Author's Note: This is the third in the "To…" series. This one will be based off of Mystic Fate. It will be a two-shot, and the first chapter will be Mystic Fate, Part One.
Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Strong.
He didn't know why he had to train. His magic was strong, he was strong—more importantly his rangers were strong. Nonetheless, his father had insisted on a scrimmage with him, leaving the other four rangers with Daggeron.
Nick's breathing became heavy as he twisted and turned, swinging his sword around to meet his father's. No matter what he did, Leanbow's sword was always right there, clanging into his.
Leanbow struck him across the chest. Nick fell to the ground and de-morphed, his hand clutching at his chest. Leanbow de-morphed as well and stood over him.
"You're not ready," he said, tone of undisputed finality in his voice.
Nick glared at him from his spot on the ground. He watched as Leanbow walked away. He rolled to his feet and clenched his fists, trying to get his anger under control.
He was strong enough.
He would prove it.
Interfere.
Itasis had referred to it as "interfering."
If fight for their lives—and the lives of others—was "interfering," then so be it.
They would interfere.
Darkness.
The darkness was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
He reveled in it—it gave him a power, unlike anything he had ever known.
A part of his mind told him that this was wrong—that he was a light ranger, that he was good.
But what use was it being good if no one let you fight? Nick concluded that Leanbow and Daggeron were just holding him back.
His only regret was leaving.
Leaving her.
Destroyed.
The devastated look on the Mystic's faces tore the ranger's heart apart. They picked their way through the debris, calling out assurances to the people. They looked up at the rangers as they passed, looks of disgust and fear on their faces.
Their faith in the rangers had been destroyed.
Wrong.
"It's the destroyer! He has returned!"
The Mystics starting darting around, going for cover anywhere they could find it. The rangers took up fighting stances, scanning the crowds of people for this supposed "destroyer."
Maddie felt relief course through her body when she saw Nick walking towards them. She smiled and turned to reassure the Mystics, but the smile slipped off her face when one of them pointed at him.
No, he couldn't be the destroyer.
They were wrong.
Power.
It consumed him, ate him up, destroyed the person that he really was.
The so-called "power" that the Master had given him wasn't really power at all; it was just a means of controlling him, making him bend to his will.
Maddie looked at him with pleading eyes. "You don't mean this, Nick!" she exclaimed.
Nick turned his cold gaze on her. His eyes flashed purple, and she felt terror sear through her heart.
He had no power.
Determination.
Xander, Chip, and Vida stood around her, gaping, unsure of what to do or what to make of the situation. Udonna and Leanbow were trying to soothe their son, trying to get him to leave the darkness behind.
Maddie knew that he wasn't going to understand them. As much as she hated it, he needed to be fought.
And she was going to be the one to do it.
She had never felt such a fierce determination before. She felt it course through her, give her the strength she needed as she morphed.
She was going to get the Nick Russell she knew back.
Pain.
If she thought she knew pain before, she was wrong.
Fighting the person that you loved caused her more pain than anyone of his blows to her did.
She did the best she could to block his advances, but he was fighting the offense and the defense. He was protecting himself as his sword swung down upon her.
All she had to fight with was a Magistaff, and it was not fairing well as she raised it to meet his sword.
Suddenly, a whip of fire lashed out. It licked against her side, down her leg, causing her to cry out in pain. She reacted as quickly as she good, creating her own whip of water to meet his fire.
He fought using the sword with one hand, the other, holding on to the whip of fire. She did the same, but she was not trained to fight like he was.
The fire hit her shoulder, and she cried out again as pain seared across her skin. With all of her might, she created a blast of water that hit him square in the chest, sending him sliding on his back.
Maddie carefully prodded at her wounds. But she had looked away from him for too long.
Eyes.
Nick had jumped back to his feet, swinging his sword above his head. Maddie's Magistaff lay discarded on the ground. She had just enough time to curse loudly before he was bearing the sword down upon her.
Maddie caught the handle of the sword between her hands, her fingers covering his. She felt herself de-morph with the effort of holding the sword above her head. Her arms began to shake as his visor retracted, revealing his eyes.
She searched his eyes hungrily, looking for some sign of the blue-green she loved in the purple depths. Her knees began to give and she fought to lock them, pouring every ounce of strength she had into holding that sword above her head.
"Nick, please," she whispered. "Look at me."
He sniffed at her, his eyes staring at her face, but not into her own eyes.
"Look at me," she commanded, her voice stronger.
His eyes suddenly snapped to hers, and the purple quickly disappeared from them. Maddie's knees hit the ground as the sword disintegrated. His armor disappeared as well, leaving just Nick.
Maddie smiled softly. He was back.
Hold.
"Oh God. Oh, God," Nick whispered as he sank to his knees. He crawled next to Maddie and gathered her in his arms, holding her tightly. He buried her face in her hair, breathing deeply.
"I'm so sorry, Maddie. I'm so, so sorry." He rocked her back and forth, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
Maddie chuckled weakly against him. "It's alright," she said softly. "You weren't in control of yourself."
"But…" Nick felt her pull back, and he looked down at her tired face. "I hurt you."
"You weren't yourself," she said firmly, her voice stronger.
Nick sighed. There would be nothing that he could say that would make her see. Instead, he brushed his fingers along the burn on her leg and side, tracing up to her shoulder. He touched it gently and then brushed his lips across it.
He couldn't do anything but hold her.
Heal.
Maddie couldn't deny that she felt better with Nick's arms wrapped around her.
As Nick's lips brushed against her shoulder, Maddie came to the conclusion that fire didn't just destroy.
It also healed.
Need.
"We're going to the Mystic Realm to see if we can find the Mystic Mother," Leanbow announced. "We need to see if there is anything we can salvage."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Chip asked.
Leanbow looked around Rootcore, his eye sad. "Stay here," he said. "Help Udonna. Help keep the other two Terrors at bay." Chip nodded his head eagerly.
Daggeron handed Chip Jenji's lamp. "Keep an eye on him, will you?" He asked.
Chip, once again, nodded his head. "Of course."
Leanbow turned to Nick. "Would you like to come with us, son?" he asked.
Nick looked at the rest of the rangers. He felt Maddie come up behind him and slip her hand into his. He twined their fingers together and pulled her to his side.
He smiled at his father. "I'm needed here."
Courage.
All they needed was a little courage to keep fighting.
They couldn't give up, not yet.
Not when there was so much at stake.
Author's Note: Well, I hope you all liked this chapter. Review, please?