Disclaimer: I know, I know, this whole disclaimer thing has kind of lost all meaning, but it is necessary so let me begin. I don't own the Power Rangers, even though I'm not really using them I am kind of going off their idea so I just want to make sure I'm not stomping on any toes by writing this story. I'm not making a profit off this story. I do own the characters Tyler, Brandon, Venessa, Lori, Andrew, Greco, Andromeda, Odinious, and Calthropious. These are my property and if anyone wishes to use them e-mail me first and get my approval. Now, let me begin my story....

A Scarlet Sentinel
By Warlock

As Tyler felt Calthropious's hand gently place its hand on his forehead it reminded him of touching dry ice, which he had done a few times on a dare. At first he wasn't sure if this feeling was what Calthropious felt or if it was the Power Break, but soon the feeling began to spread rapidly through out his entire body. He began to burn, but his skin was tightening to such and extreme measure that Tyler began to think it might rip clear from his muscles. He would have screamed out bloody murder if not for the fact that he couldn't move.

Soon the burning turned inward, but it didn't seem to Tyler to stop at his insides. It seemed to reach into his brain. Suddenly he was very angry, in fact he was more infuriated than he had ever been, but then just as suddenly he was in total bliss, a feeling he could have never a imagined. He had not a single care in the world, but like the anger it did not last long. He went through a series of emotions similar to this and he was able to recall everything that had ever happened to him in his entire life, but then there was nothing. Tyler felt that he was being ripped apart from the very center of his soul, but without warning it all ceased.

Tyler opened his eyes without being able to remember that he had closed them. With a shock Tyler realized that he was floating! Not even an inch off the ground, but he was in fact floating. In a flash of horrific amazement he fell back to the ground. When he did he had almost lost his balance, but was just barely able to keep on his feet. With in a moment Tyler realized that Calthropious was gone!

"Where did he..." Tyler cut himself off when he noticed a tiny, red sphere floating in Calthropious's place, "what the?" Tyler carefully looked at the tiny ball and noticed it was constructed of a crystalline material, even possibly ruby. It also had several designs or inscriptions, Tyler wasn't able to tell which, carved into the sphere. Tyler put out his hand to grab the sphere, but just before he had clamped his hand around it he heard Calthropious's voice inside his head.

"Tyler, this your Celestial Focus. It is the remnants of your Power Break, it has several uses such as calling upon word Celestial Weapon, focusing your power into it can increases your abilities at times, and it will also help you find your destined companions. Its other uses will come to you in time, but realize as soon as you grasp the focus time will return to normal and you will be forced to face Odinious, so be sure that you are ready," Calthropious told Tyler who didn't move his hand an inch. He renounced his hand from the Celestial Focus and began to think.

He had excepted that he was a fated one and he had excepted his destiny, but he realized that this was obviously going to effect his life in a big way. He tried to think of how exactly it was going to effect him, but nothing came to him. When he attempted to think of the cause and effect of his destiny of his currently he drew a complete blank.

Tyler began to think to himself out loud, "Maybe it's not something I'm supposed to think about, but I'm supposed to just do. I mean if I'm supposed to become the 'greatest leader in the universe' how bad could my personal life turn out?" That settled it, some clear logical thinking was all he needed, but now to the present. He looked up at the ogre known as Odinious and asked himself if he ever wanted to unfreeze time.

Tyler took a quick over look of the grounds and made a few decisions on where he would retreat to if he were forced to do so. He walked back over to the Celestial Focus and stared at it for a moment. Before he did anything further he stood, frozen as time, and watched as the focus hovered in the air and beamed a crimson light out. Tyler knew then that he had to do it. He raised up his hand and reached out for the focus. When his hand was near enough he began to wrap his fingers around the tiny object, but he flinched. Then with a violent after thought to the flinch he quickly grabbed the object and made a quick dart for the back of Odinious.

There was silence for a brief moment, but soon Tyler who stayed crouched down behind Odinious heard the giant say, "What! Where in Hades?" Tyler didn't know what Odinious would do first, but he glanced at the Celestial Focus hovering in his open hand. Tyler was practically clueless on what to do with this thing, but he was willing to try anything at this point. Tyler grasped the focus once again and started to concentrate and immediately he did not notice anything, but soon he started to see a brighter and brighter glow from the gaps between his fingers.

Odinious glanced behind him and exclaimed, "You little worm! How dare you defy my power!" Odinious began to turn around, but stopped when Tyler jumped to his feet.

"I take you didn't expect me to have all ready forced my Power Break!" Tyler said and watched as Odinious was taken aback, "You will not have this fated, nor any of the others Odinious!" Odinious watched in complete shock as Tyler raised his fist into the air as if to punch something and then as his hand began to glow a deep red. Tyler leaped at Odinious with more skill than he had ever done before and as he soared toward Odinious he readied his blow. When he was close enough he swung with all the energy he could muster.

The pain! Tyler had punched Odinious in the chest, but had barely caused a dent in his silver, blue armor. He fell to the ground now drained of energy. He was able to get to his knees and clenched his fist in pain. He looked up expecting to see Odinious about to turn him into mush, but was surprised to find Odinious faltering on his feet. He had backed up a few paces away from Tyler and seemed to be in some kind of pain, rather it was physical or mental Tyler could not tell.

"My... my armor. No one has ever disgraced my awesome garbs!" Odinious exclaimed, still in shock. Tyler attempted to use Odinious's shock to the best of his advantage and soak up every bit of energy back into him he could get before Odinious decided that it was time to end this. Just as Odinious was getting over the damage done to his armor Tyler was able to get to his feet. Tyler was now able to remember something Calthropious had told him before he had excepted the Celestial Focus, "...it has several uses such as calling upon word Celestial Weapon." Tyler didn't know what exactly what his "Celestial Weapon" was, but he knew he had to try it. Tyler held the Celestial Focus in his open hand once again and stared at the sphere, he wasn't sure what to do so all he did was concentrate intensely on the sphere and hope that it would comply to his desire.

"Puny human, you dare think you can stop me!" Odinious began walking towards him once again. Tyler didn't know how, but there was about fifteen feet between the two of them and it was closing fast. He kept focusing and soon he noticed the sphere begin to change shape. The sphere was now taking on a long, thin, and flat form. Tyler didn't know what to expect, but he noticed that on his other arm something else was growing, a almost gel like substance was spreading over his whole fore arm and the top of his hand. As Tyler glanced up he knew he was seconds away from destruction as he watched Odinious draw his massive sword from his side and begin to raise it above his head. As the Odinious swung Tyler brought up his hand that had contained the Celestial Focus, but now contained a sleek, black handled sword. The two swords clinked. Odinious was able to use his brute strength to push Tyler's sword aside, but when Odinious brought down yet another blow Tyler had swung up his other forearm. Tyler's forearm was now mostly in a black armoring that started just past his elbow and down the knuckles on the top of his hand.

Odinious was awestruck at this boy's luck. Using Odinious's hesitation Tyler, still unsure of how he did it, grabbed Odinious's arm and used its leverage to hop into the air and double jump kick Odinious in his chest and then jump from their point in left field to just passed second base. Tyler stood up readying himself for another attack, but still unsure how he was able to pull off such an amazing feat.

Tyler expected to see Odinious once again shock as he turned around, but he was in fact smiling, "You are a true challenge boy, but your power is no match for my experience. I will not underestimate you this time," Odinious had turned completely around and was now taking a fighting stance. Apparently he had been expecting a rabbit hunt, but was now on tiger hunt.

"If it's a fight you want. Come right here and get it!" Tyler exclaimed taking his own fighting stance. Somehow Tyler felt he had handled this sword his whole life, almost as if it were an extra limb that he had only now gotten true control of.

The two stood staring at one another for minutes waiting for the right moment to strike. Suddenly there is car horn that goes off somewhere. The two glance in the general direction, but it's Tyler who glances back first and is able to make his strike. Tyler rushes toward Odinious with a speed matched by no human, he leaps into the air, and as he soars past Odinious the slashes his sword skillfully through the air. He lands, crouched, just a few feet behind Odinious. He quickly gets up and turns around to see his damage.

"Damn you boy!" Odinious curses at Tyler as he holds the deep wound in his shoulder, "Next time... next time it will be different I promises you this!" Suddenly a whole in the Earth opens up between Odinious's feet and Tyler watches as he breaks down into several billion tiny particles and then flies into the hole. Tyler watches as every last particle flies into the hole and then as it closes up leaving no trace that it had ever been there. Tyler stands there a moment unable to fathom everything that had just happened. He feels himself begin fade away from the world and then falls to the ground unconscious.

~*~

As Odinious walked into the great hall he could see that Greco had all ready discovered his folly. The red light radiating from Odinious's eyes flashed for a moment to reflect his embarrassment. He still could not believe that some boy, even a fated one, was able to defeat him so easily. Even more amazing was the fact that he had not only dented his armor, but had sliced through it! Odinious had never faced an opponent who had been able to even scratch his armor, let alone slice through it. His armor had been constructed from an asteroid that Odinious had been able to obtain just after it had struck a moon near the planet that he had been training on. Odinious had been able to use his, then, limited magic abilities to teleport him to the moon and sustain him as he searched for the asteroid. He had looked for days and was on the brink of death, but he had found the asteroid and teleported himself back to his planet of training. After he recuperated Odinious took the asteroid to a blacksmith to have an armor forged for him to use in battle. The armor the blacksmith had created was incredible; no form of known of combustion could even dent it. It was even lighter than cloth making it even easier for Odinious to use. Over time he had made adjustments to the armor, for reasons of growth, rank, and personal liking, but it was still the same armor.

This is why Odinious was mystified at how the fated one, just using his powers for the first time, was able to pierce his mystical garbs. But it was no use pondering over the potential strength of his enemy; he now had a command to make amends with. Which was something that could be far more terrifying than the thought of a being with the ability to puncture his armor.

"Commander! I come offering my most sincere apologies!" Odinious exclaimed kneeling before his master.

"Odinious, you disappoint me. You have failed the simple service of destroying a small, pathetic, powerless child," Greco said from his throne of granite.

"Sire... I," Odinious began, but was cut off by Greco.

"I know of his Power Break, which I am disappointed in all by itself, but why I am disappointed in you is because of your cowardice!" Greco exclaimed.

"But sire, his... weapon... it pierced my armor. I was thrown off guard and I didn't know what else to do," Odinious told his master while keeping his head down.

"I understand the situation. I was quite surprised myself, I have determined that only Calthropious could have intervened," Greco told Odinious as Andromeda, at his side, took from him a thick book.

"Calthropious! He is a mere myth!" Odinious protested holding his head up.

"Quiet!" Greco yelled, "How else to you expect the fated one escaped your grasp completely without you even knowing, as well as having his Power Break forced. Andromeda and myself have looked at the situation. We suspect that only someone with the ability to freeze time could have done what you experienced today. The only person capable to do that is Calthropious."

"Sorry sire," Odinious said quickly lowering his head down again, "Forgive my ignorance."

"You are forgiven Odinious. You have given me decades of loyal service without any other mistake. This is why I am offering my sympathy, but for the moment I want you from my sight," Greco told him holding his head high and pointing at the chamber's main exit. Odinious got up without a word a walked out of the room.

"Master, do you wish for me to bring the Gulliot to us now?" Andromeda asked.

"No my temptress. I will watch this Tyler Bryant until he is completely off guard," Greco said rubbing his chin, "Odinious is not a weakling, nor is he ignorant in battle. He had good reason to escape. I will not make his mistake and attack with full force when he doesn't expect it. Calthropious intervened once and was able to ready the fated one, but he can only intervene once and now I will wait till he is distracted to attack."

"You are, of course, correct master," Andromeda said.

"I will destroy this fated one before he even has the chance to force any of the other fated ones rendering them harmless. Then master will have the ability to conquer the Blue Planet and defy prophecy!"

~*~

Tyler was falling down a long dark tunnel with a deep crimson light at the bottom. How had he gotten there? Why was this happening? These are questions he was asking himself, but couldn't answer.

Then from deep within the tunnel he heard a voice calling him, "Tyler... Tyler... Tyler... Tyler! TYLER!" As Tyler opened his eyes he found Venessa over him shaking him.

"Tyler, are you okay?" Venessa asked sincerely.

"Venessa?" Tyler asked as he tried to sit up, "Where am I?"

"You don't know? It's the baseball field. I was walking home and I found you lying here," Venessa said.

"How many people passed by me?" Tyler asked.

"No one. I'm the first one out, but since I started to wake you there have been one or two that have walked by since," Venessa said.

"I feel so loved," Tyler said with a joking smile.

"That's not funny," Venessa said with a small smile, "What happened to you anyway?"

"What happened?" Tyler asked himself and then remembered everything that happened, "Oh my gosh! There was this guy made of...." Tyler stopped himself from saying any more because he realized that the odds of Venessa believing him, rather if it was truly real or not, were one and a million.

"What? What about some guy?" Venessa asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing I'm pretty sure I dreamed that part, but the reason I fainted," Tyler paused trying to think of a good excuse, "This morning I gave blood. I guess I'm not as good with needles as I thought."

"You gave blood... that's so sweet!" Venessa said helping Tyler up.

"Yeah, well... I guess," Tyler said rubbing the back of his head while sounding modest, but not trying to, "But, uh, it's no big deal. The guy told me that it isn't that uncommon for that to happen so I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"Oh, okay then. If you say so, "Venessa said letting her beautiful smile once again return to her face, "So were you on your way home?"

"Oh, yeah I guess I was," Tyler said and began looking around for his backpack and then realized that it was right behind him. That was a good thing that he had happened to pass out next to it or else Venessa might have suspected something of him.

"Where do you live?" Venessa said smiling, "I mean if you live somewhat close, maybe... we could, you know, keep each other company."

As Tyler slipped his backpack back on he was able to realize that a beautiful girl was asking him to work her home, who was he to keep her from that privilege, "I'd love that." Tyler was the kind of guy that was labeled as a huge flirt, he always flashed his handsome smile at every girl who he talked to and treated them like goddesses. He planned everything he said and did to a girl because normally he liked them, but its not that he was trying to get something out of them. Unlike most flirts Tyler was sincere when he acted nicely towards girls. The reason he was so strategic about girls was for two reasons: one was because it was fun to just flirt, and the second reason was because it had become habit. When he was younger he was not the good-looking guy, or so he was told, that he currently was. In fact he was short, fat, and a nerd. All through out Junior High he was made fun of. People didn't even know his name and they still made fun of him. Because he was so quiet he didn't have a lot of friends and the ones he did have were just as bad off as he was, but after a few years of growing, maturing and a switch of schools during eight grade he was able to maintain his current "status." It's not that he cared about being popular, which is what some people said he was, he just liked being... well liked. He was a pacifist. He never liked fighting with someone unless it was a truly worthy cause, as in protecting a girl from harm. This is why he was so shocked when Calthropious had told he was destined to be the "greatest leader in the universe." Tyler just didn't see himself leading a war against ants, let alone against a sinister evil from beyond this galaxy.

As Tyler and Venessa walked she asked again, "So where do you live?"

"Oh, you asked me that before didn't you? I'm sorry, I live straight down Slater, it's the same turn in as the Fountain Valley Library. I live pretty much across the street from the library," Tyler told her as they began walking onto Slater.

"Really! I live around there, just a little closer to the park," Venessa told him with a big smile.

"Whoa, coolness! I wouldn't have expected you lived so close, but I do recall seeing a moving truck when I was riding my bike to Brandon's house, was that you?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, that was me," Venessa said, "I thought I saw you before today."

"What do you mean?"

"I was walking outside when I saw someone who looked my age ride by on a bike," Venessa said attempting to hold back from blushing.

"Oh, I'm surprised I didn't see you then," Tyler said trying to keep from acting excited.

"Why is that?"

"Well, I normally have a keen sense of noticing when beautiful girls are around. It's a talent I have," Tyler said with his handsome smile, "I guess you must have over loaded my radar."

Venessa giggled and was now beet red, then she said, "Oh shut up!"

"What, you don't believe me?" Tyler asked, smirking.

"No it's not that, I just... I just think you're wrong," Venessa said still blushing, "I must just not be pretty enough be noticed by this 'radar' of yours."

"I don't think that's the case. Usually I agree with my radar and I have to say that I think you are amazingly beautiful," Tyler told her to make her blush more, but also with total sincerity.

"Well, you're wrong, but thanks anyway," Venessa said looking down.

"Well, I don't think I'm wrong and you're not going to be able to tell me any different," Tyler said with a sarcastically stern voice.

"I guess we can agree to disagree then," Venessa said, "You said you were riding your bike to Brandon's. Does he live near by?"

"Yeah actually, if you live where I think you live then you live about half way between our houses in the housing track. He lives just past the park," Tyler said.

"There was something else I was curious about," Venessa said, "How do you know Andrew? I mean, for what you did for him today he didn't exactly seem thankful."

"Oh Andrew, we were friends back in third grade. Neither of us were very popular back then so we didn't have many friends, which just reinforced our friendship. In the middle of eighth grade I moved, not far, but I moved far enough to change schools. It was Masuda, you know the junior high down Slater, on Ward," Tyler said and Venessa nodded acknowledging that she knew what he was talking about, "Well, for some reason we didn't talk very much after that. He got really concerned with his grades and it was hard for me to adjust to a new school so I didn't have much time for him. We just grew apart and ever since he transferred to Fountain Valley High from Edison High after our sophomore year we've just been acquaintances. I feel bad sometimes, you know, maybe if I hadn't concentrated so much on my life we still could be friends."

"It's not your fault. You have a good reason and it's not like you could help it," Venessa said seeing that Tyler was getting somewhat depressed over the subject, "How come you're not friends now?"

"I don't know? I say hi, I try to talk to him, we go to church together, and I save his life," Tyler said with somewhat of a chuckle to try and lighten the mood, "He just hasn't been wanting to talk to me. Every time I go up to him in the halls to talk to him I feel like I'm in his way. It wasn't that way before."

"So what happened to you at the other school? You said you weren't very popular before, but now you seem to be, so what happened?" Venessa asked because she was, both, trying to change the subject and also because she was curious.

"Luck is what happened really. You see when I was in Junior High I was short and fat, but the time of my move was about the same time that I got my growth spurt. Also, the week I started at Masuda was the same week they had softball tryouts. I had played little league, I kept up with the majors, and I figured I could meet some people. Well I tried out, I made first cut, and then I made it on the team. I was made catcher to Ryan Steele. He was the 'coolest guy in school,' I'm sure know what kind of person I'm talking about. Every school has one. Well he decided that he liked me and invited me to come along and hang out with him at lunch and after school so of course I wasn't going to turn him down. Soon I became officially apart of his group and suddenly everyone knew my name," Tyler said with a somewhat cynical voice. He didn't like the idea of just knowing someone was what made you popular. It annoyed him to think that personality, loyalty, and trust wasn't what mattered. It almost made him sick to his stomach.

Tyler continued, "Around that time a girl came up to me and asked who I was, I told her, and then she got all excited. At first I thought it was just some freak, but then she asked me if I had remembered a girl named Lori from fifth grade. It took me a moment, but I did remember a classmate who I had hung out with on occasion and I told that I did. It was Lori!"

"You mean you knew Lori in fifth grade?" Venessa asked.

"Yeah, we had been good friends ever since we did a project together early in fifth grade, but she went to Masuda so I never saw her again till eighth grade. We picked up right where we had left off. We had been really good friends and have been ever since," Tyler said.

"So you're good friends with Lori?" Venessa asked.

"Oh yeah! We're great friends!" Tyler exclaimed, "If there was someone I had to walk through hell with, it would be her."

"But you guys are just friends, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Tyler said, somewhat caught off guard, "I've never even thought about Lori that way. We are just too good of friends, so good that I'd never want to risk our friendship by actually dating her."

"Well you've told me how you met Andrew and Lori, but what about Brandon?" Venessa asked, curious about the last person that she had really gotten to know that day.

"Oh, Brandon," Tyler said, "I met him in our freshmen year. He had moved from a private school, so he only knew two or three people here and he wasn't even that close with any of them. I had a class with him and we sat next to each other. We were just, you know, class mates at first, but when we found out that we lived so close to each other we started going over to each other's houses more and more often and we eventually just grew really close. I have a lot of friends, but he probably the closet guy friend I've got."

"You guys sound like you really care about each other," Venessa said.

"Yeah, but don't tell him I said that. I still got to keep up my manly look, just like he does," Tyler said with a grin, "So don't spoil it for us all right?"

"Okay. Hey is this where we turn?" Venessa asked as the reached a light.

"Yeah it is. You should get to know the area pretty quickly," Tyler told her, "So I've given you my life story. How about telling me yours? Why did you move here?"

"Oh, I wasn't expecting to have to tell that story for a while," Venessa said.

"Why? Is it bad?"

"I... just didn't think I'd have to tell it is all," Venessa said happily, but it seemed she was forcing her smile, "Well... my mom and dad split up about eight months ago. Two months later the divorce was final and my mom got custody of me. Recently my mom's business had been calling her down here. She met someone who was working down here in a different branch of her work."

"Sorry I don't mean to interrupt, but what does your mom do?"

"Oh, no it's okay. She's an executive for USAir. Well, like I said, see met this guy and did that 'head over heals' thing," Venessa said, "A month ago they eloped while see was down here for a business trip. I didn't found out until she came back almost two weeks later. She was able to get a transfer to down here and, as you all ready know, we just moved here this weekend." Venessa got very serious, very fast. This was a sure sign to Tyler that something was very wrong.

"Are you okay?" Tyler asked, "Is there something about this whole situation that you don't like?"

"Yes, but if you don't mind I don't want to talk about it," Venessa said with a slight quiver to her voice.

"I'm sorry I brought it up."

"No, no it's okay. I have to deal with it eventually. You might've just helped me deal with it a little sooner," Venessa said forcing a smile.

"I know we just met, but I'm usually the guy people go to when they've got a problem,' Tyler told her.

"I'll remember that," Venessa with a smile, she didn't have to force it this time. The two walked a little further before they reached Venessa's house and Tyler asked, "Oh I almost forgot to ask. What was the Algebra for tonight?"

"I think... it was... page one twenty one, five through twenty-seven, odd," Venessa said as she watched Tyler reach in his back pack and take out a pen and begin scribbling on his hand,

"Is that a system of yours?"

"Yeah, it's called the 'Slacker System,' I invented it myself," Tyler said smiling.

"It suits you," Venessa said with a little giggle.

"You don't know how right you are," Tyler said with a smirk, "Well it was nice meeting you Venessa and thank you for reviving me."

"Your welcome," Venessa said with a smile, "It was nice meeting you too. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I would hope so," Tyler said smiling, "Bye."

"Bye," Venessa said walking into her house. Tyler turned and walked down Venessa's walkway and back onto the street. To get to his house he would have to back track a little bit, but Tyler believed it was worth it. Tyler went to put his pen in his pocket, but felt an unknown object. He pulled it out and was somewhat shocked to find the red glowing Celestial Focus floating in his hand.

~*~

Tyler sat in prayer listening to his pastor and reflecting on the night's sermon that he had just listened to.

"And may God be in our hearts as we go out into the world. May we all the carry the message of the Lord with us. So to influence those around us and we just hope that you would bless us God. In Jesus name we pray, amen," Bryan said and raised his head, as well as everybody else, "All right guys, don't forget 'Prayer and Pizza' this Friday night and if you want to go to the Winter Retreat don't forget to sign up. Have a good night." Everyone stood up and began wandering around the room. Tyler watched as everyone talked to each other about plans for the week and other things. Normally he would be happy to stay, but he had to ride his bike home tonight, which wasn't going to be pleasant. His house was ten blocks away, not to mention it was dark outside.

As Tyler went to grab his jacket and set down his Bible he noticed Andrew leaving. He thought about what Venessa and he had talked about today and regretted loosing his friendship even more. What was keeping them from being friends? Tyler didn't know, but had only recently given up on answering that question.

Tyler put on his blue, Dickies jacket and headed outside. As he walked down the steps he glanced around looking for Andrew, but didn't see him. Tyler was walking through the parking lot to his bike. He had locked it up in the vacant section of the parking lot. It was no wonder that not many people parked there. It didn't even look like it was part of the parking lot. It had trees surrounding it leaving one section open for people to get in, but even right next to that was a basketball hoop. It was almost a small park.

Tyler approached his bike and began putting in the combination until he noticed a grumbling coming from behind him. At first he assumed it was just a car, but it kept getting louder and deeper. He turned around and to his utter shock found an eight-foot tall, bronze and silver robot and Greco.

"Tyler Bryant! This is your moment of destruction," Greco exclaimed, "Gulliot, destroy him!" As Greco exclaimed he raised his hand and pointed his finger at Tyler. The Gulliot complied with Greco's orders and began marching towards Tyler rather quickly. The Gulliot was very massive with a semi-visible, silver skeleton with bronze plating. For its left hand it had a massive, silver sword and for its right hand it had a powerful, three-digit claw. Finally it had a minotaur-like head with massive bronze horns.

As it marched towards Tyler he noticed it had amazing speed for its size. Tyler quickly pulled out his Celestial Focus and began to charge up.

"Too late," the Gulliot said in a bland, robotic voice. The Gulliot swung its massive, claw arm in an upper cut. The punch caught Tyler's chin between two of the claws. He wasn't able to realize just how lucky he was as he flew through the air. Tyler hit the sidewalk and felt something crack in his back as he hit ground. On impact he didn't know he was alive at first, the air had been knocked out of him. He tried to push himself up, but his hand grasping his Celestial Focus gave out from under him and he fell back to the ground. The sphere had slipped out of his hand and was rolled away from him.

"NO!" Tyler exclaimed as he scrambled after the sphere.

"Yes fated one! Gulliot finish him now!" Greco exclaimed. Tyler went to reach for the focus, but his reach was shortened when the Gulliot stepped on his hand.

"AH!" Tyler screamed. The pain that pulsated through his hand was so immense he couldn't even think. The Gulliot removed his foot and picked Tyler up above his head. Tyler looked down and was able to see his Celestial Focus. He knew it was impossible, but he reached for the focus anyway. He concentrated on the sphere. Tyler began to watch the focus glow and slightly stir, but then, without pre-warning, the Gulliot swung Tyler through the air. As Tyler flew, time seemed to go in slow motion. He was able to look back, still concentrating on the focus he watched the red, glowing sphere quickly jettison through the air and into his hand before Tyler hit the tree.

Tyler felt something in his shoulder snap and then fell to the ground. Tyler was able to quickly get to his feet and, without much thought, call upon his Celestial Sword and arm shield. Tyler stood readying himself as the Gulliot charged at him once more. He began focusing energy into his sword hoping that if he could get one good swing he could damage it. Tyler could see that his sword was beginning to glow red.

The Gulliot was within feet of him and raised its sword hand above its head and swung down on Tyler. Tyler quickly raised his up his arm shield to stop the swing. He quickly spun to the Gulliot's immediate side and its sword hit the ground. Not waiting for the Gulliot to raise his sword, he swung and released all the energy he had charged into the swing. His sword cut through the Gulliot's sword as if it was water. The blade clinked on the ground and all that was left was a two-inch stump.

Tyler was winded giving the Gulliot time to retaliate. The Gulliot swung its still good arm and Tyler went flying through the brush into the regular parking lot. He knew he couldn't let anyone see what was going on so he tried to hurry up and get to his feet so he could get park to the deserted section of the parking lot. As he tried to get up he jumped to his feet when someone grabbed his arm.

"Andrew?" Tyler said looking into the face of his past friend.

"What the hell is going on Tyler?" Andrew asked.

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked trying to find out how much Andrew knew.

"I saw someone fighting a big robot and now I find out its you. So tell me what'd going on now!" Andrew exclaimed.

"Listen," Tyler said putting his hands on Andrew's shoulders, "I need you to... holy!" Tyler's sword, which he was still holding, when he had placed his hands on Andrew's shoulders was now glowing red.

"Tyler... it's weird enough you have a sword at all. Why is it glowing?" Andrew asked. Tyler looked from his sword to Andrew wide eyed, all he could mutter was, "Andrew... are you... one of them?"

~*~

To be continued in "An Emerald Light"...

P>"YÀ