By Zack Mendorra
Author's Note: Welcome to "The Age of
Chaos", a Power Rangers fanfic series formerly known as the "New
Enemy Saga". Those familiar with my previous works will find that these
new stories bear little similarity to their past incarnation, for better or
worse. That said, I hope you like the new direction this series will take. Many
thanks to Rachel Dawson, who inspired me to do this in the first place.
Ten thousand years ago, a great
battle was fought on our moon. Zordon, Sage of Eltar and mentor to the first
Power Ranger team, arrived in pursuit of Rita Repulsa. She had stolen an
artifact of dreadful power, and Zordon was desperate to stop her before she
unlocked its secrets. For three weeks he and his Rangers had chased her, until
finally the evil sorceress made her stand on the barren satellite orbiting
Earth.
The Eltarian Rangers fought
with zeal and righteous fury, but Rita had an endless supply of clay warriors
known as Putty Patrollers. And while they were easily vanquished, they held the
advantage through sheer numbers. It became clear after several hours of combat
that victory would not be gained through battle. At last Zordon, who disliked
interfering in the work of his students, was forced to intervene, and he
conjured a great storm of energy that swept across the battlefield and
annihilated Rita’s forces. With none left to oppose them, the Rangers charged
into the witch’s palace and forced her and her court to surrender.
The villains were chained and
brought before Zordon, who had prepared a special container to hold them. But
Rita had one more card to play. Even as she was forced into her prison, she
lashed out at her rival with a final curse, condemning him to exile in another
dimension. The Sage was too drained by his earlier efforts to deflect the
spell, and as his horrified Rangers watched, the wizard’s body dissolved in a
haze of golden light. The sorceress did not witness her triumph; no sooner had
she uttered her last words than the lid of the container materialized over her
head, sealing her away for all time.
As the Rangers stood in
shocked silence, a tall figure suddenly appeared before them, wrapped in grey
rags. It was Anol Turinas, the Last Seer of the Deldaani people. Facing the
followers of Zordon, he spoke:
"Followers of Light, thy
doom has been revealed to me. Enemies unnumbered ye shall conquer; but thy
vigilance shall grow weary with the weight of ages, and the powers of evil
shall join in union and rise up against thee. On that Eve of Destruction all
strength fails, all worlds are broken, and all hope is lost. Then thy lord and
leader shall meet his final end; by treason of kin unto kin shall this accursed
age of strife come to a close. The Deldaani have spoken.”
Then Turinas reared his head
back and wailed, a long cry of misery and pain. He fell upon the blasted
ground, and did not rise again.
Despair seized the Rangers of
Eltar; it seemed to them that their fate was already sealed. They would have
thrown down their weapons if Zordon’s lieutenant, Saran the Red Ranger, had not
acted swiftly. Leaping onto Rita’s container, he claimed victory for Eltar and
the Federation of Light. Saran declared Turinas a false prophet, and his words
merely a malicious deception on behalf of Repulsa. Whether he believed this, or
misled them to raise their spirits, this tale does not tell. But the courage of
the Eltarians was restored, and they made a pact never to speak of Turinas’
prophecy again. Several weeks later, Aeana the Blue Ranger and Alpha 5 modified
a special ion tube to make contact with Zordon. Though his physical form was
forever lost, his wisdom survived.
Rita’s defeat was a harsh blow
to the United Alliance of Evil. Their plans of conquering the Milky Way quickly
fell into ruin, and they quietly withdrew to the M-51 Galaxy. A great armada of
Federation ships was placed along the Outer Rim to guard against any further
attacks. Millennia passed, and the Federation grew and prospered, encompassing
most of the galactic core. The Alliance, on the other hand, diminished as its
members fought amongst themselves. From his lair on planet Mandalor, the
Monarch of Evil - Dark Specter - watched as Mondo made war against Aradon and
his own son Gasket, and Master Vile brooded in his solitude; Rita Repulsa
screeched and howled in the confines of her prison, and Divatox bickered with
her peers, and Lord Zedd conquered worlds he had no interest in, content to
hold distant power over faceless lives.
Dark Specter had long planned
the Federation's downfall, and he did not intervene. With every skirmish and
dissolved union, the Alliance became more fractured, while the Federation
reached the pinnacle of its power. Slowly, they began to recall their forces
from the Outer Rim, seeing no need for a defense against such a hopeless enemy.
Their attention turned to their own affairs, and soon the Alliance was ignored
altogether.
The first phase of Dark
Specter's plan was complete: when next the Alliance struck, they would have the
advantage of surprise. But the second phase was a far greater challenge. The
Alliance had become so splintered that only a strong leader, commanding through
force and fear, could bring the factions together and lead a unified assault
against the Federation. Dark Specter could not take this mantle himself, as it
would make him vulnerable to his enemies. A puppet was required, a figurehead
through which he would control his forces. Someone malleable enough to mold in
his own image, yet uncompromising enough to resist any opposition.
Such a person was found
sixteen years ago. Dark Specter contacted a bounty hunter named Darkonda, and
sent him to KO-35 in the Kerova system. His mission was to kidnap a child of
Theras, governor of KO-35; the Kerovan people had long opposed Dark Specter,
and he longed to crush their spirit. The vile mercenary set out, stalking the
shadows of the Kerovan colony until he found Karone, daughter of the governor,
playing with her brother Andros in a field. He snatched the girl at once, unaware
that Andros had witnessed the crime.
Karone was brought to Dark
Specter, who renamed her Astronema. The Monarch showered her with gifts to win
her trust, and when she was ready he revealed to her all the terrible secrets
of evil. She grew to embrace those ways, and the power that was given to her as
Dark Specter’s protégé and heir. In time she forgot her old life altogether. As
a test of loyalty, Dark Specter commanded her to attack KO-35, which she did
without hesitation. Within a month the planet was overrun by its enemies,
forcing the Kerovans to flee elsewhere. When she returned, Astronema was
crowned Princess of Evil, to be feared and respected by all.
But even after her great
success she was concealed in the shadow of her master, who was adamant that she
would not declare herself openly until the time was right. His far-seeing gaze had been drawn to
Earth, where Rita Repulsa had gained her freedom. She chose the “primitive”
world as the seat of her new kingdom. Yet by chance or fate, Zordon of Eltar
was also on Earth, conducting a lengthy evaluation of the Terran species. The
wizard was quick to respond to his enemy’s presence, bringing forth five young
humans from the city of Angel Grove to serve as Power Rangers. Through teamwork,
ingenuity and a determination unique to that species, they thwarted her at
every turn.
In her ignorance, Rita dared
to call upon the Green Coin, and even on his throneworld hundreds of
light-years away Lord Zedd grew fearful; that power was not hers, and by
summoning it she might awaken its master. But the Green Ranger was chosen, and
the Enemy did not stir. Within days the Coin was refusing Rita’s commands, and
she was forced to use the Sword of Darkness to bind her warrior to her. When
the Sword was destroyed, the Green Ranger was freed from her grasp. Now six
Rangers opposed Rita.
The “betrayal” of her creation
infuriated the witch, and she fashioned a candle to sever the Green Coin's
connection to her former servant. He could no longer wield it, and the power of
the Dragon Coin was lost, yet she still could not take Earth. Her assaults grew
in tandem with her frustration, until there was no choice but to bring the
Green Ranger back to the fold. Rather than risk unsealing the dormant Coin, Zordon
infused it with his own life force, providing a temporary solution. However,
the Coin could not sustain a prolonged morph, and its powers failed
periodically; each recharge brought greater peril both to Zordon and his
charge.
Then Lord Zedd arrived. He
cast Rita out and undid her work so the Green Coin would remain quiet. The
despot became intrigued by the fortitude of Zordon’s Rangers, believing that
Earth housed a great power they had harnessed against his apprentice. Soon Zedd
was assaulting Angel Grove himself. The warlock’s power was formidable, and
soon Zordon recognized the need for a sixth Ranger again. He brought forth the
secret White Coin, entrusted to his care long ago, and with it the fallen Green
Ranger was reborn. Under the leadership of the new White Ranger, the defenders
of Light endured. The Dragon Coin was, for a time, returned to Zedd’s service,
though it was eventually sent into the past and lost.
A time of great upheavals
followed. Rita returned to the moon and bewitched Zedd, who took her as his
wife. Soon afterwards her brother Rito joined them and caused the Rangers’
powers to overload, forcing them to seek the forgotten practices of the
Ninjetti. Then came Rita’s father, Master Vile, who laid claim to the Zeo
Crystal, a source of vast power. When the Rangers foiled his plan, Vile called
upon the Orb of Doom to disrupt the very flow of time. The Power Coins were
destroyed, but the villains’ triumph was short-lived: in the midst of their
celebration the Machine Empire descended upon Earth, intent on cleansing the
planet of all biological life. Rita and Zedd were driven into hiding, not to
return for many months.
The Machines expected an easy
conquest in Earth; they were mistaken. The Rangers called upon the Zeo Crystal,
which bestowed upon them power beyond anything they had ever known before. At
length the Empire was defeated, as much by its own devices as by the strength
of their opponents. Then there was a journey to the island of Muiranthias,
where the Turbo Rangers slew Maligore, the Flame of Destruction, and gained an
enemy in the pirate queen Divatox. With the aid of a rescued Liarian wizard,
Zordon was able to return to his own world, and his trusted disciple Dimitria
took his place.
When news of Zordon’s return
reached Mandalor, Dark Specter saw an opportunity to gain another advantage
over the Federation. Astronema was sent to Eltar in the guise of a Kerovan
ambassador, and for months she tracked Zordon and studied the planet’s
defenses. Meanwhile, the Rangers of Earth had grown weary of their burden,
having served for many years; and Dimitria decided to release them from their
duties. There was a changing of the guard, and the Power passed to younger,
fresher warriors. But they were also inexperienced, and when Divatox mounted an
offensive on their Command Center, they failed utterly. Their base was
destroyed, their powers were lost, and not a single ally remained to help them.
While the Pirate Queen
rejoiced in her triumph, Dark Specter made his move. A small group of his most
powerful agents was sent to Eltar, where they arrived undetected thanks to
Astronema’s sabotage. They easily located Zordon and took him prisoner,
destroying his Robot Rangers in the process. When news of this reached the
Rangers of Earth, they took upon themselves a new mission: to free the mentor
they had never known. The four oldest Rangers boarded a shuttle and flew it
deep into space, intent on somehow rescuing Zordon.
On Cimmeria, where the leaders
of the once-mighty Alliance were gathered together, Dark Specter at last
revealed the instrument of his victory, the Princess of Evil. She came forth
then, and those who beheld her trembled or masked their fear with false
bravado; here was a young woman of power and deadly intent, cold and cruel and
decisive. Dark Specter outlined his plan where Zordon’s life force would be
drained and used to fuel a vast army of destruction that would overthrow the
hated Federation and collapse the stalemate that had existed for so many
millennia. Astronema would lead the campaign, with all the authority of the
Monarch himself. No one dared challenge this decision.
Unbeknownst to the villains, a
Red Ranger was among them, eavesdropping on their assembly. When he was
discovered, he fled Cimmeria and returned to his vessel, the Astro Megaship,
only to find that the Earth team had already stumbled onto it. Realizing they
shared the same goal, the five joined together as the Astro Rangers. The Red
Ranger was named Andros of KO-35.
Andros was a fine leader,
taught by Zordon himself. But he lived in solitude, consumed by a core of
anguish that ate at him in his private hours. For sixteen years he had searched
the galaxy for his kidnapped sister Karone. Yet no trace of her was found, no
evidence that she still lived. When the truth was discovered – that Astronema
was his own flesh and blood – Andros reached out to her. And for a time she
accepted his offer, and learned of happiness and love, and she was Karone
again. But she was ensnared by Darkonda’s treachery and a deeper evil was
forced upon her. The Princess reclaimed her throne, but she had become devious
and scheming, and she conspired to destroy not only the Rangers but Dark
Specter as well, to take his place far sooner than he had intended.
While Andros struggled to restore
his sister, the Alliance was strengthening itself for the coming war. A steady
flow of monsters augmented the countless hordes of Tengas, Piranhatrons, Cogs
and Quantrons. Great fleets of Velocifighters and their larger Machine
counterparts were built. When everything was prepared, Dark Specter decreed
that the day of reckoning had at last come. Thus the Eve of Destruction -
promised by the Seer Turinas in a time beyond memory – commenced.
One by one, the Federation
worlds fell to the might of the Alliance. Some surrendered while others
resisted, but it was clear that none could withstand the unforeseen attack.
Within days, only Earth remained free. The Astro Rangers fought as never
before, and to their credit destroyed almost two-thirds of the Velocifighter
fleet. But at last their powers failed, though they escaped capture. Defeat
seemed inevitable. Then there was a betrayal, one of such magnitude that it
reshaped the course of the war. The rogue Darkonda, to whom treachery was
natural, struck a cowardly blow against his master. Dark Specter's vengeance
was swift, and he devoured his agent in the moment before his own demise.
The battle for Earth
continued, and Zordon was brought to Astronema's vessel to watch the doom of
mankind. Then Andros came and fought his sister, and Astronema was struck down.
It was then that Zordon spoke to Andros, ordering him to shatter the tube that
kept the great Eltarian bound to this dimension. His essence would be unbound,
sweeping through the galaxy and purging all evil. It was their only salvation.
Though unwilling, Andros was sworn to obey his mentor, and the Red Ranger
struck the killing blow.
A blinding light the color of
gold emerged from the broken tube as Zordon died. The luminescence washed over
Ecliptor, the Princess’ guardian, and he turned to dust; the android had been
built for evil purposes, and that could never change.
The light became a Golden Wave
spreading through the stars. Those that could be saved – who had been good
until corrupted – were made human and whole again. Rita and Zedd, restored to
their former benevolence; Divatox, released from the terrible greed that had
plagued her. Those beyond Zordon’s aid were destroyed, such as Elgar nephew of
Divatox, who understood neither good nor evil in his idiocy; and so perished
Rito Revolto. And on Earth Astronema was revived and purged of evil, and she
would be Karone to the end of her days.
The prophecy of Turinas was
complete. The Age of Balance had ended with Zordon's sacrifice, and now a new
era of peace could begin. Evil had been vanquished forever.
Or so it was believed.
At the edge of the galaxy, a
strange asteroid hung in space. It did not roll or turn as the natural laws
demanded; it simply remained unmoving in the vacuum. The lower half of the rock
was jagged and uneven, but the upper half had been leveled almost perfectly,
forming a flat plain several miles in diameter. In the center of the field, an
enormous black citadel seemed to rise up from the asteroid itself, a shadow
among shadows. In ages past it had been a mighty stronghold, but it now lay
abandoned and quiet, humbled in defeat. Yet its walls, though scarred and
pitted, were unbroken, and the iron gates stood proudly. Five adamant spires of
varying height surrounded the main fortress, forming a dark hand reaching up
into the infinite.
The great halls were vacant,
bearing signs of a battle fought long ago. Ash and decaying corpses drifted in
silence, suspended by the lack of gravity. Most of the citadel was shrouded in
darkness, but a bright light shone in one of the towers. There, within the
highest chamber, a crystal pillar stretched from ceiling to floor, pulsing with
gold and silver energy. Occasionally dark figures would be revealed, trapped
deep within the magical prison. Nothing had stirred in this place for many
thousands of years.
But as Dark Specter’s
shattered corpse rained upon Earth, the crystal suddenly grew dimmer.
As Zedd looked upon his hands
– fair skin for the first time in ages - the light faded more, and cracks began
to form on the pillar.
And then the Golden Wave came,
its power nearly spent. As it started to dissipate, it swept across the
citadel. Hall after hall was flooded, changing nothing.
Then the Wave passed over the
pillar. Almost immediately, the internal glow was extinguished and the crystal
burst with violent force, releasing its captives: three humanoid women,
hovering in the vacuum. As consciousness slowly returned, one of them weakly
raised a hand and murmured a single word.
"Nessan."
With a pop, gravity and
atmosphere were restored, and the three dropped to the floor. They lay silent
for a few moments, regaining their bearings. Then one of them laughed. The
other two soon joined in, until their wild giggling echoed throughout the
entire fortress.
The asteroid began to move.
End