The Hellhound's Return

Light Source, Part I

"You're going to wear a Daggeron-size groove into the floor if you carry on pacing," Kali murmured without looking up from her book. She was sitting at the round table inside Root core, while Jenji fed Fireheart.

"I can't help but think the worst," said Daggeron. "We've had no contact from Udonna or Claire in days."

Kali turned the page of her book. "Udonna made the promise that if and when she needed help, she'd call," she said. "It's obvious she doesn't need help."

"Isn't no news good news?" Jenji asked.

The globe jingled and Kali looked up as Jenji rushed over from Fireheart's den. The swirling yellow clouds disappeared and were replaced with dark ones, as Claire's frantic face appeared within them.

"Daggeron!" Claire cried, fear in her eyes.

"Claire!" Kali said, dropping her book and leaning forward. "Claire, where are you? Are you okay?"

"Kali, I'm okay," Claire confirmed. "But Udonna was captured by a fat blue frog."

"Hekatoid," Kali murmured.

"Claire, come back to Root core," said Daggeron.

Claire's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No! I have to save her!" she said, disappearing from view.

"Claire!" Kali yelled.

"Be careful!" Jenji called.

Daggeron turned to Kali as she pushed away from the table. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Where do you think?" Kali asked, grabbing her leather jacket. "Udonna's been taken and Claire's out there alone. I'm going to go find her."

Daggeron started to argue but cut off as the globe jingled again, and this time showed Hekatoid in the city. "Great," he grumbled, looking back at Kali.

"I'm on it," Kali said, running out of Root core. She ducked out of the dragon's mouth and ran straight into a nearby tree.

~X~

Arriving in the city, Kali morphed into her titan mode and blasted Hekatoid with a fireball. He jumped around, howling in pain before turning his glossy eyes onto her. "Sorry to interrupt," she said.

"One ranger is no match for me," Hekatoid laughed.

"Who said I was alone?" Kali asked. She looked up and grinned as the Titan Megazord dropped down from the sky, slashing at Hekatoid with its sword. The frog jumped back and the others landed beside their team-mate, just as Daggeron arrived.

Hekatoid huffed and puffed as he glared at the Rangers. "Don't try and stop me," he warned them. "I have something of value to you, and if you try and stop me, you'll never see it again."

"Trying to bargain with Udonna's life?" Kali asked. "That's a one-way ticket to hell." She reared back and blasted him with a second fireball, but missed as he shrunk to ground level, laughing about being missed.

Kali growled and ejected from her titan mode, landing on the ground opposite Hekatoid. The others landed beside her.

"You can't stop my plan!" Hekatoid laughed. "Wait till my babies rain down from the heavens." He pointed towards the clouds.

"What?" the Rangers asked, confused.

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked.

"Look closer," said Hekatoid.

Maddie looked up as the clouds parted to show clear balls of air, inside of which were tiny black larvae. "Tadpoles!" she shrieked.

"Frog babies," Xander gasped.