POV: Marco

We should have known this was coming. We should have known that these two wouldn't let anyone intefer in their precious game. God forbid someone actually help us...

As I looked at my teammates, I noticed two things: we've all been returned to our normal forms (except for Tobias who was still human rather than a hawk); and they all look incredibly disappointed and let down. I know they're thinking the same thing: Zedd's intervention will be reversed.

I turned to look at Zedd himself, and got a surprise. He was staring at the Elimnist as if the all-powerful being was something he'd scraped off the bottom of his shoe. Obviously he shared our opinion of him. But he showed absolutely no fear of him. That made no sense. While he's obviously more powerful than the average human (or us, to be honest), I get the sense he's nowhere near all-powerful. So why isn't he worried?

The "old man" was the first to speak. "You do not belong here, Zedd."

Zedd chuckled darkly. "Since when has that stopped me?"

"YOU HAVE DISRUPTED THE TIMELINE," Crayak boomed. "YOUR INTERFERENCE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED."

Zedd snorted. "Interference!? You're one to talk! Anyone who turns an entire species of children into killing machines has no room for complaint." I realized he's talking about the Howlers.

"These children have a great destiny ahead of them," the Eliminst argued. "They should be allowed to fullfill it."

Zedd looked increduleous. "'Great destiny??' Rachel dying in the final battle is a great destiny!?" We all looked at him, stunned. "Jake mired in depression and guilt; Tobias turning his back on his humanity; Marco burying himself in cars, money and women, destroying the good man he is; and only Ax and Cassie able to live anything remotely resembling normal lives; that's "GREAT"!??"

I personally thought that the money, cars and women didn't sound so bad, but I was horrified at the rest of it. And I wasn't alone. Rachel and Tobias were staring at each other; Rachel with tears in her eyes (and Rachel never, EVER cries!), Tobias with his usually expressionless face showing a deep loss. Cassie and Jake were hugging each other, for once not caring about us teasing them. We were all too stunned to speak. But Zedd sure wasn't.

He was glaring at both of them, and for a moment I was sure he eyes flashed red. "That's not destiny! It's two immature manipulators who make innocent lives miserable just to prove a point! They're nothing but puppets to you! Well, guess what...I'm cutting the strings!"

Now we were gaping at him in disbelief. No one...no one talks to these two that! The Elimnist looked just as shocked as he were. He wasn't used to people lecturing him.

Suddenly our surroundings turned red, and a deep rumbling sounded. Apparently, Crayak wasn't used to it either. His eye glowed brightly. "ENOUGH!" he thundered. "YOU MAKE EMPTY THREATS, ZEDD! EVEN AT YOUR PEAK, YOU WERE NO MATCH FOR US!" I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I didn't have time to ask.

Zedd...just smiled. "Who said it would be me you'd be facing?" Three all-powerful eyes widened in shock.

And then...HE came.

There are no words that can describe him. It was...it was like warm sunshine on a spring day. It was comfort, reassurance, encouragement all wrapped into one. It was a taste of heaven.

My god...

"NO," he said, with a voice as powerful as Crayak's but filled with warmth, "I JUST WORK FOR HIM."

Though he had no physical body, I could feel his attention turn to the Elminist and Crayak...and I was suddenly very glad I wasn't them. "ZEDD SPEAKS FOR ME, YOU TWO. PLAY YOUR PATHETIC GAME IF YOU MUST, BUT DO IT WITHOUT THE HUMANS AND THE YEERKS. THOSE TWO SPECIES WILL MAKE THEIR OWN DESTINIES NOW."

The Elliminist's face contorted with rage. "These are MY children! I manipulated their families for thousands of years to produce them at this one moment in time, and I am NOT giving them up!!" He raised his hands, and power fluxed around them.

I was never sure exactly what happened next. All that I could see was a flash of golden light, and then the Elimnist screamed in pain. When my vision cleared, he was one his hands and knees, gasping for breath as his chosen form smoldered.

The Elminist just had his ass kicked.

"THAT WAS FOOLISH, ELIMNIST. DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN. YOU MAY NOT SURVIVE IT."

Crayak, who had been surprisingly silent until now, spoke. "IF WE LEAVE THEM ALONE, WILL YOU LEAVE US ALONE?"

"YES."

Crayak turned his eye to look at us for a moment. Then, "I WILL MISS THE YEERKS...BUT I WILL NOT MISS THESE HUMANS." In a blink, he was gone.

The Elimnist staggered to his feet. He glared at us. "This isn't over...Rangers," he spat. Then he was gone as well.

Zedd's valley faded back into view. Everything was back to normal. I looked at my fellow Animorphs, and they looked as shaken as I was. We all turned to Zedd, the same unspoken question on all our faces.

Zedd looked amused. "THAT was Zordon, the former mentor of the Earth Rangers in my universe. Makes quite an impression, doesn't he?"

Jake looked confused. "How could someone like that even NEED Rangers?"

"Two reasons. One, he wasn't always that powerful."

"The second reason is the Ranger Code. That is the set of rules you must follow." His serious gaze swept over us. "These are the only limitations on your powers, but they are iron-clad. If you ever voluntarily break any of them, the Power itself will reject you." He paused to make sure that point sank in. We gazed back soberly. "First, never use your powers for personal gain. Second, never escalate a fight unless the Yeerks force you to. Third, keep you identities a secret. No one must ever know you are the Power Rangers. Do you so promise?"

We looked at each other; than Jake spoke for us all. "We do."

Zedd smiled, and the serious moment passed. "Good. There are other aspects of Rangering that will be revealed in time. But for now, the ball is back in your court. What will you do now?"

As one, we looked at Jake, who smiled grimly.

"We destroy the Kandrona Dome."