Streaks of Purple Saga Volume One - Heather Ray (phonics reader .txt) 📗

and each was attended by at least five guards.

Still, no force on Earth could prevent the invaders from coming.

There was no warning to the dreadful attack. Suddenly, the gray soldiers descended upon the peaceful city like a swarm of locusts, devastating everything in their paths in the name of random destruction. However, the invasion quickly changed face, once the mighty leader of the army appeared on the scene.

The seven-foot tall beast wasn’t as interested in destruction as information. And rather than simply killing all the people he encountered, he threatened their lives for information. The citizens of Gateway City were very stubborn – not readily revealing the identities and location of their leaders, but the beast was surprisingly convincing. It was only a matter of time before the hopelessness of the situation brought some people to surrender.

And now, the beast had come to the most secret hideaway, designed for the very purpose of preserving the leaders if an attack had come.

The incredible thud was soon accompanied by the foreboding sound of a hundred footsteps. They pounded against the rock ground like infinite hailstones, relentless and furious.

Then, the footsteps stopped, just long enough for the large, four-foot thick oak door to be blasted off its hinges, spreading its charred remains throughout the room.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Goldar grumbled, sheathing his mighty broadsword. He stepped through the door, and slowly spread his wings, stretching his muscles casually.

“It’s tight in that tunnel,” he commented, folding his arms. “Almost as if you didn’t want

my army stopping by for a visit.”

Despite the fear in his heart, Yurari knew someone

had to stand up to this nightmare. He gently released Adelia, ignoring her pleading brown eyes, and stepped forward.

Goldar noted the middle-aged human’s hard gaze with interest, as well as the half dozen uniformed humans who immediately stepped in front of him.

“What do you want with us?” Yurari asked, his tone betraying nothing.

Goldar smirked, consciously baring razor-sharp teeth. “I’ve determined that this little colony is governed by thirteen Headmen. I thought I’d stop by to introduce myself.”

He then cocked his head, chuckling as he strode forward, knocking each soldier away with a flick of his wrist. Soon, he was only a few feet away from Yurari.

“I am taking all the Headmen with me. The families will remain here, guarded by some of my Putties. If even a single Headman chooses not to cooperate, or if any soldier decides to try and be a hero, I will execute your families.” He grinned confidently. “Have I made myself clear, Sir

?”

Yurari’s nostrils flared as the beast made a gallant, exaggerated bow to him.

His jaw then promptly dropped at what happened next.

Before Goldar could straighten from his deep bow, an armored warrior pierced through the scores of Putties in the outer hallway. She flipped into the chamber, sending her whip soaring through the air.

The purple leather wrapped around Goldar’s ankles, pulling him to the ground unceremoniously.

Yurari had the presence of mind to back away, leaving plenty of room for the Purple Ranger to handle the situation.

“This time, you won’t

get out of my grip!” Kreia declared, grasping her whip with both fists. Suddenly, a sparking purple energy channeled through the leather, assaulting Goldar with a powerful shock of pure power. The beast released a terrible cry as his blue fur singed.

“Everyone, remain calm!” the Green Ranger declared as he hurried past. He quickly grabbed Yurari’s arm, leading him back to Adelia. He then beckoned the other Headmen to assemble there.

“We must collapse this chamber,” the Green Ranger whispered. “The majority of the army is here, and we can crush them all at once. You all must retreat through the waterway.”

Yurari couldn’t prevent a gasp from escaping. “How did you know about the secret waterway? No one knows…save the architects who built it, and us!”

The Headman couldn’t see the smile on his son’s face. “Power Rangers have ways of collecting information.”

He then turned to the wall behind him. His gloved hands trailed the seam slowly, before he found his objective – a single stone, which sank into the wall at his touch.

The narrow doorway then pulled away, allowing the Ranger to usher the people though.

“Be careful, Father…Mother,” he whispered, once the council was well out of earshot. “And…goodbye.”

Erol’s heart sat heavily in his chest as he bid his silent farewell. As the Green Ranger, he could never be their son again. To insure that they lived, he had to let them live without him.

His quiet reverie was shattered by the pained scream that assailed his

ears.
“Purple Ranger!” he shouted, watching as she crumbled against the far wall.

Goldar laughed deeply, wiping away another trickle of blood as he turned to his next victim. “May I have this dance, Green Ranger?”

Erol’s chest heaved with labored breaths as the beast slowly drew closer. He dared to close his eyes, drawing his focus inward as an aura of green power built around his frame.

Goldar froze in sudden horror when he realized the Green Ranger had suddenly become a time bomb.

“Dragonheart Pulse!”

The resounding battle cry was accompanied by a swirling sphere of unadulterated power, green in hue and crackling with gold. The sphere generated from the dragon brand on the Green Ranger’s glove, and launched itself directly upwards.

The Dragonheart Pulse sliced through the stone ceiling, as well as the meters of soil above it. The quaking caused chunks of the ceiling to collapse, rapidly filling the chamber with dust, dirt, and heavy rocks.

Goldar growled with rage, batting away the rocks that dared approach him. “Goldar of Titan will not be entombed by a pathetic human in shiny armor,” he muttered. The Green Ranger could only watch as the gold warrior hurried backwards, pushing through stunned Putties as he hurried out of the tomb.

Erol then rushed to the dazed Purple Ranger. “Kreia…”

“I’m fine,” she interrupted, leaning against his body. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

Erol grinned at the stream of sunlight falling from the hold his Pulse had created. “Everything’s going according to plan. Goldar will certainly get a surprise when he reaches the surface.”

Chapter Ten

Goldar panted wildly as he finally reached the Council Room, the chamber within Gateway City's ruling palace that contained the secret passageway into the protective cellar. Once he was safely free, he fell to his knees, coughing up the dust that had settled in his lungs while he madly dashed through the winding paths.

Overall he was none the worse for wear. Yes, slightly battered from his fight with the Purple Ranger, and a little winded after his sprint, but nothing that wouldn't heal completely in a day or two. In addition, the destruction of the Power Rangers, as well as the entire Council, certainly counterbalanced any slight physical pain he endured.

He had lost several hundred perfectly good Putty Patrollers, though. He had ordered the vast majority of his army to follow him into the tunnel, to insure any backup the Humans had in store was effectively blocked from saving the Headmen.

However, the Power Rangers had somehow cut through the army, and he was quite certain none of the Putties could have survived the avalanche of dirt and rock. Putties were decent fighters, but they weren't very intelligent, nor durable.

"All in all, a job well done. Rita will be pleased."

And then, with a confident chuckle, he rose to his feet, and strode across the chamber with his head held high.

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?"

"Our dear general certainly seems pleased with himself. I wonder why?"
Goldar jumped in shock. Just outside the palace stood five more Power Rangers... Pink, Red, Blue, Black, and Yellow. They stood in a row, their arms folded imperiously. Countless small piles of dried clay created a gray ring around their feet.

"More Rangers..." he seethed.

"Absolutely," the Blue Ranger stated, "Didn't anyone tell you? There are seven

Power Rangers."

Pink stepped forward. "The five of us..."

"...and the two of us!" the Purple Ranger called, as she and the Green Ranger descended from the sky on the power of her golden ankle wings.
Goldar turned, and took a quick glance at the two familiar Rangers.

Their shimmering uniforms were slightly dusty, but they were clearly fit for battle.

His fury built to such proportions he could barely see straight.

"Your clay soldiers did their best to stall us," Yellow commented, gesturing to the piles of dust, "but they were no match."

"Care to try your

luck, Friend?" Black challenged.

Goldar bared his fangs, but even his intense rage didn't completely drown out reason. He was in no condition to fight seven Power Rangers, whose abilities he had obviously underestimated.

"I do indeed, Friend

," he barked, unsheathing his blade, "but not with the odds so stacked against me. Another time..."

With that, he vanished in a smoky gold cloud.

Chapter Eleven

“Ich’ni…it’s good to have you back.”

The fisherman blinked, trying to beat back the daze that overtook his senses. After much effort, he managed to bring the speaker into focus.

Linis offered a soft grin, so pure and gentle the dazed man couldn’t help but smile back.

“What…happened?” Ich’ni inquired.

“You were fishing when your boat capsized,” Linis explained, “Zale brought you here.”

Ich’ni sat up gingerly, astonished at the lack of pain. “Where is he?”

“Zale? He’s waiting outside for you.” Linis then reached back, and revealed a long cloak. “Care to see him?”

Ich’ni smiled, standing up and wrapping the warm garment around his soaked body. He then hurried to follow the young healer’s direction, and soon found his son seated at a window, surrounded by an old man and a group of youths he didn’t recognize.

“He’s awake,” Linis declared.

Zale leapt from his seat, and rushed to embrace Ich’ni tightly. “Father! Thank the gods…”

“No,” said Cherise