Universe 19930828
Year 2000
Lightspeed Aquabase
Mariner Bay, California
When the Doom Slayer stepped through the blue portal, a familiar sight greeted him. Lights flickered, and alarms blared in the room. As he surveyed the area, a nearby window caught his attention. Peering through the reinforced glass, he determined he was again in some sort of underwater facility.
He raised his left arm, looking at a red stone locked in his gauntlet. Its glow would intensify the closer and more powerful an evil entity was in his proximity. For his objective, he pressed onward.
With his plasma rifle ready, he marched out of the room and into the dim hallway. It didn't take long for him to hear light screeches, the flap of wings, and the tatter of footsteps. Just as he turned a corner, his gaze met those of a seemingly endless group of creatures.
They were bipedal. To the Slayer's estimation, it was another variety of imp. Its body was deep black. Like a bat, it adorned pointed ears and its respective wings. Its chest bore the golden symbol of a demonic tail. Beady yellow and red eyes looked at him in confusion and hesitation. Red claws, swords, and rifles soon raised swords to attack. Just as his gauntlet identified, the filthy vermin's last mistake was daring to point weapons at him.
A copper crucible attached to the focusing lens of the Plasma Rifle absorbed residual thermal energy from the weapon. Decisively, a secondary trigger was pulled. The Rifle transferred the heat to a borosilicate diffusion chamber, discharging it instantly. A heated pressure wave unleashed its fury. An entire section of the army had been vaporized by the UAC D-93 Model Plasma Rifle, with the surrounding crowd knocked to the ground. Following their demise, the rest of the army converged on the lone man. It was hundreds against one, an uneven match- for them. Their measly attacks peppered his armor.
His right hand rained down high-intensity plasma while his left swiped at them with an extended arm blade. To his surprise, on the blade's first contact, sparks flew. Instead of usual blood and guts, the demon exploded in an array of fire and smoke. That was new. Another Batling ran up to him, only for it to take a punch to the gut, exploding it into more smoke. It must just be how demons are in this world.
As the Plasma Rifle's magazine emptied, he let it go, returning it to his warp pack. Pulling his right fist back, it hummed in red hellish energy. His arm shot forth faster than a lightning bolt's return to heaven. The sheer power behind the blood punch ignored their defense, ripping a twenty-foot cone ahead into pieces of ash and dust.
Now understanding the threat level of these imp demons, he raised both hands, and a combat shotgun dropped into place. His shoulder-mounted ordnance system fired an EYE-C40 gas canister in the middle of a group, detonating and flash-freezing the nearby targets. One shell spread was all it took to shatter the bodies to pieces. Not wasting time, the shoulder turret spun, shifting modes. A gout of fire breathed out, lighting a dozen of imps.
With the demons nice and seared, the Titanium Shotgun leveled for battle. After charging, the Argent Compression Reloader rapidly fired several high-velocity buck shots.
The song and dance continued on these lesser enemies until they were either liquefied or ashes throughout the corridor. With this brief pause to his slaughter, he moved to the next room. It was much larger than the last one. From what little screens were still active, he was probably in the archive section of the facility. From the gem in his gauntlet, he knew there were still bigger fish in the area and needed to know where. The Doom Slayer stopped when he came across a functioning terminal. After thinking for a moment, he reached into his warp-pack and pulled out a foreign device. After locating a data port, he held the object before it, and the metal was configured into a compatible connector.
A few seconds after inserting the device, a blue circular logo appeared on the screen. "Connection to the Fortress established. Beginning the search for relevant information now." Several images popped up on the screen: an ancient tomb, several demons of varying sizes, and schematics for weapons and vehicles. "According to the available database, this city of Mariner Bay was unintentionally built on an ancient demon burial ground." The Slayer's fists clenched in agitation. "It is said that the Demons ruled the land around Mariner Bay five thousand years ago, a real threat to early human civilization. Cave paintings depict what appears to be a powerful wizard who managed to seal all the Demons in a tomb. They remained imprisoned there for thousands of years until recently." His combat shotgun pumped, ready to purge.
"We are in the underwater base, designated as the Rescue Ops Center. Much like the Armored Response Coalition, the humans here prepared for the potential demonic invasion, designated as Operation Lightspeed. Water is a natural deterrent for these demons. Unfortunately, like ARC, they are currently under invasion."
While Holy Water was useful against most demons, to hear that these were against water, in general, was a surprise. As much as he could flood the entire base to flush out the demons here, he would hold it off as a last resort. Suddenly, the entire base shook, and a small part of the reinforced glass cracked. The Marine turned to the screen for an answer. "Warnings show that mechas designated as the Omega Megazord and Lifeforce Megazord have left the repair hangers, not by human hands."
Understanding what the enemy was up to, the DOOM Slayer started marching out of the room, ready to clean house.
"The Omega Megazord has departed for the surface while the Lifeforce Megazord is the current hazard, now approaching the barracks dome number four. I recommend disabling the latter with minimal damage. It may prove beneficial to our mission. I will continue compiling the data and make contact with any survivors."
The Doom Marine simply nodded and searched for the nearest airlock. He disliked underwater combat, but it would not stop his blade.
Meanwhile
'When had it all started going wrong?' thought Captain Mitchell. The Omega Megazord had been damaged in their previous mission, adding to the Rescuezord and Super Train Megazord list. Only the Lifeforce Megazord is operational. In contrast, Queen Bansheera is still at full power, and only a fraction of it is used against them in the city. His only son risked his life to save them before getting captured. If the Queen is successful, she will resurrect ALL the demons from the Shadow World. It wasn't an easy decision, but Carter volunteered to go and save his son. Using the Mobile Armored Vehicle, Carter reached his target, the stormclouds connected to Skull Cavern.
While they waited for the Red Ranger's return, Ms. Fairweather discovered the Batling invasion force. She locked the hanger as best she could, but it soon blasted open. The base had entered Red Alert. Lockdown procedures had been initiated. The Batlings flooded across the base. In the Gallery, Joel and Dana, the Green and Pink Rangers, made first contact, engaging as many enemies as possible and soon morphing.
Evacuating Cadets and Technicians were left to the mercy of the remaining army. Batlings launched grenades and rockets in the narrow corridors, taking them down and out. To assist in the evacuation, the Lightspeed Riot Patrol Squad was deployed. Decked out in helmets, large shields, and heavy padding, their objective was to hold back the Batlings from the non-combatant's evacuation as the Rangers or other troops deployed, this case being Chad and Kelsey, the Blue and Yellow Rangers, respectively.
Suddenly, the entire base was rocked by a quake, seemingly knocking many defenders to the floor. Pink and Green Lightspeed Rangers were also knocked to the floor by this, as were most of the Batlings they were fighting. Those near a window looked out to see the source of the base quaking outside, stomping around the sea floor. It was the Lifeforce Megazord!
The Lifeforce Megazord, holding its red Lightspeed emblem Saber in hand, marched past the dome where the Galley is located. The rogue Megazord headed to one of the supply towers and slashed its Saber into it. A piece of debris from that trashed tower slammed into one of the other Pods! The stray chunk was sent speeding into the Rescue Ops pod, again lowering their defensive line.
Mitchell raced to one of the main consoles with Ms. Fairweather, entering commands as fast as possible. They bring up a display on the small monitors overhead of the Lifeforce Megazord slashing its Saber into the Aquabase and the Batlings inside the co*ckpit.
The Captain gasped, "It's the Megazord!"
Angela noted, "Pod Four is under attack!"
Mitchell stared at the small screen, watching silently as the Lifeforce Megazord whipped its sword around, readying another attack just as soon as the Batlings got the hang of things. Many personnel have been injured in the invasion so far.
Back with the Rangers, the rate of Batlings entering the base versus the amount the Rangers could take down was too much. The four rangers eventually regrouped and locked themselves in the Rescue Ops center. Reinforced metal doors held back the horde of angry Batlings from Rescue Ops entirely.
Green asks Pink, "You okay, Dana?!"
She replies breathlessly, "Yeah, barely."
They both remove their helmets and nod at each other when Kelsey exclaims, "They're gonna hit us again!"
Dana & Joel turned their attention toward her. Outside, the Lifeforce Megazord prepared its Saber to attack one of the main towers.
Kelsey and Chad stood next to Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather. "Everybody, hold on!" They all braced for impact.
The Lifeforce Megazord raised its blade and brought it down. A dull shockwave and reverb washed over the control room, knocking over objects, but surprisingly, not much damage.
Joel looked up from the floor. "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."
Doctor Fairweather was the first to look back at the monitors. "Pod Four... is still standing."
"What?! How?!" exclaimed Chad.
A closer look at the monitors showed that the Lifeforce Megazord targeted something zipping through the water. Its sword flailed around in an attempt to strike while still out of reach of the base.
Those in Ops recover, gasping for air nervously. Captain Mitchell looks especially frightened yet hopeful.
Suddenly, several monitors blinked out before displaying an unfamiliar blue logo. "Connection established. Greetings, Doctor Fairweather, Captain Mitchell."
Joel took a step back. "Uh, Ms. Fairweather. Is this one of your projects."
"No..." The good doctor began typing rapidly against her command console, determined to locate the source of the intruder. "Who are you?"
"Did you cause all this?" accused Captain Mitchell.
The stranger answered calmly, "I can assure you that I mean no harm. We both share the same objective: neutralizing the demonic threat. You may call me Vega."
The team looked at each other before looking back at the screen. Chad spoke up. "Okay, Vega. What do you want?"
"I wish to assist in your endeavors. Your Omega Megazord has been commandeered by enemy forces and is going to the mainland."
The hearts of everyone sank at the news. "We need to stop it," exclaimed Joel.
Captain Mitchell grits his teeth. "We can't do anything without risking more of our personnel's safety with the Lifeforce Megazord stolen and the army behind our doors." He turned to the screen. "If you have a plan to get my people to safety and on the surface, I'm willing to listen."
Vega sounded pleased at the branch of cooperation. "I am mapping out the most efficient path to the Submarine bay and the Surface Access tunnels. My associate will give us time to prepare. He is engaging the Lifeforce Megazord as we speak."
The intelligence received several confused looks. "Who is?"
From a nearby window, several blue flashes of light and reverberations came from the direction of said zord. "You may refer to him as the DOOM Marine." Another explosion in the background went off. "To his enemies, he is the DOOM Slayer."
Earlier
The Doom Marine had started his trek to the closest exit hatch toward the Barracks. Kicking down another door, he soon realized where he was. There were papers and computers knocked over. Several devices remained on the tables, either unfinished or under repair. Turning to the right, he came face to face with a display case for their completed projects and prototypes. He arrived at the Research and Development Labs. This wasn't his first fight with demons, and he never said no to more weapons and gear. The first item to catch his eye was a strange black bracer. It seemed more clunky than the others in terms of design.
From his helmet communications, Vega explained what he was looking at. "You are looking at the first successful prototype of the V-Mode Brace, colloquially known as the Battle Booster. While it lacks newer features, you will be pleased that this model focused more on combat potential than modularity with later projects. It can energize the user's strikes several times over and project a personal shield."
He was now more interested in the device, so he plucked it from his case and placed it on his right arm. The Praetor Suit acknowledged the new item and secured it.
"Normally, you would need to input command codes manually, but I am interfacing it with the controls for your shoulder-mounted cannon. You should have the same ease of use. If you are interested, it is capable of interfacing with the item to its left, the Thermo Blaster."
Hearing that, the Slayer picked up the weapon for examination.
"It fires powerful energy blasts, not unlike the UAC Plasma Rifle. However, its utility mode is more beneficial. Removing the power pack from the handle and inserting it into the upper barrel shifts it to Rescue Mode. It can extinguish fires and fire energy ropes, nets, or restraints."
The Doom Slayer raised a brow at that last one. He could use more crowd-control options.
"When the V-Mode Brace is attached, it shifts into Hyper Mode, providing amplified energy blasts."
With that, he placed it in his Warp Pack for later. He was just about to leave until something big caught his eye. It was a large black and gray double-edged battle axe, not dissimilar to those used by the soldiers of Argent D'Nur. Seeing what looked like a trigger, he got his hands on it. The Slayer appreciated melee weapons, which are also guns.
"What you have is the prototype of the Titanium Laser. It is larger than the current model because it was developed as a proof of concept for the internal mechanisms. It was too unwieldy for their purposes; however, it seems suitable for your build size."
The Marine couldn't agree more and magnetized it to his back. Shaking off the brief distraction, he ran before coming to a diving bay. Not wasting any more time, he dove right in. Contrary to his considerable bulk, he was still mobile underwater. Swimming toward his destination, he could hear the thumps of the underwater mecha. It didn't take long for him to make contact. The large black and gold zord trekked toward Pod 4, sword in hand. Putting two and two together, the Slayer dashed toward its estimated line of fire.
After getting within range, the Lifeforce Megazord drew its right hand back, sword at the ready. Several objects detonated against its arm as its swing began, causing the titanic blade to strike the seafloor instead. This confused the batlings inside. What had happened? Their questions were soon answered as they felt more attacks against them. Turning its head, it found a strange green humanoid with what appeared to be a rocket launcher on the ocean floor.
Feeling this was no threat, the Megazord lifted its left foot and prepared to stomp on it. However, the being didn't move as the metal leg crashed. Sand and rocks swirled in the water below.
The Doom Slayer stood firm on the seabed with a palm raised above his head. Titans had first tried the same attack but quickly regretted it. With a forceful push, the leg went upward, causing the mecha to nearly trip backward.
Swim dashing toward the Megazord, he shot multiple cryo grenades at the left leg joints, locking them in place. Then, for additional effect, rockets were shot at the base of the other leg, shifting its momentum.
With the sudden loss of balance, the Batling pilots of little experience oversteered and tripped the zord onto the ocean floor.
The Doom Slayer smirked as he immobilized his target. Time for pest control.
Back in the co*ckpit, the batlings were going stir-crazy. Had the Rangers gotten a new Battlizer? The pilots managed to maneuver the mech's hand to push themselves up until they heard an ominous echo of creaking metal. Screens were flashing that their hull had been breached. Was that from landing on undersea rocks? They were regretfully mistaken.
As the pilots' life force fueled the Megazord, it was sufficient to say that the Batling couldn't provide as much as the Rangers. The automatic repair system needed to be faster. By the time the hull sealed, they had thought their troubles had lessened, only for them to worsen.
The previous creaking soon turned into loud crashes. Monitors now warmed of internal damage to the Megazord's back. Suddenly, a flood of water came rushing into the co*ckpit briefly. When the demons regained their senses, one was grabbed by the neck and lifted into the air. Head turned to see the same humanoid with a flick of its wrist, and he snapped its neck. The resulting explosion disconnected power from the zord. Before the others could stand up and retaliate, the armored warrior pulled out a heavy scoped rifle. With extreme precision and fluidity, there were five gunshots and five batling heads exploding into ash. Like the base terminals, the Slayer established Vega's connection.
He was less than pleased when his ally started running diagnostics on their recent acquisition. "Unfortunately, you couldn't commandeer the mech with less structural damage. It will need reconfigurations before it can be battle-ready. "This Lifeforce Megazord is somewhat damaged but may still be useful. Thankfully, the Zords are modular. I will begin bringing mass transport from the Fortress service gantry and the Aquabase, but I recommend heading to the surface. I am detecting increasing levels of demonic energy."
On cue, the gemstone on his gauntlet shined. Something big was coming, and he needed a visual on the surface. Nodding in understanding, he waited, and a portal appeared within the co*ckpit.
Mariner Bay
In the city, the Omega Megazord placed a stone pillar where a few buildings once stood. Four tall stones aligned in a clear circle. In the Red Ranger's co*ckpit seat, Jinxer notes, "The circle of stones is almost complete, my Queen!"
Within Skull Caven underneath Mariner Bay, Queen Bansheera replies, "Then it's time for me to join the party! Ahahaha!" She holds the Golden Key as she laughs, the essential tool for said party.
On the city's streets, a cop directed the flow of pedestrian evacuation. One frantic guy slammed into him and fell to the ground, prompting the police officer to help the man up. As he did this, he suddenly heard something large flying overhead. The cop and all the civilians behind him gazed upward in astonishment and fear.
The main mountain palace from Skull Cavern hovered in and landed in the center of the circle of stones! Queen Bansheera stood in the right eye socket and proclaimed, "Excellent! With the circle of stones nearly in place, my triumph is at hand! NOTHING can stop me now! Ahahaha!" The Omega Megazord put the fifth stone in place just a few yards away from the newly inserted Skull Cavern palace.
#
Sprinting through, the Doom Slayer appeared in the city in chaos. A glance at his gauntlet showed that he was getting closer. The streets of what he assumed was Mariner Bay were torn up with crowds running in terror. Not too far away, he saw the second Megazord carrying a large stone pillar. It paid no mind as it crashed against buildings, tumbling them down. When the people noticed him, they immediately ran toward him for help. Wanting them out of the danger zone, he made quick gestures for them to continue running away from the mecha and toward the sound of sirens in the distance. Vega notified him that Emergency Services were already active, and he continued running toward the danger.
Overturned vehicles littered the streets. Many firefighters were already working on freeing those trapped inside, but they could only do so much at once. In one overturned car, a young woman cried out as she punched at the window glass to no avail. Smoke filled her lungs as her strength gave out. She believed she would die here. When all hope seemed lost, the metal of her door creaked before getting ripped off its hinges. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, she crawled out in joy. She expected a firefighter or perhaps one of the rangers, but the giant of a man in green armor was new. As intimidating as he seemed, her fear was overruled by her gratitude. "Thank you! Thank you!" He gestured for her to leave the area ASAP, and she wasn't complaining.
The closer the Doom Marine got to the epicenter, the more lonely the area became. Finally, he reached a block closer before another building started to collapse. For a split second, he paid no mind, but in the corner of his eyes, he saw something move.
#
A child left behind tried to limp to safety. His eyes stung from tears. His dad was supposed to meet him at home, but the emergency sirens came. Usually, he would follow protocol with the others and evacuate as normal. This time, he was at the source. Everyone was in a panic. People were walking over each other, trying to get away. The same happened to him. In their panic, someone had sprained his ankle. Farther behind than the others, he continued to limp out, hoping that he would live and see his family again. Suddenly, another violent quake came. Turning to the left, he saw the building cracks expand. His stomach fell as the shadow over him grew. Before the kid could register it, he felt a pull before his sight went black.
#
Dust and smoke rose from the recently collapsed building. For a moment, it was as silent as the grave. Then, suddenly, the rubble began to rustle. The rustle grew to a shake. Soon, in a burst of concrete and debris, there stood the Slayer no worse for wear. His right arm held a young boy close. The little one passed out from everything that happened, and he didn't blame him. The pure hatred in the man's eyes burned once more in the thought of the demons. Looking at the child, however, a feeling of relief resurfaced. Despite his hatred, he knew what he had to do first. Tapping his helmet, he called for assistance.
On the other line, Vega answered. "Evacuations at the Aquabase are almost complete. The Android Rangers have been a help in diverting attention and culling their numbers. I'm sending a personnel evac to your location now." Mere seconds passed when it arrived. The Slayer was surprised at the design. It was a blue mechanical bird that seemed to have parts like weapons themselves. "Secure the passenger for treatment." Shrugging it off, he began strapping the young man in for emergency transport. As he finished, a screen on the bird's chest lit up.
"Marine? Do you read me? This is Captain Mitchell of the Lightspeed Aquabase. Please advise. Two of my men are engaging the Omega Megazord now." Just as told, two men, one red, one silver, came flying onto the scene.
Seeing things escalating, the Slayer padded the Rescue Bird, signaling it to leave. Once the boy was safely out of sight, he turned his sights back on the mecha.
#
Meanwhile, the moon slowly covered the sunlight high above planet Earth. In the Skull Cavern palace, Queen Bansheera exclaims, "Excellent! Everything is going as planned! Haha! The eclipse is underway, and only ONE more stone must be placed before my evil reign can begin!"
The Omega Megazord carried the sixth stone into the city over its shoulder and walked into position next to the Skull palace. Suddenly, the Megazord was struck with an energy bolt. Jinxer and his Batlings in the co*ckpit shook up. The entire place was shocked with sparks from the attack. The source of the sudden bombardment was revealed to be Red and Titanium Rangers!
As expected, they're on the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle, with Carter piloting it and Ryan riding atop. Titanium Ranger remarked, "Right on target! Carter, can you get us any closer?"
The Red Ranger nodded. "I'll see what I can do." The RMAV swoops through the air, maneuvering between skyscrapers.
Ryan aimed his weapon. "Titanium Laser, fire!" He blasted away as Carter added, "Missiles, fire!" Two large rockets from the RMAV launched, striking the body of the Omega Megazord.
It's taken aback by the sudden blasts, nearly smashing the tip of the stone on its shoulder into the skull-face of the palace! Bansheera stands on the eye-socket balcony, shouting, "Jinxer, do something!"
In the Omega co*ckpit, Jinxer replied, "Yes, my Queen. Blast them!" As ordered, his Batlings toiled at the control panels.
On the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle, Titanium Ranger told the Red Ranger, "Let's do it together, Carter. Ready?"
"Fire!" Ryan unloaded as much firepower from his Titanium Laser as he could as Carter shot off a few rounds from the RMAV's side blasters. Their attacks pummel into the Omega Megazord.
Only the right arm could retaliate because one of the Megazord arms held the stone. It tried firing its wrist cannons, but attacks prevented that from happening. Jinxer and all the Batlings in the co*ckpit are showered with sparks. The Omega Megazord finally got its arm ready and fired its handheld cannon device. The large beams of heated light shot toward the Mobile Armored Vehicle, but Carter managed to dodge every one of them, instead striking into buildings behind them. The Titanium Ranger has difficulty hanging on while ducking simultaneously but holds on long enough for the blasting to cease. Just before he fired his Titanium Laser back at the Omega Megazord, something else joined the fight.
A loud crack echoes as a seemingly blue beam flies directly into the enemy's co*ckpit. In less than a second, the Batling in seat three was obliterated.
Both the Rangers and Jinxer turned their heads at the source. About two blocks away, a green armored man stood atop a rooftop holding a large two-pronged gun. When his eyes rested on the warrior, a primal fear welled inside him. It was like an overbearing hate washing over him. He and his people only felt this feeling, fear, and hatred once before during the invasion of Dark Spectre, a being that even Queen Bansheera had kneeled to.
Not wasting more time, the Marine aimed again and fired. He proceeded to jump from rooftop to rooftop, getting closer to his goal.
The zord rotated right in reaction, allowing the steel flechettes to strike against its armor instead.
Understanding that it was friendly, the rangers continued their aerial assault, disorienting it. The RMAV swooped back around, taking into the air and passing through the view of the sun, which is nearly a quarter eclipsed. As it flew off to gain more space, the Omega Megazord readied its weapon again. Ryan spotted it, telling Carter, "We're in their sights! Brace yourself!" They tried their best as the Omega cannon's blasts hit the RMAV, knocking it out of control.
Skull Cavern
Queen Bansheera grew tired of the games and demanded, "Hurry, Jinxer! Place the last stone!"
Jinxer hesitated for a moment at the sight of the Slayer but agreed. "As you command, my Queen!" The Omega Megazord returned to placing the final stone in its proper location.
The two rangers grit their teeth in agitation. Then, suddenly, a calming voice spoke. "Greetings, Ranger Carter, Ranger Ryan. To disable the zord, you must target the power cells on its back."
Not caring who it was, Carter answered. "I'll need a clear shot."
From the closest highrise, the Doom Slayer double-jumped onto the Megazord's right arm. Getting closer to its wrist, he charged up his fist. Registering the mental command, the Battle Booster activated. "478. Confirmed." The blood punch had its power amplified ten times. Upon impact, the Zord's arm was immediately crippled, its wrist cannon falling to the streets below in sparks.
As the Megazord recoiled at the surprise attack, Carter made his move. He stood up alongside Ryan on the Mobile Armored Vehicle. Finally, when they were about to come up on it, the Red and Titanium Rangers leaped from the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle, sending the flying machine slamming into the Omega Megazord's back! The RMAV exploded instantly. The igniting of its advanced weaponry sent a surge of destruction ripping into the Omega Megazord. The stone in its left hand lowered.
Carter and Ryan dropped to the ground together, landing safely on their feet just as the Omega Megazord's back exploded. The explosion is so intense that the entire upper body, EVERYTHING above the waist, is obliterated! From the blast, the green armored figure from below drops nearby, looking back up at them before nodding.
Carter looked up. "Thanks for the help, but did it work?" The only part of the Omega Megazord's upper torso that wasn't demolished drops to the ground, its left arm, which still had the stone clutched in hand. It dropped to the ground, passed the legs, and instantly smashed into the streets. The arm released the rock and shattered against the pavement, sending a wrecked truck flying into the air from the shockwave.
Carter sighed. "We destroyed the Omega Megazord, but we had to do it!"
The two Rangers covered their faces as the legs and pelvic region of the destroyed Megazord toppled over explosively. When the smoke cleared, something even more shocking was revealed. Carter puts it best: "What? Oh no! The last stone's in place!" All six stones have ended up around the Skull Cavern palace, towering above the skyscrapers like a giant Stonehenge.
Hearing this for the first time, he turned to the two for an answer.
Ryan lowers the Titanium Laser and lets it fall, stunned. "Their ritual! It's about to start! We need some help!"
Suddenly, they overheard a friend. Chad shouted out, "Carter!"
The Red and Titanium Rangers turn to see their teammates racing down the ruined streets to their side.
A tearful Dana quickly jumped on her brother and hugged him. "Ryan!"
Not far behind, Joel and Kelsey caught up to them. While the unmorphed rangers were relieved that their friends were safe, they finally got a good look at what they assumed was Vega's friend."
Joel looked the guy up and down. "Dang. So you're the Doom Marine Vega was talking about. Thanks for the help back at the Aquabase. Great to meet a guy who appreciates the color green as well." The other rangers were also voicing their appreciation
A man of few words, the Slayer gave them a thumbs up.
Ryan lets go of his sister. "You guys got here just in time. The bad thing is the circle of stones is complete. We've got to stop that ceremony!"
With several nods, the rangers morphed. "Lightspeed Rescue!" In an instant, a light of blue, green, yellow, and pink transformed into their armored ranger uniforms.
Strangely, the Slayer felt a sense of nostalgia from the morph.
Unbeknownst to them, a lone demon limped out from the Omega Megazord wreckage. "Victory shall not deny victory!" Jinxer heaved before landing on his knees. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small case, opening it. Inside was no ordinary monster card. Instead, a lingering dark taint seemed to feed off the air around. It was a gift from Dark Spectre all those millennia ago. It was the strongest creation they had but also the most dangerous. Knowing he was nearing the end, it was time to pull out all the stops. "Rise, Baphomet!" He slammed the card onto his chest. In an instant, the card grew black tendrils drilled into his body, absorbing his very life force. They then wrapped around the burnt metal of the zord.
The group was about to head to Skull Cavern, but a giant burst from the remains. The new enemy was a massive beast with a goat's head, black wings, and hooves. There was an air to it that gave off a sense of dread and despair.
With this new threat appearing, the rangers turned distraught. Beside them, the Slayer's blood boiled, his gem shining like his rage. He was familiar with this kind of demon. Before his journey past the void, he had faced two variations: Baphomet, aka the Icon of Sin.
The Blue Ranger backed peddled in surprise. "What the heck? Where did that thing come from?"
"I think you answered your question there, Chad," answered Kelsey.
Dana turned to Carter. "We lost all our Zords? How are we going to stop it and the ritual?"
Carter shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts for a plan. "I don't know, Dana. I don't know."
Joel turned to their new ally. "You were able to save us from the Megazord back at the base. Isn't there anything you can do?"
Controlling himself, the Marine turned to the Rangers.
As if God answered their prayers, a miracle happened. A new rumbling came as a titanic figure appeared over the horizon. While the Rangers thought its parts looked familiar, the Slayer would never forget the war machines he fought with alongside the Argenta Knights.
The composite Zord stood tall and true when the thrusters finished their descent. Its limbs were black with gold and green highlights. On its chest was the familiar solar array of the Solarzord. Twin guns adorned the shoulders. The zord sheathed a bright red sword in its hilt. After looking at the co*ckpit, the rangers couldn't help but turn their head back to the Slayer to compare. The helmet was the same shade of green but had a pair of large horns reminiscent of a Viking helmet.
Over his comms, Vega spoke. "Slayer, I present to you the Lifeforce Max Atlan."
While the Rangers stared at the newly dubbed Lifeforce Max Atlan, the Slayer walked toward his new toy, soon getting beamed in.
Carter turned his head away from the Atlan and focused on his team. "Looks like he's got it covered, guys."
Ryan agreed. "Let's stop Banseera once and for all."
The Red Ranger led the charge. "We have to hurry!" The six Rangers sprinted through the streets, racing to the palace. Overhead, the sun grew even more blocked by the moon.
In a flash, the Slayer stepped into the co*ckpit, which was much more spacious than he expected.
Vega spoke from the room's speakers. "The user's life force fuels all primary combat functions of this mecha. I'm sure that you will be satisfied with the results. Connecting to your Praetor Suit now." A robotic arm attached an antenna device to the Slayer's neck. "Connection complete." Instantly, the room lit up brighter than before, and several screens read diagnostics at optimal levels. "Booting simulator." A hard-light hologram of Baphomet appeared before him along with the rest of the city. They mimicked the city and the enemy to scale to the Atlan. "Shadow Combat Activated. The Atlan will move as you do." Hearing that, the Slayer grew a menacing smile underneath his helmet. It was time to have some fun.
Outside, Baphomet reached out to the universe, searching for his master, only to find nothing. Dark Spectre lost his physical form. A deep-seated howl echoed throughout the Earth. That was impossible. Across from him, the strange bipedal machine cracked its knuckles. Until recently, the titan seemed to glow an ominous aura like his own. Above them, darkness fell, signaling the start of the battle.
#
From a distance, Ms. Fairweather and Captain Mitchell watched the two titans. "Captain, is that what I think it is?"
"If you mean parts of our Megazords, then yes."
She continued to observe the new design and the foreign pieces. "Do you think this DOOM Marine will be giving it back to us when this is over?"
"If Vega's friend saves this city and we end the Demonic threat, I won't bat an eye if he leaves with it. The Lord knows he'll do more with it than us."
#
Feeling the challenge to his dominance, Baphomet opened his mouth. Crimson and black energy built up before releasing like a laser at his target.
The Atlan seemed not to move until the last instant. A tilt of its head caused the beam to soar past the city and into the ocean miles away, resulting in an explosion over the ocean. Noticing the demon's pause, the Atlan charged in, sword drawn. With tempered fluidity, the colossal blade swung out in a blur, cutting into the demon's chest in a flurry of blood and fire. The right arm came down, slamming against the flat of the sword. With a sickening rip, the sword cut from the chest down to where the kidney would be.
The demon cackled in pain, grabbing the enemy's weapon with his hand and pulling himself off it. The parts of the body that were cut were cauterized shut. Back on the offensive, Baphomet flew upward and commanded the flames of the Underworld to him, wrapping around its arms. After flying up, it clutched both hands together, swinging them downwards, hitting the Atlan's face.
The robot stood still as a statue from the attack. Now that its target was close-range, metal arms grabbed onto the beast. The Atlan picked the demon off the ground and then used a large portion of its body weight to drive Baphomet down to the Earth.
Suddenly, the twin cannons on the Atlan's shoulders lit up, aiming dead center at Baphomet's head. The demon was too close to dodge in time. It pulled away, taking several blasts to his shoulder and horn. Baphomet ran towards the mecha with extended arms out from the side of the body and parallel to the ground, hitting the robot in the chest and nearly knocking it over.
Not taking sh*t from anybody, the Lifeforce Max Atlan's right leg burned with fury. The sole struck the demon's chin with a noticeable crack. Seeing the opening, the Atlan swung its blade one more, cutting off several tendons in the left wing, effectively grounding the beast.
Raising his Lightspeed sword, it charged with the Slayer's Hell Energy. The weapon slashed and unleashed a devastating wave of energy, stunning and knocking the enemy back. The Atlan jumped up and kicked the Baphomet with the soles of both feet, landing back on the ground on its side.
Both metallic arms were raised. From the wrists, barrels extended out. With a resounding click, a hailstorm of bullets as rockets fired.
The Icon felt the explosions, and burning pieces of metal embed themselves in its hide. Taking the pain, he focused. Slowly, bone-plated armor emerged from the body. Growling in rage, the Icon of Sin crossed its arms before disappearing. The next moment, it fell from above, latching onto the Atlan's back, scraping its unholy claws against the hull. Volcanic chains materialized, burning at the metal and wrapping around the neck.
Strong hands quickly grappled the demon, and it dropped fast, impacting the mecha's knee with a surge of pain and broken bones. Its left arm wrapped around Baphomet's neck, driving the beast into the pavement in a Side Headlock Takedown. Before the demon could pull itself up, it felt its left arm restrained back upward. With no pity, the Atlan glowed in hellish energy before repeatedly stomping its metal foot into the back of the demon skull. It was a literal curb stomp.
With each strike to the head, Baphomet seethed. Soon, its body broke apart into ash and reformed in a ready position, charging at the Slayer. Quickly, it grabbed the Atlan by the head and thigh, lifting it into the air before spinning and driving its weight onto the mecha. The Atlan slammed it into the sidewalk as well.
Both demonic claws raised, and tens of flaming pentagrams appeared. Brimstone stalactites rained down on the mecha, sparking with each hit.
Despite the constant attack, the Atlan didn't seem to care. With firm steps, it charged through the rain. Using its left shoulder block, it rammed the demon to the ground. Not finished yet, the Atlan lifted Baphomet by the neck and brought it down with a Chokeslam.
The demon rolled away to cooperate. Taking a breath, Baphomet unleashed hellfire onto the downed opponent. After a full minute of burning, the flames receded. The demon expected the opponent to be melted slag, but it was wrong.
Unfortunately for him, the smoke cleared, revealing the Atlan to be no worse for wear. Its chest was shining brightly. 'Had the robot absorbed its attack,' Baphomet thought.
Without missing a beat, the Atlan dashed to him and grabbed Baphomet by the neck. It reared its right fist back. The foreign hell flames merged with the Slayer's Hell Essence and the Wraith Energy. Like a punch unlike any before, it slammed into the demon's gut, exploding out the other side in a mist of glory.
Back in the co*ckpit, the Slayer dusted his hands at the hologram of a demon flashing orange. The large-scale fight was something to enjoy. He had his fun, but now it was time to finish it.
Within his grip, Baphomet continued to growl and hiss, persistent even near death.
"You may be interested in a new 'finisher' involving the BFG 9000," stated Vega. The Slayer paused to hear more. Soon, the front of the Atlan opened up. The twin shoulder guns shifted and appeared in the chest, forming a familiar structure. "This magnifying array of lenses and rings will pump a constant stream of gaseous Argent through the barrel. This will produce a comparable effect to the previous BFG Model 10,000." Before Vega finished his sentence, the Slayer already had the weapon ready. A monitor focussed back on the Icon. "Sensors indicate a rapid accumulation of energy building within its core. Possibly detonation within a minute."
To prepare for the final attack, the Atlan grabbed the crippled body and started spinning. The resulting Seismic Toss sent the demonic explosive into the atmosphere. The land below was well out of the estimated blast range. The co*ckpit platform lowered the Slayer to the chest at the beginning of the array. Seeing an open slot in front of him, the Slayer knew what to do. The BFG engaged the mechanism, and everything glowed green. Aiming, the Slayer pulled the trigger.
View: https://youtu.be/1MZbLOYtM2Y?si=iVDO9_YOhWERWV7o&t=138
In seconds, the Argent Plasma was fired into the series of reactive lensing rings, becoming a massive particle cannon. A green laser of death soared through the sky, piercing Baphomet's heart. As soon as it made contact, the last thing the hell-born felt was his insides intensely burning. Its skin boiled along with everything else. Almost everyone in the city saw the giant creature explode in a shower of green lightning and red mist. Remnants of Baphomet's power rained down, absorbed into the Lifeforce Max Megazord and the Slayer.
Seeing the live broadcast, people cheered throughout the country at the victory. This task was done, but the fight was not over. Little did he know that this battle caused an uptick in wrestling fanatics worldwide.
Earlier
Skull Cavern
Inside the Skull Cavern palace, Queen Bansheera took the Golden Key. She inserted it into a large hole in the forehead of a coffin's skull. She proclaimed, "Let the ceremony begin!" The slot glowed red, and Bansheera recited an incantation: "Forces of evil, heed my call! Gather now, as darkness falls!" She looked towards the key, whipping her lengthy fingers around gleefully as the eclipse began to approach full fruition.
The sun grew black, and the light across the city faded as the moon's shadow shrouded the area. Batlings filled with dread as a beam of purple energy was cast out from the eclipsed star in the sky. The beam struck the skull-faced palace directly at the Golden Key. The key glowed gold and turned under the force of magical power. The lid to the tomb started to come alive.
"Yes!" Without warning, she's struck on the back of the head with a laser blast. She and her Batlings turned to see who it was that dared intrude, and surprise, it was the Power Rangers.
The Red Ranger had his Rescue Blaster drawn and aimed. "The ceremony's over, Bansheera!"
The Batlings grew restless, readying their bat blades as they watched the heroes pass through the mist pouring down from the ceiling.
The Pink Ranger walked up as well. "We're here to make SURE of that!"
Bansheera remarked, "You're too late. NOTHING can stop me now!"
Wanting to deal with it personally, Carter reholstered his blaster and clenched his gloved fist. "Nothing except us. And that's JUST what we're gonna do!"
Queen ordered her drones to attack. The Batlings obeyed and charged toward the Rangers.
Carter charged in, with the rest following behind. "Let's do it!" The six Rangers flip and kick into battle with the Batlings.
Queen Bansheera stood around furious, demanding, "Stop them!"
Pink Ranger spun herself off one of the columns, foot sweeping a Batling, and then did one of the impossible leaps into the air. She held her own with the drones, beating them down with some swift kicks.
Nearby, the Yellow Ranger rolled around on the foggy floor before jumping into the air and kicking two Batlings.
The Red Ranger relieved a couple of Batlings of their Bat-blades and proceeded to strike them back in return.
The Blue Ranger high-kicked, pinning a Batling to a pillar. Slipping out, his foot swept another, and he fell backward into two more, knocking all three down into a collection of columns that collapsed around them.
The Green Ranger spun into the air, landing with his feet extended out behind him, kicking some Batlings down. Joel then launched himself off a Batling he kicked, flipping backward and landing perfectly poised.
The Titanium Ranger was throwing punches left and right into the Batlings. He grabbed one's arm, tossed it to the floor, and then dropped it with his leg.
Carter enjoyed using the Bat-blades on the Batlings, slashing a few down sparkily.
Queen Bansheera watched the fight momentarily before returning to the coffin and incanting, "Just as darkness conquers light, let evil triumph over right!" The brim of the coffin glowed purple, and the lid rattled, disturbed with energy.
Carter ditched the blades and stomped on a Batling's chest. In the corner of his eye, he saw the Queen's work. "Oh, no! She's opening the tomb!"
The lid to the coffin lifted in purple light while Bansheera laughed maniacally. The lid raised far above her, revealing, within a puff of fire, that inside the tomb was a vast army of demons! They were the majority of those deceased monsters residing in Shadow World. There were so many monsters here that they all stretched into the horizon. Bansheera peered into the opened tomb and stared at the horde of howling and moaning zombies. "Demons arise!"
The channeled power of the eclipse continued to unload energy toward the palace. The purple beam was pointed down, and fire rings were cast onto the site. The rings landed perfectly on the circle of surrounding stones, turning each of the six tips into a conduit for more power. They surged more purple electricity into the castle from all sides and recharged after each ring landed.
The Titanium Ranger downed another Batling, but his hands were full. "Carter, get Bansheera!"
The Red Ranger batted away a Batlings. He was busy with two super-powerful punches that sent the drones flying into the air.
Carter darted for the Queen, but she quickly noticed him and fired her left hand at him. A red laser blast struck the Ranger in the chest. He hurtled into one of the columns so hard that he knocked it over. When the dust cleared, it was revealed that the attack broke the helmet off his head and smashed the visor. Carter shook his head to regain his composure, blood dripping down the sides of his face.
Bansheera remarks, "Lose something, Red Ranger?"
He angrily clenched his fist, summoning his Battle Booster. After typing in a quick command, he grabbed the helmet. He pitched at the Queen, but she smacked it aside before it could hit her. She fired another hand-beam blast at Carter. The helmetless Ranger rolled on the floor, dodging the bolt. After advancing closer and closer, Carter's hand glowed brighter and brighter. At the apex of its charge, he leaped into the air, dodging another shot and explosion mere inches from where he was. With the added momentum, he soared through the air at full speed, socking the Queen square in the face at max power. An explosion rocked Bansheera's body over and into the opened tomb. She screamed in agony as she plummeted into the Shadow World.
Carter rushed over and looked in, watching her fall.
Ryan knocked some more Batlings down. "Carter! Are you alright?" The helmetless Red Ranger turns around, sighing in relief, before giving Ryan a smile and a positive thumbs up. Even though the other Rangers are still busy fighting Batlings, Ryan returned a thumbs up, shouting, "We did it!"
Carter's continued thumbs up came to a sudden closure. One of Bansheera's lengthy fingers whipped up from the coffin and wrapped around his arm! Carter was yanked into the tomb, falling backward.
"No!" Ryan rushed over to look in, spotting Carter holding onto the side of the wall with the Queen dangling from her fingers around him. "Carter! Give me your hand! I'll pull you up!"
Carter struggled to hold onto the rocky wall, grunting, "I can't reach you!" He turned and looked down over his shoulder, watching as Queen Bansheera hung around, laughing psychotically with the Shadow World entrance just below her. Carter refused to give up as he reached up and tried grabbing onto another rock. It crumbled at his touch, causing him almost to lose his grip and fall.
"Don't let go!" The falling rocks ended up dropping into the Shadow World, where the hands of the dead demons were shown grasping for the fresh meat dangling above them.
Queen Bansheera continued tugging her fingers. "If I go, you're coming with me!" As this continued, the eclipse's unleashing of power ran rampant. The purple energy beam slipped into the tomb, blasting into the convergence of deceased monsters in the Shadow World.
Bansheera's vine fingers tied Carter all over his neck and chest. "Close the lid!"
"We're NOT going to let you go!" The other four Rangers finished the Batlings and rushed to Ryan's side. They reached into the tomb after him, to no avail.
"Close it!"
Joel reached in. "Not without you!"
Queen Bansheera wouldn't let up from her hold on Carter. "You're not leaving this tomb, Ranger! I'm taking you down into the Shadow World with me!"
Unknown to them, heavy footsteps entered the room. Noticing only five of the Rangers gathered around the coffin, the Slayer could assume what had happened. Reaching behind his back, he readied the new battle axe and charged in.
The Ranger's eyes widened as their earlier ally appeared before them and lept into the coffin without hesitation.
Seeing the Slayer and feeling the immense hatred behind the helmet, Bansheera screamed in protest. "Nooo!"
The Doom Slayer leaped down. In a flash, the axe severed all the tendrils, freeing Carter. Not wasting time, the Slayer tackled the once mighty Queen back into the Shadow World forever. When both landed on the ground, it didn't take long for the sound of gunfire to echo through the realm. The armada of zombies and demons began to center on the warrior. The Slayer responded in kind by shooting and tearing them apart. The Queen would be next in line for his wrath.
The eclipse finally began to subside, and Carter continued watching the Slayer's wrath as he hung onto the side of the cliff.
Dana managed to find something to help. "Carter, grab the rope!"
He managed to grab the rope and get pulled up by his teammates. He ripped off the finger tendrils of Bansheera's that she left on him and climbed out of the coffin with a little encouragement from his friends. They helped hoist and heaved him out of hell, all six collapsing into a heap on the fog-covered floor.
Titanium Ranger looked up to the sky. "The lid! We've got to seal it!"
Joel's eyes went wide in realization. "Wait. What about the Green dude?!"
"He's still down there," exclaimed Dana.
Suddenly, their comms went live with Vega. "You need to close the portal now. Rest assured that the Doom Marine will prevail."
While the others seemed apprehensive, Carter made the final call: "Do it! He'll be fine." That soldier had saved his life. He saw past the helmet and into his soul during the brief moment. It burned not only with fury but also with passion for protecting the innocent from evil. Just as Carter would run into a burning building to save a life, so would this man run into hell to save him. He would not disgrace his act and allow the demons to escape.
Ryan took the golden key from the skull slot. Upon pulling the key out, the lid to the tomb slammed down from the ceiling, sealing tightly with the purple energy that opened it. "Whoa!" The Shadow World was shut for good.
Our heroes looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief again.
Carter grinned. "We did it... I think."
Kelsey exclaimed, "Right on!"
Chad shouted, "Alright! Yeah!"
Carter & Ryan shake hands, and Dana cries, "This is great!"
Suddenly, the whole place begins to shake, debris falling and columns tipping over. They realized they had to get out of there and were quick to get moving. The Lightspeed Rangers raced out of the Skull Cavern palace just as it began to fall apart.
All six of our heroes removed their helmets and watched in awe as the Skull Cavern palace and all six stones surrounding it began to crumble into dust!
Ms. Fairweather and Captain Mitchell join their side. "Rangers!"
The eight stood silently, witnessing the last remnants of Queen Bansheera's reign on Mariner Bay turn into large piles of sand in the middle of the street. The sun emerged completely from the eclipse, and the danger passed.
Angela tapped Joel on the shoulder, and the two smiled. Fairweather raised a brow. "I told ya so!"
Carter and Ryan laughed happily at their success in this battle.
Chad and Kelsey high-fived before he put his arm around her.
Captain Mitchell smiled at Dana as the two hugged and continued staring at the fires ravaging the city. The destruction of the Megazords, several buildings, and countless other items is a small price for victory over the demons.
Days Later
The city had already re-started what seemed to be the last demonic reconstruction effort. For a long time, people could rest easy. The mayor commissioned statues of the Lightspeed Rescue team, their last-minute helper, and the emergency services with much praise.
An era was ending at the park overlooking the docks of Mariner Bay. All six Ranger Recruits are standing before Captain William Mitchell, preparing to return from Lightspeed Rescue permanently.
Carter Grayson slipped off his Rescue Morpher, grinned, and approached Captain Mitchell. "I'm sorry about the Aquabase, Captain." Carter handed Mitchell his Morpher.
Captain nodded. "Thanks to Vega and the Marine, we can rebuild. Vega was gone when we returned to the Aquabase to oversee the salvage, but he left a parting gift of numerous files. When Miss Fairweather got her hands on them, she refused to leave her office until coming out with a smile. I have high hopes.
"Queen Bansheera and her demons are gone forever, and Mariner Bay is safe again. The Doom Marine...
"We will be ready for the next threat that comes."
Dana slipped in between her father and brother, putting an arm around each one gleefully. "Now we finally have time to be a NORMAL family." She then handed in her Rescue Morpher.
Ryan smiled, "That sounds great to me!" Chad agreed, "Yeah, now I'll have a chance to return to my surfing!"
Kelsey noted, "And there's this extreme sports competition that I gotta start training for." They unstrapped their velcroed Rescue Morphers and handed them over to Captain Mitchell.
Joel, wearing a new cowboy hat and a nice white dress shirt, handed the final Rescue Morpher over, stating, "Here you go, Cap'n." Mitchell looked down at the five Morphers in his possession bittersweetly.
Carter breathed a sigh. "I bet we're ALL ready to return to normal life."
Joel agreed. "I heard THAT!"
Chad nodded, and Kelsey giggled, with Ryan & Dana giving wide, toothy smiles.
Speaking of hearing things, the sound of a horn honking suddenly sounds out. A black convertible sports car pulled up and parked on the road next to the park. The former Rangers stared at the driver, confused, with Joel being the first to give a recognizant expression. The driver stepped out, revealing herself as Ms. Fairweather, with her hair done up and without a lab coat. She was in a predominantly pink outfit. Let's go, cowboy!"
Carter and Chad are visibly stunned.
Joel pats them on the shoulder and gloats, "Excuse me. That must be my date!" He walks tall past them, causing Angela to chuckle.
Carter turned to Captain Mitchell. "Sir? It's been a pleasure." He then salutes him, with the Captain returning the gesture.
The former Lightspeed Rangers went their separate ways, with Carter, Chad, and Kelsey departing the Mitchell family and Joel heading down and closing the car door for Angela. "Let me get that for you." He walked around to the other side of the car and exclaimed, "FINALLY! Just you and me!" Before they could drive off into the sunset, the sound of a siren began to grow louder.
Carter, Chad, and Kelsey stopped in their tracks and stared at the firetruck that came blaring by them. All eyes turned to the firetruck heading off to a blazing inferno down the road.
Joel worriedly looks over across the park.
Dana and Ryan turned to look at Carter, who had a heroic expression. He patted Chad on the shoulder and raced off after the firetruck. After all, he is still a firefighter!
Chad looked at Kelsey. She smiled, and the two raced off after him.
Dana and Ryan exchanged glances before rushing down the hill to join their teammates.
Joel snatched his hat off his head. "MAN!" His frustration amused Angela. Joel turned to her and put his cowboy hat on her head. "Don't go anywhere! I'll be right back!" She nodded and then took the hat off, smiling lovingly as he headed to rejoin his team.
Captain Mitchell, still standing atop the hill, looked at the pile of Rescue Morphers in his arms. "Hey! You forgot these!" They didn't seem to mind as the six Lightspeed Rescue Recruits jogged through the street together. You can take their power, but they will still be Rangers. Their duty to protect this city may be ongoing, but they won't do it alone.
Later
The Demon Realm
What seemed like an endless wasteland was now littered with the corpses of demons and other underworld creatures. The Doom Slayer walked up to a familiar demon crucified over a boulder. The Queen of Demons coughed up blood and glared at her exterminator. "Do you think this will stop us? We are but fragments of a greater evil that will return, and once we do, I will repay your brutality on humanity a thousandfold."
Ignoring her words, a bloody Chainsaw materialized in his hands. A pull of the chain, and it was ready to go. Without mercy, he pierced her abdomen. Cries of pain and suffering left her body as the light faded from her physical form. The rotating blades ran up and through her shoulder. All the while, her last screams echoed through this now-empty world. When the deed was done, the ethereal form of the Queen left the body.
In an unadulterated rage, she tried to curse this warrior with her full will. However, nothing left her hands. She had not noticed before, but the spiritual essence of all those slain around her did not return to the Dark as she expected. Instead, she felt a pull toward the object of her hatred, the Slayer. She attempted to pull away, but nothing seemed to stop the mysterious force. When she interacted with the Slayer's life force, a pain unlike any other channeled through her body. Unbeknownst to her, she was breaking down on an existential level. As her life force was absorbed into the warrior, her consciousness faded into nothing.
It had taken longer than he liked, but that's what he lived by. Rip and Tear until it is done. This realm was now empty. With a flick of the chainsaw, the excess blood splattered onto the sand. After tapping the gem on his gauntlet, he waited.
A blue portal opened in the Underworld. Walking through, the Slayer appeared in his Fortress, specifically the garage. A glance around showed that Vega and his drones had been busy while he was away. The Lifeforce Max Atlan stood tall and proud like those before it.
