Streaks of Purple Saga/Spectrum Force - Heather Ray (best beach reads txt) 📗

The North Pole

"…hunrai khel nar, j'se karin lai!"

The moment she uttered the final syllable, the energy flowing over the brand in the ground exploded, creating a jarring force that left the cave in ruins. Celea yelped as she crashed into the far wall, leaving a shallow impression.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," she breathed, shaking off the unexpected backlash of power. She steadied herself on her feet, and stared into the energy field that had manifested.

What was before formless energy became a flat screen nearly two feet wide. The screen, charged with energy, showed only darkness.

She stepped forward, pulling a scythe from its sheath and tossing it through the doorway. Energy flashed around it, but the blade clattered on the ground behind the energy field, whole and unharmed.

Her eyes narrowed. "It isn't even a doorway."

Glaring death at the malfunctioning portal, the princess marched to the remains of her stone worktable. The explosion of energy had shattered the dense rock like kindling, and the parchment from which she had read had burst into smoldering tatters.

"I can't even undo this error; not without the spell."

She began circling the anomaly, puzzling together some plan of action, when a prickling of her senses drew her attention outside the cave.

She smirked, bending to pick up her scythe. "Perhaps this won't be a complete waste of time after all."

Once the Spectrum Force had arrived at the frozen tundra on the top of the world, they slowed their flight and gathered about fifty yards in the air.

"I've never seen so much snow," Tamara commented. "How do we find the source of the energy reading when everything looks the same?"

As if in response, a dart streaked through the air, whizzing just passed Yellow's ear. She shrieked in surprise, lunging backward in case another followed.

"Tam!" Keith shouted, catching her by the shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"It just missed me..."

Red glared downward, where a small black form stood in wait. "There!"

He didn't wait for his teammates. Keith dropped to the ground, his crimson aura burning so intensely the snow melted before his feet even touched down.

At this distance, he could see the assailant clearly. A small figure, perhaps five feet in height, with forest green curls blowing violently in the harsh winds. She was dressed in a form-fitting costume of black and gray pattern, almost like snakeskin in design. Just below her waist hung a silver belt, with razor-sharp blades hanging in a row, and a matching chain rested on her brow.

Keith laughed openly. "What's this? Phaedra ran out of real

warriors? You're smaller than my little sister!"

"Careful," Craig murmured, falling into place beside his friend. The others were quick to follow.

"Do all you Earth creatures prelude a battle with banter?" the Denebian commented.

"Nah," Keith countered, stepping forward, "just us really obnoxious ones."

*Just feel her out, Keith,* Purple's advice touched his mind. *See what she can do. We've got your back.*

*You got it, Ray.*

Red began with a double-barreled energy strike, unleashed from each fist with a momentary interval between them. The lithe alien flipped out of the way of the first wave, her hands reaching behind her back as she spun high in the air. The second strike, aimed slightly higher, smashed against two curved blades, which were crossed before her face.

She smirked coolly as the burning red energy ricocheted off the enchanted scythes, flying back to its generator.

"What the hell?" Keith barked, a protective shield of energy erupting to life around him. The opposing energy wave merged seamlessly with its source, leaving an uninjured, but surprised, Red Enforcer.

"Haven't seen that one before," Matt noted.

"Scatter and strike!" Rachel ordered as the princess began moving. The Force separated, each releasing a volley of energy blasts that crashed into the snow, exploding on impact. Celea dodged, flipped, and twisted her way around, between, and through the rainbow onslaught, answering with midnight-hued energy streaking from her scythes.

Then, the princess knelt in the muddied ground that was once covered with thick snow. She drew a single blade from her belt, pure onyx in color, gleaming with obsidian power.

Rolling on the ground to dodge another volley of crimson energy, she rose and tossed the blade at her primary assailant.

Red manifested an arc of energy, intending to blast the projectile off course, but the enchanted dagger cleaved through his defense effortlessly. Too startled to react, the blade impaled his shoulder, earning a pained shriek as he registered the injury.

A heartbeat later, his power flashed out of existence, leaving an unprotected Keith Maloy to plummet helplessly to the icy earth. He fell in a boneless heap, spraying mud and slush all about him.

Celea smirked, approaching the fallen hero as he squirmed in agony.

Angel Grove

Without warning, alarm claxons screamed to life.

"ALPHA?" Zordon prompted.

"This is weird," the Edeniod robot declared, turning to the Viewing Globe. "Sensors are picking up magical activity at the North Pole!"

"IS IT LORD ZEDD?"

"Aye yi yi," Alpha grumbled in frustration. "There's severe weather in the area, and it's interfering with our sensors."

"THEN THE RANGERS MUST INVESTIGATE IN PERSON. PLEASE LOCATE THEM NOW."

Alpha scurried to another computer terminal, which kept track of the Power Coins at all times. "It looks like all the Rangers are at Alexis' house except Kim and Tommy. They're en route."

"I WOULD RATHER AVOID PLACING ALEXIS IN YET ANOTHER PROBLEMATIC POSITION WITH HER MOTHER. TWO RANGERS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO INVESTIGATE, AND WE WILL KEEP THE OTHER RANGERS ON STANDBY SHOULD THEY ARE NEEDED."

"You got it," Alpha confirmed, activating the communicator.

As Tommy's Jeep slowed to a stop at a red traffic light, he turned at his girlfriend. "How'd they come out?"

Kimberly was grinning gleefully, flipping through the prints slowly. "They came out great! Everyone's costumes were so cool. Trini got a great

shot of us on the dance floor."

Just as the stoplight changed, both their communicators sounded.

They traded an urgent glance as Kim lifted her wrist. "What's up, Zordon?"

^WE HAVE DETECTED AN ENERGY READING AT THE NORTH POLE. SEVERE WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE MADE PROPER ANALYSIS FROM THE COMMAND CENTER IMPOSSIBLE, SO YOU TWO MUST TRAVEL THERE IN PERSON.^

"What about the others?" Tommy asked. "They're at a barbecue."

^I AM AWARE OF THIS. I WILL CONTACT JASON TO ADVISE HIM OF YOUR MISSION, BUT I WILL ONLY SUMMON THE REST OF THE TEAM IF NEEDED. REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALPHA IS PREPARING PORTABLE SCANNERS FOR YOUR USE, AND THE FIREBIRD ZORD IS READY TO DISEMBARK.^

Kim frowned. "The Firebird? Why don't we just teleport?"

^THE ATMOSPHERIC STORMS INTERFERE WITH A TELEPORT LOCK AS WELL AS SCANNERS. THE ONLY SAFE METHOD OF TRANSPORT IS A ZORD.^

"We're on our way," Tommy declared, pulling off the main street. He parked on a quiet side street, and both he and Kim hurried out of the car.

"All clear?"

Kim turned on her heel. "I don't see anyone." She grinned. "Just try to remember where you parked."

He smirked as they vanished in columns of white and pink light.

The North Pole

"Keith!"

Yellow catapulted across the sky, scooping up the fallen hero just before their opponent could reach him. The moment she felt the weight of his body safely in her arms, a yellow energy shield flared to life, blocking out the frigid wind as she flew.

"Tam," he croaked, his left hand covering the bloody mess of his right shoulder, "she got me good."

Tamara carried him away from the battle, calling to the others telepathically. *Guys, I'm getting Keith out of here!*

*Is he okay?* Jocelyn wondered.

*He's conscious, but barely,* Tamara related, her brow furrowing with concern. *That dagger is still in his shoulder. It looks… pretty bad.*

*Meet up with Spectra,* Craig advised. *She's got to be nearby.*

*Right.*

Tamara adjusted her