CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
KEILAH
She loved a good execution. It wasn't that Keilah liked to harm others, but sometimes, they really deserved it. Percival might not be the worst member of the Treygan family, but he'd slaughtered enough innocents and manipulated countless others that he was pretty high on her list of hated relatives. He wasn't much better than Aphell and Rinton, even if he wasn't a pedophile. His one redeeming quality would not be enough to save him.

It seemed like all of Eltar had come out to witness his execution. For some, it was because they believed it was justice and wanted to be there. Others came out of a sense of obligation. Percival might be a criminal, but he was the eldest surviving member of the Treygan line aside from T'Dania, and that meant they felt they should be there to see him off. After all, he was from a Founding Family. On Eltar, that was as close people got to being royalty.

Keilah was surprised to see one member of her family there in particular. Rygano stood at the back of the crowd, hidden by a cloak, but she knew his energy. Keilah was one of the few people that knew Rygano was still alive. The people of Eltar never knew for sure why he vanished, but most believed he must have died.

As she looked at him questioningly, Rygano shook his head subtly. He didn't want her to question him at the moment, and she respected that. It was better to leave him unnoticed.

"So what's it gonna be, Keilah?" Pasha asked casually. "Decapitation? Burning him at the stake? Lava? Lava's always a crowd pleaser."

Percival paled. He'd never looked so weak and terrified in his life. If Keilah didn't know the things he'd done, she might have actually felt bad for him.

"You'll have to wait and see like everyone else," Keilah told Pasha with a laugh. She turned toward Percival before saying, "Percival Treygan, you have been found guilty of high treason against the people of Eltar! The punishment for your rather lengthy list of crimes is death."

"Please, Keilah... I beg you, show me mercy!" Percival cried. "I can give you names! I know everyone's crimes! I know of traitors you do not even suspect! Spare me and I shall tell you everything! I swear on the Treygan name!"

"The Treygan name is practically worthless these days, Percival," she replied. "I'm trying to redeem it, but were it not for the fact that I took the Treygan family seat on the Counsel of Elders and am required to use the surname, I would be known as Keilah Yizak, and Yizak alone."

"Please, my niece... I am an indispensable resource for your side. I know the secrets of nearly all Eltarians. I will confess it all if you simply allow me to live!"

"I'm pretty sure you're completely dispensable. Now, what are your final words?"

"Please... Please don't do this, Keilah! I never harmed you!"

"You harmed a lot of other people, and this is about them."

He had tears in his eyes. "Mercy... I beg of you, mercy!"

Keilah shook her head. "You lived like a scared little bitch, in your older brother's shadow. It's fitting you're going to die like one, too." She wrapped an air pocket around him before summoning lava.

Hanry approached the stage. "Keilah," he said gently.

"Yes, Grandfather?" She replied, still gathering more lava and packing it around the air pocket.

"The man is terrified and begging for mercy. He is not Aphell. The punishment should fit the crime."

"He killed innocent people, led a terrorist group in several attacks, and conspired against the government. He has to die. That's the only approved sentence."

"I never said to let him live," Hanry clarified, "but there is no need to melt him. Aphell was a special case. His brother deserves a swift and efficient execution."

"Hanry... I'm sorry," Percival said softly. Keilah had never heard him sound so resigned to his fate or so genuinely repentant. That made her pause and allow the conversation to continue, mainly because she was curious where it would go.

Hanry considered his words. "I believe that, in this moment, you finally understand the gravity of your crimes. Unfortunately, it is far too late. I believe in forgiveness, Percival, but I cannot pardon you for such horrific crimes."

Percival nodded slowly. "I understand," he replied. "Thank you for asking for mercy on my behalf. I understand if Keilah will not grant me that... I have not earned it."

Keilah sighed. She sent the lava back into the ground.

"Boo!" Pasha shouted from the audience. Jinnifer smacked the back of his head to shut him up.

"You're pathetic, Percival," Keilah said firmly. "You aren't worthy of lava. But I will grant you this much. You won't die as Aphell did. You'll finally escape from his shadow."

He was trembling as he felt the air pocket dissolve. He watched Keilah cautiously, whimpering and obviously terrified of what else she might come up with to kill him.

"Aye, Lass, can I have a moment?" Andru asked from the crowd.

"Of course, Andru," she replied. "He is your father, after all."

"Don' remin' me, Lass!" Andru replied with a laugh. He approached the stage and stood beside his father.

"My son... Have you come to plead for my life?" Percival asked.

"Ya must have gone delusional in yer old age, ya damn coot!" Andru replied. "I came ta watch the show! And ta do this." He punched Percival in the face, and Keilah couldn't help but laugh as he proceeded to flip him off for good measure. "Rot in hell, ya damn cunt!" He added before cheerfully saying to Keilah, "Ya may proceed, Lass! Have fun!" He returned to his spot in the front row of the crowd.

Keilah closed her eyes and summoned the spirits of Percival's victims who hadn't crossed over yet. A lot of the people he killed had been too confused and broken to make the trip to the Underworld. They grabbed onto him, one by one, each filling him with a sample of the pain he'd caused them.

Percival sobbed as he felt the weight of his actions. He was growing weaker by the second as the spirits drained him. As he struggled to breathe, he looked at Keilah with pleading eyes.

She raised her sword, channeling fire into its blade until it burst into flames.

"Mercy..." Percival croaked out.

"This is mercy," she replied. She shoved the sword through his chest. His body soon went up in flames. He burned rapidly as his victims cheered. In under a minute, there was nothing left of him but ashes.

Andru cheered with glee as Nigel and Aileen stood beside him supportively.

Hanry had looked away, but that didn't surprise her. He hated violence and disliked executions in general. She offered him an innocent smile and said, "It wasn't lava."

Hanry nodded. "I know," he replied. "And by calling his victims to assist, you gave them justice. Perhaps now they will find peace. This punishment fit the crime."

"He got what he deserved," Stone agreed.

"I retract my boo," Pasha said. "That was highly entertaining."

"Pasha, honestly, can you at least pretend you don't enjoy executions so much?" Karlton asked. "You're an Elder. Have some decorum."

"I'm a warlock, Karlton. That dark humor comes with the territory. And I only enjoy it this much when it's an evil prick getting his comeuppance."

It was Hanry who took control of the crowd. Some were cheering. Others were silent. Rygano had bowed his head and appeared to be praying.

"Although I loathe any bloodshed, the law must be upheld, and justice has been witnessed today," Hanry said. "Morizty evoz paz lyronn..."

It was a common phrase to end to an execution, one the Eltarians had used for millennia meaning may this death bring peace to the people. The crowd repeated the words, and the execution was complete.

Keilah had to admit it felt good to know Percival had finally met his end. Anise stood in front of the crowd and said, "Let this be a lesson to those who think like Percival... In the end, justice will be served. Now, everyone, go home."

Keilah was quite surprised when Rygano began moving toward the stage. Anise didn't stop him from getting onto the stage and facing the crowd. As he removed his hood, a shocked hush fell over the onlookers.

"Fuck me..." Andru mumbled in surprise.

"Rygano Treygan..." Karlton said in shock. Keilah was worried he might collapse, but Jinnifer steadied him.

"Hello, Karlton of Eltar," Rygano replied with a kind smile.

"You... You are alive," Karlton said as he tried to process this.

"I am," Rygano confirmed. "And I have come to implore the rest of the Treygan family to step away from the path my brother set so many of you on. We can be better than that. I am living proof that not every Treygan is a vile, evil person. If you stand with me now and renounce this darkness the family has embraced, I promise to do all I can to see that you are spared the fate of my nephews, Aphell and Percival."

He looked to Anise then. She took a deep breath before nodding. "Any Treygan who is willing to stand with Rygano will be granted a fair trial for their crimes and a chance to prove they can change," she said.

Keilah knew the worst members of the family would refuse out of arrogant pride. Others might agree to try to change their path, and a few of them might actually be able to find redemption. The rest would be put down as necessary.

"Uncle..." Harrizenn, the next eldest living son in Rinton's line to inherit the Treygan family's power, said with genuine tears in his eyes. "I thought Father killed you!" Of Rinton's children, Harrizenn wasn't so bad. He'd done a lot of harm on his father's orders but never of his own volition. He'd even been fairly kind to Keilah when she was growing up. Since Aphell's death, he'd behaved himself, and he even quietly supported Keilah taking the family seat on the Counsel of Elders. She knew he could choose a better path if he tried.

"Rinton could never bring himself to kill me," Rygano replied. "He simply killed someone I loved very dearly instead."

"Father!" One of Rygano's sons sobbed as he recovered from his shock. "We thought you were forever lost to us..."

"I am sorry for disappearing," Rygano replied. "My brother left me very little choice, but I should have revealed myself sooner. Regardless, I have returned, and I am taking control of the family line."

"Over my dead body!" Someone shouted. A shot was fired through the crowd, straight at Rygano.

That was when the most unexpected thing of all happened. Someone dove in front of Rygano and deflected the bullet with a sword. As he looked up at the crowd, not a single soul dared to speak.

Gray and two of the Peacekeepers tackled the shooter, another member of the Treygan family who Keilah recognized. She was unsurprised by his attack, but she knew her brother could handle the fool. As he was restrained, even they did not make a sound.

Finally, Jinnifer found her voice. "Levi Yizak..." She whispered.

"Impossible! Levi of Eltar died millennia ago!" Bezzy cried in shock.

"I did," Levi confirmed, "but Rinton Treygan resurrected me with no memory of my past. He bound me in service to the Treygan family, and I became their assassin... Azzian."

Several people visibly panicked. Keilah decided to step in. "Levi was brainwashed and manipulated," she said. "He had no control over his actions, but he has finally broken free of the control of the Treygan family. He is a good man and I move to pardon him of all charges."

"Pardon?" Karlton demanded. "Azzian murdered my entire family, Keilah! Nearly every single Vretiz was wiped out that day! To kill members of another Founding Family is the highest form of treason!"

"I understand the horrible things he did as Azzian, but-"

"Keilah... Let me speak," Levi said softly. She nodded. He turned toward Karlton. "The horror of that day haunts my nightmares, Karlton of Eltar. I was told the people I was targeting were a threat. I did not know there were women and children there, and once I realized it, I questioned Rinton's orders and tried to resist. For this, he fried my memories once more and tortured me into being obedient. I am truly sorry for my crimes, and I wish I could change all I have done. Ever since arriving on Eltar, I have believed violence should only be used as a last resort. As my sanity and memories have been returned to me, I find it difficult to live with what I have done. I am prepared to face justice for my crimes."

Karlton considered this. "I know the man you were, Levi Yizak. The founder of the Peacekeepers cannot be the same monster who killed so many innocents," he said slowly. "I request a trial to prove you are not to blame for your actions. If the verdict is in your favor, that will be enough to prove to me you are remorseful and can be trusted."

"I recuse myself immediately," Hanry said. "I fear I cannot be a fair judge in this matter."

"You were able to be fair when Zell's crimes were exposed," Karlton replied. "You are always fair and unbiased, Hanry. I trust you."

"We will hold a trial very soon," Jinnifer promised.

"I request Levi be left in the custody of Rygano of Eltar," Keilah said.

"His brother is the one who did this to him," Stone pointed out. "Can we really trust him?"

"My brother did this to punish me," Rygano replied. "He did not approve of my relationship with Levi."

"Yes, the horror of a Yizak and a Treygan being best friends! Such a scandal," Pasha replied with a laugh.

Keilah was impressed but shocked when Rygano pulled Levi closer to him and kissed him in front of everyone. The crowd fell silent.

Tinny's hearty laugh alerted Keilah to the fact that at least some of the Circle had come to watch Percival's execution. "About damn time, Lad!" He said.

"Awwww! I ship it!" Branz decided.

He's been spending too much time around Chip, Keilah thought with a laugh.

"Unacceptable!" A voice boomed in the crowd. The power radiating from its location told Keilah exactly who it was.

"Grandmother..." Rygano said softly. Levi moved to block him from harm, but Rygano gently touched his shoulder. "She won't harm me, my love," he said quickly. "It is you I am concerned for."

T'Dania moved through the crowd. They parted for her automatically, no doubt unconsciously responding to her power levels. As she approached the stage, her aura pulsed with magic. Much of the crowd fled, including several of the former members of the Rebellion. Hezzo looked like he wanted to attack her, but Ling and Maegus physically dragged him away.

"Aye, ya damn cunt! I'll see ya dead!" Andru shouted.

"Andru, not here," Nigel cautioned him.

"Here, there, wherever, she's dead for what she did!" Andru cried.

"Andru Treygan, I promised my daughter I would stop hunting her friends," T'Dania said. "Do not make me break my word."

"Burn in hell with my father, ya crazy bitch!" Andru retorted.

"Andru, lad, let's get drinks at the bar," Tinny suggested.

"Later. I owe her!"

"Andru, this will end badly," Aileen said. "Let her be for now."

"She killed our family, Aileen!"

"I know, and I hate her just as much as you, but I feel the energy she's channeling. We canno' win this."

"Andru, please," Nigel pushed.

He wasn't listening. Tinny hit him with a spell and put him into a trance. "That's a good lad... Let's go drink," he said. He led Andru and the others away.

"You cannot trust a Yizak, Rygano," T'Dania said firmly, as if none of that had happened. "They are horrible, wretched, vile liars, and this boy descends from the worst of them!"

"I'm pretty sure that was Zell," Pasha said before he could stop himself.

T'Dania shot a spell toward Pasha in annoyance. Keilah dove into its path and deflected it before it could kill him. Stone stepped protectively in front of the rest of the Counsel of Elders.

"Jinnifer, take my grandfather, Karlton, Stone, Pasha, and Bezzy and go," she said firmly.

"I am staying," Stone replied. "After all... She is family."

Pasha's eyes widened in shock. "Excuse me, she's what?" He asked.

"I recently learned that Talon and I..." Stone sighed. "That we're Treygans."

"No. Fucking. Way!" Pasha began laughing. "Oh, Aphell would be rolling over in his grave if there had been anything left of him to bury!"

"Jinny, go," Stone replied. "Take this fool and the others with you."

"Be safe," Jinnifer replied. As Keilah opened a portal, Jinnifer took the others and fled.

"Grandmother, I know you despise the Yizaks, but Levi is a good man," Rygano said firmly.

"I believed that once of his bastard father, Zekiah," she replied. "I have never been so wrong in my life."

"Levi is not his father."

"That was what I told myself about his father, but in the end, they are all the same!" She tried to send an attack at Levi.

"Stop!" Stone cried.

"Stone, this is not your concern, darling," T'Dania replied in a gentle tone. "You should despise them, too. After all, Zekiah's great-grandson murdered your brother."

"Yeah, but I got better," Talon replied as he rushed toward the stage.

"Talon, get out of here!" Stone said in horror.

"Relax, Stone," he replied. "Our great-grandmother likes me."

T'Dania smiled, confirming this. "You are adjusting well, darling Talon," she said with pride.

"Look, T'Dania, I have to ask you to calm down and let Rygano speak. You can't help who you love, right? And Levi just saved his life, so maybe you should cut him some slack."

"I adore you, Talon, but I cannot allow my grandson to make my mistakes. In the end, Levi will betray him."

"I would fall on my own sword before I caused harm to Rygano," Levi replied stoically.

"Then fall, Levi Yizak! I shall slaughter you just as I should have slaughtered your father!"

As she raised another attack, someone sent a spell at Rygano. Sensing this before anyone else did, Levi dove in front of him. The spell hit his chest and put a hole in it.

"Levi!" Rygano screamed. He held him in his arms and tried to comfort him. "You cannot die. You will survive," he said firmly.

Keilah could feel the magic in his words and knew they were meant to alter reality and save Levi's life. If he hadn't said them, Levi probably would have died immediately.

Anise rushed to Levi's side and began healing him. "Stop!" T'Dania said. "Let him suffer!"

"He just saved Rygano's life again," Stone pointed out.

"The Yizaks deceive!" T'Dania insisted.

"I think you mixed them up with Jezzeff," Talon replied.

"I got the bitch who tried to assassinate Rygano," Rhanna said. She and Vagris dragged another Treygan forward as Plurri and Grace followed behind them. Keilah vaguely recognized the woman as one of Percival's great-granddaughters.

T'Dania snapped her fingers. The younger Treygan burst into flames. She died in seconds, barely having time to scream as Rhanna and Vagris released her and jumped away from her.

"Maybe we should have just kept her restrained and hidden until after T'Dania left," Plurri mumbled.

"She would have been executed anyway," Grace replied. "I've been to that timeline."

"Anise Yizak, I told you to stop healing him!" T'Dania snapped.

"I'm sorry, T'Dania, but I can't do that," Anise replied.

"Then I cannot allow you to continue breathing, Prime Minister."

As T'Dania raised an attack, Rey showed himself. He moved in front of Anise and deflected the spell. T'Dania unleashed another attack immediately. Before that spell could hit either of them, Anise slipped out of time while holding onto both Rey and Levi.

"Your parlor tricks shall not work on me, Anise Yizak!" T'Dania shouted. She was about to try to follow Anise when Rygano gently touched her arm.

"Grandmother... Please, listen to me," Rygano said gently. "The Yizaks are not what you believe. Most of them are genuinely good people."

"My sweet grandson, I am only trying to protect you," she replied. "You know not what that filthy bloodline is capable of. With Rinton gone, someone must protect you. After all, despite all the evil around you, your heart remained pure. I will not allow it to be shattered by the monsters in the Yizak line."

"I understand that, and I appreciate it. I know Zekiah hurt you deeply, but I promise you, Levi is nothing like him. He is gentle. After watching his father, mother, and oldest brother die within moments of each other on the battlefield, he came to abhor violence. He created the Peacekeepers rather than having a Military on Eltar. It was only after he perished that the Eltarian Guard was officially established. Levi never wanted that."

"Rygano-"

"Please, Grandmother... I already lost him once because a family member believed it was for the best. Please do not take him from me again."

T'Dania hesitated at the sight of the tears in his eyes. "You truly love this man," she said sadly. "I know nothing I can do will change that. I cannot bear to cause you further pain, my sweet grandson, but the moment he harms your precious heart, I shall end him. This I vow."

Keilah looked at T'Dania and said, "You should probably go, T'Dania. You're wanted for a number of murders and treasonous activities, but if you leave now, I won't arrest you."

"Oh, darling, you're gifted, but you are not that gifted. Even if you arrested me, you could never hold me for long," T'Dania replied calmly. "It is lovely to see you again. Good work handling Percival. He certainly met a fitting end."

Keilah might have tested the theory of whether or not she could keep T'Dania imprisoned, but T'Dania was finally calming down, and she decided it was better not to stir her up again. She was pretty sure she could defeat her, but if she could keep from making an enemy of her unstable relative, it was probably for the best.

T'Dania kissed Rygano's cheek before teleporting away. An awkward silence followed.

"Well," Talon began, "that was an eventful execution. Who's up for drinks?"

"I need to find Levi," Rygano replied. "Another time perhaps." He disappeared into a portal.

"Well, I could use a drink," Keilah admitted.

"Great! Stone's treating!" Talon replied cheerfully, earning him a scowl from his brother.

"Nice of you to volunteer him," Keilah joked.

"Well, I don't have a job currently, so what other choice do I have? The Bank of Stone is open for business, right Big Brother?" Stone scowled harder in response.

"You know, Anise and I were actually talking about that the other day. Maybe we should do something about it... With Plurri officially pardoned, Vagris legally alive, you resurrected, Grace reunited with you, and Rhanna and Stone beside you, maybe we should reinstate the Elite Counsel."

"We worked for Zell, though, and he's basically banned from ever returning to Eltar," Plurri pointed out.

"And I'm sorry, but there is no way I'm working for Zell again," Talon added. "Once a guy drops a building on his employee's head, it's time to quit."

"That doesn't mean you guys can't be your own task force again, under Anise instead of Zell. You work excellently together, and you're trained to handle a variety of situations. Your track record of success was very impressive."

"It could be fun," Rhanna said as she considered it. "I'm up for it. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm in! I miss having a job I actually enjoy. Jobs on Earth can really suck sometimes," Grace replied.

"Alright," Vagris agreed. "Let's do it."

"Hell yeah! We're back," Talon declared. "But until I collect my first paycheck, drinks are still on Stone."

Stone shook his head. "Keilah, I'm an Elder... Should I really be running around as part of a task force?" He asked.

"You're a good leader, Stone" Keilah replied. "And I think this would be good for you."

Talon looked at him with excitement in his eyes. Stone sighed. "Very well," he agreed.

"Plurri? It's not really official until we all agree," Rhanna said.

Plurri hesitated. "It's not all of us, though," he replied sadly. "Not really. Not without Adina and Dawna... Or Zutan."

Vagris looked incredibly sad at those words. "They would want us to do this, Plurri," he said softly. "My sister and my wife were passionate about doing the right thing. As for Zutan..." He sighed.

"Zutan made the right choice in the end," Stone replied.

"Come on, Plurri," Talon said. "It won't be the same without you! You have to join us."

Plurri looked at Talon before he nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "I'm in, too."

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about!" Talon declared. "Let's hit up Hezzo and Tinny's place. If we're gonna celebrate, that's the best place to do it."

Together, they headed to the bar. After all of that, Keilah was certain they had all earned a drink or two.

SAKURA
Fixing the Underworld hadn't been easy, but Sakura had succeeded. Casey was healed and recovering well. With Rose looking after Casey, Sakura felt safe leaving the birth mother she barely knew and returning to the Soul Society.

She had tapped into her Shaman powers to leave Jezzeff with horrible nightmares. She had also ensured the souls he had enslaved as his army were free, although there wasn't much she could do for the people he'd resurrected.

She visited the Soul Reaper Academy upon her return. There was one student in particular she needed to speak to. As she stood in the training area, he noticed her. She motioned for him to come over to her.

"Hey, Sakura!" Mike said cheerfully. The former Green Samurai Ranger had been training at the Academy since right after his death. His courage and sacrifice had caused him to be recruited as a special case. Unlike most Soul Reapers, he had been allowed to keep the memories of his life because his soul was still occasionally called on for the battle his team was part of. This exception was a rare gift. Sakura was the only other Soul Reaper who remembered her life before she died.

"Mike, we need to talk," Sakura told him.

"What's wrong? Is it Jayden? He's okay, right?" Mike asked in concern.

"Jayden's fine. From what I heard, he woke up, and they're working on reconnecting him to the Morphin' Grid."

"Thank God... So what happened then?"

"Jezzeff was the source of the chaos in the Underworld. He smuggled out several dead Power Rangers and brought them back, probably evil."

"What? Sakura, I have to warn them..."

"We can't interfere, Mike... Not yet. Things will play out as they're meant to... But I heard Jezzeff was searching for your soul. He doesn't know why you weren't in the Underworld because no one knows you became a Soul Reaper, but he's suspicious of the fact that you were missing. We have to be careful to protect you. He can't get into the Soul Society, so you need to stay here."

"So no real-world training for a while?"

"Sorry. You're grounded. It's only temporary until we find a way to keep you safe outside of our plane of existence. Ji needs to stay, too, just in case." Mentor Ji wasn't a Soul Reaper, but he was helping to train some of the newer ones in basic practices like meditation and using a sword.

"What if the team needs us?"

"I'll do my best to protect you, but I would prefer you help at a distance, through dreams. I can safely connect you to them in their dreams."

"As long as I can still be there when they need me, I'm fine with that," Mike replied. He paused. "He couldn't find me... Who did he pick instead?"

"That's not important-"

"Sakura... Please?"

She sighed. "He resurrected Zack Taylor."

"Zack's evil?"

"Presumably, but maybe not. I sense at least one person resisted the effects of Jezzeff's Flames, and they just didn't work on Dillon at all."

"Holy crap... I die and everything goes to hell." He shook his head. "Sometimes I wish I could go back. I mean, if I used a Gigai, they'd be able to see me. I could help."

"Trust me, that won't help you. I've done it with my friends, and it hurts me to see them and know I can't stay... And it makes it harder for them to move on."

"I can't do that," Mike agreed with a sigh. "Emily's finally starting to open up and heal... I refuse to hurt her when I know I can't actually stay with her."

"I know it's hard, Mike. We remember... It makes moving on and living our new destinies difficult. If you need to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks, Sakura. The same goes for you. I'm a great listener... When I want to be."

She laughed. "I appreciate that. So, keep training and working hard. How's it going?"

"I'm making really quick progress with the physical side, but my Kido needs a lot of work."

"You should ask Renji about his Kido skills sometime," she joked. "Then you won't feel so bad!"

"I'll get it eventually," Mike replied confidently. "My Kanji skills were severely lacking at first, but eventually I got pretty good at them. I'm sure I'll be performing Hados and Bakudos in no time!"

"That's the spirit! If you want, I'll arrange for extra training to help you master them quicker."

"Really? I'd appreciate that, Sakura. Thanks!"

"No problem. Alright, get back to training! I'll check in with you soon."

Sakura headed back to the Squad Nine barracks to get a little rest before she resumed her never-ending duties as the squad's Captain.

ELLA
She was walking through Angel Grove with Libby when she felt someone watching her. "Libby, something's wrong," Ella said nervously. Her hair turned forest green as she felt herself going on high alert.

"I feel it, too," Libby replied. "A great darkness is lingering, watching us."

"We should get out of here," Ella decided.

Suddenly, several people came toward them. They wore the suits of Power Rangers, but Ella had never seen this team before.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Ella demanded.

"We are the Lazarus Rangers," the Red Ranger replied. Ella tensed as she recognized his voice.

"Dad?" She asked in disbelief.

He took off his helmet and smiled at her. "Ella... Come here, sweetheart. It's okay now," her father replied.

"But... But you're..." She couldn't bring herself to say dead. Had there been a mistake? Had someone intervened and saved him like when Eloise saved Theo? "How?" She asked.

She tried to run to him, but Libby grabbed her arm. "Ella, don't," she cautioned her.

"Libby, that's my father," Ella protested.

"No it's not... At least not the father you knew. He's been tainted by darkness, Ella... It's the Flames."

"No," Ella replied. "That's impossible. My dad would never turn evil."

"Ella, you know the Flames take away a person's choice. This is a trap. Please don't go to him."

Ella was incredibly torn as she looked between her father and Libby.

"Where's your mother, sweetheart?" Her father asked. "I miss her so much. I've missed you both."

Ella wanted to run into his arms. Her father was alive! She'd been praying for this miracle since he died... But looking into his eyes, she saw no love or kindness. There was only darkness.

"Libby... Run," Ella said.

The two girls took off as fast as their legs could carry them. The Lazarus Rangers chased after them. She heard her father laughing cruelly behind her.

"Come on, Ella! Don't be like that," he said. "Didn't you miss me?"

Ella wanted to cry. Instead, she let out a frustrated scream. She couldn't morph because they still needed to keep their team a secret, but she could rage. Her hair turned blood red and she stopped running. She began casting an attack spell.

"Ella, stop!" Libby cried.

"I'm not letting my dad stay evil!" Ella insisted. "I'll put him down myself if it means saving him!"

"Ella, he's still in there! Deep down, he's still your father! We'll find a way to save him, but it's not by killing him."

Ella hesitated. She knew Libby was right. The Flames took away a person's light, but there were ways to restore it. Besides, she couldn't hurt her father.

As her father and the other Lazarus Rangers caught up to them, Ella realized she might have no choice. He came at her with a scythe that radiated with dark magic. There were death runes carved onto its shaft. The other Rangers also each had a weapon that possessed dark magic. The Blue Ranger had a trident with the hooded cloak of a grim reaper wrapped around it. Yellow's weapon was a battle axe with a skull at its center. Pink had a boomerang with strange markings Ella didn't recognize carved into it. White wielded a sword that had similar markings. The one which baffled her the most, however, was the Black Ranger. He held a pocket watch as if it were the most powerful object of all.

Pink threw her boomerang first. It came toward Ella and followed an impossible path, weaving around her and connecting to the small of her back. It hit an old injury she'd received as a little girl and knocked her instantly to her knees as she cried out in pain. The boomerang immediately returned to Pink's hand.

"Ella!" Libby cried in alarm. She began to heal her. As she did this, Yellow came toward her with her battle axe. Libby put a barrier of light between her and Yellow, stopping the evil Ranger in her tracks. Blue tried to attack from another angle, so Ella sent her flying with a telekinetic attack.

"Guess I'm up," White said with a shrug.

"Oh my God..." Ella whispered. "Trent?"

He laughed. "That's right, Kid," he replied. He charged toward her with his sword, nodding slightly to the right as he attacked.

Ella pulled Libby to the right and Trent's sword missed them by centimeters. It hit a bench which began to rot rapidly before her eyes.

"The sword is infused with poison!" Libby cried in alarm.

He nodded to the right and missed us, Ella thought. He either subconsciously gave away his move or he's trying to help us.

"And the boomerang locates and attacks a person's weak points," Ella added. "That's the only way it could have hit me where it did."

"Wanna find out what everything else does?" Blue asked. She removed the hood from the top of the trident and it began to glow red. Suddenly, hundreds of spirits appeared and were absorbed by the trident's blades.

"What the hell is happening?" Ella demanded.

"These are the souls of people lost at sea. They give my trident the power to drown you on dry land," Blue explained.

"That doesn't sound pleasant," Libby replied.

"And the battle axe?" Ella asked.

"Slices through human flesh like butter," Yellow replied with a laugh. "And sets my victims on fire. Should I demonstrate?"

"No thanks. What about the scythe?"

"This scythe will instantly stop whoever it cuts from drawing breath," her father explained. "They'll suffocate before they can even bleed out from the wound."

"Sounds fun. What's with the pocket watch? Are you late for a very important date?" Ella asked Black.

Black chuckled. "I prefer to keep my party tricks to myself for now," he replied.

Ella's father was about to swing his scythe toward her when he changed course and aimed for Libby. Ella could do little to stop him as the shock of him nearly attacking her overwhelmed her.

The scythe connected with Libby's throat. She clutched at her throat as she began struggling for air. The wound wasn't deep, but if she couldn't breathe, it would still kill her.

Rage overwhelmed Ella again. She gathered enough energy for a powerful attack and unleashed it upon her father. He was knocked to the ground. His morph began to flicker in and out like it was going to fail.

I attacked my father, she thought in horror. It didn't matter. She couldn't stop fighting now. If she did, Libby would die.

"That was very naughty, Ella," Pink taunted her. "You're supposed to honor your parents. I think it's time for a time out!" She laughed and turned toward the Black Ranger.

Before he could do whatever he was planning, an incredibly powerful energy moved in front of Ella and Libby.

"Zell!" Ella cried in relief.

"Stay behind me, girls," Zell said firmly as he shielded them behind a wall of pure power.

"Look guys! It's our first boss fight!" Trent said with a laugh.

"Trent..." Zell said in horror as he paled a bit.

"My dad... They resurrected my dad!" Ella explained as the full truth overwhelmed her. "And he's evil. He did this to Libby!"

Zell immediately began to tend to Libby. "It's alright now, Libby," he said soothingly. "My breath is your breath... Take it into yourself." He began healing the wound as Libby's lungs opened back up. After a few moments, Libby seemed to recover. "Ella, take Libby and go."

"We're not leaving you to fight a bunch of super-powered formerly dead Rangers by yourself," Ella protested.

"I can handle this. They have the Flames within them. I know how to stand against them. I must determine who else was resurrected, but you must warn your mother, Ella. Get to her immediately." He didn't say anything else before pushing Ella and Libby into Nowhen.

"Libby... Are you okay?" Ella asked as she adjusted to being outside of the timeline.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm alright now. Are you?"

"My dad just tried to kill you! No I'm not alright!"

"But he didn't try to kill you," Libby pointed out. "He hesitated and targeted me instead. This proves he's really still in there, Ella. He couldn't bring himself to attack his own daughter."

Her emotions overwhelmed her then. Her hair turned a deep shade of blue and she began to cry. Libby hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry he hurt you, Libby," Ella said with a sigh.

"It's okay. I know it wasn't really him," Libby replied. She looked at Ella for a moment before shyly kissing her lips. It was brief and sweet, and it filled Ella's heart with light. Her hair began to turn a soft shade of pink as she looked at Libby in shock.

"You... You kissed me," she said in confusion.

"You were just so sad, and you went through such a trauma back there, and I just wanted to make you feel better," Libby replied quickly and a bit awkwardly. "I'm sorry... Is it okay, or are you upset?"

"It's definitely okay," Ella replied. She paused for a moment before kissing Libby. This kiss lasted a little bit longer. She felt significantly calmer when she pulled away. "Come on," she said, taking Libby's hand. "Zell's right. We need to warn my mom that my dad is back and that he's evil before she just sees him, or there might not be any survivors."

ZELL
He watched the new team of Power Rangers and tried to process what he was seeing. They were extremely powerful and he had no doubt they were deadly. Their powers came from death itself, as well as from the Flames.

"What is it Jezzeff has called you?" He asked curiously.

"We are the Lazarus Rangers," Leo replied.

"I recognized Trent's voice and I see Leo's face. Tell me, who are the rest of you?"

"We're not here to talk," the Blue Ranger replied. Zell recognized her voice as well.

"Oh, Tori... You are stronger than this," he said sadly. "The training your team endures gives you better control over your own minds than most. Fight this. If anyone can, it is you."

"Shut up!" Pink said harshly as Tori hesitated for a moment. "Don't listen to him, Tori! He's trying to trick you into being weak!"

"Shelby..." Zell mumbled. "I suspect Jezzeff did not have to work very hard to recruit you."

"Screw you, Zell! It's your fault Venjix got loose and infected my weapon and ruined my life!" She retorted.

"You still refuse to take responsibility for your own actions." He shook his head. "Such a shame. No wonder your Energem abandoned you."

Shelby let out a battle cry and hurled her boomerang at him. Zell tried to deflect it, but it caught his palm. He might not have the scar from the Witch's spell anymore, but every vulnerability within him manifested in the place where it had been. He managed not to cry out in pain as darkness shot through his entire being.

He was in trouble and he knew it. To his surprise, the Black Ranger opened his pocket watch, clicked it, and time froze. The rest of the Lazarus Rangers did not move, but Black still did.

A voice Zell hadn't heard in millennia began to sing. The words were in a language he didn't know, but he recognized the magic which burst from within him. It filled Zell's heart with light, driving out the darkness and stopping his pain.

"Raven..." Zell said in shock.

"Hello, Zell," Raven replied. "I noticed you needed some help and figured I'd pay you a visit in my descendant's body."

"Zack," Zell realized. "Jezzeff resurrected Zack. Oh no... Tamira will not handle this at all, and neither will the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers..."

"Things are not as they appear. Jezzeff may have more power now, but a fool shall always be a fool in the end."

"What do you mean?"

"All in good time, Zell," Raven replied. "Speaking of time, Zack's new pocket watch freezes time, allows him to time travel, and can move an enemy's body through time until their time of death if he is so inclined. It won't work on immortals like Jezzeff or the Witch, but it's still pretty useful."

"Raven... You saved me," Zell said in confusion.

"I did," Raven confirmed.

"I do not understand. Why would you help me?"

"Because you've changed, Zell. You may have dropped a roof on my head, killed Quintus, and turned Zedd evil, but you're not that man anymore. And I figure keeping your light in tact is probably a better idea than letting darkness infect you again."

"Raven... Thank you," Zell whispered softly. He couldn't even identify the emotions rushing through him at this shocking turn of events.

"The original Chosen failed in our mission because we misunderstood what it was, Zell. The children got it right. We were never meant to destroy you. We were meant to save you." He patted Zell's back like they were old friends. "I understand everything now, Zell... I can't speak for the others, but I forgive you."

"How could you possibly forgive me?"

"Because I believe in second chances. You found your way back to the light. Just don't forget how you got there. Now, slip out of time before I unfreeze the Lazarus Rangers."

"I'll find a way to save Zack, Raven. I promise. I'll save them all."

"Focus on the others. Zack's fine."

"What do you mean?"

Raven laughed. "I told you, Jezzeff's an idiot. Zack is my descendant, which means the Taylor family light is within him. It was dormant, but when Jezzeff tried to turn him, the Flames couldn't steal that light. He is the light. All it did was wake up the power. I told him to play along because Jezzeff needed to believe he was successful."

"Of course... It would be like trying to turn Celestia evil. It's impossible..." Zell smiled. "This is wonderful news. Raven, tell me who the Yellow Ranger is. She's the only one I couldn't identify."

"Her name is Kelsey. She was from a team called Lightspeed Rescue."

"Thank you... For that, as well as for your forgiveness. You do not know what it means to me."

"Just prove you've earned it, my friend. Now go."

Zell slipped out of time. He watched from that place as Raven gave Zack control of his body again and unfroze time.

"Aw, man!" Zack said in annoyance. "My watch doesn't work on time travelers. He got away. Sorry guys."

"That's alright," Leo replied. "It isn't time for us to destroy Zell yet. Let's return to Jezzeff and wait for further instructions."

Zell took a few moments to process what had just happened before he stepped back into time in a new location. He had the identities of the Lazarus Rangers. Now he needed to warn Kira and the others before it was too late.