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

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whole strength…transcend my abilities…united…UNITED…

Whichever the case, when Kreia awoke, she was inspired.

“Kreia! Thank the gods you’re alright!”

Kreia blinked, instinctively trying to piece together her situation. She was in her room, tucked into her bed with something warm on her brow.

Slowly, a face moved into her field of view.

“Cherise,” she breathed, her voice surprisingly raw. “What…?”

“Zale found you unconscious outside,” the Pink Ranger explained, removing the damp cloth from her patient’s forehead. “You were feverish, so we brought you inside. I think you’ve been practicing your spells too much recently. Rest is the best medicine in this case.”

Kreia frowned thoughtfully. She did recall a horrible chill that claimed her entire body. Her vision became fuzzy, and her body grew numb. She must have collapsed after that.

But, what caused it?

Her eyes widened when she remembered. Erol…something happened to Erol!

She couldn’t really say why she knew that. Somehow, she could feel his distress. He had been utterly terrified of something, and then…nothing.

Nothing but cold.

Kreia puzzled over the meaning of it. Alpha had advised them not long ago that the moon in the sky was a body like Earth, but it had no air to breathe, and no atmosphere to hold warmth. Therefore, when the sun set on the moon, the temperatures were too cold to support life.

Could Rita have perhaps thrown him from the protective grounds of the palace, to make him freeze and suffocate?

No…that couldn’t be it. The cold she felt was an internal cold. It was like something inside him froze, and spread through his body. The cold didn’t assault his body from the environment.

Her eyes narrowed in calculation.

Erol is in distress…there is no time to waste. I know Zale will not take action, and I understand why. I don’t want to risk the others’ lives either…especially if this does turn into a trap. I have no right to risk anyone but myself. But the key is unity.

Finally, she understood what Regita meant. Or at least, she thought she did.

My whole strength can only be realized with Regita’s help. He wanted me to reach his level of magical prowess…but I can never do that just by learning from him. To do that would mean taking his experience as well as knowledge, and the experience of over a hundred years of life cannot be learned in a few months. I must take

those experiences from him.

It was a long shot…but there was no feasible alternative.

“Kreia?” Cherise asked, her brow furrowed with concern. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“Where are the others?” Kreia asked.

“They’re asleep. It’s hours until dawn.”

Kreia nodded, pulling off her blankets. “I must check on Regita.”

Cherise frowned. “What’s the matter?”

“I…I sensed he is weakening, but I’m not sure if it was just a dream. Please, Cherise…I just need to check.”

The Pink Ranger nodded. “I’ll come with you.”

Chapter Twelve

Kreia had always hated lying. It was never easy for her, either to think up a plausible lie or to deliver it properly. Erol had always made fun of her for not being able to pull a decent prank, simply because she always tripped over her tongue when she lied.

This time, the lie rolled off her tongue like water. But it wasn't that she wanted to lie... she had no choice.

Cherise glanced over her shoulder, watching with interest as Kreia touched her hands to Regita's head. Kreia had decided to try and reach out to speak to him. She had never done so before, but sometimes it felt like he could read her mind. He knew what she was thinking so often, it was unnerving.

Maybe it was more than an intuition. Maybe he really could make a connection. And if that were true... perhaps that connection went both ways.

She did have a connection to Erol, after all. What it was she didn't know, but it existed. Perhaps she had another bond with her uncle.

I need your strength, uncle, she thought to him, You are my mentor, and I am still your student. I can never have my whole strength without you. My strength is your strength. Please... help me!

The plea was so desperate it would've melted a heart of stone. She could only pray that it was powerful enough to transcend reality to reach wherever her uncle's consciousness lay.

At great length, a faint voice finally answered her.

*My strength is your strength.*

Kreia's eyes snapped open. "Uncle!"

Cherise jumped at that, rushing to Regita's other side so she could observe them both. "Is he alright? Is he waking up?"

Kreia ignored the Pink Ranger, focusing on the voice she heard. I have reached you.

*You have. I am so proud of you... I never thought you could. But our training has paid off... we are bound in power.*

What does that mean?

*We are as one. We were both the Purple Ranger, and we have both trained in mental discipline. These forces combined have linked us in a way no humans could be linked. This is also the link that binds you to Erol.*

Kreia startled. So I did

feel Erol.

*Yes, for as the Dragon and the Eagle, you are united in power. You are partners, and your energies match. Also, your love for each other opened your minds and hearts to each other's feelings. That is what you are feeling now.*

Can I save him?

*I will grant you what is left of my power. You will absorb all I've learned... spells, telepathy... all of it. I only pray will be enough.*
Kreia frowned. But you have so little strength left-

*This is the day of reckoning,* Regita insisted, *The day I trained you for. I have lived to this day, so my mission in life is fulfilled. When I fuse my power with yours, I will have achieved my purpose. I will have helped forge Earth's savior.*

Grim silence fell.

Kreia opened her eyes, gazing at the peaceful expression on Regita's still face.

Then, it happened.

Purple energy flared around her body, building from her fingers where she touched Regita's face. It slowly built up her arms, gathering and whirling around her body like solar flares bouncing off the sun's surface.

Cherise looked on, completely startled. She backed away, too stunned to retreat or call for help.

After several minutes, the light began to fade. Still, a strange glow remained around Kreia's body.

"Safe journey, uncle," she whispered, her voice carrying an eerie echo. She leaned over, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you so much, for all your help. I understand now why you did what you did, and I am grateful for your efforts."

She then backed away from him, her dark eyes falling upon Cherise.

"Kreia? What...?"

"I'm sorry I can't answer that now," Kreia responded, lifting her hand,

"I'm sorry for this as well."

Cherise opened her mouth to scream, but her breath caught in her throat as the purple aura crept to her body.

Suddenly, her eyes could no longer stay open.

Kreia was quick to catch Cherise before she collapsed completely. She gently lay her on the floor, tucking some of her wayward strawberry hair from her face.

"Now, no one will be able to follow me."

Chapter Thirteen

The screaming alarms drew four startled Power Rangers to the main control room once again.

“What’s going on?” Kazu asked, folding his arms.

Sener rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he looked around. “Where’s Cherise?”

“And Kreis?” Zale noticed, his frown deepening. “No…she didn’t…”

Zordon responded, his voice somber. “THE EAGLEZORD HAS LEFT THE ZORD HANGAR. IT IS CURRENTLY ON COURSE FOR THE MOON.”

“She’s thrown her life away,” Zale sighed, his hands rising to his temples. “Another Ranger…”

“Not yet,” Linis countered. “We can follow in the Megazord! We can still catch her!”

“And do what, shoot her out of the sky?” Kazu proposed. “We are in no position to launch an attack against the moon, so our only course of action would be to stop her

from doing so.”

“Where’s Cherise?” Senera repeated, this time duly alarmed. “No one can sleep through that alarm.”

Zordon frowned in concern as well. “ALPHA, DETECT THE PINK RANGER’S LOCATION.”

Alpha hurried to the appropriate console. “She’s in Regita’s room.”

“Bring up a visual,” Zale ordered.

The four Rangers gazed at the Viewing Globe, and were stunned by the scene before them.

Sener broke into a run, the others right on his heels. In mere moments they had barged into Regita’s chamber, and surrounded the unconscious Pink Ranger.

Sener cradled her to his lap while Linis quickly checked vital signs.

“She’s asleep,” he reported.

“No natural sleep,” Kazu noted with a deep scowl. “No one just collapses.”

Linis bit his lip, his fingers moving to his sister’s face. Gently, he forced on eyelid open.

He shuddered at the flash of purple light that greeted him.

“She’s enchanted!”

“Kreia,” Sener breathed, his eyes wide. “Why would she do this?”

“To keep her out of the way, perhaps,” Kazu hypothesized. If Cherise was in here, then she certainly wasn’t asleep. She may have tried to stop Kreia from leaving.”

“She’s also the only other Ranger with a flying Zord,” Linis realized grimly. “And without the Pterodactyl, we can’t form the Megazord either. We’re grounded.”

Zale sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Kreia has done all she can to make sure we don’t try and stop her. Now, there’s nothing we can do to help.”