Fandom Power Rangers Sentinels

[Steel Accord]

"Fate and Novus are something different. The Fair Folk . . ." Dylan gave a shudder. "I'd rather fight almost anything more than them." Of course, he was about to get that wish as the Spriggan shared what Benji described as a vision. "Nenet, is here?! In Avalon?" Dylan took a moment to consider. "An Egyptian-esque sorceress in the world of Arthuran fantasy. I love our job." He said with a smile to himself before switching back to serious mode. "Ravens? Chance maybe? Or something more local? God, what were ravens associated with in Arthuran myth again?" Dylan racked his brain, trying to recall any specific mentions of ravens or associated figures.

 

[marorda]

"Good point," Erin nodded. As she'd already thought, fairies in other realms weren't always exactly... friendly. The could be kind like Novus, they could be complete tricksters, and they could be very scary evil little things that will murder you when you're not paying attention. Nope, the Fair Folk wasn't to be meddled with. But the Fair Folk also didn't seem like the type to just wander out and about like this little thing was doing... Unless someone or something had released the Wild Hunt... which just so happened to be a thing in several mythological realms. Was that a forebode of anything to come? Erin hoped not! Now she too shuddered. "I swear if this is the Wild Hunt coming at us, I'm outta here..." she mumbled under her breath. Now she wasn't superstitious, but was there any sign of protection she could throw around to keep that thought from becoming reality?

Gawain gave Clay a small smile as he was patted on the back. God, that man was strong. He'd make a fearsome knight if he'd put that strength to battle, which he obviously did. Made sense this man was paired up with Grondo! At the mention of pancakes his smile grew into a wide grin and his stomach started to growl. "Pancakes sound lovely." Hey, a knight's gotta eat! And then the grin turned into a frown. Nenet... here in the woods with Spawners and Ryxens. Now that was bad news. And her looking for something... that was even worse! With all the magical artifacts in this realm... no, they could not fall into the hands of evil. And the Spriggan had some all the way here to ask for their help. Logical... and kind of adorable. And worrisome. If it wasn't for this little guy coming all the way here to warn them... When would they've figured out what was going on? When the very hell was released upon them, most likely.

"Chance isn't a woman though," Erin shook her head. "If it were one raven messing around, I'd believe it might be Chance... but with multiple ravens and a woman involved... not so likely."
"Lady Erin is right," Gawain nodded. "But whatever the case, it will have to wait until later. Whatever it is Nenet is looking for, we cannot let her get her claws on it. Let's go." And with that, Gawain took his horse and rode out of the stables. No time to waste!
Erin wanted to protest against Gawain taking the lead again.... but there wasn't really anything she couldn't agree with. The last time Nenet was out for something, she got her hands on the Eye and then the Veil got ripped. Now she was pretty sure nobody would want that to happen again... or for the rip to grow and for Vorkalth to grow even stronger. So instead she just nodded to him and her friends, took the horse she'd borrowed before.
"What are we going to do with this little thing though?" she asked, giving a nod to the Spriggan on Clay's arm. "I'm not sure if we should take it with us... if it even wants to go back after seeing what it did."
---
If only Morag could speak already. Seeing the Eye, a powerful artifact thought to be lost long ago... Now in the hands of the Legion! Wonderful! With such great magical power to aid them, victory seemed to be within reach! The pull of the Eye and Nenet's prayer/chant led them towards a lake nearby the woods, looking gloomy too with the decay of evil powers spreading further and further into the realm. Whatever they were looking for... it was either nearby or in the lake. Another artifact, most likely. But unlike the Eye, it wasn't pulled out with such ease, as if something was protecting it. Powerful good magic keeping the secrets of the lake in place. But something else... something pulled Morag into the lake. Perhaps a suitable body of sorts? Someone or something that had drowned there or lived there. Whichever it was, for now it remained unknown. But Morag's essence disappeared underneath the surface of the water, and said water started to bubble, turmoil stirring down below. Something was forming, waiting to break free after being fully formed.
---
Darkness turning, twisting like a dagger in her gut. Oh God it hurt. It hurt so damned much. But the pull of darkness was hard to resist. Almost impossible, no matter how much she fought. More and more darkness poured into her body, seeping through the cracks in her skin. It changed her, she could feel it. A void swallowing her whole. Feathers fluttered around her, touching her skin before slowly drifting to the ground. The screams of the others pierced her eardrums before suddenly being silenced. Calm washed over her, followed by anticipation.
"Come, my sisters..." she called to the crows. "Join me."

 

[Lady Insanity]

Spriggan came all the way here just to get help from them, having secretly been following them all this time and having...childlike intentions, really. That is adorable! To think they were all ready to pulverize this little guy.

April's stomach churned after Benji awoke from his freezing state and told them about Nenet. "Nenet..." April's fist clenched. She remembered her, that sphinx bitch who not only tortured innocent people and kept them from resting in peace but also brought fear and anguish on countless people over the centuries. And she turned Novus into his miniature self! Nothing but contempt for Nenet, April had. Rivals might be a strong title for her and that wicked woman but... "Gawain's right. Nenet needs to be stopped. And whatever lady is being chased by a flock could be in danger," April stated diplomatically. But before any real plan was formed Gawain rode off on his horse. There he goes, taking lead and going alone...after acknowledging their help he hardly knows what to do with it? Curious man, he is. Then came the fate of the little Spriggan. The fate of...hmm.
"Maybe Spriggan could go to Merlin, and he could watch him until we're back?" April suggested. She nearly suggested Chance but something told her he would make a poor Spriggan-sitter. She got down to eye level with Spriggan on Clay's arm and gently pet him on the head. "It's okay, little guy...we can be friends, huh? You wanna stay with us, or go to our other friend?" April asked him softly, trying to convey a message of care and understanding with him. Spriggan may have been scared so she tried being as sweet as possible.
---
With her forces causing havoc in the woods for hunters and any villagers unfortunate enough to wander by, Nenet watched as the Eye led her and Morag's essence to yet another lake. Just as before, a lake. The Eye knew something lay within, something powerful. Morag went under and boiled the water. She clasped her hands together in anticipation and cackled, chanting and praying to dark gods above and below her. "Hmm. Interesting., And what is this? I sense...I sense something else in the woods. A presence, a frantic one, also dark and being interrupted by magic...hmm," Nenet sense aloud. Could she sense the woman being chased far off? Perhaps or perhaps not., Whatever it is, she sensed something else near in the woods but her attention was on that of Morag in the lake. "Rise, Morag, find your body, find your body and live again!"

 

[PenBlade1326]

Pancakes. Gawain likes pancakes. Well, first thing in the morning guess what Clay is going to make or ask the cook in the kitchen to make? A man after his own heart. And Clay isn't even into men that way. Focus, cowboy, focus. So Nenet's in the woods causing trouble or about to, and there's a woman running from a group of birds? Both sound like something usually up their alley. Clay held tightly onto Spriggan as everyone decided what to do and Gawain rode off. After all, he is the knight here and has the experience of helping Avalon. "I know Nenet is the big fish to fry here but shouldn't we try to help whatever woman's in the woods?" Clay asked. He'd volunteer to go after her alone, if that's what it took. Aren't they supposed to save people?

"I don't know, Clay. I thin we should focus on Nenet, too," Benji said and skeptically stroked his chin. Then came the question of the little Spriggan.

Clay held onto Spriggan not knowing what to do with him. Let him down or keep holding him? Give him to a...babysitter of sorts or take him along. Would he even want to travel into the woods after whatever's going on? Before venturing out they would have to decide what to do with the little leafer. April was hot on the idea of being gentle to the little guy. And hot an the trail of ideas with sending him to Merlin! "Would you like to go to Merlin, Spriggan? He can keep you safe, I'm sure..." Benji said.
"Pshhh! Lil guy had better come with us!" Clay protested. He could tell them where to go! Plus, he could point things out. He came to them for help, didn't he? He could show them exactly how to help.

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan knocked on wood at Erin's mention of the Wild Hunt. He really, really, didn't want that to come to pass. Man, and today started out so promising, now the Fair Folk were a possibility, as was the Wild Hunt, and again, they now knew Nenet was here! Upon Gawain's suggestion, he couldn't agree more. With Erin's approval, Dylan remounted his horse and gave it a good kick. His trident evaporating as he no longer had any use for it since Spriggan clearly wasn't a threat.

It was rather rude of Dylan to assume such, he considered. In his defense, when dealing with entities that could curse people for flimsy reasons such as walking down the wrong road, a little suspicion might be warranted. Regardless, Spriggan had revealed the true threat and Dylan wasn't about to let Nenet get off another victory as she had back on Earth.

 

[marorda]

"I think the Spriggan came here not just because he wanted us to help, but also because he wanted to flee the woods. We've seen what it looks like, haven't we?" Erin pondered. "Would a Spirit of Nature want to stay in woods that are so gloomy and dreadful?" She highly doubted it She liked the idea April came up with and Benji supported. Merlin seemed like a fitting babysitter for this little spirit tree... person... thing. While it might be wise to keep the little guy near them, it might not be the safest course of action. Her thoughts went back to the woman being chased by the crows. It sounded like she was in some sort of danger, whoever she may be. But the last time they weren't able to stop Nenet in time, she had gained a powerful magical artifact that had been used to rip the veil and let all sorts of evil seep into Avalon. Heck, that's the very reason they're all here right now!
"If we'd send this little guy here to Merlin... Well, he's the wisest mage in history, isn't he? Surely he'll know a way to figure out what the Spriggan has seen... maybe he can figure out who the woman is, or a way to save her. And then we can just fully focus on Nenet and prevent her from taking whatever she's after."

The Spriggan eyed the Rangers still around him. It didn't seem as scared anymore as it was earlier with everyone displaying kindness and compassion in one way or another. These people would save the realm, it just seemed to know it, trust it. "Pyoo... nyu..." the little creature seemed to consider something for a moment, or maybe it was just trying to make sounds that weren't little noises. "Friend."
Erin stumbled back, landing in a haystack herself. Karma, much? "Whoa! It can talk!" Really, that started her. Even if the creature was just mimicking a word that it had heard, it startled her! Though it did seem to be a reply to the question what would happen to him. The Spriggan didn't seem to feel much for heading back into the woods. Much rather it would stay with Merlin and watch in safety until the Rangers would come back to him. When the scary thing in the forest was gone. That... and surely Merlin would know the identity of the woman. Not that the creature knew that much... but it did seem to have a feeling for where to go to get help.

"That's settled then," Erin dragged herself out of the haystack. So that's what Gawain felt like before... Hay just really got stuck everywhere, didn't it? And it was so itchy too! "Spriggan goes to Merlin, and we're going into the woods. Best hurry before we're not able to catch up with Gawain and Dylan anymore."
She took the horse she'd borrowed before out of the stables and mounted it, riding off towards the woods too, followed by her friends.
---
The water continued to boil and bubble, strange and definitely unhealthy fumes swirling up into the sky as bubbles popped. Not the entire lake was turning dark, but the part where Morag's essence had entered the water had turned pitch black. A column of pitch black water, thick almost like tar or ooze, rose from the surface, slowly taking shape. It had lingered under water for too long and needed quite some power to regain strength and shape. Draining whatever life force was left in the immediate surroundings, the creature took more and more shape. Plants withered, the area looking more and more inviting to all sorts of undead beings. Orange eyes started to glow and the ooze slowly started sliding off the newly created... or recreated body. Long sticky hair, dark green like weeds covered a horse-like head. Sharp pointy teeth in an eternal dark grin shimmered in the light. Her black and dark green body looked like it was covered in fish scales, bones of her ribcage nearly poking out of the skin. Her legs looked similar to a horse's, but instead of a horse-like tail, her tail ended in a bony fin. In her hands she held what looked like partially rotten reigns. Morag laughed. "Aaah, it feels so wonderful to have a body again after so long."
---
Gawain didn't see the woman the Spriggan had showed on his way towards the lake. For all he knew she might be somewhere deep in there and in a completely different direction. But as said before... the woman wasn't priority right now, as much as it pained the Maiden's Knight. He'd defend a woman's honor any day, and if there was anything he could do to save a woman from trouble or evil, he would. Hence why he'd rather not see Lady Erin or Lady April put themselves on the front lines of the fight. But right now they had to choose between either saving a woman being chased into the corrupted woods by crows, or stopping Nenet from completing whatever evil plan she was brewing. Considering how many more people would be saved by the latter, that wasn't the most difficult choice. Still... one that pained him if he'd have to figure out the woman had met an unfortunate and preventable fate. But... there was something else. A dark presence haunting through the woods and heading for the lake together with Nenet... that brought back some memories. And they made him pray to God he was wrong.
---
Thankfully all the Rangers had somehow managed to more or less catch up with one another before reaching their destination. As a matter of fact they had just dismounted and gotten to the lake the moment Morag regained her full body. Seeing her made Gawain swallow hard and freeze in his tracks. Seemed like his prayers hadn't been heard. He looked at the monster, face clouded by a dark look.
"You again," he said coldly.
"You... impossible!" Morag seemed about as confused as Gawain was. "I thought I dealt with you the last time." She shook her head. "Nevermind. I'll just finish now what I started back then."

Erin looked between the freaky horse-fish monster -which she through her expertly knowledge on mythology knew to identify as some freaky sort of kelpie- and Gawain. Acquaintances, huh? But then she recalled... Gawain got stuck in this world because a battle against a monser here had mortally injured him... and left his friends with no other choice than to leave Gawain behind and have him become a part of this world. Yeah... now it didn't take long to put the pieces together. She eyed the kelpie again and shuddered. This one really was a freaky case. Normally they were people changing into horses... or beautiful horses dragging you to the depths of a lake until you drowned before they devoured you. Now the latter certainly wasn't pleasant... but at least in that particular description kelpies didn't look like someone crossed a rotting fish with an undead horse!

Wait a moment... an undead fish... and a cat... working together near a lake. Now Erin couldn't help but start laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. She shook her head and tried to keep her composure... but not without pointing the particular situation out to her friends.
"Guys.... it's a cat teaming up with a dead fish." Why was this even funny? Everything around them was dying and Nenet was likely here to pick up another evil artifact that could rend the Veil even further. Shouldn't that be more important? Yes, yes it definitely should. But still!

 

[Lady Insanity]

Little Spriggan is little. He's staying with Merlin--and he can talk! Another talking tree person! "I am going to get him the comfiest little pot to sleep in..." April said to herself practically melting over it. Really, he deserved a little pot! How cute would it be? Unless that's severely offensive to bark-skinned individuals. She had hoped they would be able to keep him after they were done perusing whatever Nenet was doing in the woods and hopefully helping the woman chased by feathered scoundrels! Not only do birds poop all over cars but now they chase people? April dusted hay from Erin's behind and nodded as the team agreed to send Spriggan to the old wizard while they went to the woods. And they're off!
---
Decrepit and scaly bodies arose with them such a stench. Nenet chanted once again and beheld the column of water spew out and reveal the new body for Morag. Sinister, undead, demonic. Everything an evil sorceress dreams of. Nenet clasped her fingers around her hand and joyously circled around Morag, admiring the long and weed-like hair. "It is good to see you in physical form, my friend." Nenet swirled around Morag still. "Let us go!"
---
It wasn't until the two previously-met beings noticed one another that Nenet let out a weary sigh. Morag had indeed dealt with this Gawain before and she would have to again. She folded her arms and snapped her fingers to call the Spawners and Ryxens out of hiding, a sultry stance about her as the savage creatures gathered around her in the woods, April and her friends dismounting horses just in the nick of time. "It seems as though you will dispose him again," Nenet said to Morag and stroked the weed-like hair as if she were a pet. But she might as well be.

So this must be a connection to Gawain's victimization after certain people played God with his life...
No comfort that Nenet just happened to be here. April stepped up with everyone to get closer to the situation and stand off between Gawain and the Legion. She looked the new creature up and down and felt sick to her stomach. Yuck. Like something out of a sea creature movie. No wonder Spriggan wasn't keen on being here. That and the whole dead woods thing. April didn't even laugh at the cat and fish combo here. "Erin...not the time?" April mentioned in a hush to her.
"Nenet, how sad I am to see you again. Why is it that now the only times we have seen you you're at some body of water looking for an artifact resurrecting the dead into monsters?" April asked the sphinx.
"Ahh, White Ranger. Seems as though your friends and Gawain have death wishes. May I introduce you all to Morag? Last time she dealt with Gawain and confined his fate. You shall fare no better in this," Nenet beckoned. April hated that cat lady. Someone had ought shut that mouth of hers. She wanted to be that one, in a way.

 

[PenBlade1326]

Instead of gathering the horses and riding off to the source of the trouble in the woods everyone was dumbfounded by Spriggan talking words instead of the little sounds he made. Benji and Clay had not as animated responses as Erin but both were still surprised. Clay squeezed the little plant really tight to show admiration! So cute. Benji was more glad that they'd reached the decision to give him to Merlin. After all, taking the miniature Sylvan-like being with them back into the woods with Nenet and a load of trouble waiting seemed less than comforting to anyone with a lick of common sense. Merlin would keep the little thing safe, wouldn't he? Hopefully Chance didn't wiggle his way around him. Fate's brother is not an evil person by any means, but if he pulls any of the trickster stuff on this poor creature... for some reason Benji is very passionate about this!
"I know a good pottery place," Clay whispered to April. He heard the pot thing. He liked it! How cute would that be? Yeehaw!
---
Securing Spriggan with Merlin meant they could leave. Benji and Clay mounted on chocolate brown horses and rode into the woods with everybody. Dark and decaying woods meant only something bad was near. Obvious signs to them ever since becoming who they were. Dismounting and rushing to the sides of their friends the guys eyed Nenet--once again doing something up to no good. With her was an odd...kelpie? Literally, it looked as if it had kelp for hair. Sick! Gawain certainly seemed as if he had been very off put by it. Clay rested a strapping hand on the knight's shoulder and shook him back to reality gently. "Y'alright?" asked the cowboy to the knight. Boy that is a sentence not often uttered. Cowboys and knights never run in the same stories.

"Remembering the story we were told, I guess this is part of his past," Benji gathered and cautiously stepped up. A monster who had given past Sentinels no choice but to put Gawain in an endless cycle. Bone curdling stuff, here. "Alright, as funny as the combination of stuff is here, something really fishy is going on!" Benji blurted with honest-to-God no pun intended. Clay snickered but held it back, albeit difficultly. Benji realized this and shook his head. "Why do I say things at all?" Benji asked a tree. No response. Okay not every tree can talk. Especially not the ones that looked like they had seen better days. Poor tree.

"Well," Clay started and only slightly laughed lie Erin, "we ain't gonna let nothing happen. We're gonna walk away the winners here, ya varmint!"

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan rode fast and hard to catch up to Gawain, only realizing too late that he had actually left his friends back at the stable. Bad idea, very bad idea. If they were going to fight Nenet, they would need to be at full strength. Even with Gawain at his side, April and him tried to take on Nenet alone back on Earth and it really didn't go well. Two Rangers was not enough to defeat the Witch.

As Gawain and Dylan, and the other Sentinels which made Dylan breath a sigh of relief, caught up, Nenet had alrady began her vile craft. She had summoned some unholy spirit of water. Deluvian sprang forth in Dylan's head.

Violator! Desecrator! Deluvian screamed in a gargle of different voices.

"Is that why I couldn't hear you before? This thing?"

"Polluted by Nenet's blasphemous meddling in the water. Getting . . . weak . . . again. Will . . . try to . ." And that was all the spirit could get through to its champion. Dylan had to silence this beast to cleanse the water of the corruption it was seeping into the Essencia. Luckily it seemed Gawain agreed as he let out a badass one liner.

"Nothing like a villain rhetorically demanding, 'how many times do I have to kill you?" He said to his friends. Speaking of whom, "that's a kelpie?! . . . Funny, I always pictured them being more . . . I don't know, majestic?" Dylan said to Erin's description of the creature.

 

[marorda]

"They usually are. Until you mount the pretty horse and then you're stuck and they drag you to the bottom of the lake, wait for you to drown, and then they eat you," Erin said rather rapidly, giving a quick rundown of just what Kelpies do. "And let's not forget that in this case the Kelpie is an undead and one of Vorkalth's lackeys. I bet he can make even the fuzziest kindest mythical creature in existence look like something twisted and freaky." After all, they were talking about an ancient evil demonic shaman bent on ripping the magical veil apart and conquering the world. Not necessarily in that order, just whatever fit his agenda the best.

"I am unsure as of whether I should be amazed or disturbed by your words," Gawain said to Erin, blinking slowly. Truly, the Red Sentinel of the current time was quite something different than he recalled. He then eyed Benji as he made his incidental pun, smiling faintly. "It happens to the best of us, Sir Benjamin," he said. Under different circumstances he might have laughed like Sir Clay, but standing eye to eye with Morag again left little room in his mind for anything but a certain kind of vengeance. Not very knightly thoughts, but if it wasn't for this creature, he would have never been trapped in Avalon. He would have been able to stay with his friends until the very end.

It didn't surprise him much that these Sentinels had already met at least one of Vorkalth's most trusted minions. The two had the tendency to show up at inconvenient times and speak the word of their master, wrecking havoc in the process. What did, however, surprise him, was that apparently they had met Nenet under nearly the same circumstances. Looking for an artifact in the water, resurrecting the dead...
"Please don't tell me they got their hands on an artifact..."
"Talk later, kick butt first?" Erin suggested, trying to divert the subject. Gawain didn't seem to like the idea of the Legion possessing an artifact. Neither did any of them, really... But the knight had probably had enough bad news for the day.
Two villains, six rangers... Hey, three people each!
"Dylan, since it's likely Nenet's magic corrupting the water, you go after her. April, you've got a score to settle with her, and Benji, you've got as much reason to want to cleanse this place as Dylan. I'd say you two join him. Clay, Sir Gawain, the three of us will take this Kelpie for a ride."
It was fitting, wasn't it? The cowboy, the knight, and the... Erin took care of the scary horse-fish while the three with a personal reason to go after Nenet would take care of the dark sorceress.

Gawain grasped the Charm in his bracer. "Essencia Awaken!" Golden energy surrounded him, shimmering like the sun on polished armor. "Shining Light Element! Gold Sentinel Ranger!"
"Whoa... Shiny..." Erin commented. Yes, they had seen him morphed before, but they hadn't seen him morph before. Just as they were about to charge off at their designated targets, everyone was surrounded by the Spawners and Ryxens the unholy duo from Hell brought along with them.
Gawain blinked slowly again, used to receiving orders, but certainly not from a girl. Nevertheless, her decision making in this case was spot-on. He quickly recovered himself. She'd made a point. Plenty of time for talking later. Right now there were threats to be taken care of, one whom had nearly cost him his life before. In a way, it still had... Morag ripped him of a normal life and had caused him to be trapped here. And this time around, the Kelpie seemed scarier than before, in a way. Might have something to do with her body rotting on the bottom of the lake for a good couple of centuries. Just maybe. He shook his head, taking on a fighting stance and eying Morag.

The monster laughed, looking at the rangers as they all made their remarks. "As my dear Nenet here just said, you shall fare no better in this battle than last time, rangers. Especially not you, sir knight. This time your friends aren't around to save you."
Gawain winced, that was a low blow, and it sure struck true.
"Okay, that's it," Erin said, cracking her knuckles. "This one's going down. Ready?" She gave the others a nod. "Essencia Awaken!"
The heat of a thousand flames filled her soul, spreading to every nook and cranny of her body. In the back of her mind she could faintly hear Igneos' laughter. For a friendly spirit of fire, he sure loved a good fight. Then again, fire was both creation and destruction. Red energy swirled around her body. "Scorching Fire Element, Red Sentinel Ranger!"

 

[Lady Insanity]

Puns, accident or no, either made April's face cringe or soften. Tiny bit of both in this case--things being fishy and all. Uncanny how once again they were meeting Nenet by a waterfront, searching for an item and resurrecting something dead. Sort of anyway. One thing is to be known: Looking for Nenet? She may be near a lake or something. "Well she kind of did get the Eye..." April admitted hanging her head to Gawain. The Eye of the Serpent was hers, now. God only knew what evil she was using it for underground... Parish the thought. Why hide it from the knight if he would find out anyway? Maybe this kelpie thing was just another thing Nenet had a claw in. Matter of fact it was undoubtedly something she had...

Going after Nenet as a plan. Along side two of the guys, no less. Splitting up half and half. "We need to stop them from doing anything bad as quickly as possible," she stated for the others to hear. Although instincts and common sense may tell them that already. She was happy that Erin in the moment suggested she go after her. Good. A small score to settle here, indeed. Sparkly gold ranger cometh! April admired the sparkles of the gold energy around Gawain as he himself morphed before the others. Hmm. Come to think of it, seeing him morph and be morphed was something April just realized. He hadn't morphed with them before...granted, he's fought with them really, but had he ever truly joined them like this? First time for everything?

"Oh how sweet it shall be to hear you scream as you did before. Especially when your friends sacrificed everything. Even Rosemary, was it? Sweet sweet Rosemary. Your predecessor, White Ranger," Nenet said and grasped Morag's seaweed hair in her hand, stroking it softly.
April squinted her eyes. Not only did Morag just give a low blow, but that was even worse, Nenet! Bitch!
"Ready!" April responded to Erin. "Essencia Awaken!" White energy flowed like a gentle breeze. Child, do not succumb to anger, remember to breath. Ainya reminded her. Yes, Ainya. "Soaring Wind! White Sentinel Ranger!" April stood in the middle of Benji and Dylan. Nenet is going to regret being so catty! Wait..

 

[PenBlade1326]

Wow, what a cruel she-devil. Corrupting the forest and making life around them rot and spoil in addition to sticking dirt in the wounds of Gawain's past? Benji cringed when April spilled the beans about Nenet already getting an artifact. Just let this guy know all of the things they did wrong. Gawain isn't the type to slap people is he? Being pardoned for the pun however took him back a step. He nodded his head. "Of course, Gawain..." Huh, someone doesn't mind an accidental joke now and then. At least the guy who's been tortured by time is humorous. He watched along with Clay and the others as Gawain put on a shiny light show. So...shiny...so glittery...Oh god, glitter. Glitter is the worst. "Dag nabbit my eyes are waterin'," Clay commented on the overtly bright show of Gawain's powers.

Erin's plan to actually kick ass now was a good one. Benji was more than glad to help April and Dylan out. "Guess the cat's out of the bag?" he punned intentionally. Albeit badly.
Clay nodded and adjusted his hat. It is no cowboy hat, but it's as close as he can get. "Well obliged, y'all," he said toward the kelpie as she and Nenet threatened all that was good. "Whatever they want, we have to stop 'em."

"Ready," said the two, gripping the charms and focusing all of their willpower into them.
"Essencia Awaken!" Benji and Clay called with friends, green and brown magic enveloping them, grassy scents and Earthy tones in their souls. "Sprouting Nature! Green Sentinel Ranger!"
"Shaking Earth! Brown Sentinel Ranger!" Morphed, the guys split into their halves and prepared to go after the two wicked witches. Or wicked bitches, more like.

 

[Steel Accord]

What Erin said disturbingly intrigued Dylan. That Vorkalth could corrupt beings from any pantheon. Actually, he recalled reading something like that back in the Coven.

"In all the myriad myths of man. Vorkalth has no shortage of soldiers." Written by Utuku, a Green Ranger from eastern Africa, around where Kenya would be now. It was vague, but it seemed to be hinting at what had transpired here. Dylan found the idea to be fascinating and that worried him about himself. To take things from different cultures, indeed different worlds, and bend them to a common broad set of characteristics while still maintaining a semblance of their original nature. A sort of perverse parody of E pluribus unum.

Gawain's fear at Nenet already having an artifact was well founded and April already laid out the reality of the situation to him. He couldn't blame her. He was just as guilty, if not moreso, for her obtaining it. Which made Erin's command that he should focus on her something he greeted with delight.

"With pleasure, Erin. Time for round two you plundering plum puss priestess of profanities!" Yes, Dylan did just call her fat on top of being an unholy grave robber. "Essencia Awaken!" Dylan felt his powers surge, Deluvian was eager to violently cleanse the water spirit of Nenet and Vorlkath's toxicity. "Surging water! Blue Sentinel Ranger!" God it felt good to be morphed again. Dylan hadn’t gotten to use his powers since they fought the Ryxen and that fight wasn't on their terms, this one was. Not wanting to stretch Deluvian's powers anymore than he needed to, Dylan relied upon his own Essencia to start. He called forth his sentinel staff and made a b-line to Nenet, his powers allowing him to stride across swamp and water as easy as pavement. On approach, he spun his staff, faked a short strike, and then slammed as hard and fast as he could toward Nenet. He was hoping his feint would catch her off guard.

 

[marorda]

Erin glanced at the Kelpie and couldn't help but shudder lightly again. Kelpies weren't friendly, and always a little creepy. The idea of horses offering you a ride and then dragging you to the bottom of a lake to eat you.. freaky. An undead keplie working for an ancient evil entity that was threatening to kill them all and had nearly succeeded in killing Gawain in the past? Even scarier. "Let's do this," she said, dashing towards Morag. The Legion already got their filthy claws on one artifact, and they'd be damned if they would allow Nenet to take another one. Quite literally, at that. If one Artifact was already enough to allow Vorkalth to tear the Veil and step into another realm... what would two artifacts do? Allow Vorkalth to manifest his body and start parading the Earth? None of them had seen Vorkalth before, had they? Gawain might have back in his day. Erin had no clue, and Gawain hadn't mentioned anything about running into the evil shaman before. Then again, they hadn't exactly done an awful lot of talking. Gawain had mostly been avoiding them. Made sense, too... How would she respond if she'd find out that 900 years had passed when she'd wake up from her next nap? She liked napping... Speaking of time... how much time had passed by since they went to Avalon? It had been a few days here, maybe a week and a half. Or was it longer? Time was getting fuzzy. For all she knew they had been here for over a year! So how much time had passed on Earth? Hopefully just a short while. Erin didn't know if she could deal with returning and finding out 3000 years had passed and everyone she had known save for these five people were long dead. Poor Gawain already had to live with that. What if they'd all have to at some point?

Gawain slowly turned at April as she mentioned Nenet had managed to get a hold on the Eye of the Serpent. "Goodness..." he murmured. That was terrible news. While they hadn't needed it in his time as a Sentinel, Gawain knew it was a powerful artifact. The idea it had fallen into the hands of evil was worrying. Nobody could possibly know what it was being used for. But the fact that Nenet and Vorkalth's energy were showing up here after 900 years of peace did certainly give him a good idea. He clenched his fists as Nenet spoke of Rosemary. "You shall not speak her name, foul wench!" he called to her. Rosemary.... Rosemary sacrificed herself? That couldn't be! Leonard would have never allowed her to do so. They had all cared about her and each other way too much.

Erin briefly turned to Clay as she heard his call. Did he just say...? Wasn't it always...? Should she tell him? On the other hand, now everyone had a uniform rolecall, and he was still morphed and ready to kick some ass. So did it really matter? Nah. Enough pondering now. She summoned her sword and ran up to Morag, closely followed by Gawain who also had his sword drawn. Morag laughed and used the slimy reigns around her neck as a whip to keep the approaching Rangers at bay. Erin yelped upon being hit and fell back on the ground.
"What is this with constantly being touched by sticky slimy stuff!" Erin called out. First the leaves, now the reigns. What's next? Being thrown in the water-turned-sludge?
"Be careful, Lady Erin. You too, Lady April. Surely your friends wouldn't want to see you injured," Gawain said, dashing past Erin and ignoring the lashes of the reigns to deliver a heavy blow with his blade. Erin grumbled some kind of curse under her breath and scrambled back to her feet. She didn't need a knight in shining armor to protect her. Gross! the idea alone just gave her the cold shudders. If ever any guy would treat her like a princess in need of protection, she would kick him in the balls.

 

[Lady Insanity]

Something is different. Clay normally felt more...solid. Now he feels all shaking. She can not put her finger on it but April certainly felt as if something were just off about him today. Cowboys are weird enough with their yeehaws and their massive hats. She liked Clay, however! Yeehaw! Wow, feels weird saying that and not being southern as fuck like Clay. Maybe this train of thought should derail back to action.
"Rosemary, Rosemary, Rosemary," Nenet egged on as Gawain demanded her silence on the name of his once-adored companion. He had likely adored, for lack of better words, his entire team from nearly a millennia ago however Rosemary seemed to sting more than most. She loved mocking his loss by chanting her name. Cruelty at its finest.

Nenet completely anticipated Dylan's incoming blow and caught his staff with one hand. She turned her head to look at him. "Faking out is so last century, mortal. Care for a swim?" Nenet asked Dylan in a cold voice and hurled him up in the air from the grip of his staff into the water, splashing him down into a muck, with gross ripples alike engrossing him in the murky depths of the liquid. Gross. She challenged the other two in her direction. Sending one Sentinel to a bath, she would send the others to similar fates. Maybe with more brimstone and eternal suffering?

April took out her wand and raced after Nenet in Dylan's trail, ducking under a sweep of the sphinx's claw and weapon, rolling through leaves and injecting the tip of her wand into Nenet's gut. April blew a gust of sharp wind at her and forced the witch backward gliding on the leaves on the ground. Nenet growled and sung at April again, this time striking own her chest and poking her in the gut as payback. April clutched her stomach and rested on her knee. "This blows," April unintentionally punned to herself.
Nenet cackled and cackled--challenging any who opposed her. "Let's make it more interesting. Spawners!" Nenet summoned a small envoy of the Legion's grunts to her aid. Not many, just numbering at about twelve. Two for everyone! Spawners picked up April, dived into shallow water after Dylan, and ran around everybody else to fuck their day up a bit. April grunted and kicked them off of her, twirling her cape into them to daze them long enough to hit them into nothing!

 

[PenBlade1326]

Off to a great start already with Erin being flung, Dylan taking a murky dive, and April having wind knocked out of her. Funny how two of Benji and Clay's friends were being hurt or integrated with their elements somehow. Maybe Erin's getting fired up as well. That aside it was totally not cool how Nenet bragged on about Gawain's dead friends. "Maybe we can give this kitty a scratching post made of dynamite?" Benji thought to himself before realizing Spawners were being brought out to play. Woods all around him reeked of dead and rotting chunks of nature, so Benji felt rather weak in some regard. Sylvan was probably crying inside. And rhyming. Always rhyming.
Not having it today, Benji summoned the wand as well and held it tightly against his chest. He focused and channeled his energy into the ground among the tree roots, uprooting them onto the closest Spawner's ankles and trapping the monsters in place preventing them from hitting him with their weapons. He opened his eyes and jumped back. In disbelief he chanted, "I can't believe it worked!"
He looked a Nenet. "Your turn," he said and channeled his energy forward, razor leaves flying from the wind at the sphinx glowing in green, leaves piercing her like a dozen daggers! Or so he oped that's what was happening. It would be embarrassing if it just tickled her.

Clay sat back and just watched Erin and Gawain charging at Morag the Kelpie, sitting on a tree stump just observing and waiting to go in at an angle. Erin whipped aside and huffing at Gawain valiantly dashing through as if she were a princess and he the noble hero. Something funny about the dynamic level of what may pass for chivalry here. Getting up after learning to avoid Morag's move, he got up and stretched his arms out, accidentally whacking the Spawners down behind him with his big arms. Yeeeeehaw! Clay summoned the mace and weighed it in one hand. "Yippee kayay ya varmint!" Clay shouted and let out a screeching yeehaw as he ran forward. "I got ya back, Lady Erin, m'lady!" he said enthusiastically and ran past her and Gawain, taking the minute for himself because burly cowboy! Noting how the others had sharp weapons and he did not...
"Not to be blunt, Morag but I'm gonna slamm this here mace into yer noggin'!" Clay shouted and drove the heavy blunt mace into Morag's chest.

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan went wide eyed. He thought that because of Nenet's obvious power in magic that she wouldn't anticipate or be quick enough to react to a direct assault. Needless to say, he was regretting that approach as he was hurtled in the air. He had to remember that myths were not like D&D, just because someone was a mystic didn't mean they also couldn't throw down. Celtic mythology and Hinduism was abound with such figures, to the point it was considered unusual for one of their figures NOT to be a good fighter in addition to their mystical ability. Of course there was also Sun Wukong, one of the biggest badasses of any mythology who was both a one man army and a shapeshifting trickster.

*SPLASH*

Dylan was violently brought back from the aether of his own Essencia filled pondering by the muck that cushioned his fall. Unfortunately this was no mercy as the defiled elements now latched on to him, trying to drown him or at least impeded him so that their new masters could conduct their nefarious business in peace. Dylan tried to free himself when he was set upon by two Spawners that Nenet had summoned. He tried to fight them but his strikes were stymied by the muck, which seemed to outright avoid affecting them as it was him.
"Deluvian! This is you! You have to reclaim the water. Or else it will belong to the enemy." Dylan received no answer. Dylan received a hard kick from a Spawner that knocked him into the muck, flat on his back. It was starting to pull him under. He tried to swim, but nothing gave. He reached out to grab something but nothing was there. He called out to his friends but none of them could save him.

Wait a minute! Dylan remembered a tip he read in the Coven. It was written by Ozora Takahashi, a white ranger from Japan during the Kamakura jidai. He and his Sentinel team were fighting kamikaze, as in the originals, the actual divine winds. They had been corrupted by Vorkalth so Ainya was lessened in her ability to actually influence the winds. Ozora though, echoing Miyamoto who would not be born for many years later, said that a single breath could hold all of the strength of a Samurai and was able to bring Ainya to bear down on the corrupted kami through him. The book said that rather than channeling the spirit's power through him, he used his own Essencia to empower Ainya. Dylan could do the same!

He stopped struggling and calmed himself. He slowed his breathing as the muck consumed him. Focusing his Essencia, he breathed in deep, letting the power concentrate and tense up inside him and with a soft but deliberate breath, he whispered.

"Deluvian." And just like that, a water spot of clean, pure, water burst from the pool. Knocking the spawners away. Dylan emerged triumphant with his trident in hand. "I bring more than feints and fists Nenet!" Empowering his weapon with water magic, he launched it at Nenet.

 

[marorda]

Erin's head snapped towards Clay as he too called her "Lady Erin" and "m'lady" Oh someone was going to get an earful once this was over! Maybe that promised kick in the balls when it was least expected. She mentally grumbled. Really, she understood they were in medieval-ish times and she was a girl... but she was not a friggin Damsel in Distress! She was a person causing distress to evildoers! And she could damn well fend for herself, thank you very much!

"Geez you stupid cat, how old are you? Five?" Erin called as Nenet mockingly chanted Rosemary's name. That was such a childish thing to do. But it seemed affective enough for the moment. Gawain shuddered, either in grief or in anger.
"Stop it! STOP IT!" he called, giving Morag a fine chance to strike him, sending Gawain flying backwards. He landed near Erin, who had only just scrambled back to her feet. "Hi there," she commented. And then she saw Dylan go flying into the murky water. Just as she had wondered whether it would be her to find her way into the sludge. Mentally she was, for a moment, grateful it wasn't her to go flying. But that gratitude soon made place for worry. That was her friend being pulled under the grossness over there! If he'd get stuck, Dylan would drown! Wait... could the Sentinel of Water even drown or would Deluvian somehow protect him? Would that mean she could run through flames without getting hurt? No, no, no... not the time and place for those thoughts, Erin!

And with the Spawners surrounding them upon Nenet's command... this wasn't making things any easier. Time to summon some flames and burn them to a crisp! What was supposed to be a controllable sized flame, however, quickly grew much, much larger. Oh yeah... gasses in swampy areas. At least she didn't blow herself and Gawain here up! But there was still the matter of very large flames engulfing her and being hard to control. "Oy! Oy! Oy!" she called, flapping her arms and running in circles, effectively still setting the Spawners on fire. The fire thankfully didn't hurt her, but being a human torch wasn't that pleasant of an idea or experience. Erin paused, taking deep and steady breaths, the flames growing with each inhale, shrinking upon exhale. See? She could still control it! Or again... or just now. Didn't matter, did it? She controlled the flames and that was all that mattered!

Gawain... didn't share that thought. He watched Erin, frowning under his helmet. Young girl, seemingly not too responsible and hardly in control of her powers. Was this what the Sentinels had come down to? At least the others seemed better in control of it all. Surely this had to be some kind of mistake. The Red Sentinel had never been a girl before. Never should be too, it seemed. And for good reason. Gawain knew Igneos was strongly fueled by emotions, and let's be fair, women are far more emotional and unstable than men. Erin here truly seemed to prove that. What had gotten into that stubborn spirit's mind to choose a girl to lead them in the darkest and direst of times? He shook his head, recovering himself from the blow Morag had dealt and swinging his blade around to swiftly deal with the Spawners.

"Dylan!" Erin called as he emerged from the water again, actually having managed to clean a spot in the murk. Impressive work there! Maybe they could clean this lake soon and get to the artifact. If some would keep Nenet and Morag busy enough, one of the others could get to the bottom of this. Literally, perhaps. Hold on a second... lake... artifact... Arthurian times... Hold on another second... Were they.... Was the Legion looking for...? Erin shook her head. What were the chances, anyway? Still. They were at a lake again and there was once again an artifact hidden there. Was this a pattern of some kind? "Your Spawners aren't enough to stop us, Nenet!" she called. "Let's go for this again," she eyed Morag. Was there a way that was particularly effective in scaring away Kelpies? For cats it was simple... just give them a bath. Cats hate baths. Unless they are insane or maybe a little bit crazy at the very least. Erin took another deep breath, coating her blade in the flames that had until recently been coating her body. Maybe a fiery sword did more against Morag.

 

[Lady Insanity]

If cameras were on scene--which would be rather strange in context--they would pan upward to catch a glimpse of April spinning on her heel with her cape spread out dusting Spawners back like a feather duster repelling pesky dust mites on grandmother's coffee table. Like dust mites the Spanwers flew back from April as her guided hurricane blew them into next dimension. Mother nature sure is a beast. Especially when the literal mother of nature (okay technically mother of wind) is at hand, here. Come for one of this momma's young and you will face a set of claws in the form of a big gust!

Wind subsequently drifted through everybody's capes or tunics, Ainya's feeding of April's big heart soaring. Ha! Soaring! Seeing Dylan fall into muck and Gawain being mentally tortured, all while Erin, Benji and Clay fought so hard in their own rights drove her to her own state of motherhood. Being gentle had its benefits. Right now this stupid cat and fish needed a good breeze. If strong enough, gale force winds can snap a tree in half!
Worry not, Sylvan, my friend, I would never snap you. Ainya communicated in her head to Sylvan. Wait, can Spirits do that? speak telepathically...through the Rangers' minds? Double mind invasion...

"My Spawners were only a distraction, Lady of the Red," Nenet replied swiftly to the fire Sentinel all while catching Dylan's trident in her hand. Perks to being one of two elite powerful beings in Vorkalth's army? Enhanced ability to the maximum. Nenet cursed to herself. The green one's razor-like leaves indeed cut Nenet and sparked all around her, forcing her to step back a peg. But this cursing is literally. Curse-ing. As in she said a quick spell and found herself taking in a deep energy, now wielding Dylan's trident. She looked at Benji. "You need to take up gardening," she teased and swept Dylan's trident against Benji's chest while still feeling the sting of his leaves. Watching him fly backwards she redirected to Dylan. Another one getting in the way of the prized artifact her master demanded. She had the Eye, and this would fair no better in the Sentinels' defense of an item. At the bottom of the water was what she wanted. No way she would let up now.

"Morag, go after the artifact. The Rangers are mine!" Since Erin mentally thought someone should keep these demons busy, somehow of course Nenet thought to counteract that and ask Morag to go after the item they seek underwater. Nenet was indeed powerful. Powerful enough to handle all six? Remains to be seen. She dropped the trident and whipped a dark circle around Dylan, forcing him out of his element, literally, and lassoed him into a tree! Not very hard but hard enough to get the pint across she is not to be messed with.

Displaying her pure heart, April hissed at the sight of her friends being attacked. Benji and Dylan so brutally! "You guys okay?" She asked them loudly, kneeling down between them on the ground as they recover. Such a womanly thing to do. Or at least it's considered womanly around here to be the one checking up on people like a nursemaid all of the freaking time. She huffed as Nenet promised she alone stood against them. Taking out her crossbow, April aimed it at the cat.
"You are really getting on my nerves. You talk about Hell so much? Go there," April said to Nenet in a mean way and fired at her. The militia in Camelot has really helped her with her aim, so her shots actually landed on Nenet. They did not hurt much, but they landed. April fired again determined. This time Nenet deflected her bolts...right at Erin's back. Oh no, watch out Erin!

Nenet alone challenged the Rangers again, hoping Morag did as she wished. April huffed again and spke to the guys on the ground. "We can't give up, guys...we have to do this!" She motivated them and ran forward, swinging her leg of Nenet's head for a kick, meleeing her crossbow down into the sphinx's face. Nenet laughed and blasted April through the air. Now she's literally soaring wind. A damsel, what stereotypical bullshit...

 

[PenBlade1326]

Many thanks, Ainya. Breaking a tree such as me would be most of an unease, Sylvan replied in thought to Aiyna for not breaking trees therefore breaking parts of his very soul if that were at all the case. Should this be possible? And did that rhyme much at all? Sort of, kind of, just enough similar sounds to make Benji cringe in his head even during such a rush of an experience such as this.

Seeing torture like this to Gawain really set Clay off. Seriously, it is beyond cruel to mock the deceased and then parade around like this. Someone had better teach this bitchy witches some manners. Clay steamed like a bull as Morag the kelpie struck Gawain and rampaged on. Maybe it is a southern thing to get boiling mad when people are undeservedly treated so poorly. Looping in time and space was bad enough, now Nenet is mocking his fallen friends? The cat needs to be deprived of cat nip from now on. And the fish needs to be laid out on a beach in the sand! Wow, that's brutal when you really think about it. Who cares when there's a big varmint that needs handling. Clay paused by Erin and Gawain's side, letting the knight get a breather in edge wise.
"That there does it, ya rascal varmints, I am gonna ruffle your feathers!" He shouted. Just disregard that no creature in the nearby vicinity has feathers of any kind... Unless a flock of pigeons happens to be flying by. Or a certain raven perched in a tree?
Clay let out a loud hoorah and tackled Morag head-on into the water. He signaled for Dylan if he could to either help the others or dive into the gross water after the artifact, but maybe Clay would do this? He wrestled around with the kelpie for a moment before kicking her off in the water, swimming his best for a few feet before having to resurface and cause a rock slide to hopefully keep Morag in the water, weighing her down in rocks! Hoping this didn't prevent them form getting the artifact they were after to save.

And things needing saving, what about the woman running the woods they were told about? Seems like they hadn't thought of her in forever...
Benji however did not think much when Nenet swept across his chest. He yelled loudly in pain and rolled on the ground. He clutched at his chest and begged nature and Sylvan to heal him, breathing in deep and slowly. Being hit at so close a range with such a sharp object nearly tore his suit open and cut his flesh. Ouchy! Ouchy for all of time! Picking on the scrawny one of the group might as well be in the evil villain handbook, assuming there is such a thing in existence. He snapped out of it just long enough to see what Clay did not--Dylan being whipped into a tree out of the water. Brilliant...

"I'm okay! Can not speak for Dylan, I'm afraid," Benji replied to April's shouts and made his way over to Dylan on the ground, Clay getting out of the water after making rocks fall on Morag. Probably not going to kill the monster, but definitely should delay them in getting what they want in the bottom of that lake! Dripping wet, Clay stumbled around for a moment to get his bearings.
Benji checked on Dylan himself and eyed Nenet. April is right. They can't stop now! He summoned the glaive, knowing not even a few weeks ago he would have just ran, and now ran after Nenet with his friends. She wants a fight? Well she'll get one. And kudos to April on badass line of the week. "Talk about Hell so much? Go there." Seriously, that gave him chills! Benji swooped in after Nenet attacked April and sliced his glaive around Nenet's arms to cripple her, distancing himself a bit to catch April. "Hold on! Got you!" He shouted to her, summoning a quick net of vines from nearby trees to catch her. Maybe it's enough?

Meanwhile, seeing the shot deflected to Erin's unaware back, Clay widened his eyes and immediately jumped in front of it--taking the full force of the blast right to his own back and tumbling to the ground in pain, coughing and groaning hoarsely. She doesn't need saving, but... Well he can't just let he get hurt!

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan cursed under his breath at Nenet catching his trident out of the air. Forget the more brutish of Vorlkath's generals, with God as his witness he would make this witch bleed by the time this was all over! Speaking of bleeding though, Nenet using his own weapon to threaten Benji made Dylan want to recall the weapon to his hand but he was then violently torn from the water and slammed into a tree, Benji's element fittingly enough. Karma perhaps.

"Yeah guys, I'm good. Thanks for asking." Dylan said as Erin and Benji checked on his well being. What good friends. Dylan really didn't deserve them, they were all so kind and patient with him. In truth, he was barely able to breathe. Getting slammed against that tree had knocked the wind right out of him but channeling just a little Essencia took care of that. They were Power Rangers after all, if injuries like that could take them out of a fight, the worlds would have fallen millennia ago. Dylan was about to assist Clay in the water when he outright took a bolt for Erin, it happened so fast Dylan couldn't react to it. Erin would no doubt have a plan but in the meantime, he liquidized his fallen trident. It flowed back into his hand and he solidified it again. He took a stance next to April and Benji, facing Nenet down.

"You've made this personal Nenet, for me AND for Deluvian," Dylan said.

 

[marorda]

Morag nodded as Nenet commanded her. Yes, going after the artefact while the Rangers are distracted. She headed towards the lake. Foolish Brown Sentinel to tackle her into the water. Her territory. Oh, how easy it could be to simply deal with him right here and now. Just drag him with her to the bottom and wait... But no. She had to go after the artefact as Nenet had commanded. The General wished to deal with the Sentinels herself, so Morag would have to let his man go. Such a shame...
Not much of a shame that the rockslide followed. Being an aquatic creature, the rocks didn't stop her. Morag simply swam between them, making her way towards the bottom of the lake. If anything, all those rocks would make it more difficult for those pesky Sentinels to follow her.

Erin's eyes went wide. First as Clay tackled Morag into the water. He freaking did not just tackle a KELPIE into the water! No way the idiot did that! Okay, yes. He really just did that. And resurfaced, swimming to the shore, much to Erin's surprise. Pleasantly surprised, but still surprised. Maybe this Kelpie being an undead made some of her abilities function differently, somehow? And her eyes went wide once again as that very same idiot took a blow meant for her.
"You stupid idiot!" she cussed at him. "You nearly got yourself killed twice in less than a minute time!" She ran her hands over her helmet. She didn't want her friends to get hurt for her. Plus... if anything seriously bad were to happen to them here... then what? Would she have to leave them behind like Gawain's friends once had to do? What would happen if one of them actually died here? Erin didn't want to think of that. But yet there she was, with Clay being an idiot and nearly getting himself killed twice. One of those times to protect her. "Please tell me you're alright?" she said in a much softer voice. Dammit, she wanted to slap him over the head for doing such a stupid thing. But she couldn't possibly be mad at someone who just saved her life.

Gawain nodded slightly in approval. Of course he was shocked to see everyone being tossed and thrown around, but he couldn't help appreciating the courage and honor of Clay to defend Erin. The knightly thing to do; protecting those in need. Knightly appreciations aside, things were looking rather grim. Not just because the forest was dark and evil. He reached out a hand to help Clay back to his feet and looked at the others. "Something needs to be done, quickly," he said.

Erin nodded in agreement. They couldn't let the Legion get their hands on another artefact!
"Dylan, go after Morag. Lakes and water are your territory. See if you can purify the lake and get to the artefact before Morag gets her hands on it," Erin said. "The rest of us deal with Nenet and make sure she can't use any foul magic to make Dylan's task harder. Her blade, still coated in flames, flickered. She had meant to slash it into Morag, but now Nenet would have to do.
"Let's see how many lives this stupid cat has left after we're done with her," Erin said, glaring at Nenet. Gawain glanced down at her and frowned. Scary little redhead, this one is. No wonder people say they're sent by the devil. Redheads stole the fires of hell. Eerily fitting for the angry redhead who just so happened to be able to control fire. This one isn't secretly evil, is she? Some kind of foreboding sign? No? He eyed the rest, still not quite understanding why they would take commands from someone like Erin and not a man as knightly as Clay for example. But the time to ponder was later. Now, holding his greatsword, he charged at Nenet, followed by Erin and the others.

 

[Lady Insanity]

Spongy vines! Millions upon millions of years of evolution and this is a line of thought going through the mind of the fair April May Brubeck. Soaring Damsel! White Sentinel Ranger! That should be April's new role call since somebody changed theirs today. She just can not place who? Maybe she had already said and forgot. Dear that is a frightening thought now isn't it? What's happening again--oh right vines! April landed in a perfectly bouncy web of vines produced by Benji. He must have put a lot into that! While all of the fighting went on she just bounced up and down momentarily and waved down at him and everyone. "Thanks, Benji! Woohoo!" April cheered for herself for just a minute before using the elastic vines to bounce back down to the ground. Ah, solid ground! One may think she prefers being in the air, however. Oh, digression...

Nenet had not intended suck irony in attacking the scrawny green one and the foolish blue one. Using ones weapon on the other and using the others element on the first in turn. Happy accidents were not too uncommon when it came to Nenet. She looked at Clay as he took the shot for Erin. "What a fool," she commented under her breath all while parrying Benji's glaive attack and strutting backwards.

April just watched it all unfold before her. Clay facing near death twice in a row, Erin yelling at him, Dylan and Benji facing down Nenet with her, and Gawain likely judging or admiring everybody's actions at once. She gently pet Benji and Dylan's arms and caught her breath. It's getting really intense really fast. She led the guys over to Gawain and the others as Nenet watched Morag go into the water with much glee and enthusiasm. No way they can let her get another mystical object. The Eye is already too powerful in their hands. Imagining another relic is just insane.
"Whatever you say, Erin, we've got your back. Dylan, I'll lend you some of my energy as best I can--you have to be exhausted," April told the water Sentinel as he got his orders to go into the water. She didn't know how but she would try and lend hi some energy through Essencia as a force, focusing hard enough so she hopefully gives him a hand. Or she may end up doing absolutely nothing at all and bursting a blood vessel trying too hard. She readied her crossbow with a heavy bolt, firing a straight line tornado for Nenet as she ran in with the others under Erin's lead.

Nenet cackled with her own weapon in hand. She dodged the shot and swept her fanblade around challenging them. "I do love imploring violence when time calls for it," she said to herself. She may be more of the tactical and logical general. But she loves killing. Nenet fired a brace of dark energy at the Sentinels present, leaving it up to chance if they were hit directly or not. As they grew closer she twirled the weapon in all directions to counter them, slashing across multiple colored chests without breaking a sweat.

 

[Steel Accord]

Dylan looked to Erin as she spoke. Once the order was given he snapped to it.
"Got it!" He said with an affirmative nod. Just as he was going though, April said she would give him some of her energy. He had to admit, he was exhausted. It just hadn't occurred to him to think about it until now. "Thanks!" He said briefly before tearing off, Trident laying along his shoulder as he sprinted. When he reached the edge, he dove in headlong and prongs pointed down first.

As he entered the water, he could feel Essencia flow into him from April. It felt like a literal breath of fresh air. It was much appreciated. Now in the water though, he readied his weapon and peered into the murk. He couldn't exactly see where Morag was but now the fight was still even. They were both in their element. Seeing an outline just up ahead of him, Dylan readied his weapon and launched it again like a javelin at Morag.

 

[PenBlade1326]

Benji waved up at April while she joyfully sprung up and down in the air on the net. Thank God it actually worked. Under recent instruction he's felt as if his powers have gotten stronger. Time and just pure heart are what it took to make a spell or a vine-net work like a charm. Just satisfied to see it worked he redirected attention to the to troubling pests. The fish going under and the sphinx egging them all on. A shame his attack on Nenet didn't land, but at least he pushed her back for a hair of a second? He judged Clay a little. Leave it to the cowboy to stare Death in the eye twice in thirty seconds or less. Yeehaw?
Clay cringed under Erin's cussing at him. Not only did he unknowingly tackle a Kelpie into water and to his death but had been let go, he had also taken a misdirected shot meant for Erin right in his back. It stung like a dozen wasps but he would live. She didn't need saving but he was not going to let her or any of his friends get hurt. "Yep I'm alright. Felt a little shiver in my britches but I reckon I'm in tip-top shape," he said to Erin. "Besides, I ain't about to let ya get hurt there, friendly girl," he said. His way of saying to her she is his friend. Nobody hurts a southerners friends and lives! Okay--not saying if you hit someone on the playground at school you'd be executed. This isn't 1759 where everyone was killing everyone!

The cowboy took the knights hand and got on his feet, hands on his knees as he rested for just a second. Benji regrouped with him and everybody else, the scrawny lad keeping himself up and about. Clay popped his neck. Showtime.

"Got yer back, boss lady!" Clay said and tipped his invisible hat to Erin as Gawain pondered their situation.
"I'll declaw that kitty," Benji added and dashed aside, sweeping his glaive at Nenet like a sharp Frisbee of death! Both of the guys willingly followed the fiery redhead into battle without a second thought because they trusted her. Hopefully Dylan will be okay in the water with April's mental help. Nenet needs to be handled now before the stupid Legion gets another important thing. Benji caught his glaive upon its return, narrowly missing Nenet's energy blast by swerving away. Hey he's getting good at the fighting thing!
Clay missed it, too, only by running into it headfirst with his mace and deflecting the shot. However when she hit them in the chests melee style, they felt it. Felt it hard! As they fell to the ground, Clay huffed and stomped his foot into the earth, causing a rumble of Earth to quake that cat right off of her high horse!

"You know guys, I think maybe I'm speculating but... in his era, isn't the sword Excalibur in a body of water somewhere? I think I read it in Merlin's coven space before... You don't think?" Benji speculated out loud. Clay hadn't thought of that. The sword Excalibur? As in like the most legendary and iconic blade ever? Eh? NO way... Did Benji figure that out?