Power Rangers Zeo - Venusian Encounters by Heather Ray (mystery books to read txt) 📕

to start fresh."

"Whatever his decision, the Sword of Tympanus will go with him," Tideus said, "and the Aquitian Rangers will support him."

"And so will the Zeos," said Rocky.


Chapter Forty

Atop the Azure Mountain peak, the Silver Ranger remained in the same position for hours -- curled up into a ball, with his face buried in his arms. His helmet and sword still lay on the muddy rock beside him. Torrential rains still fall from the heavens, and the cloud cover is nearly gone. Billy's light brown hair is soaked thoroughly, as is his face and neck. The rest of his body is wrapped in the warm protective cover of his silver and white uniform, but his face is clammy and pale. His blue eyes were dull and cold, and the conjunctivas were pink from crying. Billy's body was still shaking-- but it wasn't from sobbing any longer. He had ran out of tears hours ago. Instead, he was quaking from cold and fear. He was afraid of the future. It seemed so bleak and hopeless without Cestria in it.

"What do I do now?" he asked himself, running his gloved hands through his soaked limp hair, "I had the rest of my life planned out, but everything's been torn asunder in just two days! Its like I have to start from scratch."

Billy recalled what Tympanus had told him earlier: "Now, as the Silver Ranger, you are a much-needed addition to the Zeo Rangers. They have made a new enemy this day, who will return, more powerful than before. They need you to stop her. And you will finally return home."

"That makes the most sense," Billy decided, "How can I live on Aquitar without Cestria? She was the whole reason why I came here! There are too many memories... I can't face them. If I'm supposed to... live on... I have to do it on Earth. I need my friends and family with me. I can't handle this alone. I don't know what to do!"

Billy weakly rose to his feet, and bent down to pick up his helmet and sword. He strapped his helmet back onto his head, and stared at his reflection in the shiny silver blade of the sword. "Divatox has made a powerful enemy today," he said quietly, "and I won't rest until she pays for taking Cestria from me. I promise you, Cestria my Love, she'll pay."

Billy slid the sword into its sheath, and prepared to teleport. But he stopped suddenly.

"No," he whispered, "I can't do it. I can't live for revenge. Cestria wouldn't want that. And if all I exist for is revenge, what will I do when I finally have it? I need a reason for living, and it can't be for destruction of bloodshed. I'll have to find a new reason for living... and home is the place to start."

Satisfied with the answer, Billy vanished from the mountaintop in a flash of silver light. He appeared inside the medical ward he was in before, and looked around. Cestro was there, standing beside a tube of some opaque blue material. The surface was smooth and solid in color, with the exception of a symbol, carved into the material and painted with silver. The symbol looked a great deal like some kind of Japanese letter to Billy. Cestro was using an art tool to finish painting the symbol onto the tube. Billy glanced at his friend curiously.

"It is the Mark of Filleus," Cestro answered the unasked question, "This is the standard coffin for a member of our house. Each family group has a signature color and symbol. Blue is our color, and Tarnish'abian is our symbol."

"What is Tarnish'abian?" Billy asked.

"It is an ancient Aquitian phrase, meaning 'dedication, honesty, and selflessness.' Each family has its own phrase, which describes the qualities of the family. The Filleuns are known for those qualities. It is why our ancestor was entrusted with the secret of the Sword of Tympanus."

"What will you do with Cestria now?" Billy asked.

"Once this casket is finished, she will be placed inside the Flame. It is a pool of magma, deep beneath the ocean."

Billy's eyes widened. "Why do you put her in such an elaborate casing if you will only cremate her?"

"It is our custom," Cestro explained, "The dead are placed in caskets depicting the family they belong to. The casing also protects the body for three days, before the lava finally melts completely through. Those three days are the period of mourning. Once the three days are over, the family members have a day of celebration, remembering the life of the deceased, and celebrating their accomplishments. After the fourth day, life continues as normal."

"That's a strange custom," Billy couldn't help but say. Cestro frowned. "Perhaps by human standards," Cestro replied, "Quite frankly, I always felt your customs were strange. Why bury the dead body in the ground? What purpose does that serve?"

"So family members can visit the grave, and pay respects," Billy said.

"Why?" Cestro asked, "You humans have difficulty saying goodbye. That is maladaptive. You must let go of past aquaintances, and move on. We have four days to pay our respects, and they live on in our memories. They do not live on in some 'grave'." Billy nodded his understanding. "Can I participate in these activities, or is it only for Aquitians?"

Cestro smiled. "Usually, only Aquitian family members are allowed to participate, but you are one of us, William. And your love for Cestria is strong enough to surpass boundaries of race. I would be glad to have you join me."

"What do I do?" Billy asked.

"Only the closest family members of the deceased can bring the casket to the Flame. Once the lava covers the casket, we return to our chambers, and spend the next three days in solitude. We Aquitians also fast, but that isn't necessary for you. Once the three days pass, we congregate together, and feast, as well as converse about the life of the deceased." "When will you leave for the Flame?"

"Within the hour."

"I'll tell the guys we're leaving."

Chapter Forty-One

A small silver submarine swam through a dark tunnel. Soon, it emerged, within a pool of water surrounded by a cave of igneous rock. The Silver Ranger, accompanied by the Blue Aquitian Ranger, climbed out of the sub. A blue casket hovered behind them, and the Blue Ranger led the way through a series of black tunnels, without saying a word in respect for the dead. Finally, they arrive in a room, glowing with red heat. The Silver Ranger looks down at a massive pool of lava, bubbling slightly and glowing with energy. He and the Blue Ranger lifted the casket, and pushed it off the edge. It fell through the air, and landed atop the lava. It slowly sank beneath the orange surface, and disappeared from sight. The Silver Ranger stared at the lava pool.

Goodbye,

his eyes said, brimming with unshed tears behind his helmet. He stood still for a moment, gazing at the spot where the blue casket had been moments before. Finally, the Blue Ranger touched his shoulder, and beckoned that it was time to depart. The Silver Ranger nodded, and blew a kiss at the pool of lava.

Chapter Forty-Two

At the main docking bay of Triton, the five Zeo Rangers, accompanied by the four Aquitian Rangers, watch as a small silver submarine enters the docking pool. The submarine takes its place, and two young men, still garbed in full uniform, climb out. "Billy!" Rocky called to the Silver Ranger, "Are you okay?"

The Silver Ranger didn't awknowledge the Blue Zeo Ranger's question, and walked right past his friends, alongside the Blue Aquitian Ranger. The Zeos were befuddled.

"Did I say something wrong?" Rocky inquired, glancing at the Aquitians behind him. To his surprise, they were all bowing their heads, and their hands were clasped in front of them. Once Billy and Cestro left the docking bay completely, the Aquitians rose their heads.

"What's going on?" Kat asked.

"Billy and Cestro are now in the official mourning stage. No one may speak to them, and they will speak to no one," explained Tideus.

"They will now go to their chambers, and remain there for three axis rotations," Aurico added.

"Three whole days?" said Adam, "But why?"

"To commemorate the life and accomplishments of the desceased," said Corcus, "Once the three days are over, they will feast together, and rejoice in the life of Cestria. Then, they shall continue with their lives."

Chapter Forty-Three

On the fourth day since Cestria's death and funeral, the Zeo Rangers continued helping the Aquitians