The world returned with a snap of searing agony.

Nicole gasped, only to immediately regret it as her entire torso seemed to protest the action in the worst way. She curled in on herself instinctively, even as her entire body convulsed from the worst pain Nicole had ever experienced in her life. The world fell away for a moment as there was nothing other than the intimacy she shared with torment itself.

Despite that, she forced her eyes open, the world swam around her and the contents of her stomach came up violently, sending fresh spikes of red hot something through her ribs, which she dimly came to realize were probably broken. Her ears hammered with the ongoing sounds around her, unable to make sense of them.

Yet, Nicole knew she was needed, it itched under her skin in a way that superseded the pain. Despite the world wobbling and sound washing over her, she rolled over and finally came to see the carnage that had continued without her.

Carlos deflected thunderous blows that somehow drowned out even the crash of the actual lightning above. The Commander backhanded an axe away and Nicole’s heart lurched at the sight of Grace continuing the battle. Jeff was helping Kayla back to her feet while Devon traded places with Grace. His broken shield was of little use yet he kept on fighting anyway.

That Nicole had been reduced to a spectator then taken out of the fight so easily made her blood boil even as it spilled from several wounds. A grimace came to her face as she realized her own morph was gone, that she was reduced to being less effective than a normal person with her injuries. With a great effort Nicole brought her wrist up only for despair to swallow her at the sight of a low power warning on the watch face.

No… No no no NO!

Was there truly nothing that she could do to help her team as they fought for their lives? Nicole hated feeling helpless, yet that was exactly what she had been for the entire battle. Anger burned deep within, yet there wasn’t anything she could do with it aside for scream at how everything fucking hurt.

Carlos’ weapon was bent, yet he continued to deflect Bartran’s heavy blows with the damaged weapon. Worse, Grace was right there with him, her axe chipped and splintered, yet she wasn’t giving up. Even Jeff and Kayla had rejoined Devon in attempting to prove even a fleeting distraction for the unstoppable monster that had come for their lives.

Nicole grit her teeth until they cracked. She refused to allow herself to remain a bystander while her friends fought and bled in an effort to keep her safe. That fury pulsed through her, deep and warm, yet there was nothing she could do with such emotions with how broken her body remained. Even if she could morph again she wouldn’t be of any help!

With trembling arms Nicole forced them under herself and pushed. Her entire body convulsed even as she heaved, yet Nicole didn’t give in despite her failing body. Instead she focused on the growing warmth within that pulsed in time with her heart. Determination was the only thing that she let drive her, that raw need to stand and do anything.

The greatsword of the Sylan Commander swung fiercely, and this time Carlos crumbled as his weapon practically folded around the blade and drove itself into his stomach. Sparks flew, yet his morph held as he was flung away. Grace screamed as she brought her axe down, yet the Commander didn’t even pay her any fleeting attention as he caught the blade in one of his spare arms.

“Truly impressive,” the Commander said. “You’ve put up far more resistance than the last team I personally crushed, you should be proud.”

“I’ll only feel pride when you’re dead on the ground,” Grace snapped, letting go of her weapon so she could dance back.

Bartran turned, a sigh upon his lips. “Then I’m afraid you’ll be waiting until the heat death of the universe, because I am ageless and serve our eternal Administrator.”

“Big talk,” Jeff said, bringing his mangled spear back up. “I’ll be sure to write it on your tombstone, you Goro knockoff.”

“You are welcome to try,” Bartran said, sounding more weary than bothered by the struggle.

Jeff was then backhanded by the General faster than Nicole could follow as her heart leapt into her throat as the man suddenly loomed over Grace, her own axe raised high. Time seemed to still as that heat within swelled as if to answer the cold dread that threatened to overwhelm her.

Feet planted beneath her, Nicole stood even as the storm stood still around her. Wind whipped her soaked hair as blood dripped down her face, all locked in a moment that she was detached from. None of that mattered, not in that moment. Not when Grace was about to die right in front of her!

Something within Nicole snapped and that warmth that had been building surged forth as Nicole’s world fell into a void that consisted of nothing more than pain itself. Her ribs cracked and popped, her limp arm twisted, and the spinning of her head snapped into focus as every nerve in her body burned as though a live current ripped through her form.

Broken bones and torn muscles were old companions, yet this moment dwarfed anything she had experienced before. Every nerve in her body lit up with searing agony, and she screamed as broken bones mended themselves, her cries raw and guttural. She’d torn muscles before, broken bones and pinched nerves. This was all of that and so much more, everywhere, all at once.

Nicole would have begged for death if she didn’t have a reason to continue fighting. Teeth cracked in her skull as she bit down on the scream that wanted to tear its way from her throat only for them to painfully reform a moment later. Her whole body tore itself apart only to reform under the surge that had overtaken her.

That frozen moment held itself even as the pain began to subside and the void that had consumed her rippled. A blur of black shot forth from within, and Nicole’s fist buried itself deep within the Commander’s stomach. The towering mad wasn’t launched away, but he did bend under the force of the impact.

The frozen rain exploded away from them, the shockwave reverberating through the world as the march of time finally resumed. Nicole took in the sight of her outstretched arm, the familiar brown leather wrapped suit. Her fist was clenched from the punch, and Nicole didn’t need to be told that she was once again in her Ranger uniform.

The Commander stumbled away, the axe falling from his hand as another came up to his stomach. Nicole straightened up, standing firm even as the heat of pure energy beat in time with her heart, flowing through her with a steady pulse that burned her raw as the power coursed through her every pore.

“Holy shit,” a hollow voice whispered from beside her.

“Grace,” Nicole said softly. “Get the others and make ready. I’ll tag in for now.”

Absently aware of her girlfriend nodding, Nicole stood strong as she stepped forward. Her entire existence was agony, her mind wanted to curl in on itself and escape from whatever she was experiencing. Nicole knew she couldn’t endure it for long, but she didn’t need long, just enough time to take the monster before them down.

“How?” Bartran demanded, a hand still covering where Nicole had punched him. “You had one foot in the grave, yet here you stand once again…” As he trailed off, his eyes widened. “Of course. Another anomaly in the models beyond the baseline.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“I don’t care about any of that,” Nicole snarled, her blades shimmering into reality as she gripped them tightly. “All I care about is seeing you dead and my team safe.”

“Marvelous,” Bartran declared, bringing his own blade up in a three handed grip. “Come then, Ranger. Show us what it is that makes you unique!”

A blade bigger than her came crashing down, Nicole brought her twin blades up and caught the blow, twisting so it fell beside her even as she moved to strike back. The Commander shifted his grip, using his free arm to block the kick Nicole attempted and brought the sword around to strike.

Nicole shifted, letting the blade pass through her, ignoring the wrongness she felt as her form rippled. Something about it was different now, even with how the power surged through her, that sensation of being hollow was scoured away. Nicole’s entire being was a livewire of unfiltered power, and she intended to bring every ounce of it forward as she brought the enemy Commander down once and for all.

Daggers lashed out, turning solid mid-swing. Bartran caught them on his gauntlets, scraping against the metal in a shower of sparks as the towering brute pushed them aside. Nicole’s eyes narrowed as she pushed off the ground, twisting around the retaliatory strike with all of her acrobatic prowess. Even then, the blade scraped against her renewed barrier, sparks dancing off the surface of her suit.

The world itself shuddered at the force of their exchange, struggling to keep up with their movements. Their motions broke the sound barrier, the impacts shook the ground beneath them. Nicole’s very soul seemed to resonate within her, the power building with each moment as she pushed herself beyond her prior limits.

Bartran’s expression had shifted from indifference to determination as their dance raged on. Everything else fell away as Nicole threw her entire being into defeating the man before her. The voices of all those who had fallen at his hand seemed to call out, demanding vengeance, and she was all too happy to be the vessel that delivered it.

Even after several weeks as a Ranger the power that she now felt dwarfed anything she had experienced before. She knew that true evil stood before her, and she would face it with everything she could muster.

Because Rangers held the fucking line.

All four arms grasped the blade as Bartran raised it high, then brought it down with everything he had. With a snarl on her lips, Nicole brought her blades up and deflected the blow, her arms vibrating as the metal of each ground along one another. Bartran’s blade sunk deep into the earth, not that it would slow the titan down for even an instant.

Nicole took advantage of the momentum and rushed in close, bringing her blades up to strike at the opening she had created. Bartran’s eyes weren’t fearful, they were full of resolve and determination. It shouldn’t have surprised Nicole when he released his grip on the blade, yet it still took her an instant too long to realize that he had done so.

Four hammer fists cracked against her uniform, sending a shower of sparks flying as her legs buckled under the force of the blow, yet she did not fall. Nicole brought her blades up and they found flesh, drawing blood for the first time against the monster that was determined to grind humanity beneath his heel.

Immediately the Commander backed off, jumping three dozen feet back. For a moment the pair just stared each other down, even as Nicole forced herself to remain steady. The heat of her transformation continued to burn hotter with each moment, and Nicole knew she was on a timer for how long she could keep pushing herself.

The moment broke as Bartran looked down at the shallow wounds that Nicole had left in his flesh. Fingers brushed against the cuts and came back wet with his own blood. Of all the things she might have anticipated, she hadn’t expected the man to laugh.

“Wonderful,” he said, a smile coming to his twisted face, almost manic in its intensity. “Such an interesting specimen, and what marvelous data you’re providing. It is such a pity that you have to die, we could learn so much from continued study.”

Nicole didn’t appreciate that he seemed to regard her as little more than a lab specimen and made that known by falling back into her loose stance with blades at the ready as she took a deep breath to center herself. She wasn’t a heavy hitter, she was nimble and had ways through offense and defense both. Nicole needed to play to her strengths rather than let the experienced Commander direct the fight.

Aggression was how she needed to play things.

Nicole eyed the blade still embedded in the ground beside her and briefly considered kicking it as far away as she could, yet that would be too expected. She hooked her foot under it, then flicked her ankle, sending the blade tumbling through the air. Bartran caught it almost absently, eyeing her warily as she shrugged with a smirk under her helm.

That moment of confusion was the only opening her team needed as Carlos and Grace charged the man from each side, he started to move to counter them only to stumble as his legs were locked down by thin vines. Jeff and Devon came up behind him, hitting both knees. The Commander began to topple even as he deflected the strikes from Grace and Carlos.

Nicole was already upon him, the opening not wasted. She lashed out with one blade, knowing he had one hand already moving to intercept. Rather than let him deflect, Nicole phased. Her world shifted as the power within pulsed, despite that, he’d still managed to clip her wrist before it turned incorporeal.

Letting go of the intangible blade as it passed through his body, Nicole made ready to continue her follow up strike as she turned. Something shifted in Bartran as the hairs on Nicole’s neck stood. She brought the second blade around, aiming for his chest, yet the Commander was already in motion to stop her. It was in that moment when the first blade solidified. Nicole’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of her blade now embedded within Bartran’s gut.

Determination gripped Nicole tightly as she redoubled her effort to drive the second blade home. Bartran’s closed fist lashed out far faster than anything he had managed before and struck against her helm, knocking Nicole away before it could land. She tumbled for a moment before coming back to her feet in a three point stance, her feet and hand carving themselves through the rubble with a shower of sparks. She still had a grip on the remaining blade, yet all she could see was the one still embedded in the Commander’s stomach.

Nicole tried to call it back, yet it didn’t answer, as though it was no longer part of her power. Bartran’s hand came down to grip the blade as he tried to pull it free, yet it remained stubbornly stuck where she had struck him.

“Annoying,” the Commander said, his voice no longer as heavy. It now wheezed as he breathed out the word. “What ability is this that you can so casually violate physics? Oh, General Guiana will be positively ecstatic to dive into the science behind this application of the Source!”

Nicole’s jaw worked for a moment as she tried to think of something that she could say to that. How the hell was he considering scientific advancements while he had a foot long blade stuck between two of his goddess be damned abs? That moment of levity in the Commander shattered abruptly as a red heeled boot slammed into the embedded blade.

Grace pushed away even as the Commander let out an aborted cry of what could only be pain. Bartran stumbled, remaining upright through grit teeth as his blade clattered to the broken ground. His hand now clutched at the embedded blade even as dark blood trailed down from torn skin.

“Yeah, that looked like it hurt,” Grace spat, gripping the remains of her axe. “There’s plenty more where that came from you genocidal prick.”

Jeff and Devon stepped up beside them, both of their uniforms carried damage from the battle. Kayla wasn’t far behind, her hood having been torn away and the edges of her jacket portion were heavily frayed. Carlos was the last, though he seemed the most intact he also walked with a limp.

Nobody had intact weapons, even Nicole’s own remaining blade was chipped from the battle they had fought. Deep within Nicole, that surge of power continued to burn away at her, demanding she give more of herself over to it, to drive herself forward and end the monster that had brought death to so many others.

Six Rangers stood exhausted, yet their enemy had flagged. Commander Bartran was bleeding and weakened, and Nicole knew they were unlikely to ever get another opportunity like this one if they intended to end the war. Killing him might not be enough to stop it, but no other fighter on the opposing side demonstrated anything close to what he could do.

They had to end it here and now before he managed to escape and lick his wounds.

Green light blinded everyone present as visors struggled to adjust and two figures materialized behind Bartran. One was the familiar form of Maraline, yet the other was someone that Nicole had only seen in a still image from Carlos’ debriefing packet. The blue-skinned woman stood nearly eight feet tall and had four whip-like mechanical tails that flowed behind her like tentacles.

Everything about the woman radiated danger, from her posture to the hardness of her eyes. It was enough to distract Nicole from Maraline long enough that she managed to step forward, placing herself between the Rangers and the injured Commander. That was when Nicole finally noticed that her would-be friend had shed her elegant dress and now wore fitted royal blue armor that clung to her form. If there had been any doubt that Maraline was a warrior, those were thoroughly dissuaded by the stark figure she now cut.

“I do believe this battle has run its course,” Maraline said, her voice cold.