End of Days Prologue
by Shadow RangerDisclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or Super Sentai. They belong to the respective copyright owners.
This is a new story I decided to try a while back.
End of Days Prologue
“In the beginning there had been nothingness. Then had come the Creator. He made the planets and the stars, and filled the darkness with light. Eventually he grew tired of his work and following a cycle of rest, he chose to turn his attention elsewhere. In his place arose the conceptual forces of Good, Evil, Chaos, Order, Love, Hate, Life and Oblivion. The powerful entities clashed among themselves, drawing and redrawing alliances to gain the upper hand.
As the universe grew up a war of ideologies turned into a battle of opposing energies and eventually physical beings. As the first entities representing good and evil concluded their battle, others stepped forward to take their place. And other time more replacements came forward, fighting on a smaller and smaller scale. Eventually the existence of the Creator was disputed. Even the physical existence of the conceptual forces was placed in doubt as the never ending, multi-fronted battle continued.
As the great gods of Good and Evil claimed vast dimensions as their own, so the representatives of the other forces did likewise. Heaven, Hell and all points in between were the prize in a turf war that extended for millennia. The greater gods grew tired and chose to leaving the fighting to the lesser deities, so single confrontations were lost in favour of opposing armies. Angels and demons clashed in the skies of newly formed worlds in disputed territory. The Angels mounted atop huge beasts and armed with their swords of lights led armies of shining knights into battle against the hordes of demons that were often little more than beasts themselves. Holy armour that shone with inner light against the vast shadows of crackling darkness. War, death, and purifying destruction prevailed in a war between good and evil that had no regard for life. In such a titanic struggle those they sought to inspire to their side, were swept away or crushed underfoot.
And the universe trembled as the war intensified further. The lines between good and evil blurred as chaos and destruction intensified. In the end it became clear that should the war progress its current rate, nothing would survive. And so a truce was called, an agreement made that bound both sides. The war would not end – for that was impossible-, but it would be scaled down as the lesser beings that had been the true victims of the violence would be the deciding factor. At the end of their lives, the souls of the many mortals would bolster the forces of whichever side they belonged to, based on the judgement of a great power. And when the time was right, the souls would be tallied and the two armies would clash once more in a final deciding battle.
Allowances were made to sway the lesser beings to one side or another. Representatives of both sides would walk the mortal world in limited numbers influencing those around them. Saints and demons, angels and devils, whispering in the minds of the mortals but lacking the physical nature to engage in combat. And to bind the agreement, seven seals were created to hold back the destruction. Only through the breaking of those seals could the final battle begin.
Of course the evil forces broke the agreement, it was against their nature to adhere to any agreement that was not strictly in their favour. While they were restricted from physically entering the mortal realm in their true forms, they could possess other beings and grant them a share of their power, even allowing them to take on their bodies. The forces of good were powerless to stop them for they were bound by their agreements and did not possess the traits necessary to adapt. Some tried, willingly giving up their powers and becoming mortals. However once in a mortal form they were naturally vulnerable to attack. Another approach was needed. While they could not take physical roles without renouncing their nature, they could inspire others to fight the darkness and grant them the tools to do so. The list of those that took up the challenge was as endless as the list of those that accepted a place amongst the demons.
Even today that war continues and the stakes have never been higher. It has been prophesised…”
“…We already know all this Gosei,” Troy protested. “We were taught the great history years ago.”
Young, adventurous and more than a little rash, there was no doubt that Troy was the leader of the five youths that listened to the old man’s tale. There was no doubt he would make a fine warrior if he could learn not to give into his urges.
“Then you can appreciate why you five are in so much trouble!” Gosei snapped.
Gosei was old. Very old. He had served as a guide for generations, teaching those angels that decided to visit Earth the ways of the world. He was a scholar and a respected keeper of his race’s history. His grey beard and long grey hair, his frail body and simple clothing, were a sign of how harsh existence in the mortal realm could be for angels. Long ago he had given up his natural form, accepting something less durable for the opportunity to make a difference. It was something he had never had cause to regret. And while he was not a warrior, the light of Heaven shone brighter with his presence.
“All we did was take a little trip,” Troy protested.
“You left home without permission, bypassed security and then used a transfer doorway without permission. You entered this realm with no idea of how to fit in or the dangers you could face. You recklessly separated from your true forms without using the mediation spheres and failed to follow the correct rituals… Only one transfer door may be opened at a time and the doorway you stepped through cannot close because it thinks you are still transferring. What that means is that as of now it is impossible to leave Heaven.
“And worse, you put not only your existence but the existence of your friends at risk. Did if occur to you that those rituals are not just tradition, but a way of maintaining a connection to your true form in case you want to go home again? If anything should disrupt that connection it would be impossible to return home. Did you want this to be a one-way trip? Could you handle spending eternity knowing you could never feel Heaven again?”
He could see from the dawning horror on their faces that they had not realised the seriousness of their actions. They were not the first and he doubted they would be the last to seek out adventure. They just didn’t understand the dangers of doing so. Fortunately, he had found them before too much time had elapsed and before the bonds to their true forms had completely eroded. Had he not done so… he refused to think about that, they had yet to lose an angel to such a terrible fate.
“Adventure calls to all our kind Troy,” Gosei added when he saw that the teens were starting to realise the danger they had placed themselves in. “The trick is to make sure you are prepared before you start the journey. And the way to prepare yourself is to first read the texts and then to seek the guidance of those that know better. Now come, I will take you back to the Tower and you can return home.”
When the realms of Heaven and Hell had been claimed and the mortal realm had been declared the prize, barriers had been erected to ensure that the treaty was followed. Access to the mortal realm was limited and relied upon the use of dimensional towers that would swiftly return natives of Heaven and Hell to their rightful home. For the Angels at least the tower also maintained the link between their real bodies and their Earthly forms. But the technology used was outdated and a signal could be easily lost. The towers were enchanted so that only it was almost impossible for those leaving their own realms to do so without shedding their natural forms, but while Demons and Devils were willing to do so permanently, Heaven’s forces thought of the mortal world as a place to visit but not to stay.
“Your presence here has prevented others from arriving,” Gosei warned after teleporting them to the tower. “So when you return they will be displeased. I would advise you to spend a great deal of time studying this world and learning why we are needed here before making an apology. There will be more chance that it will be accepted if you know why what you did was wrong.”
Angels actually spent very little time on Earth, constantly shifting between realms after completing their assigned shifts. Four times a day those present shifted themselves home via the tower to be replaced by their brethren. But due to the actions of the young fools, the latest shift change had been suspended. The forces of Heaven had left the Earth only to discover that those waiting to trade places with them were unable to do so. For far longer than Gosei would have wished, the forces of Heaven on Earth consisted of himself and five untrained children.
“The barrier needs to remain in use at all times to maintain the strength of our forces,” Gosei continued. “Without it the Enemy has a complete advantage. Your antics have left our mission in jeopardy. I beg you, please keep that in mind the next time you decide to have ‘an adventure’.”
“Don’t worry,” Jake assured him. “We will.”
“Then stay close and let us depart,” Gosei instructed before moving through the barrier.
The five took a final look at Earth and stepped into the doorway only to find themselves pushed back as an alarm sounded and the world around them exploded.
“Gosei!”
End of Part