CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
JAYDEN
He was waiting for Antonio to come over while Emily sat beside him. Tommy wasn't home when they arrived, but Dustin, Kira, and Micky had all been thrilled to see him. He appreciated the warm welcome, but all he really wanted was for the next day to come so he could find out whether or not he'd be a Power Ranger anymore.

Suddenly, Jayden felt a rush of knowledge slamming into his mind. His eyes widened in shock as the memories came flooding back. First, he was a little kid, playing with Antonio and a little girl. Her smile lit up her eyes and warmed his heart. They played and trained Antonio together in the ways of the Samurai. After all, she was one, too. Then, Antonio left, and Jayden and the girl grew even closer. Their shared grief had bonded them before, but losing Antonio was even harder on them. Their little trio of warriors was down to a duet.

As they grew older, they remained best friends. When the rest of the team joined them, she helped him learn to work on a team instead of doing everything by himself or with only her. When Antonio returned, they were both ecstatic. Together, they fought against the Nighloks, and everything was perfect. She was the first person he told about his relationship with Katie. She was thrilled he'd finally done something for himself and not just because he was a Samurai. She gave him the courage to embrace being in love.

Ren, he thought. My God, how could I have forgotten?

"Oh my gosh!" Emily cried. "Ren! Jayden, what's happening?"

"I don't know, Em," he admitted.

"Are you guys alright?" Kira asked in confusion.

The doorbell rang. Dustin opened it. "Hey, Antonio," he said cheerfully. "Who's your friend?"

Is it possible? Jayden wondered.

Emily squeaked as she spotted the person who entered with Antonio. She ran to her and flung her arms around her. "Ren! Oh my goodness! How did we forget you? And why do we suddenly remember?"

"Memory Kanji," Antonio explained as Ren hugged Emily back.

"I missed you, Emily," Ren replied.

Jayden stood up and walked closer to her. "What happened, Ren?" He asked.

Ren hugged him tightly. She buried her face in his chest as he held her. "It's a long story, Jay," she replied softly.

"We've got time," Jayden replied.

"Not now... It's, um... Samurai stuff."

"Kira and Dustin are Power Rangers, too, Ren. You can tell them anything. They're family."

Ren nodded. "Well then, it's nice to meet you," she said. "I am Sakamoto Ren... The Silver Samurai Ranger."

"Silver?" Kira repeated. "There's no Silver Samurai in Doc O's Ranger book, and you guys never mentioned one."

"We forgot," Emily replied. "Until thirty seconds before she got here."

"The Kanji I used is very powerful," Ren explained. "And Tommy had to forget I existed, so it probably erased me from this book you mentioned."

"Why did Tommy need to forget?" Jayden asked.

"Jay... This is about Katie," Antonio explained gently.

Jayden tensed. Emily automatically squeezed his hand. He took a deep breath. "Tell me, Ren. Tell me everything. I need to know."

"This cackling shadow started stalking Katie," Ren began. "She was scared but didn't want to worry you. You guys hadn't been dating for too long... A few months maybe. I realized she was upset and coaxed the truth out of her."

"Cackling?" Kira repeated. "You mean the Witch went for Katie before Zell was even back from the dead?"

"That's who Antonio thinks it was. The Witch really wanted to destroy our team and she was trying to turn Katie evil, making her embrace her darkness. This girl from the future came and she had an alien device that would stop the Witch for a while and buy us time to save Katie from the darkness. I brought it to Antonio and we tried to figure it out. The Witch grabbed onto Katie and all of this darkness burst from her. I knew Katie was terrified, and I was determined to save her because Jayden loved her... Antonio activated the box and the light inside of it burned the Witch. She attacked him, but I took the full force of the spell because there was no way I was letting her kill one of my best friends. It drained most of my life force, but I called on the power of the Moon, which my family is connected to, and it protected my soul enough that I survived. The girl who gave me the box screamed at me to use it again, so I did. It took most of my strength. The Witch fled from the attack, and the device's light knocked most of the darkness out of Katie. It sucked me inside. I shouldn't have survived. I was too badly injured, but it healed me almost instantly and kept me alive. I cast the memory Kanji because I knew Katie would never be safe if she remembered the Witch. I had to erase her memories... And the Kanji required I sacrifice something powerful to do it."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked.

"Herself," Jayden realized. "She sacrificed our memories of her to power the Kanji. I know the spell... It's extremely powerful and almost impossible to master. It takes enormous skill. I can't even cast it."

"You made everyone forget you just to stop the Witch from turning Katie evil?" Kira asked in surprise. "You're one brave girl, Ren."

"Jayden loved her, and I considered her a friend," Ren replied. "Katie was kind of immature and could be a little self-centered at times, but she was still a kid. She could have grown out of it, and in her heart, she wanted to do the right thing. She wasn't evil... And the darkness inside of her terrified her. She needed help. I'd do it again, not only to protect her, but to protect everyone else." She sighed. "I just wish it had been enough to prevent her from turning evil. I only delayed it..." She turned toward Emily. "I am so sorry about Mike, Emily. He was a great guy."

Emily teared up a bit. "He died a hero," she replied. "Mike got her Power Coin away from her."

"I always knew he was a hero." She looked at Jayden. "Jay... Antonio told me about Mentor. I wish I could have been there to help you through that... I know how much he meant to you. And to lose Katie, too... I'm just sorry. I tried to prevent it."

"It's not your fault, Ren. You did everything you could," he replied. "You sacrificed yourself to try to save Katie and the rest of us." His chest ached. Katie was always a sore subject, but this news added a new layer of pain. Could he have saved her? Why hadn't he seen that the darkness was consuming her? How had he not realized something evil was targeting her?

"Jay... It's not your fault, either," Ren said knowingly.

"You always could read me," he replied, shaking his head with a sad smile. "I'm really glad to have you back, Ren."

"I'm glad to be back."

"So I guess you'll be staying with the Samurai team in their safe house?" Kira asked.

"That's the plan," Antonio replied.

"Great. If you need anything, Dustin, Jayden, and I are Team Leadership. If you can't find us, Andros and Adam are also part of the leadership team. Failing finding any of us, you can call Doc O. If you're in immediate danger or just need to be teleported, contact the Alphas. Your team can get you up to speed on the current situation and how we got here, and Antonio can make sure you have the tech to stay in touch with everyone. We train daily, and you should definitely join us. Welcome back to the fight, Ren."

Ren smiled. "Thanks," she replied.

Jayden tried to relax. Now that he had his memories back, he knew how strong of an asset Ren was to the team. He forced himself not to worry about the possibility of losing her again, or obsess about the fact that he'd only lost her the first time because she wanted to save Katie.

JEZZEFF
He'd descended into the Underworld without incident. Since he was the cause of the chaos, it didn't effect him. He began to search for his target.

Jezzeff had considered several Black and Green Rangers to replace Dillon. He'd thought of Mike first, from the Samurai team. He couldn't seem to sense him in the Underworld, however, so he was forced to abandon that idea. He thought about Riley, but quickly realized that Andie had already purified him from Zell's Flames and his might not work on him because of this. Danny Delgado's spirit was never alone, as the deceased Wildforce team tended to stick together at all times unless they were lingering around the Rangers who had replaced them. There was Will from Operation Overdrive, but that wouldn't cause the emotional turmoil the return of his other Rangers would cause, as most of his team was dead.

A final name occurred to him. Jezzeff knew immediately that this was the perfect choice. No one would ever see it coming.

He knew it would be difficult to accomplish. Just catching him off-guard would be difficult, but he knew he could do it. He just had to wait for the right moment.

His target was smiling and laughing to himself when Jezzeff found him. Jezzeff didn't know what had amused him, but it was obvious this dead Ranger was oddly full of life. He waited for just the right moment to pull the Black Ranger's soul into himself.

Jezzeff hurried to the Underworld's exit. He escaped unnoticed and returned to the Guild's newest base.

"Witch, I require a new sacrifice," he said.

"I figured. Here you go, Jezzy," she replied. She pulled a man who was bound and gagged from the shadows. Jezzeff began the ritual immediately, slashing the sacrifice's throat. The Witch watched curiously as his newest Ranger began to resurrect. The injury that had killed him was severe, but Jezzeff was able to heal it easily.

"Jezzeff..." The Witch said cautiously.

"Yes?" He asked, concerned by her tone and the use of his proper name.

"Make the loyalty spell extra strong or you'll lose this one quickly... He is a very bold choice. If you succeed..." She smiled darkly. "This may be the biggest shock to the Rangers yet. I am impressed."

Jezzeff strengthened the spell and added an extra enchantment to ensure his Ranger would be too confused to fight the Flames when he awoke. He watched as the Black Ranger opened his eyes and stared at the Flames with a dazed expression on his face. He didn't fight, but when he finally smiled, the Flames went out. He emerged and stood before Jezzeff and the Witch calmly.

"Come with me, my friend," Jezzeff said. "I must keep you hidden, but soon, it will be time for you to meet your new team."

DILLON
He had been running for a long time. Dillon wasn't sure where he was going or why he needed to keep running, but he knew he did.

Dillon... Dillon, slow down, a voice whispered in his mind.

"Get out of my head!" Dillon shouted.

You can't block me out. No one can. Just take a minute to breathe, Dillon. We can help you.

"Bull! Jezzeff said he was trying to help, too, and right now, I believe you about as much as I believe him."

Dillon, it's Trerry. Do you remember me? I'm one of the Eltarians. We've met before. You can trust me.

"I don't trust anyone, Trerry! Trusting others gets me screwed over."

That's the old you talking. The one who wasn't a Power Ranger yet.

"Where is my sister, Trerry?"

Safe. She's with your team, which is where you should be. They still need you, Dillon. Sage is with me. Let us help you. She can restore your light and I can clear your mind.

"He said the Flames didn't work. If that's true, why am I hollow inside?"

You're not... You're just lost. You were still adjusting to being dead. When we found out you were alive, I put the truth in your head, that Gia was after you all along, not Tenaya.

"Great. Thanks for telling me there was no point in sacrificing myself. It took the only peace I had!"

Exactly! That was your one shred of light, Dillon. By taking it away, I made you immune to the Flames. If you have no light, he can't turn you because he can't steal it.

"You planned that?"

It's a theory Keilah and I have been tossing around. When Celestia and Keizos were still alive, he literally had no light inside of him. She was his light. So we were wondering if Zell had tried to turn Keizos if it would have failed. You can't steal something someone doesn't have, right? It seems like the theory's accurate, Dillon. You're still yourself... You're just hurting. Let us help you.

Dillon shook his head. "I don't trust this. I need time."

Alright. When you're ready, think my name. I'll come find you.

Trerry stopped speaking. Dillon sighed before he started running again. He wasn't sure where he'd end up, but as long as he escaped from Angel Grove, that was good enough for him.

MALLORY
She had snuck out again. She needed to get away from her parents for a little while. Besides, Goldar kept ordering her around and that was getting on her last nerve.

As she wandered through the woods of Angel Grove, she came across a kitten. It sniffed her curiously before rubbing its face on her hand.

"What a good girl you are," Mallory gushed as she pet the kitten.

"Morgana! There you are!" A voice she recognized said.

Oh no, Mallory thought.

As her mother's other self scooped the kitten up in her arms, she smiled at Mallory. "Hi," she said. "I see Morgana likes you. I'm Rita."

"I know," Mallory replied nervously.

"Mom! Are you okay?" Angie asked as she ran toward them. As soon as she locked eyes with Mallory, both of them began to release spirals of magic from their hands.

"Girls... What's going on?" Rita asked.

"I'm not sure," Angie replied. "I'm not doing this on purpose."

"Who are you?" Rita asked Mallory gently.

"I'm no one. Forget you saw me," Mallory replied. She tried to pull her magic back in, but it locked onto Angie's and began to double in strength.

"You're her," Angie realized. "The Sorceress... The one from Dulcea's realm, anyway."

Mallory sighed. "Mallory," she replied. "My name is Mallory."

"There's no need to be afraid, sweet girl," Rita said soothingly. "We won't hurt you."

"Mom, she's evil, remember?" Angie cautioned her.

"She's misguided, Angie," Rita insisted. "You were the Sorceress once, but you were never evil. You just wanted to help your father and me." She paused. "Are you evil, Mallory?"

"Not especially," Mallory replied softly.

"Good. Then there should be no issue with us helping you."

"I'm fine..."

"Your arm is cut," Angie said softly. "Several times... You hurt yourself."

"No I didn't-"

"Mallory, look... My little brother does it, too. So did a lot of the kids in the group homes I grew up in. Whatever's making you do that, we can help."

"We shouldn't even be talking to each other. The barrier between the realms might shatter."

"Mom, is she right?"

"It's unlikely," Rita replied. "You are two different people, just like the Legacy Rangers and Dulcea's Ninjetti team. Nothing bad has happened between them except some bickering. It would be riskier for me or your father to meet our other selves. That could potentially destroy both realms."

"Still, I should go-" Mallory began.

"Mallory, why are you hurting yourself?" Angie asked. "Is it Dad? Did he hurt you?"

"My Lord would never hurt me except to make me stronger," Mallory replied automatically.

"Oh, sweetheart!" Rita cried. She stunned Mallory by wrapping her in her arms. "When he's going by Lord Zedd, he's not exactly a pleasant guy to be around. I'm so sorry... Don't I protect you?"

"Mom tries, but..." Mallory stared at her feet.

"Mallory, maybe you can stay with Mom for a bit," Angie suggested. "Mom and Uncle Rito have a place to themselves. I crash there pretty often, but I live with Tanya. You can use the room they keep for me."

"I can't," Mallory replied. "They need me."

"You deserve to be safe," Rita said.

"That's never been my destiny... Thank you both for caring, but I don't belong in your world. As soon as my parents leave, I'll go with them and you'll forget all about me."

Angie sighed. "Here," she said, handing her an onyx stone. "If you need help, squeeze this. It'll make its twin glow and I'll come find you or I'll have the Alphas teleport you somewhere safe."

"Why are you helping me?" Mallory asked in confusion.

"Because I was you, Mallory. And it took someone good helping me to make me realize I didn't have to keep living like that." She paused. "Just think about it, okay? Maybe this doesn't have to be your life."

Mallory wanted to believe that was possible more than anything, but she was afraid to hope. In her experience, hope only led to massive disappointments and broken hearts.

"Thank you," she said softly. "You're both very kind."

As Rita hugged her again, Mallory nearly cried. Instead, she took a deep breath and forced herself to walk away.

RONNIE
When she finally regained consciousness, everything was a blur. Ronnie struggled to remember what had happened before everything went black. Slowly it came back to her.

The first thing she remembered was seeing Jaybert standing in front of her. Ronnie had panicked, but LJ had tried to calm her, insisting Jaybert wasn't there. It almost worked until the image shifted and Ronnie was suddenly watching Jaybert murder his daughter. As Ronnie screamed and tried to save her beloved friend, she was knocked unconscious.

Now, Ronnie spotted her unconscious children around her. Only Rebecca was missing. Please let Becca be okay, she thought. If she was missing, she either hadn't been caught or had been killed.

No, Ronnie told herself. Becca's brilliant. She'll have found a way to stay safe.

"Hello, Veronica," a voice said.

Ronnie was horrified to see Baizena standing in front of her. "You..." She whispered. She took a deep breath and forced herself to be brave. "Leave my children alone," she said firmly. "Let them go. They aren't part of this."

"You are forgetting I was trapped inside of you while you endured the agony of childbirth for each of them. They're part of it," Baizena replied.

"Why have you brought us here?"

"You are bait, Veronica. Don't worry. I need you all alive, for now."

"Bait? Bait for whom, exactly? Lee? The other Rangers?"

"The Rangers are insignificant to me. My target is far more important."

Suddenly, Ronnie understood. "Laby..." She whispered.

"Precisely."

"I won't call out for him. I refuse."

"You won't have to. I will ensure he knows I have taken you and the children."

"I won't let you hurt him!"

"You believe you can stop me?" Baizena laughed cruelly. "You are welcome to try, Veronica."

Ronnie didn't care what it took. Somehow, she would rescue her children and protect Laby from the demon who'd once been trapped inside of her. It felt like it was her responsibility, and quite frankly, she was sick of being the one who needed to be rescued. She wasn't a damsel in distress anymore, and it was  about time she proved it.

LAUREN
She had been working extremely hard on mastering the spell. M'Telda was an incredibly gifted Sorceress and her own discipline kept Lauren focused on what she needed to do. The process was difficult but she knew it would be worth it in the end.

When she checked her phone, she realized she'd missed several calls. She was startled to see Jayden's name on the list. Immediately, Lauren called back, not allowing herself to hope he'd be the one who answered.

"Lauren..." Jayden said as he picked up.

"Jayden!" She cried in relief before forcing herself to keep her emotions in check. "You're awake. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay. Zordon allowed a sprite from another realm to help me. I've seen Emily and Antonio, and someone else... Lauren, do you remember Ren?"

"Ren? The name is familiar, but... I can't say that I do."

"She was the Silver Samurai."

"Jayden, the last Silver Samurai died in the same battle as our father."

"I thought so, too, but our memories were erased. Ren was gone before you came back, though. I just figured you might remember the little girl I used to play with when we were kids."

Lauren paused thoughtfully. "My memories of our childhood are a bit fuzzy at points, but I do recall her now that you mention it... She was very clever and high-spirited. I was fond of her."

"She's back, Lauren. It's a long story, but she was trapped, and Antonio helped her escape with a couple of wizards assisting."

"Wizards? Sprites? What's going on, Jayden?"

"Come by and see me. I'll explain it. Whenever you have time, I mean."

"I'll come now." She paused. "Jayden, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up... I was training."

"It's okay. I know you have a lot of obligations. I understand."

She could sense a bit of hurt in his words, and she felt horrible. What she had to do was important, but so was her little brother.

She wanted to tell him what she had been doing, but she couldn't. Not yet, and not over the phone. Somehow, she'd make it up to him.

"I love you, Little Brother," she said softly.

"I love you, too," he replied.

Lauren took a deep breath, focusing herself before she said, "I'll see you soon."

ANDIE
Something was wrong. Andie could feel that much. She noticed Pierce looked tense and knew he felt it, too. The rest of their team didn't seem to notice.

"The spirits aren't at rest," Andie mumbled.

"What do you mean, Andie?" Greg asked.

"Something's wrong in the Underworld," Pierce replied. "Maybe I should check on things."

"Maybe we should call Amos first," Darcy suggested.

"I'm a Shaman, too, Darce. I can handle this much on my own."

"Be careful," Greg cautioned. "This might be dangerous."

"Anchor me, Darcy," Pierce said. "I'll be fine."

Darcy took his hand. Pierce took a deep breath before leaving his body to search the Underworld for the source of the trouble.

Something was rapidly moving through the trees. They swayed with the force of it, making an almost frantic rustling sound.

"Guys... Do you hear that?" Scott asked nervously.

"We need to go," Chelsea said. "Like now."

"It's far too late for that," Jezzeff said as he approached them. He smiled as an army of souls appeared behind him.

"What have you done?" Andie demanded, feeling his energy taking full control of the souls. She could feel their fear and their desperation as they struggled to free themselves, but none of them seemed to be able to fight his commands.

"I am a Shaman now, Daphne," he replied.

"Shaman don't enslave souls to do their bidding!"

"Actually, some do... Those with the power and the drive can easily control them."

"You're a monster!"

Jezzeff moved closer to her. Scott and Greg automatically stepped in front of her protectively. Chelsea sped around him and moved to kick him from behind, but Jezzeff whispered a spell and she froze in place, her leg centimeters from his back.

"Chels!" Scott cried in alarm as Jezzeff's army attacked her, clawing at her until they managed to physically injure her. "How can ghosts make you bleed?" Scott demanded.

"They can do whatever I grant them the power to do," Jezzeff replied. "You shouldn't try to fight me, Children. You will lose."

"Like hell we will!" Darcy cried. "Pierce, we need you, now!" She squeezed his hand.

Pierce opened his eyes. Andie was horrified to realize he was bleeding severely. "What happened?" Greg asked in shock.

"Spirits..." Pierce managed. "They attacked me and tried to steal my life force."

Andie moved to heal him, but the army of souls surrounded her. "I don't think so, Daphne," Jezzeff said with a laugh.

The spirits tried to attack the others. Scott put up a shield of air, but the spirits attacked it with enough force to shatter it. He fell onto his hands and knees, screaming in pain. Greg tried to open a hole under Jezzeff's feet but Jezzeff easily stepped aside and used telekinesis to send Greg flying into a rock. He hit his head. There was a lot of blood and Andie knew it was a serious injury.

"Darcy, get the others out of here!" Andie cried. She tapped into her spirit affinity and was able to hold the souls back, but Jezzeff was struggling to take control again.

"No way. You're my sister, and I am not leaving you," Darcy argued.

"Everyone else is hurt. You're the team leader. You need to get them out."

Darcy looked at their wounded team members and sighed. "You need to come with us."

"I can't. Someone has to hold them off so you can escape. Besides, they'll attack everyone in town if I don't stop them."

"Andie, no! There are too many of them. This is too much for you."

"I can do this, Darce. I know I can."

Darcy looked like she wanted to keep protesting, but then she took a good look at Greg and nodded. "I'm coming back for you as soon as they're safe," she said.

"I know you will. Go. I'll be okay."

Darcy cast a spell and a portal appeared. She'd only mastered that recently, but Andie knew it would work. Scott stood up with Darcy's help, then Darcy broke the paralysis spell on Chelsea. Darcy helped Pierce to his feet. He was weak and nearly collapsed before leaning on her for support. Greg was unconscious.

"Chelsea and I can support Greg between us," Scott said. They worked together to lift him and managed to carry him into the portal. Darcy and Pierce followed them.

"Alone at last," Jezzeff taunted Andie.

"We're hardly alone," Andie replied. "An army of souls is right here with us." She was still struggling to keep them from attacking, but it was working. She was using more power than she ever had before. Her body felt like it was on fire as light burst from within her. Some of the darker spirits burned and vanished as the light touched them.

"You called down the Sun," Jezzeff said in surprise. "I didn't think you remembered how to use that power."

"Daphne and Oralee just gave me a crash course," Andie replied. The power was still flowing through her, keeping the innocent spirits at bay but not destroying them.

She suddenly felt something dripping down her face and realized her nose was starting to bleed. Shit, she thought. I can't keep this up forever.

"Andrea..." A voice called.

Andie tensed. "No," she whispered. Not him. Please not him, she thought.

"Look at me, Andrea!" He snapped.

Andie looked up because she knew he'd attack her if she refused. "Dad," she said tonelessly.

"It's your fault I'm dead, Andrea! And you will pay for it."

"I didn't make your shitty life choices for you, Dad. You did that all by yourself."

"I was killed by your boyfriend!"

"You were trying to kill me," she pointed out. "I tried to help you. I thought the Rebels brainwashed you... But that's just who you were... An evil man."

"You ungrateful little bitch! I'll show you who I am!" He attacked with enough force to make Andie's nosebleed increase severely. She was getting dizzy, but she still didn't let go of her control of the souls. If she did, no one in the area would be safe.

As her father attacked her with increasing ferocity, Andie took a deep breath and declared, "I am not dying today!"

"We'll see about that," her father replied.

"What choice will you make, Daphne?" Jezzeff taunted her. "Release the souls and fight your father or cling to them and die at his hands?"

"I choose Option C," Andie replied. "Hold onto the souls, ignore my father, and send your evil ass back to hell!"'

Jezzeff laughed. Andie was bluffing and he knew it. She was going to die, one way or another. She was losing too much blood and her grip on the souls was starting to slip. Even the sunlight she'd channeled was starting to fade.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her father's soul. "Return to the Underworld," he said firmly. "Or I will destroy you for the things you have done."

"Lido..." Andie whispered. She was growing weaker by the second.

"I don't take order from you," her father replied. "I'm with Jezzeff."

Lido gripped her father's shoulders tightly. His eyes widened in surprise before he seemed to slip into a trance. "You were a vile man while alive," Lido said. "Death has not changed that. Now, you will feel everything you did to harm others, including your daughter. You will experience every ounce of their suffering for yourself, and until you face it all, you will not be allowed to rest or to heal."

"You can't do that to me," he protested weakly.

"I am a Shaman. I can and I will. It is my sacred duty to help souls, and this is the only way to help you. You'll never learn until you understand the damage you have caused." Lido leaned in close to his face and added, "And if you ever come near your daughter again, I will make you regret it." With that, he forced him back into the Underworld.

"Impressive, Lido," Jezzeff taunted him. "And here I always thought you were a useless oaf." He smiled before vanishing into a portal.

The spirits remained, fighting harder against Andie. She felt like her head was going to explode. Lido took her hand in his and squeezed it firmly.

"Let them go, Andie," he said.

"I can't... They'll attack," Andie protested.

"I can take control," he promised. "Let me take over. You're going to kill yourself if you don't."

Andie nodded weakly before releasing the souls. Lido immediately took control of them and began pulling them into himself. They each entered and exited his body quickly as he glowed with power. When they exited, they looked confused but no longer homicidal. After the last one moved through him, Lido whispered a spell and they went back to the Underworld.

"You freed them," she said in wonder. "How?"

"Amos is an excellent teacher," Lido replied. "You need to be healed." He immediately started tending to her injuries.

Darcy came running toward them. "Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

"I wouldn't be if Lido hadn't shown up," Andie admitted.

"I sensed you were in danger," he replied as he continued to heal her. "I will always come when you need me."

"I know... Thank you," Andie said softly. "Darce, how's everyone else?"

"Zordon was able to patch Scott and Chelsea up. Greg's concussed and on a healing bed recovering. I took Pierce to Amos because his injuries are spiritual even though they manifested physically. He needs a Shaman, but he should be fine in a few hours."

"Let's get you home," Lido said, scooping Andie up in his arms.

"I can walk, Lido," she protested.

"You used a lot of energy and lost a lot of blood," he pointed out. "You get injured when you aren't dizzy. I'm not allowing you to walk right now."

"Lido's right," Darcy added. "Besides, you're trembling."

"Jezz summoned my father," Andie explained.

"That motherfucker! I'll kill him!"

"I sent his soul back where he belongs and gave him much to think about," Lido replied. "He won't bother her again. If he does, he will face my wrath, and he doesn't want that."

"Thank you for taking care of her, Lido," Darcy said.

"Always." He began walking. Darcy walked with him. Lido didn't release Andie until they got home.

"Andie! Oh honey, what happened? Did you fall, sweetheart?" Karen asked as she opened the door and spotted her.

"Let me check your injuries," Kyle added.

"I'm okay, guys," Andie replied quickly. "It was a Power Ranger thing, but my friend Lido helped me." It was odd being able to tell them the truth, but Andie was relieved they knew. It made things a lot easier to explain.

"Well then, he should come inside and join us," Kyle decided. "Your mom was just cooking."

"No thank you," Lido replied very awkwardly. "I'm fine."

"Lido, you saved me today," Andie said. "The least you deserve is a home-cooked meal."

"I couldn't intrude."

"It's not intruding when you're invited," Karen insisted. "Come on in..."

"We won't take no for an answer," Kyle added.

Lido seemed to realize he wasn't getting out of it. He stopped protesting and carried Andie into the house, gently setting her down on the couch.

"I'll bring you a shirt to change into," Darcy offered before hurrying upstairs. Andie realized her nosebleed had severely stained her shirt.

"Are you sure you're alright, Andie? That's a lot of blood on your shirt," Kyle said in concern as he offered her a wet rag to clean off her face.

"I had a really bad nosebleed, but I'm mostly okay now... Just dizzy," Andie replied.

"Then food's a good idea. So, um... Lido, was it? Are you also a Power Ranger?"

Lido's eyes widened in surprise. "No," he replied.

"Lido's Eltarian, like Tiktah and Aliese," Andie explained. "He knew my past life. They were extremely close."

"How close?" Kyle asked in the ultimate What Are Your Intentions for My Daughter voice.

"We were best friends," Andie replied quickly to spare Lido from getting interrogated.

Kyle visibly relaxed. "Well, we're happy to have you here, Lido," he said with his usual friendly smile. "Where's Greg?"

"He sort of has a concussion," Darcy replied as she returned with a clean shirt for Andie. "He's being taken care of."

"A concussion? Darcy, I'm a doctor for God's sake! Bring him home and I'll make sure he's alright."

"Trust me, Dad, he's where he needs to be."

Kyle sighed but stopped arguing. Both of the Gordons had been forced to accept there were some things they couldn't just get involved in. Neither seemed thrilled about it, but they supported their children anyway.

Andie stood up and made her way to the nearest bathroom to change her shirt. Her skin was very pale and she realized she looked like a ghost herself. She clutched the side of the sink, taking several deep breaths and trying to ignore the fact that she'd probably come entirely too close to dying earlier.

When she finally returned to the others, she sat beside Lido at the table. He was visibly uncomfortable, but he calmed down a bit as she squeezed his hand. After everyone else talked for a while, Karen looked at Lido. "You're a man of few words, I see," she said with a laugh.

Lido looked like he had no idea what to say. "Lido's an Aviary," Darcy replied. "He spends more time talking to birds than people. This is a little weird for him."

"What an interesting talent," Kyle replied.

"I appreciate the meal," Lido said humbly. "I really should be going now. I am supposed to return to Colby."

Andie smiled. "How is that going?" She asked.

"It's... Odd, but I'm trying to get to know him. I left A'Vah in his care so I could come help you."

Karen obviously wanted to ask who Colby and A'Vah were but she refrained. "It's good for you to have family, Lido. Give him a chance," Andie advised.

"I am trying. I'm just... Not used to it," Lido admitted.

"I know. Go on. Give A'Vah a hug for me."

Lido said his goodbyes and left. Andie yawned as her exhaustion hit her again. "Andie, you should get some rest," Darcy said. "Come on. I'll walk you upstairs."

The sisters headed to Andie's room. "So... Could that have been any more awkward for poor Lido?" Darcy joked when they were alone.

"They could have asked what he does for a living," Andie replied with a laugh.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better... I'm just exhausted." She paused. "Darcy... Can you crash with me tonight? I just-"

"Of course I can. You don't have to give me a reason. I'm here for you."

"He blames me, Darce... For his death."

Darcy understood immediately. "It's not your fault, Andie. Your dad was working with the Rebels, who weren't exactly our friends at the time. He tried to kill you. Ivan did what had to be done."

"I know... But it was still hard to face him and hear that. My dad was a monster, but he was still my father, and I guess there's still a part of me that feels guilty."

She expected Darcy to dismiss that or tell her not to feel guilty, but she didn't. Instead, she hugged her. "Monster or not, he was the only parent you had after you lost your mom. It's okay to be conflicted about his death."

Andie was surprised as she felt tears in her eyes. Darcy hugged her tightly and made soothing sounds as she stroked her hair. "Let this out, Andie," she said softly. "It's okay. You need to feel whatever you're feeling."

Andie let herself cry for a couple of minutes before she finally calmed down. "I'm okay," she said softly, pulling away from Darcy so she could blow her nose.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No... I just want to go to bed, hopefully without any nightmares... Fat chance of that, though."

They both changed into pajamas before Darcy curled up beside Andie and held her. She began singing softly and Andie recognized the Eltarian lullaby. Daphne came very close to the surface and she knew Sera was close as well. As Darcy sang to her, Andie fell into a safe and peaceful sleep.

TRENT

It wasn't hard to play the part. Trent had been turned evil before. He'd mastered the evil laugh, the evil tone of voice, and the jaded attitude he was expected to have back then. Jezzeff, Ninjor, and the Witch seemed to have absolutely no idea that the Flames hadn't turned him evil. Trent was missing his light, but his mind was his own. He had complete control of himself and although he felt a bit lost in the darkness, he didn't feel compelled to harm anyone or follow Jezzeff's orders. For whatever reason, the Flames hadn't fully worked on him.

As Jezzeff entered their pocket realm, Trent focused on looking evil and sadistic. Whatever Jezzeff was planning, he knew he needed to stay and try to stop it from the inside.

"Hello, my friends," Jezzeff greeted them. Everyone else looked at him with complete devotion. Leo, Tori, Kelsey, and Shelby seemed very much on board with his plans. Only Trent had resisted the darkness inside of him. Still, he looked at Jezzeff with the same devotion as the others.

"Jezzeff, at last!" Ninjor said. "I assume you have found your Black or Green Ranger? I am ready to connect your team to the Morphin' Grid."

"Yes, Ninjor, I have," Jezzeff replied grandly. "Everyone, meet the final member of your team."

Trent braced himself for whatever was coming next. He still wasn't prepared for what he saw. His eyes briefly widened in horror before he was able to make his expression look mildly amused.

"Zack Taylor," Ninjor said with a laugh. "What an incredible choice, Jezzeff!"

The Witch howled in amusement. "I really don't give Jezzy enough credit, Ninjor! This will shake every last Power Ranger and member of the Chosen up, not to mention Zordon and Zedd and so many others!" She declared.

"Hi," Zack said with a big smile. "I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting any of you, but I do recognize a few of the Rangers here."

"Zack, this is Ninjor, and that's the Witch," Jezzeff explained. "As for your new team, Leo is the Red Ranger, Shelby is Pink, Tori is Blue, Kelsey is Yellow, Trent is White, and you, of course, will be the Black Lazarus Ranger."

"Great! Sign me up. What do I have to do?"

"Stand in this circle, all of you," Ninjor said, motioning toward a circle made up of occult symbols on the ground.

Trent obediently stood in the circle with the others. Slowly, he began to feel his body tingling with power. The others seemed to sense it, too. Shelby looked especially excited. Soon, they began to morph. Trent looked at the suits. Each one had a golden ouroboros, the symbol of a snake eating its own tail, over the chest area. Trent recalled that the ouroboros was a symbol of endless rebirth and resurrection. It was also a symbol of unity. He could feel the power of his new Ranger form pulsing through him.

Don't give in to the darkness, he told himself. The power may be dark, but you don't have to be. He was able to keep himself focused while still embracing the power. No one would suspect he wasn't evil.

"I'm back!" Shelby cried in excitement. She smiled peacefully.

"What do we do now?" Leo asked.

"We train as a team," Tori guessed. "We need to learn to work together, right Jezz?"

"That's right, Tori," Jezzeff replied. "You were all incredible Rangers in your day, but now you have a new team, and you must figure out what each of you can contribute."

"I'm looking forward to it," Kelsey replied.

"Same," Trent said. "This is gonna be so sick!"

"Alright, Kids. Let me show you how an O.G. Ranger does things," Zack replied. He did a couple of Martial Arts moves to show off.

"Awesome," Shelby said. "It's going to be great working with you, Zack. It's an honor."

He grinned. "You're damn right it is," he replied.

As Jezzeff began going over their training regiment with them, Trent took a deep breath and kept his surface thoughts focused on being evil while he was actually trying to figure out what to do next. He knew only one thing for sure... He was going to find a way to save the other Lazarus Rangers from the darkness, no matter what it took.