The forest was wrong.
Its silence didn't feel natural—like the usual calm one might expect in the wilderness. No. This silence had weight. The kind that made your chest tighten and your skin crawl as though unseen eyes followed every move.
"So, whose bright idea again was it to help that old man?"
The frustrated voice cut through the stillness.
Vida Rocca, beautiful but sharp-edged like shattered glass, adjusted her pink jacket with visible irritation. Her glare landed on the leather-jacketed boy at the front.
"Well, it was definitely Mr. tough guy over here," she grumbled, pointing with a jab of her finger, her tone dripping with blame.
Nick Russell—messy-haired, leather jacket, the very picture of someone who thought too highly of himself—gave her a look. His jaw tightened.
Before he could respond, a cheerful, almost annoyingly upbeat voice chimed in.
"Well, look at the bright side, guys! We might encounter something worth adventuring!"
Chip Thorn, the group's resident ball of energy, practically bounced as he spoke. His eyes glimmered with genuine excitement, as though they weren't lost in a forest that felt like it belonged in someone's nightmare.
Madison Rocca, quieter and more thoughtful than her sister, shot him an exasperated look, running a hand through her dark hair.
"I couldn't even get a signal for my phone," she said tiredly. "This isn't an adventure, Chip. It's a disaster. Toby is definitely gonna kill me if we ever make it back."
Nick exhaled through his nose, running a hand down his face before finally replying with the same frustration Vida threw at him.
"Look, I never told you guys to volunteer. You all just butted in because you couldn't resist playing hero. Now Miss Barbie here is blaming me."
Vida's face soured immediately. Her steps stopped for a moment as she turned sharply to face him, venom in her glare.
"Who the fuck are you calling Barbie, retail terminator? And FYI—I hate the color pink!"
Her voice echoed, louder than it should have been in the suffocating quiet.
Nick didn't back down, his lips quirking in a smirk like he'd won some sort of small victory.
The two were nose-to-nose now, their tempers hot enough to burn away the strange coldness of the forest.
But before it could escalate, Xander Bly, dressed in his usual green with an air of "I'm cooler than all of you," stepped forward, putting himself between them.
"Alright, alright, guys. Fighting won't solve anything." His tone was calm but firm. He turned toward Nick, hands raised in something of a peacekeeping gesture. "How about this, dude? Let's start with introductions. You, tough guy. What's your name? Maybe if we stop biting at each other, we can actually figure out how to get out of this forsaken place."
Nick gave him a long look, silent for several seconds before finally replying, his voice low.
"Nick. Nick Russell."
"Cool, cool," Xander nodded twice, clearly satisfied like he'd just struck gold. "Name's Xander Bly, mate."
The energy shifted slightly.
"My turn!" Chip announced, raising his hand as though they were back in school. "Call me Chip. Chip Thorn."
"Vida Rocca," the pink-clad girl muttered dismissively, still simmering from her spat with Nick.
Madison smiled tiredly, brushing invisible dirt off her jacket. "Madison Rocca. Vida's sister."
For a moment, they stood there—five strangers, forced into the same boat, surrounded by a forest that felt alive in all the wrong ways.
Xander clapped his hands, breaking the moment.
"Perfect! Now that we're officially acquainted, let's figure out a way to get out of this place. Everyone come closer."
They shuffled into a circle, their unease momentarily pushed aside.
"So here's the plan," Xander began, his hands moving animatedly as he spoke. "We move from here, spread out in different directions, keep within earshot, and scream for help if we find anything. Easy."
— ✦ —
Five minutes later.
Vida raised a brow, arms crossed, her voice laced with disbelief.
"Uh, guys, do you really think this plan's gonna work in the middle of a freaking cursed forest?"
Xander scratched his head, visibly confused.
"I hiked a lot, okay? It should work. There's no difference between this forest and the ones I camp at."
Nick laughed dryly, patting Xander's shoulder with exaggerated sympathy.
"Dude, our phones don't even get a signal here. How the hell is this the same as some weekend hiking trail? And basically your genius plan boils down to splitting up and screaming for help. Like—who the fuck would wander into this forest willingly?"
Chip grinned nervously. "Well, technically, we did."
"Shut up, Chip," Vida and Nick said at the same time.
Madison, her patience finally thinning, stepped in. "Look, I think it's better if we stick together. This place is weird. We saw an ant the size of my arm earlier. I'm not about to run into something worse alone."
"Yeah, she's right," Xander admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "I tried marking our path on the trees earlier. Couldn't even scratch the bark. These things are like stone."
A heavy silence fell over them. For once, no one had a comeback. The weight of where they were finally sank in.
Then—
CRUNCH!
All five of them froze. Heads whipped toward the sound, eyes wide.
The forest held its silence again.
Probably just a squirrel.
At least, that's what four of them told themselves.
"Guys… do you see that?" Chip's shaky voice broke the stillness.
Vida groaned, already annoyed. "Chip, this is not the time—"
"No, no, I mean it! Look! Behind that tree!" Chip pointed, his hand trembling.
Nick frowned, his sharp gaze following.
Then—
CRUNCH! WHOOSH!
A shadow darted between the trees. Too fast. Too inhuman.
"Uh, guys?" Madison whispered, her voice trembling. "What was that?"
"Maybe… a monkey?" Xander offered, though the doubt in his tone was clear.
Nick shot him a look. "Smart guy, I've never seen a monkey move that fast."
WHOOSH!
This time, Vida saw it clearly. A dark blur slipping past the tree line. Her heart spiked.
"RUN!" she screamed.
Nobody hesitated. Instinct overrode reason.
Branches snapped under their desperate feet as they bolted through the woods, lungs burning, hearts hammering.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck—I just wanted to get my bike fixed!" Nick cursed as he ran, dodging a tree by inches.
"Don't look back, just keep running!" Xander's voice was firm, sharp.
"No need to tell me twice!" Vida snapped, grabbing Madison's wrist. "Maddie, Chip, keep up!"
Madison nodded, eyes wide.
Chip, however, was already struggling. His breaths came ragged, his shorter legs barely keeping pace.
They ran like their lives depended on it—because they did. For four agonizing minutes, they sprinted through the endless forest, despair creeping into their faces.
Then—
"Guys! I see an exit!" Nick's voice rang with hope.
Their eyes shot forward.
It wasn't an exit. Not exactly. It shimmered like liquid glass suspended in midair, pulsing faintly with light.
"A… portal," Chip gasped, half in awe, half in terror.
No one wanted to believe him—but it was right there.
Madison's voice trembled but carried a pleading edge. "Look, guys, I say we risk it. That's our only way out!"
Xander looked at the others. To his surprise, they all nodded without hesitation.
"How far?" Vida demanded.
"One minute of running!" Nick barked back.
They pushed harder. But when Chip glanced behind, his heart dropped.
The shadow wasn't just following. It was closing in.
"Guys—it's almost on us!" he shouted, panic cracking his voice.
"Fuck!" Vida screamed. "I'm not dying here!"
Her legs pumped faster. The others matched her pace.
"We jump on three!" Xander shouted.
The shadow stretched closer.
One.
It almost reached Chip's shoulder.
Two.
Closer still. Cold, heavy air wrapped around them.
Three!
They leapt together, diving headfirst into the portal—
FWOOSH!
The world warped.
Behind them, the shadow stopped at the portal's edge, tilting its head in confusion. It waited, red eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. Then, without a sound, it turned and disappeared into the trees.
— ✦ —
The other side.
Groans echoed as bodies hit the ground, limbs tangled and aching.
"Ugh—my back," Chip wheezed, clutching his spine dramatically.
The group staggered to their feet, brushing dirt and leaves off themselves.
"Okay," Xander groaned, stretching his sore limbs. "We scout first. Then we—"
He stopped.
They all stopped.
Their eyes widened as they took in their new surroundings.
"I-Is that—what I think it is?" Madison's voice trembled.
The others followed her gaze.
High above, scales glistened like molten metal. A massive creature uncurled, its shadow blanketing them.
GULP.
The sound was unanimous.
Chip's hand shot forward, pointing. His lips quivered.
"D-D-Dragon!!!"
— ✦ —
(Elsewhere. A throne room of shadows.)
A suffocating darkness filled the air. On a black throne, a figure sat motionless, red eyes glowing like embers. Its mouth curled into a smile, its teeth sharp in the gloom.
"Oh… the light has arrived."
Its voice dripped with malice, deep and resonant.
"Hehehe… more magic to consume. More hope to shatter. More chaos to unfold."
Its words echoed with arrogance, vibrating through the stone walls.
"And soon, that 'thing' will be entirely under my control. But first… I must summon the elves. And that bitch, Amora."
Its laugh thundered in the throne room, reverberating like an omen.
"The faster I move, the more chaos I bring. And the more chaos… the more powerful I become!"
"Hahahaha!"
The darkness shook with its laughter.
— ✦ —
(Asgard.)
A throne room opposite in tone—radiant, noble, adorned with treasures fit for gods.
Upon a smaller throne sat a woman of divine beauty. Golden hair framed her delicate features. Her name: Freya. Wife of Odin. Queen of Asgard.
Her expression was serene, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
"So. Udonna has finally found the light."
She paused. The smile faded. Her eyes grew distant, heavy with worry.
"I only pray it will be enough to halt Ragnarök."
Her hands tightened on the armrest of her throne, nails pressing into the golden metal.
"Alas," she whispered, voice trembling with rare vulnerability. "Fate is almost impossible to change."
Her gaze drifted beyond the throne room, far across Asgard, into the unknown.
— ✦ —
Cough, cough. This Author is sorry for the delay. I was caught up with some things. Moreover, I introduced new villains and plotlines to the Power Rangers side. Their origins would be explained.
Thanks for the love and support, guys.