he looked up as he heard the fear tinged in her words. "Something about that thing…I don't like it," she shuddered at the darkness that seemed to roll off the statue. Xander nodded, getting to his feet and dusting himself off.

"You alright?" he asked, reaching out to Titania.

"Hey, over here!" Nick drew their attention before he could touch her, and they turned as he hurried past the statue. "There's something else," he spotted something golden in the sand that was illuminated by the glow of Chip's Magi Staff.

"What is it?" Carvallain asked as he tore his gaze off the statue, sensing darkness coming from it as well.

"It's a lamp with the Mystic Force crest on it," Nick gasped as he knelt beside it. "A lost treasure?" he suggested as they all gathered around curiously.

"A lamp?" Titania repeated, eyes going wide. "That's impossible," she walked over as Nick dug the lamp out. The moment he lifted it into his hands, there was a burst of warm magic that lit up the ground beneath them. All of them cried out as the ground started to shake, causing dirt and rocks to fall from the cave around them. "Everybody hang on!" he shouted.

"Not another earthquake!" Maddie cried out as they struggled to remain standing. After a moment, the rumbling faded, and they were able to balance.

"The shaking stopped," Vida murmured, looking around for anything that might have caused it.

"Yeah…that was really weird," Nick commented as he held the lamp in his hands tightly. "And what was that large bang?" he wondered. Hearing footsteps, Carvallain turned quickly and let out a soft snarl as Necrolai walked down the tunnel.

"I know the answer to your question," she smirked as they all turned quickly. "That was you destroying the forcefield that kept me out of here," Necrolai explained as they glared at her. "Now give me what I came for!" the Vampire ordered.

"No!" Nick shouted, clutching the lamp tighter. "You're not getting this lamp!" he vowed, and the others moved into fighting stances, ready to guard their find. Necrolai scoffed.

"I'm not?" she asked almost innocently, and rushed them. She knocked each of the Rangers out of the way, and grabbed Nick's arm roughly. "You can keep your lamp," Necrolai sneered, and threw him into the others. "I want this!" she lifted the mummy up and laughed. She spat out a haze of what looked like mist but burned through their suits, and they all fell back to get away from it. When it cleared, she had vanished.

"Where is she?" Nick demanded as he looked around.

"She's long gone," Carvallain shook his head, his ears straining to hear the Vampire, but she was too quick.

"And she took the mummy," Maddie gulped.

"That's really not good," Titania shivered. "That's not the last time we're going to see that thing," she said, and the others couldn't help but agree.

"Maybe, but at least she didn't get the lamp," Nick pointed out, looking down at the strange lamp in his hands, feeling the warmth of magic surrounding it.

The Rangers returned to Rootcore to find that Udonna was still out at the Woodland Village with Penelope, so they decided to investigate the lamp for themselves.

"Could it really be what I think it is?" Titania whispered to Carvallain as the other Mystics gathered around the lamp, dusting the sand off to investigate it.

"I think it might be," Carvallain nodded. "I can feel the magic around it like it's pushing against me. It has to be Sun Magic," he murmured. Titania bit her lip.

"Nobody knew what happened to Daggeron during the Great War. Could he have ended up in the Human Realm?" she wondered.

"Possibly. Maybe he was the one who created the seal around that cave to stop dark magic getting inside," Carvallain looked unhappy at the lack of answers. "Maybe he was the one who sealed that mummy inside. But if that's the case, why would he leave his Solar Lamp inside? And where is he?" he wondered. Titania looked as clueless as he felt.

"What are you two whispering about?" Vida asked as she looked over at the two. Before they could answer, there was a rattling and the others gave startled shouts as the lamp began to shake after Nick cleaned off more of the sand that had been caked on. The lid suddenly popped off, and they jumped back as smoke poured out to form a large cat with white fur and a grin that showed off a row of sharp fangs.

"I'm the great Genie Jenji!" he declared. Titania's hands flew to her mouth, and Carvallain gaped as the others stared at the genie who wore black armour and a red cloak. "I grant you one wish," he told them with a deep bow.

"A genie?" Xander repeated in disbelief.

"You got a problem with that?!" Jenji raised his fists as if ready to fight.

"No! No," the Green Ranger answered quickly, taking a step back in alarm. The genie relaxed.

"Oh, good. I hate violence," he admitted with a shrug, sounding relieved. "Now, here's the rules. You're the master, I'm the genie," Jenji started, pacing as he spoke. "You get one wish; you can't hurt anyone with it, blah blah blah," he immediately grew bored with trying to recite the rules.

"A real life genie. Always wanted one of those," Chip grinned to the others.

"One wish. Don't take all day, I've got a lot of other things to do, like sit in a cave for another 19 years!" he exclaimed bitterly. Carvallain and Titania exchanged looks at his words, unsure of what to say.

"Are you blaming us?" Vida asked, mistaking his tone for blame. Jenji whirled around.

"Oh? So now it's blame the big cat," he scoffed.

"So one wish, right?" Xander asked, his eyes shining with the potential of what they could get. Jenji shrugged.

"Airplanes, balloons, cash, DVDs - not pirated," Jenji added. "Elephants, gold, houses, igloos, jade, kites," he continued to list off as if he'd done so many times. "Limes, moats necklaces, opals, polo-ponies, quills-" he stopped for a second as he stumbled down the steps, not looking where he was going. "Roast beef, six silver saddles, Texas, underwear, vases, whales, xylophones, yaks and zebras!" he finished, gasping for breath. "A - Z, anything your heart desires," Jenji turned back to the five excited teens, who had been laughing more and more as he listed the potential things they could wish for.

"Oh, I know!" Chip's grin grew wider as an idea came to mind. "With just one wish," he gestured to the others to trust his plan. "I wish…for ten wishes, for each of us," he gestured to the others. They gasped, delighted at his idea.

"Granted!" Jenji exclaimed. They cheered loudly as Titania shook her head. "Like nobody's ever asked for that before," he muttered under his breath, too quietly for them to hear.

"Amateurs," Titania murmured to Carvallain. Neither had been noticed by the genie, choosing instead to watch everything unfold. The Elf didn't bother hiding his amusem*nt.

"I wish…for 100 diamonds!" Xander held out his hands. Jenji looked down at them, an air of boredom around him as instead of granting the wish, he just studied him.

"You haven't washed your hands lately, have you?" he asked, sounding almost judgemental. Hearing Titania's giggle, Xander flushed.

"Nothing happened!" he exclaimed, not understanding why he hadn't gotten his wish.

"That's because he already granted your wish," Jenji jumped as Titania moved to stand beside him, her hands behind her back as the other Rangers stared at her in confusion. "Chip made a wish, and he granted it," she pointed out.

"And since he'd granted the wish, it rendered further wishes null and void," Carvallain continued for the Fae as he stood on Jenji's other side. The Elf looked thoroughly amused by what had transpired. "It's all part of the Genie's Contract," he said simply. While the Rangers spluttered out their complaints, Jenji looked quickly from one to the other, babbling in confusion.

"If you really want a hundred diamonds, I'd be happy to make another deal with you," Titania smiled sweetly at Xander, who pulled a face at her in response.

"Nim?" she looked up at Jenji as he spoke, staring wide-eyed at her. "And your majesty?" Jenji turned to Carvallain, who winced.

"Not quite," Titania's smile saddened. Jenji turned back to her, staring harder.

"No…you're right. You have Dusk's eyes…oh!" he gasped sharply as he realised. "You're Nia!" he exclaimed. Titania co*cked her head as the nickname struck something buried deep in her memories. "Then you're…" Jenji turned to Carvallain, who put a hand to his chest and bowed his head.

"We only met once, but it's a pleasure to see you again, Jenji," he greeted the genie.

"Prince Carvallain! You've…grown," Jenji commented, having to tilt his head to look up at the Elf.

"You guys know this guy?" Nick grumbled, their earlier excitement forgotten as they lamented their lost wish. Before they could explain, Claire walked in carrying the Dragon egg and Jenji let out another gasp.

"Is that a Dragon's egg? Cause I'm hungry!" Jenji exclaimed eagerly, following the Apprentice. She turned around and smiled politely at him.

"Yes it is," she confirmed.

"Can someone say 'omelette'?" Jenji's mouth was watering as he stared at the egg that Claire was carrying effortlessly. Her polite smile faded at the implications of his words, and she turned to the Rangers.

"Does you-know-who know that you brought home a stray cat?" Claire asked warily as they walked down to stand beside her.

"Don't worry. I don't think we're going to keep him," Nick said flatly, watching Jenji with an unimpressed look.

"It's about to hatch," Jenji said, ignoring their words as he focused on the egg in Claire's arms. "Better to keep it warm. Someone sit on it. It's uncomfortable, but it's the only way," he suggested. Well aware of everyone's gaze on her, Claire gave a deep sigh.

"Oh boy," she murmured.

"Well, you did say no to the sledgehammer," Titania giggled as she leaned on the railings.

"This is going to be a disaster," Carvallain shook his head.

After balancing the Dragon egg carefully on its pedestal, the Rangers helped Claire up to rest on top of it as best she could. It was sturdy enough that it didn't so much as crack when she balanced on the warm shell, and her skirts draped over it.

"Good, good," Jenji nodded with approval as he watched. Carvallain remained beside Claire, his hands partially outstretched to catch her if she fell. "Now, the important thing is that you can't get off the egg until it hatches. Okay?" he explained to her. Claire frowned at the cat.

"How long will that take?" she asked, uncertain as she watched him.

"Well, a few minutes…a couple of days, sometimes a month," Jenji shrugged as he turned away. "Anything up to 30-40 years," as Claire's eyes widened in horror, the others around couldn't help but laugh. "Kidding!" the genie told her, and Claire gave a sigh of relief.

The light, almost excited atmosphere that had descended on Rootcore as they prepared for the Dragon egg to hatch faded almost instantly as the loud, deep chime of the Crystal Ball reverberated around the room. They all turned to it, including Jenji. "Oh! More eggs?" he asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately not," Titania shook her head as she peered into the Crystal Ball and saw the darkness gathering in the city. "Dark magic, and it's strong," she warned as she glanced over her shoulder.

"We have to go," Nick said as Carvallain shot a wary look at Claire, before moving away.

"Okay well, have fun! Play safe, I'll be gone by the time you get back," Jenji called, waving to them as all but Titania gathered on the magical platform.

"No you don't. We still have questions," Carvallain warned him with rarely used authority in his voice. The cat Genie huffed, seeming to be ready to stay put at the Elf's command.

"And you still owe us wishes," Nick pointed out, stalking over to the table to grab the golden lamp. Jenji mumbled about the contract, but Nick didn't listen. "Back in the lamp. You're coming with us," he ordered.

"Fine," Jenji relented, irritated. "But you should know that when it comes to fighting…" he paused as Nick lifted the lid of the lamp and the genie returned to it. Once he was inside, Nick reattached the lid, and Jenji's head popped out at a much smaller size. "I'm just a kitten," he finished. Nick rolled his eyes.

"We sure this is the same Jenji from the stories?" Carvallain muttered to Titania, who was giggling as they watched Jenji make a variety of excuses and begin to control his lamp, dragging Nick around the room.

"I hope so, I like him," Titania giggled, and vanished in a flash of rainbow lights, leaving the rest of the team to help Nick with Jenji.

It took more effort than Nick cared for, but they managed to get out of Rootcore and back to Briarwood, quickly finding the area where dark magic was gathering like a storm cloud. They all felt the weight of evil behind it, and they ran faster as Nick lagged behind, still fighting with Jenji.

"There it is!" Xander spotted the cloud first, seeing bolts of lightning firing out and striking at random.

"Whoa…look at that," Vida gulped at the ominous sight.

"I've never seen anything like this…it's not good," Titania spoke softly as she stared up at the darkness, which was growing larger as they watched it. "It feels like the mummy from the cave," she warned, feeling the same unease from before.

"Necrolai didn't waste any time waking that thing up," Xander shivered. Now that the dark magic was flowing steadily, he could pick up on it and understood what had spooked the Fae when she first laid eyes on the statue.

"Okay!" Jenji exclaimed as he peeked out from his lamp. Nick had managed to reach the others, staring at it as well. "Well, this was fun! What say we run home, grab a pillow, get under the covers and hide?" he suggested. His voice was shaking as he stared out as well.

"At last," a voice came from the cloud of dark magic in front of them, making the team jump in surprise. "The Power Rangers. Let me introduce myself," the darkness began to take shape, forming a large mummy-like monster wearing elaborate robes and brandishing a fan. "I am the destroyer of your world. I am Imperious; dark wizard of the Underworld!" he introduced himself in a grand voice.

"Don't call yourself a wizard!" Nick yelled at him angrily, taking a few steps towards Imperious as he clutched the lamp tightly. "Wizards use their magic to help people," he growled. Imperious gave a mocking laugh in response.

"Your witch Udonna has misled you, Red Wizard," he told him with a light wave of his hand. "Magic is for fulfilling all of your own desires. Come to my world, and learn what real power is!" he offered, spreading his hands out in front of him in an inviting manner. It sent a chill down Titania's spine.

"Thanks for the invite, but not a chance!" Nick shouted.

"It's not very appealing," Carvallain agreed. Imperious gave a light hum in response before wordlessly pointing his fan at them and twisting. His spell moved too quickly for them to react, and small concentrated bursts of dark magic exploded against each of them.

As the seven Rangers cried out in pain and crashed to the ground, their suits smoking and barely holding, Imperious roared with laughter. His red eyes glowed as he watched them trying to recover on the ground, enjoying their pain.

"I just remembered!" Nick exclaimed as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "We've got a genie in here who owes us some wishes," he realised, looking at the lamp he was clutching tightly.

"Nick, don't!" Titania shouted as Nick began to rub the lamp in hopes of drawing Jenji out to help. "He's not bound to you, he's not obligated to grant your wish," she warned as Jenji peeked his head out.

"Sorry, I've just granted my own wish: to leave!" the cat declared. Before Nick could stop him, Jenji took control of his lamp again and yanked out of his grasp to fly away with a terrified shriek.

"Some genie you are!" Nick shouted after him, but Jenji didn't return. "Fine! I'll do it myself," he drew his Magi Staff and charged at Imperious as he changed its form into a sword, swinging down hard. As he did, Imperious vanished and Nick stumbled from the force. "Where'd he go?" he hissed as he looked around quickly.

"A better question is, where are you going?" Imperious' taunt came from behind him.

"Nick!" Carvallain yelled as he charged in, jabbing his transformed Magi Staff at Imperious, who had materialised behind Nick. The mummy-like monster laughed and flicked a finger. Nick gave a startled cry as he was lifted off the ground and flung at Carvallain. The two crashed to the ground, their weapons clattering away.

"Now you're gonna have to deal with Xander! Magi Staff, Vine Power!" Xander yelled as he drew on his magic to control the nearby flora. Vines grew from the hedges and shot at Imperious to wrap around him and lift him off his large feet.

"You got me! Help, help!" Imperious wailed mockingly, before casting a spell of his own. The vines turned to glass and shattered, freeing him from their tight hold. He floated lightly back down to the ground, sneering at Xander. "You should be doing your magic at childrens' birthday parties!" Imperious waved his fan, and vines flew at Xander to wrap around his arms and chest, restraining him. With another spell, Imperious bombarded him with explosions that made the Green Ranger yell in pain.

"He's powerful," Carvallain hissed as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"Next!" Imperious called out as he turned away from Xander, dismissing him as the Earth Mystic continued to struggle with the vines restraining him.

"Let's see how you handle Tornado Power!" Vida yelled, raising her Magi Staff over her head. "I'm gonna blow you away!" as magic flashed pink, it transformed her into a tornado that hurtled towards the dark wizard, who watched with an unimpressed stare.

"I don't think so," Imperious gave a low laugh. With his own magic, he transformed into a black tornado that crashed against Vida. The dark magic instantly overpowered the Pink Ranger, who gave a cry as it shattered her spell and threw her aside.

"Hey! You better cool it!" Maddie stepped up next as Imperious returned to normal. She aimed a jet of water at him as he turned to her with a chuckle. He raised his fan, creating a burst of wind that deflected the water right back at Maddie, launching her high into the air.

"Enough!" Titania stepped up next, waving her Staff at the laughing wizard. There was a flash of purple-hued black, and Imperious froze as he was locked in a time pocket. "Carvallain!" she turned her head to the Silver Ranger, who nodded.

"Magi Staff!" Carvallain pointed his own weapon at Imperious and sent a barrage of silver-streaked magic at the mummy. Right before they struck, he heard the quiet laugh, and Imperious moved suddenly, jerking his fan. Instantly the Moon Magic was diverted, bombarding Titania. She cried out in pain, crashing to the ground as Carvallain gave a horrified shout.

"If you're going to wield Time Magic, at least make your spells a little harder to break," Imperious sneered at Titania, before turning to Carvallain. "And you, Carvallain, she called you?" the Elf glared at him without speaking. "I wonder just how well your kingdom of fools will cope without a blood heir?" Imperious spoke idly, but his words were enough of a taunt that Carvallain growled.

"They don't have to worry about that!" he charged at Imperious again, only for the wizard to vanish. Carvallain whirled, not letting himself falter, and his Magi Staff crashed against his fan.

"I suppose not, because they'll all follow you soon enough," the wizard chuckled darkly, and twisted his weapon again. Carvallain let out a roar of pain as dark magic exploded against his chest and sent him tumbling to the ground.

"Try and stop this!" Chip didn't hesitate as Imperious stepped over the injured Silver Ranger. Summoning his magic, he brought down as powerful a bolt of lightning as he could. To his horror, Imperious held up his fan to absorb the magic. "But how?!" he gasped.

"I have stronger magic. That's how," Imperious told him as if this should have been obvious. Shouting out a spell that combined Chip's lightning magic with his own, the monstrous wizard aimed it directly at the Yellow Ranger. He was thrown back several feet, rolling along the ground as he cried out in pain.

"Chip!" the others managed to limp over to him, and Nick stood protectively in front of his friends.

"That's it!" the Fire Mystic snarled. Summoning his flames, Nick launched into the air with a trail of fire flickering behind him. "Power of the Phoenix!" he yelled, and with a roar he hurtled back down towards Imperious. To their horror, he was repelled easily and thrown aside.

"I was misled into thinking that you would be a more powerful adversary," Imperious complained, seeming to grow bored of throwing them all around. "Udonna has not chosen wisely," he mocked as a Spell Seal appeared beneath his feet. "Now I will show you real power!" Imperious spun and began to grow until he towered over the city.

"Oh yeah?" Nick growled as he mustered the strength to rise to his feet. "Well, we've got a few tricks too!" he turned to his team as they stood too. "Ready?" he asked.

"Ready!" with a burst of magic, the Rangers transformed into their Titans formed their Megazord, only to discover that Imperious was giant even compared to their Megazord.

"Pathetic!" he shouted as he gave a hard kick that sent the Megazord flying across the city.

"Come on!" Nick shouted, growing angrier the more Imperious knocked them around. Summoning their sabre, the Rangers created a spell seal overhead.

"Oh look, a flea!" Imperious laughed as they flew up towards it. Before they could reach their spell, Imperious swung a hand and sent them crashing back to the ground, smashing through a building. "I am growing bored with this annoyance," he sighed, using his magic to blast them repeatedly with dark lightning.

"We can't take much more of this," Titania warned as their Megazord shuddered and groaned, but still managed to rise back up.

"We're not down yet," Nick refused to give up.

"Titan Megazord, full power!" they launched back into the air once again. Imperious rolled his eerie red eyes.

"It is time to end this," he decided as he lost interest in their attempts to strike him. As he raised his fan to destroy them once and for all, they all felt the powerful magic from below. Imperious looked down, gasping in shock as Jenji began to grow to a height similar to him.

"Jenji!" Nick shouted as they stared up at the genie.

"What's this? You?!" Imperious snarled as Jenji laughed.

"Alright! Who's your daddy now, mummy?" he taunted. "Look at this!" Jenji held up his right paw, claws out. "Look at this!" he held up his left paw as Imperious looking from one to the other, unsure of what was going on. Jenji then put his paws together, making the wizard flinch back as he expected Jenji to strike him. "What's in my hands?" he asked. Imperious gave a snarl as he focused again.

"Foolish cat!" he sneered. Jenji's grin widened.

"Wrong! Power Rangers!" Imperious was caught by surprise as Jenji opened his hands to reveal the Megazord, which flew at Imperious and slashed across his face with their magic imbued in their sabre. Jenji laughed as Imperious roared in pain and crashed to the ground hard enough to cause all of Briarwood to shake. "Being big is good," the genie laughed.

"You were lucky," Imperious snarled as he got back to his feet, lowering the hand from his face to reveal the cut they'd landed. "Take this!" he jabbed out his fan, only to scream in pain as his power seemed to backlash on him.

"Take what?" Jenji asked with an innocent tilt of his head, watching as Imperious breathed heavily.

"My magic is still weak from my time in the cave," he realised with a furious growl. "I need to recharge…my apologies for not destroying you as promised!" Imperious forced the grand, mocking tone back to his voice. "But I will!" with a shout, Imperious vanished in a flash of purple, and Jenji taunted him as the Rangers cheered from their Megazord standing in his hand.

After their brief celebration as they praised Jenji for saving them and helping to drive off Imperious, the Rangers realised they had forgotten one important matter of the day; Phineas. To the relief of Xander, Maddie and Titania as they went searching for the Troblin, they found Toby back in Rock Porium.

"Toby!" the man, who was dabbing his mouth with a paper towel, looked up at Xander's call. "We are so glad you're here. We've looked all over the city for you and Phin - Uncle Phineas," he caught himself, remembering the lie that he had told Toby about who Phineas was.

"Oh, he's fine," Toby slurred, his mouth still numb from a mishap at the dentist. "We had a great day today. Just look at him," he gestured across the shop as he moved out from behind the counter to lean against it. They turned and gawked at Phineas, who had dressed the cardboard cutout of Jake Bonebreaker in his hat and coat. He was on the DJ's stage, rocking out to the music blasting.

"Whoa," Maddie stared, unsure of what she was watching. Titania was giggling as Xander started to laugh as well.

"It's like he's never listened to rock and roll before," Toby considered; something he found absolutely outrageous.

"What have we done?" Maddie wondered as she turned to the other two.

"I think the woods are about to get a lot more interesting," Titania giggled to the pair, just quiet enough that Toby didn't hear her. Neither could deny her words, and even Maddie couldn't fight her laughter any longer.

Once they had dragged the reluctant Phineas away from Rock Porium with the promise that they would bring him music when they could, the three returned to Rootcore where the other Mystics were waiting for them.

"Udonna's back, so Chip and Vida are bringing her out to reveal the newest resident of her home," Carvallain told the three. Jenji nodded eagerly. "I imagine this is one stray she'll be happy to allow in," the Elf considered. Nick snorted.

"Hey…" Jenji huffed.

"By the way, thank you for your help out there today," Carvallain addressed him this time, and the cat turned to him in surprise. "We couldn't have done it without you," he told the genie, well aware that that they had come very close to losing.

"Oh, it was nothing," Jenji shrugged, flustered and trying to sound modest. "Actually it was a lot. I was great, wasn't I?" he asked, making the others laugh.

"So how do you guys know Jenji?" Maddie asked, looking between Carvallain and Titania, who was fiddling with the bandage around her hand. Nick and Xander looked curious as well.

"We only met once, but he fought alongside a knight during the Great War," Carvallain explained, patting the cat on the shoulder. Jenji's chest puffed out with pride.

"Penny and the others told me about him too," Titania said. She'd always loved hearing about the genie, who reminded her of Faeries with his mischievous behaviour and similar power.

"Penny! Aw, now she was always my favourite," Jenji sighed with delight at the mention of the former Water Mystic. "Though Nim and I always got on well too," he said, softening a little as awareness flickered in his gaze.

"That's what Penny always said too," Titania agreed as her smile turned forced for a moment.

"Well, we're glad to have you with us," Nick said as Titania fell quiet. Xander put a hand on her shoulder, watching as she pushed past the loss and brought the smile back to her face. She didn't react to his touch, but she didn't pull away either as she instead returned to fiddling with her bandage.

They fell quiet as the entrance to Rootcore started to open again with a loud hiss, and they heard Chip and Vida's laughter as Udonna couldn't help but join in.

"Can't you just tell me the surprise?" she asked, but led them lead her out of the dragon's mouth as she trusted them not to let her trip.

"No!" Vida laughed. "Now, keep your eyes closed until we say you can open them," they led her along as the others crept along behind her. Finally they stopped, making sure Udonna still had her eyes covered.

"We hope you like pets, because we have a new cat!" Maddie exclaimed as they turned Udonna around. "Open your eyes!" the Blue Ranger exclaimed, almost ready to burst from excitement. Udonna dropped her hands, and disbelief filled her gaze.

"It's me! I'm the cat!" Jenji announced, and a delighted smile stretched across Udonna's face.

"Jenji!" she exclaimed, rushing forwards to hug him tightly.

"Udonna! You haven't aged a day!" Jenji told her as he hugged her back, delighted to see her after everything.

"I think we can keep him," Xander commented with a laugh, and the others nodded as they watched.

"I've missed you so much, where have you been?" Udonna asked as she finally released the cat genie and smiled warmly at him, tears in her eyes.

"Well, let me tell you-"

"Daggeron!" Udonna gasped, cutting him off as realisation hit her like a wall. "Bowen? Do you know where Bowen is?" she demanded as the others watched curiously. At the mention of Bowen, Titania paled and looked at Carvallain, who had lost his smile.

"No," Jenji shook his head as he looked away guiltily. "You see-" as Jenji tried to explain again, a cry came from inside.

"Somebody help me!" Claire's plea made them all turn and run inside without hesitation. "It's gonna hatch!" she was struggling to stay balanced on top of the Dragon egg that was shaking violently. It suddenly lurched to sit upright, flinging Claire off, and Carvallain managed to catch her.

"What's going on?" Jenji wondered as they watched in awe as cracks began to run down the egg. Slowly parts began to break off piece by piece to reveal a beautiful black and red dragon fledgling with wings in blue, red and gold. "Waste of a perfectly good omelette," Jenji grumbled as the rest stared in excitement.

"He's so cute!" Titania exclaimed as Fireheart made a series of chirps and growls as he focused his sharp golden eyes on Claire.

"Mama!" Claire's delighted smile vanished as she realised she was being addressed, and the others burst out laughing.