Chapter Eight

Dulcea stood statuesque-like as she stared over the horizon, listening to the quiet that surrounded her as the sun set. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. How much did she miss her daughter.

It wasn’t any fun, now that she didn’t hear Annalise’s laughter as she played a game of hide-and-seek with Argo. She missed that sound greatly and only wished she could hear it once more so that she could savor the moment.

But, this was something that had to be lived with. Her daughter was off on her own, making the universe a much safer place. She only hoped Annalise could deal with this much responsibility. She had never been entrusted with something like this before. She prayed to the animal spirits to watch over her.

Then, as the sun touched the horizon, she felt it. A cold chill ran down her spine as dark clouds filled the sky and thunder shook the earth. The queen’s eyes went wide in horror as she anticipated what was to come. This was no ordinary storm. This was the work of evil.

She had to run. She had to get to safety.

She ran as fast as she could to reach the entrance to her home. She panted loudly as her legs started to cramp up. The darkness was following close behind her; she couldn’t give up.

She heard a loud, deep cackle come from behind her as she reached the plateau. She knew that whatever it was, it was close behind her. She had to keep running. Her calves were pounding with pain to the same pace as which her heart was racing. She was almost home. She could see the entryway.

But, as she reached it, it was gone; blocked off by some unseen force. “No!” She said, breathlessly. She leaned her back against the cool rock face as she saw the darkness beginning to flow over the plateau.

She was now more scared, than she had ever been before, but she had to show a brave face. She couldn’t show her enemy that she was frightened; she couldn’t show weakness. She held her staff tight as she faced the darkness. “Stay back, evil creature!”

She heard the loud cackle once again as dark smoke began to cover the ground. It began to swirl right in front of her eyes. It rose to her height and formed an evil, sinister, yet handsome-looking man. He was taller than the queen, but not by much. He had black hair with graying streaks in different places. He looked evil on the outside, but his eyes told otherwise. His eyes told her that he had once been a man on the side of good, but he had recently turned evil.

“Ah, Dulcea! How lovely to see you.”

“Larson!” Dulcea’s eyes narrowed into slits as she stared at him in anger. Now that she saw the face behind the terror, there was no need for her to be afraid. She stood in her fighting stance, her staff now resting in firm hands.

“Don’t be so surprised to see me. I would think you would have been expecting me.” He gently placed a hand under her chin, but she roughly pulled away from him. He reached back for her, but did not touch her with the same gentle feeling. His fingernails dug into the sides of her face as he squeezed. “Now, I don’t have time for games, Dulcea. You know why I’m here.”

“Do what you will, Larson, but I will tell you nothing.”

The revolting man let go of her face and turned slightly. “Very well.” He whipped back only to backhand her across the face, sending her to the ground. “Oh, you know how I hate to do that, but seeing as though you won’t cooperate… where is she?”

“Who?” She asked, knowing very well who he was talking about.

“Don’t play stupid with me. I know that you know where she is and I know that you’re going to tell me… where is she? Where is Annalise?”

Dulcea narrowed her eyes at the creature before her, for he was no man. “I would rather die before I told you.”

“You would give up your immortal life for hers? Even though you know that she is already more powerful than you? Dulcea, she will destroy you, once she is in control of her powers. She must be destroyed.”

“Larson, she is my daughter. I refused to do it before and I refuse now. I will not destroy my own child!”

The dark man knelt down next to her and lifted her head so she would look at him. “You would risk your own life and the lives of so many other to let her live? You’d condemn us all?” She didn’t say a word. That was all the answer he needed. “So be it. If you will not destroy her, I will.”

Dulcea’s eyes went wide in shock. “No! You can’t! You wouldn’t!”

“I suppose you don’t know me very well, then… Now, where is she?” He loomed over her like a dark shroud. She knew that she could not fight him. Now that he was overcome by evil, he would be too powerful for her to face alone. She had no choice but to give in.

---

Annalise stared at the blank computer screen then at the console as Hayley tried to fix it. She let out a slight laugh as she saw the woman covered in grease, a frustrated expression on her face. The console had begun smoking and everything had shut down, which wasn’t a good thing, since this was the equipment used to detect strange activity around Reefside.

“I don’t understand it. Everything looks perfectly normal. Why it blew, I can’t figure out.” Hayley said as she looked at Tommy who was staring curiously at Annalise. He didn’t even seem to notice that the redhead had been talking to him. “Tommy?”

“Huh? Sorry… So, there’s nothing you can do?”

“The only thing I recommend is getting a new one. But, who knows how long it’ll take me to build?” She asked as she saw Annalise looking at the console by herself. “Oh, please don’t touch anything. You’ll ruin it even more.”

Annalise didn’t pay any attention to the other woman as she fiddled with a few wires. She honestly believed that the redhead didn’t know what she was doing. And she was the one who built the thing. Annalise fiddled with a few wires and soon, the machine was humming with life once again.

Both Tommy and Hayley stared in awe. “How did you do that?” Tommy asked.

“There were two loose wires that just needed to be reconnected. I would have told her, but she asked me not to help.” She gave Hayley a cruel smile as she spoke.

“Where are you from, anyway?” Hayley asked.

“Not around here.” Annalise said, simply. She wasn’t yet ready to reveal her home to her. She knew that she could trust Tommy with that secret, until the time was right to tell them all.

Tommy had explained to the others about how he and Annalise were attacked in the park. He told them that he had to morph to protect the girl, which revealed his secret. He had also told them that she wanted to help them, so that was why she was aloud in the lab. Hayely didn't seem to like that idea too much.

Hayley pulled Tommy off to the side so that they could speak in private. “I don’t know, Tommy. There’s something about her that I don’t like. I mean, why does she never give us a straight answer when we ask where she’s from?”

“Maybe she doesn’t remember.” She gave him a knowing look. She knew that he was keeping something from her. “Okay, it is weird, I know, but there’s something about her that seems familiar. I feel like I’ve met her before… I feel like I know her.” He truly felt that way and he wanted to know why. But, he knew that he had never met anyone from a planet called Phaedos. So, why was she so familiar?

“Maybe the two of you have met in a past life.” She said, sarcastically. She gave a snort as she laughed.

Tommy gave a smirk. “Don’t joke. It’s always possible.” He was an expert on time travel. He’d done it one time too many for his liking.

Hayley rolled her eyes at him as the alarm sounded. A monster was attacking the city. The three looked at the screen to see what kind of monster it was, but they didn’t see a monster. It was a man in a dark, flowing, black cloak.

Tommy nodded toward Hayley to make sure she knew that he was leaving. He turned toward Annalise to speak to her, but when he did, he saw that her complexion had become pale.

“Annalise?” He asked.

"He's come for me.” She whispered to him. There was pure terror in her eyes. She was truly frightened of him as she trembled where she stood.

"It's okay. I'll take care of him. Hayley, call the kids. I have a feeling that I’m going to need help.”

“Right.”

---

“Whoa!” Conner said as he saw the cloaked man. “Isn’t it a bit early for Halloween?”

“Looks like this guy didn’t get the memo.” Kira said.

“Should we tell him?” Ethan asked, jokingly.

“Let’s.” Trent answered.

The four teens faced the cloaked man as Tommy appeared on the scene. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Welcome to the party.” Kira said.

The cloaked man looked at the rangers for only a second before he turned away from them. He wasn’t interested in them. They weren’t what he was looking for.

“Where’s he going?” Ethan asked.

“I think he’s looking for something.” Conner said.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” The shrouded man yelled throughout the city.

“Yep. Definitely looking for something.” Trent said.

“Or someone.” Tommy now realized why, partly, Annalise was so frightened. “He wants Annalise. We can’t let him get to her.”

“Why?” Conner asked.

“There’s something about this guy that she doesn’t like. He scares her.”

“But, what would he want with her?” Ethan asked.

“I dunno, but I’m going to find out.”

“Uh, oh.” The teens all said together. They knew what he was about to do. They watched as their teacher confidently walked up to the robed man. This wasn’t going to be good. He was going to do something really stupid.

“What do you want with Annalise?” He asked.

The cloaked man turned sharply to look at the Black Ranger. “You’re a friend of hers, are you?” Tommy nodded. “Well, I suggest you turn her over to me, before she destroys you and this planet.”

“What are you talking about? Annalise would never hurt anyone.”

“As of now, she won’t, but when her powers are fully developed, I’d be careful if I were you. She is dangerous and she must be taken care of. And if you won’t do it, then I will.” He shoved Tommy violently back, pushing him with a very strong, mystical force. The Black Ranger fell to the ground with a thud. “Where is she?”

“You ask like that and you’ll never find out.” Conner said as he and the other teens got into their fighting stances.

“Don’t waste my time, you pathetic humans! Tell me where she is!”

“Right here!” A familiar voice called out as another ranger joined the fight. The teens all let out loud gasps as they looked at the girl. They then looked at the Black Ranger who just shook his head.

"I'll explain later." He told them as he got back to his feet.

The cloaked man gave an evil smile as he saw her, clad in her Ninjetti gi. “Well, well, well, look at you, child. You even look like a Ninjetti warrior.”

“That’s what I am and neither you nor anyone else can stop me!” She crouched low in her fighting stance. She looked as though she was going to pounce on him.

“My dear, sweet Annalise, you wouldn’t dare harm me, now would you?” The man's cloak fell to the ground to reveal a silver and black Ninjetti gi.

“If the occasion calls for it, I will. You know I will, Larson.”

“Not if I have something that you hold dear to your heart.” He let out an evil cackle as he held out his hands, showing her mother who looked to be locked in some kind of energy force field.

Annalise’s eyes went wide. “No! Mother!” She cried out.

“Give up yourself, Annalise and your mother shall be spared. I give you my word.”

“Why should I believe that your word is any good? You’ve lied to me for years… You want me dead!”

“I want our lives to be spared. With you alive, that won’t happen.”

“You’d believe a stupid prophesy over believing me? The future is what you make it. If you destroy me, all of this, all of you will be destroyed along with me.”

“So be it.” He said, simply.

“I’m sorry. I can’t let you destroy all of this.”

“Very well. Your mother, then, would have died in vain.” In a swirl of dark smoke, the man disappeared.

The teens stared in awe at Annalise as she stood still and silent.

“Whoa!” Ethan said, softly as he saw Annalise take off the hood of her gi. “What was that about?”

She turned to Tommy with sorrowful eyes. “Forgive me, Tommy, but I must leave to find help.”

“You can’t go alone.” He said. “I’ll come with you.”

“Us too!” Conner said, meaning him and the other three.

The woman shook her head. “No, Conner. I can’t let you put your lives in jeopardy. It’s too dangerous.”

“She’s right.” Tommy said. “Besides, someone needs to stay here, in case Mesogog decides to send down a monster. I’ll go with her.”

Annalise looked at Tommy. “I can’t let you do it. I need to do this on my own.”

“If it’s as dangerous as you say, you shouldn’t go alone. Besides, where would you need to go?”

She paused before she answered. “To find my father.”