Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers. They belong to Saban, along with anything you've seen in any of the shows. I do however own Ahzza, Sedra, and Locan. And anything else you haven't seen on the show. I'm not doing this for profit. I'm not getting paid for this. This is for entertainment only. If you would like to use any of my characters, please let me know. Thanx.
Author's Notes: In this timeline, T:APRM does not happen. This is the third story in my Ranger of Light series, after A New Ascendancy. Please read it first before you read this, or you will be totally lost. If you like this, please let me know. This has been a really hard fic for me to write.
Have fun reading. :)

Ranger of Light Saga
Part Three: Intercalate Maleficence
by Cinders

The castle wasn't exactly the way Sedra had expected it to be. It was dark, cold, and most of all...dirty. She wrinkled her nose a the site. And as she entered the throne room she gasped.

"My Queen, what is it?" Locan asked from behind her, his hand wrapped firmly around the hilt of his sword, ready to defend his Queen.

"That is the most hideous thing I have ever seen." Locan looked past her. There, in the center of the room, was a large, black marble throne with Lord Zedd's Z, carved into it's back. Relaxing, Locan smiled at his Queen's tastes.

"Remind me to change the decor of the place." Careful not to brush up against anything, and get dust on her dress, Sedra made her way to the balcony.

Before her, sprawled against the black of space, was Earth. A smile curved her full, blood red lips.

"My Queen..." Locan's voice interrupted her thoughts. He stood on the far side of the balcony. Sedra turned to see Locan standing next to an odd looking, gold device.

"What is it?" She was surprised to find such a beautiful, intricately, carved device within the dark, dirty walls of the castle.

"A viewing device my Queen. And you will not believe the things you will see." Locan stepped back from the telescope, that had, at one time, belonged to Rita. Sedra approached him, and moved to the place he had vacated, before the device. "Look through here." Locan said, pointing to the smallest end of the telescope.

Sedra gazed at Locan's face for a brief moment. She could always tell what a person was thinking is she just looked into their eyes. There was nothing but trust in Locan's. It wasn't a trick.

Carefully, she leaned forward to look into the small hole in the device. Immediately, she stood back, and looked around the side of the telescope.

"Intriguing. I can see everything that happens on that blue ball, from here. At least on of the previous owners had some form of intelligence." Once again, she looked down at Earth. Slowly, she began to move the telescope around.

Before her, in her view, was a large white sign, with the words, ‘Welcome to Angel Grove', painted in black letters.

"Angel Grove sounds delightful." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Locan only smiled. Slowly she scanned some more. Locan watched as a hungry smile turned her lips. He knew she had spotted something she liked...a lot. "When we're finished conquering this pitiful universe, I think I'll take a small souvenir with me." Sedra released the telescope, and moved to the door of the throne room.

Curious, as to what she had been looking at, he took hold of the telescope, and looked down at the Earth. There, with he telescope trained on him, was the ugliest thing Locan had ever laid eyes on. It was a human male. Tanned skin, sun bleached hair, pale eyes and dressed in a blue pair of pants and a gray shirt. "I'll never understand what she see's in those things. And the long haired one, next to him, is even uglier." Locan said, shaking his head as he followed Sedra's lead out of the throne room.

"You don't know how good it feels to be outside." Billy told Tommy as the walked through the park.

"I don't know how you did it, man. I would have gone crazy."

"I guess that I am so use to spending all my spare time in the Chamber, that it really wasn't too bad." Billy joined Tommy in a welcome bout of laughter. "The hardest part was not being able to talk with you guys. It was really lonely in the Construction Core. Maybe that's why I was having those really weird dreams."

"Did I hear something about dreams?" Billy and Tommy looked up to see...David Trueheart approaching them from the parking lot.

"Yeah." Billy said, smiling as David grasped his hand and thumped him on the back.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks."

"Maybe you could tell David about the dreams?" Tommy suggested.

"Yeah. Dreams are a very important part of the culture of my people. We always listen to our dreams, and follow them."

Finding an empty picnic table, they made themselves convertible, so that they could talk. Tommy sat down on the bench, while Billy and David took the higher ground, and sat on the table top.

"It's really pretty strange. I tried to talk it over with Zordon a couple of weeks ago. He said that it sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't find anything."

"Well, let's see what I can come up with. Go ahead and tell me about it."

"All right. When the dream starts, there is a group of soldiers riding through the desert. They're after a shaman, who so happens to be a shape-shifter, as well. He has some type of power that the leader, of the soldiers, wants. This leader is really an alien, a Heratron. Anyway, they find the shaman in a canyon. He's surrounded by a green light. The leader kills all of his men, then tries to kill the shaman. But, before he can, the medicine man separates himself in two. One is a ball of light, that shoots off into the sky, and the second is a wolf. When the leader tries to shoot the wolf, the wolf bares his teeth, growls, and then I wake up.

"I haven't had the dream since I talked with Zordon, until lastnight. And, the shaman said that he would be joined together again, in exactly two-hundred years, and would become the greatest power there ever was."

"Did the shaman have a name, in the dream?" David asked. Billy could see that there was something going on inside of his head. He glanced at Tommy, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, it was Walking Wolf." David suddenly looked up at Billy.

"I think you should come to the reservation, and talk to Sam. I think he might be able to shed some light on your dreams, more than I can." Billy looked at Tommy, a bit of fear and curiosity mixed inside of him.

"Let's go." Tommy said, standing up from the bench, and digging into his pants pocket for the keys to his jeep. David and Billy stood, and followed Tommy to the parking lot.

The old man walked carefully over the rocky ground, his gaze on the ground at his feet. At the sound of voices, he looked up. His long, gray hair, blowing softly around his shoulders.

Squinting against the bright light of the afternoon sun, he tried to make out the shapes approaching him. Dang my old eyes! He said to himself, as he tried to make them focus.

"Sam!" The red blur called to him, as it drew closer.

Sam Trueheart raised his hand in welcome, his aged eyes, still trying to see who was calling to him. He was one of the elder members of the tribe, and even he could not remember how many years had passed since his birth. He gripped the piece of wood, that had long since become his walking staff, tightly. Then, all at once, the blurs moved into view, and his old heart was happy.

"David, Tommy." Sam called out to the boys. David had spent a lot of time away from the reservation since finding his twin brother.

"Sam, we've been looking for you."

"Why? Have I been lost?" He asked jokingly. David smiled, as he, Tommy and Billy reached his side.

"Sam, you remember Tommy. And this is Billy." Billy reached out and shook Sam's offered hand.

"It's nice to meet you." Billy said kindly.

"It's nice to meet you too, Billy." Sam smiled.

"Billy's been having dreams that I think you should hear about."

"Dreams?" Sam said, looking questioningly at Billy. A sudden, strange feeling came over him then. There was something different about this boy. "Yes. I would like, very much, to hear about these dreams.

"David, would you be so kind as to have Ahzza prepare a fire for me? I would talk to Billy alone."

"No problem. Come on Tommy." Tommy patted Billy's shoulder, reassuringly, then followed David down the hill to the reservation.

"Walk with me Billy, and tell me of your dreams. When we reach my lodge, I will tell you what I know."

"All right." Billy began to tell Sam of his dreams, as he slowly followed along beside him.

If Sedra thought that the upper reaches of the castle were dirty and unappealing, then she was in for a surprise. The bowels of the castle, unused for centuries, was crawling with vermin, and moon dust lined every crack and crevice in the filth encrusted walls and floors.

And, surprised she was. Lifting the hem of her dress up, as far as she dared, she made her way down the dilapidated steps. Each one cracked and falling apart. Some were barely even steps at all. Wrinkling her nose a the smell, and arms pulled tightly against her body, to keep from touching the walls; she followed closely behind Locan.

Locan had insisted that he go first, to protect her from anything that might have been left lurking around in the darkness below. So far, the only blood his sword had drawn, was that of a hapless rat who had dared cross his path.

"I can feel it Locan. The hiding place of the journal is near." Her dark eyes sparkled in the darkness around them. The secret of a great power was within her grasp.

"A few more steps my Queen, and we will be within reach of the hiding place."

Once at the bottom of the long, steep stairs, Locan offered his hand to Sedra, and she took it, stepping carefully down the last remaining steps, to stand at his side. With a flick of her wrist, a bright ball of light came to life in the palm of her hand.

"Well, the dungeons were definitely cleaner, even if they were covered in dung and skeletons." Sedra stated, as she looked deep into the darkness beyond the light.

Deep in the dark, the light glinted off tall, black, marble pillars. They too, having fallen to the same decay as the steps. These crumbling pillars, were the only things holding up the castle above them. Sedra suddenly became deliriously happy, that the moon's gravity was very little. Slowly Sedra approached the pillars, finding that they were larger in girth than she had first thought. They were three times larger around than she and Locan were standing side by side. And Locan was an alarmingly large being. Standing nearly seven feet tall, and weighing nearly five-hundred pounds. But, not one inch of it was fat. Locan boasted muscles, any Mr. Universe would kill for.

Inspecting what, she assumed, was the floor, Sedra found it to be nothing more than mounds of dirt, rising and falling in hills into the darkness beyond the light. As she moved carefully over the mounds, she spotted small, yellow eyes glaring at them from the darkness. Their position changing quickly as she approached them. Sedra closed her eyes, trying desperately, to remember the Heratron prisoner's words. The ones that would give her to the journal's location.

"There!" She said, pointing into the depths of the darkness. Eagerly they made their way forward, the light exposing a mountain of large, black, marble blocks that had fallen from above them. Locan maneuvered around them, his sword held ready.

"Here." Carefully, Sedra gazed down at her feet. Without realizing it, she had walked up a hill of dirt, that had pilled up, rising slightly above, and covering a large, black stone. Locan looked up at her. Sheathing his sword, he moved toward her, wrapping his huge black hands around her slender waist, lifting her down from the stone on which she stood.

With her feet firmly placed on the ground, she moved away from Locan, as he began the task of moving the stone, and revealing the hiding place of the journal.

With both hands, Locan grasped the exposed edge of the stone, at it's base. Bending his massive legs, he pulled up with all of his strength.

Sedra watched as the stone seemed to shutter, the dirt trickling off of it's top, down it's sides, to settle once more on the ground. The covering of dirt, on it's top, began to slide down upon itself. Then, with a roar, Locan flipped the stone over, the weight of it, shaking the ground beneath their feet. A fine trickle of dust rained down upon Sedra's white hair, but it went unnoticed, as she neared the new hole that the stone had left in the dirt. Within it's depths was the key to a great power.

Locan did not need Sedra to tell him what he should do next. He looked at her, as she stared into the darkness of the hole, her free hand clenched into a fist. Locan stepped to the side, and lept into the darkness of the hole, a hollow thump! attesting to the fact that he had touched the bottom, his shoulders coming even with the sides. Carefully, he prodded around in the packed dirt, tearing up chunks of dirt and rocks with his clawed hands.

"I have found it may Queen!" Came Locan's voice, echoing around them.

"Excellent. The power is within my grasp." Sedra breathed. The sound of splintering wood, drowning out her echoes of delight. Soon, Locan stood to his full height. A large, leather bound book held tightly in his hands. Climbing out of the hole, he stretched forth his gauntleted arm, producing the text. It's cover tattered with age, just like everything else within the bowels of the castle. It's yellowed and crumbling pages tied together with a strip of leather.

Sedra stretched forth her free hand, a slight, eger, tremble in her fingers. Gently she took the ancient text from him, feeling the ruff texture of the old leather against her soft hand. "The Power." She whispered. Locan didn't need to ask her to repeat what she had said. The words were plain in the glimmer in her black eyes.

"Come Locan. I must get it into the light. I must read the words that will tell me what I need to know to claim the Power for myself." Quickly, she headed for the stairs, never looking to see if Locan was following her, or if he had even heard her. Locan trailed quietly behind her, in the fast fading light.

Billy sighed as they approached Sam Trueheart's lodge. Billy had been telling Sam everything he could remember about the dreams. Every little detail was brought out. Then, when Billy had finished, they had walked the rest of the way to the lodge in silence.

Billy stood back as Sam reached for the doorknob. As soon as the door opened, a young woman stood in the doorway, on her way out the door, obviously surprised.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be back so soon."

"It's quite all right. I don't mind having a surprise as lovely as you standing behind my door." Sam smiled, patting her shoulder. "Billy, this is my adopted daughter, Ahzza. Ahzza, this is David's friend Billy." Sam introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you." Ahzza smiled, and offered Billy her hand. Billy was taken aback, by how beautiful she was. Dark olive skin, oval face, dark, almond shaped eyes, and waist length, dark brown hair, that was nearly black in color. She was as tall as he was, and slender. She wore a pair of form fitting jeans, and a white shirt. He was stunned, and didn't notice that he had taken her hand, until he felt the slight shock he received in return.

Billy quickly pulled back, as if his hand was on fire. He watched as Ahzza's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. A small, nervous, laugh escaped her. As Billy massaged his, still tingling fingers, he laughed as well.

"It's all right. You didn't hurt me, just startled me is all."

"I guess I must have built up a little static electricity as I walked back and forth over the Buffalo hides, trying to get the fire started."

"I've done that quite often, myself. Though I wasn't walking on Buffalo hides at the time." Billy smiled at her, and she returned the smile. "It was nice meeting you."

"Same here."

"Where are Tommy and David?" Sam asked, reminding the two that he was still there.

"Oh, I've got them helping me with chores." Ahzza replied.

"Good. See if you can keep them busy. Billy and I need some privacy."

"With the chores I have to do, I don't think keeping them busy will be a problem." Ahzza flashed Billy a smile, and left them, heading toward a small fenced in area.

Billy watched her, totally intrigued, when his thoughts were interrupted by a high pitch squeal, and a short, fat, brown creature dashing past him. Soon the frightened pig, was followed by Tommy and a laughing David. Tommy dove for the escaping piglet, landing hard in the dirt. Not knowing that anyone was around, Tommy picked himself up, and continued after the, still shrieking, beast.

Ahzza spun around, shrugging her shoulders innocently, and grabbed a histerically, laughing David by the arm, and headed after Tommy.

"I remember when it was Ahzza, that David would trick into chasing the pigs." Sam smiled as he shook his head. He turned back to the door, slipping inside. "Come Billy, we'll discuss your dreams." Billy followed Sam into the small building, shutting the door, just as four figures dashed by. Two of which were laughing uproariously.

Climbing the last steps, Sedra let go of her skirt, and dashed across the throne room to the huge, black marble throne. The dust caking her dress, going unnoticed.

Quickly, she seated herself on the throne, the dusty book planted firmly on her lap. Slowly, like it was a lover, she caressed her slender, pale hands over the tattered cover. "Finally, I'll have all of the Power."

Grabbing the leather strap, she tugged it apart, tossed it to the side, and began to carefully turn the yellowed pages. Their edges crumbling at her touch.

"Where is it? Where, where, where..."

Locan moved around the room, looking through doorways that lead from the room. Behind one door, was a room he thought he would like very much. Within this room were various devices of torture. These, he thought, would come in very handy.

As he listened to Sedra's chanting, and the rustling of paper, he closed the door and continued on to the next one.

On squeaking hinges, the door opened to expose some sort of laboratory. At it's back wall, stood a huge machine, with a conveyer belt at one end, and a large round tube suspended above the other end. Shelves lined the other walls, with a work table in the center of the room. Beakers and tubes, filled with various substances, sat upon the tables surface, as well as filled most of the shelves. The rest of the shelves were filled with clay figures.

"I found it!" Sedra's voice caught Locan's attention. Slipping from the dusty lab, he entered the throne room to see Sedra bent over the book in her lap. Her long, red fingernail pointing out the words as she read them. Her lips speaking each word, soundlessly. "No! No! Damn!" Sedra screamed. She sat up, and tossed the book to the floor. Rising to her feet, she began to pace the floor.

"What is it my Queen?"

Not realizing that Locan was even in the same room with her, she turned, startled, at his voice.

"The fool! He doesn't tell me how I can find the Power. Only that it was to come to be, about nineteen years ago. It doesn't even say who holds the Power, or how I can go about finding this person. It only says that the ‘Wolf' must embrace the ‘Light', two-hundred years from the exact date and time that the old Indian shaman separated himself into these two forms."

"That's all?" Locan asked, bending to pick up the disintegrating book that had slid across the floor to stop at his feet.

"No. It also says, that the only being that can destroy the user of the Power, or take it away, is the ‘DarkChylde'. Whatever that is." Sedra began to pace again, as Locan began to thumb through the pages.

"My Queen." Locan held the book out to her. Slowly, she narrowed the space between them, hesitantly taking the book from his huge hands. Slowly, she looked the pages over, reading them out loud.

"'The Indians talk of a ‘DarkChylde', that will come to try and take the Power, or destroy it. And this ‘DarkChylde, will be able to find the Power, where ever it lies. The DarkChylde, can only be created from evil, innocence.'

"Evil, innocence? That's a little contradictory, isn't it? Besides, what is it suppose to mean?" She looked up at Locan, and he just shrugged his shoulders in response. "Oh well, I love puzzles anyway."

"How are we to solve this one, my Queen?"

"Maybe that little ball of blue, out there, will provide us with the answers we seek. Besides, that is where this ‘Power' is suppose to be. Locan, I think it's time we introduced ourselves. The planet us unprotected. Who's going to stop us, or get in our way?" Sedra smiled evilly, watching as Locan did the same. His razor sharp fangs, gleaming.

"Yes." Was his only, anxious, reply. He loved entrances.

Ahzza hadn't been exaggerating about the Buffalo hides. When Billy first entered the small lodge, it was simple in it's design. Everything in it's place, and a place for everything. Two doors lead out of the main room. Billy guessed one to be the bathroom, and the other a separate bedroom.

The room he stood in, was a combination; kitchen, dinning area, and from what he could tell, a living room. But, this living room, was quite different from all of the rooms he'd ever seen.

In the center, as a large pit with a chimney disappearing up through the ceiling. A fire, the fire that Ahzza must have started, burning within it's cemented, stone circle. All around the pit, was a ring of Buffalo hides. It was on these hides, that Sam Trueheart had taken a seat, folding his legs under him.

With his hand, Sam motioned Billy to take a seat next to him. Slowly, Billy lowered himself into the think, bristly hides. Once settled, Billy reached out to touch the hides, feeling it's thick, coarseness against his finger tips.

Curiosity kept his eyes wandering around the lodge, picking out painted Buffalo skulls, leather bags, bows and arrows, western art decorating the few sparse walls. It was only the sound of Sam's voice, that brought Billy's attention back to the conversation at hand.

"The dream you have spoken of, is a prophesy of my people. Two-hundred years ago, an ancestor was in danger of being captured by an evil force. In order to keep this evil force from taking his powers, Walking Wolf separated himself into a wolf, and light. For two-hundred years, my people have waited for the wolf to embrace the light, and return the Power to the Earth, to protect it and it's people.

"But, when those two-hundred years passed, and the day came for the prophecy to be fulfilled, something happened, and the prophecy never came to pass.

"A shaman, from this reservation, gathered together with other shamans from other tribes, and fasted for several days, trying to find the answers. What they were able to find out, was that; instead of one body for the Powers to bond with, there were two. Two babies had been born on the exact day, and time as the shaman, Walking Wolf, had separated himself. The power of the light bonded with one of the children, and the powers of the wolf with the other."

"What is the ‘Power'?" Billy asked.

"The Power is great. It is the Power of Light. The power to create, and the power to destroy. The Light holds the powers of the elements. Who ever holds these powers, has the ability to control the elements. The Wolf holds the powers of change. Who ever holds the powers of the Wolf, can change anything to be anything else. Like turning a rock into water. The powers of the Light, are Walking Wolf's magic, and the powers of the Wolf, are his shape shifting abilities. These powers are strong alone, but together, they can control the destiny of man."

"But, why am I having these dreams?"

"I feel that you have some special ability, and I suspect, that it is a premonition that the prophecy is about to be fulfilled."

"You said something about the Wolf embracing the Light? What will happen, exactly, should these two individuals meet?"

Sam was unsure about the answer. He had spent so much time wondering when, that he had never really thought about the ‘how'. "I do not know. But the sign that it has happened, will be that the sky will instantly be filled with a blinding light. This will happen weather it is day or night. This light will pass over the Earth, like a wave, starting from the point where the two powers have joined, and ending there as well."

"Thank you Mr. Trueheart, for shedding some light on my dreams. At least I don't think I'm going crazy anymore." Sam smiled, and reaching over, patted Billy firmly on the shoulder.

"If you dream anything more, or have any questions, just come and see me. I'll be teaching a Native American History class at the University this fall." Sam smiled. He loved having the opportunity to teach people about the Native American culture.

"I'll be attending AGU in the fall, myself. Thanks again for your help." Billy shook Sam's hand as they stood and headed for the front door.

As Billy opened the door, and started to head out, he stopped in his tracks, his laughter filling the air. Before them stood three, mud covered, figures, and one, small, squirming, brown piglet.

"Ahzza! David!" Sam said sternly, after his own slight laughter faded away.

"I'm sorry Sam. I couldn't help it." David said, taking the squealing, squirming animal from Tommy's arms. Once freed from his burden, Tommy began to walk towards Billy.

"Keep laughing," Tommy said, as he slowly approached the still laughing teen, a smirk on his mud, encrusted face, "you're next!" Both teens immediately took off. Billy still laughing, as a muddy, laughing Tommy took off after him.

David and Ahzza turned sad, puppy dog eyes on Sam, as they watched Billy and Tommy take off. Sam shook his head, took the piglet from David's arms, and motioned for them to be on their way.

Once they were gone, Sam slowly made his way to the pen, with the, now quiet, and still creature.

"I think it's almost time, little one. The Power of Light is going to be returned to us soon." Carefully, Sam lowered the small animal into the pen, then gazed in the direction the four teens had taken.

"Soon."

Sedra sauntered over to the viewing device, brushing the clinging dust from her dress and hair.

"Where should I make my entrance? And where would be the most likely place to find the answers I'm looking for?" Carefully, she stepped up to the device, gently moving it, taking in the sites it showed her. "Locan?"

"Yes my Queen?" Locan moved to her side, looking down on the Earth with his own eyes.

"The book spoke of the Indians knowing of the Powers, and it was, in fact, one of them that held the Powers in the first place, did it not?"

"Yes, it did." Locan said, placing the, slowly disintegrating, tome on the banister near them.

"Then, I think I know where we need to go first." Sedra stepped back from the telescope, and evil, eager, smile on her face. "Shall we Locan?"

Locan's eyes lit up a the thought of combat. He had been ready for a very long time. Pulling his sword from it's sheath, he placed his helmet on his head. "I'm ready, my Queen." In a burst of red flames, the two disappeared from the empty castle.

***

Billy gasped for breath, as he hid behind a small shed. Tommy had nearly caught him, twice, and he knew that the next time he would.

At some point, Ahzza and David had joined in the chase, David taking Tommy's side, and Ahzza taking his...or so he thought. That was, until she had ratted him out to the other two, then stood laughing as they began to chase him again.

God, he couldn't believe how good it felt. All that time, basically ‘trapped' inside the Construction Core, and all the time before that, hiding within the bowels of the Power Chamber. Once he was out of the CC, he promised himself that all of his spare time would not be spent in the Chamber.

He had, had plenty of time to let go of the anger he felt at not having the Power anymore. And the depression he had felt, when the Gold Ranger powers had rejected him, were gone as well. Things were different, and he was going to do his best to make things even better. He would enjoy the time he had.

As Billy sat quietly, listening for the trio, he started to think of the new evil that had arrived. Who ever it was, that had destroyed Rita, Zedd and the Machine Empire, had yet to put in an appearance, so he was going to enjoy the moment.

The sound of footsteps on rocks, brought Billy's attention back to the moment at hand. Immediately, he held his breath. Lowering himself into a crouching position, he pressed his back against the ruff wood of the shed.

Trying to hear past the beating of his heart, he could barely make out voices. Not too close, but not far enough away. Slowly, he released his breath, forcing himself to keep from gulping another breath, as his lungs demanded that he do. An uncontrolled gasp escaped him, when a large rock; about the size of a silver dollar, followed by two others, came flying over the top of the building, landing several feet away.

"Come out, come out." He could hear Tommy taunting him, as another volley of stones hit the ground infront of him.

Carefully he noticed the direction in which the rocks had come. Billy then, carefully, and quietly, began to move away in the opposite direction. Once he was at the opposite end of the shed from them, he carefully gazed around the area, for the closest cover. Spying a large bolder, several feet away, Billy prepared to run.

Looking back a the other end of the shed, he could see three shadows approaching. Taking a deep breath, Billy spun, darting out from behind the shed, and headed toward the bolder he has spotted moments ago.

Billy didn't have time to wander if his persuers were behind him, or had seen him leave the cover of the shed. One minute, he was running, hell-bent-for-leather, the next; he was stopped dead in his tracks. All he could do was keep from falling, as he wondered if he'd miscalculated how close the bolder was, or didn't see something that might be in his way to the bolder.

Shaking his head, and getting his barrings, he looked up to see what he had run into. From behind him, he heard Ahzza scream, and David and Tommy yelling to him. Quickly he jerked his eyes up, and found a nightmare figure, he hoped to never see again. But, somehow, he was different than he remembered.

Suddenly, his senses kicked in, and he lept back, getting into a fighting stance. "Goldar?" The creature before him spat on the ground at his feet, and slowly began to raise his sword. The gleam of sunlight on the blade, momentarily blinded him. As he rubbed his eyes, he could hear the creature address him.

"Whelp! I'll take you head for calling me by that name! I am a Warrior! Not a slave! And the name is Locan!" Billy watched as the huge creature raised his double edged sword, swinging it in the direction of Billy's head.

Helplessly, Tommy, Ahzza and David watched, as the simian creature began his attack on Billy. Tommy knew he needed to morph, but he couldn't, not will all eyes on him.

Hearing a scream from behind them, David looked back at the reservation, to see a beautiful, white haired woman walking toward them, children scattering before her, a few falling as she grabbed them, said something to them, then tossing them away.

"We've got to help the kids." David yelled to Ahzza, who was watching in stunned horror at Billy and the huge simian creature. Tommy looked at David, then at Ahzza.

"Go ahead. You and Ahzza help the others, and get them out of here. I'll try to help Billy!" David put a knowing hand on Tommy's shoulder, then grabbed Ahzza, and took off toward the spot where the woman was.

Billy expertly dodged the swords blade, barely keeping his head. As Locan prepared for another strike, Billy stood, spun himself around, trying to land a roundhouse kick to the silver armor that Locan wore. In one quick motion, that Billy wasn't quite prepared for, Locan grabbed his leg before it could make contact with it's mark. Locan then jerked Billy's leg up, trying to knock him to his back on the ground. But, Billy was ready. Using years of experience, Billy pushed up with his free leg, somersaulting backwards, and landing on his feet on the ground, before an angered Locan.

"Is that the best you can do?" Billy asked, preparing himself for Locan's next move.

Before Locan could growl out his response, he was hit from behind, making him stumble forward a few feet. With a quickness that Tommy wasn't expecting, Locan spun, his huge, clawed fist, landing a painful blow to the side of Tommy's head, knocking him to the ground. Blackness swam before his eyes, as bright lights seemed to explode in that same darkness.

"Tommy!" Billy yelled, watching the dazed teen shaking his head. But, before Billy could react, Locan was standing over him. A large, clawed hand, grabbed Billy by the throat, lifting him off of his feet. He found himself dangling in the air, trying to breath.

"My Queen. Isn't this the human you had your eyes on?"

Sedra had finally made it to Locan's side. David and Ahzza, unsuccessful in battling her, had gathered the children, and hidden inside of the houses. That had only seemed to anger her further. The Indian fools, had refused to tell her anything about the Power, but kept muttering something about ‘Power Rangers', whatever they were.

She stepped up next to Locan, and looked carefully at the struggling young man held tightly in Locan's grip.

"It's so hard to tell. This one's face is all screwed up, and he's turning blue." As quickly as Locan had grabbed him up, he was tossed just as quickly to the ground.

Billy gasped for air, his lungs aching. Laying on the ground on his back, he felt a much smaller hand grab his chin in a painful grasp.

"Indeed it is Locan. What a fine specimen." Sedra said, as she knelt at Billy's side, looking him over.

"It looks hideous to me." Locan replied. Billy tried to toss him and evil glare, but failed miserably, as a second bout of coughs came over him.

Sedra watched Billy's coughing fit, and as it subsided, she let her hands smooth over his body. An evil smile on her face.

"I wouldn't mind seeing you in this same position at my palace." As her fingers gingerly moved over his abdomen, moving slowly lower, Billy rolled away from her, climbing to his feet.

Startled, and angered by his rejection of her offer, she casually stood, folding her arms.

"That's enough!" Came a voice from behind them. Locan turned, expecting to have to bash the other side of the long haired one's head in. But, the boy was gone, and where he had been, now stood...a rainbow? Locan looked at Sedra.

"Who, or should I say, what are you?" She asked smugly. Sedra quietly inspected the group. There were five of them, dressed in a multitude of colors. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink.

The one in Red, apparently the leader of the group, stepped forward. "We're the Power Rangers. Welcome to our planet. Now get the hell off of it!" He and the others, quickly took up fighting stances.

Looking bored, she motioned to them with her hand. "Locan." Then she turned her attention back to Billy.

The Rangers met the attack head on. If they had thought Locan was anything like Goldar, they were soon proven wrong. With fury, Locan slashed into the group, sending brightly colored bodies flying around him.

When Sedra turned back to Billy, she only had enough time to ask about the Power, before he smiled smugly at her, and disappeared in a column of white light.

"What is this? What magic is this?" Sedra turned to watch Locan fighting the Rangers. At the sound of footsteps behind her, she turned. Before her stood, unafraid, an old Indian man, his long gray hair blowing around his straight, proud shoulders.

"What you seek is not here." Sam watched her, his eyes never leaving hers. Sedra expected him to say more, but the old man only turned and began to walk away. Frustrated, she turned back to the battle.

"Locan! It's time to take our leave." In a flash of red flames, Sedra disappeared. Taking one more swipe at the approaching Rangers, Locan sheathed his sword; and laughing, disappeared in the same manner, green flames marking his departure.

"What was that all about?" Kat asked, holding her aching side. The Rangers had taken quite a beating at the hands of Locan. Each member seemed to be nursing a wound of some sort.

"Something about a Power." Rocky said from behind her.

"Did anyone catch either of their names?" Asked Tanya, as she held her arm.

"The one who looked a bit like Goldar, is Locan. The woman...I don't know." Tommy replied, looking at the spot in which the two had disappeared.

"We'd better get back to the Chamber, and make sure Billy's all right. And see if Zordon has any information about those two." The others agreed with Adam's statement.

"I'll stay here, so that they don't get suspicious about Tommy disappearing all of the sudden. I'll just tell them that the Rangers took Billy back with them, to make sure that he was all right."

"Good idea." Kat agreed. The watched as Tommy demorphed. With a smile, Tommy headed back to the reservation, while the Rangers disappeared from the reservation in a rainbow of light.

Eyes watched from the shadows. Fear growing deep inside of it. Slowly, a nearly invisible form moved from the shadows, where it had watched the battle. The appearance of the form seemed to be that, of a tall man. This form, gazed around the reservation, watching as Sam Trueheart disappeared into his lodge.

"The Mother of the DarkChylde has come. That can only mean that the time of the merging is upon us. I must find the Light and the Wolf. Or we are all doomed." The figure became completely invisible.

Sam thought that he had heard a voice, and turning slightly, as he entered his lodge, he caught sight of Tommy coming toward the houses; but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted, what seemed to be a shadow, shift, then disappear.

"It's time."

"RANGERS, OUR DEADLIEST FOE IS HERE." Zordon stated, as he watched the Rangers gather together before him. Tommy had teleported in shortly afterward. He had driven a short way from the reservation before stopping to teleport in. David would drive his jeep into town for him.

Now that they were all together, Zordon could pass onto them the information he had.

"THE BEING YOU FOUGHT TODAY, WAS LOCAN, AS YOU SAID. HE IS OF THE SAME RACE AS GOLDAR, BUT WHERE GOLDAR HAD BEEN A SLAVE ON HIS HOME WORLD, LOCAN WAS LORD AND MASTER OVER HIM. A TRUE WARRIOR. HE FOUGHT WITH MANY TO TAKE OVER OTHER WORLDS. AND NOW, IT SEEMS THAT HE HAD OFFERED HIS SERVICES TO QUEEN SEDRA. SHE IS SO EVIL AND CUNNING, THAT SHE HAS LAID WASTE, A NUMBER OF GALAXIES, AND DESTROYED LEGIONS OF ARMIES."

"She said something about a great Power." Tommy stated.

"I know what she's looking for." All eyes turned to Billy.

"PLEASE TELL US BILLY." Zordon asked, a bit surprised.

"It's these Powers, that Sam Trueheart and I were discussing at the reservation. Apparently, my dreams are some sort of ESP. Or so Sam thinks. He feels that my dreams are a precursor to these Powers she was talking about."

"How? What is it?" Rocky questioned.

"The how? Even Sam doesn't know. But, what it is, is a Power so great, that used properly, it's powers can create anything or destroy everything."

"Yes Rangers." Alpha said, waving a group of papers at them. "What Billy say's is true. I searched back in the data banks, and found a reference to the Powers of Walking Wolf. To keep the powers from being taken by an evil force. Walking Wolf separated himself into two forms. The Light = his magic, and the Wolf = his ability to shape shift. These Powers were suppose to reunite nineteen years ago, but for some reason, they didn't. But, if these two powers do unite, there will be a power so great that it will be able to do all of the things Billy said. Aye, yi, yi."

"WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH SEDRA AND LOCAN CAREFULLY. BILLY, DID MR. TRUEHEART SAY WHERE THESE POWERS MIGHT BE?"

"No. He doesn't know."

"Then, if Sedra and Locan get ahold of these powers, we will all be in real danger?" Tanya's words were more of a statement than a question.

"YES. THERE WILL BE AN EVIL SO SINISTER, THAT THERE WILL BE VIRTUALLY NO WAY TO STOP IT." Zordon stated to all of the worried teens. "BILLY, IT SEEMED THAT SEDRA HAS SOME SORT OF PLANS THAT MIGHT DEAL WITH YOU. I FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALONE AT ANY TIME. ALPHA AND I WILL TRY TO KEEP OUR EYE ON YOU AS WELL."

"Thanks, Zordon."

"We can't let them find the Powers." Tommy declared. Hoping that they could actually stop the duo, if the Powers were found.

"WE WILL DO ALL THAT WE CAN TOMMY." Zordon agreed.

Billy watched the group in silence. His mind dwelling on a part of his dream he had forgotten about, until that moment. And if his dreams were an indication of things to come, then it was imperative that they stop Sedra and Locan at any cost.

***

Sedra paced back and forth in the dingy throne room. Locan watched through the telescope, at the Earth. Sedra kept rubbing her hands together, unable to stop the tingling that had radiated into the when she had touched the handsome young human.

And she could not forget the look in the eyes of the old man who had confronted her. Or the colorful warriors that had come to the rescue.

"I thought that, that planet was unprotected!" Locan turned to face her, and moved into the room with her. He had never seen her so out of sorts before.

"The journal was written over two-hundred years ago. Maybe, at that time, it was unprotected. But, with the members of the Alliance of Evil hanging around, someone was bound to start protecting it." Locan's words made sense.

"You're right. We just have to find out who these warriors are. Among other things. We also need to find out where the Powers are, and how to take them." Sedra added. Slowly, she began to pace again. Then suddenly, she stopped. Spinning to face Locan, a hungry smile turned her lips. "I think I know what the journal means when it says that the DarkChylde is created from ‘evil innocence'." A picture of Billy laying in the ground, and the feel of him beneath her hands, flashed through her mind. "One parent must be evil, and the other an innocent."

Locan looked at her, not fully understanding what she was saying. She approached him, looking into his eyes.

"I'm the ‘evil', and I must mate with a...virgin. Though, the thought of child birth and rearing, doesn't exactly thrill me; if it gets me what I want, then I'll have to do it."

Quickly, she headed for the door. " My Queen, where are you going?" Locan asked, his voice echoing around him.

"I have to get this place cleaned up. After all, I don't want to bring my child's prospective father into a place like this," she said, motioning around at the dirt and filth. "Or raise my child in it."

"Good point." Locan agreed, watching her leave the room. "But...an ugly human?" Shuttering, he too, left the room.

End