CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
THE HUNTRESS
She had compiled a list of victims. It was clear someone had been assassinating Coalition targets without her permission with alarming frequency. Eris did the only thing she could... She called a meeting.

The Coalition had an enormous amount of members, but that wasn't a problem. She simply had them meet in the Eighth District where most Eltarians feared to tread.

They came, of course. It was very rare that Eris summoned the entire Coalition at once, so they knew it had to be important. They stood anxiously awaiting her arrival as she watched from the shadows.

The Elites were at the front. As much as Eris hoped they weren't the ones responsible for going against her orders, she was realistic. They were by far the most impressive members of the Coalition, and if anyone could start a mutiny against her, it was one of them.

She marched to the front of the crowd with her head held high, confident as always. They needed to be reminded who was in control here. "Greetings," she began. "Since everyone is here, I'm going to get straight to the point. The Coalition is no longer affiliated with the Guild, Jezzeff of Eltar, or the Witch. In addition, we are no longer performing random executions. All attacks are to be cleared by me first before any action is taken."

"But, Huntress-" Mezdan protested.

"I did not give you permission to speak, Mezdan of Eltar," Eris snapped. "Know your place."

"Of course. Apologies," he replied quickly.

"We are going to do things differently. Slaughtering random innocents changes nothing. To accomplish our goals and bring true change to Eltar, we must become more organized and strategic. If you have a problem with this, speak now."

Heather hesitated before stepping forward. "Respectfully, Huntress, you have not sent us on an assignment in a bit... It almost appears as if you have come to sympathize with your brother and his allies," she said.

"I admire your candor, Heather," Eris replied. "It takes courage to call me out. With that said, to remain a part of the Coalition, you must declare obedience and loyalty to me. If you cannot do that, this is your only chance to leave."

"I'm with you, Huntress," Mella said bravely.

"As am I," Thyme replied stoically.

Several people echoed this. Unfortunately, not all of the Elites did.

"You have lost your way, Huntress," Mezdan said. "This is a sad day indeed. Those who wish to continue our fight, stand with me!"

An alarmingly high number of people stood with him. Zaelah was the first at his side, which didn't surprise Eris much. Those two were probably the ringleaders of the mutiny. Anzella, Daneena, Heather, Malorah, and Phoenix also stood with them. Eris knew all of them would make dangerous enemies. The former members of the Florida Chapter of the Eltarian Rebellion also stood with Mezdan.

Remaining with Eris were Mella, Thyme, Cadence, Dexter, Missy, Kenzee, Kleo, Lenora, and Trixie, along with a small number of the rest of the Coalition members. Most were older and had been loyal to Eris for a long time. At least I've still got the dragon on my side, she thought. She definitely didn't want to make an enemy of Trixie.

"You have all made your choice," Eris said. "Know that when we meet again, it will be as enemies."

One of Mezdan's new lackeys pulled out a gun. Eris put an arrow in his heart before he could pull the trigger. "Does anyone else wish to challenge me?" She asked.

"Come," Mezdan said. "We have somewhere else to be." He opened a portal and took his new underlings with him before Eris could assassinate anyone else.

"What now, Huntress?" Dex asked.

"Now I compile a list of traitors and make sure it gets to Keilah and Grayzee. They are no longer my concern," Eris replied.

"And what do we do?" Missy asked.

"Stay out of trouble and await further instructions."

"You heard her. Let's go back to Earth and lay low," Dex replied. "Party at my place!"

Eris watched as the significantly smaller Coalition left. When she was alone, she started making a list of the ex-members. Keilah and Grayzee were welcome to hunt them to their heart's content.

KENDALL
Since finding Dawn had proven impossible, Kendall had thrown herself into her work. She needed the distraction.

The knock on her bedroom door only served to annoy her. "What?" She snapped.

"Sorry to disturb you, but I thought you'd want to see someone," Tyler said. He was smiling brightly.

"I'm busy trying to-" Kendall froze as she saw the person who came in behind Tyler. "Dawn?"

"Hey, Kendall," she replied.

"I'll leave you two alone," Tyler said before walking away.

"How?" Kendall asked. She started examining her sister for signs of injury or distress.

"Lido found me," Dawn explained. "He and Sakura saved me."

"Are you hurt? What happened? Why did they abduct you? Did they say anything? Did that bastard touch you? I swear I'll-"

"Kendall!" Dawn said, stopping her rant. "I'm okay. Jezz didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?"

"He was trying to get me to trust him. Hurting me would have been counterproductive."

"I suppose you're right."

Dawn hugged her, which Kendall accepted. She was typically a very awkward hugger, but Dawn didn't seem to mind that. It stunned Kendall when she realized Dawn had started crying.

"Dawn..." She said softly.

"I'm sorry," Dawn replied quickly. "I'm just a little overwhelmed..."

"Of course you are. That's only natural. It's okay."

"I stayed calm through it... I assessed the situation, figured out how to approach everyone involved, and even ended up doing what I hope will be helpful recon while I was there. I documented Jezz's ritual room and his Book of Shadows, and I even tried to document the weapons he has hidden in his sacred space. I-"

"Dawn, stop," Kendall cut off her almost manic rambling. "It's okay. Breathe. You did well. I am very proud of you."

"Kendall... I was scared," Dawn admitted in an ashamed tone.

"You were abducted by the biggest sociopath in the known Universe. It would have been foolish not to be scared. You're safe now. I'm so sorry this part of my life touched you. I never thought it would. I promise I won't let any of this hurt you ever again." She paused. "Wait. Why did Lido get involved? How did he know to find you?"

Dawn sighed. "I was having a nightmare and Lido had it with me."

"As a Shaman, or...?"

"He shared sight with me."

Kendall tensed. "Lido has only ever shared sight with Daphne and her reincarnations." She shook her head. "No. No, I refuse to believe that you're-"

"I was Daphne," Dawn said firmly, ending the debate.

Kendall sighed. She couldn't deny that, upon meeting Andie, the girl had reminded her of her younger sister in several ways. It was part of why Kendall liked Andie so much. It didn't completely shock her that they were different parts of the same soul. "How long have you known?"

"Jezz intentionally unlocked my memories, but only ones that painted him in a heroic light. Luckily, I'm good at spotting sociopaths. I didn't fall for his lies."

"I'm relieved to hear it, although it does bother me a bit to hear you call him by a nickname."

"I'm sorry... Daphne almost never called him Jezzeff. She grew up with him. Kendall, there's something else you should know."

"Go on."

"Shelby helped me escape."

"Shelby? Kendall repeated in disbelief. "Dawn, you can't trust her!"

"She's different now, Kendall. She had her light restored. Whatever was done for her team hit her, too."

"The problem was never her light, Dawn, it was her attitude. She was so arrogant she killed her own teammate!" 

"I know. She told me everything, Kendall. And she owned up to it. And once her light was restored, she actually started to process it."

"Her crocodile tears are meaningless to me."

"It wasn't just tears. She admitted it's her fault. She didn't make any excuses. She understands now what she did."

"It's too late for that. She killed herself just to punish us, Dawn. She texted her ex-boyfriend so he could find her corpse. Do you understand that Tyler used to smile all the time and she made him cry hysterically? That is the kind of person Shelby Watkins is."

"No, that's the kind of person she was. She wants to change, Kendall. She wants to do the right thing... And I'm going to help her do it."

"You are not!"

"I love you, Kendall, and I have nothing but respect for you, but if I don't help Shelby right now, she's going to go running back to Jezz. She doesn't think she has anyone else."

"Because she destroyed all of her previous relationships, with Tyler, with our team, with her father... It's not like she can go home. That man buried his daughter because she was a selfish brat who wanted to hurt people and didn't care what it might do to them."

"I understand why you're mad at her. You have every right to hate her, but if no one gives her a chance, how will she ever change?"

That was a hard point to argue, but Kendall wasn't willing to forget Shelby's past. "We can't be expected to trust her after what she did, Dawn."

"I'm not asking you to trust her yet. I'm asking you to respect that I'm going to try and help her work through all of this so she can earn that trust back by proving she's changed."

"Shelby's dangerous, and she has an especially dangerous weapon thanks to Jezzeff."

"She won't hurt me, Kendall. Shelby is extremely lonely. She's desperate for a friend, and right now, I'm the only one she's got."

"I'm not okay with this, Dawn."

"I know. I didn't think you would be, but I'm asking you to trust me anyway."

Kendall sighed. "I trust you, Dawn. It's Shelby I'm worried about." She realized how exhausted Dawn looked then. "You didn't sleep, did you? Come on. You can crash in my bed until we can figure out better arrangements."

"Thanks, Kendall."

"Of course." Kendall focused on making Dawn comfortable after that. She remained at her side as she tried to fall asleep and didn't dare leave her for fear of what horrors might come for her in the night, even if they were only inside of her own mind.

DIMITRIA

She knew what had to be done. That made it easier in some ways, but looking into the eyes of her daughter, she wasn't sure how she could bring herself to leave her again. Yes, it was for the greater good. Yes, it was a necessary sacrifice. Yes, she had accepted her fate long ago. Yet now, as her sweet little girl sat curled up beside her and she stroked her hair, she reconsidered, just for one brief moment, following her destiny.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Patti asked. It was still strange to think of her by that name, but Krista Marie preferred it, and Dimitria had tried to respect her wishes.

"My sweet girl... I fear our time together is almost at an end," Dimitria replied.

"But... Are you sure? Can't we do anything to-?"

"My sister must be dealt with. Our fates have always been intertwined, and I fear I lingered beyond my time as it is."

"What do you mean?"

"She has died twice now, yet part of her keeps ending up back here, even if only in spirit. If I do not let go of this life, Jezzeff will resurrect her and turn her into something which can never be saved."

Patti looked like she was going to cry, but she forced a brave smile. "I understand, Mom," she said softly.

It broke something in Dimitria to see her daughter so sad. It didn't help that Bradley entered the room then, and he looked nearly as broken as their child. "Patti... It's time for me to take you home," he said.

"Wait!" Patti protested. "Can't we stay with her? Until... Until it's over?"

"Sweetheart, I don't think you should be here for that," Dimitria replied. "Either of you."

"Dimitria... We love you," Bradley said. "Let us stay. You shouldn't have to be alone for this."

"I love you, too, my precious daughter, and my dear, dear Bradley." She kissed him. He was the only man she'd ever loved, but their destinies had kept them far apart most of the time they'd known each other. "I am grateful we have had this small amount of time together. I got to see our sweet girl all grown up. I am so proud to be your mother, Patti. You are everything I could have hoped and more."

Patti began crying then. "I love you," she told her. "I wish we'd had more time..."

"I know, but the time we have had was a gift." She hugged Patti and kissed the top of her head. "My spirit lives on within you both. I shall always be with you, my truest loves."

The world began to blur as the last of her energy faded. As Dimitria set off on the next step of her journey, she found peace in knowing her daughter and her beloved were holding her hand.

PATTI

She hadn't expected it to hurt so much. Patti had barely met Dimitria. She was a stranger, and yet, she was a part of her. As her father gently pulled her into his arms, Patti found herself unable to accept what had just happened.

"Dad... Are you okay?" She asked him.

"I'm devastated," he admitted, "but I'm not surprised. Dimitria was nothing if not selfless. She would never stray from her destiny."

"Will you be alright? I can stay-"

"Patti, it's alright if you need some space right now."

"But what about you? I mean... First you lost Hannah, and now my mom... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's alright. I'm still heartbroken about your sister, and this hurts almost as much, but I'm not alone in the world, Patti. I have the rest of the family to lean on. I know this is difficult for you. Do whatever you need to do to process it."

"Thanks, Dad... I love you." She kissed his cheek.

"I love you, too, sweetheart. Go on. I'll take care of what needs to be taken care of."

Patti realized her father probably needed time alone with her mother so he could grieve however he needed to. She left the house and found herself unsure of where to go. She decided to just start walking until she ended up somewhere.

She sort of zoned out as she walked, not paying attention to her surroundings or her emotions. Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her out of the way of a speeding car. She yelped in surprise before looking at her rescuer.

"Cooper..." She mumbled.

"Patti, what the hell? You almost got yourself killed!" He snapped.

"I... I just... Dimitria's dead!" She blurted out.

Cooper softened slightly. "That's not a good reason to get yourself run over, but I'm sorry," he said. "What can I do to help?"

"I don't know. I'm not really sure what I feel right now. I'm sort of... Numb?"

"That's normal."

"You say that like you have a lot of experience. Is it because of Jo's dad?"

"Not just him." Cooper hesitated. "I've lost other people."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"If we're talking, you're not walking in front of cars. Come on." He led her back toward his apartment. Once they were inside, Patti sat down on the couch. Cooper made some coffee before sitting beside her.

"So..." Patti began awkwardly.

"So, I recovered some of my memories from my childhood once Dark Specter was gone," Cooper said. "A couple of weeks before he kidnapped me, my older sister died."

"Did he kill her?"

"No... He didn't." Cooper sighed. "She had a boyfriend who liked putting his hands on her. One day when she was babysitting me, he came over. She hid me in the basement and told me not to come out, but I looked through the crack under the door, and I saw her... He beat her to death, and I couldn't save her. I was only six years old... But I still blame myself."

"Cooper... That's horrible, but it's not your fault."

"Logically, I know that, but it's hard to remember when I see her dead body in my mind. She was only sixteen..." He shook his head. "The point is, her death still haunts me. It's not something I'll ever get over."

"Is that why you won't hit a girl even if she tries to hurt you?"

"Yeah, I guess it is. I blocked it out for a long time, but something like that lingers in your subconscious."

"I'm so sorry, Cooper..."

"That's not why I told you. Don't apologize. I just want you to know that I understand grief and how complicated it can be."

"I just feel so lost. I didn't expect it to hurt like this."

"Grief is like that. It sneaks up on you, and sometimes, it hits harder than you think it will."

"I really need a distraction."

Cooper considered this. "Come to the Dojo with me," he said.

"The Dojo?"

"It's where I go when I need a distraction. The physical release helps, I promise."

She nodded. "Okay," she agreed. "Thanks, Cooper."

"Any time."

She followed him to the Dojo and quickly lost herself in training. He wasn't wrong about it helping, and soon, she was focused entirely on that. Cooper pushed her just enough to keep her busy, getting more intense as she warmed up and adapted. He was an incredible sparring partner, and soon she found it easier to anticipate his next move and counter it. After nearly an hour of this, Patti surprised him by sweeping his legs out from under him.

Cooper laughed as Patti slipped and landed on top of him. For a split second, everything stopped. Then, before she even realized she was moving, Patti kissed his lips.

She'd never done anything like that before. It stunned her almost as much as it had probably stunned Cooper. She pulled away after a moment and bit her lip in embarrassment before awkwardly looking into his eyes. As she was about to get off of him, Cooper pulled her back down. His lips met hers eagerly, and Patti couldn't believe this was really happening.

When they were both a bit breathless, Cooper finally allowed her to pull away. Patti needed a moment before she got back on her feet. She offered him her hand and helped him stand. "I... Um... That was... Um..." Patti began rambling awkwardly.

"Patti, not everything has to be talked about," Cooper said gently.

She nodded and laughed nervously. "I've just... I've never really..."

"I know," he replied patiently. "It's okay."

"Was it awful?"

"Do you really think I'd have pulled you back down if it was?"

Patti blushed, which made Cooper smirk slightly. "You really are adorable," he said, shaking his head.

"Cooper... Was that a pity kiss?"

"No," he replied firmly. "Trust me, the last thing I was thinking about was pitying you just now."

"Really? So... You like me?"

He looked into her eyes, suddenly very serious as he said, "Yeah, Patti. I like you."

"Are we... A thing now or whatever? How does this work?"

"I'm no expert. My last girlfriend was an evil succubus who was also a faerie and one of Dark Specter's Power Rangers. To say it was complicated is an understatement... So I guess we can consider ourselves something, at least until you want to run away screaming."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not boyfriend material."

She kissed him again, a little shyly this time, until he eagerly kissed her back. "I'm pretty sure you aren't the one who gets to make that call," Patti replied as she broke the kiss.

"Wow, Patti. That was actually kind of smooth," Cooper teased her.

"I guess I'm learning."

He smirked before asking, "Ready for round two?"

"Of kissing? I think we're on round three, actually."

Cooper burst out laughing, and this time it was full of such pure amusement it made him seem a lot less intimidating. "Well, we could go for that, but I was referring to our sparring session."

"I knew that!" She lied in embarrassment. Then, she started to laugh, too. She paused after a moment. "Is it wrong?"

She didn't have to explain. Cooper seemed to understand immediately that she meant laughing. "No," he replied seriously, "but it's going to feel that way for a while."

She nodded. "Okay," she said. "Let's spar."

DIVATOX

She felt strange, although she couldn't quite understand why. Something just seemed... wrong.

"It's probably my imagination," she decided aloud.

"Is something wrong, Divatox?" Jezzeff asked.

"I just feel a bit off," she replied quickly.

"That's probably because Dimitria has entered the Afterlife."

She froze in place. "Dimitria is dead?" She repeated in disbelief. She should be jumping for joy! It was a day of celebration! Finally, that sanctimonious pain in her ass was gone! She laughed, and then she laughed some more, and soon, she was nearly hysterical. And then, much to her own confusion, Divatox realized she didn't feel joy or amusement or anything else... She just felt empty.

"I thought you'd be pleased by this development," Jezzeff said as he studied her.

"Oh, I am! Of course I am. Ding dong, the wench is gone!" Divatox replied, but her chest hurt slightly.

I don't understand... I hated her, Divatox thought.

Sister... A voice called. Sister, walk away from him... He is not your ally!

There you go, still trying to give me orders from beyond the grave! Divatox replied.

Please, sister, listen to me... He's dangerous to you! He only means to use you.

No, Divatox insisted. He's going to bring me back! Don't try to trick me.

You are smarter than this. Do not fall for his lies.

Why should I listen to you?

Because you know the truth in your heart, Divatox.

I have no heart.

You are not what he believes you are. You have good inside of you. All you have to do is touch it.

I don't want to!

This path he has set you on shall only end in heartache. I cannot make your choice for you, but I have come here today to bring you where you belong.

Where? Back to the darkest part of the Underworld, with no friends and nothing to do? No thank you!

No, Sister... You will not be alone. I shall remain at your side.

So you're sending me to hell? Because that sounds like torture.

Listen to your heart. What is it telling you about Jezzeff?

He's charming, handsome, and powerful. What more is there to want?

Look deeper. See the truth, Sister.

Divatox turned her attention back to Jezzeff. "Why have you come to me today?" She asked. "Do you need me to do something?"

"I do, but if you need time, it can wait," Jezzeff replied. "I hadn't considered what Dimitria's passing might do to you."

"I'm alright. Tell me what it is you need, Jezzeff. I'll do it. Anything to prove myself and get my body back."

"Wonderful. I need you to help me eliminate a threat. He can't be killed, but I believe he can be contained."

She hesitated. "Who is he?" She asked, dreading the answer.

"Laby. You two have history. He will walk right into a trap if I use you to set it."

"What will you do to him?"

"Whatever I must. It's not really your concern. Lure Laby into my trap and I'll resurrect you."

"That's it? I don't have to do anything else?"

"If you accomplish this, there will be no need for further tests."

"I'm in! Just tell me where to lure him."

"Right here. I need you to call out for him.  Tell him you've made a terrible mistake and need his help."

"What makes you think he'll come?"

"Laby regrets leaving you to die on Jaybert's orders. His conscience won't allow him to abandon you again. I'll ensure he hears you with a spell."

She nodded. "I understand."

"Good. I will remain hidden in the shadows until he arrives, and then I'll ambush him."

Divatox waited for him to vanish before she dramatically cried out. "Oh, Laby! Come help me! I'm completely in over my head, and Jezzeff has a grip on my soul! Please... I don't think I can trust anyone else!" She kept fussing for a couple of minutes until a labyrinth opened up in front of her.

"Hey, Deevs," Laby greeted her as if no time had passed. "Do you want to explain why you called me here?"

"Jezzeff's going to betray me, Laby... I have to get out of this, but I truly don't know how to. Please, can you help me? You're capable of the impossible," she replied.

He softened slightly at how nervous she was. "Do you really want help?" He asked.

"I do... I made some poor choices before, and now I'm making them again... I have to change my path."

He nodded. "I'm not a necromancer or anything, but I know a few people who can help you out. Come with me and-"

She stopped listening as she saw the pure concern and determination in his eyes. He does care, she realized. Of all of the Rebels, he's the only one who genuinely gave a damn about me... Well, him, and perhaps Amareese... And now I'm going to betray him...

"Laby, run!" She shouted.

"What?"

"Go! Go right now! It's a trap!"

Jezzeff appeared out of the shadows. "Run!" Divatox shouted to Laby again.

"You betrayed Jezzeff for me?" Laby asked in obvious shock.

"Divatox! You will pay for this treachery!" Jezzeff declared.

"Treachery? Isn't that kind of the pot calling the kettle black, Jezz?" Laby replied.

"Laby, go! Get out of here!" Divatox insisted. She knew Jezzeff would probably destroy her, but it didn't matter. Laby was the one person she knew cared about her. That was motivation enough to protect him no matter the cost.

"I'm not leaving you, Deevs. Not again," Laby replied firmly.

"You would risk your safety for me?"

"I kind of owe you that much." He turned toward Jezzeff just as Jezzeff drew his sword. "Really, Jezz? It's not like it can kill me."

"It still hurts," Jezzeff retorted angrily.

"Please. I had multiple clips of ammunition emptied into  my head the day the Eltarian Government decided to kill a bunch of unarmed, peaceful protestors. That hurt like a bitch. But a sword? That's like a fucking papercut to me."

"Let's test the theory!" Jezzeff lunged at Laby. He dodged the attack just in time. Enraged, Jezzeff turned toward Divatox. "I will obliterate your soul for your disloyalty!" He declared.

Divatox was very nervous as he began to cast a spell, but before he could release it, Dimitria slammed into her. Their energies merged as one, and suddenly, Divatox knew exactly how to save herself from his attack.

How? She wondered.

Jezzeff has been draining my energy for about a year, Dimitria replied. My energy is a part of him, so I know exactly what he's going to do.

Why are you helping me?

Because we're sisters, Diva... And I wish I could have helped you sooner.

For the first time in her life, Divatox worked with Dimitria on a common goal. They took the energy Jezzeff was about to fling at them and transformed it, making it their own. Holding her twin sister's hand, Divatox declared, "I am no one's puppet! Viva La Diva!"

Jezzeff let out a stunned cry as the attack slammed him into the nearest wall multiple times and violently tore a chunk of his energy away from him.

"Laby, go," Divatox said. "I'm safe now. Thank you for staying by my side."

"Thanks for not betraying me," he replied. "Good luck, Deevs. I sincerely wish you a happy Afterlife."

He left before Jezzeff could get his bearings. "Let your manifestation go now, Sister," Dimitria said. "It is time for us to move on... Together."

"Together," Divatox agreed. She allowed her sister to help her release the energy that had made her nearly physical. As they faded from sight, she saw a light.

"Will I be destroyed?" She asked. "The light's not meant for people like me."

"You have chosen well, Diva," Dimitria replied. "I believe that it is meant for you now."

"I'm still evil," Divatox insisted stubbornly, a little scared of any other possibility. She didn't want to turn into a clone of Dimitria. That was her worst nightmare. Could she cross over into the light without completely giving up who she was inside?

"You are a work in progress," Dimitria corrected her gently. "Don't worry, Diva. There is room for all sorts here."

She was still nervous, but she held her head high like the Diva she was and marched right through into the light with the sister she'd always denied by her side.

LILY

She was feeling uneasy. Lily and Theo had been trying to stay to the sidelines as much as possible unless they were truly needed. At first, it had been because they were recovering from the shock of being reunited, but then... Well... There was a reason Lily shouldn't be on the front lines, and she hadn't exactly told anyone except for Theo, Casey, RJ, and Fran.

"Greetings," a voice said from the shadows. "I do so hate to harm you, Lily... After all, not only did you do serious harm to Zell when he tried to make you his minion, but you also have tremendous inner strength on your own. I respect you."

"Jezzeff..." She said softly as she turned around to face him. She hadn't been expecting a fight when she went out for a walk, but Lily was no pushover.

"Were you still Mistress Cheetah, I might have recruited you. Unfortunately, I have need of you for something else."

"I'm not interested." She assumed a defensive stance, trying to anticipate what Jezzeff might be planning.

"I was weakened, Lily, by the last entity I expected to be capable of such a thing. On top of that, my dearest Shelby has vanished, and along with her, I lost a captive of mine. I imagine Shelby was abducted, but I can't guarantee that. You can't blame me for being suspicious. I'm sure Mistress Cheetah knows how difficult it is to find good minions these days."

"Loyalty needs to be earned or it's not worth anything," Lily replied.

"Perhaps I should keep that in mind. For now, however, it is time to get down to business. I need access to the Chosen powers from Zedd's bloodline. You, my dear, descend from that line. And to kill both you and your unborn child will be the ultimate power boost."

Lily may not have been evil anymore, but she was about two seconds away from turning into Mistress Cheetah now. "I don't know how you know, Jezzeff, but I will destroy you before I let you harm me or my baby," she hissed.

Jezzeff pulled out his ritual knife. Lily was about to attack him when something unexpected happened.

"No!" A voice she hadn't heard in a year cried. "Mistress, stand behind me!"

Lily turned around in disbelief and spotted Xanti, the youngest and only surviving brother of Lord Xylon, and Mistress Cheetah's top minion. "Xanti? I... I thought you were killed when we attacked Eltar," she said in confusion.

"It is not so easy to kill an incubus, Mistress Cheetah," he replied as he cast a shield around her.

"It's Lily," she corrected him.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful young woman. You may not be evil, Lily, but you are far too special for me to allow a lowlife like Jezzeff of Eltar to steal the powers of you and your child."

"Xanti..." She shook her head. "I won't let you give your life for mine."

"Mis- Lily. I have lived a very long time, and only because my nephew gave me a chance to prove myself worthy... A chance I threw away in the pursuit of more power. You are extraordinary. You give me hope for the future of our family... And that future will never come to pass if Jezzeff steals your life force. So be safe, Lily, and protect that child with all that you possess."

He stepped in front of Jezzeff. "I won't let them leave!" Jezzeff declared. "Their powers shall be mine!" He launched his dagger straight at Lily.

Xanti dove in front of the dagger. It impaled his heart. He let out a cry of pain as he began to rapidly bleed out.

"What is happening?" Jezzeff demanded.

"You are gaining the power of the original line of Royal incubi," Xanti replied. "And since you have stolen it from me, you can no longer steal it from Lily or her child."

Jezzeff cursed, but continued to absorb the powers. Lily wanted to run to Xanti and help him, but the shield prevented it. She watched, still partially in shock from his actions, as he continued to bleed out. She could see his energy flowing into Jezzeff. Finally, when Xanti was far too still, Jezzeff turned to Lily.

"Congratulations on the child, Lily. I do hope you and your husband are happy with the time you have left," he said before jumping into a portal and vanishing.

Lily sank to her knees for a moment as she tried to process what had just happened. She finally headed toward Xanti's body. "I believed you were pure evil," she said, "but Zedd was right. There was a shred of good in you. I'll make sure he knows the truth. Thank you, Xanti."

She touched her hand to her stomach and tried to calm her nerves as she pulled out her cell phone. She knew that, no matter what she did next, it was not safe to do it alone. At least not while she was carrying an innocent baby. Jezzeff might not be able to steal her powers, but that didn't mean he'd let her live for long.

KEILAH
She was nearly ready. Everything was in place, but there was no guarantee it would work. With the way Jezzeff and the Witch kept changing the Flames, reversing the effects was complicated to say the least.

She looked at the young Rangers in front of her. She'd brought them to Eltar because it seemed like the best place to keep them until they could be fixed. Currently, Devon was glaring at her coldly from the cell she had put him in. Next-door was Ravi. She'd discovered sitting him down with art supplies kept him surprisingly calm, and he was currently losing himself in that. Zoey was jumping up and down in her cell and throwing some sort of temper tantrum. She got an impressive amount of height and was barely missing hitting her head on the ceiling with each jump.

Nate was quieter. He seemed a little bit scared by their current situation and had quickly realized it was pointless to try to fight their way out.

Finally, there was Steel. He was the most reluctant to fight. Ironically, the former robot seemed more human than the rest of his team, and it was almost like the Flames had done the bare minimum on him. He was evil, but he clearly didn't want to be.

"Keilah... Do you really think you can fix us?" He asked.

He was so nervous and timid he reminded her of her youngest son, Lando. Keilah softened immediately. "I'm hopeful," she replied. "I've reversed this process on several people now. And I think you're the key."

"Me?" He repeated in surprise.

"Yes. The Flames didn't take to you the way they did to everyone else, and you were all turned at the same time. That weakens the hold on everyone. I encountered a group Jezzeff did this to in another realm where one of the guys had a twin. Because he didn't think to turn the other twin, his brother wasn't as evil as the rest of his group because of his connection to that other half of him. I was able to reverse it enough in him that I could access the rest of the group's energy and fix them, too."

"So... If you start fixing me..."

"I should be able to fix everyone else, too."

He nodded. "Then I'm ready when you are."

She smiled encouragingly before she began the ritual. Flames of her own shot up from the ground, making Steel jump back in terror. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "Zell taught me the original spell for the Flames. I changed it so they're Flames of Good instead of Evil. I promise they won't hurt you."

Steel nodded nervously. Keilah opened his cell and brought him toward the Flames. "It has to be your choice, Steel," she explained. "If I push you in, these Flames won't work the way they need to."

Cautiously, he stepped forward. He took a deep breath before walking straight into the Flames. Keilah could feel his energy changing. She went to Nate's cell next. "Your turn," she said.

"No way! I don't know what those will do to me," Nate protested.

"Nate, please," Steel called to him. "I don't want to do this alone. You're my family. I need you."

Nate looked conflicted. Finally, he sighed. "I can't leave him in there by himself," he said. He ran toward Steel, wrapping his arms around him protectively as the Flames wrapped around them both.

"Is this legit?" Zoey asked. "Will it really change us back?"

"I believe that it will," Keilah replied.

"Then let's do this!"

Keilah released her. With one powerful jump, Zoey landed in the Flames. Keilah turned toward Ravi. "Are you ready?" She asked.

"I... I'm not sure," he replied. "I know what we've been doing isn't honorable, but..."

"It's not your fault, Ravi," Keilah reassured him. "Let me help you."

He took a deep breath and nodded before walking toward the Flames. They wrapped around him as he looked toward Devon expectantly.

"Your team needs you, Devon," Keilah said.

He watched them in the Flames for a minute before a shred of humanity flashed in his eyes. "Are you sure this won't just kill us?" He asked.

"I'm not trying to trick you, Devon. They're healing, and their light is trying to return, but it won't work unless all of you are in the Flames together, just like you were when Jezzeff stripped away your light," Keilah replied.

Devon was still hesitating, but as his team all looked at him, he gave in. "This had better work," he mumbled. He ran into the Flames impossibly fast.

Keilah continued the next part of the ritual, willing the Flames to burn away their evil and return their stolen light. Finally, the Flames fell away.

The Beast Morphers clung to each other. They all looked broken, but that was a good sign. "It's going to be okay," Keilah reassured them.

"But after everything we did..." Ravi began.

"It wasn't your fault, and the other Rangers know that. The important thing is that you're yourselves again. You can stay here a little longer, and when you're ready, I'll bring you back to Earth."

"We can go home?" Nate asked hopefully.

"You can go back to Angel Grove, because until Jezzeff is defeated, that's where you'll be the safest."

"That's for the best," Devon decided. "This is our fight now, too. We need to see it through to the end."

ELLIOT
Billy had struck out and didn't seem to have any new ideas about safely returning him to his world. For the time being, Elliot was stuck, and that was terrifying. Now that he was fully merged into his body, he was truly missing. If he stayed in that realm for too long, he'd miss everything going on at home. And if he died there, he was pretty sure he wouldn't wake back up.

"Uno!" Kat declared cheerfully, snapping him out of his thoughts. He put his own card down in silence.

"Not so fast, Kat," Minh said, slamming down a card with glee. "Draw four!"

"That's just evil," Elliot said with a laugh. He put his next card down after Kat drew four cards and added, "Uno!"

"You two are better at this than I expected," Kat replied as she joined the laughter.

"I was the best Uno player in my fami..." Elliot let the sentence drop off.

Kat immediately put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to us, Elliot," she told him.

"Yeah, we're here for you," Minh confirmed.

"I guess I just haven't let myself think about how much I miss them," Elliot admitted. "I wish I could have explained and said goodbye before I left."

"Then perhaps I'll kill them for you after I kill you," the Witch said with a cackle as she stepped out of the shadows.

"How did you get in here?" Kat demanded.

"I'm an Intangible," the Witch replied. "I can go anywhere I want to, as long as there's darkness."

"Minh, Kat, run!" Elliot said.

"No way!" Minh argued. "I'm not leaving you."

"I'm not leaving either of you," Kat added firmly.

"Look at you, making friends wherever you go!" The Witch taunted Elliot. She tried to fling an attack spell at him.

Kat wrapped her body around him protectively, ready to absorb the blow herself. Just as it was about to hit them, Minh flung herself in front of them both. The blast knocked them all backward into one of Billy's inventions.

Suddenly, blue energy wrapped around the three of them. The next thing Elliot knew, they were being teleported somewhere else.

When their bodies calmed down enough for them to move and process what had happened, Elliot looked around. He was stunned to realize they'd landed in front of Stephanie and were in her bedroom. She stared at them in confusion for a moment as one of her inventions sparked before turning itself off.

"Isn't that the thing we just hit?" Minh asked.

"Elliot, what's going on?" Stephanie asked. She gasped as Kat looked up. "Holy crap, it's that evil bitch!" She grabbed the nearest weapon, a screwdriver.

"Steph, wait! Let me explain," Elliot said. "I was trapped in another realm. This isn't our Katherine. Kat's not evil..."

"Evil?" Kat raised an eyebrow at that.

"And this is Minh. She's Trini's daughter."

"Hi," Minh added.

"Yeah, hi," Stephanie replied. "Alright, I suspect this explanation calls for coffee. I'll be right back. Stay here." She left her room.

"Why does this girl have Billy's invention?" Minh asked.

"Stephanie invents things. She's a genius, like Billy, and she can literally create something out of nothing. I guess in this realm she invented it," Elliot replied.

"So... We're in your realm? Wait... Does that mean I can see my mom?" Minh asked hopefully.

"We'll deal with that soon," Kat said soothingly. "For now, we need to figure out how we got here and what we need to do next." She paused. "You said I'm not evil, Elliot. Am I evil in this world?"

He sighed. "Yeah, Kat, you were. It's kind of complicated, and Katherine did a lot of damage, but I know you're not evil. I'll try to convince everyone else, but it might not be easy."

Stephanie returned with a tray that had four cups of coffee, creamer, and sugar. "Alright, everyone, caffeinate up. Then you can explain this to me," she said.

Minh eagerly poured creamer and a lot of sugar into her coffee. Kat mixed her own as she nervously watched Elliot and Stephanie prepare theirs.

"Steph," Elliot began, "there's probably not enough coffee in the world to make this make sense." With that, he began to explain the last several days he'd experienced in yet another strange new realm.