We Have the Power
(???/Warhammer)
You sigh as you look at the brightly garbed...warriors. They glare at you in their odd, skin tight uniforms, each a singular masterpiece in its own right that hums with mystic energy. Brightly colored, in one of the many hues of the rainbow. Bodies surround them, broken simulacra forced to life by the stolen secrets of the Runes, which explains well enough why you're here. One in red, wielding a sword of that same strange steel, in a single-piece suit, the arms white but for gloves that cover to the elbow and the boots black. On his chest the symbol of a Dragon's head in gold on the red, and if he was still wearing his helmet you'd see it was themed much the same. The others are similar, though their animal and color varies: a girl all in blue with a massive ax themed around carnosaurs, a boy in black themed around unicorns armed with a spear, a girl in yellow themed around hippogryphs armed with a hammer, and a boy in pink, themed after the phoenix, wielding a staff.
The craftsmanship is, of course, impeccable. They certainly did not flee from doing their work, with the remnants of their foes at their feet; no blood, of course, since statuary hardly bleeds. There's not a real wound on them, in spite of how badly outnumbered they were; even the most harmed, the Pink Ranger, seems scarcely more than winded, and the Blue Ranger, not the leader but the most brolic and warring hardly shows an ounce of exertion.
They also can't be more than eighteen, any of them, the men (ha) smooth faced not because they choose to shave but because they can't grow a damn beard.
On instinct you take a step towards the, the
Undalaki, even as the youths he's drafted into his war step between the two of you.
"You gave children nearly infinite power." Your voice is soft, barely more than a whisper because it must be constrained because if you did
not, your screaming would not end except with his death.
"I have done," he says, "What I have always done." He stares you in the eyes, as though daring you to challenge him.
Skarrensaud Zaki your people have named this creature, the Rainbow Wanderer. Short, if taller than you, with hair sleight gray, flesh a milky white, and his eyes like prisms. His limbs are thin and emaciated, and he wears a vast, multi-hued robe, finely made, durable and strong, with a white cloak hanging from his shoulders. He holds a staff in his hand, a long, delicate seeming thing, topped with a crystal of every color you can imagine and every hue as well, constantly changing. He has wandered the world, helping people, even you can't deny that. When Beastmen, or Warriors of Chaos, or Daemons, appear in enough numbers so comes he too, raining magic down upon them to banish them. Not human, not elf, not lizard beastmen, and certainly not dwarf for he is shaved, and his skin smooth. He is a unique thing in this world you suspect.
It has also been suspected, though never confirmed enough for sanctions, that he has helped the so called "redeemed" escape your Grudges over the years.
"I have given the young the tools they need to ensure they have a future, aside from bloody death at the hands of your failure made flesh." The Red Ranger grasps his swords and grimaces and the other Rangers get ready their weapons even as the two of you glare at each other.
"My...failures?"
"The failures of your people,
yes. Did you think the spirits of the tree and stream, forest and fen did nothing for this world? They are of it, and they are of nature, and Chaos is
not. What did you expect might happen, when you and yours ran around slaying them all? Did you think that would change nothing, there would be no repercussions? No the Dwarfs did as they always do, rush for vengeance and ignore what might happen. And now look at...this." He gestures around the burning town, even as a chunk of wood falls to the earth and shatters.
"I think they marched with the Elves and got what they deserved."
It seems the echoes of the War of Vengeance still make themselves known; not that he knows you've put two and two together to realize what this...Brightmaster is, anyway. But it did need to be fought: everything must be repaid.
He shakes his head, tapping his staff on the ground. "Gods be praised, six-thousand years and you still don't have the good damn sense to
see." He snarls as he speaks, anger engraved on him even as the Rangers shoot looks between the two of you and once again grab their weapons.
"I can see perfectly fine you wandering hermit! I can see it was madness to give eighteen year olds all but infinite power!" That's hyperbole, but not much. You could
fight any one of them, but that ages old aphorism--age and treachery will defeat youth and skill--has met its limits, and it is bright colored teenagers with attitude. A good one most of the time, but still. You're old enough and honest enough to know when you've met someone who has
it, and all together, they have
it as individuals. Anyone with the Morphers would be, but they even more than that.
As a group?
You are extraordinarily lucky they are not as hot tempered as you expected of foolish, impetuous youth.
"I gave it to them because they have not been weighed down by the miserable old failures of age, the ignorant arrogance of age, the unearned certainty of age, the mindless tradition and arrogance and sheer mean heartedness of age!" He stamps his staff to punctuate his point each time. "I could not trust anyone as old as you would like Snorri Gift-Giver, for they are all so bound up in their own petty squabbles that they would not honor the deed and see it complete! You, the Elves, the Lizardmen, all of you call each other arrogant even as you bloviating, withered, shriveled up
prunes of realms dither, fart about, and hold to ancient grudges that mean nothing!"
You grab Zharrgal and consider a few things very carefully.
Regardless of the naming choice, we're one step closer to attaining Power Rangers.
We just need another 2-3 animal friends, depending whether we want a Green Ranger.
I can only imagine the horror the dwarves would feel if told that their greatest defenders are 5 teenagers with attitude
This is as much on you as it is on me.
I don't know if there will be more, maybe, maybe not.
(Spoiler, the ??? is Power Rangers. Not a specific season, however)
