[Sentai]

The Pilgrimage
Part 2


The warmth of the fire was comforting. The soft crackle as the wood within the flames, the pine scent as the logs inside slowly burned. It could’ve been the surroundings too. The Dragon shaped entrance to Daggeron’s home, connected to the Great Tree above. The mystical energies permeating through the entire wood. She just knew she liked it, whatever it was.
“Why do you wish the Power?” His voice broke through her thoughts hard enough her brows knit together. Always someone to bring you back down into reality, she thought. Kyoko turned her head enough to watch the now unarmored Solaris Knight. So she could watch him as she answered. “That could be considered a loaded question, Sir Daggeron. The best answer would be because I was told to find it. To prove I’ve changed, and the past few months hadn’t been a lie.”
The man gave a rolling chuckle, while throwing another log down onto the dwindling fire. “Least you are honest. Your first test then will come in the morning. I cannot tell you what it is, but you will know it when you see it. And for your sake I hope you pass.. Because the gateway here will not open for you again if you do not.” Meaning, bluntly, she was stuck here forever if she failed. Kyoko wished someone had explained that to her before she fell through the looking glass into Wonderland.

Kyoko woke with a start to the sound of heavy trunks being knocked over. The distinct sound wood breaking, splintering away, and trees heavily falling onto others like hastily erected dominos. Narrowing her eyes she reached for her sword on instinct… it was gone! So was her duffle! Her eyes widened though when she caught a more pressing problem coming her way.
A quick kick of her legs brought her onto her feet from being prone on the ground, and only that diving roll forward stopped the next tree from landing right where she was laying. Her body moved on instinct alone. Keeping her profile low by bending forward, arms kept straight back behind her. Keeping her low and agile enough to dodge more falling logs. Her knees bent like springs gathering tension as she began leaping for them. Landing on one to the next to the next like she was bitten by a radioactive spider. Always staying ahead of the collapse.
Daylight was ahead. Which meant one more leap and… Yes! Her feet slid satisfyingly across the smooth grass clearing, and her right hand’s fingertips sliding along the smooth surface helped her stop herself. And turn her body, using the momentum built, to stand upright. Watching the destruction laid waste on the once beautiful wood. But there was no sign of what caused it. No sign of anything other than fallen trees, and now an endless destroyed landscape. “… It is over…?”
Instantly she regretted every saying that. The ground beneath her shook, splitting open allowing large columns of steam to suddenly spring up venting towards the skies.. And rising from them long wooden vines. She caught her footing just in time to see them twisting and combining together, forming some shape within their tangled mess.
She watched as the skeletal vines began to be covered in thick moss-like fur, while the large front paws of the beast landed on the solid ground making it shake beneath. Damn it where was her sword! The beast reared it’s head back, the mountain lion shaped monster releasing a roar so mighty it echoed against the mountains in the distance. But she could do this.. She knew she could.
All she needed was… And then she saw it! In the distance behind the beast, lodged into a nearby stump, was what looked like a magic wand. Wasn’t her morpher but it would work.. She hoped. All she needed was to be faster than the beast. Please, today, let her be faster than the beast. Rolling herself beneath the Lion’s swiping foot she leapt onto her feet. And just started running. Fast as her legs could carry, dodging swiping claws and snarling teeth. Leaping out of the way seconds before a large paw tried slapping her aside.
The Beast though had other ideas. Rearing itself around to stomp his front paws down against the ground, making her loose her footing as the ground shook again. Blocking her path towards the wand. The snarling maw of the beast snapped down at her as she desperately rolled one direction and then the other to avoid being eaten whole. She needed up! She needed on her feet because she’d die if she stayed on her back.
When the Beast came down again she tucked herself up and rolled backward, gripping onto long vines hanging down from the wooden mountain lion’s chin. Allowing her to use the momentum to swing up and over the beast’s head. And once her feet touched the soft earth making his body she took off. Precisely controlling her balance, moving with the Beast’s movement instead of against. Like standing upright on the canoe during rough seas. Fighting would only make her fall off and drown.. Or fall off and get eaten, as the case was. Her bare feet pressed against the spine of the beast, leaping between wooden vertebrae.
And once she reached the animal’s backside she pressed her feet in and made a diving leap for the stump. The beast though opened it’s maw behind her, trying to swallow her there in midair.. But Kyoko won the race. Gripping hold of the wand, pulling the weapon loose and rolling to safety moments before those maws snapped shut and took the chunk of earth in right where the stump once was.
The beast was busy. Distracted with spitting out the stump and clump of earth it almost swallowed. Giving her the time she needed to attempt creating the Wood Symbol of Samurai Green. But.. Nothing was happening! Why was nothing happening?! She didn’t have time to try again, the beast was finished spitting out the log and was charging again.. What was she supposed to do?!
But it came to her.. It was a Wand. She remembered last night, Daggeron using words to create the fire, words which made magic.. She didn’t write the symbol she needed to speak it, she needed to believe it! Closing her eyes, holding the wand towards the charging monster beast she called upon the power she needed.. And hoped.
“MOKUZAI!” The suddenly pulse of Green Energy erupted from the wand, proclaiming she’d guessed right as the tendrils of power struck against the power of the beast. Lashing against the howling creature’s leafy skin, bringing it down onto her knees.. And Kyoko pulled back. Ceasing her attack just as the beast collapsed onto it’s side. As she approached, her hand played along the creature’s cheek unable to bring herself to destroy it..
“You passed.” Kyoko turned her head towards the voice, just as everything around her faded from view. Returning to the idealic forest she remembered. And Daggeron standing beside her, holding in his arms a small white kitten. Stroking one hand along his back as he continued. “The Test wasn’t learning how to use a wand, it was showing Mercy for the first time in your life. You could’ve easily destroyed her. Instead you stopped short and only defeated her rampage..” Kyoko stood back. Watching as Daggeron released the kitten, changing it into the first piece of her new morpher. Kyoko caught the small number pad and held it close within her hand against her chest.
“So you never left, my sword was never missing, and none of that actually happened..” Now it all made sense. He used one of his spells to create that world, to test her and see if she’d spare the beast. … And she passed! “Where is my next test, Daggeron?” The man chuckled, giving a shake of his head. “Eager to leave already?” He was teasing her, of course. “You’ll ride my Solar Streak Megazord into another world, a City named Corinth. There you’ll find your next test.”