"Hey, Beautiful, how you doing?" Tommy queried as Kim leaned back against his chest; he wrapped his arms around her. The seven had broken camp earlier, deciding to do a little hiking while they searched for lunch, and they had stumbled across a hot spring. They didn't even need to put it to a vote; the prospect of a warm bath won out over making it a few miles closer to the temple.

"Hey! No fair!" Rocky yelped.

Tommy and Kim lounged together off to one side idly watching the others play. Rocky had instigated a water fight, and the other combatants had decided to join forces against him. It never even occurred to the seven to split into their usual groups to enjoy the warm pool; such modesty seemed kind of silly after everything that had taken place.

"I feel a little foolish for getting so hysterical, but otherwise I'm okay," Kim answered.

Tommy hugged her tighter. "Don't give it another thought."

"I can't help it." She leaned into Tommy's embrace, his proximity and gentle caresses soothing her and quelling her doubts. She hadn't realized it, but she was purring softly.

"Feel like slipping away from the others for a while?" Tommy murmured in her ear.

"Mm.... " The thought was tempting... just the two of them, making love slow and tender.... However, her response turned into a yawn.

"Tired?" He didn't doubt it. He was still pretty wiped from the morning's activities in spite of the nap they had taken.

"Uh huh. The water feels so good... I could fall asleep right now even with all the noise."

With a surprised yelp, Tanya suddenly disappeared under the water. Moments later, Rocky resurfaced, grinning evilly.

"You gotta admit, it does look like fun."?

"Yeah, it's been a while since we've just goofed around," Kim agreed.

"You up to joining them?"

"Sure, why not? At least for a little while."

The two dipped under the clear water and swam towards their companions. As they neared the tangle of limbs, Tommy gestured towards Rocky's legs, and Kim nodded in enthusiastic agreement. Positioned on either side of him, they tugged on his legs--hard.

Above the surface, Rocky disappeared with a sudden yelp.

"What the...?" Adam began just as Kim and Tommy popped up.

"Sneaky," Kat said with approval.

"Serves him right," Tanya added.

"Retaliation!" Rocky cried out as he burst out of the water and forced Kim under once again.

"I think he's declared war on you two," Billy remarked.

"DeSantos...!" Kim rumbled ominously, to the others' amusement, as she came up again, coughing on the water she had swallowed. She hadn't had time to catch a decent breath.

"Uh oh," Rocky gulped as he swam around until he had Tanya between him and Kim like a shield.

"You're on your own," Tanya said as she ducked out of the way.

"Don't wear yourself out too much, Beautiful," Tommy chided Kim.

"He comes near me, he's toast," Kim warned with a dire look for Rocky.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Billy queried, thinking that it would be a good idea to discuss the final stretch of their journey while everyone was together.?

"If we leave at first light, my guess is that we should be able to make the temple before midday," Tommy began.

Kim was trying to pay attention to Tommy's words, but she suddenly felt something brush against her legs. At first, she thought it was Rocky, but he was standing over by Tanya. Tommy was the only one close to her, but his hands weren't wandering. She peered around the water, trying to see what it was. It had been a light touch... perhaps just a fish swimming by or a bit of seaweed. Putting it out of her mind, she tuned into the conversation once again. However....

"Ow!" Kim yelped as she gave a startled jump.

"Rocky...." Tommy said warningly.

"I didn't do anything!" Rocky protested.

"What happened?" Billy asked.

"I don't know, but it feels like something bit me," Kim answered, once again searching for movement in the water.

"We made sure to check the spring before we got in," Adam interjected.

"Let's take a look at the bite," Billy advised.

However, before anyone could move, Kim violently disappeared into the water.

"Kim!" Tommy gasped. Rocky and Kat reacted first, diving under to go to her aid. Tommy quickly followed. Around the others, the water churned from the aquatic struggle.

"What in the world...?" Tanya began. Just then, a shape broke through the water--a sinuous coil of glistening obsidian.

"One of those snakes!" Adam gulped.

"Come on!" Billy urged, but before the trio could join the underwater battle, Kim resurfaced.

"Grab her!" Tanya yelled; however, Kim vanished again as quickly as she appeared.

Kat and Rocky came up for air next.

"It's got her by the legs," Kat choked out.

"It's like a tug of war," Rocky added. Then, the two dove back in. Adam and Billy quickly joined them. As Tanya drew in her breath to join the fight, Tommy split the surface. However, before he could rejoin the fray, a flailing coil clipped him in the head. He would have sunk under if Tanya hadn't caught him.

"Easy does it," Tanya said as she pulled him away from the battle.

"Let me go; Kim needs me," Tommy protested, blooding trickling down from the gash on his forehead.

"You're hurt; the others will get Kim," she assured him.

The two looked anxiously to the frothing water; slowly, the roiling waves began to calm and still. Then, two heads broke the surface: Adam and Billy.

"What happened? Where's Kim?" Tommy demanded.

"We almost had her, but it was too strong," Billy replied, gulping for breath.

"It started swimming away," Adam added. "Rocky and Kat swam after it...."

"No...." Tommy surged forward, and it took the three of them to restrain him.

"Tommy, Kat and Rocky are the strongest swimmers on the team," Billy reminded him. "If anyone can reach Kim, they can."

"We'd better find the first aid stuff," Adam whispered to Tanya.

"That gash of Tommy's may need stitches," Tanya agreed.

"I was thinking more for Kim. She was struggling so much.... There was this red cloud all around her...." No further explanation was needed.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rocky and Kat returned--without Kim.

"What happened?" Billy asked, tightening his grip on Tommy's arm unconsciously.

"We had her for a moment...." Rocky began, unable to look at Tommy.

"... but we couldn't hold on," Kat said.

"It pulled Kim into one of those holes," Rocky continued. "We tried to follow, but neither one of us could get into it--it was too narrow."

"We're sorry, Tommy," Kat added, putting a hand on his forearm.

Tommy said nothing, fear clutching his heart in an ice-cold, steel-hard grip.

"You did the best you could," Billy said to the disappointed pair. "We'll find her somehow."

"Billy, " Kat ventured softly, not wanting Tommy to hear. "You saw how much she was bleeding, and she didn't catch a decent breath before she was dragged under that last time. If those tunnels are full of water...."

"She's all right," Tommy said at last. He said it with such conviction that the others turned to look at him in amazement. "She--she has to be." The armor was starting to crack. No one said anything; they all wanted to believe in spite of all the evidence to the contrary.

"Power Rangers--even former ones--are hard to kill," Rocky mumbled helplessly.

"Do you guys think you could find the tunnel again?" Tommy queried.

"I believe so," Kat answered.

"In what direction did it run? Did it go into the ground like the one Rocky fell in?"

Tommy was grasping at straws, and they all knew it.

"No, it went into a rock wall at the far end of the pool."

"The east end," Tommy murmured, his gaze following Kat's gesture. "Come on. If we can find the tunnel, maybe it'll break the surface somewhere...."

"It's worth a shot," Adam interjected.

The others agreed. It was better than standing around doing nothing.

"Let's patch up that forehead of yours first," Billy recommended, and the six made their way to the shore.

The others scurried about to replenish their supplies while Billy took care of Tommy's wound. Once cleaned, it wasn't as bad as it appeared.

"She has to be all right," Tommy muttered, continuing his mantra of denial.

"Tommy, she was hurt pretty badly," Billy responded, trying to find a way to ease Tommy into the possibility that Kim was beyond their help.

"I know," Tommy said softly, his eyes seeming to clear. The pain and desperation therein shook Billy. "I saw the blood--and heard what the others were saying. I know it doesn't look good, but I can't let myself think about that. I have to hold on to the hope that she's okay... that we'll get her back, otherwise.... I'm scared for her, Billy. I can't lose her now, not again, not after everything we've been through."

Although Tommy's anguish unnerved him, Billy was relieved to know that on some level Tommy understood the bleak reality of the situation. "I know. We're all scared for her."

"We'll find her," Tommy claimed determinedly. Once Billy finished securing the crude bandage, Tommy climbed to his feet. "Let's go find those tunnels."

Kim, where are you? Are you all right? You have to be, because if you aren't, I don't know what I'll....

Tommy tried to shake off his somber thoughts as he sat staring into the crackling flames of the campfire. They had found the east end of the pool--located the hole Kim was pulled into, but try as they might, they could find no trace of the tunnel topside. They searched until there was no daylight left.

He sat by himself, the other's respecting his unspoken need for solitude, as he struggled to get his turbulent emotions under control: anger that she had been torn from him yet again, guilt because he had been unable to save her, and fear over her unknown fate. The three feelings held him tight in their grasps, each one taking its turn overwhelming the others. The most frustrating thing for Tommy was the uncertainty; he hated not knowing as much as he hated being helpless to do anything for her.

You're everything to me, Kim, and I want so much to protect you and keep you safe, but I always seem to fall short!

He remembered one of the earliest times against the Samurai Fan Man; he'd been injured and she wound up in his bottle. All the times as the Green Ranger when his powers just hadn't been enough... even as the White Ranger.... The sickening feeling he had felt in his gut when he realized Kim was lost somewhere in time surged forth anew. He recalled wanting to plunge through that time hole with every fiber of his being. He wanted to go after her so badly; he hadn't wanted to leave that portal--it had been his only connection to her, but he couldn't have stayed. He had had to be calm... be the leader and think of the team and the greater good when all he wanted to be was a concerned boyfriend.

"Tommy?"

He nearly jumped as Kat put her hand on his shoulder.

"You won't do Kim any good sitting here brooding like this," she continued. "You really should eat something. Tomorrow is likely to be a long day." She handed him what was left of the meat and several pieces of fruit.

"Thanks, Kat," Tommy said tiredly.

"She'll be all right," Kat murmured, patting his shoulder, then she left him to his dinner.

Tommy bit into his food mechanically, not even tasting it. Tomorrow.... Tomorrow they were supposed to complete their journey; they were supposed to go to the temple. He'd rather stay here and look for Kim--to hell with reclaiming the Zeo Crystal! Amadan could keep the thing. All that mattered to him now was getting Kim back safe and sound. He had to keep hoping, but the others....

They had to have the crystal in order to get back home. They had to get their powers back; Mondo was still out there. Zordon was counting on them....

"Damn!" he muttered. He wished he wasn't team leader, wished the decision--the crystal or the woman he loved--wasn't his to make.

How did you do it, Kim? Tommy wondered. How had she managed to lock her feelings away when she had taken the team on her shoulders during his injury? From out of nowhere, Billy's words from that day at the mud hole came back to him.

"... she's been helping you shoulder the burden of leading the team...."

And his own response echoed back mockingly, "Yeah, Kat and Tanya have been really turning to her a lot."

He couldn't believe how full of himself he had been; it was a wonder Billy hadn't slugged him. His words had masked just how much he had been relying on Kim, too. Her bravery--courage, compassion, her strength of will--they had always been there for him even when he didn't realize that he needed them.

Other memories from that afternoon drifted back to him, and a tiny smile stole across his face. He recalled shamelessly gaping at Kim's cute behind and watching her wriggle as he and Billy tickled her--those had been powerful images. Then there was the mud fight. How could she look so fierce and so ridiculous at the same time as she stood there covered in the slimy gook? Tommy didn't realize it, but he was chuckling out loud.

"What's so funny?" Billy queried, Tommy's laughter catching them all by surprise.

"I was just thinking about the mud fight," Tommy admitted, his tone wistful. "I was trying to imagine what Kim's face must have looked like when the dino-elephant sneezed on us. Her back was to me, but I could tell by her rigid muscles and her clenched fists that she must have been livid--shocked and completely disgusted--to find herself covered in snot."

"It was priceless," Billy confirmed, amusement touching his voice as well. "I wish I could have had a camera. You looked almost as revolted as she did."

"Not exactly one of Kim's finer moments," Rocky interjected with a snicker.

"You should have seen her the time Zedd decided he wanted to make her his queen," Billy replied, catching everyone's interest.

"When was that?" Tommy asked.

"It happened while you were staying up at your uncle's cabin after you lost the Green Ranger powers for the final time...."

To the merriment of the others, Billy related the tale in full. When he was finished, Rocky had found a Kimberly anecdote he wanted to share, and soon they were all recounting their favorite stories about their missing comrade.

" ... she's been helping shoulder the burden of leading the team...."

Even though you're not here, you're still helping, Tommy mused; his heart felt lighter for sharing the tales.

"What about when we first arrived on this tropical ball of mud?" Rocky jabbered excitedly. "When she stood up and practically dared us to come out of hiding...."

Rocky's words made Tommy realize that he had been leaning on Kim's tiny shoulders right from the start. She had had to coax him out of the shadows just like everyone else, but then, Kim had gotten good at drawing him out of the darkness and leading him into the light--a light now dimmed without her cheery smile.

It always amazed me; you never led with cold, rational thought like Jason or me. You led with your heart, and it never steered you wrong. Tommy wasn't comfortable just relying on his feelings and intuition; although, the one time he ignored his mind and followed his heart, it led him to Kimberly.

Is that what I need to do here? Follow my heart? My heart tells me to try and find you. I wish I trusted my instincts as much as I trust yours. Yours haven't been wrong yet--from the beginning when you told us to go east....

In his mind, he heard Kim repeating Amadan's words: "If you are able to stand before Xia's Rising, all that was stripped from you will be restored." Those words that had guided Kim now refused to budge from Tommy's thoughts. Suddenly, he knew what they had to do. ?"We have to go to the temple," he announced. The others looked at him incredulously.

"What about Kim?" Adam sputtered.

"Remember what Amadan said: 'all that was stripped from you will be restored....'" Tommy explained excitedly.

"And Kim was definitely stripped from us," Rocky agreed.

"Amadan may not be responsible for her disappearance," Tanya pointed out.

"Yeah, right," Rocky snorted.

"Even if he wasn't the cause, surely he'd be able to help us find Kim a lot easier," Kat interjected.

"I have the impression that Amadan's resources are akin to Zordon's," Billy added, "and it makes sense to go to the temple. Kimberly knows how close we are; she would want us to reclaim the crystal--that was the goal of this whole adventure--and we stand a better chance of rescuing her with your powers than without."

"We head out at first light," Tommy concluded. As the others settled themselves around the fire to catch what sleep they could, he remained awake, watching the flickering flames dance in the darkness. However, his heart was not as heavy as it had been; a glimmer of hope pulsed faintly in the darkness inside him.

Even when you're not here, you still manage to give us what we needed to carry on, he mused, smiling softly as he captured the image of Kim in his mind's eye. Hang in there, Kim; we'll get you back... and wherever you are, thank you.

A darkness so total no light could pass through....

An icy cold that wrapped itself smotheringly around her body like a thing alive, enveloping her, penetrating her....

Sound... a driving, basso rhythm--the beat of her heart, the rasp of her breathing--both crescendoed maddeningly as her fear grew....

So close... she could feel the walls pressing in on her... so tight... no room to move, to breathe....

Fear crawling across her skin as cold sweat trickled down from her brow.

Sound--again. A sibilant hiss... she wasn't alone!

More than a sensation but less than a feeling... movement... all around her.

Pain... the cool kiss of a knife slicing through tender skin, the burn of something invading her body....

I have to get out of here... got to get out... gotta get out... GOTTA GET OUT...!

Tommy sat up suddenly, gasping for air. He shivered less from the breeze that cooled the sheen of sweat on his skin than from the lingering terror engendered by his dream--a dream of Kimberly. He had been her, trapped in the darkness, the lethal iridia all around. His heart pounded with the memory of her fear-pain-desperation.

Please don't let that be what happened to her! he prayed. It sickened him to think of her trapped in the darkness, knowing of Kim's fear of enclosed spaces. He scrambled to his feet, unable to just sit there any longer. Kim needed him. He couldn't just sit around thinking about her; he had to find her! However, the sky overhead was still dark. As much as he might like to, he knew he couldn't risk wandering through the jungle in the dark. He couldn't go off half cocked: it's what Amadan wanted. He would just have to wait for morning.

Sighing, he forced himself to sit back down. He'd wait--for Kim's sake.

When the first rosy pink rays of dawn cleared the branches overhead, Tommy woke his companions. By the time the sky was lit with the full morning's light, the six were already moving out. There were no objections to breakfast on the march. Each felt the same sense of urgency that drove Tommy on. This stretch of jungle was the most dense they had ever encountered. The riot of greenery tried to close them out. Vines seemed to deliberately try to entangle them; branches scratched and tried to hold them back. Rocks and fallen debris tripped them up. Tommy was oblivious to the obstacles as he cut a swath through the vegetation, relentlessly driven by the hope that Kimberly's salvation lay just beyond?the clinging foliage.

Several hours later, the six, battered and bruised, tired and dirty, emerged from the press of the jungle to gaze upon the object of their quest.

"Wow!" Rocky breathed in awe as the six gazed upon the edifice that rose up before them. The triangular walls of the enormous pyramid fitted together seamlessly giving the structure the appearance of having been formed from a single piece of obsidian glass.

"Would you say this is as large as the Great Pyramid at Giza?" Billy asked of Tanya as he tried to estimate the dimensions.

"Larger," she said.

"What's that at the top?" Adam wondered, shielding his eyes against the glare of the mid-morning sun. The looming structure was flat-topped, like the pyramids of Mexico; upon the platform rose the columns of a temple.

"Xia's Rising?" Rocky ventured.

"How are we supposed to get up there?" Kat wondered, eyeing the sheer walls bleakly.

"Let's take a look around and see if we can find a doorway or something," Tommy directed.

An hour later, the six had completed their circuit unsuccessfully.

"Now what?" Rocky asked.

"Accessing the temple was not supposed to be easy," Billy reminded them all.

"There has to be a way in," Tommy said impatiently. His frustration continued to grow; he paced about, unable to stand still. He wanted to lash out--to hit something; he settled for slamming his fist into his palm.

"Take it easy, Tommy; we'll figure this out," Adam remarked.

"I think we all need a bit of a break," Kat recommended.

"We have been going nonstop since sunrise," Rocky remarked.

"Who can think straight when she's tired?" Tanya added. "The answer is probably right under our... oh!" She had leaned back against the smooth wall and had unexpectedly wound up on her bottom. To the others, it looked as if she was sitting in the wall of the temple. Billy came forward and ran his hand over the pyramid's surface.

"It's an illusion," he announced. "There are rough stone blocks under here."

"They feel like they form a staircase," Tanya added.

"We can climb up!" Kat exclaimed happily.

"Maybe we won't have to," Tommy said excitedly. "If the stair-like outside is hidden by an illusion, a doorway might also."

They started around the base a second time, carefully feeling for breaks in the stones. However, they completed the search of the western and southern walls without uncovering anything.

"It's beginning to look like we'll have to climb," Adam observed as they all took seats, taking a breather and trying to regroup.

"We still have two sides to go," Kat encouraged him. She looked over to where Tommy had wandered off by himself. Dejectedly, he sank to the ground, his back against the surprisingly cool stone and his head bowed to his knees. "Poor Tommy. This is killing him."

"To get Kim back and lose her again...." Tanya began.

"... possibly permanently...." Rocky added quietly.

That line of thought ceased as Tommy got to his feet and wandered over.

"I'm going to start on the third side," he announced. "I have this feeling.... You guys catch up when you're ready."

"Billy, is there anything else we can try?" Kat queried as Tommy disappeared from view.

"Short of trying 'open sesame' we're doing all we can."

Billy had barely uttered the words when the ground began quaking. The five wobbled and stumbled closer together, taking refuge close to the temple base. They held their breaths, wondering if perhaps they had hit upon the solution. They were very disappointed when no portal opened.

"Ah well, let's go catch up with Tommy," Rocky sighed.

Just then, Tommy gave a shout. The five dashed around the corner to find a crevasse in the ground that hadn't been there before. There was no sign of their leader.

"Tommy?" Billy called out.

"Down here!" came the reply. The five peered over the edge of the gap but could see no sign of him.

"Are you all right?" Adam shouted down.

"You don't have to yell, but yeah, I'm fine," Tommy replied. "It looks like this thing cuts as deep as the canyon we crossed, but the depth is an illusion, too. It's only about ten feet down."

"Hang on, and we'll find something to pull you up," Billy said.

"No, come on down. I'm standing in a shallow stream, and it seems to flow right into the side of the temple."

"Another illusion, perhaps?" Billy mused.

"That's what I'm thinking. I'm going to check it out."

The five exchanged glances.

"We should stick together," Tanya put forth, voicing everyone's concern.

"Right. Here goes nothing," Billy said as he swung his legs over the rim and dropped into the abyss. He was immediately consumed by the blackness.

"Billy?" Kat yelped, startled by his sudden disappearance.

"It's okay; Tommy was right. It's not that far down at all. The water and mud will help cushion your fall," Billy reported.

Kat and Adam looked at each other; holding hands, they leaped. Tanya and Rocky did likewise. Soon, all six found themselves standing in shin-deep water.

Light from the surface filtered down, providing sufficient illumination for them to make their way through the shallow stream. In the strange silence, even their wading through the inky waters made no sound. The absence of noise put them all on edge. Along the walls were carvings--pictures of worlds, cities, warriors of many shapes and sizes, and great battles. Interspersed in these histories were representations of the Zeo Crystal along with empty spaces--dark, gaping holes which taunted the Rangers with their familiarity: snake tunnels.

The five finally caught up with Tommy. He stood awash in a purplish light as he faced a solid obsidian wall. The waters that swirled about his legs, however, flowed right into the barrier.

Tommy glanced back as the others joined him.

"Here goes," he murmured and stepped forward purposefully. He was immediately swallowed up by the darkness.

"Tommy?" Billy ventured.

"I'm in, guys!" Tommy called back.

The others exchanged triumphant smiles then followed him through the portal.

Suddenly they found themselves standing a tiled concourse. The water flowed into a large, rectangular pool; the liquid glistened blackly in the torchlight. Eyes lifted heavenward to see that the open chamber soared to the apex of the pyramid. Sunlight filtered in from openings higher up, but the light seemed to be drawn into a single column of illumination that centered upon a pyramidal dais in the center of the temple.

Without a word, Tommy started forward towards the illuminated structure. The others followed. The silence made them uneasy. There seemed to be no one around, but they could not rid themselves of the feeling that they were being watched. As they drew closer to the dais, they could make out shapes in the darkness--figures that stood statue still, but nothing came out to threaten them. They arrived at the foot of the stairs unmolested.

"Do we go up?" Tanya queried.

"Seems like it," Rocky answered; Tommy had already begun the climb. As they ascended the steps, they could make out more of the details of the chamber. The upper levels were rife with plants and works of art. Balconies lined the walls, and once they attained the landing, they found a network of walkways spanning the open areas connecting the dais with the rest of the temple. There was still no sign of any other bipedal life forms.

"Tommy, look!" Adam gasped.

Their attention centered on yet another raised platform; this one was bathed in the column of sunlight. Atop it stood a pedestal, and atop it rested....

"The Zeo Crystal!" Kat said in an excited whisper.

"We found it!" Tanya echoed.

"All right!" Rocky cheered. However, no one started forward to reclaim the gemstone; instead, all looked to Tommy.

"The crystal can wait a little longer," he said flatly. "Let's find Amadan. I want to know where Kimberly is."

The others nodded in solemn agreement. The question was, where to find the master of the temple.

"We could split up, each group taking one of the walk ways," Billy ventured.

"Uh, guys...." Adam gulped. They looked to where he pointed and saw a figure in a green cloak standing on one of the bridges.

"Greetings, Rangers," the newcomer said in an exotically accented but decidedly feminine voice. The Rangers didn't move as she stepped forward. Standing before Tommy, she removed her hood to reveal a cascade of golden brown curls and luminous emerald eyes. "I am Dulcea, Master Warrior of Phaedos, and a Keeper of the Crystal. Welcome to Xia's Rise. Further introductions are not necessary; I know who you are."

"Can you help us find Amadan?" Tommy queried, matching the woman's business-like tones.

"Follow me."

Dulcea's cloak swirled about her as she turned on her heels and with long-legged strides headed across the walkway. Even Tommy was hard pressed to match her pace. They had little time to admire the beauty of the temple as the Keeper led them through the maze of corridors hidden beyond the open center of the complex. Even had the tour been more leisurely, the six would have been equally distracted by the multitude of questions racing through their minds.

"I sense there is much that you wish to ask of me," Dulcea began unexpectedly.

"How do you know who we are?" Rocky blurted out.

"I have been monitoring your progress even as Amadan has," the master warrior replied. "I must congratulate you. You are the first to successfully reach Xia's Temple. Zordon chose well when he made you his Rangers."

"You know Zordon?" Kat ventured.

"He and I are old... friends." The catch in her voice and her enigmatic smile had the Rangers exchanging inquiring glances. As Dulcea favored them with an amused look, she noted Billy's puzzled frown. "What is it, Billy?"

"Just a feeling... like deja vu.... I know we've never seen you before, but I can't shake the feeling that we've already met."

"Same here," Adam piped up.

"That's weird; me too," Rocky added.

Tommy said nothing, but absently, his hand went to the center of his chest. Tanya and Kat looked at each other and shrugged. They had no idea what the guys were talking about.

"I, too, have experienced the same sensation. Perhaps we have met before... maybe not in this reality, but in another. All things are possible to those who possess The Power."

Dulcea's words gave the men a start as if they had heard their echo somewhere before.

"I don't mean to be rude, Dulcea, but we really need to see Amadan," Tommy interjected. "One of our teammates is missing, and...."

A scowl darkened Dulcea's face. "I am well aware of Kimberly's disappearance."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Tommy asked eagerly.

"I am afraid not."

Tommy's expression fell.

"Dulcea, quit dawdling with those children and bring them to me!" Amadan's voice boomed, seemingly radiating out of every corner of the temple.

"I am not an acolyte to be ordered around; you would do well to remember that!" Dulcea snapped, making it obvious to the Rangers that there was no love lost between the two.

"Forgive me. If you would be so kind as to escort our guests to my antechamber...." came the sarcastic reply.

Dulcea made no answer, but her grip tightened on her staff. The group did not speak again until they stood before a pair of stone doors, gilt in gold, which stood two stories tall. Dulcea paused as she placed a hand on the massive slabs.

"I caution you, Rangers. Though you are the chosen champions of the Crystal, Amadan has believed for millennia that none have been fit to wield the Zeo powers. You may have survived Xia's tests, but Amadan's may not be over."

"We'll be careful," Tommy assured her.

With a nod, Dulcea pushed the doors open and bade the Rangers to enter.

The Rangers cautiously made their way down the mosaic-laden aisle. The grandeur of the doors had been deceiving; Amadan's private chamber was surprising in its simplicity. Awash in the glow of torchlight, the spartan quarters offered little in the way of comfort. The only piece of furniture in evidence was a massive chair formed of the same obsidian material as the rest of the temple and not unlike Lord Zedd's throne. It caused a chill to run through the six. Offsetting the ominous seat was a familiar crystalline orb: a viewing globe like the one that had been in the old Command Center. The six teammates found themselves standing at the foot of another dais. As they gazed up at the platform, they realized that what they had thought was a mural was actually a window. Two of the three walls of the antechamber opened to the jungle beyond. Standing before the vista, his back turned towards them, was Amadan.

"'Who dares disturb the great and powerful Oz,'" Rocky murmured nervously under his breath; no one else seemed to hear him.

"Greetings, Rangers."

The words... the tone... were so familiar that the teens half expected to be looking upon a kindly visage in a column of blue light instead of a man garbed in silver with a black braid trailing down his back.

Amadan's use of Zordon's inflection and word choice only served to infuriate Tommy. He wanted to race up the stairs and wipe the air of arrogance from the man.

What have you done with Kimberly, you son of a bitch? Tommy seethed, his anger and frustration rising from him like a heat shimmer on asphalt. However, he took several deep, calming breaths even as he felt Billy's steadying hand on his arm. He had to keep it together. They couldn't afford to irritate Amadan--for Kim's sake. To get Kim back, Tommy would be willing to drop to his knees and beg.

"Greetings, Amadan," Tommy responded, praying his words betrayed none of his emotions.

Their nemesis turned at the salutation. Though they had seen Amadan's image once before, the keeper's presence startled the Rangers. Where they had always pictured Zordon as a kindly, wizened father figure--rather like a Buddhist monk--Amadan gave no such impression. Clearly, he was all warrior.

Amadan moved to the edge of the dais; even if he had stood toe to toe with Tommy, he would have towered over him. Blue eyes--ice cold and diamond hard--peered down at them sternly; a sneer curled his lips. It was a pose meant to intimidate; however, it had been a long time since Tommy or any of them had been intimidated by anyone. The Rangers were too tired and heart-sore to feel anything else. They all wanted the ordeal to be over.

"So, you are here. You think you have proven your worthiness to champion the Zeo Crystal, do you?" Amadan said at last. "You expect me to turn over one of the most powerful forces in the universe to a group of mere children?"

Rocky bridled at Amadan's mocking laughter, but Adam and Tanya restrained him.

"No," Tommy said plainly. "We expect nothing from you."

The Rangers were rewarded by the flicker of surprise that briefly flared in Amadan's eyes.

"We're here because we need your help," Tommy continued. It was so difficult to remain calm when all he wanted to do was challenge Amadan warrior to warrior. His muscles ached with the effort it took to stay in one place.

"You need my help?" Amadan's mirth grated on their nerves.

"Yes, one of our teammates has been 'stripped' from us...."

"I am aware of the former Pink Ranger's absence."

"Did you not tell us in the cave that if we were able to stand before Xia's Rising all that was stripped from us would be restored?" Billy interjected.

From her place in the shadows, Dulcea silently cheered as the Rangers threw Amadan's own words back at him.

"We've done what you asked...." Kat began.

"We survived the journey through the jungle...." Tanya added.

"We've passed your tests...." Adam spoke up.

"We've proven our worth...." Rocky asserted.

"Have you, little Ranger?" Amadan demanded harshly. "Seven of you set out from the portal cave but only six stand before me. It would appear that you were not nearly as successful as you think."

"Why should it matter if the former Pink Ranger is here or not?" Dulcea queried, stepping forward. Her tone was dangerously pleasant. "She wasn't a Zeo Ranger. The power was never hers to begin with. As I recall, you claimed that she and Billy were of no consequence to you, so why should her absence be a factor now?"

Amadan conveniently ignored her.

"It is obvious that the former Pink Ranger was unsuitable; she wasn't strong enough...."

"Kim was the strongest of us all!" Tommy raged behind clenched teeth. "Maybe not physically, but inside--her courage, her determination, her heart: the things that are the true meaning of a person. Kim's the reason that we've survived this quest...."

"She carried us through when we faltered...."

"She was strong for us in our moments of weakness...."

"She sacrificed so much...."

"Yes, yes, I know. I was monitoring your progress," Amadan said dismissively. "I know all about her 'sacrifices'--selfless acts like putting aside her own fears to pull Rocky out of the iridia's tunnel or ignoring her own feelings so that Kat and Tommy could be happy. Disgustingly noble. However, she also knew that to achieve a goal, sacrifices had to be made. Didn't she sacrifice your relationship, Tommy, to pursue gymnastic gold?"

"That's not why she broke up with me," Tommy glowered.

"What has that got to do with the Zeo quest anyway?" Adam wondered. They were all under the impression that the only things that mattered to Amadan were what had taken place in the jungle.

"Just making an observation. Do these words mean anything to you, Rangers?"

Amadan gestured, and an image sprang to life in the viewing globe: Billy and Kimberly. The others drew closer. Billy's face wasn't visible, but Kim's was--pale and dirt streaked, eyes tired and red-rimmed with tears, but most of all her, formidable determination shone through.

"... I know how much Tommy means to you...." came Billy's voice.

"That occurred right before Kim went in search of something to help Tommy and returned with the purple leaf," Billy recalled.

"If I thought it would help, Billy, I'd give my life for him," was Kim's reply. The words made Tommy's eyes sting with unshed tears and his heart swell with love and gratitude

"What are you getting at?" Kat demanded, anxiety coloring her tone.

Amadan merely smiled--a cold, unfeeling quirking of the mouth.

"Are you suggesting that Kim's life be exchanged for the Zeo Crystal?" Tanya gasped with sudden insight.

"Never!" Rocky burst out.

"No goal worth achieving comes without a price," Amadan responded placidly.

"Kim may have known the value of sacrifice, but she also knew that some goals aren't worth the achieving at any price," Billy countered.

"What is one life compared with the millions you can save with the power of the Zeo Crystal?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Tommy muttered, incredulous. He stepped closer to the globe, his hand reaching out for the vision of Kim still flickering within. "We don't care about the power of the crystal; we care about our friend."

As Tommy spoke, five balls of multicolored light swept into the chamber, buzzing about the teens and temple elders like bees. Finally, an orb came to hover before each Zeo Ranger. Tentatively, Tommy stretched out his hand. His fingers scarcely brushed the pulsating red sphere when it broke apart, the energy penetrating his body, rushing through him and around him. Then, the coruscating ribbons of light coalesced into a familiar crystalline shape. Around him, the others excepting Billy experienced a similar phenomenon.

"It would appear that the crystal does not share your opinion," Dulcea murmured; however, she felt no exaltation in the Rangers' moment of triumph. The expression on Amadan's face was one of blackest fury.

Tommy stared blankly at the star shaped fragment, then he held it out to Amadan. "Take it."

Fury turned to disbelief as Tommy placed the shard in Amadan's hand.

"If the Zeo Crystal is the price for Kim's life, then I'll pay it--gladly. Just help me find Kimberly. Please."

"What's the point of having the power to save the universe when it won't help you save the life of a friend," Adam said quietly, adding his shard to Tommy's.

"Do you all feel thusly?" Dulcea queried, as astonished as Amadan.

"Yes," Tanya said, offering up her crystal.

"There are other sources of power out there," Rocky added.

"We only want Kimberly back," Kat concluded, her fragment completing the set.

"Others have made your Powers the price for your loved ones' lives before...." Dulcea began.

Only Billy and Tommy knew she referred to Rita using the Dramole monster to kidnap their parents, their Power Coins the ransom for their parents' lives.

"It was a price we paid willingly," Billy answered.

"... and each time your trust was betrayed. How do you know this time will be any different?"

"We don't," Tommy responded bleakly, but there was still hope in his tone.

"However, Amadan is not like Zedd or Rita. He might be obsessed and misguided, but he's not evil."

"How do you know this, Billy?" Dulcea wondered.

"Simple. From what we know of the Zeo Crystal, Amadan would not have been allowed to touch it if he were evil."

"Will you help us?" Tommy asked of the keeper.

Amadan seemed not to hear the Ranger's words, his attention solely on the fragments in his hands. This was a development he had not foreseen. He had been prepared for a confrontation... one that he would not have been ready for, though. He had hoped the Rangers would have taken longer to come to the decision to make for the temple instead of searching for their companion. Unlike Dulcea, he had very little facility for metamorphosing; assuming the shape of an iridia to carry Kimberly off had taxed his powers to the utmost. If the Rangers had wanted to fight, he would have been hard pressed to counter their offensive. In truth, the Rangers had every right to come in and demand the return of their companion; he hadn't expected them to present themselves as supplicants, nor had he ever envisioned that they would surrender the crystal.

Slowly, without really thinking, Amadan reassembled the Zeo Crystal, its own powers fusing the shards into a whole once again. The keeper felt his heart soar as the energy flared under his hands. This was the chance he had yearned for. To hold the power... to have the chance to use the crystal properly and banish evil from the universe once and for all...! However, as quickly as the energy surged, it died until Amadan was left holding nothing but a cold, lifeless gemstone.

It was difficult to mask his feelings. There was nothing there now, not even the faint spark he felt when he touched Xia's shard. The crystal would not respond to him.

It's not fair! I have studied and fought for millennia; I have done all in my power to become a fit champion for the crystal... sacrificed so much...! All I've ever wanted was to insure that no world would ever again suffer a fate such as befell Galridia, and still I am denied! Why?

Why indeed. Once again, though it galled him to admit it, he had been relegated to the role of keeper--not champion.

Amadan was suddenly conscious of the six pairs of eyes trained anxiously on him. Perhaps it was not his time to be the champion, but he could not believe--in spite of everything--that these children could be the Chosen Ones. They had surrendered the powers too easily; no champion would ever do such a thing no matter what the impetus. Ultimately, the Zeo Powers were all that mattered. With a gesture, Amadan returned the crystal to its home on the dais; he would do his duty and safeguard it until a new champion or champions could be chosen. His purpose clear once again, he returned his attention to the children before him.

"Very well," he said at last as he descended the stairs of his dais. "You have fulfilled your end of the bargain, so I shall uphold mine."

"You mean you're really going to help us find Kim?" Rocky gasped in disbelief.

"You doubt my word?" Amadan bristled.

"Amadan is nothing if not a man of his word," Dulcea assured the Rangers quietly.

"You misunderstand me, Rangers," Amadan explained as he moved purposefully towards them. His demeanor had lost some of its sharp arrogance, but there was still plenty of smug self- assurance about the man. "I do not crave the Zeo Powers as you think; my own abilities--earned and honed over the millennia--are vast. I am only concerned for the greater good of the universe. Harnessed properly, the crystal's powers could rid the universe of all evil. Xia, a great warrior and the first champion, knew this, and had her life not ended prematurely I believe she could have triumphed where all others failed. I have yet to meet a champion to equal her. Until I do, I will test all who would claim the Power.

"As for your companion, she is safe," Amadan continued, passing through the gathered Rangers on the way to the viewing globe as if they were not present. "You see, the nature of this world Xia created is that nothing is allowed in and nothing is allowed out. As you entered this realm, so shall you leave it. You will be returned to your party exactly as you left it. Your wounds will be healed, your scars removed...."

"My vision will be returned to its former condition," Billy mumbled ruefully.

"Correct."

"Why didn't you tell us this in the beginning?" Kat wondered.

"Wherein would be the test of your mettle?"

"We wouldn't have reacted the same way to the dangers we faced if we knew that we couldn't be permanently affected," Adam realized.

"Kim doesn't know that, and she was hurt when she was abducted," Tommy pointed out, trying to get back to the more important matter.

"True. I shall see to her injuries once she has resumed her place with the rest of you," Amadan said. "Observe the viewing globe, and you will find your friend."

Six pairs of eyes turned hopefully towards the sphere.

"Are you sure this thing is working?" Rocky quipped, as all that appeared in the glass was darkness.

"Where is she?" Tommy demanded.

"She should be right...." Amadan's words died on his lips when he saw the empty globe. "Where is she?"

It was with monumental effort that Tommy kept himself from grabbing the temple elder and throttling him. "What do mean? Don't you know?"

"Of course I know! I left her in the caverns below the temple."

"You did what!"

That very same exclamation was on the tip of Tommy's tongue; however, he hadn't spoken. He glanced back at Dulcea; she looked rather perplexed, and the other Rangers were trading mystified glances. None of them had spoken either.

"The child is a claustrophobe and you imprisoned her in the iridia tunnels?"

"I left her in the mother nest--the largest section of the labyrinth," Amadan defended himself. "She had a torch and was told she would be unharmed if she remained where she was."

"And you expected her to obey you?"

"Wait a moment, I think I see something...." Billy began. "Can you tighten the focus and maybe provide a little more light?"

Amadan adjusted the orb so that it showed infrared images. The onlookers saw the discarded shaft of the torch--and a writhing mass of coils.

"What are they doing in there? This nest has been abandoned for centuries and the tunnels sealed off," Amadan murmured.

"Obviously not well enough. You got in, did you not?"

"We should be able to track Kimberly's movements with the viewing globe on infrared," Billy said encouragingly.

"I am afraid it's not that easy," Amadan replied. For the first time, the Rangers noticed that his voice did not ring with his usual bravado.

"Why not?" Tommy demanded, his patience waning.

"The tunnels below the temple are a null zone. Teleporters and scanners are unable to penetrate the rock's natural shielding. The mother nest--the center of the labyrinth--lies directly under the crystal's podium; it is the only accessible point."

"Can you teleport us into the nest, then? We can start searching the tunnels on foot," Tommy suggested.

"You run the risk of becoming as lost as Kimberly or being overwhelmed by the iridia," Dulcea cautioned.

"We can't just stand here and do nothing...."

"Perhaps science and nature cannot find her, but magic...."

The mocking tones startled Dulcea as she heard in them echoes of Amadan's words to her not too long ago. She and the Rangers continued to search the chamber for the source of the voice.

"What's that?" Kat whispered, pointing. The others looked up to see tiny flares of rainbow-colored light gathering in a swirling cloud high above them.

"It is not that simple," Amadan insisted, unaware of anything save his mounting frustration--which was becoming more evident by the moment. Things were not proceeding as he had planned. There were preparations to be made... and he was not yet recovered from his last magical expenditure.

"But it is, Amadan nee Kahkul. You will return the Pink Ninja Ranger to her friends."

Amadan spun, furious. How dare Dulcea address him thusly! And who gave her leave to invoke his family name! It wasn't his fault that the child would not follow directions and struck out on her own. He would locate her, but how did the Ninjetti witch expect him to concentrate with her constant badgering?

However, he found Dulcea's--and the Rangers'--back to him, her concentration focused totally on the dais. His eyes widened as he observed the multi-hued shower of lights raining down on the raised platform. The tiny orbs spun about each other creating multi-helix strands. As they whirled tighter and faster, the colors merged into a searing white brilliance that had all the onlookers shielding their eyes against its intensity. They watched in amazement as the light continued to move and grow, taking on a shape.

It was a woman garbed not unlike Dulcea, but hers was most definitely armor: sharply curved epaulets held her cape on her shoulders and kept the brief metal breastplate in place; from the girdle about her hips draped a mail loincloth that hung to the floor. The tops of her boots and gauntlets flared past knees and elbows like unfurled wings. The metal ornament that framed her face bore the same winged design. In her hand, she held a staff that was half again as tall as she and bore a representation of the Zeo Crystal on its headpiece.

"By the ancient Ninjetti gods," Dulcea gasped. Behind her, Amadan was equally awestruck. As the being of light looked down on those assembled before her, the Rangers could feel the force of her presence. They felt the urge to kneel but were rooted in place. The warrior woman glanced first at Dulcea and offered a nod of acknowledgment. Next, the Rangers fell under her knowing gaze, and she favored them with a smile. Lastly, her attention settled on Amadan. The smiled faded into displeasure.

"Who is she?" Adam whispered to Dulcea.

"The Lady Xia," Dulcea replied.

"I thought she was dead," Rocky hissed.

"In body. It was thought that her spirit had been subsumed by the crystal, but until this moment, no one ever knew for certain."

"What have you to say for yourself, Amadan?" Xia demanded. Dulcea and the Rangers pulled aside so that Amadan bore the brunt of the warrior-spirit's disapproving gaze.

For once, the first of the temple was speechless.

"We are not pleased," Xia continued as she crossed over to Amadan's "throne" and sat down.

"We?" Rocky murmured.

"I believe she refers to herself and the crystal," Dulcea answered.

"You know, like the royal 'we,'" Tanya interjected.

"You have much to answer for, First of the Temple. You have tampered with the time stream, kidnapped Zordon's Rangers--our chosen champions--subjected them to the testing, and interfered with the course of that testing. The Zeo Crystal first gained sentience when the cosmos was in its infancy; since that time it has chosen those to wield its powers, and you would question its judgement? In the eyes of the crystal, you are as much a child as the Rangers."

"But you didn't stop the test," Amadan countered, finally finding his voice.

"Only because you were the one being tested, not our champions. We found your performance sorely lacking."

"I only sought to...." Amadan began drawing himself up, but Xia cut him off, striking the butt of her staff on the marble dais. The sound reverberated loudly throughout the chamber.

"When the Rangers crossed the gorge, they had triumphed where untold numbers throughout the millennia had failed, but that was not good enough for you. You could not accept that children could succeed where even you could not. You had to try and break them. When your spell failed, you sought to cripple them with indecision and you struck against one who hadn't even touched the power! You only sought to serve the greater good," Xia said with a harsh, mocking laugh. "How does it serve the greater good to abduct and terrorize an innocent young woman? How does such an action set you apart from those you'd protect the crystal from?"

She rose from the seat not waiting to hear Amadan's answer.

"You will find Kimberly Hart and return her to her friends." Dire consequences were implicit in her tones. Amadan acknowledged her words with a bow, then Xia dismissed him with a wave of her hand. The Rangers watched as the keeper left his own audience chamber, his determination to redeem himself obvious to all.

"Bent, but not yet broken," Xia murmured, breaking the stunned silence that followed her dismissal.

"You seek to break Amadan's power?" Dulcea queried quietly.

"No, merely his pride. That is all this amounts to--an affront to his pride." Xia regarded the Ninjetti priestess for a moment. "I wish to thank you for answering our summons so swiftly. You provided the counter balance to Amadan's machinations as well as the key to the Rangers' success in including William and Kimberly."

"You mean Dulcea was helping us along?" Adam inquired.

"She guided the mossassa to the aloini, but it was Kimberly who discovered its burn relieving properties through her own powers of deduction. Dulcea convinced the urus that Kimberly was no threat, thereby allowing her to find the selannant with which to heal Thomas' wounds. She but nudged the Dactanian blade fish, and it did what it was born to do and prevented the krahkkon from carrying William off."

"I did but little," Dulcea demurred.

"You did enough without impressing your will upon the test."

Why couldn't she have done a little more and kept the iridia from carrying Kim off? Tommy thought bitterly; however, he knew Dulcea was not to blame.

"I sense that you have many questions for me," Xia remarked, interrupting Tommy's musings. Her gaze fell on Billy. "What is it you would ask of me, William?"

"How is it that your consciousness came to reside in the crystal?"

"The crystal has always possessed an awareness of its powers and purpose. It has always known that it required a living focus for its energies--thus the choosing of champions. Through the eons, the crystal has retained some portion of its champions' thoughts, causing awareness to evolve into sentience.

"In my case, the crystal retained the full measure of my personality upon my passing from this life. Though we have been a part of each other for millennia, I still do not know why."

"Perhaps after all that time, the crystal was lonely," Kat postulated.

Xia smiled at the romantic notion. "Perhaps. At times, the crystal and I are very much one, but at others I am still a separate entity."

"Is that how you survive the fragmentation of the crystal?" Billy pursued.

"The crystal's awareness permeates every facet of its physicality; each shard holds the same awareness as the whole, enabling each piece to contain the power. Since I am now bonded to the sentience, I exist in each part of the whole as well."

"Why haven't you ever shown yourself before?" Tanya wondered. "I mean, we've had the Zeo Crystal for months, but never knew you were inside it. Why now?"

"To give form to my consciousness requires much energy--energy normally imparted to the champions. Had you five not refused the power and Amadan not been able to access it, I would not be standing here. Mechanics aside, I have never felt the need to take form before. It is not my duty to be a mentor to the champions. However, Amadan exceeded all bounds--violated his keeper's oath--when he directly assaulted Kimberly, the fact that I have come to regard her as s'Eolah'ki notwithstanding."

"S'Eolah'ki? What's that?" Rocky asked.

"A term of kinship," Dulcea answered, more than a little surprised that Xia had claimed Kimberly as her little sister.

"What about Kim?" Tommy interjected anxiously.

"She will be returned to you safe and unharmed. Amadan dares not do otherwise," Xia glowered. Her words offered Tommy little reassurance. As Xia began moving about the dais, her visage wavered. Gone was the warrior; in her place stood a surprisingly petite woman in a simple, unadorned gown. "I must apologize to you, Rangers, for the necessity of putting you through this ordeal. Amadan needed to be taught a lesson." Then she noted their expressions of amazement at the shift in her appearance. Her laughter, no longer harsh but melodious, wafted through the chamber.

"I was not always a warrior, Rangers. I was once a scholar as well as a wife and mother. I did not take up the sword until evil destroyed the life I once led. However, Amadan would have been unable to relate to me in this guise. He does not understand that it takes more than brute strength or great intelligence to wield the crystal. That is why neither he nor his charges have been chosen.

"Amadan isn't evil, merely misguided--as William pointed out," Xia continued as she glided down the stairs. To the Rangers, her body appeared solid, but the trailing hem of her gown passed right through them as she walked past. The seven fell in behind her as she crossed the chamber. "Amadan seeks to wipe out all evil, and he could very well do so with the Zeo powers; however, by destroying the dark forces, he would also destroy the universe. The source of the cosmos' strength lies in maintaining its delicate balance. Good cannot exist without evil and vice versa. Evil cannot be destroyed so much as contained; it must be overcome from within through emotions such as love and caring and generosity--emotions that Amadan sneers at.

"Now, I think, I have kept you all long enough. You are weary after your journey and concerned about your friend. Dulcea, please show our guests to their quarters and see to their comfort."

With that, Xia's form melted back into a spiral of light and returned to the crystal.

Rocky opened his door and peered out into the corridor. Seeing that no one was about, he slipped out. After Xia had dismissed them, Dulcea had shown them all to their individual quarters. The swankiest hotel in New York wouldn't have held a candle to his chamber; it was one enormous room with raised platforms and sunken living areas and a window that presented a spectacular view of the jungle. There had even been a huge bathtub filled with hot, scented water. He never dreamed he'd want a bath so badly! While he'd been soaking in the tub, two attendants arrived, and in spite of his protests, they proceeded to bathe him from top to bottom. He fought, but in the end, he wound up surrendering. Following the scrubbing, they had administered the most awesome massage he had ever felt. In fact, he had fallen asleep, and the bed was the softest he had ever known.

Upon awakening, he found himself alone. Clothing had been laid out for him: loose white trousers and a serape-like tunic. He had been wishing for a pair of pants just days ago; however, when he slipped them on he almost couldn't stand them. They were roomy enough, as comfortable as his favorite pair of sweatpants, but he still found them confining. He settled for just wearing the tunic and tie belt, and even that made him nervous and itchy in spite of its open sides and neckline that was split open from navel to his lower back.

Dressed and alone for the first time in weeks, Rocky felt uneasy and decided to seek out the others. He knew they weren't prisoners, but he had the feeling that Xia didn't want them roaming the halls. He tiptoed down to the next door. Just as he was about to knock, it opened.

"Rocky!"

"Adam!"

The two startled friends relaxed a bit. Rocky swept his eyes over Adam's attire and found that he was also dressed in a belted tunic.

"You, too?" he queried.

"Yeah. I thought I'd be so happy to have clothes again, and now...." Adam simply shrugged.

"I thought having a little peace and quiet and privacy would be the greatest thing, but it's making me nuts."

"Same here."

"Do you think the others feel the same way?"

"Probably."

"Let's go see who else we can find."

At the next door, the two found Kat and Tanya, who had already decided to seek out each other's company. The girls were dressed exactly like the guys. Just as they were emerging from Tanya's room, the quartet ran into Billy. Together, all five ventured to the last door along the hallway.

Tommy had tried to send the servants away when they arrived at his quarters; he needed to be alone with his thoughts. However, the attendants completely ignored him, and he submitted to the bath and rubdown resignedly, his heart and mind too full to really care. Though his body was weary, sleep eluded him. Ignoring the clothes laid out for him, he went out onto the balcony of his chamber to think.

The view from his room was breathtaking; he found himself looking westward, back the way they had come. It was sunset now, and the horizon was afire with reds and oranges, blending into ripples of pinks and purples over the treetops until those smoothed into the midnight blue evening sky. The light breeze was cool, ruffling the hair on his shoulders. The air was filled with the scent of flowers and foliage and the sounds of insects and birds. It would have been peaceful, almost soothing, but he would know no peace until Kimberly was found.

His thoughts had been about his relationship with Kimberly. Now that the end was finally in sight, he allowed himself to think about what would take place when they got home. What would happen to them? He still had school and the Rangers; she had an invitation to the Olympic trials and Paris. They wouldn't be able to be together as they were now, but could they be apart without losing each other again? He was determined that that would never happen. He would give up his powers before he would give Kim up again.

Tommy leaned against a marble column and glanced back into his room. It was simple yet elegant, bedecked in white linens. Kimberly would have loved it--especially the bathtub and the circular bed. He smiled softly as he envisioned her tanned, naked body against the whiteness of the sheets, the folds of the cloth draped gracefully across her shapely limbs. The image made the hole in his soul loom larger and his heart ache all the more.

Where are you, Kim? Please be all right wherever you are. If anything happens to you, I don't know what I'd do.

He pushed those thoughts aside. He would not think like that. Kim was a fighter and a survivor. She would come through this ordeal. Still, the waiting gnawed at his spirit; he hated waiting. He'd have rather gone crawling through the iridia tunnels than simply sit in his room waiting for Amadan to find her. He did not trust Amadan, no matter what Xia and Dulcea said; he had appealed to him only because he had had no other choice.

Tommy's reflections were suddenly disrupted by a knock at his door.

"It's open," he called out wearily.

"Hey, Tommy," Billy said as he and the others entered.

"Hey, guys."

"We--ah--were all a little unsettled by our sudden separation and thought that we should at least get together for dinner."

Tommy noticed that the others seemed a little uncomfortable. He detected a note of hesitancy in Billy's voice. Rocky and Adam shifted about uneasily, and Kat and Tanya appeared to be embarrassed, blushes dusting their cheeks. None of his friends could seem to look at him. Then he realized the problem: his state of undress.

The difference a couple of hours makes, he thought sadly. It was hard to believe they had so quickly lost the intimacy they had achieved over the last two months. With a sigh, he turned away from his window and wandered over to his bed. He collected his discarded towel and wrapped it about his hips. That seemed to make the others relax.

"Tommy, are you all right?" Kat queried.

"I'm as well as can be expected."

"Would you rather we left you alone?" Billy offered.

"Actually, I think I could use some company."

The six had scarcely made themselves comfortable on the cushions when Dulcea arrived.

"Have you heard anything?" Tommy asked eagerly.

"Not yet. The spell Amadan is attempting is difficult to cast. It will take time."

"Kim may not have a lot of time," Billy added.

"Neither, I am afraid, do you."

"What do you mean?"

"Xia says that with or without Kimberly, you must be returned to earth on the morrow. Amadan's suspension of time on your world is rapidly fading."

"We can't go back without Kimberly," Rocky objected.

"We were at a party with her; if she doesn't return with us...." Tanya began.

"Accommodations will be made if such a thing comes to pass."

"I won't leave without her," Tommy declared with finality.

"None of us will," Adam chimed in. The others added a chorus of support.

"The matter is out of your hands, Rangers. You must be returned before the spell fully unravels."

"That's a fine reward for the 'champions of the crystal,'" Rocky snorted.

"There is one more thing."

"This gets worse?" Tanya huffed.

"You will be returned to your youth center at a point just before Amadan removed you from it," Dulcea explained. "It will be as if this adventure never took place."

"You mean we won't remember any of this?" Kat gasped, reaching for Adam's hand. The couple traded nervous glances.

"Precisely."

"But you can't do that!" Rocky blurted out.

"Things happened here... Tommy and Kim got back together; Kat and Adam... if you wipe our memories all of that will be undone," Tanya exclaimed.

"I am sorry, Rangers, but that is part of the enchantment that maintains this world. Nothing is allowed out. If you remember this place at all, it will be only in your dreams."

"No...." Tommy began, his throat closing up, preventing him from saying anything further. He couldn't go back to the way he was; it would just be too cruel, but according to Dulcea, he wouldn't even know it. "Please, Dulcea. Don't make me lose Kim again. There has to be a way around this; there just has to!"

"Take heart in this, Rangers. If things are meant to be, they will be."

"That's cold comfort," Adam muttered.

"It is all that I can offer you," Dulcea responded. "It is time for the evening meal; shall I have it brought here?"

However, none of the Rangers felt much like eating.

It was midnight, and Tommy found himself unable to sleep. He lay naked on his bed, bathed in the blue-white light of the triple moons, staring at the ceiling. Finally, he gave up trying to sleep at all and sat up, reaching for the tunic laid out on the chair near his bed. The thought of clothing still chafed at him, so he grabbed the towel and dressed himself in that.

Softly he padded across his room to the door. He didn't want to wake the others. After Dulcea's bombshell about their memories, no one felt like returning to their own lonely quarters. Tommy looked on his sleeping friends briefly, a tiny smile touching his lips. Lost in unguarded slumber, they had reverted to the sleeping patterns that had served them in the jungle. Even he had been a part of the comfortable muddle--at least until he was the only one awake. He was happy to see that they hadn't lost everything they had gained. All evening it seemed as if they were unconsciously preparing themselves for the loss of their memories. Adam and Kat had drifted apart, she leaning more on him and Adam on Tanya. Rocky and Billy had seemed to isolate themselves. Perhaps they would lose their conscious thoughts, but on some level, they would remember. He tried to take heart from that realization.

The hallways were eerily silent, and the chill of the night air and cold tiles beneath his feet seemed not to bother him. He had no particular destination in mind. He just had to move about, but his wanderings were not aimless. It was as if he was being drawn forward. He did not fight the impulse and allowed himself be carried away. Tommy soon found himself in the great hall of the temple. The chamber was as silent as the rest of the edifice except for two sounds: the trickling of water into the pool and a faint hum. The hum drew his attention to the dais, and his gaze lit upon the Zeo Crystal, which hovered above its pedestal. It glowed like a thing alive.

It is alive, Tommy reminded himself as he, like a sleepwalker, stepped onto the spoke-like concourse leading to the platform.

As he walked along, he noticed details he had missed on their earlier passage along the aisle ways. Lining the avenues were statues--beings of various shapes, sizes, and races. The diversity was mind boggling. Tommy knew that there were a great many other beings out in the galaxy--a reality that he could accept only because he was a Power Ranger--but it was staggering to see hard proof of that fact. As he drew closer to the center, he realized that these must all be Zeo Rangers through the eons; his suspicion was confirmed as he saw the statues closest to the dais: the Power Rangers in all their recent incarnations.

Tommy paused before the representation of Kimberly in her original Pink Ranger garb, the ache in his heart almost overpowering as he reached out to touch it. Her statue was flanked by ones of him as the Green and White Rangers. She looked so tiny next to him. He proceeded past the Ninja Rangers' statues to the last incarnation of the Rangers. As Tommy studied the marble figurines, he realized that they wore their missing Zeonizers and communicators. He made no move to recover their equipment. The pulse of the crystal beckoned to him, and he continued on to the obelisk.

However, the spell was broken by a sudden sound in the chamber below. Tommy shook his head, frowning.

"Who's there?" he demanded, whirling around. No one answered him. Uneasy, he started down the stairs, trying to pierce the heavy shadows of the hall. The torchlight didn't carry far. He felt battle instincts kicking in; something wasn't right. Moving with lethal grace, he reached the main floor. He paused; whatever the sound had been had not been repeated. The splash of the water seemed unnerving loud; louder still was the pounding of his heart. It seemed to obliterate everything else.

Easy does it, he instructed himself, trying to steady his nerves. However, he could not shake the feeling that something was amiss--that he was not alone. Cautiously, he neared the shallow pool. Torchlight danced in the obsidian ripples. The source of his unease was close by--he could feel it. His eyes had adjusted to the gloom, and he was able to make out more of the shapes in the shadowy corners. He stopped by the pool's side, his gaze darting everywhere. Slowly, inexplicably, his eyes were drawn to the far end of the pool--the temple's entrance. There was something there.... His eyes narrowed, trying to discern what had flickered across his vision. There, on the stairs... small, pale, unmoving, dipping down into the dark waters... it appeared to be....

Caution was suddenly cast aside, and Tommy bolted forward, crossing the distance in scant seconds. He splashed through the black water heedless of anything save the body draped across the stairs. His blood ran cold as he knelt beside the unmoving figure, gently turning her over.

"Oh, God... Kimberly!"

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net