Joel, despite his injuries, managed to help as well, using whatever strength he had left to fend off the guards. “Thanks,” he panted, looking at me with a mixture of gratitude and determination.
“We’re Rangers, which means we’re a team,” I replied, smiling briefly before focusing on the fight.
Drakkon watched us with a mixture of rage and disbelief. “You think you can escape? You’re fools!”
“We’ll never give up,” Jason shot back, his voice filled with unwavering conviction. With a final, coordinated effort, we managed to take down the last of the guards.
“Now, let’s get out of here,” I said, helping Joel to his feet. As we made our way towards the exit, more guards suddenly appeared, swarming us. They overwhelmed Jason and me, their sheer numbers proving too much to handle. I struggled against the onslaught, but there were too many.
Drakkon strode through the chaos, his presence commanding and terrifying. He grabbed Joel by the throat, lifting him off the ground effortlessly. “You’ve made a grave mistake,” he said coldly. “And now you’ll pay for it.”
“Let him go!” I screamed, trying to break free from the guards holding me. Drakkon ignored me, his eyes locked on Joel.
“This is your fault, Kali,” he said, his voice dripping with venom. “You chose to betray me, and now you will watch your friend die.”
“No! Please!” I pleaded, my heart pounding in my chest. “Don’t do this!”
Drakkon’s smile was cruel as he drew the Dragon Dagger. “Goodbye, Ranger.”
In a swift, brutal motion, he plunged the dagger into Joel’s chest. Joel’s eyes widened in shock and pain, a strangled cry escaping his lips. Drakkon twisted the dagger mercilessly, blood pouring from the wound. Joel’s body convulsed, his breaths becoming ragged gasps.
“Stop! Please stop!” I screamed, tears streaming down my face. Drakkon didn’t relent. He withdrew the dagger only to stab Joel again, and again, each strike more savage than the last. Joel’s body jerked with each blow, his blood splattering across the floor. His eyes, once full of defiance, grew dim, the light fading from them as life ebbed away.
“NO!” Jason roared, struggling against the guards with renewed fury, but it was too late. Joel’s body went limp, hanging lifelessly from Drakkon’s grasp. Drakkon released Joel, letting his body crumple to the ground.
He looked at me with a twisted satisfaction. “This is your doing, Kali. Remember that.”
I fell to my knees, my entire body trembling with grief and rage. “I’ll kill you,” I whispered, my voice broken. “I’ll kill you for this.”
Drakkon only laughed, the sound echoing through the fortress. “You’re welcome to try, daughter. But you’ll fail, just like your friend.”
“Fine, if that’s how it’s gotta be,” I replied, anger surging through me as I clenched my fists. “It’s Morphin’ Time! Activate Wolf Power!”
Drakkon had one advantage against me—he wasn’t hurt. His movements were fluid and powerful, a stark contrast to my own, which were hindered by lingering cuts and bruises from earlier. Despite my injuries, I fought as hard as I could, my body and spirit fueled by the need to avenge Joel and stop this madman. Jason was by my side, and together, we managed to hold our ground, our strikes and counters perfectly synchronized.
But Drakkon was relentless. His blows were powerful and precise, each one pushing us closer to the edge. With a brutal strike, he sent Jason crashing into a wall. “Jason!” I screamed, my voice breaking with worry. There was no response, only a painful silence.
“Your reign of terror ends now, Drakkon!” I yelled, charging at him with everything I had. The fight was brutal, every moment a desperate struggle. Drakkon had the upper hand, his strength and endurance outmatching mine. Exhaustion and pain were beginning to take their toll. With a swift move, Drakkon grabbed me by the throat and tossed me to the ground, my body hitting the floor with a sickening thud. I demorphed, the energy leaving my body in a painful rush.
“I’ll give you one more chance to join me, daughter. Together, no one will be able to stand against us,” Drakkon offered, picking me up by my throat just like he did with Joel.
Even though I was fading in and out of consciousness, I managed to whisper, “I’ll… never join… you.”
“Your loss,” he said coldly, raising the Dragon Dagger. He hesitated for a moment, but then, with a swift, merciless thrust, he stabbed the dagger deep into my side. Pain exploded through my body, and I cried out, the agony overwhelming.
Drakkon twisted the dagger cruelly, a sadistic smile on his face. “Remember, this could have been different,” he sneered, pulling the dagger out and letting me collapse to the ground. Blood poured from the wound, and I could feel my strength ebbing away rapidly. I struggled to stay conscious, my vision blurring.
“No!” I heard a familiar voice exclaim. Jason, battered and bruised, shoved Drakkon away with all the strength he could muster. “Billy, prep the medbay. Kali’s hurt bad,” he commanded, his voice urgent and filled with desperation. He dropped to his knees beside me, pressing his hand against my wound in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding.
“Hang in there, Kali. Stay with me,” Jason pleaded, his voice breaking. I could see the pain and fear in his eyes, and I tried to reach out to him, but my body wouldn’t respond.
“Jason… I’m sorry,” I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible. Darkness was closing in around me, and I fought to stay awake, to hold on to any shred of consciousness.
“Don’t you dare apologize. You’re going to be okay, I promise,” Jason insisted, his hands trembling as he tried to keep pressure on the wound.
As the darkness consumed my vision, I clung to the sound of his voice, a lifeline in the overwhelming void. The last thing I saw was Jason’s desperate face before the world went black.
Back at the base…
Jason paced back and forth, his worry etched into every line of his face. “Is she gonna be okay, Billy?” he asked, his voice a strained whisper.
Billy sighed, his expression somber. “I’ve done everything I can, but to be honest… I don’t know,” he replied, his tone heavy with uncertainty. Jason sank into a chair beside the bed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Billy left quietly, giving him space.
“You’re gonna be okay, Kali. I can’t lose another Ranger… I can’t lose you,” Jason said, his voice shaking. “Over a span of a week, plus those times we met before back in Coral Harbor, you’ve become like a little sister to me. Also, your Ranger family is waiting for you back home, so… you have to be okay….” His hands trembled as he buried his face in them, the emotional toll of the battle evident.
Inside Kali’s mind….
I sat on the ground, holding my knees to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible. The weight of failure hung heavy on my shoulders. My mind was a whirlpool of guilt and despair. “What’s wrong, child?” I heard a calm, gentle voice ask. I glanced up and saw the Green Morphin Master standing before me, her presence serene and reassuring.
“I can’t beat Drakkon,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. Master Green knelt down in front of me, her eyes filled with empathy and understanding.
“You lost one battle, but that’s no reason to give up,” she said gently. “The war is still going on. All is not lost.”
I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes. “I couldn’t even hurt him! He’s too strong. I don’t know how I’m supposed to stop him. Plus, a Ranger was killed because of me,” I replied, my voice breaking as I kept my face hidden. “How can I save the multiverse when I can’t even save one Ranger?”
Master Green reached out and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “This was your first encounter with him, and you fought as hard as you could. That’s nothing to beat yourself up over. Plus, remember you’re not alone. Just open your ears and listen,” she said, her voice soothing yet firm.
I sighed deeply and looked up for a moment, then closed my eyes, trying to focus as she instructed. Slowly, the sounds around me started to fade, replaced by a familiar voice.
“….I can’t lose you…you’ve become like a little sister to me…family is waiting for you back home…you have to be okay….” I heard Jason’s voice, filled with worry and affection. My heart ached at the sincerity in his words.
I opened my eyes, tears streaming down my cheeks, but I avoided Master Green’s gaze. “I-I…had no idea…I mean, I’ve known the other Rangers have my back as I do theirs but…I didn’t realize how much more they all mean to me, and I guess how much I mean to them, at least to Jason,” I said, my voice trembling.
Master Green smiled gently. “That’s why you can’t give up, why you have to keep fighting. If Drakkon isn’t stopped…”
“Then all this, all the Rangers Drakkon has already killed…will be for nothing,” I finished her sentence, feeling a renewed sense of determination rising within me. I stood up, and she stood with me.
“Exactly,” Master Green said, her eyes shining with pride. “Remember, strength comes not just from physical power, but from the bonds you share with those who care about you. Those connections will give you the strength to face Drakkon again.”
I nodded, wiping away the last of my tears. “Thank you, Master Green. I won’t let them down. I won’t let Joel’s sacrifice be in vain.”
As I spoke, the darkness around us began to fade, leaving behind a sense of clarity and purpose. The battle was far from over, but I knew now that I wasn’t alone. With my friends by my side, I would find a way to defeat Drakkon and protect the multiverse.
Back to the outside world…
I slowly opened my eyes, the sterile light of the medbay coming into focus. Jason was asleep in the chair next to me, his face etched with worry even in rest. Billy was cleaning a nearby table. After a few moments, he noticed I was awake and came over with a smile. “Hey, Kali. How do you feel?” he asked gently.
“Sore but alive. How long was I out?” I replied with a small chuckle, the effort causing a twinge of pain.
“About seven hours, and not once did Jason leave your side for more than a minute,” Billy said, glancing at our sleeping friend with a look of admiration and concern.
I smiled softly and asked, “May I have a cup of cold water, please?”
Billy nodded and brought me a cup. I thanked him before splashing the water onto Jason’s face, startling him awake. “Rise and shine, bro,” I joked with a laugh. It took him a moment to realize I was awake.
“Kali! You’re okay!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with relief as he hugged me.
“Easy, Jase. I’m alive but still sore,” I smiled, hugging him back gently. He quickly stepped back, concern flashing in his eyes.
“Right… sorry,” he said, his voice apologetic.
“It’s okay. Billy, sorry about the mess,” I replied, turning to the brainiac of the group.
“Don’t worry about it,” Billy chuckled, already heading to grab a mop.
“I’m not sorry about splashing you, though. Since I’m like a little sister to you, I’m gonna start treating you like my big brother,” I told Jason half-jokingly.
He laughed, then paused. “Wait… you heard that?” he asked, a mixture of surprise and relief in his voice.
“Yeah, at least most of it,” I smiled. “I was already thinking about giving up, but when I heard the things you said, I was reminded of why we were fighting and that I wasn’t alone in this,” I added, my voice filled with gratitude.
Jason smiled, his eyes softening with emotion. “You’re never alone, Kali. We’re all in this together. And no matter what, we’ll keep fighting. For each other. For all the Rangers. And for the world.”
As we stood there, surrounded by the quiet hum of the medbay, I felt a renewed sense of hope and determination. The battle against Drakkon was far from over, but with my friends by my side, I knew we could face whatever challenges lay ahead.
