ZORDON

It had been a hell of a night. Galaxia had not allowed anyone to stay with her except Raven, who had spent the night with her in Zedd's bed holding her and singing to her as she held Zedd's pillow and cried herself to sleep. Zordon had stayed up to check on her and to keep an eye on his father.

The Chosen had all come to the farm deeply broken, but Galaxia had not. Killing her mother had been an inevitability for her, and if anything, finally doing it had simply freed her from the burden of waiting to see what would happen to force her hand. Losing Zedd, however, had finally broken her in the way the others had been broken.

Zordon rushed around the farm, cleaning before any of the others woke. With Zedd gone, that responsibility had become entirely his once more. He knew he would need to prepare breakfast as well. When Zordon reached the stables, he saw Winifred laying down. Worried the horse must be sick, he approached her. She looked up at him sadly before laying her head back down.

A thousand ideas raced through Zordon's head. Had Winifred been hit with a poisoned arrow as well? Was she dying? As he gently pet her face, however, he knew the truth. "You know what happened, don't you, Winnie?" He asked. He did not need Xia's affinity for animals to know this was the case. The horse knew Zedd was lost to them, and even she was grieving.

He stayed with Winifred for a bit. He had to keep himself composed in front of the others. He had to be strong for them. Only with the horse Zedd had loved so dearly did Zordon feel he could let his emotions out. His brother was gone. Zordon had failed him, just as he had failed Rita.

"My father did this..." He whispered. He knew it in his heart, but he could not risk telling the Chosen. Their loyalty to his father protected them from harm. If his father lost control of them, there was no telling what he might do.

"I must protect them," Zordon said. "They are not only my charges... They are my family, and I cannot allow him to harm any more of them." Sure, Zordon had friends back on Eltar, but none had been like the Chosen. He loved them fiercely, and he knew he would do anything in his power to keep them safe, even if it meant facing the truth... His father had the entire universe fooled. He had never been a great source of good. He was the worst sort of evil, the sort no one would ever suspect of such darkness. Zordon had believed for so long that he was the cause of the pain his father inflicted upon him, but Zedd had been good... And Rita had been good... Now both were evil, and the only common thread between them was that Zordon had left them in his father's care right before they turned. He had suspected the truth after Rita, but Zedd's turning proved that was not simply the desperate thought of a boy who'd lost the girl he loved. His father was turning innocent people evil.

Zordon took several deep breaths and guarded his mind before he returned to the house. He finished preparing breakfast. He checked on his father.

"Zordon..." His father said.

"Good morning, Father," Zordon said. "You look well."

"You saved me last night. Thank you, my son."

"I did not do it alone. Dimitri helped me carry you, and Caius made certain the energy tube was set properly to heal you."

"You need not be modest. I know you were upset with me yesterday, yet you still saved my life. I was too harsh on you, Zordon. I am sorry for that."

Zordon was stunned. His father's apologies had always been excuses in the past, but this one seemed genuine. "You are my father," Zordon replied. "Angry or not, of course I helped you." He nearly wanted to forgive his father. Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps he had not been the cause of Rita and Zedd turning evil. His father was the only parent he had left. In spite of their difficulties, Zordon loved him deeply. All he had ever wanted was for his father to love him. He thought back to his childhood. His father had taught him magic. He'd laughed and encouraged him. He'd tried to comfort him on the nights when Zordon awoke screaming as his nightmares were filled with his mother's screams as a monster butchered her before Zordon's eyes. His father had done the best he could. Zordon knew that.

No, he thought. The one word gave him strength. Yes, he loved his father, and yes, his father had been good to him when he was a small boy, but it had been an act. The moment Zordon began to rebel, his father had turned violent. His true colors had come to light. He had taken everything from Zordon. His home, his friends, the girl he loved, the best friend who had become his brother... His father had ripped away everything Zordon had loved except for...

Mother, Zordon thought. He looked at his father and a terrible thought crossed his mind. The Great Wizard Zell knew all... "Father..." Zordon asked. "Did you know Mother was going to die?"

His father stared at him. "What brought on such a question?" He asked. He had stiffened inside of the energy tube. His face turned hard and unreadable.

I never saw the beast's face, Zordon thought. "I only wondered why you could not have stopped it," Zordon said cautiously.

"My dear boy... Her loss still haunts you deeply." His father looked at him sympathetically. "I fear that, while I see much before it happens, I did not see her death. If I had, I would have done everything in my power to save her."

Zordon closed his eyes. He could see his mother. He saw the beast burst into the house, despite her magical protections. After knocking her down, the beast restrained Zordon. He was cloaked, but Zordon caught a glimpse of his face...

No, he thought. That is impossible. It was bad enough to think his father may have been too indifferent to save his mother, but to even suggest his father and the beast might be the same entity... It was too horrible to consider.

He felt the truth in his heart, however. His six-year-old mind could barely comprehend that a beast was harming his mother. It was too much to accept that the beast was his own father. Zordon took a step back as the weight of the truth hit him.

"My son... Are you well?" His father asked.

"I fear I am exhausted," Zordon said. "I could not rest last night."

"Of course. That is only natural. Go rest, Zordon."

Zordon walked away, only running as he arrived upstairs. He fled to his room. He felt ill. His mother had been gentle, and pure of heart, and all that was good in the world. Only the most evil of beasts could have harmed her. What sort of monster was his father, the beloved Wizard of Eltar?

He finally composed himself and walked outside as the others rose for breakfast. Raven stood very close to Galaxia, still bathing her in his light. She looked better than she had the previous night, but it was clear she was still heartbroken. Morgana clung to Dimitri, not looking much better. Caius had clearly not slept at all. Quintus came out carrying the baby.

"My son is hungry," he said cautiously. "Does anyone know what I should do about that?"

Morgana walked toward him. "I milked Marjory when I woke. A baby needs milk, Quin."

"I fear I do not know how to feed one so small... I am out of my element. I can do basic things, like bathing the boy and changing him, but... I have never fed an infant."

Morgana looked at him sadly. "Give him to me," she said.

Quintus handed her his son. Morgana cradled him in her arms before beginning to feed him. She looked both terribly sad and deeply peaceful as she cared for the infant. "I never got to feed my daughter," she whispered.

Dimitri put a hand gently on her shoulder. Morgana looked up at Quintus. "He is beautiful, Quin. What is he called?"

Quintus looked sad as he said, "Hattie did not have time to name him... And I simply do not know what to call the boy."

"Something of your village, perhaps?" Raven suggested.

"My father was called Quang Bu... Quang means pure, and Bu means he who is a leader... It is a strong name, don't you think?"

"It is lovely," Galaxia said. No one had expected her to speak, and they turned to her now. "Oh, for Heaven's sake... I am not dead. Do not expect me to be a ghost. Now... Let us eat, so I may speak to Caius alone."

Caius nodded. "Yes, I do believe we should speak."

Zordon wondered what that was about. He desperately wanted to ask, but he knew he needed to act as if all were normal until the time was right.

Quang Bu cheerfully drank his milk before falling asleep in Morgana's arms. She continued to gaze down at him with affection as Quintus sat watching them.

"Quin... Are you not going to eat? Your plate is usually the first cleared," Raven said with concern.

"I am not hungry," Quintus said. This statement was quite alarming coming from him.

"Quin..." Zordon began, guessing his reason. "We are all upset at the loss of Zedd, but you need your strength. Eat. Please."

"It feels... Wrong, Zordon. How can we go on as though nothing has changed?" He stared at his son and added, "That child would not be here had Zedd not had the courage to do what I could not. He would have been assumed dead and left there to perish... Zedd saved my son, and I'm just supposed to accept that he's evil now? No! That is not going to happen! He needs us."

Everyone stared at him. Quintus was not one to get angry or yell. He preferred to laugh and act as though nothing bothered him. "Quin..." Zordon said gently.

"Forget it," Quintus said. "My apologies... Especially to you, Xia."

"Do not apologize for loving him," Galaxia said. "I feel the same way... But he is lost to us, Quin." She looked like she might cry. Quintus wrapped her in his arms, and Raven embraced them both. This seemed to calm them all.

After a few moments, Quintus looked to his son. "It appears he can sleep through anything," he said with a laugh. He sighed and returned to his plate, forcing himself to eat. Zordon watched as Morgana gently rocked Quang Bu, keeping him sleeping peacefully. Zordon envied the child, who was still too young to understand the turmoil surrounding him.

CAIUS

He had known something was wrong as soon as Galaxia told them the poison had turned Zedd evil. Galaxia's insistence that they talk in private told Caius she had known she was telling everyone a lie.

"Caius, I have cast a spell to ensure our conversation remains private," Galaxia told him. "I fear our lives depend on it."

"Your version of events is impossible, Xia," Caius said. "Zedd was fully cured of the poison before Zell tried to make him one of us. It had no lasting effects. It could not have turned him."

"I know. I saw it in your eyes. It is the version of events Zell presented to me. It seemed plausible, I suppose. I heard Zedd scream in pain, so I rushed in there, and I saw him attack Zell. I did not understand at first, but then Zedd told me he had turned. .. His eyes were dead, Caius. The light had left them, and I knew... I knew he could never hold it again. He chose this, but I do not know why... I cannot understand... All I know is Zell betrayed him."

"Why do you suspect Zell?"

"Zedd gave me a sign, Caius. He stabbed Zell in his back, and the act was not random. He wanted me to understand... He kept calling me by my given name. He wanted me to know that Zell had stabbed him in the back. Even evil, he tried to warn me..." Galaxia looked lost.

"I believe you," Caius said, taking her hands in his.

"We are all in danger. Zell is our mentor. He gathered us here... Now I wonder what the purpose of that truly is."

"The prophecy is that we shall destroy a greater evil than the world has ever known."

"What if that evil is Zell?" Galaxia whispered.

"Then none of us is safe."

"We must warn the others, but how can we do that safely?"

"I saw things, Xia... A vision I told Zell about. Dimitri's sword covered in blood, the day Zedd first joined us in battle. Raven comforting us in our darkest hour... Which, I believe, was yesterday. Quin and his son, who is now in his arms. Zedd joining us with Winnie... A grave belonging to someone that left me grieving deeply... That has not happened yet, nor has Morgana holding a baby blanket and weeping... There were two little girls, one born evil and one who was turned... I saw Zordon flung across a room... I suspect now that his father may have done that."

"I am certain you are correct. Zordon's injuries have not gone unnoticed, but he spoke only to Zedd of them, and Zedd never betrayed his trust to tell me."

"I saw you, Xia... Grieving and broken... And last night, that vision came true as you screamed into the night."

"I silenced my room before I did that."

"I knew anyway."

"Caius... Did you see if Zell was evil?"

"No... But he reacted strongly to the vision, trying to control what I believed it to mean. Especially about Zordon, Zedd, and your grief. He also refused to let me tell Quin he had a son on the way." He paused. "We must tell Zordon first."

"How can we tell him his only parent is evil?"

"I suspect he already knows. We will only confirm his suspicions."

Not willing to wait, Galaxia brought Zordon into the room. "We must speak with you... And it may be quite difficult to hear," she said.

"Zordon, we have reason to believe your father is not being truthful about what happened to Zedd," Caius said.

Zordon's face turned unreadable. "What do you believe occurred?" He asked.

"We believe he betrayed Zedd... That somehow, he tricked him into giving up his light," Galaxia said.

"Why do you think that?"

"Zedd told me... He stabbed your father in his back, and he made sure to stress my given name so I would know it was deliberate."

"Zell's story is impossible, Zordon. I know the potion cured Zedd of every trace of poison. Scientifically, it is simply not plausible," Caius said.

Zordon nodded slowly. "You must speak of this to no one," he said. "It is not safe here. We need to plan, but we cannot do it here. Do you understand?" He asked.

"You believe us?" Galaxia asked.

"I believe that, and much more." He sighed. "We must act as we normally would. If he suspects we are realizing what he has done, he will destroy us all."

"Agreed. We must proceed with extreme caution," Caius said.

"Caius... Can we save him?" Zordon asked. "Have you seen Zedd's future?"

"I have not," Caius replied. Immediately, there came a vision so strong it knocked him to his knees.

Zedd was desperately trying to cling to who he had been. It was impossible. He was evil. He would destroy them all. There was only one solution... Death.

"I have to go!" Caius said as the vision ended.

"Caius, you are not well-" Zordon protested.

"I will return. Stay. Please."

"Is it Zedd?" Galaxia asked.

"I must go alone. Please," Caius said before he ran from the house, praying he was not too late.

ZEDD

He had wandered for hours. He could feel his mind turning more and more evil. He felt empty and cold.

"My dear boy..." A voice whispered. "I thought you would not come."

"What more do you want from me, Zell?" Zedd demanded. He was annoyed he'd apparently been led to this spot.

"I require energy... And you stand above the most potent source."

Zedd looked at the ground beneath him. It vibrated and called to him. That power... I must have it! His evil mind told him. He began to dig up the dirt with his bare hands. Eventually, he saw a glowing light. "What is that?" He asked.

"That is the Zeo Crystal. It is a powerful creation which shall give me endless energy and power. You must be cautious in retrieving it. The Zeo Crystal is protected by a force field against evil. I can help you disarm it."

I am immortal. I cannot die, but death is my only release...It will free me, and I can appear to Caius... I can warn them. I can save them... No! I do not want to save anyone! I want only power! I must have power!

His own mind was betraying him. Zedd remembered his love for the Chosen and for Zordon, even if he could not feel it. He had to end this. He had to free himself. Then he could help them. Immortals could not die, but perhaps the Zeo Crystal was powerful enough to kill him anyway. As an act of rebellion, Zedd put his helmet on. He was still wearing the rest of his armor, and if he was going to die, he wanted the Chosen to know which side his heart had been on.

The Zeo Crystal is powerful... Why give that power to Zell? Take it for yourself! He told himself. His evil mind fell for it. He reached toward the Zeo Crystal.

"No!" Zell screamed. "No, you fool! Do not touch it!"

Zedd smiled as he reached for the Zeo Crystal unprotected. The force field began to burn him. He cried out, but forced himself not to move until the burns spread all over his body. His pain was so severe, he could not breathe. His lungs burned, too. His flesh was gone, but he was still alive.

Damnit, he thought. It was worth a try.

"Fool! I told you, Zedd, I will not grant you death! Now, you shall live burned and weak and suffering for eternity," Zell said. Zedd could no longer feel him and knew he had abandoned him.

Zedd lay twitching on the ground. He had never known such pain. He could not breathe, but he would not die. He wondered if this was what eternity would be for him. When the pain became too much to handle, Zedd lost consciousness.

CAIUS

He found Zedd unconscious and severely burned. He was unable to get air into his lungs. Caius picked his fallen friend up and somehow carried him to a secluded place. Once there, he set to work on caring for Zedd's wounds. There was no skin left to save, but Caius used a remedy of the Mystics to soothe Zedd's burns. He knew that, over time, it would take his pain, and it would help prevent infection. He used his own scientific knowledge to allow air to reach Zedd's lungs once more. Soon, Zedd was breathing evenly again.

"Where am I?" Zedd mumbled aloud as he began to awaken.

"Safe," Caius said. "You may rest here as long as you require. It is a sanctuary, protected by the spirits of those long deceased."

"Caius?" Zedd asked in confusion.

"Yes."

"I do not understand... I betrayed you all. Why do you help me now?"

"You are family, Zedd. We do not give up on our family."

"I attacked Zell."

"Rightfully so. Rest, Zedd. You are severely wounded."

"I cannot die."

"I know. I saw that. I saw your future."

Caius had seen Zedd growing into a great evil and adopting the title of Lord. He would do horrible things and destroy countless lives... But eventually, one day, he would be free.

"Was I gloriously evil?" Zedd asked sarcastically.

"Indeed. Until the day you died."

"Died? It is impossible."

"Someone will find a way... And you shall be free, my friend. Until then, I have attached items from other realms to you... Zell's collection is vast. He shall not notice a few items have gone missing. You shall breathe freely, and your pain shall lessen daily until it is gone forever. I cannot heal you, but I can spare you an eternity of suffering."

"Even knowing I will make others suffer?"

"Yes. Even still. Please rest here until you are well." Caius gently touched Zedd's arm. "The armor is burned into you, Zedd. I cannot remove it."

"Then it shall be a reminder...One which cannot be taken from me." Zedd paused. "Thank you, Caius."

"Take care of yourself, Zedd." He left him because he knew he must. At least his suffering is minimal, he thought. He had done the only thing he could for the boy who had once been his dear friend. Now, he must return to the Chosen and Zordon. There was much to be done if there was any hope of them defeating Zell.

TWO WEEKS LATER.

ZELL

He had not expected the vision to change, but it did. Suddenly, instead of his wonderful success and the failure of the Chosen, Zell saw a great battle in which he met his demise. Although they were all emotionally destroyed, Raven managed to inspire them to fight. His light was too strong, and Zell knew he must destroy it or he would fail.

Even as he planned to do this, the vision continued to show his defeat. Zell could not understand what had gone wrong. He knew he needed a plan in case this vision came to light.

My destiny is tied to theirs. If I am killed, the Chosen can bring me back if they are together, he thought. The current generation could never be whole. Turning Zedd had ensured that. Looking far into the future, Zell saw many descendants. There was only one problem... None belonged to Caius.

His grief is too strong, Zell realized. He shall never allow another woman into his bed in time... There was only one solution to this, for a son of Caius was key to his plan to return.

When Zell called Caius to him, the boy looked nervous. Zell wondered if he was growing suspicious of him. If any of the Chosen were clever enough to figure out his true plans, it was Caius.

"My boy... I have seen your future," Zell said. "The Underworld God intends to keep you and torture you for eternity once you die, and he will continuously try to kill you. I have only one choice to save you... I must grant you the gift of immortality."

Caius looked horrified. "No... Everything is meant to die, Zell. To live forever is an abomination," he said.

"In your case, Caius, to die is to be unjustly damned. I cannot allow you to be cursed in such a way. This is the only solution."

"Zell, please-"

"I understand your hesitation, Caius, but if you are to accomplish your purpose, you must become immortal. It is for the best." With that, Zell cast the spell before Caius could flee. As he did, Zell saw a new vision. A long time in the future, well over ten thousand years from now, Caius would finally produce an heir. Like his father, the child would have to die to come into his powers, and it would be his gift alone which could restore Zell's life.

The boy must die, he thought. He knew he could plant the idea to kill the boy in Rita's head. He saw how happy the boy would be, and he knew it would be easy to make Rita obsess about destroying him for that happiness, but she could only give the command. Someone else would have to carry out the murder. He would need someone purely evil for that task, and as close as Rita was to that, a single shred of good remained in her heart.

Zell said a few soothing words to the now-weeping Caius before he vanished into time. The last thing he saw was Caius on his knees whispering the name of his beloved Mystic, who Zell had just ensured he would never see again.

Zell searched for the perfect vessel as he raced through the time line. He found her in Puritan Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s. The girl was a young orphan who worked as a servant girl for a kindly Puritan family. She was sheltered and naive, and Zell had no trouble seducing the girl and putting her under his spell. She was powerless to refuse him and soon, she was with child. He knew the child was purely his, and the evil it possessed was so powerful that as he progressed her pregnancy with magic, his vessel died in childbirth.

He took the beautiful little girl from her mother's corpse and looked into her eyes. They were deceptively innocent. "I shall send you into the future once you have aged, my beloved daughter," Zell said. "There, you shall live with false memories as the perfect, innocent girl... They shall never see your true evil until it is too late to stop you. When the time is right, Rita shall order you to kill a boy, and you shall do it... This will allow my return, and we shall be reunited." He kissed her forehead and aged her.

Before him stood a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. "My daughter..." He whispered. "I shall name you Katherine."

She smiled at him. "One day, when the time comes, you and I shall be reunited, my dear girl," he said. "Until then, know you are my daughter, and nothing you desire shall ever be denied to you." He wiped her surface memories as he sent her to the future. The 1990s were the decade which called to him, and he left her in a town called Angel Grove with her fake memories, parents who were merely a magical illusion, and a lovely Australian accent. He knew Katherine would not fail him.

ONE WEEK LATER.

DIMITRI

Word of Zell's true nature had spread slowly among the Chosen. Finally, they all knew his secret. Dimitri hated that they had no idea how to stop him. Caius had searched Zell's collection for anything that might tell them what he was up to.

"I found this," Caius said. He held up a glowing charm. Caius had withdrawn from them all significantly, and Dimitri was concerned, but it seemed Caius had no desire to discuss what was troubling him.

Galaxia paled. "It is identical to the charm which held Zell's light," she said. "Who else did he do this to?"

Zordon hesitated before taking the charm in his hands. He began to cry, which was the last thing any of them had expected.

"Zordon?" Dimitri asked gently. "What troubles you?"

"It is true... Every bit of it," Zordon whispered. He clutched the charm like his life depended on it. "I have failed her! It is my fault... I trusted him..."

"Zordon, my friend..." Raven said. "Tell us what this means."

Zordon looked at Morgana and sighed. "I did not know who she was," he began. "She told me her name was Misty, and we grew close... I loved her, but I never suspected who she truly was..."

"Zordon... What is it?" Morgana asked.

"She was not named Misty... She was Rita."

Morgana's eyes widened in shock. "Rita? My daughter?"

"Yes. She lives, Morgana... Master Vile made her a teenager. My father forbade me to tell you. He said the knowledge would only hurt you because..." He looked away. "I am so sorry, Morgana... She came to me for help. She ran away from her father. She told me he killed her cat."

"Bastard!" Galaxia declared.

"She said he was cruel, and she was afraid, and I... I believed my father would help her, but he..." Zordon looked at the charm in his hand. "He turned her evil instead. I believe it was by force. Rita was pure of heart, Morgana. She was... She was innocent, but he turned her... I am so sorry! The fault is mine."

Morgana looked like she might cry. "The fault is his," she said softly. She came closer and studied the charm, but she would not touch it. Dimitri put his arms around her, and finally, she turned to him and wept into his chest. "She is alive," she whispered. "My baby is alive."

"Yes, Morgana," Dimitri said softly.

"If it was forced upon her... If she did not make the choice herself... There is hope, Morgana," Galaxia said. She looked at Zordon. "May I see it?" She asked.

Zordon reluctantly released the charm. Galaxia focused on it. "She cannot hold the light right now," she said, "but one day, the love in her heart will grow, and she shall be pure enough for it to return."

"A mother's love is the only thing that will save her," Caius said, and the others knew he was speaking a prophecy. He did that at times. The flat tone he spoke in told them it was not Caius who was speaking now.

"Then I must find her," Morgana said.

"We will find her together, my love," Dimitri said. He had been afraid to call her that, but seeing her now, he knew he must embrace the truth. Only love would see them through this battle against Zell, and only love would protect her as she prepared to rescue her daughter.

She allowed him to kiss her. Dimitri saw something new in her. Morgana was ready to fight, no matter what it took.

Quintus shifted as the baby began to fuss. "We must plan to take action," he said as he comforted his son. "We likely do not have much time, and we cannot go in blind."

"First, I shall release this," Galaxia said. "The good shall return to Rita's heart when she is able to accept it." She crushed the charm and a thousand lights burst out, filling the air with color and hope before it vanished.

"I thought I was impressive," Raven said with a laugh. "Her light is magnificent."

Zordon steadied himself against a tree. He looked completely devastated. "We will save her, Zordon," Dimitri said. "Whatever it takes."

"Can you ever forgive me?" Zordon asked Morgana.

Morgana touched his cheek gently and wiped away a tear. "There is nothing to forgive," she told him. "You have confirmed my daughter still lives. That is the greatest gift you ever could have bestowed upon me. The rest can be fixed." She hugged him.

Dimitri hoped she was right. He wanted to believe they could save Rita, but he knew it would not be an easy task. It concerned him even more that they were about to battle Zell, who none of them could stand against on their own. Would uniting be enough?

RAVEN

He knew they were close to a battle they might not survive. Raven looked at his friends and said, "Before we do anything, I must do something on my own. I shall return swiftly... If Xia can portal me?"

"And when you wish to return?" Galaxia asked.

"We can agree on a set amount of time."

She nodded. "Sure. When would you like to go?"

"Now."

Galaxia looked surprised, but shrugged. She took him away and said, "Envision where you want to go."

"That is easy," Raven said. He closed his eyes and whispered, "Home." A minute later, he was there.

The village looked as he remembered. Children ran around playing. Men and women laughed and smiled. Everyone stopped to stare at him.

"Raven?" A voice asked.

"Harmony..." He whispered. He turned around and she ran into his arms.

"We thought you were dead! The others..." She shook her head. "How did you survive?"

Raven smiled. "Come. I shall show you." He took his girlfriend aside and began to sing. His light filled the dark room.

"Extraordinary!" Harmony whispered. "You have come back blessed by the Gods!"

"Perhaps," Raven said. "Is Mother here?"

"Of course. Your parents and little brother are all here... As is someone else." She took his hand and led him to another room. "This is Horus Taylor... Named after the sun God because a brilliant light bathed the village the day he was born... He is my miracle, Raven... My piece of you, who I thought was lost to me."

"He is yours? Then..."

"He is your son, Raven. Our beautiful boy."

Raven cradled the baby in his arms. He'd never been so happy in his life. His son seemed to smile up at him and Raven felt his light radiating stronger than ever.

That night, he forgot about being Chosen. He played music in tribute to his fallen friends. He told his village the truth about what had happened to them. Then, as was traditional, he played the most festive songs he knew, lifting the spirits of everyone in the village and helping them move on. This closure was important.

Raven ate with his family. He hugged his parents and brother and kissed Harmony and held their son. He told them vaguely that he was part of something now which required he return soon. They savored their time together. He knew it might be the last time he saw any of them, but he could not bear to tell them that. Instead, he made them laugh, and entertained them, and held on tight to every moment they spent together.

At the agreed-upon time, part of him did not want to leave, but he knew he must. "Take care of our boy," Raven said. He kissed his son before placing him safely in Harmony's arms. "I adore you, you wonderful woman! When I return home, we shall be married, if you still love me."

"Always, my glorious Raven," Harmony replied. "I am already your wife in my heart."

"In mine as well, my sweet Harmony. Always." He kissed her a final time before leaving, deciding that no matter what, he would make it back home one day to keep his vow.

CAIUS

Every moment had become harder to bear knowing they would never end. Caius had never wanted to become immortal. A single day living without Rose was unbearable. A lifetime was incomprehensible.

He spent his time split between planning for a battle they all knew they could not win and becoming lost in his grief. With one spell, Zell had taken even the possibility of death from him. He had not told the others. How could he begin to explain how cruel Zell's actions had actually been?

It was Zordon who finally asked. "Caius... Something has changed in you... You have become truly lost," he said. "What happened?"

Caius looked at Zordon sadly. "Your father, in his infinite wisdom, has decided the only way to protect me from the Death God is to ensure I can never die," he said.

"He made you immortal? Against your will?" Zordon looked horrified. "Oh, Caius... I am so sorry."

"It is not you who should feel sorry. I do not understand his choice... If he is evil, I would think he would want me vulnerable... But regardless, I cannot die. Ever. I am cursed to walk this Earth for eternity." Caius could not stop himself from crying. "Forgive me. There are much more important matters-"

Zordon hugged him. "Caius... It is terribly unfair to you. I understand why you are upset."

Caius nodded. "Thank you. I need to remain composed for the others, but it has proven difficult."

"I know that feeling well, Caius."

"I know you do. I see how strong you insist on being for us." He paused. "Your efforts do not go unnoticed, Zordon."

Zordon smiled sadly. "That is good to know."

Caius suddenly lost awareness of the present. What he saw instead troubled him deeply. It was the girl from his earlier vision, born evil to her very core. She laughed as she danced in flames that removed the illusion of her purity and released what truly lived inside of her shell. Time moved even further and she stood, invisible, watching something...

There were two boys. One of them looked so much like Caius, it was impossible to deny he was related to him. Caius had left behind two brothers and a sister when he left to stay with the Mystics, so he assumed the boy descended from one of them. He knew he would never have children of his own. The only woman he would ever love was dead.

The evil girl, who was now a woman, pricked him with some sort of needle and suddenly, the boy could not breathe. Caius felt as though he were the one unable to draw breath. His visions had never affected him on that level before. Suddenly, Caius saw the very deity who had sworn to have his revenge on him take the terrified boy away as the one he'd been with screamed his name, sobbing and begging him not to die.

Caius returned to the present and found Zordon shaking him. "What is it? Why do you claw at your throat?" He asked.

"I... It was a vision... A vision of a boy," Caius said as he began to catch his breath. "He could not breathe... He was dying... He did die, and the God who has cursed me took him..."

"He was your descendant?"

"I do not see how. I shall have no children, Zordon. That is no longer my path." Caius hesitated. "He did look like me, however. And the girl who killed him was familiar... I cannot place why. I do not know her." Caius shook his head. "I must protect him, Zordon. I felt the boy's pain as though it were my own. He is innocent. I cannot let him perish."

"Caius... Your attachment to the boy suggests-"

"It suggests nothing. I believe he is of my bloodline, but not my child. I do not want children. I cannot condemn them to what the Death God has in mind."

"You are immortal, Caius. That is a long time to damn yourself to being alone."

"Because of Zell, I shall spend an eternity walking this Earth. I shall never see Rose again. I shall be forced to watch everyone else be granted the sweet kindness of death while I remain... I shall bury my friends. I shall bury all of you. Is that not punishment enough? Must I be forced to bury my own children as well?" His voice was louder than he ever spoke. His heart ached. He still could not breathe, and in truth, he knew that boy... that kind, innocent boy... was his son. In his heart, he already loved him, and he could not condemn the boy to an eternity of torture at the hands of a God with a vendetta he had nothing to do with. He also could not stand the idea of letting himself love a child only to have time snatch him away far too soon.

"Caius..." Zordon said softly. His eyes were filled with pity.

"I am not strong enough," Caius whispered. "I barely survived losing Rose. I cannot survive any more losses."

Zordon took his hand in his own. "You are much stronger than you know, Caius," he said. "I am so sorry for what my father has taken from you, but I know if anyone can find a way to continue, it is you."

"Well, I haven't much choice now, have I?" Caius asked. Then he surprised himself by laughing. Zordon looked stunned, but soon, he began laughing, too.

"No, my friend, I suppose you don't," he said.

It felt strange to laugh, but it helped. Caius was not one to laugh easily anymore, but connecting to that boy had filled his heart with the slightest bit of hope. The boy's enthusiasm and strength was infectious. Perhaps he could learn something from him, and if somehow the child was actually conceived far in the future, perhaps Caius could find a way to save him from the fate he had seen.

ONE WEEK LATER.

RITA

She was deliciously evil and she loved it. Her father was finally proud of her. He encouraged everything she did and she'd mastered her magic much quicker since turning. On some level, she missed the girl she had been, but her mind kept insisting she was far better off now.

When her father called her for a special mission, Rita quickly accepted. "What shall I do?" She asked.

"There is a group who must be destroyed. They are a threat to all evil," he said. "You shall be working with someone who is not trustworthy, but we share a common goal and have called a ceasefire until we achieve it." He turned toward the mysterious partner. "Lord Xylon... I present to you my daughter, Rita Repulsa."

"My... How lovely," Lord Xylon said. He smiled at her before kissing her hand.

"Be warned, Xylon... If you do more than kiss her hand, I shall end you," her father said.

"Master Vile, I would never violate such a lovely girl!" Xylon said.

"Do not waste my time with lies. Keep your anatomy to yourself."

"Of course. Now, where is my boy?" Xylon paused. "Zedd! Come."

"Father." A boy in a cloak said. When he turned toward Rita, she saw something reflecting off of his face.

"This is Rita. She shall be working with us for our mission. Kindly introduce yourself."

"I am Zedd," the boy said. He took Rita's hand and kissed it as his father had. She felt something strange touch her flesh.

"What was that?" Rita asked.

"Forgive my daughter. She is a curious girl," her father said.

Zedd removed his hood. Rita gasped and stepped backward into her father's arms. "What is wrong with his flesh?" She asked in horror. She had never seen anyone so terrifying-looking before.

"My son had an accident," Xylon explained.

"It was no accident," Zedd snapped. "I touched the Zeo Crystal and it burned off my flesh. Any other foolish questions?"

"Why would you do that?" Rita asked. She was afraid of this boy, but even evil, her curiosity was strong. She could not help but ask.

"Because I felt like it."

"But... Why? What was to gain?"

"The Zeo Crystal is the most powerful thing in the universe," Xylon said. "My son is far more ambitious than I previously believed. Unfortunately, the damage cannot be reversed, even with his abilities as an incubus." He shook his head. "Pity. He was so handsome."

Rita could not imagine what Zedd had looked like before, but he certainly wasn't handsome now. "How did you survive the burns?" She asked.

"Does she ever stop asking questions?" Zedd asked her father.

"Enough, Rita. Leave the boy alone and stop pestering him," her father said.

"I am sorry, Father. I was merely cur-" Rita began.

"Curious. I know, my dear. You always are." He shook his head, but he was not angry with her. He never became angry with her anymore. "I assure you, my daughter will be of great use to you," he told Zedd.

"Doubtful. I can do this alone, Father," Zedd said.

"You may not question me, Boy," Xylon snapped.

Zedd seemed unaffected by his sudden anger. "Let's just do what we must," he said. "I grow bored."

They left to go to an undisclosed location. There, they saw several teenagers in battle. They were fighting monsters Rita knew her father had sent and others she assumed were Xylon's. She hesitated when she recognized them.

The girl who had saved her with Zordon was there. So was the girl who had saved her at the marketplace. Finally, Rita noticed the boy who'd comforted her that day.

These are Zordon's friends, she realized. She froze. She wanted to hurt them. She wanted to punish them all for what she had become... But she could not harm those who had saved her life. Instead, she focused on the boy with the sword who seemed to be leading them.

She nearly blew him to pieces with a spell, but it missed. Rita regrouped and began flinging things at him with her mind.

"Dimitri!" The boy who had played the guitar at the marketplace cried. He began working to protect him. Rita did not want to harm him. Suddenly, she saw a much better target.

"Zordon." She spat his name out.

Zordon stared at her. "Rita?" He asked.

"Well, it is certainly not Misty," Rita taunted him. She moved toward him, suddenly filled with overwhelming hatred. She grabbed him and pulled him into her arms, kissing him forcefully like his father had done to her. On some small level, Rita still loved the funny blue boy, but all she could think of now were his father's actions. Zordon had betrayed her. He had practically served her up to his father on a platter.

Zordon pulled away as Rita groped him. "Rita..." He said. She could tell he was horrified by her actions.

"What's wrong, Zordon?" She demanded. "Don't you like me anymore?! I am new and improved! Do you know why? This is what your father turned me into! This is your fault! You did this to me!" She screamed. Rita began beating his chest with her fists, hitting him until her own hands ached, but he did not strike her back. He did not so much as resist her attack or try to defend himself. She looked into his eyes and realized he was crying silently.

Rita pulled back. She turned and fled before he could stop her. She focused on making the remaining monsters grow. She didn't like to make Zordon cry, but she could not let go of her hatred. It consumed her. It was all she had left.

ZEDD

The attack on the Chosen was brutal. Zedd played his part, attacking Dimitri, Quintus, and even Caius, who had been so kind to him. He left Zordon alone when he saw him break down in tears as Rita attacked him. There was no need to kick his former friend while he was down.

He heard Morgana crying and hesitated. Master Vile had gone straight for her while he'd attacked Dimitri. Zedd did the only thing he could for the girl and knocked her unconscious. It was kinder than leaving her awake for whatever Vile had planned. He was too evil to actually help her, but that didn't mean he wanted to listen to her hysteria.

He left Dimitri as Raven again came to his aid. He should have killed them both. He could have killed them both easily. Dimitri was severely wounded and Raven was too distracted by that fact to see an attack coming. He couldn't do it, however. As Raven began singing softly to try to comfort his best friend, Zedd recalled the many nights he'd spent doing the same for him. When nothing else had soothed his nightmares, Raven had.

"I shall spare your life," Zedd told him coldly. "This time. Take Dimitri and go."

"Zedd?" Raven realized in horror. "What has happened to you?"

"Go. I cannot buy you any more time."

Raven nodded. "Thank you, my friend," he said softly. He got Dimitri on his feet and helped him get out of the line of fire.

That was when Zedd turned and saw the only one who could truly shake him up. "Xia..." He whispered. His father had pinned her in a corner and was ready to harm or possibly even kill her. She was nearly as wounded as Dimitri had been. Zedd did not love her... But he remembered loving her, and that was enough.

"Unhand her." He said harshly.

His father laughed. "Still protecting your whore, Boy?" He asked.

"Her name is Xia, and she is no whore," Zedd said.

"Zedd? What did they do to you?" Galaxia asked in horror. That hurt Zedd in a way he hadn't expected. He was finally terrifying enough in appearance to repulse even Galaxia.

"Release her now, or see what I have truly become," Zedd told his father.

"Foolish boy... She cannot love you now. You disgust her," his father said.

"He could never disgust me!" Galaxia said. "You, however, are deeply repulsive."

Zedd decided enough was enough. It was time to complete his plan. He had intended to wait until he was stronger, and to earn his father's trust, but Galaxia was in terrible danger.

If you fail, he will torture you for eternity, he realized. Looking into Galaxia's beautiful eyes, he knew one thing. She is worth the price.

Zedd grabbed his father's arm and began trying to drain his life force. He was stunned when he felt it working. It was impossible for an incubus to drain another incubus or a succubus, but somehow, Zedd had the power to do it. His father stared at him in shock before blacking out.

Zedd quickly healed Galaxia's injuries. He knew she could not escape if he left her in the state she was in. He said nothing and refused to look at her as he did it.

"Zedd..." Galaxia whispered. She touched his face without flinching. "You saved me."

"Vile has Morgana. You may wish to save her," he said. He knew she wanted to protest, but the threat to Morgana was impossible to ignore. She ran off to save her and Zedd knew she would succeed. He waited nearby and watched the rest of the battle.

When Galaxia returned with Morgana in her arms, Zedd looked for the others. Quintus joined the girls and took Morgana into his arms. He began to inspect her, but Zedd knew she was going to be fine. Vile had not done much damage and he had not done anything that would traumatize the girl. Galaxia nodded at him, a silent thank you for his help, but she did not approach him. He looked for Zordon and saw that he was exactly where Rita had attacked him. He stared into space, his eyes haunted. It was Caius who approached him and led him to the others. Dimitri and Raven were already outside. Zedd knew they would all escape with their lives, especially since the monsters were dead. Vile lay crumpled on the ground and Zedd knew Galaxia must have attacked him. He assumed Rita would take care of her father. He had to worry about his own.

"Come, Father," he said cheerfully. He began dragging his father away.

"Zedd? What are you doing?" Rita asked.

"It's Lord Zedd now," he informed her. "And you, my curious Rita, may tell the world that I now reign over my father's former empire." He laughed. "It is time for my father to rest. I suspect two centuries of napping is precisely what he needs." With that, he teleported to his home. He opened the door to the room he'd always feared and locked his father inside, determined to keep the door sealed for the next two centuries. Eventually, his father would wake, and then, he would starve slowly until Zedd released him.

"Who is the foolish one now, Father?" He asked. Then, he began to laugh. Finally, Zedd was free from his father's reign of terror. Everything was going to change.