The Hellhound's Return

Light Source, Part I

The last Hidiac fell just as the countdown hit zero and the others were released from Hekatoid's spell.

"Thanks, Fireheart," said Nick, as the dragon flew away. He turned to the others as they re-grouped with him, and he then turned his attention to Hekatoid. "We played your game, now where is she?"

Hekatoid shook his head. "The game's not over yet," he said. "Let's see how you fare against more formidable opponents."

He snapped his fingers and the world blurred again.

~X~

"What do you think he meant when he said 'more formidable opponents'?" Chip asked, taking a few seconds to get his bearings.

Kali stiffened and looked around. "I think he means that," she said nodding ahead to were several shapes were materialising out of thin air. Once they solidified the team gasped as they found themselves standing opposite them.

"It's us!" said Chip, looking from one ranger to the next.

"Clones?" Xander asked.

"Let's see you defeat yourselves," said Hekatoid, appearing above the battle.

Vida hesitated. "We can't fight ourselves," she said, shaking her head. "We're going to be evenly matched, and we have to remember that this is his game, he controls the rules."

"Then let's not follow his rules," said Kali, stepping forward. "Change it up."

"How do we do that?" Chip asked.

Kali grinned and rushed forward, ducking under her clones arm and swinging her fist at Chip's clone instead. The yellow clone stumbled in surprise and then aimed a high-kick at Kali, causing her to duck.

"I get it," said Maddie. "We know our own moves, but we don't know each others."

Chip grinned. "Yeah, we may train together, but we don't know which combination of moves we're each going to use, or in which order we use them. The clones won't know what hit them," he said. He balled his hands into fists and rushed forward, ducking under his own clone as it turned to face him, and slamming his foot into Xander's clone.

"Hey!" Xander whined, dodging around Vida's clone and blocking a punch from Kali's.

"They catch on fast," said Nick, blocking a kick from Maddie's clone and flooring Xander's. He felt oddly satisfied by the action, and quickly pushed the thought out of his mind as Kali's clone collided with him.

Flipping over Nick's clone, Kali unhooked her magi staff from her belt. "Sword mode!" she called, spinning around as she landed and colliding it against the clones. She felt slightly guilty for taking out her best friend's clone but quickly reminded herself that he'd probably do the same to her own.

"That's cheating!" Hekatoid wailed.

Flipping over to avoid a hit from the green ranger clone, Kali stabilised herself just as Maddie cried out from somewhere nearby. She spun around and found her friend on her knees beside three dice.

"What the hell -?" Kali asked, running over.

"They turned them into dice," said Maddie.

Kali looked up to find the Clone Rangers at full strength, while they were three Rangers down. "Chip and I'll deal with them," she said, nodding at the clones. "Maddie, try and figure out a way to turn the others back."

Maddie nodded and Kali run off to help Chip.

"Come on!" said Chip, blocking his own clones' magi staff. He stepped back as the green ranger clone swung his axe down the middle, separating the two yellow rangers, and braced himself from an attack from the red clone.