Swoosh!
A blue vortex tore open at the center of Zayne's base, spiraling with controlled violence yet flawless stability. One by one, figures stepped out—Zayne first, followed closely by the rest of the team. As the last of them crossed the threshold, the vortex collapsed inward on itself, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no trace behind.
Silence followed.
Not the eerie kind. Not the suffocating type that made one uneasy.
This was a silence that felt alive—as if the place itself was breathing.
They stood still, instinctively lowering their voices, their gazes slowly lifting as they took in their surroundings. The dimension stretched endlessly, bathed in natural light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Gentle winds passed through, carrying with them a faint, pleasant fragrance—clean, crisp, and impossibly pure.
As the air brushed against their skin and entered their lungs, something strange happened.
They inhaled once.
Then again.
And again.
Their eyes widened.
The air was too fresh.
Not just fresh—refined.
With every breath, they could feel subtle changes rippling through their bodies. Muscles felt lighter. Fatigue vanished. Thoughts sharpened, their minds clearing as if a fog had been lifted. Even emotions settled, becoming steady and calm.
"This air…" Gwen murmured quietly. "It feels… unreal."
Peter was the first to fully voice what they were all thinking. Ever observant, his eyes darted around as he asked,
"Zayne… is this another world entirely?!"
Zayne glanced back at them and nodded slightly, already anticipating the question. The concentration and quality of the gases here far surpassed Earth's atmosphere—or that of any planet in the known universe. This dimension was powered directly by the Universal Core. Compared to that, Earth was… crude.
"Not necessarily another world," Zayne replied calmly. "You can think of it as an independent dimension."
He paused briefly before adding,
"As for why the atmosphere here is like this—you'll find out soon. But for now, let's get to headquarters first."
Before anyone could press further, Tommy Oliver stepped in, folding his arms as he looked at the team.
"Yeah. Business comes first, kids. Listen to Zayne. He'll explain everything later."
That alone was enough.
They nodded in unison and began following Zayne as he walked forward. But the longer they walked, the harder it became to maintain composure.
Their expressions slowly shifted—from curiosity, to confusion, to outright disbelief.
Strange animals roamed freely across the land.
Creatures they had only ever seen in fantasy movies and mythology walked casually past them, completely unbothered by their presence.
Towering trees with crystalline leaves shimmered softly under the light. Flowers glowed faintly, releasing spores that dissolved into harmless motes of energy. Streams of water flowed upward before curving back down in elegant arcs, defying gravity entirely.
And the animals—
"Is that… a Pegasus?" Peter muttered, squinting.
"I swear I just saw an elf," Gwen whispered, blinking rapidly.
"A boar with a mane? What the hell?" Ethan added, utterly baffled.
Comments flew left and right, each more incredulous than the last.
Zayne listened quietly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Good, he thought.
This was exactly the reaction he wanted.
He could've teleported them straight to headquarters. It would've been faster, more efficient. But where was the fun in that? More importantly, where was the trust in that?
He wanted them to see this place. To feel it. To understand—without words—that this was not some reckless gamble or half-baked operation.
This was a sanctuary.
A fortress.
A home.
The chaos to come would shatter their peaceful lives sooner or later. They were still teenagers, no matter how heroic they were. They deserved reassurance.
And honestly…
"I'm also a teenager," Zayne suddenly thought, nearly laughing at himself.
Whether in his previous life or this one, he had always been young. It was just that he'd grown far too accustomed to acting like an adult. Planning, calculating, commanding—it had become second nature.
"I should enjoy being a teen in this world," he mused silently. "At least now, I actually have the power and the time to do that."
Even Dr. Oliver—someone who had seen countless wonders across timelines, dimensions, and morphing grids—was stunned.
His eyes scanned the land with scientific awe. Every plant, tree, fish, and mammal was unique yet perfectly harmonized with the environment. And the air…
This purity was revolutionary.
Game-changing.
He had encountered independent dimensions before, but none like this. None that felt so vast. He couldn't even see the end of it.
As they continued walking, the headquarters finally came into view.
And it stole the breath from their lungs.
The structure was massive—colossal, even. Its architecture blended alien geometry with ancient elegance, lines flowing seamlessly into one another. Strange runes pulsed faintly along its surface, while its central logo seemed to draw the soul of anyone who looked at it, resonating deeply with something primal within them.
"Whoa…" Kira breathed.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the building, completely awestruck.
"Worthy of being Zayne," she thought unconsciously. "He's always the best at everything."
Her gaze lingered.
"Our Dino-Lab can't even compare to this," she continued inwardly. "It's like comparing a coughing baby to a nuclear warhead. Sorry, Dr. O."
Tommy: ^_~
Her smile was radiant as she looked at the headquarters—his headquarters.
Beside the main structure stood two equally magnificent facilities. Slightly shorter, but no less impressive. Their designs were strange, advanced, and utterly foreign. Whatever their purpose was, it was clear they were not decorative.
As they approached the main entrance, Zayne finally spoke.
"Welcome, guys. This will be your new base."
The doors responded instantly, sliding open without a sound.
What lay beyond left them speechless.
If the exterior was breathtaking, the interior was nothing short of divine.
The space stretched far beyond what the building's layout should have allowed. Layers upon layers of floating platforms, holographic interfaces, and energy conduits filled the vast interior. Light flowed naturally, illuminating everything without a visible source.
Tommy's eyes narrowed slightly.
Space manipulation…
"Space technology," he thought instantly.
Almost as if confirming his suspicion—
"Zayne," Ethan asked, eyes glowing with unrestrained curiosity, "why is the inside bigger than the outside?"
Zayne glanced at him, clearly amused.
"Space-time technology, Ethan. You'll learn about it soon."
Ethan froze.
"Space-time… tech?" he repeated, practically vibrating with excitement.
Before he could spiral into a barrage of questions, Gwen smacked the back of his head lightly.
"Calm down, geek. He said you'll learn about it soon. Let's focus."
The others nodded in agreement. Important matters came first.
Reluctantly, Ethan backed down, though the questions gnawed at him relentlessly.
"Let's head to my office," Zayne said, pointing eastward.
They followed.
After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a peculiar door labeled:
Owner's Office
The moment Zayne stepped closer, the door reacted—sensing his presence, his energy signature, his magnetic field.
It opened instantly.
"Welcome, Master."
A female robotic voice echoed gently.
Tommy nearly stumbled.
"Alpha?!!!"
The reaction was immediate and visceral.
Alpha turned toward him, tilting her head slightly. Zayne noticed instantly. He and Alpha both understood why Tommy reacted the way he did—but the rest of the team was confused.
After all, they hadn't yet learned about Tommy's past as a Ranger in this timeline.
Tommy turned toward Zayne, his gaze sharp and questioning.
Zayne's lips curved faintly.
It wasn't every day you saw a flustered Tommy Oliver.
"All shall be revealed in due time," Zayne replied calmly. "Let's settle the team first. Take your seats."
Tommy exhaled and nodded, walking toward a wide circular table made of an unknown material. Fifteen seats surrounded it, evenly spaced.
The moment he touched the surface, his eyes widened.
"Not Vibranium… not Uru," he muttered. "What material is this? It's incredibly strong."
The rest followed suit, taking their seats. The surface was cold yet strangely comfortable, adjusting subtly to each of them.
"So, Zayne," Connor asked, unable to contain himself, "what is this table and seating arrangement called?"
Zayne smiled.
"This is known as the Vanguard Council," he said evenly. "Anyone who sits upon it may receive its grace—if acknowledged by it."
The words sent a ripple through the room.
"What kind of grace?" Gwen asked carefully.
"And… acknowledged?" Ethan added.
"Wait—does that mean—" Peter started.
Zayne raised a hand, stopping them gently.
"No," he said honestly. "Not yet."
A mix of relief and disappointment crossed their faces.
"But," he continued, "in due time."
That alone reignited their curiosity tenfold.
Zayne stood, his presence subtly shifting. With a flick of his wrist, light condensed in front of each of them.
Golden-white interfaces unfolded midair.
"Now," he said, "let's talk about gear."
The air seemed to freeze.
One by one, colored uniforms materialized—sleek, powerful, and unmistakably refined. They were Ranger uniforms, yet unlike any they had ever seen.
The designs blended Power Ranger aesthetics with advanced Marvel-grade technology. Nano-layered armor, adaptive energy conduits, morphing compatibility, and dimensional shielding.
As they all held it in their hands. Strange information about the capabilities of the uniform was transmitted to them instantly. Their eyes widened.
"This…" Kira whispered. "This is a treasure."
Zayne nodded. "Your new Ranger uniforms. They adapt to your power sources, enhance your abilities, and sync with both the Morphin Grid and the base's system."
Stunned silence.
Before they could recover, weapons appeared next.
Swords. Guns. Omni-weapons forged with modular functionality.
"I made these myself," Zayne said casually. "Omni-guns and blades. Compatible with your fighting styles."
Then, small vials appeared.
"Advanced Super Soldier Serum," he added. "For civilian enhancement. It's easy to make. Might as well."
They couldn't muster words anymore. The surprise had numbed them already.
After distributing everything, Zayne finally walked toward the highest seat.
He turned.
Sat down.
And faced them all.
"Alright," he said calmly, authority settling into his voice.
"Time for questions and serious matters."
--- ✦ ---
How was the chapter, guys? I'm open to reviews and criticism. I kinda rushed this chapter, so it might be slightly worse than the others.
Power Stones, guys.