The Earth’s Curse
by Shadow RangerDisclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers, Saban does. The Rangers belong to Saban as does Sam (sort of). Lin Kuei is taken from the Mortal Kombat cartoon as are some of the other characters I shall introduce later. This fanfic is written without their consent.
Authors Note: Anything written like this is a thought, anything like -this- is a conversation Sam is eavesdropping on and anything appearing like *this* is a mental telepathic message.
This story is based just before Good as Gold, Billy is on Aquitar and the Machine Empire is still intact. Also in my timeline, Scorpina never left Rita's service and has been working in the background since The Mutiny.
This story is an alternate version of the Conquest of Evil series. In this place, events start after the end of Zeo and before the Turbo movie.
The Earth’s Curse
Contact had been made, finally. When Drakkon had given Harbinger - until recently known as Minion - his mission, the more powerful villain had made it seem as though all the arrangements were in place, and that all Harbinger had to do was step through a doorway. That had been a lie. Of course, it had been a lie. Drakkon was constantly lying, in Harbinger's opinion, especially to himself. And so Harbinger had searched through the Dark Dimension and Drakkon's world, seeking the means to cross the boundaries and return to his world... and begin his mission. Luckily the delay had allowed Harbinger to become more aware of his restored body and the improvements Finster Five had been unable to resist making.
As he had searched, Harbinger had schemed. He had plotted again Drakkon of course, savouring the revenge he would one day take against his master. But that was for another time, as right now his vengeance was focussed on the Power Rangers responsible for him being in the Dark Dimension, their new friends and allies, and most of all: Tommy Oliver. The promise of revenge had encouraged him to find the answer to crossing dimensions, but he had also taken time to further his education so that when he confronted his foes, he would be the one holding all the cards.
He had taken the time to interrogate those older beings within the Dark Dimension, picking their brains - sometimes literally - for knowledge about how the dimensions worked. Billy Cranston had been aware of the multiverse at the time of Harbinger's creation, so Harbinger was already aware of its existence. The new knowledge led him to realise that the multiverse was far larger than he had believed. There were many more variants of the timeline than he had believed and within those alternate worlds, there was the chance that a different version of a person existed. There was more than one Lord Zedd, more than one Machine Empire and more than one Earth where the Power Rangers fought against evil. Through the Dark Dimension, he could see many of those dimensions and witness the fight between good and evil.
In some dimensions the Power Rangers were servants of evil, in some they were the evil rulers... In some, they simply did not exist. In the Dark Dimension, those variants that ended up there merged into hybrid versions of themselves. But within that space of concentrated darkness, the darkest parts of their personalities were drawn to the surface while all redeeming features were eradicated.
And then there was Harbinger. Harbinger was different from those around him because Harbinger still had a physical body; Finster Five had repaired him at Drakkon's command and built him to be stronger the ever. He was beyond the simple sculpture of Billy Cranston that Rita Repulsa had brought to life with her want; he suspected Finster Five had not realised that his counterpart had not been responsible for Harbinger's construction. He was beyond the alterations that Mistress Repugna had made the first time he had been revived. Now thanks to Finster, he had become the true embodiment of what it meant to be the Harbinger of Darkness. And most surprising was the fact that despite dying multiple times, he still retained a link to the Morphin Grid and the Power Coin he had briefly used to morph.
But sometimes it seemed that genius blinded Harbinger to the obvious solution to his problem: ask Drakkon. It had been worth the mocking laughter as Harbinger admitted he lacked the means to move between dimensions - for Drakkon it seemed enjoyed tormenting Harbinger almost as much as he enjoyed the prospect of killing Tommy Oliver. Drakkon had tossed the clone a fragment of green crystal, which Harbinger recognised as a remnant of the Green Chaos Crystal and instructed him to use the Dark Sword to empower it.
This was why as Harbinger looked upon the assembled monsters and henchmen who had willingly joined his campaign, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Of course with the power of the Dark Sword and the Chaos Crystal at his disposal, conquering a group of powerless lackeys had been easy. His hand reached out and a book was placed in his waiting hand. The book was the compiled work of a servant of evil who had been trapped in the Dark Dimension longer than most. It chronicled every new arrival and details of the vast artefact collection that while powerless inside the Dark Dimension would prove invaluable outside.
Which raises the question, why do the Dark Sword and Chaos Crystal work here?
As he sent the curator off to retrieve the three Badges of Darkness detailed to be stored in a vault, a plan formed in his mind. He now knew how he would carry out his task and then turn the tables on Drakkon. His chance for revenge was at hand... and all were about to pay.
He placed the Green Chaos Crystal upon the Dark Sword and muttered a few words to empower it. "I command the portal to open!"
The Moon,
Weeks Earlier
"Enough," Zedd bellowed, causing his wife to take a step back.
The argument had been going on for some time and the two villains had been so absorbed that they had missed the appearance of the Green Ranger and his powered-up Dragonzord.
"Freeze Frame was a pathetic monster, but there was still a chance he could have destroyed the Rangers. If he had succeeded, all the better. He failed, as expected, so it no longer matters."
He paused, trembling slightly as his body pulsed with energy.
"Something has changed Rita, I can feel it. There has been a shift in the balance of the Morphin Grid and the Green Ranger returning is a sign that the Grid has also sensed the change and is attempting to restore the balance. The powers of darkness have grown stronger; this is something we can use to our advantage. We will find a way to use this shift to destroy those Power Rangers and finally claim that miserable planet for ourselves."
The Moon, Present
Lord Zedd, Emperor of the Dark Zones and soon-to-be conqueror of Earth brooded upon his throne. Something had changed, he had felt the currents of the Morphin Grid as they resonated with darkness in response to another's call. But then everything had calmed again, leaving Zedd uncertain about what he had felt so excited about.
"Was it a trick of some kind?" he mused.
"Not a trick, my lord," a voice replied. It was little more than a whisper, hissing around the edge of his senses. "A sample. Just a demonstration of the powers I possess and you could share. If, you are willing to embrace your darkness and become the villain Lord Zedd is destined to be."
"Who are you?" Zedd growled, not realising that the laughter came from Harbinger's memory of once asking the same thing.
"A lowly minion of the darkness, seeking to restore you to the villain you once were." There was a pause as if it sensed Zedd's irritation at not having his question answered properly. "You do not trust me. That is wise. Allow me to demonstrate my good intentions."
For a moment Zedd could feel a slight pressure on his mind, but it rapidly withdrew and as it did so his mind seemed to clear.
"What was that?" he demanded.
"The release from a spell you didn't know you were under," came the reply. "A gesture to show my worthiness. Would like to hear what I have to tell you, Lord Zedd? I promise it will be enlightening."
Zedd's body burst with dark energy, glowing with the angry red glow he had not felt in a while. Even with the renewal of his evil magic, he had not felt so invigorated.
"Yesss," he hissed finally. "Show me!"
"As you command, Lord Zedd. I am in your service."
Zedd did not think to question the wording. He nodded absently, ignoring the slight shock he felt running up his arm.
"You will need one of your other servants," the voice told him. "Not Rita," it cautioned. "She will require more work than a mere demonstration. Perhaps one of your warriors..."
"Yes," Zedd agreed before he bellowed: "Goldar!"
"I am here my master, how may I be of service to your Excellency?" Goldar grovelled as he entered the room at speed. "Name your task, Lord Zedd and I will fulfil it."
"Silence!" Zedd commanded as the armoured servant dropped to his knees. "Rita took you back into our service because you were supposed to be evil. But you have grown weak, cowardly. You are not the servant I once accepted. That will change..."
Zedd aimed his staff at the grovelling warrior, striking him with a bolt of energy. Goldar grew larger; his fangs sharper, his muscles bulking under the influx of power, and for a moment Zedd feared he had gone too far.
"Goldar?" he asked, noting the smoke rising from his servant's flesh.
"Zeddy, what was that magic, I felt it in my chambers?" Rita Repulsa asked as she entered before stopping to look at the unmoving warrior on the ground. "What did you do to him?"
The response came from Goldar as with a feral growl, the gold warrior straightened up. "He has made me whole again," he stated before bowing. "Thank you, Lord Zedd." He rose from the floor and bowed to Rita. "Empress Rita, how may I serve you?"
"Zeddy, this might be the best thing you have ever done," Rita laughed happily as her mind was drawn back to the memory of Goldar as he had been when he first entered her service.
"Go to Angel Grove Park and draw out the Power Rangers," Zedd instructed. "In twenty minutes you are to return here, regardless of the outcome."
"You're going to let him attack and run away again?" Rita groused.
"Whether he succeeds or not is not important right now," Zedd told her. "Just so long as he captures Zordon's attention. If he succeeds all the better; if not it will not matter so long as Zordon is too busy to worry about our activities for it would seem the darkness has smiled upon us, Rita. Tell me, what do you know about the Curse of Gaia?"
He watched as the doorway between the Dark Dimension and the world beyond opened, allowing him to teleport through the breach. The Dark Sword had cut through the fabric of the dimensions with ease, while the Green Chaos Crystal had allowed him to converse with Lord Zedd long enough to gain the Emperor of the Dark Zones' acceptance that he was a servant. Now, while Zedd informed Rita of the truths Harbinger had planted in his mind, Harbinger took the opportunity to escape the Dark Dimension and journey to the Moon.
Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa were not needed for his plan. In fact, his scheme called for their absence. But first, he needed to give them a reason to leave the Earth. The information he had given to Lord Zedd along with the changes shown by Goldar would likely be enough to convince them to trust him in their absence.
"Soon, real soon!"
"Are you sure about this Zeddy?" Rita asked. Her husband had had some insane plans before, but this...
"I am certain Rita," Zedd replied. "If we are to conquer this wretched world, we must break its curse. Goldar has already proven that without its influence, he is a most competent combatant."
Indeed, Goldar had performed the task Zedd had given him as ordered. He had drawn the Rangers out and then kept them occupied long enough for Zedd to demonstrate the cleansing effect of his new spell. Unfortunately, even the darkest of spells could not resist the eroding effect of the Curse of Gaia for long and upon his return, Goldar soon reverted to his previous self.
"To free ourselves of such magic we must be away from the Earth," Zedd stated. "Then, when we return, this planet will belong to us and the curse will be erased by our triumphant wickedness."
"So what did you do to Monkey Boy?" Rita asked.
"The Dark Dimension is the place where souls of the servants of evil are drawn following their demise. In some lived a Goldar that fell in battle while evil and his spirit was drawn into the Dark Dimension where it merged with other versions. I simply called forth a part of that merged darkness and fed it into Goldar. It recreated him to be the most evil incarnation of Goldar possible. But not sufficient to overcome Gaia's Curse... yet"
"I don't understand, my Lord," Finster protested. "If you combined different versions of Goldar, surely the good would overcome the evil."
"You raise a good point," Zedd conceded. "But you forget that such events took place in the Dark Dimension where the light has no place. Those spirits residing there are the accumulation of the dark sides of those destroyed while they were servants of evil. The Dark Dimension desires to create the most evil version of an individual, allowing those with the knowledge to channel that evil back into their living counterpart. Rita's father employed somebody to do something similar a long time ago."
And here Rita's mind flashed to her mother, the Mistress Repugna.
"Tell me, Rita, when did you first notice that your plans were failing to work as you had hoped?"
Rita thought about it for a moment. For years she had been the most respected witch in the Universe. Even her father had been forced to tell her how good she was at being evil. Baboo, Squatt, Scorpina and Goldar had served her loyally for many centuries, destroying world after world in the name of evil. Then, Finster entered her service as a monster maker and they finally turned their attention to Earth. For their first few encounters with the enemy everything seemed to be proceeding normally. But then, Squatt and Baboo had seemed to become foolish and incompetent. Back then she had hardly noticed the change because it had been so subtle. Shortly after Rita had stopped making monsters using spells and Finster had started relying on books instead of his creativity.
The image flashed into her head of Finster on the day she had unleashed the Green Ranger. Throughout the whole time he had been trying to get Goldar to talk her into using a monster instead. Goldar had of course refused, the simian had always been loyal until she had taken his wings and Zedd had arrived. A lot of things started to come together in Rita's mind. The way Zordon knew how to beat monsters that he had never seen. The way the Sword of Darkness had been destroyed by nothing more than a feeble Blade Blaster.
"You!" Rita said, pointing at Finster. "You betrayed me. Why?"
"My Queen," Finster stammered, trying to think up a way to distract everyone while he ran to his chamber. "I have always been loyal to you."
"He speaks the truth," Zedd told her. "It would be simple to believe we were betrayed, but that is not the case. You know about the Curse of Gaia - the magical field surrounding the Earth that erodes an evil heart. You spent ten thousand years exposed to its effects. So did your followers. Then I arrived and the effects of the curse were so established that even I started to succumb." He pointed at Rita. "And your tinkering with my rejuvenation potion made it more effective. So much so that by the time your brother arrived... Fortunately, it is not too late."
A burst of dark energy enveloped Finster, freezing the monster maker in place.
"Baboo, Squatt, Rito, Scorpina, come here!" Zedd's voice boomed throughout the castle.
As his subjects arrived, he held his staff above his head and cast a spell using just words instead of his staff. As he spoke, magical symbols formed in the air around them.
"By battles fought and battles won, let Gaia's Curse now be undone!"
A black mist rose from the floor, enveloping those gathered in the room. Rita, Zedd and their servants soon collapsed upon the ground as they breathed the cloud of pure evil.
The Curse of Gaia had existed long before Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. It was a magic that seeped through the Earth, protecting it from those who would harm the world Gaia had once protected. Of course, the being known as Gaia had not been seen since before the time of the Greek Gods and had been dismissed by many as a mere myth. Yet the curse she had placed upon any evil that threatened her worlds, had made it possible for the planet to see off many invaders. It was a spell that utilised the shattered crystal buried deep within the core, out of sync with the rest of reality; a crystal that had the same powers as the Zeo Crystal when it came to eradicating evil.
And it seemed that since Gaia had placed the curse, the magic of the planet had grown to encompass the entire star system. Its magic infected those with wicked hearts, eroding the darkness, and making them less proficient. And the more darkness that was cleared away the more opportunity there was for the positive emotions such as love to further undermine the darkness. Rita's love potion had stripped Zedd of his darker feelings for a time, negating the effects of his rejuvenation. It had not last long before the darkness in his heart had turned that love into something twisted, but the damage had been done. Within a short time Zedd had become as big a failure as his wife and her servants.
But that was then and as Zedd awoke a few hours later, he could feel the lifting of the curse. It would not last, despite his body bursting with evil energy, but it was a starting point. He turned and nodded to Goldar, who had kept guard for the time they were unconscious. He could see that the infusion of evil was already starting to fade.
Rita awoke next. Her entire appearance had changed. Instead of the ridiculous-looking cones on her head and the ugly brown garments, she found herself in the traditional costume the witches of her home world had used for centuries. Her long grey hair reached down to her waist, her black clothes were covered with various symbols of power, used to attract energy from outside her body. Finally, she picked up her wand and discovered it had been recharged to the level it had been before she had followed Zordon to Earth.
Scorpina had quietly gotten to her feet and joined Goldar on guard. Her armour had a deadly hint to it that had not been there before. She wiped a green fluid from her lips.
Poison, Zedd surmised.
Squatt awoke next. He had been raised by Rita in the ways of evil. Therefore the effects of the magic used against him had been less intense than those around him. However, the more the magic had worked to change Rita, the harder it had been for him to remain unaffected. And now with the foreign magic erased, he could sense that he had changed.
Gone was the desire to make himself seem important to Rita. Rita had taken him in when he was a child, there was nothing he could do that would likely force her to send him away. He already had her attention. He had a new mission in life, to ensure that in future he deserved her attention for the right reasons.
Baboo had changed physically. His claws had grown into talons, his monocle had developed into an energy weapon and his entire body had developed a metal skin. He no longer looked like a joke, instead resembling a smaller version of Goldar. His loyalty, which had always been to his own best interests was now tied to the service of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. Their enemies were his enemies and he would do everything in his power to crush them.
Finster despite being the first to experience the darkness, was the last to stand. It had not taken much for the spell to untangle the effects of the curse on Finster. Despite what many believed, Finster was in some ways the most twisted being in the room. They were evil with a purpose, Finster was at heart a creator of chaos. For that reason, the Curse of Gaia had never truly taken effect and the real had been there the whole time, emerging now and then to play one of his sick games and delight in the chaos it caused.
"It worked!" Rita cried as she understood how much she had changed in a matter of hours.
Finster kneeled before the Emperor and Empress his hand outstretched. Resting upon his palm was a small fragment of Green Chaos Crystal, which had regenerated during their sleep.
"I believe you will be needing this, Lord Zedd," he stated.
"Yes Finster," Zedd said. "This fragment of the Green Chaos Crystal will be enough to open our side of the door and unleash a force so powerful, that even the Rangers will be unable to stop it."
"And while our new servant deals with the Power Rangers, we can continue our new mission," Lord Zedd told her.
"Forgive me, Lord Zedd," Baboo said. For a moment Zedd and Rita stared at the newly empowered underling. Then Zedd nodded for him to continue. "Will you be needing my services? I might be of service here."
Lord Zedd glanced at Rita to find her as shocked as he was. Baboo had been an imbecile ever since Zedd had first met him. Rita had once explained that Baboo and Squatt had once been a force to be reckoned with, working as a team. Now Zedd was starting to believe it.
"The Curse of Gaia must be broken entirely," Zedd told him. "Something we cannot achieve while inside its effects. Every evil being who has ever been in contact with us has been influenced by its power."
Finster had also been wondering how he could best serve Rita and Zedd. He was first and foremost a monster maker and the best thing would be to perform his duty and create monsters that could bring the Rangers to their knees. "With your permission Lord Zedd, I will remain here and lend my assistance in defeating the Rangers. Together we should be able to create something truly evil."
Zedd considered Finster's request. When he had first met the monster maker he had been unimpressed with the creatures Finster had designed. But from what he had been shown, Finster had been one of the least affected by the Curse of Gaia, likely because Finster created his monster to be evil, but more to watch them succeed than out of cruelty. And Finster had shown that he was extremely loyal to those that he considered worthy. His loyalty to Rita had extended long after Zedd had banished her despite how badly she had treated Finster on occasion.
"Finster, you may remain here and assist in the defeat of the Power Rangers. Squatt and Baboo, you are to remain and carry out whatever tasks Harbinger assigns you. Goldar and Scorpina, you may accompany us."
Rita listened to what her husband said. As much as she hated to leave the Earth she knew that they needed to completely eradicate the Curse of Gaia. And that required them to journey far from its influence. For now, it seemed they were destined to take a trip to Onyx, maybe popping in to visit Master Vile on the way.
"And now, loyal servant," Lord Zedd intoned, Harbinger of Darkness, come forth."
He watched as the gateway to the real world opened fully to allow his safe passage. As he stepped through his link to the Morphin Grid grew, infusing him with renewed strength. He found himself in the body of a ninja. His uniform was a black material reinforced by a thick vest over the chest and back. A black mask hid most of his face allowing only the glowing red eyes to be seen. A metal guard protected the forearms and lower legs from attack. Finally, in the centre of his chest the Green Chaos Crystal embedded inserted itself. The crystal flashed and was replaced by a golden coin bearing the image of the Jackal.
He looked down and found the Dark Sword attached to his leg. He turned his attention to where Zedd and Rita were watching.
"Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa," he said, removing his mask to reveal his face to his 'betters'. "I am in your service once again."
"Zeddy, you are a genius!" Rita cried as she saw the face of their new servant, her mind failing to connect him to the monster that had failed them twice in the past. Rita and Zedd had long believed that the only way to beat a Ranger was with another Ranger. "What is your name?"
"I am the being born from the unification of fallen servants of evil. I am the Harbinger of Darkness, but you may call me Harbinger. And I swear upon my existence that I am loyal to the forces of Evil."
He watched the smile form on Rita's face and felt satisfied that she had been convinced to trust him and that whatever Drakkon had devised, had worked. For the time being, helping Zedd and Rita was exactly what he needed to do.
Deciding to see what the Rangers were like he stretched out his senses, touching the minds of all those holding Power Coins or Zeo Crystals. He sensed the active Rangers; Tommy, Katherine, Rocky, Adam, Tanya and Trey. He also detected two others; Jason and someone who would soon arrive.
"The Earth is yours to conquer," Zedd told him. "Rita and I shall return in due course. I expect you to be victorious."
"As you wish my Lord," he said, watching as Rita and the others left, leaving only Finster and him. He glanced at his new assistant and smiled. "Let's get started."
As they departed, Zedd thought he heard Baboo comment about forgetting something but chose to ignore it.
Hours later Rito Revolto stumbled out of his chambers. "Hey, where'd everybody go?" he asked. "Hello? Ed? Rita? Ow, I've got a headache."
End of Part