CHAPTER TWELVE
DRAKAINA
Something was different. Drakaina couldn't quite put her finger on it at first, but the shock knocked the breath from her lungs for a moment. Then, suddenly, she caught the faintest sense...

"Talon..." She whispered. What was happening? She hadn't felt Talon like that in millennia. It was almost as if some part of her own soul had been resurrected as she sensed him.

"Dee? Are you alright?" Bourbon asked in concern as he entered the room. He moved closer to her and gently guided her to a chair.

"I'm just feeling a little bit off," Drakaina admitted. "I'll be fine." She tried to smile at him reassuringly.

"I just got back... The Witch alerted me earlier that both Jezzeff and the Huntress went missing. I found them in pretty rough shape."

"What the hell could have taken them both on at once?" Drakaina asked in surprise.

"I don't know. I felt incredible magic there... Strange and powerful. Jezz was piecing himself back together when I got there. As for the Huntress..." He hesitated.

"What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't care, but... Apparently, that sociopathic bitch is my mother, Dee. And she was so injured she actually looked fragile. They did a number on her. She's immortal, but she doesn't heal as fast as Jezz does."

"Will she survive?"

"Yeah, she'll make it. She's going to be down for a bit, though. I brought her to Percival. We have a... complicated history, but he gave me his word he'd take care of her, and I believe him."

Dale slowly entered the room. "Where is Jezzeff?" He asked.

"He's in his room," Bourbon replied. "I brought him back here after I dropped the Huntress off. Is something wrong?"

"More members of the Guild have arrived... Alex finally found his way here, and he brought Leigan and Jonah."

"Who are those last two?" Drakaina asked.

"Leigan is a warlock who specializes in pestilence spells. He wiped out an entire village on Eltar a long time ago. Jonah is his younger brother."

Drakaina noticed talking about Jonah seemed to make Dale nervous. "Does he have a specialty?" She asked.

"Jonah has powerful magic in general, and he grows stronger by feeding on the energy of innocent souls. He's into some very dark things. He's also a skilled researcher. You haven't met him because he's been off gathering a list of descendants from the Chosen bloodlines. He is looking for every last obscure relative of the Chosen so Jezzeff can begin his mission to obtain the Chosen powers. He's come by several times, but he reports straight to Jezzeff."

"Is that why he's here now?" Bourbon asked. "Jezz was healing decently, but I don't think he's functional enough for a visitor yet."

"I'll inform him he needs to wait," Dale replied. Drakaina sensed something in him that made her stop him from leaving.

"I can do it. I'd like to meet our allies," she said. "You look exhausted, Dale. Get some rest."

"Very well. Thank you, Drakaina," he replied politely before heading toward his room.

"He's afraid of Jonah," Bourbon said with a frown.

"Yeah, I picked up on that," Drakaina replied.

"I'm going with you."

She smiled at him. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I know that, but I'm still going with you. There's no reason I shouldn't meet our new allies, too."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself."

They headed toward the base's living room. Alex was pacing. The two warlocks sat on the couch looking fairly relaxed.

"Good to see you, Drakaina," Alex said with a charming smile. He'd taken to flirting with her as soon as he met her. "Where's Jezzeff?"

"He was attacked, along with the Huntress," Drakaina replied. "He's still recovering."

"I see... Well, these are our allies, Leigan and Jonah." He motioned toward each man as he said his name. "Gentlemen, this lovely young woman is Drakaina. With her is Bourbon, previously known as Jozzuah of Eltar."

"Ah, Jozzuah! Your reputation proceeds you," Leigan replied pleasantly.

"I'm sure it does, but I don't use my former name anymore," Bourbon informed him. "Regardless, it's nice to meet you both."

Jonah stood and moved closer to them. He shook Bourbon's hand before taking Drakaina's and bringing it to his lips to gently kiss it. "What a pleasure to meet you," he said.

His darkness radiated off of him, but Drakaina couldn't quite get a read on him. Still, she sensed he was seriously bad news.

With a confident smile, Drakaina replied, "Aren't you the charmer?"

"Where did Dale run off to?" Jonah asked.

"He's been wearing himself thin. I told him to rest."

"So," Bourbon said casually, "who's up for drinks?" He opened the liquor cabinet and pulled out a glass for each of them.

"Excellent," Leigan replied cheerfully. "Let's relax until Jezzeff is more functional."

Bourbon began mixing drinks with skill. The routine of it seemed to calm him as he served everyone. She didn't think much of it until she tasted hers. It was Eltarian, and she knew it well.

He remembered, she thought. And this is a hell of a way to tell me he knows exactly who I am.

He had mixed Serafine's favorite drink.

Bourbon caught her eye and winked at her. She smiled back at him before downing the rest of her drink. He automatically fixed her another.

Drakaina tried to relax as the five of them drank together. Whatever was going on, she couldn't let it distract her... Even if it was about Talon.

KRIS
The darkness surrounded him. Kris struggled to find his way through it. Someone was there. He wasn't safe.

He started running. She was close. He could hear her breathing in the darkness. He soon felt her breath on his neck. Her long nails dug into his bare shoulders as she gripped them. She ran one hand across his chest, scratching him deeply.

"Don't lie, Kristopher," she taunted him. "You enjoy this. Look at the way your body reacts to me... You want me to do this." She laughed.

"Stop it..." Kris whispered. He'd never given in and shown fear before, but now he was back there. Somehow, she'd captured him again, and she was saying more of the horrible things she'd repeated over and over as she tortured him... He couldn't do it again. He wasn't strong enough. He was a failure...

"It's only natural, Kristopher. You're a man after all. This is what you do. This is all you're good for. Embrace it."

"Stop... Please stop... Not again..." He whimpered in fear. His father would be so disappointed in him.

"I'm part of you now, Kristopher. You can never escape me."

"Stop it!" He screamed.

She struck him hard before slashing his chest with a knife. "Hush, Pet," she said darkly. "Be a good boy now, or you'll have to be punished."

He had to escape. He had to fight... He grabbed her by her hair and tried to slam her head against the wall. It worked... But the voice that cried out in pain wasn't the Huntress's... It was male.

"Jeez... Remind me not to try that again," RJ groaned as he put distance between him and Kris.

"RJ..." Kris registered as his older brother touched his head and came away with a little bit of blood on his hand. "I... Um... Sorry," Kris mumbled.

"I'm fine," RJ insisted. "Are you?"

"You just startled me."

"You were whimpering in your sleep... I figured I should wake you."

"What are you even doing here, RJ?"

"Zordon called me. He figured you might need me."

"He was wrong. I'm fine."

"Kris, you just attacked me."

"I was sleeping. You startled me. I don't even know how I ended up falling asleep... I was meditating."

"You were obviously having a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm fine, RJ."

"Look, Kris... You've been through a trauma...Maybe you should talk to Nikki. She's great at what she does."

"I said I'm fucking fine, Robert! Let it go!" Kris snapped.

RJ paused for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Okay, sure... Just call me Elsa, Kiddo," he finally replied. "If you need me, call me. I'll be here." He reached toward him like he was going to pat him on the back but thought better of it and simply walked away.

Shit, Kris thought. I need to get a grip... RJ's just trying to help.

Panic hit as a thought occurred to him. He stood and ran out of the room, relieved to be healed enough to manage that. "RJ, wait!" He called.

RJ turned around and smiled at him patiently. "I'm here, Kris... For whatever you need, okay?" He asked.

Kris nodded. "Just... Um... Don't call our father, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Kid," RJ replied with a laugh. "We're not exactly close, remember?"

Kris took a deep breath, feeling relieved. "Sorry for snapping at you. I just sort of want to forget this ever happened. I'll be fine, I promise."

"I know you will, Kris... But there's no shame in asking for a little help to get you there."

"I don't need help... I just need to get back to my life. I can handle this as long as things go back to normal."

"Normal's overrated, but I'll help you get back to being yourself," RJ promised.

"Help me convince Zordon to send me home?"

"In a little while. You still need some healing. I can stay with you if you want me to."

"No... I'll be alright. Just come back later and give me a lift home. I know the Alphas can teleport me, but I'd rather get there the traditional way."

"Sure thing. Call me if you change your mind, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

RJ did pat him gently on the back then. Kris breathed through his panic and remained outwardly calm. That's it, he told himself. You're fine. Just breathe...

Left alone, Kris returned to the healing bed. He knew it wouldn't be long before it did everything it could for him. He sat down and looked at his chest. The scars were fading, but they remained on his flesh, and he knew these were the ones that wouldn't vanish.

I'm part of you now, Kristopher, the Huntress taunted him again.

"Like Hell you are," he mumbled. One way or another, he'd get her out of his head.

TANYA
She dialed Jason for the millionth time. He finally answered. "Hey, Tanya... Sorry I keep missing you. The reception's awful out here. What's going on?" He asked.

"When are you coming home?" Tanya asked.

"We were going to stay until after Christmas. Why?"

"Can Ollie bring you back for a bit without alerting the rest of the family? I wouldn't ask, but... Forget it. You're grieving. The kids need you. I can handle this on my ow-"

"Tanya, what's wrong?" Jason asked, cutting off her rambling.

"Maddie's missing," she admitted.

"What?!"

"The Guild's incubus has her. Amos thinks she's safe, but-"

"Safe?! A Goddamned evil incubus has our daughter! How is she safe?" He demanded.

"Amos says Reyzzo's protecting her for currently unknown reasons."

"Screw that! I'm coming. Give me ten minutes."

"What about Becky's family?"

"I'll tell them the truth. They can watch the kids while I help you get Maddie back. Ollie can come back for me if there's an emergency, but Anise warded the property. They should all be safe here."

"The truth? Since when is Becky's family in the loop?"

"Since Petey has magic and Anise decided it was time for her to meet her other descendants."

"Back up... Petey has magic?"

"Yeah. I'll explain after we get Maddie back."

"Yeah, that's definitely the bigger issue here." Tanya paused. "Thanks, Jason. I appreciate you coming home."

"Maddie's my daughter, too, Tanya. Of course I'm coming home."

"I kind of got used to doing everything by myself over the years."

"Well, now that I know the truth, you don't have to do that anymore. And you shouldn't. I'm here for you both."

"I know."

"I'll see you soon." He hung up.

Tanya tried to take comfort in the fact that Jason was on his way. He might not be able to do much to find Maddie either, but at least Tanya would no longer be facing the situation alone.

OBSIDIAN
He heard her thoughts before she arrived. Most of the Elites were careful to keep their minds quiet around him, but Ivy was in distress. She slipped into his room and closed the door.

Her pink skin was paler than usual. She was trembling. Sid knew he shouldn't care, but he couldn't help but be concerned. Ivy was always nice to him. She wasn't evil. He'd figured out that some of the Elites were decent people who were just mixed up in things they couldn't get out of, and Ivy was at the top of that list.

"Is something wrong?" Sid asked softly.

She hesitated. "I... I'm okay," she replied quickly.

"For an Elite Coalition member, you suck at lying, Ivy."

"I can't stop thinking about Megan..."

Sid knew she meant Megan Caplan, the girl Mezdan had insisted they had to assassinate. Megan was often on Ivy's mind. She'd genuinely liked her. So had Kleo, Samanzah, and Kenzie. They'd been assigned to hide in the local university, watching the Coalition's targets. Megan wasn't supposed to be one of them.

"It's not your fault, Ivy. Mezdan's a hard man to oppose," Sid replied.

"I just don't understand... Megan was a really nice girl. She didn't know about any of this. Why would they... we kill her?"

"Because they're monsters, Ivy. But you're not."

"I feel like one." She shook her head. "If I just knew why she was killed, I think I could handle this better... But there was no logical reason."

"Who says there needs to be logic? You're terrorists."

"The Coalition as a whole are terrorists... But the Elites are much more disciplined. We don't do things without a greater purpose."

"Ivy... You're a good person. You could walk away. If you help me escape, I'll bring you to people who can protect you."

"I can't, Sid. The only way out of the Coalition is death. Besides, I'm loyal to Percival."

"You don't owe him anything."

"He saved me from his brother."

"Percival saved a lot of kids from his brother... Mostly to spite him. He's still not one of the good guys."

"He's good to me. He takes care of me."

Sid knew there was little point in arguing with her. Ivy had a major case of Stockholm Syndrome. She didn't realize that, while Percival may have gotten her out of one form of enslavement, he kept her in another. She was completely dependent on him and didn't think she was worth much unless he praised her. He was kind to her, but he had complete control over her life, and he'd only tolerate her as long as she was blindly loyal.

She's just like Felina was to Zell, he thought. Except darkness hasn't entered her heart yet. She's still a good person. She just needs someone to help her get away from Percival.

"Why did they send you here?" Sid asked gently. Ivy would never come to see him on her own.

"They want me to try to convince you to work with us," Ivy replied honestly.

"You know my answer."

"They'll kill you, Sid. If you're not with us, you're too big of a threat. You won't get out of this alive."

"If that's my fate, then so be it. My life sucks anyway."

"Don't say that... Please. I don't want them to kill you." She had tears in her eyes.

"Then help me escape, Ivy. I mean it. I'll help you. I'll make them forget either of us exists."

"I can't... I won't betray Percival."

He considered slipping into her head and forcing her to help him. Ivy would be the easiest one of the Elites to do that to because she never tried to block him... But he couldn't bring himself to. The girl had never had any choices in her life. Everyone who met her used her for their own agendas. He didn't want to add his name to that list.

He would just have to be patient. Eventually, Sid would escape. Until then, he'd keep fighting, no matter what.

MADDIE

They were standing outside of a strange room. It made Maddie nervous. Reyzzo put his hand on her back, calming her. Didi and the Witch stood with them. So did another girl who Maddie didn't know. That girl looked terrified as the Witch restrained her. Didi kept giggling, which seemed like an inappropriate reaction to the current situation.

"Okay, Maddie," Reyzzo said gently. "I need something from you."

"Anything," Maddie replied. She couldn't help it. Everything in her wanted to please him.

"Give me your hand."

She did as he asked. Reyzzo smiled at her reassuringly. "Good... This will only sting for a second, I promise." He took out a knife.

Her instincts were screaming at her to fight, but she couldn't. "Are you going to hurt me?" She asked.

"Don't worry, Maddie. Everything's going to be fine," he promised.

She nodded. Reyzzo cut her palm with the knife. He touched her hand to the door. It began to unlock. There was someone inside.

Suddenly, she felt compelled to run into the room. Only Reyzzo's hand on her arm stopped her. "Don't," he said. "He'll hurt you."

"Who will?" She asked nervously.

That was when she saw the person inside of the room. Her entire body tensed in fear as she realized she was looking at Tanner. "No..." She whispered.

Tanner's body looked up in confusion. A smile reached his lips as he spotted the Witch. "You finally came for me," he said weakly. He was emaciated and looked like he was dying, but something kept him alive. Maddie could tell his energy was practically non-existent. He'd been starving for a long time. She didn't realize she was moving closer to him until Reyzzo shifted and pulled her behind him.

"Of course I did," the Witch replied with a cackle. "You've always been my favorite monster."

His eyes fell on Maddie as she stood behind Reyzzo. She couldn't help but move so he could see her better, almost like he'd commanded her to. She knew he wasn't Tanner, because although Tanner's body had been resurrected, he'd been possessed. He was simply a vessel for the First, the most powerful incubus in existence except for his son...

Bartello, she though desperately. Bartello, help me!

He studied her for a moment, his eyes memorizing every inch of her body. "She's extraordinary," he said. "May I have a taste?"

"No," Reyzzo said quickly. "Not this one."

The First looked at him with a frown before he laughed. "Grandson... How good it was of you to free me," he said. He paused. "Let me feed, Boy. After I am restored to my full power, I will be able to free you from what binds you, and we can hunt together. I can tell your appetite is as healthy as mine. You are a far cry from your father."

"I hate my father."

"We share that in common." The First smiled. "This young succubus will do nicely... Her energy is calling to me."

"She's mine," Reyzzo said firmly. "The Witch has your meal."

The First looked at the girl the Witch was restraining. "The girl beside you has great power as well," he said. "I would enjoy them both."

"The girl beside me is my daughter," the Witch explained. "I can't let you feed on her, First. Not in the shape you're currently in. A taste is one thing, but you'd kill the kid."

He nodded. "I understand. The girl you selected is lovely." He smiled at the girl. "What is your name, Child?" He asked seductively.

"Kora," she replied. Maddie could tell she was trying to fight, but she couldn't seem to fully resist him.

"Kora," the First repeated. He sniffed her and smiled. "How delightful... She is of special blood. A Daughter of Eltar from one of the Founding Families, correct?"

"Yes," the Witch replied with a cackle. "She's part of the youngest generation of the Yizaks. She wasn't easy to get to. Not only is her sorcery powerful, but her older sister, Truth, is part of the Guard, and they both used to be part of the Rebellion. She's a smart girl and she knew better than to trust me. I had to use my daughter to lure her into a trap."

The First pulled Kora closer to him. He kissed her deeply. Maddie could feel him draining Kora's energy from her. She wanted to help her. She wanted to scream, or flee, or do anything, but all she could do was stand beside Reyzzo and watch this monster drain all of the life from one of Zell's youngest relatives.

Bartello, she thought. Bartello, if you can hear me, your father's free... He's feeding on a young Rebel... Kora Yizak. Please, Bartello... I know you're dead, but please help...

The First fed quickly. Kora stood no chance as he finished with her. He tossed her body aside and smiled. He looked significantly stronger.

"No..." Maddie whispered. She struggled to gain control of her mind. She tried to scream, or fight, but she couldn't move.

"Don't," Reyzzo whispered. "He'll kill you, too. Stay with me, Maddie. I'll protect you, I promise."

Maddie couldn't resist him. She nodded, clinging to him for support. Reyzzo was evil. She knew that... Yet she also knew she was safe with him.

"That is significantly better," the First informed the Witch. "I need more. How long has it been?"

"About a year," the Witch replied.

"Yizak magic is powerful. She helped a great deal, however, I need someone else as well."

The Witch nodded. "I figured you might. Reyzzo... Give him the Power Ranger."

"No," Reyzzo said. "She's mine, Witch. He cannot have her."

The First studied them. "The girl is not your mate, Grandson. Why do you protect her from me?"

"I like her. She has a feisty spirit that keeps me satisfied. I enjoy feeding on her and don't want to lose her yet."

The First laughed. "Witch, my Grandson needs lessons from Jezzeff," he said. "He's not a good enough liar yet."

"I'll get right on that," the Witch replied with a cackle.

"You have not fed from this girl, Grandson. I can read your energy. You will now, however." The First grabbed Reyzzo and kissed him. Reyzzo couldn't seem to fight him as panic filled his eyes.

"Stop it!" Maddie screamed. "Let him go!"

"Relax, Little Succubus. I won't kill my grandson. I'm simply unlocking what is rightfully his. Having fed on the same bloodline which bound him, I can free him. Of course, I'll need to feed again afterward. Perhaps we can share you."

Seeing Reyzzo in danger seemed to break his hold on Maddie. With her mind clear, she knew she should run, but the Witch or Didi would probably catch her before she could get away. She watched the two incubi, waiting for an opportunity, but none presented itself. Finally, she redirected her energy.

I can't get out of this on my own, she realized. Bartello... You're the only incubus who's stronger than the First. I need you. I know spirits can hear the living sometimes, so I'm hoping you can hear me now... She focused entirely on Bartello. She hadn't known him well, but she knew enough, and she was a succubus now. She had to believe he'd hear her somehow. It was her only hope of surviving, and it was probably Reyzzo's only hope as well.

BARTELLO

Bartello, he's back! Your father is back! Someone thought desperately.

He tensed. "Impossible..." He mumbled.

"Barty, what's wrong?" D'Dodi asked with a concerned expression on his face.

"There's no way... No one could have gotten to him except for Zedd..."

"Barty, talk to me."

"My father," Bartello said softly. "Someone's trying to reach out to me... I just barely hear her, but she's very focused on reaching me, and it's working. She says he's back. She's terrified, D'Dodi."

"Who is she?"

Bartello focused, trying to read the energy as she frantically thought, He killed Kora Yizak. He's trying to unlock Reyzzo, and then they're probably both going to feed on me. Please help... Please...

"Oh, Kora..." He whispered sadly. He'd known her since she was a young teenager. She was barely in her twenties now. He shook his head. He could grieve later. He recognized the energy of the person reaching out to him. He stood up and headed for the door.

"Bartello, where are you going?" D'Dodi demanded.

"To Xylon's prison room. It's Maddie, D'Dodi. My son and the others have her, and my father is free... Maddie descends from Xylon's line. They must have used her blood to open the prison and free my father. She needs my help. He'll kill her."

"Barty, come on. You know you can't leave the property. Everything we've been working toward will be a waste if you do."

"No one else can stop my father, D'Dodi... He killed Kora!"

"Who's Kora?"

Bartello sighed. "She's the daughter of Taye, who's the son of Joh... And Joh is the son of Meegan."

D'Dodi tensed. "As in...?"

"He's Marzos's son, and Anya's nephew. Kora was directly descended from Marzos, D'Dodi. She was practically family to us."

D'Dodi sighed. "I can't let you leave, Barty. I am heartbroken to hear that bastard killed this poor girl, but it's too dangerous. If they know you're alive-"

"What am I supposed to do, D'Dodi? Leave Maddie in my father's clutches? Let him unbind my son and turn him into a bigger monster than he already is?"

"Unbind? I thought-"

"Until now, I thought only I could do it, or possibly Daisy and Poppy... But my father can do it, too. And if he fed on a Yizak, it'll be even easier for him because Zell was the one who bound Reyzzo to begin with. The spell will break."

"Not on my watch," Keilah said from behind them. "What did I miss?"

"As far as I can tell, Reyzzo used Maddie to free my father. Keilah, I have to go to her. She's in horrible danger, and my father's about to unbind my son," Bartello explained.

"I can't let you do that, Bartello."

"Keilah-"

"I'll handle this."

"It's too dangerous. The Witch and her child are there... I sense them. And after all this time, he'll be feral... Rabid."

"I'm immune to incubi, remember? He can't affect me. The Witch runs every time she sees me, and she'll take her psychotic offspring with her. I can handle two incubi."

He wanted to argue, but he knew it was pointless. Besides, D'Dodi was right. They'd worked too hard to keep their secret. He couldn't blow their cover now.

"Be careful," he said softly.

She nodded. "I'll be fine," she promised.

As Keilah left, Grazziella walked into the room. Bartello almost broke down sobbing as she touched him. "It's okay, Barty," she said soothingly. "What's wrong?"

"My father..." He whispered.

Grazziella nodded, taking his hand and leading him away. D'Dodi didn't protest. He knew how weak Bartello's energy got when he sensed his father. The panic drained him quickly. Grazziella had helped Bartello and Zee fake their deaths before she'd had to return to a very unsafe home life. She'd soon faked her own death and had eventually moved onto Keilah's property, where no one would ever sense her. Bartello had loved Grazziella from the time he was young, but he'd only admitted it much later in his life... On the day he'd faked his death. It had been that which gave Grazziella the motivation she needed to get away from the husband she'd been forced to marry.

Grazziella was a Treygan. It was extremely dangerous to do something like that, but she'd decided it was time. She'd also gotten a lot of evidence to Hanry that would crucify some of her relatives in a court of law. She'd framed her husband for her murder, a believable lie considering the number of times he'd beaten her half to death. When it had finally been safe enough, she'd fled to Keilah's property to be with Bartello and the others. He was starting to get used to having her around all the time.

"What do you need?" Grazziella asked softly.

"You," he whispered. "Just you."

"I'm here," she promised. She kissed him, and Bartello allowed himself to feed on her magic. Like Keilah, Grazziella was immune to incubi. It was a rare trait, and he often wondered why they both shared it, but he couldn't be certain. His instinct told him they were more closely related than anyone knew, but it didn't make sense. They'd been born pretty far apart in time. Grazziella was Bartello's age. Keilah had been born after four of Bartello's brothers were already dead. It was only through accidental time travel that she'd met Tante and fallen in love with him. Still, it nagged at him sometimes. He knew that, one day, he'd need to figure out exactly where Grazziella had come from.

For now, however, he lost himself in her arms, needing to feed and ground himself.

KEILAH

It wasn't hard to find her targets. She could feel Reyzzo's magic unlocking from a mile away. It was too powerful. He wasn't quite on Bartello's level, but she realized his natural power levels were much higher than anyone had suspected.

The First smiled triumphantly at his grandson. "Now, we feast," he declared as he released him.

Reyzzo was twitching. He looked at Maddie and pulled her into his arms. Keilah was about to intervene when she noticed something strange.

"No... Not her," Reyzzo mumbled. "Not her... Not her..." He kept repeating it like a mantra. He was desperately trying to control himself, but his power was demanding he feed.

"He's fighting..." Keilah realized aloud. She shook her head. As far as she knew, Bartello's son was a monster just like the First, but for some reason, he was trying not to hurt Maddie. He was twitching as he held onto her.

"Reyzzo... Please don't..." Maddie whispered.

Reyzzo kissed her, but it was only for a moment. It tranced her instantly. Keilah expected him to begin feeding on her, but he resisted somehow. He was breathing heavily as he fought against overwhelming urges and raw need.

He won't last, Keilah realized.

"You had a party and didn't invite me? How rude," she said as she showed herself.

The Witch's eyes widened. "Time to go," she said to Didi.

"But, Mommy-" Didi protested.

"There's no time to argue. We're not doing this right now."

"What about Rey-Rey?"

"He'll have to fend for himself. Let's go." She dragged Didi into a portal and they vanished.

The First looked at Keilah and licked his lips. "How delicious..." He mumbled.

"Not a chance, Asshole," she replied. She immediately kneed him in his groin. He cried out in rage. She'd been counting on that. As he tried to attack her, Keilah stabbed him with the only weapon that would force him out of his vessel very quickly. The blade was forged to slay an incubus.

He screamed in pain. She knew she couldn't destroy him. No one could, except possibly Bartello, although Keilah wondered if she might eventually find a way. Still, this would do an incredible amount of damage to him and kill his vessel.

Tanner's body bled out quickly as the First screamed in agony. Keilah knew it was incredibly painful for him. Good, she thought. He deserves it after everything he put Bartello through, not to mention all of the women he killed.

His last breath was laced with a threat. "I'll be back," he vowed. "Sooner than you think."

"Good. I can't wait. Stab you later," Keilah replied cheerfully.

Tanner's body went limp. Keilah felt the First vanish, too wounded to sustain even the slightest bit of himself. His energy would recover. It always did. And when he returned in his next vessel, she'd be ready.

Keilah turned toward Reyzzo, who was rapidly losing his fight to control himself. She sighed and pulled him away from Maddie before he could harm the girl. "Sorry, Tante... Your nephew's about to become extremely dangerous if I don't intervene," she mumbled. Then, she kissed Reyzzo, forcing her magic into him. It took a little while to calm his energy enough that she could risk pulling away.

Reyzzo looked at her with fear in his eyes. "What's happening to me?" He asked.

"Your grandfather unlocked what my cousin blocked inside of you," Keilah replied.

"Because Zell feared me."

"Because he knew what you would become. You're strong, Reyzzo... Too strong. And as a young incubus who couldn't control his urges, you would have been too dangerous on the loose. Zell was trying to protect everyone, including you."

"Protect me? He killed me!"

"You were a threat."

"I was a kid! A scared, abused kid who had absolutely no one... And then he came, and he killed the people who were hurting me, and he saved me... He promised he'd protect me... And then he murdered me!"

"My cousin's logic wasn't exactly logical. He was under the Witch's control. She ordered him to kill all of the Children of the Flame."

"He would have killed me anyway. He hated me."

"I talked to him about this. He wanted to help you, Reyzzo, but you were too far gone. You refused to control your urges."

"An incubus needs to feed."

"There are other ways."

"Yeah, well, no one ever taught me about those. Maybe if he'd tried, I could have been different."

She considered his words. "You don't want to be evil, do you?"

"I'm a monster, Keilah. I was born a monster. I'll die a monster. Again."

"Jesus, you are Bartello's son," she said with a laugh.

"Don't compare me to him! That bastard never gave a damn about me!"

"He didn't know you existed, Reyzzo. He couldn't help you because he had no idea what Zell had done."

"An incubus should notice when his energy is stolen... Especially one as strong as my father." He shook his head. "He knew. They both did. They abandoned me. They didn't want me... And no one would take in a baby incubus because Eltarians fear us... The only one they ever fully accepted was my father."

"Reyzzo..." She sighed. "You're wrong about a lot of things."

He looked at Maddie. She didn't seem to be entranced anymore, but Keilah saw no fear in her eyes. Instead, she saw concern.

Great... Has she got Stockholm Syndrome? She wondered.

"Reyzzo... My father wasn't there for me either. I had my mom, and she was great, but I never knew who my father was. When I finally found out, it turned out he'd been in my life for as long as I could remember, but neither of us knew he was my dad. Now that we both know, we're actually closer than ever," she said.

"Your father loves you, Maddie," he replied. "Mine hated me. He knew what I was and wanted me destroyed."

"You don't know that."

"Well, I can't exactly ask him, can I? He and my mother are both dead. And I don't care."

"I think you do," she said bravely.

He stared at her in response. Keilah admired the kid's guts. She certainly said what was on her mind.

"I think you care very much, Reyzzo," Maddie continued. "All you ever wanted was for someone to love you... Deep down, you desperately want to believe your parents loved you, and the people who raised you lied to you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he protested.

"It's okay to want to be loved, Reyzzo. That's all any of us want." She paused before gently touching his arm. "I care about you. I know you haven't had that in your life, but you do now. I think you're a good person stuck in a shitty situation and you want to do the right thing. You're an incubus who was never taught how to properly take care of yourself without hurting others... That doesn't mean you can't learn."

"My father's dead. No one's around to teach me."

"Zedd could help you."

"He's weaker than me. I'd just kill him."

"I believe you want help, Reyzzo... So let someone help you."

He sighed, gently touching her cheek with his hand. "Maddie... I'm sorry for kidnapping you. Go with Keilah. She'll keep you safe."

"Come with us."

"I can't. I'm a monster, Maddie."

"No you're not. You're just lost, Reyzzo."

"I've been lost longer than you know... But I do alright on my own." He kissed her forehead. "Be safe, Maddie."

With that, he vanished before they could stop him.

"Damnit..." Keilah mumbled. "I was hoping to bind him again."

"That's part of the problem," Maddie said.

"What do you mean?"

"Zell bound him, so there was always this intense power within him, struggling to be free... And I think it drove him crazy. It made it impossible for him to control himself because he was just feeling that raw need all the time and couldn't touch it."

"That... Actually makes a lot of sense," Keilah admitted. "I know you've been exposed to Zedd and Taylor and all of them, but that still shows a deep understanding of incubi you wouldn't get from just talking to them. How did you come up with it?"

"I'm a succubus now... It's awake. It's like something in me understands how it all works now... And he woke me up, so I'm connected to him. I can feel what he's feeling, and I'm detached from it, so I see what he doesn't."

"I don't know why Reyzzo won't hurt you, Maddie, but it showed me he has at least a shred of his humanity left... And maybe we can help him, if he lets us. For now, let me bring you home. Everyone's been worried sick."

"Thanks, Keilah... I was positive this was going to end badly. I was so desperate, I reached out to Bartello."

"I know. He heard you and sent me here."

"Right, I forgot you can hear spirits."

Keilah knew she'd assume that was how she'd talked to him. She nodded. "He wanted to help you, Maddie. I'm glad you reached out, or I might have gotten here too late."

"Thank him for me, okay?"

"I will. I promise. Come on, let's get you back to your team and your family."

"Oh God... My parents must be freaking out! I can't believe I went with him..."

"You couldn't help it, Maddie," Keilah said soothingly. "Trust someone who spent a lot of time around Bartello... It's almost impossible to resist an incubus, especially one from the First's line. Add on top of that the fact that you're a succubus, and there was no way you could have done anything. I'm immune, but that's really rare." She paused. "Did he hurt you in any way?"

"Not really... He kissed me, but only once. Honestly, he took care of me. He gave me his energy to sustain me. I don't know what happened, but when he kissed me, he suddenly decided to protect me. He wouldn't even let the First hurt me, and that was pretty much his immediate reaction to seeing me. I know Reyzzo's evil, but he was really good to me. I threw myself at him and he didn't take advantage of me." Maddie froze. "Oh no... Zeke..." She whispered.

"Zeke will understand, Maddie. This was out of your control," Keilah replied.

"It's not that... Zeke loves me. I know he'll understand... But I'm a succubus now. The two of us are... Well..." She took a deep breath. "We're-"

"College freshmen with a healthy sex life? It's okay, Maddie. You're both technically adults. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"What if I hurt him?"

"If you fear it, you're more likely to hurt him. There are ways to feed on someone without hurting them. It doesn't have to be his life force. You can feed on happiness or magic. Both replenish naturally, unlike someone's life force. Talk to Taylor. He can help you learn to control it."

Maddie nodded. "I don't let fear control me," she said. "I'm not about to start now."

"Good. You're one up on Bartello. You'll be okay, Maddie. I promise."

"Thanks, Keilah. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Now, like I said, let's get you home." She offered Maddie her arm and led her into a portal.

EDMUND
He was taking his training quite seriously. Edmund was the youngest Knight of Zandar. He was highly disciplined and dedicated.

They were working in pairs. Pax and Carissa were training together. As twins, they worked best off of each other, and Carissa needed help strengthening her physical combat skills. Ella and Libby seemed to be enjoying magically sparring against each other. As Edmund finished a sparring session with Kenji, Zell said, "Excellent work, my boys... Kenji, may I borrow Edmund for a bit? You can train with the twins for a little while."

"Sure, that's cool," Kenji replied with a casual grin. He walked toward Pax and Carissa.

Zell stood beside Edmund. "You're doing quite well physically, Edmund," he said with approval. "Perhaps it is time to shift your focus to strengthening you magic."

Edmund looked at him in confusion. "I don't have magic, Sir Zell," he replied.

"You need not address me by a title, my boy... And of course you have magic. You are one of the Children of the Flames."

"Well, I know attacks make me stronger, but that's really the only magic I possess."

Zell's eyes widened in surprise. "My dear boy, have you not figured out your true gift?"

"What do you mean?"

"Physical attacks make you stronger, yes. Magical attacks do more than that."

"I apologize, but I'm a bit confused."

"Magic based in one's natural powers and not spells can be absorbed by you... That power then becomes yours to wield."

Edmund blinked in surprise. "Are you saying I take on the powers of others? Is it temporary?"

"It is. The power remains within you until your adrenaline fades. Essentially, it is yours for the duration of the battle during which you acquire it."

"How am I meant to use powers which do not belong to me?"

"You must train extensively, Edmund. You will allow different people with different skills to attack you and shall spar with them until you learn to wield each power. Learning to control them in a safe setting will enable you to use them wisely in battle when they become yours. You must be prepared for anything. Jezzeff has the potential for unlimited power. There is no telling which ones he has acquired."

"I understand... I think."

"I can train you in a number of powers. Your strongest mastery will most likely be of pyrokinesis, as you come from the Flames. I suggest working with Callie to master it when I cannot be with you. Your sister is quite skilled. In fact, most of your siblings can be helpful. Marco can teach you to cast earth-based attacks. Denni has powers you cannot mirror because they are not attack-based, however, she can increase your physical stamina. She heals instantly and is quite the fierce warrior. Just remind her she needn't hold back on you, because the physical assaults will not harm you. Sharon can work with you on telekinetic attacks."

"Pardon my candidness, Sir, but Sharon still lacks control. I don't want to risk hurting her because neither of us can control the power."

"Sharon lacks confidence. That sometimes causes her to lose control. Training with you will benefit her just as much as it benefits you."

Edmund nodded. "I shall commit to this task faithfully."

"Excellent. Jared's power is technopathy, which is not the sort of magic you can mirror, as it doesn't involve directly casting magic on you. The others, however, should be able to assist you."

"When shall I begin?"

"Now, if you like."

Edmund nodded. "I am ready," he replied stoically.

"Put your left hand up in front of you, as if to block an attack." Edmund did as he requested. "Now, when I cast this fire attack, don't deflect it. Absorb the blow with your left hand."

As Zell sent a ball of fire at him, Edmund nervously absorbed the attack. He was mildly surprised when it didn't burn him. He felt no pain as the fire vanished into his hand, but his entire body began to tingle as it seemed to flow through him.

"Excellent," Zell said with an encouraging smile. "Now, put up your right hand. Focus on the fire flowing through you, and release it in my direction."

Edmund took a deep breath before focusing on the fire. It burst from his right hand quickly and powerfully, sending a stream of fire straight at Zell.

Edmund gasped as Zell calmly dodged the attack. He came very close to being hit by the tip of it. The fire continued to flow.

"How do I turn it off?" Edmund asked desperately.

"Just breathe, Edmund. Calm yourself and focus on what you want the power to do," Zell replied patiently.

Edmund forced himself to calm down as he willed the fire to stop flowing. Soon, it listened to him, and he took a moment to calm his racing heart.

"Sir Zell... I apologize! I did not mean for it to be such a harsh attack-" He began rambling.

Zell placed a comforting hand on Edmund's back. "It's quite alright, my dear boy. You are learning. I have trained many pyrokinetics in the past. I even trained with Talon on occasion, and his power levels rivaled my own. Trust me, I can handle any misfires you may have."

"What do I do now?"

"You try again. We'll start off training you with one power at a time. Once you've gotten the hang of that, I'll teach you to mirror multiple powers at once."

Edmund was still pretty stunned he had the ability to wield magic, but he decided to accept it and try his best to master his unique gift. After all, if he didn't learn to control the different powers he might come into contact with, he could misfire and harm someone. He might be young, but he understood the seriousness of the situation and how much responsibility this particular gift involved. He was ready to embrace it.

"Let's try again," Edmund said. "I'm ready."

DORA
Jason was slapping the Witch repeatedly. At first, he'd been reluctant to hit Tommi's body, but when the Witch cackled at him in response and taunted him that he hit like a girl, he'd put that hesitation aside.

Dora sighed as Jason tried the tactic again. The idea was to annoy the Witch into leaving Tommi's body. She was certainly growing agitated, but she hadn't showed any signs of vacating her vessel yet.

"Maybe you aren't hitting her hard enough," Billy said practically. "The amount of force is all wrong."

"I can't hit her any harder," Jason protested. "I'll hurt Tommi. She's a girl, and she's our friend, and-"

"Oh, for shit's sake, move," Dora finally said. She stood in front of the Witch and slapped her harder than Jason had so far. "I'm a girl, too, and if Tommi gets pissed at me that she got her ass beat, I really don't care, as long as she's not a vessel for a psychopathic bitch from another planet anymore." She slapped her again.

The Witch narrowed Tommi's eyes at Dora. "You're not as tough as you think you are, Pandora Grant," she said.

"Call me Pandora again and I'll tell the entire Universe your name is Evianna," Dora replied before slapping her again.

"That's! Not! My! Name!" The Witch screamed. She tried to attack, but they had restrained Tommi's body pretty thoroughly, so she couldn't do much. She screamed again in frustration.

"Yes it is, Ev..." Dora slapped her. "Vi..." She slapped her other cheek. "An..." She repeated the action on the first cheek. "Na," she finished, slapping her harder on the final syllable of the name she despised so much.

The Witch screamed so loud the ship shook.

"Earthquake!" Zack cried in alarm.

"No, just a temper tantrum," Dora corrected him.

"This isn't working," Trini protested. "All you're accomplishing is turning my girlfriend's cheeks red from bitch slaps."

"Oooh, what if we try to taser her out?" Billy suggested. He immediately produced a taser from his backpack.

"Billy, why do you just happen to have a taser in your backpack?" Kimberly asked. She shook her head. "You know what? I probably don't want to know."

"Probably not," Billy agreed cheerfully.

The Witch was agitated beyond the point of cackling. She glared at Billy and said, "Try it and I will show you real pain, Billy Cranston."

"But if I taser you, you'll be unconscious, so-" Billy began rambling.

The Witch's anger felt almost physical. "Back off, Billy," Elliot said gently. "I've never seen her this agitated before."

"You children are insignificant. No one will even notice when I destroy you," the Witch said.

Dora could feel the Witch trying to gather energy for an attack. She knew she needed to get her attention off of Billy and back on her.

"Hey!" Dora said, slapping her again. "That was hurtful! Apologize... Evianna."

The Witch sent the energy at Dora instead as she screamed. Dora dodged the spell, but as it hit the wall behind her, debris slammed against her head.

It happened too fast to stop it. She felt the damage and knew what was coming next.

Shit, she thought. Not again. Not here.

Unfortunately, her protests were useless. She left her body and felt herself getting dragged toward the Underworld. She struggled to hold onto something... Anything...

"Dora!" Elliot screamed. He sounded panicked. She focused on him, trying not to lose herself to the Underworld.

"Oh my God... Is she...?" Kimberly asked.

"She's dead," Billy confirmed. He looked horrified.

"Come on, Dora... Don't do this," Elliot begged. She clung to the energy he was putting out, holding onto him with all she had. "Please. You can't leave me... You... You can't." She realized he was sobbing as he held her.

"Zordon... Can we save her?" Jason asked softly.

"I don't know," Zordon admitted. "There is something very strange going on... I sense she is dead, however, it's like I can still feel her within the ship."

"She wakes up," Elliot said softly. "When Dora dies, she wakes back up... But we're not in our time or our realm, and I'm not sure if her powers work the same way here..." He started sobbing harder.

"We'll get her back," Zack said firmly. He put a comforting hand on Elliot's shoulder. "Have you told her?" He asked softly.

"I can't... It's complicated," Elliot replied after a moment.

What the fuck are they talking about? Dora wondered.

Something strange took her attention away from the boys. She could see Tommi inside of her body, struggling against the Witch. As Dora realized this, she noticed the entity made of pure darkness who also lurked inside of Tommi's body. Dora could see both distinctly.

A crazy idea occurred to her. "Fuck it," she decided. "I'm already dead. I might as well try."

With that, she dove inside of Tommi's body. She didn't waste a second as she grabbed onto the darkness and began attacking her.

The Witch was shocked by the assault. After a moment, she began to struggle against Dora. No matter what, Dora knew she couldn't let her go.

"Damn you!" The Witch screamed. "Release me!"

"Not a chance, Bitch," Dora replied.

"Tommi's having a seizure!" Trini cried in terror.

"No..." Elliot said. "No, it's Dora! She's trying to pull the Witch out of Tommi's body!"

"How do you know?" Jason asked.

"Because I know her. And that's exactly the kind of crazy idea she'd come up with."

As Dora continued to struggle against the Witch, they both grew weaker. Dora knew if she just held on a little longer, the Witch would flee or this slither of her would simply vanish entirely from existence.

Just when Dora was certain she'd be unable to continue, she heard a voice whisper, Valhalla is waiting for you one day, Daughter... Make it wait a while longer.

Mom... Dora realized.

I'm so proud of you, Pandora. Now, finish this.

She hadn't heard her mother's voice since her death, but now, she found strength in it. Dora used the last of her energy to slam into the Witch with enormous force. They both got knocked out of Tommi's body.

The Witch screamed before vanishing. Dora knew she wouldn't be back in that realm ever again.

She felt herself falling into the Underworld. It was worth it, she decided.

"Not so fast," a familiar voice said. Caleb's physical arms wrapped around her spirit and pulled her back up, not letting go of her. "You're not going anywhere," he added firmly.

"Nice timing, Cuz," Dora said with relief as she realized he'd finally arrived.

"Finding the realm was the easy part... Getting into this place took a few of Maegus's tricks." He paused. "I'm going to give you some energy to help you regenerate what you lost during that fight, Dora. You're feeling really weak. I was barely able to grab ahold of you before you could get lost in the Underworld... Maegus, should I just push her back into her body afterward?"

"Let me heal her first, Lad," Maegus replied. "Once her body is in better shape, we should be able to get her back inside."

"Sounds good to me," Dora said. She held onto Caleb.

"Elliot, Lad... You can release her," Maegus said gently. "I've got her. She'll be alright."

It seemed to take every ounce of self control Elliot had, but he released Dora's body to Maegus, who quickly set to work healing the damage to her head. After several minutes, Maegus said, "Alright, Caleb. Guide her back in gently."

Caleb led Dora to her body before touching her hand to it. She fell back inside quickly. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes.

"Dora..." Elliot whispered. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. She felt safe there, so she allowed the hug to continue for a few extra moments before she pulled away.

"Thanks, guys," she said to Caleb and Maegus. "How's Tommi?"

"Unconscious," Trini replied nervously.

Maegus sat beside Tommi and examined her. "She'll be fine, Lass," he promised. "She's exhausted. The poor lass tried very hard to fight the Witch... She's a strong one. Give her a few hours to rest and I'm sure she'll be as good as new." He paused before adding, "We'll stay to make sure of it."

Trini nodded, seeming to be calmed by Maegus. He had that affect on people. Whenever Maegus spoke, people listened, and they believed in his message.

"Is the Witch really gone?" Elliot asked.

"She's been successfully banished," Maegus confirmed. "We just need to seal you out of this realm when we leave so she can't try anything like this again."

"So it's over? We won?" Zack asked.

"Indeed you did, Lad," Maegus confirmed.

"Cool! As soon as Tommi wakes up, we'll celebrate."

"I'm glad you're okay, Dora," Caleb said as he hugged her. "And it's good to see you and Elliot again. Now... How about introductions?"

Dora smiled. "Sure. Get ready to have your mind blown," she joked. As she explained who everyone's bizarre alter ego was in the realm, Dora tried to relax. She was alive. The Witch was gone. Tommi was going to be okay. Now, they just needed to get back to their own time and realm and everything would be back to normal... Or, normal for the Power Rangers, at least.