In Astrax’s grand mansion, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Solara stood up from the golden sofa, crossing her arms.
"So, how do we handle this Simon?" she asked, looking around the room.
"Yes," Astrax agreed, rubbing his temples. "We have a major, important threat, and all Ignis cares about is my house."
Tunde frowned, looking at Astrax. "Do you think the government sent him to take us down?"
"No," Solara said firmly. "He was sent by this Azathoth."
"Azathoth might just be a code name," Tunde pointed out, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"It doesn't matter right now," Solara sighed, trying to keep them on track. "Simon can sense our energy. We can use Ignis to lure him in. Let's use Ignis as bait."
Solara turned to Astrax, her face completely serious. "Is this all about the money? Just give Ignis twenty percent of the earnings, and he will have no choice but to leave your lifestyle alone."
Astrax scowled. "Why is he so angry at me?"
"Settle your issues later," Solara snapped impatiently. "How are we going to deal with Simon? He threatened all of us."
Tunde leaned forward, still looking paranoid. "The government is too quiet about all of this."
"As I said, stop bringing up other matters!" Solara raised her voice slightly. "How are we going to handle Simon?"
Astrax looked at Solara and shrugged helplessly. "We will fight him. What other option do we have?"
"We should think of a plan first," Solara insisted.
"What plan—" Astrax started, but he was cut off by a sudden flash of light.
Ignis and Sophia materialized in the center of the room and immediately de-transformed. The room fell completely silent.
Ignis looked around the luxurious room, taking a deep breath. He finally locked eyes with Astrax. His expression had completely changed; the anger from earlier was gone, replaced by a cold, hard focus.
"Look, I understand," Ignis said softly. "You believed you were in that orphanage because you were poor, and now you just want to enjoy your life. I get it."
Ignis looked at Solara, and then at Tunde. He stood up perfectly straight, a fierce determination burning in his green eyes.
"This Simon wants to see me," Ignis stated. "I will be ready for him. The last time he came, he killed three innocent people."
Astrax nodded slowly, his face grim. "Yes."
"He will pay," Ignis vowed.
Far away, in the dark, suffocating emptiness of the Nexus Realm, Simon stood waiting.
The shadows parted as Azathoth entered. Simon looked up at his master, but he instantly froze. Azathoth was staring back at him, his glowing eyes filled with pure, unadulterated hatred. The sheer rage radiating from the dark god made the entire realm tremble.
Simon bowed his head quickly. "Master, what is it that I have done wrong?"
"I saw our enemy," Azathoth sneered, his voice dripping with absolute disgust. "I saw love with my own eyes... and I want to get rid of it. I want the Power Rangers dead."
"You don't understand," Azathoth hissed, stepping closer. "You don't know me. This is not just about the gems. This is not just about freeing Luciferio. This is about evil reigning supreme, where hope is seen as a delusion!"
"Understood, Master."
"I am not pleased with you at all," Azathoth continued, circling Simon like a predator. "I made you from scratch. Through all the torture, all the insults... you have no free will but to serve me forever. I own you, Serena."
Simon flinched at the name but kept his head down. "Yes, Master."
"Astragel left you a long time ago," Azathoth whispered coldly. "The light left you... for me. Astragel and I are playing a game."
"Master, what do you want me to do that I have refused?" Simon asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"You are not getting the point. You cannot refuse me," Azathoth commanded. "Get the seven gems. That is all."
Simon looked up into Azathoth's terrifying eyes. "Your will be done."
Azathoth stared down at him, an unsettling smile forming on his face. "I have unconditional possession over you. You don't get it, Serena. I have absolute, complete control over you without any rules or limits. No one can take you away from my hand."
"Yes, Master."
"You and me, forever and ever, until I destroy you with my own hand," Azathoth stated, savoring the fear in his servant's eyes. "Just as I created you, I will destroy you. I can use you however I like. I legally own you. I have the right to you forever."
"Yes, I see, Master."
"Don't fail me this time," Azathoth warned.
"Yes, Master. I will get you the gems, and Luciferio will be free." Simon hesitated for a moment, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Master... will the gems surpass Astragel's chains?"
Azathoth smiled widely. "Just as Astragel has the keys, I also have the key."
Simon blinked in shock. "You can release him right now?!"
"Yes," Azathoth said calmly. "But I won't."
"Why, Master?"
Azathoth walked slowly toward Simon, holding up a single, dark finger. "There is this word. This particular word called hope. If I release Luciferio now, the Power Rangers—the Earth's protectors—will battle him. Humans will see him as an enemy. A vulnerable enemy."
"I don't understand," Simon admitted.
"You cannot understand the knowledge of me," Azathoth mocked softly. "Astragel held Luciferio with chains because the world had no heroes. Nobody to oppose him. The world had no hope, so Astragel acted. But I watched. And I smiled."
"Why?"
"I see what you don't see. Now, the world has superheroes that will protect the Earth. If I free Luciferio now, it will lead to a fight." Azathoth chuckled, a dark, hollow sound. "But that is not the point. The point is, humanity will see Luciferio as someone who can be challenged. Someone who can feel pain. Once they see weakness in a person, humanity will hold onto hope."
Simon nodded slowly. "Yes, it's true."
"We are playing a game of chess. No... The game of chess," Azathoth corrected. "My goal is to release Luciferio when the world is already shattered. When there are no heroes. No rivals. No opposition."
Azathoth looked fiercely at Simon. "This is what I was talking about. I want you to kill the Rangers and give me their gems. Then, when Luciferio has them... who can stop him? Who can oppose him? Hope will become a delusion!"
"I will do that!" Simon promised eagerly. "I will kill the Rangers and I will—"
"It is only twice, Master."
"But Luciferio will never fail me. Not even once."
Simon frowned behind his helmet. "Master, if you release him, can't Astragel just chain him back?"
Azathoth shook his head. "Astragel made the Rangers to protect Earth. Lightning does not strike twice in the same spot. If you kill the Rangers, then good has failed. Humans lost the war. If Astragel chains him again, I can just free him again. Leaving reality in an eternal regression of action."
Azathoth glared down at Simon. "Think. Think for once. I shouldn't have to explain everything to you."
"Sorry, Master," Simon bowed deeply. "I will be going now."
"Going where?" Azathoth asked, his voice suddenly dropping to a deadly, quiet tone.
"To kill the Rangers and give you the gems."
Azathoth’s face contorted with fury. "Do you think this is a joke?"
Simon stepped back, confused. "I don't get it."
"Do you think this is a joke?!" Azathoth roared, the sound echoing endlessly through the void. "You failed me, and you will suffer the consequences!"
Simon dropped to his knees. "Yes, Master."
"I will make use of Luciferio's race for now. I am going to change you once more."
Simon looked up, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yes, Master. Change me to what?"
"Failure leads to consequences. This is not a joke. I am not a joke. This is war!" Azathoth proclaimed. "I want the world to know what I made you into. I want the world to see who you are and ask, 'Who made you like this?' Then, my name will be mentioned!"
Azathoth looked down at Simon with absolute disgust. "Even after all the torture. All the insults. You are still sane. What is the difference between you and Serena now? I want the difference to be obvious."
Azathoth leaned forward, his glowing eyes inches from Simon's helmet.
"I want Ignis to look you in the eyes... and not be able to recognize you."
Simon froze in terror.
"I will send you to the Nightmare Realm," Azathoth declared coldly. "I want you to be pure evil. I want you to look madness face to face."
Simon’s voice trembled. "Okay, Master."
"The Nightmare Realm. A place where all nightmares exist. All types of horrors. And at the center of it all is Sultran. The Lord of the Dream World." Azathoth waved his hand, and a swirling, terrifying portal tore open in the fabric of space. Horrific, twisted sounds echoed from inside.
"Until then," Azathoth said softly. "Goodbye."
Simon stood up, his body trembling as he looked into the horrific portal. He swallowed hard, accepting his fate.
"Okay, Master."
Simon walked slowly into the dark doorway. The moment he stepped inside, the portal violently snapped shut, leaving Azathoth alone in the dark.