Fandom Power Rangers Sentinels

[PenBlade1326]

Benji nearly just quit all together with the Star Wars references.  At least Erin explained it so he somewhat understood.  "I think we'll have to have a night where we expose Novus to some things..."  He mentioned to Erin in a whisper.  Clay titled his head at Fate as she shook her head.  Maybe not knowing as much about their world upset her?  He didn't know what was wrong, but it didn't seem like a big deal at the moment.  Probably something to talk about later though, if she seemed upset again.  And in regards to there being possibly more of the Sentinels out there?  Yeeee doggy.


"Yeah I'd like to know that myself, to be honest.  What's all the confusion about Erin and me?  Can't you work some kinda magical mumbo jumbo and see what's up?"  Clay asked both Novus and Fate.  Seriously, why were they so puzzled about the two of them?  If there's a problem with them being certain colors of feeling certain things, maybe Fate isn't as dependable as she believes?  Clay wouldn't say that to her face, but still.


Benji scratched his head at the mention of worlds and not being sundered by the Veil.  "As hectic as that sounds, you have to admit it'd be more interesting than the current world.  Plus, someone could do away with corrupt politicians with the snapping of their fingers..."  He muttered.


"Hey, Fate, Novus...you didn't really answer my question.  Maybe I didn't catch it, but...exactly what's a stake here?  The fate of our own world, multiple worlds...Hell what even is Vorkalth's goal?  Rule the world, destroy it, usual bad guy bull crap?"  He asked curiously again.  


---


The creature Vorkalth had picked in the tome was really a good choice.  Any better way for a not-so-smart Basilisk war general to put it?  He nodded and laughed as Vorkalth gave them their orders.  "Good choice master, good choice!  Summoning the first one, omen of death it would look.  This should make the Sentinels go into the ground as dead people!"  He worded, laughing and nodding his head.  He went off to order and prepare the Spawners.  And with luck?  He'd get to assist the creature on the surface in the mortal realm.  Ohhh fun fun fun!


He clung his ax on the ground as he walked to the Spawners, barking orders at them like a dog, ensuring their failure wouldn't happen again.  "Make the Sentinels dead, and make all the humans dead too!  More death is always a good thing!"  he said to them, getting the demonic creatures riled up.

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan perked up at Fate's mentioning of needing to learn as much about their world as they needed to learn of this new one.


"Well, if there's ever a chance that you wanted to learn about anything. I'd be more than happy to discuss it . . . over dinner, maybe?" He laid on his charm as he sidled up to the seer. He was pulled from his flirtation by Novus explaining why there was a difference in the aforementioned elements. He did have to admit that it made some sense, especially knowing the Chinese elements as he did. Hell, Iron was technically an element in the Chinese system. Actually . . . it was also on the periodic table of elements as well. Way to go Han dynasty.


Dylan's pride did swell when he had guessed right a few of the aforementioned worlds and he was fascinated by the idea of the previous Sentinels. Where were they from? When did they operate? Who stayed short term and who was in it for the long haul and why to both? He wondered if the Coven had a library or other place of record keeping.


"Ha, those sound like bad fanfiction scenarios." Dylan smiled nervously at Fate's musing and tried to push his notebook at home out of his mind and out of existence. He did notice she seemed to zone a little bit though. "Hey, you all right?" He asked, his attempt at a Casanova feel gone, replaced by genuine concern.

 

[Lady Insanity]

April nodded her head.  Other worlds, confusion in their ranks, more Sentinels possibly out and about in the world.  Or other worlds.  Until a few days ago, April would have been completely turned off by all of this.  But now that she's seen it all be true, and felt that power?  That wind...that beautiful, cooling wind.


Benji's question made her shudder.  Fates of multiple worlds possibly on their shoulders...yikes.  Then something else dawned on her.  First...Dylan sounded liked he was flirting with....Fate?  "Dylan...did you just flirt with Fate?  A possibly immortal being, literally old enough to be your grandmother's grandmother?"  She asked him, tilting her head.  "No offense, Fate..." She said, looking a little embarrassed.


"But in addition to what Benji asked...if other worlds are real and everything, as well as legends...does that mean like the wolfman is real?  Werewolves in general?  And vampires, ghosts, everything paranormal and supernatural?  if they're not the same thing, that is.  I can handle all of this coming at me...but I swear if vampires are real and you want me to go Buffy The Vampire Slayer on someone, we're gonna have to talk."  She expressed.  Another pop culture thing.  Oy...Novus might think Buffy is a real person and a famous vampire slayer in real life...


---


Nenet bowed her head at Vorkalth's choice.  "Excellent, master.  I shall make the preparations."  She vowed.  Oh, this was a good choice.  The very first creature to pick from in this case.  This would drive the Sentinels and that pesky owl and her fairy--or whatever--into the ground.  She stepped over toward her alter, kneeling down once again and praying before the evil Gods.  "Gods of the wicked, drinkers of misery and masters of despair, we beseech you.  Grant us the strength, we summon forth one of the great demons of death!  We pray to thee, send forth our chosen!"  She chanted over and over, her body glowing in dark aura.   In time, as this takes, their new ally would arrive, summoned from the depths of darkness itself.  Oh marvelous!


(where I was out of commission, this was...sloppy, for me xD but hey, back on track!  )

 

[marorda]

"Oh believe me, dearie," Fate said. "The Gods are far worse than the average politicians. It might be interesting at first, but you wouldn't want the world to turn into a playground for the gods. They have the tendency to blow things up and end the world on a whim, curse everyone whom they dislike. They can't even get along with each other in their own Realms, let alone if they were to meet the other realms. Their rivalry will be the end of us all."


Novus turned to Benji as well and lightly shook his head, sighing softly. "The first time around, his goal was merely to take over the realm. The rest of the world would soon follow. But when the Sentinels banished him to the Underworld... something happened. Something that wasn't supposed to happen. A tiniest tear in the Veil, one we didn't discover until it was much too late already. You see, long ago, all words were separate of one another, unconnected. But after that first tear, bits and pieces of one world leaked into the other. The web Fate mentioned started to weave itself. History and legend entwined, inseparable. We didn't know the true meaning of it until later..."


"When Vorkalth returned to the world his second time, he learned of the tear, the web, the connections between history and legend. He was the first to discover a way to travel between the different realms, and learned that if one were to alter the events in one realm, history in this realm would change. By destroying a realm such as, say, Yggdrasil, the history of this world would change. As far as we know, Vorkalth intends on using the connected realms to reshape history in his own image. Your world is at stake, the other realms, to him, are nothing more than means to an end."


"None taken," Fate chuckled to April. "You're quite right there, dearie. Although I suppose I could be killed, none have ever succeeded. And time... time hardly touches me." But really... she was a bit older than just old enough to be anyone's grandmother's grandmother. More like their grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's .... you get it. She'd old. Thousands of years. Older than Novus, even. In comparison to her, he was so young with only 3000 years to his name. "Although the offer seems tempting. It would be good for Novus and me to learn more of your world. After all, we are defending it.


"Werewolves, Vampires, Ghosts? All the like? Oh yes, definitely," Novus nodded. "They're real, alright. Some just are more native to other realms than this one. Save for ghosts. They're everywhere. Just go out into the woods here on a moonlit night. Or the middle of the day. Doesn't quite make a difference to them. And you have Vampire Slayers in this day and age? I hope they can distinguish between the friendly ones and the murder ones..." Of course he was oblivious to Buffy being fictional as well.


"Novus, I think this is another "pop culture" thing," Fate chuckled, a little quicker to catch on. "Then again, it may be real. Enough vampires around in Transylvania last time I checked in."


---


Shadows swirled in the Underworld around the circle in front of Nenet's altar, the place where they had had their summonings and sacrifices for many centuries now. The creature that appeared wildly shook himself, as if he had been confined to a small space for too long. Its eyes lit up as it bared its sharp teeth. Dark claws shimmered in the... light(?) of the Underworld. "Finally I am free!" it roared before kneeling down in front of Vorkalth and the Generals. "How can I serve you, my masters?"


Vorkalth gave the creature a sign to raise up again. "After slumbering for many years, it is time for us to rise again. But... The Sentinels have returned, changing into what they call "Power Rangers". Destroy them, so that we may rule the world."


"Yes, my master," the creature bowed again.


As Nenet had opened the portal and Avlazors Spawners were ready, they were send to Ebongrove, ready to cause mayhem.


---


"As for your question," Novus said, turning to Clay and Erin. "The thing is-..." but he didn't get the chance to finish what he wanted to say. The split windows turned into one large pane again. For a brief moment dark clouds, like a thunderstorm, covered the entire visible area. All the color seemed to disappear from Novus' face. He gulped. Fate also turned to face the screen, seemingly unsettled.


"Already?" she mumbled, more to herself than anything else. "That... that can hardly be!"


As the clouds faded from the "screen", everyone was treated to the lovely sight of Spawners in the streets again. But this time... this time they hadn't come alone. With them was a creature that stood at least six foot tall and was seemingly covered in dark, coarse fur. It had sharp, goblin-like ears and glowing eyes. The creature sniffed the air, seemingly enjoying the smells of fear form the people fleeing around them. A being that looked like a wolf-goblin hybrid at best, a monster from your average nightmares at worst.


"Further explanations will have to wait, it seems," Novus said, trying not to seem all too terrified. "You're needed."


Erin wasn't going to protest against that. Sure, it would take a bit longer before they might figure out just what the confusion regarding her and Clay was all about... But right now... There was a monster in the city. One that wasn't... well... a Spawner. Could this be one of the big leagues that were mentioned before? "Let's get going then," she told the others before rushing to the five point star that had teleported them to the city last time as well.

 

[Lady Insanity]

Gods, realms, war...the fact that more than their own world depended on them?  That's...scary.  April gulped as Novus explained the most of it all to Benji.  "R-r-reshape history?  I don't like the sound of that..."  She muttered.  This Vorkalth guy...he scared her.  April wasn't used to all of this.  Naturally, even with being a Ranger now, she was...well, frankly, scared shitless at the stakes.


At least Fate didn't take offense to her calling her old.  It's true, after all.  And...did Fate seriously just say it was tempting to go out with Dylan and learn about the world?  Wow...is it bad even with the huge age gap, April sort of shipped it?  A lil' bit?


Then she turned white.  Whiter than normal.  Vampires...werewolves....ghosts.  Real.  Possibly with zombies and all of that jazz.  Great.  Terrific.  Not only that, but while some are located in certain places, ghosts are everywhere.  Shit...what if there's a ghost in her dorm's shower?  Pervy ghosts are not welcome.  "Oh...how...how lovely.  Vampires, ghosts and all that...great.  Here I thought demons from underground were the weirdest thing, now this?  Oy..." She said, rubbing her temples.


"And yeah, she's right, Novus.  Buffy is....wait, so Vampire Slayers are real?  One Girl In All The World?"  She asked, slightly taken by his knowledge of Slayers in this day and age. So...Slayers are real, too?  Okay, maybe this isn't so bad.  Granted Buffy is fiction.  But, hey!


---


Nenet's chants worked.  A creature had been summoned, calling them all its masters.  Excellent.  Marvelous!  "Oh this is delightful."  She commented, hands together.  Only a matter of time before the Rangers and surface would be destroyed!


She opened a portal for him and the Spawners, wickedly cheering them on as they went through.


---


Novus and Fate didn't look so good.  Like they were scared.  Just as Erin and Clay would have gotten answers, something was up.  An attack on Ebongrove.  Spawners...and a..new monster?  Possibly leading them...is this one of the big leagues they'd mentioned before?  Gulp.


Furry, claws...almost wolf-like in appearance.  And not a cut dog like April would hope.  April let out a breath and shakily nodded, following Erin to the five pointed star.  "I already said I hoped every day wouldn't be like this...and here we are."  She said to everyone as they walked to the star.  But if they had power and people were scared, April would gladly go.

 

[Steel Accord]

"Dylan...did you just flirt with Fate?  A possibly immortal being, literally old enough to be your grandmother's grandmother?"

"Of course not!" Dylan said. He then lowered his voice and whispered to her, "now that you've given the game away. And if she knew Cassandra, she's a LOT older than my great great grandmother." Dylan was "lonely" in a word. Always the romantic and wanting to meet some beautiful and mystical woman he could pledge himself to as Don Quixote did. Reality though, always dissapointed him but "reality" was suddenly looking up for him so he thought he might try his luck. Fate was nice, beautiful, clearly wise, as would be expected of a being centuries old.

"Oh...how...how lovely.  Vampires, ghosts and all that...great.  Here I thought demons from underground were the weirdest thing, now this?  Oy..."

"Well look at it this way, April. We're power rangers now. If things go bump in the night," he fired off a couple of punches, "we get to beat the shit out of them!" He said with a vicious grin. The news that the more typically horrifying monsters, the ones that were used as figures of nightmare to be avoided and shielded from common folk rather than the ones who exist to be conquered by heroes, also exist was something he was glad to hear. It meant that all the times he was frightened as a child of vampires, skeletons, and other specters could now be avenged. His scenario that he always concocted was him gripping a sword and flying into a rage, slicing apart the monster. Thinking it could kill him and take him from his family and friends without him even throwing a punch? He never could figure out why, but even the notion of a monster killing him in his sleep or when he otherwise can't defend himself pissed him off more than almost anything else could. Having sparred for years and now fought in real battles, he can safely say that the idea of being struck down in active combat didn't bother. He didn't want that to happen obviously, but if Vorkalth got the better of him on his feet, he wouldn't be as angry or indignant at his killer as if he had poisoned him in his sleep or some such.

but I swear if vampires are real and you want me to go Buffy The Vampire Slayer

"Okay, can we agree to drop the pop-cultural references, guys?" Said to his friends but Benji and April in particular. " A) It's a tad silly now that we are involved in all of this to compare it to something else considered 'not real.' B ) There's more things that can be used for reference than movies and shows made in the last few decades. And C ) these two, for now at least, clearly aren't going to understand what we're talking about!"


--------


Dylan was fascinated by the cosmology of this world web he lived in. It reminded him a tad of the Great Wheel, the standard D&D interdimensional planescape. With Earth acting as the prime material plane and all the worlds beyond the veil being echoes or cast offs. Except the difference being here that the planes were MUCH more strongly connected. In the Great Wheel, if he knocked over a flower pot in Bytopia, it's prime material plane counterpart wouldn't be effected at all. Such apparently was not the case with their own charges. Would killing Demeter mean that crops would no longer produce food? Hell, maybe not even killing her, if one managed to kill Persephone (a much easier task barring they didn't mind the wrath of Hades), then maybe Demeter would simply be too depressed forever that no harvest would ever happen again. Vorkalth had dozens, if not more, ways to screw with Earth in any number of ways and he would raze entire planes of existence to do it. Again, Dylan and his friend's duties remained clear. Vorkalth was willing to burn the entire web if it would advance his designs on Earth even a little. 


"He's insane." Dylan said to himself, starting to grasp the nature of their enemy. As if to answer him, that's around when the spawners and new figure appeared on the screen. Dylan cracked his knuckles. "Ranger time."

 

[PenBlade1326]

"Clearly you haven't met a certain racist billionaire with orange skin and a bad hair cut."  Benji remarked to Fate, talking about Donald Trump.  In his eyes, no Gods were worse than that foul waste of a human being.  He just had to bring Trump into this somehow.  He's still for Bernie, even if he's out!  Back on topic.


Vorkalth's goals sent trembles down his and Clay's spines.  A lot of stuff has been thrown at them in the past few days.  Knowing they're supposed to save this world as well as God knows how many more?  Not making it easier.  


And vampires, ghosts, werewolves...all of that?  Real.  "I don't think he meant that Slayers are real, April.  Just if there are, then hopefully they don't kill good vampires.  And....there are good vampires?  Shit, there are vampires in general....is it too late to leave?"  Benji said, only partially joking.  Not that he was afraid, just...really?  Vampires, too?!  Does not compute.


Clay laughed slightly at Dylan.  "Alright, we'll drop the pop culture."  he said.


---


Avlazor cackled as the new creature appeared from shadow near the alter.  Light of the underworld shown in and summoned the monster, hideous and terrifying.  "Good monster!  Very good!"  Avlazor praised, laughing and secretly wishing he could go with it.  Avlazor wanted to crush skulls!  But the time isn't now, yet...but one day!  And he looked forward to it, definitely!


"Yes, go kill Power Rangers.  Take stupid but strong Spawners with you!  Kill booby Son of Archon and friends!"  He told the monster as it left through the portal.


---


Just as they were going to get an answer, of course, something intervened.  By the looks of their distress, and a visual being brought up on the....screen, there was an attack.  "Flee-ridden varmints are at it again..." Clay muttered, eyeing what looked like a...wolf man?


"Crap, a werewolf?  Or something like it?  Odd timing as how we were just mentioning those..."  Benji commented.  Tall, dark and furry, glowing eyes and sharp claws.  And....pointy ears.  Weird.  Judging by everyone standing up and heading to the pentagram, it was probably time to awaken their essencia again and transform.  Time to feel that power again, right?  Oh boy, time for the adrenaline to kick in.  And probably make a bad decision to go TOWARD danger instead of running from it.  Seriously, is Benji the only one not insane?  April already stated she hoped not every day would be like this.  And so did he.


He hesitantly followed Erin to the star.  "If I get fleas, someone here is buying my medication."  Benji said, scratching the back of his head.  Clay tipped his hat as he followed as well.  "Ranger time, indeed, Dylan.  Ranger time indeed...c'mon, let's give that cotton-pickin doggy and them 'ere Spawners a run for their money."  He said to everyone on the pentagram.

 

[marorda]

"Hey, we had a few days in between this time and the last," Erin grinned to April as they all rushed to the star, teleporting back into the city. It was true. And thanks to those few days rest, technically not every day was like this. She couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the general interactions between everyone. They were a bit of an odd bunch, weren't they? A cowboy, someone who way... maybe a little too much into this all, two people who could do with getting a little more into it all, and her; the multi-culti weirdo who was probably close to Dylans level of excitement when it came to myths actually being real. "And why quit on the references? It's a thing from the current world, no? What better way to learn about this time than showering people with random pop-culture trivia?" Well, that certainly was one way of looking a it. A weird way, perhaps, but it was her way. And she was weird, so it all checked out. Right?


---


"It's not a werewolf!" Novus called after them as they all stepped on the pentagram and teleported off to Ebongrove. "It would have been a bit easier if it was..." Sure, they weren't able to hear that last bit anymore. Sure, he had said they were needed, but... couldn't they at least just hear him out on what they were facing? Why did they have to rush off like that? Plunge themselves into danger and not knowing at all what they were facing.... Reckless bunch of idiots... Surely reminded him of someone... Novus shook his head and turned to watching the window again. They could tap into their spirits and transform, which was a good thing, thankfully. But the rest of it all... to truly merge with the Sentinel Spirit and start learning to master their potential... Hopefully they'd know what to do. But, if worst came to worse, he could always contact them again, like that first time when he told them to transform.


Fate followed his example, watching the window. "Do you think they're ready for this yet?" she asked. "Spawners were one thing, but if Vorkalth is already capable of doing this... Things don't bode too well."


"They'll have to be ready," Novus answered. "They're Ebongrove, our, the rest of the web's only hope. But you're right. It doesn't bode well he can already do this. Perhaps we should warn those beyond the Veil..."


"We can't do that, Novus! You know the rules. As much as I'd want to do it... We don't know where he'll go first, when he'll go there... We might warn more than needed, which will only cause more chaos," Fate protested. Of course she wanted to warn the allies beyond the Veil, warn them of Vorkalth's return... But some of those worlds had only barely recovered from the last time, something that would be explained later on. Spreading chaos across the Web was one of the last things they wanted. It was their task to protect the peace, not ruin it.


---


Back on the streets of Ebongrove, everything was in total chaos. People frantically ran for safety while Spawners attacked, led by the wolf-like monster. More superstitious people, especially elderly ones, seemed many times more terrified of him than of all the Spawners combined. Most ran, some prayed, some ran and prayed. But soon the group of young people in color-coded clothing came running to the scene. "Man, and here I was thinking the Spawners were the ugliest thing Hell had to offer," Erin stated as she looked from the Spawners to the monster and back. "Anyhow... let's put that thing back where it belongs."


She rushed towards the Spawners, kicking them in the faces, this time more careful to not kick those masks off. Then she dashed past the few who were down on the ground to hurry towards some people and get them to safety. "Hurry!" she told them. "Run for your lives!"


Once she was sure there wasn't anyone left around to see them, she nodded to the others. "Time to get in action," she said before gripping her Charm, holding it over her heart.


"Essencia Awaken!" she called in unison with the others. The red energy surrounded her once again, spreading its pleasant warmth, the smells of a campfire filling her nostrils. "Scorching Fire, Red Sentinel Ranger!" She struck her "charging fireball"-pose again. "Power Rangers Sentinels!" she called, again in unison with the rest.


They faced down the monster from their lineup. He sniffed the air. "Aah, Power Rangers..." he said, sounding more like he was growling his words rather than speaking them. "You have displeased my Masters. Now, you will die." Wait... Masters... Masters.  Plural. There was more than one leader? More Vorkalths? Hell no! They really did have a lot to learn about their tasks, those before them, their enemies... Still, best not to show insecurity. With a nose like that the creature could probably smell fear.


"Not on our watch!" Erin called back. "Ebongrove, as well as the rest of the worlds, is under our protection. Whoever you are, you will not succeed."


"You are fools to get in the Legion's way. Now be ready to feel the bite of Garm! Spawners, weaken them!" Garm commanded, sending another wave of Spawners to the Rangers.


Erin charged back at the Spawners coming at them. Kicking, punching, swiping, tripping, and leaping. She made two Spawners run into each other, stole one of their weapons, and used it to bash another Spawner backwards. But there were too many to simply keep off using only their hands and feet. After another few Spawners, she was knocked backwards onto her butt. Quickly she scrambled back up, only to be knocked down again and kicked while she was down. She rolled aside, punching herself up again. Damn, those guys had had some training down in Hell! That must be it, yeah. "So... anyone got any brilliant ideas?" she asked the rest.

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan nodded at Clay and ran over to his spot on the dais. Ready to get going.

"And why quit on the references? It's a thing from the current world, no? What better way to learn about this time than showering people with random pop-culture trivia?"

"What are you talking about? That's a terrible way to teach people about modern society! That'd be like trying to teach physics by randomly dropping-" He didn't get to finish his sentence due to them shimmering out of the Coven.


Now with more pressing matters before him, Dylan rushed into the spawner groups. An elderly couple were being harassed and Dylan sent the spawner away with a kick and an elbow strike.


"Get to safety!" He told them. Grouping with his friends, he activated his charm. "Essencia awaken!" The water-y feeling swept over him. The relaxing, meditative, sound of crashing waves filled his ears. "Surging Water, Blue Sentinel Ranger!" Dylan dropped again into his single whip pat on high horse Tai Chi stance. "Power Rangers Sentinels!" He shouted with the others. The beast that growled their names seemed, familiar to him. He couldn't exactly place the name or nature of the creature that stood before him. He guessed it was a werewolf but . . . he didn't know there was something about the way it looked and talked that bespoke something different than a lycanthrope.


As the spawners rushed them, Dylan tried to engage them with his Tai Chi moves. Fluid motions diverting attacks, light shoves placed at the right time. That might have worked before but these Spawners must have been upgraded or something, they were faster and powered through his moves. So Dylan switched to a hard style rather than a soft style but was met with much the same results. "My normal advice would be to grab a weapon but I don't know of any weapons that can hurt them." Dylan said to Erin.

 

[PenBlade1326]

Both Benji and Clay had been essentially 'poofed' into Ebongrove.  At least they didn't feel at all woozy this time.  Better off than most of the people running around in the attack.  Spawners being leg by....something that looked like a werewolf, but also...just not.  Something was wrong about that thing.  Clay nodded at Erin.  "Yeah...ugly varmint, ain't it?"  He said to her.  Benji gulped.  Why does this stuff have to keep getting weirder and weirder?


Both the guys rushed in to the chaos of Spawners and people.  Clay pulled two Spawners off of civilians and shoved them back.  "Get goin'!"  He told them and watched as the people ran off.  Benji dodged a couple of swings as he ran past and around the Spawners, holding back one of their arms before striking a woman.  He signaled for her to run, and she didn't hesitate.


After clearing out the people, they joined the the others in a line to get down to business like last time.  They gripped their charms tightly over their hearts.  "Essencia Awaken!"  Both of them called out, feeling that drip of insanity from last time.  The feeling of home and dirt washed of Clay, freshly cut grass filling Benji's nostrils as the energy covered them.


"Solid Earth! Brown Sentinel Ranger!"  Clay shouted, pulling his lunged flex pose.


"Sprouting Nature!  Green Sentinel Ranger!"  Benji called, one arm out with the other back on his chest, legs apart.  "Power Rangers Sentinels!"  They called with the others in unison like before, just as insane and weird as then, too.  


"Well Garm, hate to burst your bubble, but we don't take kindly to fleabags like you, ya hear?"  Clay said to Garm.  And did this...Garm, mention a pluralization of the word 'master'?  As in...more than one bad guy?  Does Vorkalth have friends?  Great.  Just what they needed to hear.  As he sent Spawners their way, both of the guys snapped into a fighting stance.  They pushed forward, following the others into the horde.  


Clay tackled the first bunch he met with brute force, forcing them down like a real redneck wrestlin' a pig.  He swing his arms around to bash as many faces in as he could, feeling strong like last time.  


Benji cartwheeled through the Spawners, swiping his leg around in a round house to keep Spanwers off of him, kicking down a few weapons in the process.  Spawners kept pouring in, like they'd gotten an upgrade or a hefty protein-filled diet.  They were stronger, more aggressive.  They were overrunning Benji and Clay, despite the effort they put into it.


"I dunno!  Last time these varmints just went down.  Now they're just meaner!  And uglier!"  Clay called to Erin, not knowing what to do.  Benji shrugged and pushed back a Spawner, getting himself struck in the chest.  He yelped.  "Like Dylan said.  A weapon would be nice..but do we even have something for these freaks?  Not like we're all trained ass-kickers here!"  He called out.

 

[Lady Insanity]

Arrival in Ebongrove wasn't normal.  Not in the long term of her life, anyway.  People running, demons attacking, a big dog snarling around, and April was, by duty, there to help.  If this had been any other day, she'd have ran for the hills.  Sadly, she's on this team and part of something big...for better or worse.  Erin wasn't wrong though.  That...thing leading the Spawners was ugly as Hell!  Just imagine what else might be lurking around in the darkness....shudder for thought.


April cleared her throat as she ran with everyone to engage the Spawners and save what civilians they could.  April shakily ran past a group of the monsters and pushed one away from an old woman, knocking a couple back with her elbows weakly.  She gently took the woman and guided her away before joining her friends.


All lined up, she looked at the...wolf-like thing in front of them.  It smelled like a wet god from Hell...gross.  God, imagine an actually wet dog in Hell.  There probably isn't water there, so what is....never mind.  Didn't wanna think about that...whatever liquids existed in Hell were not welcome in her brain.  Ick.


She nodded on Erin's word and tightly held the charm over her heart.  "Essencia Awaken!"  She chanted out with everyone, feeling that cool breeze take her body over.


"Soaring Wind!  White Sentinel Ranger!"  She called out, elegantly turning to the side and resting a hand over her chest, the other at her side.  


"Power Rangers Sentinels!"  She called in unison with the others.  The monster said they'd displeased his masters...more than one?  Yikes.


She nodded at Erin.  "Sorry to disappoint."  She said in regards to that.  And she nodded at Clay.  "If anyone's dying, it's you, you clump of fur."  She said, whipping into a combat stance as the creature who introduced himself as Garm sent a new wave of Spawners at them.


She ran up to meet the monsters head on, twirling around like a dance, gripping her cloak and using it to make space for her in the crowd of Spawners.  She brushed it back, kicking and swiping around the Spawners like before, only this time it was different.  The Spawners felt like they'd been working out!  Joy!  April found herself getting overrun, fending off all she could.  She was about to spring into action again....until a Spawner grabbed her cape from behind and pulled her back, dragging April along the ground as she let out a sound of 'what the hell is happening?'.  April fought to get free, but the Spawner dragged her around by her back, basically wiping the floor with her legs.  "Wish I knew what to do...also, someone give me a hand, here!"  She called out, wiggling around awkwardly to get free.


(sorry but I had to xDDD c'mon, with capes being long, this is bound to happen xD  humor is key sometimes, especially toward the start ) 

 

[marorda]

"You have weapons, Rangers!" Novus called out. Man, he really should explain how he was able to talk to them like that when they'd get back to the Coven. So many things were still left unexplained as they had teleported back to Ebongrove. "Summon the Sentinel Staff to deal with the Spawners. You can use it to hit them, or shrink it to wand-size and blast them with magic!"


Wait, they could do what? That was pretty awesome. Erin held a hand in front of her and closed her eyes, imagining the staff appearing in her hand. She had no idea if that was how it worked, but really it was the best thing she could think of right now. It wasn't like there were magical words coming to her mind like with the whole "Essencia Awaken!" thing... Well, okay, maybe she thought something along the lines of "come to me", but nothing that had to be cried out at the top of her lungs. Mental distractions aside, she did feel something appearing in her hand. And indeed, as she opened her eyes, she was holding a long staff, about an inch thick. "Sweet!" she called out, thrusting the staff forward, into the stomach of the Spawner in front of her. The creature almost fell over. Erin was quick to jump back to her feet, twirling the staff around in her hand, striking nearby Spawners, using the staff as a two-handed quarterstaff, bashing into any Spawners around her. "This. Is. Pretty. Awesome," she said as she pretty much danced around the Spawners. Shrinking it and blasting was also a very tempting option, but right now there were enough Spawners near her who could do with some good ol' bashing. She'd save the blasting for later, when she was done having fun or when the Spawners were further away.


(alright, so this one is really short on my end... And not because I'm tired XDD I just wanted a scene where they all fight the Spawners with the Sentinel Staff before moving on to the big guy. Also... opinions: Magic next? Or personal weapons? I feel like doing both in this Tale is a bit rushed since they also get the Staff already)


(Also: go wild with the Staff. Use it as Staff, wand, one handed, two handed, whatever you think your character would do with it :3 Give it your own signature We can drive them together and finish them off with the first finisher. Which... I still need to make up XD Well, half of it.)

 

[PenBlade1326]

There goes Novus in their heads again.  Benji accepted he could do that, but man was it ever creepy.  He said they had weapons...Sentinel Staffs.  Okay...okay.  Focus on bringing the staff forward out of nothing, it seems.  Benji and Clay nodded at the mental message and shrugged off as many Spawners as they could to make room.  Like Erin, they'd closed their eyes and pictured the staff in their hands.  As they opened their eyes, it was there!  A long staff, an inch thick, a nimble and...well, magical weapon, for lack of a more fitting term.  


Both the guys gazed at the staffs in awe.  "Whoa...cool!"  Benji commented.  "Well I'll be."  Clay said as he adored the staff in his hands.


But enjoying the staffs for being cool and...well, magical, would have to wait since there's still a lot of Spanwers that need to...de-spawn, maybe?


Clay took after Erin and kept the staff extended into a long melee weapon.  He wasn't skilled with a bo staff or anything, but treating it like a big branch helped.  Clay swiped his staff around, swatting multiple Spawners across their faces and knocking masks off of all of them. "Shit."  He muttered at the ugliness.  He pulled his staff back and straight-punched one of them in the face to knock it back into more Spawners.  Clay waved it around a little more, whacking a few of the monsters around with it in a wild fashion.  He extended the staff outward and tucked it under a Spawner's arm.  "Whoa nelly!  Time to toss you into the pig pen!"  He said to it and hurled the Spawner over his head with the staff and into the crowd, knocking down a huge pile of them all.


Benji, on the other hand, shrunk the staff to a wand-like mode.  Figured he'd give it a shot.  No pun intended.  He snapped his head around, just barely missing an incoming attack from one of their weapons.  He whipped his cape around to get them off of him, spinning around with the staff--or wand-- in hand.  Just as he was about to use it, a Spawner kicked under his feet and caused him to spiral in the air.  He let out a cry of 'wahhhhh!'.  While spinning, he weakly extending the wand and shot out a quick bolt of green magic, blasting a Spawner across the way and watching sparks emit from its chest.  He landed on his feet.  "Wow...that was neat."  he said to himself, getting the feel for how it worked.


Benji then whipped the wand around and arched it forward, sending a spiraling attack of green bolts towards the Spawenrs, the bolts traveling along the creatures and knocking every one of them down like a pile of dominos.


(I'm only really imagining the staff as a double-handed melee weapon or a wand-type for projectiles sooooo I'm limited xDDD also, my vote is on elemental powers coming first before personal weapons  xD  makes sense to use them on the big guy, maybe even failing a little bit)

 

[Lady Insanity]

Apparently nobody heard April's plea for help.  Being dragged around by the cape was a real dampener on this fight.  First Garm is stinking up the place, now she's overrun and being slid around like a child's toy.  But wile being dragged, she heard Novus telling her and the others about the Sentinel Staffs.  Finally, a weapon of some kind to give them an edge against these things.  Better to be armed with a glorified stick than just fists and feet with a little luck.


She focused as she was dragged around in a most unprofessional way.  Focus on the staff, focus on it being in her hands.  And then...poof!  Sentinel Staff in her hands.  "Yes!"  She said, waving it up in the air behind her and bopping the Spawner that was dragging her on the head.  It went down, April finally able to stand up and dust herself off.  It was about damn time.


Erin and Clay seemed to utilize the staff in it's long form, whipping it around and bashing into Spawners.  Erin was more graceful, and Clay was...wild.  April looked to Dylan to see how he was fairing with the staff, as well as Benji who used it in the 'short wand' mode  She got an idea.


April shrunk hers down to the wand mode and clutched it to her chest as Spawners surrounded her.  "Alright.  Sentinel Staff, do your thing!  Wand attack."  She said, jolting forward and sending a pule of energy forward form the staff/wand, blasting back Spawners, sparks flying as white blasts struck their bodies.  It was like she knew how to use its magic...huh.  Maybe those past souls at work, here?  She whipped her head around, kicking to the side and knocking back a Spawner, striking a Spawner in the chest with the wand.  Using the blast again, she twirled around, shooting off small projectiles as she hit every direction.


(my vote's for elemental control as well.  unique weapons would be better saved for the end battle, I'm assuming this is a round 1/round 2 deal with the monster of the day xDDDD)

 

[Steel Accord]

"Ranger weapons? Kickass!" Dylan held out his hand and the staff sprung to life in his hand. "A staff? This is awesome! I love staff fighting!" Dylan said as he did a quick 1,2,3, spin one handed, locking the weapon under his arm and pushed out with his hand.

 April looked to Dylan to see how he was fairing with the staff,

As a spawner came forward to attack, Dylan snapped the back end up under its chin, the spun it around once and whacked it in the temple, sending it to the ground. Dylan was a whirling flurry of sweeps and strikes as he cartwheeled through the enemy. He wasn't totally dependent on it though, he mixed in the occasional kick as a follow up to his staff strike or a punch when he locked his enemy's weapon with his own.The Spawners dropped like flies around him but they decided to get cute and try to surround him.


Dylan dug in the staff and grabbed on the end and started walking up it. The spawners crowded around, unsure of how to attack him from their angle, Dylan bent the staff toward him, ripped it from its placement and brought it down in a blast to the gathered horde. Landing back down himself, he started spinning his staff again, this time with both hands. Faster and faster it went, back and forth from his left to his right and back again. He was building up speed and momentum. Soon it was like he was spinning an industrial fan in his hands. He advanced . . . slowly to the spawners. He didn't know if they understood fear but they had enough self-preservation to want to avoid his whirling pole of pain. Dylan took a power step again and let all the built up energy rip in a wide strike. The staff crashed through an entire row of spawners in front of him.

 

[marorda]

The Staff was pretty awesome, and judging by what the others were doing with it, they all definitely agreed. Spawners went down by the bushes, and soon none of them were left standing. Erin faced Garm again, lining up with the rest. "Spawners are no match for us," she called out to the monster.  "You've nothing left to hide behind, so face us!" Where did she suddenly get that courage from? Erin again wasn't sure, but again there was no backing down or letting Garm know she was, maybe, just a little...


"I smell your fear, Rangers," Garm growled and chuckled. Well crap. "And as you should. "Don't you know facing a Barghest means death is nearby? And let me tell you: the deaths will be you."


Okay, so one: aah, he was a Barghest. Two: Hell no! Erin didn't intend on dying here. Not today. Maybe in eighty years or so. Anyways... her mind was wandering off to places it shouldn't be. She briefly shook her head. "You may have beaten the Spawners, but you are no match for me!"


"Less blah blah, more sending this stupid dog back to his masters," Erin nodded to the others. "Let's go."


She charged at Garm, Staff in hand and swung it at him. He caught the incoming attack with one hand/claw and pulled it pretty had, causing Erin to stumble forward. Great, now she was this close to having her nose stuck in the monster's smelly fur. Garm slashed at her chest with his free claw. Sparks flew from her suit as the hard blow tossed her aside. She rolled around on the ground, groaning in pain and clutching her chest. Gods, that hurt! If she hadn't been wearing this suit... well, things would have been nasty for sure. Heck, even now it felt like the claws went right through, leaving some nasty scratches. The Staff clattered on the ground beside her. Erin rolled to her stomach, attempting to push herself right back up... but it felt like she didn't have the strength to. The hit she had taken was too painful... it almost felt like it was burning in some way. Yikes, this was painful. And being taken out with just one blow... That didn't bode too well... Erin coughed, pushing herself up just far enough to watch how her friends were faring.

 

[PenBlade1326]

Spawners, even as they were stronger, weren't a match.  The brutish physical attacks Clay used, as well as Benji's ranged moves really gave them what for!  These things are amazing!  One wonders what else they can do, huh?


Both of them lined up with the others again, staffs in hand, observing them before looking at Garm.  A really ugly beast, he was.  Snarling, hairy, dark, and that odor!  "Smells like something the morning rooster left on the kitchen table one morning when it got in the house."  Clay muttered quietly.  Benji heard him.  And he nearly facepalmed.  How does a morning rooster just--


"You don't smell no fear!  All there is to smell is your ass, ya varmint."  Clay exclaimed out to Garm, just as courageous as Erin.  He threw a punch in the air as he yelled at him, Benji just staring ahead at the monster with determination in his eyes.  Determination to check himself into a mental institute one of these days.  All of this would look great on a patient applicant...Jesus, that's a bit dark isn't it?  


They both nodded at Erin as she took the lead.  Time to go see what this Garm is all about.  They charged in behind her, capes flowing behind them all as they ran, an array of color.  They watched as Garm struck his claw at Erin, sparks emitting from her chest.  Their eyes widened.  Had sparks ever came from them before?  Did that mean this Garm was REALLY strong?  Or is it just an affect of being hit by an enemy that isn't too blunt...who knew.


Clay charged in at Garm as Erin rolled off to the side.  "Why you little flea-ridden dog!  Take this!"  He shouted at Garm, swinging his Staff around, not knowing exactly how to work it, just using it as a glorified stick.  Hey it worked on Spawners, didn't it?  He swung at Garm left and right with the Staff, aiming at his head and upper torso.  But the creature proved a lot stronger than he, bashing the Staff out of Clay's grasp and countering his attack, striking his chest with his claws, sparks emitting from Clay's chest.  he yelped and was sent back rolling on the ground.  The suit protected him, it seemed, but that didn't stop the attack from hurting at all.  He grabbed his chest in pain, lying on his side and groaning, grinding his teeth.


Benji ran up behind Garm.  Thinking he could catch him by surprise, he extended his Staff/wand and fired a quick shot at him in the back.  The bolt bounced off of Garm, however.  Benji widened his eyes, still running, going to fast to stop.  He would have braced for impact had Garm not also countered his attack and slashed at him, Benji pitifully going on the ground as that stinking snarling beast still stood.  Benji groaned and called out to Dylan.  "Hey!  Why don't you use some of those martial arts moves on this thing!  Anything's worth a try!"  He called to him, hands on the ground firmly, saying it without thinking, just eager to see these fucking thing beat already...though the odds didn't seem in their favor.  


@Steel Accord

 

[Lady Insanity]

Spawners went down by the bushes and cleared out.  That's right, don't mess with five people in brightly colored spandex waving around magical Staff-wands things!  You better run, ugly frog things!  April thought.


It wasn't a moment too soon when she grouped up with the others and faced Garm.  As ugly as he was smelly.  Erin sure was brave, yelling at him like that...so was Clay.  Where did that come from?  April is over here about to crap herself and they're eager to send this fleabag to Hell?  How are they so confident when they've only won one real battle, technically...oy.  She had a bad feeling about this.  A Barghast?  Should April know what that is, or...she almost put a hand up to ask, but everyone else was running toward him.  She sighed and followed.  


Garm was tougher than he looked.  He knocked Erin, Clay and Benji all back with ease.  Now it was just April and Dylan.  She looked at him wherever he was as Benji called out to him.  Great.  Two against one, but the odds, as that woman from Hunger Games would say, are not in their favor.  She stepped up to the plate, so to speak.  "Alright, someone ought to put you on a leash."  She said to the sniveling stink ball mutt.  April waved the Staff around like a magic wand, channeling whatever she did before against the Spawners.  She waved it around in a spinning motion and send a barrage of white bolts towards Garm.  Unfortunately, April's attack wasn't that great.  He just swatted away at them and countered her attack in his own way, sending a few of the blasts back at her, sparks flying from her chest on projectile impact.  She let out a pained shriek and fell over.  She really wished she'd never gotten out of bed today...

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan froze in place.


"A . . . black dog?" If he wasn't afraid before, he was now. Monsters, fine. Hydra? Go for its body. Jiang Shi? Sword made from a peach tree. Vampires and Werewolves? There are encyclopedias of weaknesses and counters to them! Black dogs though? They aren't just monsters, they are omens. It was said that if you've seen it, you ran. Too late for that. If you hear it bark, you're death is upon you. And this creature just marked them all for death. Fighting it would be like trying to punch the tide back. Speaking of punching though.


WHAM!


Dylan was sent reeling for a moment by a spawner that capitalized on his hesitation. He was grabbed by two more. The one that punched him tried to finish him off but Dylan threw his elbows back into the other two's heads and threw them both forward by their own grabs at their cohort. He finished them off with a spinning kick. His head back in the game and focused on the problem at hand, he caught sight of Benji being smacked to the ground by Garm.


"Benji!" He ran to his friend and knelt by him. At his suggestion, Dylan looked up at Garm, a towering, hairy beast. Superhuman strength and speed or not, Garm was a little bigger than the average sparring partner to say the least. His reach was longer and he had those claws. Plus there was the whole, "imminent death" thing.


"You know what? No. Screw it! If I'm going to die, might as well take the Reaper with me!" Dylan thought to himself. Leaping straight from a kneeling position into a jump kick, he planted his foot on Garm's chest. Then brought his other foot off and jumped off him. Which did . . . nothing. "Crap!" Dylan stretched out his hand and his sentinel staff reappeared in his hand. "He's got reach. So I extend mine!" Dylan charged the monster, spun his staff, 1,2, times and tried to bring it to Garm's head. Garm caught the thing in his teeth! "What?!" With a heave, Dylan was lifted from the ground and spun through the air, hanging on to his staff for dear life. Garm let go and sent Dylan flying and tumbling to the ground a few feet back.

 

[marorda]

And one by one the Rangers went down, with just about the same ease it had taken them to deal with the Spawners. Oy. Garm laughed, a low, growly laugh. Dark as befitting of a monstrous being like himself. All Rangers were just rolling around in pain, whining like pups.  "Pathetic," Garm said. With all the strength she could muster, Erin pushed herself back to her feet, trembling. Not of fear, but the pain. This was terrible. Things were looking very bad for all of them. The Staffs, the blasts... they simply had no effect on him. Doubtfully, physical attacks would do anything. But they couldn't give up! There was a web of worlds was at stake here. If they would die here and now, Vorkalth would win, conquer the world. The bright side would be they wouldn't be around to suffer the consequences, but this wasn't something they'd wish on anyone! Think of all the mythological realms that would be ruined too!


"We will NOT give up!" she called, picking up the Staff again and charging at Garm, swatting at him with all she had in her. A fire of determination burning in the very core of her soul. Garm just let the swats hit him, laughing at Erins weak and useless attempts at harming him.


"Foolish girl," he said. "You're supposed to be the Son of the Archon? You're weak, you're nothing. With the five of you as defenders, it's going to be a a piece of cake for my masters to rule!" He struck at Erin again. Her eyes widened under her visor and she quickly held up her arms in defense. His claws struck her again, sending intense pain from her arm throughout her entire body. Garm kicked her stomach, sending her tumbling backwards, landing near the others again. Erin clutched her arm. Something didn't feel right... But there was no time to be concerned right now. Garm approached them, looming over them, his eyes burning like coals.


"Now what?" Erin wondered out loud. Their weapons were ineffective, they were down and the big bad wolf was approaching to murder them all. Where's the Hunter when you need him?


"Come on you lot!"  Novus sounded like he was about to give them a serious scolding. "You've all felt the connection with your elements and the Sentinel Spirit. Just tap into it and use it already."


Aaand... there comes Novus again, talking in their heads. Not exactly the hunter Erin had hoped for, but it was a decent piece of advise, right? He mentioned their weapons, and poof there they were, now he's mentioning tapping into the Sentinel Spirit... How were they supposed to do that, though? Calling a spirit to them like they had done to a weapon seemed.... well, least to say it seemed unsafe, even if Fate and Novus had promised them it couldn't harm them.


"Just how would we..." Erin started, looking at the rest. Again, she didn't have a clue what she was supposed to do. And WHY was even this monster referring to her as Son of the Archon? And WHY wasn't he surprised to see she was... not male? What the Hell, no pun intended, was going on? Again, or still, there was that uneasy feeling in her stomach, and it just wouldn't go away. They were all still rolling around on the ground, and Garm was about to strike. Her thoughts raced. Tap into the Sentinel Spirit... Elemental powers... How could... A new feeling washed over her. That pleasant warmth she felt every time she touched the Charm, the burning passion keeping her going wherever she went. Well... if this was the last thing she'd feel before dying, best embrace it, right?


And then time seemed to stop, everything around them faded to black. Which really should mean they died, right? That had to be it. Right? Erin looked around in the floaty darkness. None of the others were around. Great. So not only was she dead, she was all alone in the Void too. Great! Could things get any worse? Aah, of course they could. A fire started appearing in front of her. Had she been such a terrible person she'd gone to hell then? Sure, she had done... some... things the bible might not approve off... but who knew? The fire took on a more humanoid shape. Aah, just great. Seems like I'm being welcomed by Satan himself. Much to her own surprise, Erin's thoughts echoed loudly through the void. The fire flickered slightly, as a person taken by surprise. And then a voice chuckled.


"I'm not a devil. At least I haven't been viewed as such in a long time," the voice spoke, the fire continuing to take on the humanoid shape. In front of her, also floating in the void, now hung what seemed to be an actual person. A bit ambiguous, both in body and voice. The being bowed slightly. "The name's Igneos, Spirit of Fire. My brethren and I bonded with the Sentinels long ago, and now it's your turn.' Igneos regarded her for a moment, then chuckled again. "My, this is... amusing."


"What, the whole Son of the Archon thing?" Erin asked.


"That... too. The rest.... you will find out in time. You all will." Igneos laughed and reached out fiery arms towards her. "If you want to defeat Vorkalth, you'll have to bond with me. It may take some practice, but over time you will learn how to control the Elemental power that I can grant you."


Albeit a bit hesitant, Erin reached out her hands towards Igneos. The heat spreading through her body felt as if she was standing amidst a thousand fires. Flames surrounded her, but didn't burn her skin.


Judging by where Garm stood when the world snapped back into vision, hardly any time had passed. But Erin could safely say she felt... different. So this was the Sentinel Spirit, huh? She had assumed it was much more of a metaphorical thing rather than an actual elemental spirit. Well, best be careful in making assumptions from now on when it regarded Sentinel stuff... Ghosts were real, vampires were real, myths were real, hell was real, everything that should belong in stories alone was real. Actual being, not metaphors. "That was... odd." And I can't believe I still think things are weird after all this. "If we all just sorta saw what I did... let's see what we can do!" She scrambled back to her feet, lining up with the others once more. Please please please let this do something!

 

[PenBlade1326]

Clay and Benji both curled their fists on the ground as Erin continued against Garm.  He called her the Son of the Archon...so Garm was clear of confusion?  Erin IS the Son of the Archon?  Well...maybe the daughter of one.  Maybe that was an answer they hadn't expected.


Damn it, Novus!  Get out of my head!  Benji thought, scolding Novus back, mentally.  But he had a point...they've called the spirits before.  They felt them...can they really use them?  It didn't sound as simple as calling a Staff, just picturing it in your hands and then boom, it's there.  Surely it was harder than that...


"What do we do..."  Benji muttered slightly, Clay letting out a breath, unsure what to think.  He didn't wanna die here today.  Not like this.  Neither of them did.


Something sparked in them.  The smell of freshly cut grass...the feeling of dirt under your fingernails.  It hit them both like a ton of bricks.  Something in them.  They felt it wash over them, unsure what was going on, 


Time froze and everything faded black.  Was this it?  Had Garm just struck them all down...is this the end?  They were alone.  Benji and Clay respectively were...alone.  Floating in personal voids, blackness around them.


Benji floated alone.  He looked around to see if any of the others were with him.  Guys?  Where are you?  What's going on?  He thought, mentally panicking.  And then...he heard his thoughts out lout.  Literally, they echoed around him in the void like he had said them into a microphone.  What in the world?  He looked around, more confused, still not used to the whole...magic thing.  And before his very eyes, a tree sprouted up.  A 6 foot tall tree.  Just sprouting...from nothing.  He stared at it in disbelief.  NO soil, not roots, well, there are root,s but they're exposed.  How is this tree just sprouting?  How is it alive?  Speaking of alive...the tree started to take human form.  branches at the top turned into arms, and the lower half of the trunk split into legs, the roots into feet.  A face could be made out from the leaves and center branches.  He rubbed his eyes...well, his visor.  But the tree looked like a...person.  Still a tree.  But a person, sort of.  "What the..." Benji muttered.


"Fear not, young one, I am of nothing to fear.  Please do not look as scared as a deer."  Said the figure in a smooth old voice.  It was...rhyming.  And talking.  Great.


"Who...who are you?  What is this place?"  Benji asked it.  "This is a void.  You could call it your imagination.  Your mind.  It is partly these things."  The figure answered.


"And I am Sylvan.  Spirit of Forest, I am to thee.  Also, I am a rhyming tree."  Said Sylvan.  Benji nodded.  "Wait...forest spirit?  And you're a tree?  A rhyming tree...like a poet.  A poet-tree?  Ha ha.  Nice pun."  Benji replied, so impressed indeed.  Sylvan laughed slowly.  "Indeed, such is my creed."


"I and my brethren bonded to Sentinels of past.  I fear not that you will be the last."  He said.  Benji nodded.  "So...you're the reason I feel so...nature-y?"  He asked.


"Yes, Benji.  It is I that makes you feel like a tree.  You much bond with me.  Bond like those before, and in time you will have victory."  Sylvan said and extend his arm-branches.  Benji nodded....alright.  Talking tree wants to touch him.  What could happen?  He reached out to the tree and touched its hand.  Benji felt like there was a pile of leaves on his skin, roots and vines entwining his body.  Yet he felt no pain.


As for Clay, he too was in a void.  Only where Benji saw the tree sprouting up...he saw a rock.  Literally just a big-ass rock.  "Well this is a bit...odd.  Last time I saw a rock that big my uncle Billy Bob was underneath it and we had to rush him to the ER cause he broke something."  Clay said aloud.  Whoa, what an echo!


The rock was surrounded by more rocks, soon.  The rocks were merging, rising up as Clay just floated there, lost and...confused.  "Tarnation?"  He asked.  


The rocks combined into a large humanoid rock form.  The rock then...spoke.  "I'm Grondo.  I'm the Earth Spirit!  Bond with me or I'll crush your legs!"  This...Grondo threatened.  Clay huffed.  "Hey now, I ain't doing nothing some talking rock tells me to do!  Why ya gotta threaten me like that, you dumb sack of...rocks."  Clay said.  Literal use of that expression.


Grondo huffed back.  "Well that's just offensive!"  Grondo retorted.  "Aye, you started it!"  Clay spat back.  Grondo snorted.


"Listen, my and my kind bonded to Sentinels in the past.  Bond with me NOW to unlock the elemental power inside you.  Do you want Vorkalth to win?"  Grondo asked.  Clay shook his head 'no.'  Grondo nodded.  "Then get your ass over here and bond!  Let's bond and be buddies.  No pun intended on the word 'bud' their either."  Grondo said.  Clay couldn't help but snicker slightly.  "So rude..."  Clay muttered and reached out to Grondo.  They touched hands, and Clay immediately felt a sensation of Earth piing on top of him.  


Then time resumed.  Garm didn't look like he moved all that much.  Did they pause time just now?  All of that happened in a matter of like a minute?  Nice.  "You guys won't believe what I just encountered..." Benji said.  Clay shook his head.  "Or me..."


But they felt different.  Strong, almost.  LIke their Sentinel Spirits were really stronger now.  Not super ultra powerful...but really awake.  They stood up and lined up with Erin and the others again.  "This keeps getting weirder."  Benji commented.
"Odd indeed, Erin.  But yet, let's see what we an do now!"  Clay said.

 

[Lady Insanity]

There goes Novus in their heads again, scolding them because they had only the slightest idea of what they were doing.  He had to understand they were still beginning in this stuff.  Garm was about to finish them and just kill them, why did Novus have to...wait.  There's something to what he's saying.  They have felt the elements before...why not use them?  But how?  Not like they'd just magically get the elemental control.  Wait...yeah they could.  Right.  Cause magic is real!  And other things I've come to think since this all started.  April thought.  Erin's determination and inner fire inspired her, though watching Erin get smacked around and turned into this bitch's bitch was something she could have not seen when trying to get inspired.


April started to feel...weird.  Exactly how they'd tap into their Sentinel Spirit was beyond her.  She started feeling a breeze, gently flowing around her like when she touches her charm.  And then...


Blackness.  All around her, April saw nothing but a black void of emptiness.  Nothing.  She was alone, floating in a vastness of black.  She'd had a thought about where she might be...and then that thought was heard aloud.  Is she in her own mind?  A different world?  How did she get here?  She was on the ground about to be annihilated by Garm when she started thinking about...


"Ahh.  Child, welcome."  Said a female voice from seemingly nowhere.  But everywhere.  April looked around.  "Huh?  Who's there?"  She asked the nothingness.  There felt like a breeze flowing around her.  Like the void was really windy.  The wind grew stronger in one concentrated area, manifesting into what April clearly saw as a mini hurricane.  Odd that there was nothing but blackness, yet she and this...hurricane were visible, even if there is no light.  Funny, huh?


The hurricane developed clouds.  The hurricane--tornado, whatever--took on humanoid features, the cloud spreading into what looked like a...dress.  And wings of some kind on the back of this figure...a cloud-like veil over the figures soon-to-be face.  The tornado had taken a humanoid form, looking like essentially a woman with a tornado body in a beautiful cloud gown and veil, wings on her back.  She was like a weird angel of sorts...but she wasn't human. 


"Who are you?"  April asked.  Not afraid.  Judging by the tone of this figures voice from before, she was...friendly.  Gentle, even.


"I am Ainya.  Wind Spirit.  Your Sentinel Spirit guide.  I am one of the spirits that bonded to the original sentinels long ago and shared my power.  And now, April, my power is yours."  She said.  This Ainya was very nice...and kinda pretty, despite hiding under a veil and being a tornado angel thing.  Huh.  That's a weird visual to describe to people.


She tilted her head.  "Bond to me?  How does that work?"  April asked.  Ainya laughed ever so softly.  "It is simple.  In order to learn more and harness your power, simply come to me, trust me, and rest assured knowing I will lend you my power. And over time, you will learn to perfect your power.  As will the other Sentinels, I'm sure."  She said.  April nodded slightly, understanding. "Alright."  She answered.  April slowly wandered over to where Ainya stood.  She reached out to April, taking her hands in hers gently.  A gust of wind overtook April.  She was standing in a tornado all of a sudden.  But it wasn't violent.  It was relaxing.  "And give Fate and Novus my best, child.  If they even know us spirits very well."  Ainya whispered to her.  


Just before April could agree, she was back.  Time had unfroze, Garm where she last saw him.  Was all of that in her mind?  Did time pass at all?  She felt different, in a way.  Still on the ground, still a bit pained, but different.  And alive at least.  And now she had met a spirit...great.  What's next?  Vampires, werewolves?  She's met demons basically, too.  Why not bring on the insane?


Benji and Clay mentioned they encountered something as well.  Other spirits?  It seems as if they all had!  "Believe me, my encounter was weird, too.."  She commented and stood on her feet again.  She had hoped every day wouldn't be like this...that wish still stood tall and mighty.  She nodded at everyone.  "Right.  Maybe that gave us something new to use against Garm.  Let's do it."  

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan tried to get back to his feet. He crumbled back into the dirt, clutching his side in pain. He was torn. On the one hand, he was terrified at the prospect of Garm's nature, but on the other he was defiant in the face of it. Death did not frighten him, it had been a long time since he had made peace with his own mortality. No what frightened him was the possible manner of death. Which sounded inconsequential but it was a matter of principal. Everyone dies but choosing how one meets their ultimate fate is the true mark of a man. The Vikings met theirs with a violent scream and no fear. The Romans with the knowing contentment that they had done their duty. How would he meet his end? . . . In the dirt, while his friend fought for her life. Dylan tried to rise, but even ignoring the pain he was weakened. That's when Novus shouted in their heads, sounding more like a dissapointed gym coach than a wise mentor.


Still, what choice did he have? So Dylan focused, calling upon the Sentinel Spirit within him. That same watery feeling in his suit expanded outward, like it was filling a pool, then a lake, then the ocean. Dylan was sinking down and down deeper. He looked up and saw the surface, a silhouette of someone about his size and shape getting further and further away as he descended. He looked around as fish began to swim around him, they spun about, making a tide that pulled him in a direction. He was swept by dunes, a kelp forest, and finally he reached a coral reef. Sitting upon an open clam shell was, at least what Dylan thought, a sea nymph. She appeared to have been made entirely of water. Her curves like rolling waves. Her hair flowed down her body like shimmering rivers. Her shape was . . . ideal, suffice it to say.


"You called, Sweetheart?" She quipped with a giggle as she patted a ray that came swimming up to her. 


"You're, my Sentinel Spirit right?" He asked.


"Deluvian. At your service." She said. Dylan looked back over her one more time.


"I think I need to see a psychologist." He said. It was then that the spirit got all up in his face, roaring at him.


"You saying I'm crazy?!" Deluvian said.


"No, no, no . . . sir." Dylan responded. For Deluvian very much was a "sir" at that point. Bearded (like sea foam) and broad shouldered (like icebergs). Very much resembling Dylan's Dad. "Damn you, Freud!" Or at least a close approximation of Dylan's Animus, his masculine ideal. "Yay, Jung!" Deluvian rested back into the shell and put his arms behind his head.


"So come on, man, why don't you chill out here and tell me what's rocking?" Deluvian cracked open a discarded beer can that probably fell off a fishing boat.


"Great, my Sentinel Spirit is Ariel Lebowski. Deluvian. We need your help. I, need your help. Up there is a black dog and,"


"Oh no, a black dog." Deluvian resumed a female form and assumed a fetal position.


"That's so sad. Someone is going to die. Probably you. That means I'll have to wait until the next Ranger to have a friend again." She rocked back and forth on the current. Dylan facepalmed. This is so outside his expertise.


"Not if . . . we don't die. To do that, I could use your help again." Dylan said. She broke out into a smile and resumed his male form, only now standing up and roaring at the surface instead of him.


"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's get you up and kick some mangy mongrel ass!" Deluvian said. Dylan was rocketed up back to his body on a water spout. He jumped to his feet, the pain gone and feeling like there was a tidal wave coiled behind each limb.

 

[marorda]

Good to know she wasn't the only one to have seen something weird. That was just a tiny bit more reassurance she wasn't going crazy and that she wasn't alone in this all. Them transforming into brightly colored heroes, fighting demons, and now apparently having bonded with some elemental spirit like the Sentinels before them had done also. Erin felt refueled, and having her friends all back on their feet at her side was great. As if they could take on the entire world now. Or at least a certain bad puppy and his scary magical master who had yet to show his probably very ugly rotten demon face. The place where Garm had slashed her the second time still hurt a lot, but she didn't think all that much of it. They had all been smacked around and more than likely had a couple of bruises and scratches. For now it was time to stop thinking of the weirdness they had all just experienced and not think of all the weirdness that might still come. It was time to send a puppy back home with its tail between its legs.


"Pathetic humans!" Garm barked. "Learn your place and know when you should stay down!" His sharp claws and long teeth glistened in the sunlight.


"Well, I never expected a dog to tell me that," Erin said, crossing her arms. Really, a dog commanding a human? What was this? the opposite world? Granted, this wasn't just a dog. This guy here was a Barghest, Black Dog, named after a guard dog to Hell. Hah, pretty coincidental, really. This guy LITERALLY was a guard dog to hell. "If anyone needs to be put in place here, it's you!" she pointed at him. Garm snarled and charged at them.


Now it was time to put everything to the test. The Rangers had bonded with their Sentinel Spirits, granting them the powers representing their colors. Erin leaped up into the air to flip over the charging Garm, closing her eyes for a brief moment and clenching her fists. They had bonded with the spirits, yes, but now they'd have to figure out how to channel the powers. She focused on the feeling inside her soul, that fiery determination. The heat surged through her body and concentrated itself around her hands. Whoa! Her hands were on fire! Literally! And it didn't even burn her, somehow. Thankfully. "Garm, we've felt your bite. Now, feel the burn of my wrath!" she called, punching Garm in the back with her fiery fists. Garm yelped and stumbled forwards, towards theothers to strike.


(right. Magic powers, activate! Get creative, you guys Nothing OP, and they're gonna have some issues in controlling their abilities properly (soon enough). For now, have some fun with your elemental powers and let Garm know who's boss )

 

[Lady Insanity]

This was just strange.  First becoming brightly colored heroes, now elemental power?  What's next, nice elves living in the woods offering them trinkets for a fair price?  Wait, don't answer that.  April can't take that...mostly because if she had that currency, she'd buy everything cute thing she saw.  Better to focus on something not cute, now.  Garm.  April stood with her friends, feeling revitalized and ready to take on anything.  Light as a feather, she knew she could help take this dog out of the park.  Where she'd been blasted back ached, but it wouldn't stop her.  


And neither would the urge to check into a mental hospital.  She still cluing to the hope that every day wouldn't be like this.  My my, if she only knew how wrong she was about being normal again any time soon...


April almost laughed.  "Great. A dog is telling us what to do.  Here I thought cats were demanding..."  She commented as Garm told them to know their place.  She nodded as Erin shouted at him, hands together in a most elegant way, trying to think of something either clever t say or do.  What was this compulsion to badmouth something straight out of Hell?


As he charged at them, she watched as Erin flipped up, her fists on fire--literally--and punched Garm in the back.  She watched as Garm yelped like a dog caught in a bear trap.  (Sad but relevant visual)  Ainya was he spirit guide, and she had bonded to her.  If she only knew hot to channel her power.  To harness the wind within.  As Garm stumbled forward, she closed her eyes and stood with the guys as she planned something to do.  She focused.  Hearing wind whistle in her ears, a breeze flow around her.  She felt it!  


April felt as light as a feather.  Like she was a flower pedal floating in the breeze.  Only...wait.   She is floating!  April opened her eyes and gasped, seeing a small gyro of wind forming beneath her, raising her up a few feet off of the ground.  She'd harnessed her spirit...she didn't know how she was doing it, and felt like she could fall any second now, but she was doing it!  She's floating!  April then eyed the stumbling Garm from above.  She started to spin and fling herself at him.  "We're gonna send you to the pound!"  She taunted at him, now spinning in a tornado-style, like she were a drill on her side.  She spun towards him, her feet directly kicking his chest and sending him flying back a few feet, April bouncing off of him and flipping back on the ground, nearly falling over.


 I just flew!  Sort of...but wow!  She thought.