Disclaimer: That which you recognize as Saban's, is Saban's.
Timeline: After 'The Gathering'
Warning: Mild swearing and violence and stuff. As an additional warning, there are no actual 'Power Rangers' in this story.
Notes: This series, 'Dark Rising' takes place after 'The Gathering'. Several of the titles in this series are named after the planets they take place on. 'Dark Rising' can be read in pretty much any order except for the one titled 'Eltare', which will be the finale. A full disclaimer appears after the story, as some of what is disclaimed would make the disclaimer a spoiler, and I hate that, don't you?
Any questions and or comments can be sent to me at Randelm@hotmail.com.

Edenoi
by Randel

Dregon Til'Arthro, otherwise known as Count Dregon of Edenoi poured over the tattered pages before him as he had many times before. This book, known to some Edenoi scholars as the Tome of the Ancients, and to even fewer beings as the Galaxy Book, held within it's ageing covers, the key to ultimate power. It gave a constantly up to date account of a pocket dimension that contained an entire galaxy. Granted, a galaxy isn't all that large on a universal scale, but in terms of dimensions, that's one hell of a pocket.

This galaxy, referred quite appropriately to as, the Lost Galaxy, was the site of incredible power. According to the book, two major powers of evil contested dominance of the galaxy, an insectoid race headed by a being called Scorpious, quite likely related to the people of Edenoi, and an empire of mutant pirates headed by a creature named Mutiny. The power such a confrontation would generate within the confines of a pocket dimension... Dregon shuddered to think of it.

In addition, on a planet called Mirrinoi, rested five magical weapons called the Quasar Sabers, blades that dated back to the time of the first Grid Wars. Blades that, according to the book, were actually imbued with the souls of five of the last six Elemental Masters that ever lived. And in the ten-thousand some odd years that the two evil powers had been fighting over the galaxy, neither had ever had a successful attempt at retrieving the blades.

Finally, the book told of creatures it called Galacta-beasts. At least, that was the closest he could translate it. These 'beasts' were some of the gigantic creatures who first volunteered to experiments of the famed Morphin Master and Artificer, Teeka, that granted them the ability to morph into what were later termed 'zords'. All this and quite likely more, in a pocket dimension that only Dregon knew about. If only he could find the entrance to the Lost Galaxy, find a way to absorb the energy that the fighting of Scorpious and Mutiny would generate, he would destroy the Dark Specter with a thought and rule more of the universe than any one person ever had before. The answer was in this book, and he was going to find it.

"Count Dregon, sir," one of his bodyguards stuck his head into the room.

"What is it?" he snapped, annoyed at having been interrupted.

"Dark Specter, sir," it was said with a slight tremor.

"Of course. Inform him that I shall be with him shortly." Dregon closed the book and stood, composing himself and driving all thoughts of destroying his master from his mind. It was said that Dark Specter could know what one was thinking, especially one so close to him as Dregon was. He walked briskly thorough the hallways, not wanting to look as though he was running like a slave on an errand, but the Specter didn't like to be kept waiting. As soon as he entered the audience chamber near the fore of the ship where a great window clearly showed the lava-encrusted visage of Dark Specter, Dregon sank to one knee in a show of complete supplication.

"What is your bidding my master?" flat, no emotion, Specter liked it that way.

"The Countdown is beginning Dregon." Dark Specter's voice was the grinding of several very large rocks."

"The Countdown my lord? So soon?" This would ruin his plans for finding the Lost Galaxy.

"Soon, Dregon? The plans for the Countdown began before you were born."

"Yes, my lord."

"The strike begins in seventy two hours."

"Yes, my lord. The people of Edenoi are ready to crack, with the pressure of the Countdown, they are sure to fall."

"Spare me the ego, Dregon. Just do your job."

"Yes, my lord."

Specter's blackened body shimmered and disappeared from space. Dregon stood and addressed the guards behind him without turning around.

"Put all units on full alert. Inspection is to be held every other hour, we strike in seventy two hours."

"Yes sir," the younger of the two guards dashed out of the room to relay the orders.

"Kadon."

"Yes sir?" the remaining guard replied.

"Tell me Kadon, can I trust you?"

"Of course, sir," the young man seemed somewhat affronted by the question.

"I want you to send a message to the Council of Edenoi. Inform them that, I am willing to parlay, and wish to meet with them in fifteen hours."

"Yes sir."

"And Kadon, don't tell anybody."

"Yes sir."

~*~

His Highness Prince Dex Til'Arthro of Edenoi, Heir to the throne, and Masked Rider, stifled a yawn.

"I say we accept and meet Count Dregon for his meeting. It is peace we've been fighting for isn't it? Well now Dregon wants peace," said the well dressed Councilor Minden. Personally Dex was curious to know where the manicured Councilor Minden had been fighting.

"And I say you're a fool Minden," the grizzled veteran named Linktur countered, putting Prince Dex's thoughts to words. "Dregon is as under the thumb of Specter as anyone ever was. This is a trick to get us to let out guard down."

"What's more important is the rumors," interceded a young councilor.

"Oh not the Countdown again," sighed Minden, "You place to much on the stuff of legends Octavin. You're overactive imagination is getting the better of you, don't worry about such tales."

But this was something that Dex was worried about. Since his sixteenth birthday five years ago, when he had accepted the mantel of the Masked Rider, Dex had instinctively known that sometime soon the Countdown to Destruction would be put into effect and all the systems under the UAB would be put into danger. It was too much to risk blowing it off as children's nightmares.

The arguing continued and Dex leaned over to whisper softly in the ear of his venerably old father.

"I'm going to go work on my project. Inform me if they come to a decision?"

The white bearded head nodded imperceptibly. As Dex moved to leave, King Lexian put a hand on the young man's arm.

"I too once held the powers of the Masked Rider. The Universe will soon see it's darkest hour. You must succeed my son."

"I understand father." And as unobtrusively as he could, Dex stood and left the council chamber. Once free from the confining area, the young warrior hurried down the hallways until he reached an unmarked door. Placing his palm upon the smooth surface, the door moved aside and closed behind him as he entered the room.

"Lights."

The room lit up at the command to reveal a desk with several scribbled notes scattered across it and a workbench just as littered with various tools and items. The prominent features of the room, however, were the five seven foot tall mist filled tubes that lined the wall opposite the door.

Dex wasn't much of a wizard, or a scientist, but for nearly four years now, he been attempting to create a version of Ranger powers. His own powers were not exactly officially 'Ranger' powers, but they were most definitely morphing powers. No amount of political bigotry could change that. And so he'd been attempting to, using his own powers as a template, create a set of armored and armed beings connected to the Morphin Grid.

It was almost ready. He had five of them, Red, Blue, Green, White, and Black. But it just wasn't right, yet. There was one more thing he had to do. He just couldn't figure out what. And so, he set to work.

Several hours later when a servant was sent to check on Dex, he found the young man asleep at his desk.

"Masked Rider..."

Dex turned his awareness towards where the voice came from.

"Mask..."

"What?" he managed a groggy response.

"Six... the number is six..."

"Number... number of what?"

"Play to you're strengths warrior."

"My... my strengths?"

"Wake up Masked Rider. You are needed."

Dex sat up quickly at his desk, a piece of paper stuck to his face. There was a polite tapping at his door. Stumbling towards the portal, he opened it with a touch and peered out into the hall.

"What is it?"

A young man, probably around the age of fourteen with white-blonde hair and blue eyes stood there. "The Council has decided to accept Count Dregon's offer. You're father has requested your presence," relayed the young messenger.

Dex nodded and sent the boy to tell his father that he would be there shortly. Turning back to the chaos of his workroom, Dex grabbed some of the papers and shoved them as neatly as he could manage into a folder. Looking around a bit, he found the small wooden box on the littered work counter and snatched it up as well.

The two items secured in his robes, Dex strode down the halls with as much stately procedure as he could manage. Father always told him that he appeared to have swallowed a steel pole when he did this, but looking proper just didn't come very easily to him. Unconsciously touching the Ecto-Accelerator at his belt, Dex entered the council chamber where everyone seemed to be moving, preparing to journey to the meeting place where they would 'parlay' with Count Dregon.

"Hello Father," Dex greeted formally.

"Dear Son," returned Lexian with a bit of the amusement to the formal response that he had adopted within the last couple of months. "How goes your project, Dex?"

"Still struggling. I'm close, but..."

"I have faith in you."

Dex smiled, but he couldn't help feeling like the weight he'd been carrying since becoming a hero had just been redoubled. He was shaken from his thoughts by a brown haired blue-eyed young lady who tugged on his sleeve, and asked him what he would be needing for the trip.

"There is a backpack on my bed, if you'll retrieve it please?"

"Certainly your highness," and the girl hurried off.

They were ready in less time than Dex would have thought possible for politicians and made their way with an escort of armed guards and liveried servants to the palace's dock where they boarded the giant hover barge that would transport them to the meeting place in approximately three hours. The dôcor made it rather like traveling on a floating version of the palace.

Dex was shown his rooms by a dark skinned youth, and as soon as the door was closed, he took out his notes and began going over them again. He got through almost half a page before he threw them onto the bed in disgust. He'd read those words a thousand times. He could recite them in his sleep. Taking a deep breath, Dex seated himself on the floor and closed his eyes.

He knew, though he couldn't see it, that the small gem set into his forehead was glowing softly. Every Edenite had such a gem, a focus that allowed for psionic gifts of varying degrees and power. Dex was one of the strongest on the planet, partially due to his heritage, partially due to his constant training. In the last couple of generations, many had stopped training and the abilities were beginning to dim.

Letting his awareness drift, Dex flowed past the minds of those on the barge and out into the barren wastes that dominated the planet outside the cities. He did, however note in passing that some few of the younger minds aboard the ship were well trained, perhaps it wasn't as bad as he had thought. Out, out past the mountains and canyons, though the layers of atmosphere, glancing at the twin barren satellites, and easing onto the astral plane from the vacuum of space. Here, for a while, he could be spared the responsibilities of being Prince of Edenoi. Here, he was not expected to save a planet as Masked Rider. For a while, he could just relax.

And then there was beckoning. Another force on the Astral Plane wanted him to follow. Needless to say, following an unidentified being was not the safest of ideas, on this plane or any other. However the presence, whatever it was, did not have a feeling of maliciousness about it. And so with some caution, Dex followed.

For a mortal from the Prime Material Plane, access to the Astral Plane wasn't easy. However, once there it was quite a site. It appeared as an infinitely large empty space interspersed with points of light of varying shades of varying colors bridged by walkways of the same sort of light. It was along one of these walkways (blue speckled with red and green) that he traveled. Though of course, Dex did not actually walk along the bridge, as in this place he was not much more than a phantom.

In what might have been a few minutes or much longer (time meant much less in this place than it did in his own,) it became quite apparent that he was being drawn to one of those points of light. It grew as he approached and before he knew it, he was bathed in a multi hued light flashing and sparkling with painful intensity. A sudden torrent of psychic energy filled the area forcing Dex to battle for his sanity as it threatened to overwhelm him. And in the next moment he understood. Before him stood five shining armored figures. Red, Green, Blue, White, and Black, each insectoid carrying a unique weapon.

Knock, knock.

Dex opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented from the quick drop thorough Planes. Standing, he opened the door to see four young servants standing outside. Three he had already seen today. The blonde youth who had told him the council had come to a decision, the girl who had fetched his backpack, and the dark skinned young man who showed him to his rooms. The fourth was a bit taller than the others, probably older too, with brown hair.

"Yes?"

"We've arrived, your highness," said the blonde kid.

"Right, tell them I'll be there shortly."

"We're to be your escort, your highness," responded the girl.

"Escort?" She nodded.

"Alright, I'll be ready in a moment."

"Since when did Masked Rider need an escort?" Dex grabbed his notes and the small wooden box and gestured for his escort to lead the way.

They navigated the somewhat narrow halls and entered a room where guards, servants, and councilors were preparing to disembark and enter the Neran Teshar, an ancient meeting ground where, before the planet was united under one rule, the rulers of the countries would come to meet.

~*~

Dregon stood in the hallowed halls, his token guard standing behind him, an advisor at each side. And in they came, a bit of music was all that was needed to make this a full blown parade. First came a unit of soldiers in their gold and green livery and polished armor. Then the king's honor guard, old Lexian himself wasn't visible with them surrounding him. Then came his nephew Dex, the Ecto-accelerator all to obvious on his belt, followed by four servants of his own. Finally came the rest of the council, plus personal servants, plus personal guards.

The council members approached the side of the gigantic table opposite Dregon. When all were in place, including Lexian at the throne like seat of honor and Dex at the seat to his right, the council sat down and their servants took up places behind them. Dregon remained standing.

"Your Majesty, esteemed Council members," addressed Dregon, "I am glad you saw fit to attend. As you've been informed, I am willing to make peace. I will cease all attacks on Edenoi effective immediately. All I want in return is a small estate away from everyone to live out my days, and unimpeded transport out of Edenoi space for my men." Dregon paused for a moment and scanned his audience. Lexian, calm as ever was always unreadable. Dex appeared skeptical, but that was to be expected. The rest of the council, however, seemed quite willing to believe, except that weather old man who was glaring at him.

"For the past three years I have waged war upon my homeland and my family," Dregon bowed his head slightly towards Lexian, "And for what? What have I gained in all this time? Not the power Dark Specter promised, or the escape from death, or the riches. I was blinded by the evil Specter's false pledges and made to hurt those I should have been helping..." The repentant man's voice trailed off a bit as he suddenly became aware of a weakness in psychic reality very near by. "My advisor... Kadon. Kadon, please relate the... the details of my... offer." And Dregon sank into his chair, his mind working furiously to find this weakness, his self-control struggling to keep his hope in check.

But it would make perfect sense. Not much more than ten thousand years ago the eldest son of the Scropio noble family had been sentenced in this very room. What if his sentence had been banishment to a pocket dimension? What if it had been to the Lost Galaxy, and this Scorpio that Dregon had read about was his descendent?

"But if I have sensed it, Dex surely will as well, if he hasn't already. I must find this weakness and then ultimate power will be mine!"

He reached out, practically groping in his eagerness to find it. And then, there it was, a pulsing power, a thinness between this dimension and another. He reached out and probed it. The power responded and he let it fill him, grasping the weakness and making it a tear, and then ripping it open.

A crashing of rock as the wall exploded and a white oblong portal winked into existence. Quite suddenly several green carapaced insectoid creatures buzzed through the portal. Dregon reached through the power he had recently gained and sent a mental command.

"Kill them!"

~*~

"Ecto-phase Activate!"

Dex quickly transformed and threw himself at the creatures swarming towards his people. Instantly, several attacked him and he responded with several quick punches, knock the enemies back. The Council members were retreating with screams of alarm, followed closely by their servants as the guards advanced on the green goons. Lexian's bodyguard had formed ranks around him, but the ageing king was refusing to be taken back to the barge and had drawn a blaster.

Masked Rider looked around and spotted Dregon, the golden mask he wore hiding any expression his uncle might have.

"Electro Saber Activate!"

The Blade appeared in Dex's hand and he charged his traitorous enemy. As his blade swung in a downward arc, Dex felt a surge of apprehension. Dregon was making no move to protect himself. A full two inches from the villain's face, the blade stopped.

"Time to die, Masked Rider." Dregon's voice was flat and emotionless. And then an unseen psychic blast knocked Dex off his feet and impact with a stone wall knocked him out.

The Prince of Edenoi awoke rather suddenly, four concerned faces peering down at him.

"What happened?"

"Dregon knocked you out," it was the blonde kid, part of his escort.

"My father?"

"Is safe. He and most of the councilors got away, a lot were captured though. Those who weren't killed in the fighting."

"Where are we?" Dex tried to sit up but was only able to do it with the assistance the dark skinned kid.

"A small side chamber in Neran Teshar, probably some old broom closet or something. Those bug things haven't thought to look here yet," answered the older one with brown hair.

"I've got to help them," muttered Dex.

"Not by yourself," the girl said fixing the prince with a stare. The other three seemed to agree with her.

"I can't put the four of you in danger."

"They're our people too. Your highness."

Dex stared at them. They're only kids, but they were determined. It was rumored that the Turbo Rangers of Earth weren't much older than these four appeared to be. Then Dex had an idea. Reaching into his robes he took out the small wooden box and opened it. Inside rested five plain golden disks. Coins.

"Play to your strengths, warrior. Telepathy..."

"Take one each," said Dex somewhat solemnly. Each kid reached in and claimed one of the coins, leaving one to remain in the box. Dex sat down in a classic mediation position and the others followed suit until they were sitting in a rough circle.

"Concentrate upon the coin in your hands, there is nothing but the coin. Only the coin..." Dex stretched out his awareness to the four young people and was somewhat surprised when they received him easily and they melded into Link, with him leading.

Then he stretched out towards home and his private workroom where five mist filled tubes rested containing the prototype body armor and weapons of his project. Then suddenly Dregon's masked face appeared and a blinding pain shot through Dex's head. He heard shouts from his companions.

"Damn, shouldn't have brought the kids into this..."

When he opened his eyes he saw the four shaking themselves and standing up.

"What happened?" muttered the dark skinned one.

"My uncle, happened."

There were a few more seconds of silence and then the blonde one exclaimed; "My coin!"

It was in fact, no longer a featureless disc, but a palm sized, stylized rendition of a beetle, colored blue and silver. The others each had one as well, red for the girl, green for the dark one and white for the tall one.

Dex couldn't help but smile. It worked.

"What about that one?" asked the girl. A black and gold beetle figure rested amid the shattered remains of the small wooden box.

Dex scooped it up. "I don't know yet. All right, we're going to try and go save those people. Stick with me, don't do anything foolish and if we need to communicate, use telepathy. When it's time to transform, I'll give the call. Understood?" The four nodded and something quite embarrassing came to the young prince. "Uh... What are your names?" he asked, face reddening.

"I'm Drew," the blonde one answered. "This is my sister, Jo, my best friend Roland, and Josh."

Dex shook their hands in turn, musing over the odd names. "Call me Dex, there'll be no 'Highnesses' if were to work as a team. Now, let's go."

The five crept through the darkened hallways, keeping a sharp eye out for the bug creatures and Dregon's own Plague Patrol that would undoubtedly be roaming the halls by now. If one of them spotted trouble they would inform the others via the telepathic link they'd set up and quickly hide. They managed like this for at least an hour when they approached a heavily guarded doorway.

"That's gotta' be it," sent Roland.

"And that's a lot of guards," responded Drew.

"Getting past them shouldn't be nearly as much trouble as getting out of here with all the captives in tow," added Josh.

"What do we do Highness?" asked Jo

Dex thought hard. Before, when it was just him, the decisions were easier, but he had a team to protect now. "Don't call me that. All right, first thing is to take those bruisers out as quietly as possible. Which means we can't transform. Then we get out of here, I'll contact the palace and a mass teleport will take us home."

The four got as close as they could when one of the guards spotted them. Dex leapt forward and dealt the man a crushing blow to the side of the neck. The others soon joined the fray and chaos reigned. Jo, her small size something of a disadvantage, caused the enemy to disregard her as a threat, quite a mistake on their part as she used her training to strike in the most sensitive spots. Drew was close beside her making certain that none got close enough to harm his sister and Roland and Josh both watched his back. In surprising little time, the villains all lay incapacitated. Next was the heavy steel door baring their path.

"Stand back boys, I got this one," Jo strode forward and cracked her knuckles.

"Jo, what are you doing?" but instead of answering her bother, Jo pushed, and with a groaning of metal, the door snapped its locks and opened.

"How-?" started Dex, but couldn't finish.

"I'm not sure, I just knew I could do it," the girl shrugged.

Carefully the five entered the chamber and found several people staring at them, Linktur, the grizzled old council member jumped up and quickly approached Dex. "Ha! Good to see ya' Prince."

"I'm glad to see you alive too Councilor. How are the prisoners?"

"Not good. One boy with a broken leg, some blade and blaster wounds, and several broken spirits."

Dex took a deep breath and raised his voice, "We're going to get out of here. You two," he pointed at a couple of strong looking young men, "Help the boy with the broken leg. The rest of you, arm yourself with the weapons of the guards outside. Then stick close. We have to work together to get out of here alive."

Dex and his team kept their telepathic awareness stretched ahead and behind them scanning for unfriendly life forms, but none appeared and after an hour of tense sneaking, they saw the front doors. Out in the sunshine again, the escapees' relief was short lived.

"Well Dex, you didn't die after all. Pity." The prince whirled to see Dregon watching them. Alone.

"Your little scheme didn't work Dregon. Father has escaped and these people are going to as well." Dex reached into his robes and pushed a button on a com link he'd retrieved. "Linktur, contact the palace and get everyone out of here. I've got some business to take care of." The old man nodded and began speaking quietly into the communicator.

"You mean we've got business to take care of," responded Drew, taking up a position next to Dex.

The Masked Rider was about to protest but thought better of it as Roland, Josh and Jo all joined him. A bright flash behind him signaled the teleportation of the prisoners, but Dregon didn't seem to take notice.

"Children, Dex? Your bodyguards are children?" The Count was truly amused.

"Stuff it Dregon. Ready guys?"

"Ready!" they chorused.

Dex had been pondering the situation since deciding to give the kids the power. They'd never transformed before, and the first time wasn't exactly easy, and this certainly wasn't the time for failed attempts. However, since he'd had a lot of experience transforming, if he gave a more generalized transformation call than his individualized 'Ecto-phase activate' it would help jumpstart the kids. And so, to activate his team for the first time, Dex shouted a phrase he'd never given before.

"It's morphin time!"

"Ecto-phase activate!" As Dex flashed a dark green, something resting against his chest warmed. "Six..."

"Beetle Bonders, Beetle Blast!" a chorus of four shouted.

"Red Striker!"

"Green Hunter!"

"White Blaster!"

"Blue Stinger!"

The warmth touching Dex's chest began to burn and then exploded. A fifth voice joined the others.

"Shadowborg!"

"Impressive, Dex. Your own team of pseudo Rangers. Too bad they'll not survive the day."

"We'll see about that Dregon," answered Dex. He glanced to either side of him, quickly looking at his team in their gleaming armor. The presence of the black, Shadowborg, confused him, but it would have to wait.

"You've messed with our planet long enough!" Shouted Blue Stinger.

"You're attacks stop now," added White Blaster. And with that, the battle was joined.

Dregon had somehow become incredibly powerful. Masked Rider aimed a punch, immediately blocked and then Dex found himself on the defensive. A powerful kick knocked Masked Rider off his feet and then Blue Stinger and Red Striker were on him, their double teaming and training paying off as Dregon was unable to reverse the momentum. Until a golden light flashed and the two were thrown through the air. The gold light coalesced into a single edged blade, and instantly Josh and Roland and Shadowborg attacked, but were quickly repelled by the blade.

"Drew, Jo, are you alright?" asked Masked Rider franticly.

"Ungh... yeah, I'll be fine," answered Drew.

"No offence Dex, but your uncle sucks," commented Jo as she gained her feet.

Dex blinked and turned back to the enemy who was looking at them. Waiting patiently.

"Weapons," he ordered.

"Electo Saber!"

"Hunter Claw!"

"Striker Blaster!"

"Shadow Grappler!"

"Blaster Lance!"

"Stinger Blade!"

And again the six heroes attacked. Blue Stinger got there first and his slash was parried and countered. Blue Stinger parried the attack aimed at him and the next, but Dregon's third was too fast. As Blue fell, Red Striker flew in with flying kick and a loud yell. Dregon blocked with a kick of his own, connecting with her midsection, but the attack had been a distraction as was evidenced by White Blaster swinging his staff like weapon at Dregon's legs. There was a definite curse as the evil lord went down, but he was up quicker than should have been possible. White received a nasty uppercut and Masked Rider charged in to score two hits before Dregon could bring his weapon to bear. Dex and his uncle fenced for a bit when suddenly a black grapple attached to a metal cable sped out of nowhere and latched onto Dregon's sword. A green claw clamped around the evil one's waist from the right and Dex leveled his sword at his throat. Blue and White took up positions on either side of Masked Rider while Red powered up her Striker Blaster and pointed at Dregon.

"Well done heroes," the man didn't even sound winded. "But you've not won yet." There was a small explosion and the heroes were thrown into a heap more than twenty feet from Dregon.

Masked Rider felt his powers putting as much energy as they could into repairing his damaged body. In his mind he could feel the pain and fear of each of his companions, but he could also hear the determination.

"Warriors," the voice did not belong to any of the four recently recruited kids, "I've found where Dregon is getting his power." The voice was light and definitely feminine.

"Shadowborg?" asked Dex

"Yes, now hurry up and follow or Dregon will have us."

Six awareness traveled quickly as they could into the depths of Neran Teshar, where they found a portal, energy flowing quickly out of it.

"What is this?" asked Jo.

"I don't know, but it's where Dregon's drawing his power from," answered Shadowborg.

"Dex?" asked Roland.

"Let's link, we should be able to close it with our combined powers."

The link was formed effortlessly and with a great deal of psychic strength, they managed to close the portal. All this took less than twenty seconds, but it seemed to the heroes that it had taken hours. As soon as the portal was closed they found themselves back in their unmorphed bodies staring at Dregon who had began to glow with black energy.

"It doesn't matter that you've destroyed me. I had lost sight of the ultimate goal, but now I see. The glorious Dark Specter has initiated the Countdown to Destruction. In three days the attacks will begin and you will not escape him." The laugh that only one of purest evil can manage bounced off the walls which began to crack and crumble. The heroes backed away quickly as first Dregon exploded in a cloud of black light and then Neran Teshar began to collapse in earnest. There was a visible warping of space, a loud crack and then silence.

Dex looked around at his teammates, especially studying the black haired female. "Well team. What do you say we go home?" Tired nods were the only answer.

~*~

Shara Morrin, stared around herself, still in awe. She marveled at the architecture of the private chambers of King Lexian, at the features of the people around her, at her own coal black hair and pale skin, the clear gem in her forehead, her grey eyes... her life. Until only a few hours before she hadn't existed. The first physical thing she remembered was Master Dex shouting the words of power, and then she had taken form as Shadowborg and had assisted her Master in defeating his enemy. And now, she was a living breathing mortal.

Upon return to the palace, she and her team had immediately been show to the chambers of this venerable man who was the father of Master Dex. Master Dex had explained what had transpired after the King had been drug to safety. It was the mark of a good ruler, in Shara's eyes, who would stand and fight for his people. And then they had turned their attention to her. She had explained how there were faint memories of awareness as Dex worked on his project to create a Ranger like team, and how when the battle against the enemy had started, she had been drawn into life.

Apparently something like this had never happened before. They had asked her name, "Shadowborg," she had answered, but that was her warrior name and didn't seem right. The others had agreed. The girl, Jo, had suggested Shara, meaning Shade in the old language. Roland had suggested Morrin, which meant Warrior in the old language. So essentially her name was still the same, but it felt right to be called Shara Morrin in her mortal Edinite form, so she accepted.

"So the Countdown has finally begun," sighed Lexian. "You six must go to Eltare."

"We've only got three days, your Majesty," objected Drew.

"Then you must hurry." The six nodded. "Go now, and may the power protect you..."

End

Disclaimer: The Masked Rider and all related items, planets, and people belong to Saban. The Beetle Borgs and all related powers, items, and... stuff, belongs to Saban. Wow, makes the guy sound kinda' greedy, huh? However, all things not belonging to Saban, belong to me. That's right, me. And only me. So there. For a full list of which things in this story that belong to me, please see my e-mail address below.
Thanks: Big thank you goes out to Commander Crayfish for information on the Beetle Borgs.
Final Note: As may be readily obvious to those who are fans of Masked Rider and/or the Beetle Borgs, I am not incredibly familiar with those shows. However I couldn't just leave Edenoi out of all this as it is definitely a part of the PR Universe. And so, I adapted. If you've got a problem with that, don't hesitate to e-mail me. Randelm@hotmail.com