CHAPTER FORTY
JEZZEFF
He had decided to only bring Shelby along on this mission. Sam Trueheart would notice if too many people entered the Reservation that didn't belong there. He couldn't fully block Jezzeff from the Reservation, but those with no blood tie to the land would draw his attention. Jezzeff would have simply gone alone, but he needed an anchor.

Shelby tensed as they stood near the underground tomb. "This place feels... wrong," she said nervously.

"Many great powers have been imprisoned here," Jezzeff explained. "The most dangerous entities to enter Reservation land were cremated and had their ashes placed here, trapping their souls with powerful magic."

"Do you really think this will work, Jezz?"

"I descend from a former Chief of this land, Shelby. It is my birthright to work magic here."

"It's just... You have resurrected a lot of people, Jezz, and it seems to keep backfiring. I mean, I'm loyal to you, but the rest of my team has turned on you. What's to keep her from doing the same thing?"

"I know what she wants most in this world, my darling Shelby. And I am prepared to give it to her."

Shelby nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

"Hold my hand and do not let go. I must traverse this tomb on the astral plane. No matter what happens, you must continue to hold onto my hand. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Jezz," she replied. "I understand. I won't let you down."

"Good. Let us begin."

Jezzeff recited the spell necessary to make the trip as he held onto Shelby's hand. As his soul descended into a realm few could reach, he headed straight for the energy he was looking for.

"Jezzeff of Eltar!" A powerful voice boomed.

He spun around and looked at the man standing before him. He was elderly and radiated with power. "Who are you?" Jezzeff asked.

"I am called Grandfather, and you are trespassing."

"My blood gives me the right to be here," Jezzeff replied firmly.

"And when you finally meet your end, the remnants of your shattered soul will be most welcome here. Until then, you do not belong here."

"We are strangers, yet you dislike me so strongly. What have I done?"

Grandfather looked him in the eye as he replied, "You have done a great many things to warrant my anger, Jezzeff of Eltar, but at the top of that list is what you did to my Feather of the Sun."

"SunFeather... You knew Aiyana?" Jezzeff realized.

"That girl is now and forever shall be precious to me. The torment she endured at your hands is enough to make me despise you, but the sins held within that vile thing you call a soul simply deepen that feeling."

"I do not have time to waste being judged by a mere mortal man, Mystic or otherwise. I am a God, Old Man."

"You are an infant throwing a tantrum, Jezzeff. And I think it is far past time for you to take a nap."

With that word, Jezzeff fell instantly into a dream.

He stood in a burning field. There were corpses everywhere. He couldn't see their faces, but he could feel their suffering. It made him smile.

Someone came toward him. She was injured, but still standing, and she moved with great purpose. Several others joined her. He still couldn't see any faces, but he knew he should recognize them.

As the girl unleashed a powerful attack, Jezzeff felt his immortality being stripped from him. He screamed in pain and tried to regain control of the situation, but the others attacked him as well. He killed someone, although he couldn't tell who it was, and he took incredible power into himself. To his horror, that power began burning him from the inside out. He was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Jezzeff suddenly opened his eyes. He was still on the astral plane. "What was that lie?" He demanded.

"Your future, Jezzeff, if you continue down this path," Grandfather replied.

"I will not fall for your tricks, Old Man!" Jezzeff shouted.

"Don't say you weren't warned." Grandfather laughed at him, which only enraged Jezzeff more.

"I have business to attend to!" He snapped. He headed toward the energy once more.

"I cannot and will not allow you to reach the girl, Jezzeff," Grandfather said firmly. "You are wasting your energy, and I am not the only one guarding this place."

"You do not frighten me, Old Man."

"That is precisely your problem, Jezzeff of Eltar. You claim that nothing frightens you, but I happen to know that is a lie. But go on... Descend into the true depths of this tomb if you insist."

Jezzeff began to go deeper. That was when he was attacked by shadows. They came at him from every direction, tearing into his flesh with claws of darkness and showing no mercy as they attempted to destroy him.

He could feel his body flying into distress, but he kept fighting, knowing he had to see this through. It was too vital he get his hands on her, even if the journey did serious damage to his soul. He'd be able to fix himself with some rest, as long as he made it back to his body.

He continued on, wondering how much longer this part would last.

SHELBY
She was starting to get worried. Jezzeff's breathing was rapid and shallow. Thousands of tiny cuts kept appearing on his flesh. His shirt was soaked with blood.

"Jezz! Jezz, what do I do?" She asked frantically.

"Keep him grounded," a voice replied. "And let this happen."

"Let it happen? He's bleeding!" Shelby protested.

"Shelby, I need you to calm down and listen to me," the voice insisted. That was when someone appeared beside her. He was transparent, and she was startled to realize she recognized him.

"Noah?" She asked.

"It's me," the Blue MegaForce Ranger confirmed.

"You died?"

"The Coalition killed me," he confirmed.

"But... Why? You weren't a threat to them and you're not Eltarian. They had no reason to target you."

"I found something out about Jezzeff's heritage that he didn't want anyone to know. I guess he had a vision and asked the Huntress to get rid of me."

"Noah... I'm sorry," Shelby said. "You were such a nice guy... We worked together a lot during the training for the battle. I really liked you. You didn't deserve this." She couldn't quite touch the emotion lingering just out of her reach, but she suspected it might be grief.

"Shelby, listen to me," Noah said. "You're smart. Like, really smart. You got overconfident because you wanted to prove yourself, but I know what happened to James was a mistake. If you keep helping Jezzeff, you'll be making an even bigger one. You're so much smarter than this. Walk away."

"I can't, Noah. Jezz needs me. He's the only one who cares about me. I'm loyal to him."

"We're friends, right? You need to hear this. You can't speak against him or think a disloyal thought without it hurting. Don't you understand that something's wrong with that?"

On some level, she did, but her mind screamed at her that he was wrong. "I don't understand... Jezz didn't use a loyalty spell on me," she said. "This must be my own desire to be loyal."

"He told you that, but Shelby... He's the greatest liar in history. What if he put a spell on you without your knowledge? He lost everyone else from your team. That probably made him a little paranoid, right?"

Shelby shook her head. "He wouldn't! Shut up, Noah! Jezz would never do that to me!"

"Are you sure about that?"

She wasn't, and that bothered her. Jezzeff was her friend. He cared about her. She should be able to trust him, but on some level, Shelby knew the truth. Jezzeff was evil, and that meant he couldn't truly be trusted.

Shelby Watkins, what have you gotten yourself into? She wondered. And more importantly, how are you going to get yourself out of it?

As more cuts appeared on Jezzeff's flesh, Shelby looked to Noah in desperation. "What's happening to him?" She asked.

"He can't be allowed to release her, Shelby," Noah explained. "The ancestors of this land will stop him. Don't worry; he won't die. The thing is, I know something."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you yet... Just trust that what's meant to happen will happen." He tensed. "He's waking up. I have to go!"

"Noah, wait!" Shelby cried as he vanished. She sighed, knowing he was gone.

"Shelby..." Jezzeff called weakly.

"Jezz! Jezz, what can I do?" Shelby asked as she turned her full attention back to him.

"I need a power boost... First, I will heal, and then I will defeat one of the Chosen line targets... After that, I need to find a new way to achieve what I set out to do today."

"You couldn't reach her?"

"No... I need a direct tie to her... A way to connect to her by blood instead of by using the astral plane. I need to bring her to me. Perhaps Sage."

"That's a bad idea," Shelby said firmly.

"Sage bound her. She can be used to free her."

"Look, I'm not a big Sage fan, but I still know what a threat she is. There's a better way."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Tommy."

"Tommy?" Jezzeff repeated.

"Not only is it on every bad guy's bucket list to kidnap Tommy Oliver, but no one was closer to her. If you want to get to Katie, you need Tommy."

"All the girl wants is her father... That's part of how Zell manipulated her. If I capture him to lure her out and I turn him evil in the Flames, Katie will gladly remain loyal to me. It's perfect. You are brilliant, Shelby."

She beamed at the compliment. "Thanks... Now, let's get your strength up. We've got work to do!"

KATIE OLIVER
She was stuck in the tomb that trapped evil entities for eternity, but Katie was hardly dormant. She saw the spirit who approached her and glared at him.

"What do you want, Grandfather?" She demanded. Katie didn't know his real name or if he even had one, but he'd come to check on her before.

"To tell you something, Katie," Grandfather replied patiently.

"Well, I'm pretty sick of just staring at the walls of my tomb, so go ahead," she replied.

He nodded. "A very evil man is coming for you, Katie. You must not work with him."

"I thought no one could get to me here. It's just the ancestral guardians and Sage, right?"

"That is mostly correct. He's going to realize that soon and try something else... Locating you when you were still alive."

"You're talking about time travel." She hesitated. "Is it Zell?"

"No, Katie. This threat is far worse."

"Zell ruined everything. What's worse than that?"

"His name is Jezzeff, but before that, his soul was another evil entity who was destroyed. He is made from the remnants of an ancient evil which has existed in many forms, but he has not unlocked his full powers yet. We must hope it remains that way, or he will become unstoppable."

"Why should I care? I'm not part of that world anymore, and my own cousins turned against me! I'm trapped down here for eternity because I'm evil. I killed Mike and Mentor Ji... I tried to kill Jayden, and even Kenny. I can't blame Thorn for killing me... But trapping me here for eternity was screwed up. Sage is a bitch. I thought Shamans are supposed to help souls heal, not lock us away forever."

"There was no hope for you at that time, Katie. You have been so severely tainted by evil that the only thing Sage could do was ensure you never harmed anyone else. You were born this way, with Katherine's pure evil energy making up half of your soul... But you are also Tommy's, and he is good. If things had been different, you might have made other choices, but Katherine's destiny became yours and you fell for Zell's lies and did things you could not come back from. There was no saving you."

"So why are we talking about this? What's the point?"

"Because things are changing, Katie Oliver. The Universe is righting a great number of wrongs. You cannot return to your old life, as that destiny belongs to another now, but you can make a choice when Jezzeff approaches you... And I beg you to make the right one for once."

"If it's my past self, how am I supposed to do that? I won't know any of this."

"You are connected to the Morphin' Grid. You have always possessed an understanding of it that few others have. You figured out how to use a Samuraizer and cast Kanjis by tapping into that connection. You are the granddaughter of Zell. Time travel is in your blood."

"You trust me to time travel?"

"No, Katie. I trust you to send your consciousness out of time to save your father."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Katie demanded.

"Jezzeff intends to kidnap your father to try to get to you. He wants to turn him evil in his Flames."

"Dad's immune to that sort of thing now because of Rita."

"That is correct... However, upon realizing he cannot control him, Jezzeff will destroy him. Not just his body, but his soul."

"What?! I have to stop him!"

"Yes, you do. And you need someone very powerful to help you do it."

Katie suddenly understood. "Zell? You expect me to trust Zell? The last time I did that, I went on a killing spree, got killed, and ended up here!"

"Zell will sense you outside of time. You can't leave this place, but that realm exists outside of all things. He can meet you there."

"You'll let me do this?"

"Yes, but only briefly. I will anchor you here, and there's no chance of you escaping... It will be seconds here, but you'll have as long as you need there."

"Sage won't like this."

"Sage does not get a say on this. The Universe has decreed that this is necessary." He took her hands in his. "Focus, Katie. Connect to the Morphin' Grid and slip outside of time."

She had no idea what she was doing, but she trusted her instincts. Moments later, she found herself alone in an empty space. "Zell!" She shouted. Her voice echoed. "Zell, get your ass over here, you son of a bitch!"

She was a little bit surprised when it worked. "Katie?" Zell asked in shock. "How is this possible? I was told your soul was trapped for eternity."

"It is. This is a one-time loophole. We need to talk."

"Well, you certainly have my attention. What is this about?"

"My father."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Some asshole named Jezzeff wants to turn him evil and use him to free me."

Zell tensed. "That won't work. Tommy is immune to that sort of magic."

"And he's going to kill him if he realizes that. You have to help him!"

"Katie-"

"You owe me, Zell!" She snapped. "You swore to me if I worked with you, you would protect my dad. Well, guess what, he's in danger again! You have to save him."

He sighed. "I am truly sorry for what I did to you, Katie. You are my granddaughter. It was wrong of me to manipulate you the way I did."

She hadn't expected that. "Did you ever fix my mother?" She asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, and she lived up to her evil purpose rather spectacularly. Jezzeff turned her against me when I began to change, and in the end, I had to kill her."

"You killed her? I stole that necklace, attacked Liza, and killed Mike so you could have her back and you killed her? What the fuck, Dude? What the hell was the point?"

"Katherine could not be saved. Killing her allowed my brother to purify her soul. If she ever reincarnates, she will have a chance to get things right."

"And what about me? I'm just rotting away in a tomb for eternity thanks to Sage! Do you even care?"

"Yes, my dear... I care a great deal. If I knew how to help you, I would, no matter what it took. I owe you that. Since I do not currently possess that answer, however, I will do what you ask. I will protect Tommy Oliver from Jezzeff, the Witch, and their allies, with all that I possess. I give you my sacred oath, he will remain safe."

She felt significantly calmer at his words. It was almost like the fury and panic that had controlled her from the time her father vanished until her death suddenly lifted. She nodded at him. "Don't break your word," she said, "or I'll find a way to make you regret it."

"Katie... I truly am sorry, my dear," he said again.

"Then prove it," she replied.

She let herself relax until she slipped back into the tomb. Grandfather released her hands. "You have done well, Katie," he said.

"Grandfather... Will I ever get out of here for real?" She asked.

"Perhaps one day, when the circumstances are right, a second chance will present itself," he replied. "For now, try to reflect on things. Healing begins within you, Katie Oliver. The rest can only come after you find your way."

Katie suddenly found herself alone again as his spirit vanished. As her eternity of Nothingness resumed, she took a small amount of comfort in the fact that her father would be safe.

SHANIECE
It was especially cold, and Shaniece knew danger was lurking. This is it, she thought. She hoped she was prepared enough to do what needed to be done.

"Hello, Shaniece," a voice said.

She spun around and forced herself to remain calm. "Jezzeff," she greeted him. "It's been a bit."

"I do miss those Alliance days. It was so fun manipulating Zell from within his own inner circle," Jezzeff replied.

"I know why you've come."

"Of course you do. You have your father's gift of Sight. Did you see how this day ends, my friend? I did."

"I saw one version of events," she replied. "You know I won't just give in and surrender."

"I do. I look forward to having the honor of sparring against a Campbell Sorceress who was trained by her family."

"Then I shall not keep you waiting any longer." She began to cast a powerful spell.

"Step away from her!" Someone shouted.

No... Not now, Shaniece thought.

Garron moved in front of her protectively, casting a shield to deflect Jezzeff's first attack. Although he was her father, they had only been able to get to know each other in the last year. Shaniece liked him, but they were still working on building a true father-daughter relationship.

"Garron, don't!" She said. "He's here for me, not you."

"I know, and I won't let him hurt you," Garron replied stubbornly. "You're my daughter, Shaniece. For a long time, you were the humanity I lost. I believed you were dead, and I stopped feeling anything but pain and the need for revenge... But you came back to me, and thanks to Sakura, I have a chance to know you. I won't lose you again."

"You know, there are a great many descendants of the Campbell line... More than any other Chosen line, in fact. It is because Shaniece is yours that I chose her. Her death will be especially satisfying," Jezzeff said.

"I killed you once, Jezzeff of Eltar! I'll do it again!" Garron declared.

"You had your favorite young Rebels kill me, actually... And I do not see either of them here today."

"Garron, just go... Please," Shaniece begged him.

"I won't leave you, sweet girl," Garron insisted.

"I cannot yet kill your unusual false body, Garron, but I can immobilize it temporarily and make you watch as I take your daughter's life," Jezzeff stated calmly.

Garron began to cast a very powerful spell. Shaniece could tell it was meant to do serious harm to anyone it touched, but Jezzeff was an immortal who regenerated and healed faster than anyone except Denni. It might not do much to him.

Jezzeff tried to impale Garron, but he saw it coming and dodged the attack before releasing his spell. Jezzeff screamed in pain as he hit the ground. His body burst into flames.

"Jezz!" Shelby cried in alarm as she stepped out of the shadows. She launched her boomerang at Garron. It caught him in his chest and knocked him down, but he didn't die. A Gigai couldn't be killed, but Shaniece was pretty sure it could be injured, and it was obvious Garron was in pain.

Jezzeff was still screaming, but he managed to yell out, "The crystal!"

Shelby pulled out a quartz. It glowed with power, but nothing threatening, and Shaniece knew it was only meant to absorb energy. It would break the spell so Jezzeff could heal, but it wouldn't do any direct harm.

Shaniece knelt beside Garron. "You have to go," she told him. "You can't fight him in your current condition. The Gigai must heal or recharge or do whatever it is that it does."

"Shaniece... I won't leave you. I love you, my sweet daughter," he replied weakly.

"I love you, too, Dad," she whispered. She didn't always call him that, but she'd been trying it out off and on since finally meeting him a year before. "So let me save you."

"You already saved me just by existing." He touched her cheek gently.

"Go, Dad. Please, before-"

A sword flew through the air and impaled Garron right in the center of his chest, close to the spot the boomerang had hit. "Dad!" Shaniece screamed.

Jezzeff was back on his feet when she turned to face him. He smiled at her sadistically. "I cannot kill what is already dead, my dear," he said. "Garron will survive... But he is powerless to save you now."

Shaniece knew he would only continue tormenting her father if she dragged this out. You know what you have to do, she reminded herself.

"Go on, Jezzeff," she said. "Show me what you're capable of."

They began to duel with magic. Shaniece was quite skilled with her sorcery. She was a Campbell, after all. Still, she knew Jezzeff had limitless power. She could only keep this up for so long.

They continued to duel, with Shaniece expending as much power as she could. The more she used, the less potent her magic would be when Jezzeff absorbed her life force. She had to hope weakening herself would leave him with less magic than he'd get if he took her down at full strength. This was about more than her own life; this was about ensuring that gaining access to the Campbell family magic didn't give Jezzeff the power to destroy the entire planet. She held nothing back.

I am with you, my beautiful descendant, Galaxia whispered in her mind. Show this bloody bastard everything you've got, luv. Make him regret the day he challenged a Campbell sorceress.

Shaniece hit Jezzeff with one spell after another, making him bleed, explode, and even fly into a seizure at one point, but every time she did, Shelby drew the magic out of him with the quartz crystal. This continues for several minutes until, finally, the quartz shattered. All of the energy exploded from inside of it, but it didn't hit Jezzeff. Instead, it came toward Shaniece.

She deflected the energy with a final burst of magic, sending it into the ground and causing a minor earthquake that stopped on its own after a minute as the energy spread out and calmed down. Shaniece was beyond exhausted. She knew she was as weak as she could make herself.

Jezzeff came toward her menacingly. "You put up quite a good fight, Shaniece," he informed her. "I expected no less from a Campbell sorceress." With that, he stabbed her with his ritual blade.

Shaniece felt everything being ripped away from her. As her life force flowed into Jezzeff, he became visibly stronger. He might not get enough power to wipe Earth out of the solar system, but he was still gaining an enormous amount of magic that was never meant to be his.

GARRON
He wanted to scream, but he was in too much shock. He felt like he was dying all over again. His daughter, his precious Shaniece, was dead. This time, there was no deception. He'd witnessed Jezzeff murdering her with his own eyes.

He recovered from his shock only to move onto rage. Just like the first time he's lost her, when his beloved Nika was murdered in front of him while pregnant, Garron had gone with rage. It was easier than attempting to process the unbearable grief in his heart.

He wanted to attack Jezzeff, but the coward fled as soon as he took Shaniece's magic for himself. He took Shelby with him, leaving Garron with no logical target, but that didn't matter. He would simply take his rage out on anyone who got too close. He was ready to watch the world burn, starting with Angel Grove.

"Garron, you must stop this," a voice said urgently. He barely registered that it was Felina, and he decided to ignore her.

"Garron, Sakura will send you back to the Afterlife if you keep this up," Raffitty said as he joined her.

"Good!" Garron snapped.

"My friend..." Captain Smith said gently.

"Not now, B'Bodian!" He shook his head. If anyone could calm him down or make him see reason, it was usually Captain Smith, but not this time. Garron was too far gone.

"Garron, please, tell us what happened so we can help you," Captain Smith pushed.

"Sir..." Kizzie said softly.

"What is it, Kizzie?" Captain Smith asked.

"Jezzeff was here. I feel the magic he tried to use on me... He killed a Campbell today."

"Oh, Garron..." Captain Smith said softly. "Not Shaniece?"

Garron slammed a wall of magic toward him in response. Kizzie blocked it before it could hit anyone. "Garron, we're all sorry for your loss, but you don't have the right to attack us," she said firmly. "Don't be a bloody fool. Let us help you."

"You can't help me!" He snapped. "She's dead, Kizzie! She's gone!"

An unexpected voice spoke then. "I've got this," he said. "You guys go."

"Laby, are you sure?" Raffitty asked.

"I'm sure. Go on."

Laby approached Garron cautiously. "Garron, I know what happened," he said. "I heard them talking. I'm sorry about Shaniece."

"Laby..." He replied, his voice finally cracking with emotion. "You came."

"I sensed your distress. I haven't felt you this far gone since you lost Nika."

"But... You came. Even though you hate me and swore you'd never speak to me again."

"I was pissed, and rightfully so... But I was angry at the man you became, Garron... I was angry with the choices you made. Right now, I don't see that man. I see the broken, sickly little boy you used to be. I see the kid who was afraid of the dark, the one I'd make labyrinths full of light for when he got scared."

Laby and Garron rarely acknowledged their true past or the fact that Laby was technically older than Garron. It was strange to hear him touch on that now, but also comforting.

"I wish you could lock me away in one now," Garron admitted. "One where my Nika and my Shaniece were alive and well and I could live out my days peacefully with my family."

"I could do that, Garron... But it wouldn't be real, and you know that," Laby replied gently.

"I don't know what to do, Laby. This pain is too great."

"I get it. Grief and I are constant companions. I know how alone you feel, but you're not alone. I'm here, Garron. And Raff, and Cap, and Kizzie, and even Felina are here for you, too."

Finally, Garron felt himself break. He sank to his hands and knees, completely defeated, and let the full weight of his grief hit him. To his great surprise, Laby wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly.

"Let this out, Garron," he said gently. "In whatever way you need to. Release the pain, the anger, all of it. I put a labyrinth around us. You won't hurt anyone."

Garron finally released the emotions that had been consuming him. Magic burst from him and slammed against the walls of the labyrinth violently. He sobbed brokenly in Laby's arms feeling as helpless as the little boy he'd been many millennia ago. The pain was extreme, but as he let himself feel it, he knew it would no longer weigh him down the way it had in the past.

When Garron was finally able to breathe, Laby released him. He offered him his hand and helped him to his feet. "Come on," he said. "I'll buy you a drink."

LIDO
He knew he was close, but he hadn't been able to find Dawn's exact location. He could sense her, but the house was thoroughly warded, and it would take Lido time to break through that and find her.

She's in danger, he thought. If I don't find her soon, Jezzeff will realize she is not falling for his lies. He'll kill her.

He knew with absolute certainty somehow that time was running out. The threat looming over Dawn's energy was powerful. Death would come for her soon, but it didn't have to... Not if he found her before it was too late.

I'm coming, he vowed. He hoped she could feel him and that it brought her some comfort. She was so much like Daphne that it was a bit unnerving, but he'd die before he let any harm come to her.

Zuzu flew overhead. Here, he said. This way!

Lido quickly followed the phelinx. He found himself outside of a house that looked remarkably ordinary. He knew it was the right place when he spotted Jezzeff and Shelby heading inside.

He was about to follow them when Zuzu swooped down in front of him. No, he said. Daphne is safe. If you rush in, she will not be.

Dawn, Lido automatically corrected him.

She is very Daphne-like, Zuzu insisted.

She is still Dawn, Lido replied firmly. We must respect who she is now or this may become... confusing for us.

Wait for Jezzeff to leave. Then you can go in without endangering her. The Pink one won't harm her.

Her name is Shelby, and she might.

I believe she can choose differently, if given the chance.

Perhaps she can. Even the most broken of souls can heal. I understand that now. He paused. I don't like waiting.

I know. She is safe for now. If that changes, you will go in. I'll follow you. I enjoy biting Jezzeff.

Lido chuckled slightly to himself. I remember, he said.

Resigned to the fact that all he could do was wait, Lido found a suitable place near the house where he could hide out until it was time to head inside.

SHELBY
She was full of conflicting emotions. She knew Jezzeff had brought her back. He'd seen something in her when no one else did. She owed him her loyalty, but she wanted to make the choice for herself.

I'm in over my head, she thought. Even if I wanted to leave the Guild, I can't... The loyalty spell kicks in if I even consider it.

Sure enough, her mind started screaming at her. How can you think like that? Jezz has been nothing but good to you! He believes in you! He cares about you! You owe him!

"Shelby... Are you feeling alright? You look a bit off," Jezzeff said in a concerned tone.

See? He cares. You can't betray him. He's all you have. He's the only one who thinks you're worth anything. What would you do? You can't go to your dad because he thinks you're dead and the shock of you being alive might kill him. You can't go back to your old team. Chase and Kendall want your head on a platter! Tyler doesn't love you anymore! You have no one except Jezz! You'll be alone in the world if you leave him!

"Shelby?" Dawn called gently. She touched her arm. "You're really lost in thought."

"Oh! Sorry... My mind just wandered away," Shelby replied quickly. Dawn's touch had grounded her enough to quiet her mind down.

"Perhaps you need some rest, Shelby," Jezzeff suggested. "Go take a little time to recharge. I have urgent business to attend to in Japan. I'll return soon, but until I do, you should relax for a while."

"Thanks, Jezz," Shelby replied. "I'll do that."

Satisfied, he turned toward Dawn. "I hope you won't be too lonely," he said. "I could call Zutan to keep you company."

"Don't worry," Dawn replied with a smile. "I'm quite good at entertaining myself, and your library could keep me occupied for weeks."

"A girl after my own heart," he said with approval. He left them soon after, and Shelby headed up to her bedroom, leaving Dawn in the library. 

As she sat on her bed, she found herself clutching the stuffed triceratops Tyler had given her. She wished it could bring her comfort like it used to, but it didn't work. The Flames removed any chance of her feeling something as pure as comfort. 

I want to think for myself, she thought. I want to break this hold he has on my mind... But how can I? 

A single word popped into her mind then. Sakura.

Sakura? Why would she help me? I'm part of the Guild. She probably wants me dead, Shelby argued with the disembodied voice in her head. Dawn would probably have a field day with that one. Hearing voices didn't exactly imply Shelby was sane.

Trust me, Shelby... If you truly want this, Sakura will help you... And she's the only one who can, the voice insisted.

Who are you? She asked suspiciously.

I can't tell you that. Just know that you have exactly one shot to change your destiny, Shelby, and this is it.

How am I even supposed to contact her? 

Just call out for her. She'll find you. 

The property's warded. No one can get in unless Jezzeff allows it.

It is warded... But Sakura is no ordinary Power Ranger, and neither are you. The Lazarus Rangers were brought back from the Underworld. Sakura is a Soul Reaper. Nothing can prevent her from reaching a soul if she deems it necessary. 

That actually made a lot of sense. Jezzeff was gone, so this might be Shelby's only chance to call out for Sakura without anyone realizing what she was up to. She took a deep breath and decided to trust the voice. 

"Sakura..." She whispered. Nothing happened. "Sakura!" She tried a little bit louder. "I need help... Please. I think I'm really in over my head." 

For a few minutes, nothing happened, and Shelby was convinced her efforts had been pointless. Then, she heard the front door open. She raced downstairs in a panic and realized Sakura had walked right in the front door... And she wasn't alone.

"Lido..." Shelby whispered in terror. She grabbed her boomerang, but Sakura shook her head.

"He's not here for you," Sakura said. "He's here to rescue Dawn. I don't recommend getting in his way." 

"I can't just let him take her... Jezz will kill me," Shelby replied. 

"You can't stop me, Shelby," Lido said bluntly. "She is Daphne,  and my connection to her cannot be blocked. I will bring her home."

"She..." Shelby sighed. Dawn had been so kind to her. She'd been a friend, and Shelby was in desperate need of those. She couldn't bring herself to keep Dawn trapped when someone had come to save her. It felt wrong. "She's in the library. It's that way." Shelby pointed to it. Lido immediately headed toward it. 

"Alright, Shelby... You called. What do you want?" Sakura asked.

"Jezz lied to me."

"There's a shock. Were his lips moving? That's usually a sign that he's lying."

"He put a loyalty spell on me and I want it broken... I want to know how I really feel, not how he wants me to feel."

"I can break it... Is that all you need?"

"I don't know... I don't like how the Flames make me feel... It's like everything's filtered, and all I can feel is anger and pain and more anger... I can't cry. I can't feel love... Even when I know I should. I don't think I want to keep being like this, but the Flames brought me back. I wasn't just turned... The Flames gave me life. I don't think it can be reversed."

"It's not impossible... I know the other Power Rangers are trying to find a way to fix the rest of your team. If you agreed to let them try to fix you, it might work."

"No one will want to help me. Sage saw to that."

"Fuck Sage. She doesn't get a say."

Shelby stared at Sakura in surprise. "Wait... What? You don't like Sage?"

"I hate Sage. And, once upon a time, she was my sister before I died and became a Soul Reaper. I'm actually the oldest of the triplets, which means my magic is stronger than hers, and I outrank her. My job, as a Soul Reaper and as a Shaman, is to help souls heal, move on, and reincarnate. If you genuinely want help, it's my duty to try."

"But I messed everything up... I got James killed because I was too stubborn to listen to anyone's warnings. I wanted to prove I was better than Kendall or at least on her level... But I should have listened to Doctor K if nothing else. No one knew Venjix better than she did. I really messed up, and I was so stunned when James died, and I didn't know what to do... And Sage sent me away before I could fix it." 

"Sage made the right call, Shelby, as much as I hate saying those words. You were making his death all about yourself. It wasn't fair to Tyler."

"I know that now. I messed up so much... And then I killed myself and made it all worse... And now I came back as part of Jezz's Guild because I was too stupid to see the truth about what he was up to."

"It's a major step for you to admit what you just did... And it shows you're ready to try to change. You finally accepted responsibility. That's something you refused to do before. But as far as you falling for Jezzeff's lies? Better people have done the same thing. He's the greatest liar in the universe, Shelby, so cut yourself some slack on that one. The important thing is that you see the truth now." She took a deep breath. "Give me your hands."

Shelby nervously allowed Sakura to take her hands. She could feel a strange energy moving through her until her entire head felt like it was vibrating furiously. Eventually, it stopped, and Sakura released her hands. 

"Say something disloyal about Jezzeff," Sakura said. 

Shelby braced herself for pain as she said, "Jezz betrayed me and lied to me... I don't want to be his puppet anymore." She flinched, but nothing happened. "Oh my God... It worked! It worked, Sakura! It didn't  hurt and my mind isn't yelling at me that I'm wrong or awful or anything. It worked!" 

"You're welcome," Sakura replied with a laugh. 

"But what happens now? I can't leave... I have nowhere to go."

"Let me bring you to the Command Center. Zordon can figure out a place for you to stay for now. You can work on seeing your team later." 

"I can't, Sakura. I can't face them after what I did... Especially not when I can't feel the guilt properly. Even if I apologize, it would be insincere and meaningless. I don't feel remorse." 

"You do, you just can't register it. Zordon will be willing to help you. He can keep you hidden away from everyone else until the time is right."

Lido hurried into the room suddenly before Shelby could make a decision. He aimed his gun at her. "Where is she?" He demanded.

"I told you, she's in the library," Shelby replied in confusion, putting her hands up in surrender before Lido decided to kill her and move on. "I was telling the truth, I swear."

"She's not in there, Shelby, and I can't feel her anywhere in this house."

"That's impossible... She's trapped in the house. Jezz sealed her in here." 

"She. Isn't. Here," he said in a harsh tone.

"Lido, take a breath and calm yourself," Sakura replied. "Shelby wasn't lying, and I feel the magic sealing her in the house. She's still here somewhere... We just can't detect the location."

"What does that mean?" He demanded. 

"She's Daphne, right? Maybe she fell into a pocket realm by accident. Every aspect of her soul is clumsy. I doubt Dawn is an exception to the rule." 

He took several deep breaths before he finally seemed calmer. "How do we find her? I don't know this house."

"I do," Shelby replied awkwardly. "I can help, if you promise not to shoot me. I'm pretty sure I look prettier without bullet holes in my body." 

"If you betray us, Shelby, I will make you suffer until you beg for the mercy of death," Lido replied.

"Okay, now I get why people were so afraid of you back in your Rebellion days... I guess this is the Executioner coming out?" 

Lido looked bothered by her comment. "I'm not that person anymore," he replied after a moment in a much softer tone. 

"No, you aren't," Sakura said soothingly. "But it's okay to let your warrior side out when you're worried about someone you love."

Shelby wondered if there was still anyone alive who'd care about her enough to get that upset if she was the one who went missing. She knew in that moment that she'd made a decision about which side she was on, at least for the moment. 

"Come on," Shelby said. "Let's go find her. It'll go a lot faster if we work together."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: After ten years of working at my current job, I am about to start a new one in a very different environment, and my commute will be significantly shorter. Since I usually do most of my writing during my commute, I need to figure out a new way to make time for my many projects. I'll still be updating, but until I adjust to my new routine, the updates may come slower than usual. I promise I'm still working on this story (and a few of my others) and I'll update as frequently as I can. I really appreciate all of your support. I love you, Ranger Nation.