The Megalodon Megazord stood still for a while, steam rising from its armor as the echoes of the titanic battle finally faded into the horizon. The last wave of shock energy dispersed harmlessly into the shimmering dome of Innocence that surrounded the city. No screams, no destruction—only the heavy silence of awe that followed overwhelming power.
Inside the cockpit, Zayne exhaled slowly, resting back into his seat. The battle had been short, but terrifyingly productive and blood-pumping. Koragg had proven his worth; he was strong and had a lot of skills in his arsenal, even with his powers sealed. This proves how strong and terrifying he was before that. His eyes lingered on the empty readings that once showed the knight's life signature before fading completely.
"…He got away," he muttered softly.
He tapped a command, and the zord's systems began to power down. The enormous machine let out a low, mechanical growl before lowering itself onto one knee. The cockpit door slid open as a red teleportation light enveloped Zayne; the Zord also vanished, sending him down in front of the Rangers and Udonna.
The ground was still hot beneath his boots. The air shimmered faintly, and the faint scent of ozone lingered—a sign of how violent the clash had been. Zayne walked forward slowly, his steps calm and measured. The rangers stood there with their weapons lowered, their faces filled with disbelief and a hint of nervousness.
Udonna, however, didn't smile. Her gaze was sharp, wary, and filled with a kind of ancient caution only someone who had seen too many wars could hold.
"Who are you?" she asked firmly, her voice steady but cold.
Zayne stopped in front of her. For a brief second, there was silence. Then a small chuckle escaped him, his helmet tilting slightly to the side.
"Is that how you say thank you, snow witch?" he teased, his tone playful but not mocking.
Udonna blinked, a little taken aback. The rangers behind her exchanged awkward glances, while Nick struggled to suppress a small grin.
Udonna's lips twitched slightly—she hadn't been called that name in centuries, but just today she had been called that name twice. She exhaled, lowering her staff a little. "Forgive me. I spoke out of suspicion rather than gratitude. You have my thanks, stranger."
Zayne waved it off casually. "Don't worry about it."
But then his tone shifted, deepening into something sharp, commanding, and serious.
"You should get them stronger as soon as possible," he said, turning slightly to glance at the rangers. "The enemies they'll face soon will be far more terrifying than this."
His words cut through the air like a blade. The rangers stiffened.
Nick's confident smirk faltered. Madison's hands tightened on her staff. Vida's expression dropped, and Chip looked uneasy for the first time since the fight began. They were all still new—hopeful, spirited, brave—but they hadn't yet seen what true horror looked like. They lacked the experience and resolve a ranger should have. Who could blame them? They were just normal people until now.
The truth in Zayne's voice told them he had. (A/N: Remember, he was in the force guys)
Udonna's expression grew tense. She opened her mouth as if to ask more, but before she could speak, Zayne raised his hand slightly, focusing his energy outward.
The city shimmered.
Reality rippled like disturbed water as faint, transparent sigils appeared across the skyline. The air grew still—almost holy. Zayne muttered quietly to himself, the words calm and casual.
"If you do something, do it perfectly."
Innocence.
The word didn't need to be spoken aloud. The magic—if it could even be called that—spread outward like a soft, invisible wave.
The cracks on buildings began to seal. Shattered glass flowed back into place. The fires that had once raged across the streets extinguished themselves, leaving behind nothing but faint traces of smoke. The people who had been injured in the chaos began to stir, their wounds closing instantly, their pain fading away.
The entire city was healing.
And yet… There were still bodies that didn't move.
The dead remained dead.
Udonna's eyes widened. She extended her senses instinctively, searching for traces of mana, of elemental energy, of any recognizable force that could perform such a miracle. But there was nothing.
No magic. No source. No power she could identify.
Just a strange, divine stillness.
"This isn't… magic," she whispered to herself, her fingers trembling slightly on her staff.
The rangers, still processing what they were seeing, turned to her.
"What do you mean, it's not magic?" Chip asked, blinking rapidly as he looked around.
Udonna shook her head slowly, her eyes still fixed on Zayne. "It's something beyond it."
Zayne looked over his shoulder at her, a faint, unreadable smile forming beneath his helmet. His job here was done.
From the streets below, the people who had witnessed the impossible began to cheer. Their voices echoed throughout the city—shouting his name, their savior, their mysterious red warrior who appeared from nowhere and restored everything.
"Thank you, Rangers!""Hero!""Whoever you are—we owe you!"
Zayne turned slightly, lifting his head toward the crowd. He gave a polite nod—no grand gestures, no speeches, just quiet acknowledgment.
He faced the rangers again, his tone calm but final."May we meet again."
And with that, he vanished in a beam of red light.
Udonna's eyes followed the glow until it disappeared completely. For a long moment, she stood there in silence.
He entered and left the Mystic Realm freely. Not even she could do that so casually. Her mouth twitched a few times, unable to process it all. "…What manner of being was that? How could he enter and leave so silently? I need to strengthen the magic formation," she murmured to herself.
The rangers stood beside her, their minds flooded with questions they couldn't begin to ask.
The faint hum of residual energy faded, and the field of Innocence fully dissipated. The world returned to normal.
But something in everyone's hearts told them—normal wouldn't last for long.
--- ✦ ---
(Elsewhere – The Pit)
Dark mist swirled and twisted violently before exploding outward as two figures reappeared inside a vast cavern. The air here was thick—heavy with decay and a stench of damp stone. Black runes glowed faintly across the walls, pulsing like veins through the lair of the abyssal forces.
Necrolai stood tall amid the smoke, her crimson eyes gleaming faintly. Her human form shimmered into focus—long, flowing black hair, pale flawless skin that seemed to glow faintly even in the darkness, and a body that radiated dangerous beauty. Every curve of her form screamed seduction, every movement effortless and graceful.
She glanced down at the unconscious Koragg at her feet. His armor was cracked, scorched, and leaking faint red trails from the wounds Zayne had inflicted.
She sighed. With a flick of her finger, a telekinetic wave lifted Koragg's body off the ground and dropped him unceremoniously into a glowing purple pond in the corner of the cavern. The liquid hissed as it touched his armor, slowly beginning to mend the damage.
Necrolai folded her arms, her wings twitching slightly as she muttered under her breath.
"I'd be better off drinking human blood right now than having to babysit," she said, her tone filled with irritated amusement.
She began pacing slowly, her heeled boots echoing lightly on the stone. Her eyes glanced toward the far end of the cavern, where shadowy energy pulsed in rhythm with an unseen heartbeat—her "Master" slumbered deeper within, watching and waiting.
She frowned, her lips curling in thought. "That ranger was indeed too strong for the current Koragg… Master's going to punish him for this, hehe."
Her chuckle started soft but turned into a low, seductive laugh that echoed off the walls.
She leaned against a pillar, tilting her head lazily, her crimson eyes glowing faintly as she imagined the scene—Koragg kneeling before their Master, the shadow's wrath unleashed.
A playful smirk danced across her lips. "Well, at least it'll be entertaining."
Her wings unfurled suddenly, feathers scattering like fragments of shadow. Her form shimmered, her body splitting into a swarm of crimson bats. The creatures swirled upward, forming a spiral before vanishing into the dark mist.
The pit grew silent again, save for the faint bubbling of the healing pond and the steady, rhythmic heartbeat echoing from the depths.
Koragg's body floated there, motionless, the cracks in his armor glowing faintly red before sealing. Beneath that armor, his eyes flickered open for a brief moment—just enough for a faint human glint to appear behind the crimson light.
Then he closed them again, sinking deeper into the abyss.
--- ✦ ---
So yeah, I'm introducing the white menace soon. Does anyone know who it is?