"Who really are you?"
Silence descended upon the small room after that sentence.
Zayne's gaze seemed to sharpen as he slowly turned his head toward Udonna.
Udonna stared back at him, waiting patiently for some type of response. Only Layla looked bewildered by the question. She might have known what Udonna meant—if her powers weren't currently malfunctioning.
Now, all she could do was watch and wait for Nina to wake up.
"I'm just your next-door hero. I don't get your question," Zayne replied, his tone casual. "Moreover, why would you ask a Ranger for their true identity? Isn't that contradictory to your teachings, Udonna?"
A silver glint passed through Udonna's eyes as her gaze became even more profound, though her face betrayed no emotion. She gave Zayne a calm, honest smile and replied gently.
"I have been rude. My curiosity took over. Please forgive this old lady."
"Curiosity killed the cat, Udonna," Zayne thought inwardly, but he did not speak it aloud.
Instead, he said,
"No worries. A lot of people ask that type of question daily. I was just surprised the White Witch would also be curious to know who I am. I am deeply honored."
He gave a mock salute before turning his attention back to the unconscious Nina.
Udonna noticed the subtle warning hidden in those words, but she did not become annoyed. She knew boundaries had been crossed because of her earlier question. His response was only natural.
Moreover, she could sense that he was currently stronger than her. Forcing him or using magic to probe his secrets was completely out of the question.
Zayne, on the other hand, did not know Udonna's thoughts. Even if he did, he likely wouldn't care.
When he issued that indirect warning earlier, a faint ripple of pressure had emanated from him—barely noticeable, yet unmistakable. It was his way of telling Udonna that he was not someone who could be easily pushed around.
Thankfully, the matter did not escalate.
"Mmh…"
An abrupt groan snapped all three of them out of their thoughts.
Nina's eyes fluttered as they struggled to open. Her once pale face had regained some color, the earlier pain fading as her condition visibly improved.
"Hmm… where am I? Who are you? What happened to me?"
Her tiny voice echoed around the room as her eyes slowly focused on the Ranger-clad Zayne standing before her.
The moment her gaze landed on him, something seemed to click in her mind.
Her eyes suddenly lit up with joy.
"Are you… my dad?"
"Eh?"
Zayne was completely bewildered by the sudden question. But before he could even deny it, the misunderstanding deepened.
"Wuuwuu… Dad, where's Mom? Mom promised she'll come back for me… Wuuwuuu~"
Completely forgetting the pain she had just endured, Nina burst into tears the moment she thought about her mother.
Zayne was completely caught off guard.
The situation had spiraled out of control like a chain reaction.
He could only try to calm the child in front of him.
"It's okay, kid. I'm here. Cry all you want. I'm here."
His voice was unexpectedly gentle.
As if someone had flipped a switch, the little girl burst into even louder sobs.
Naturally, this went on for several minutes.
Even Udonna—normally the picture of calm composure—now had a trace of impatience in her eyes. Still, she understood that the girl needed this moment. She had endured something extremely traumatic.
Udonna would naturally have the chance to question her later.
Minutes passed before Nina's sobs gradually subsided.
Her teary eyes stared up at Zayne as if waiting for him to say something.
A trace of amusement appeared in Zayne's eyes beneath his helmet, unseen by anyone.
He knew he had to clear up the misunderstanding between them.
Although he had once considered adopting her, being mistaken for her already-existing father was not how he imagined the situation unfolding.
"Listen, kid. I'm not your dad," Zayne said bluntly.
Those words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the young girl's head.
Her expression immediately fell.
Not wanting to give up hope, she grabbed Zayne's hands with her tiny fingers.
"Bu-But Mom said—"
"But I never said I couldn't be your dad."
Zayne's reply cut off her words completely.
For a moment, Nina froze.
Then a bright smile slowly bloomed across her face.
Tears of lingering frustration streamed down her cheeks as she laughed softly. In that moment, she looked like a small sunflower blooming under the morning sun.
"You're so mean!"
Nina lightly punched Zayne several times, venting her frustration.
Zayne simply accepted it without resistance. After all, he had unintentionally played with her emotions by not finishing his sentence earlier.
A few seconds later, Nina looked up at Zayne's helmet again.
"Can I see your face?"
Hearing her request, Zayne tilted his head and tapped his chin as if thinking deeply about it.
After a few seconds, he simply replied.
"Okay."
He removed his Ranger helmet and let the girl see his face.
But strangely enough, when Udonna and Layla also tried to look at him, they saw nothing but a blurry, featureless face.
Especially Udonna, who quickly used an observation spell to sharpen her sight.
Yet even with magic assisting her vision, she still could not see his true face—only the same indistinct, blurred surface staring back at her.
"Interesting," Udonna thought to herself—not out of curiosity, but worry.
For an ancient soul like her, someone for whom hardly any secret on Earth could remain hidden, being unable to figure out who this Ranger truly was felt deeply unsettling.
Yet the moment the thought of digging deeper appeared in her mind, a mysterious force suppressed it. Her frustration faded as if it had never existed, leaving her simply staring at the smiling Nina.
Nina, on the other hand, was absolutely delighted as she looked at the face beneath the helmet.
"So, it's you!"
Her tiny voice was filled with excitement.
She could never have imagined that the brother she met one morning—the one she felt an inexplicable connection with—would also be here.
Fate was truly mysterious.
Just kidding.
It wasn't fate at all.
Zayne already knew Nina's future from the comic storyline. Because of that knowledge, he had secretly placed an emergency tracker on her during their first meeting, just in case something like this happened.
Moreover, he had already planned to adopt her, since he knew her real parents would never properly take care of her.
Although Zayne's reasons were somewhat selfish.
He was lonely.
And he needed someone he could truly call family.
Becoming Nina's guardian was simply the first step toward that goal.
Seeing that Nina had gotten what she wanted, Zayne placed his helmet back on and turned his attention toward Udonna.
Udonna understood the meaning behind his gaze and calmly walked over to Nina with a warm, motherly smile.
"Hello, little one."
Udonna knelt slightly to match Nina's height, her pleasant voice entering the child's ears and calming her nerves even more.
Although Nina was still somewhat wary of this kind-looking lady, she answered politely.
"Hello, lady. Who are you?"
Udonna was not annoyed by the direct question.
To her, Nina was simply a child—and children were naturally that straightforward.
She began explaining the nature of Nina's powers and the gem now fused with her. She spoke about ancient magic, mystical forces, and the importance of the power Nina now carried. She even mentioned that it was part of Nina's destiny, and that she would one day need to fulfill it.
To Zayne, who was quietly observing from the side, it sounded almost like Udonna was trying to brainwash a small child.
But something quickly caught his attention.
Nina looked… distracted.
She was staring off into space, clearly lost in her own thoughts, barely paying attention to anything Udonna was saying.
Several minutes of gentle persuasion passed.
Finally, Udonna asked,
"So, what do you think, little one? Will you come with me?"
Nina tilted her head slightly.
Then she pointed at Zayne.
"No. I'll stay with him instead."
Udonna felt a small wave of disappointment, though she had already expected this outcome.
First, she had clearly seen how happy Nina became the moment she recognized Zayne's face beneath the helmet.
Second, Nina had been completely absent-minded during their entire conversation. It was obvious she had no real interest in what Udonna was offering.
"It seems I can only give up for now," Udonna thought bitterly.
"Then again… when she finds herself unable to properly wield that power, she will eventually come to me on her own. I refuse to believe this Ranger can teach her the mastery of magic without my guidance."
Zayne: -_-
"Okay, little one."
A faintly sad expression appeared on Udonna's face, making her seem even more gentle and approachable.
Layla, who had been silently observing the entire interaction, couldn't help but admire her.
"What a kind and understanding lady," she thought to herself.
Only Zayne wasn't fooled.
He knew this version of Udonna extremely well.
To him, she was fundamentally different from the heroic figure he once admired.
"Sigh… who can I blame?" Zayne thought with frustration. "This universe is seriously messed up."
Still, there was nothing he could do about it right now.
He didn't have the time to redeem her or unravel her complicated story. Too many things had been happening in the past few days, and he had several urgent matters to deal with.
He would handle Udonna later.
As his eyes locked onto her, he noticed she was now walking toward him.
Then her confident voice reached his ears.
"You'll need me later, Ranger."
Udonna tossed a scroll toward him.
"Contact me with this. I'll teleport to your location instantly."
Zayne caught the scroll effortlessly.
His expression remained completely neutral beneath the helmet as he gave a simple reply.
"Sure thing."
"Mmh."
Udonna nodded, then looked back at Nina with a warm smile and waved goodbye.
A white rune appeared beneath her feet as her teleportation spell activated.
Fwoosh~
With a bright flash of white light, Udonna disappeared from the room.
Only Zayne, Layla, and Nina remained.
Zayne stared at the scroll in his hand for a moment before thinking bitterly to himself.
"Sly witch. She actually put a tracker on the scroll."
He paused briefly.
"Too bad… it doesn't work on me."
He knew the tracker wasn't explicitly meant for him; instead, it was meant to track Nina. Zayne knew how precious a ranger wand is to Udonna. She wasn't going to give up that easily, based on just one rejection.
Without a second thought, he stored the scroll inside his inventory.
Then he turned to face Nina—who was smiling brightly—and Layla, who looked far more solemn, clearly deep in thought.
Zayne cleared his throat, preparing to explain his plans for Nina.
--- ✦ ---
(Asgard)
Near the Bifrost Bridge, a figure clad in gold could be seen standing at its entrance, his eyes currently shut.
This figure was Heimdall, the gatekeeper and eternal observer of Midgard.
For him, it was a normal day like any other.
Most of the time, he remained idle, watching the countless realms with his all-seeing eyes. Occasionally, he would activate the bridge to transport warriors and travelers across the Nine Realms.
He had been performing this duty for thousands of years, almost without a single mistake. And it would continue to be that way for a very long time.
But then, an abrupt voice snapped him out of his quiet vigilance.
"Heimdall, open the bridge."
Melissa's voice echoed across the golden platform, making Heimdall's star-filled eyes snap open instantly.
Without hesitation, Heimdall stepped toward the bridge's key, the great sword Hofund gleaming with golden light in his hands.
With calm precision, he inserted the blade into the mechanism that controlled the Bifrost.
With a single smooth motion, the bridge activated.
The air vibrated as cosmic energy gathered.
All of it happened within mere seconds.
A brilliant rainbow portal burst open across the sky.
From within the swirling lights, the beautifully armored Melissa stepped out, her armor reflecting the radiant colors of the Bifrost itself.
"Thank you, Heimdall."
A respectful smile appeared on Melissa's lips as she spoke.
Heimdall simply shook his head calmly before replying.
"It is my duty, young warrior. I assume you have important matters to attend to."
His deep voice carried the weight of centuries.
"The All-Father is currently with his wife."
Melissa's eyes immediately lit up at those words.
Without wasting another moment, she launched herself into the air and flew toward the golden city, not forgetting to thank Heimdall once more before leaving.
Melissa arrived before the grand gates of the royal palace of Asgard, the golden towers of the city gleaming beneath the eternal light of the realm. The air itself felt heavier here, filled with ancient power and divine authority. Even for a seasoned warrior like her, the presence of the royal palace always made her straighten her posture unconsciously.
Two elite guards stood before the entrance, their armor polished to perfection.
Melissa approached them and spoke calmly. "I request an audience with the Allfather. I have something important to report."
The guards exchanged a glance before one of them nodded and stepped inside the palace to deliver the message.
Minutes passed in silence.
Melissa stood still like a statue, her mind replaying everything that had happened earlier. The missing stone, the mysterious ranger who helped her confirm it, and the dangerous implications of the situation.
Soon, the guard returned.
"The Allfather will see you," he announced. "You may enter."
Melissa nodded respectfully and walked into the vast throne hall.
The moment she stepped inside, the atmosphere changed.
At the far end of the massive chamber sat the ruler of Asgard himself—Odin.
The one-eyed king sat upon his throne, his long white beard flowing over his golden armor. A kingly and godly pressure radiated from him, heavy and overwhelming, making the very air seem to bend around his presence. His single eye held the depth of countless centuries, like a silent storm watching the world.
Beside him sat his queen, Frigga.
Her presence was vastly different.
Where Odin felt like a thunderous mountain of authority, Frigga radiated calm serenity. Yet beneath that peaceful aura, Melissa could clearly feel the immense currents of ancient Asgardian magic swirling within her.
Melissa shuddered inwardly.
"I will never get used to the presence of these two…"
Even after years of service to Asgard, standing before them still made her feel like a mere mortal standing before living legends.
The moment she reached the center of the hall, Melissa dropped to one knee.
"My king," she spoke respectfully. "I have something important to report."
Odin's single eye focused on her.
"Hmm… speak."
His voice carried the weight of absolute authority, like a law written into the fabric of the realm itself.
Melissa immediately began explaining everything.
She spoke of her failed mission to safeguard the Infinity Stone, how it had suddenly vanished, and the strange circumstances surrounding its disappearance. She also mentioned the red ranger who had helped her confirm that the stone was truly gone—the mysterious Omni-Ranger.
She explained how he had investigated the location and how, together, they had confirmed the worst-case scenario.
The stone had been taken.
When she finished speaking, silence filled the throne hall.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Yet those few seconds felt like an eternity.
The air around Melissa grew heavier, suffocating under the immense pressure of the royal pair. Sweat slowly trickled from her forehead and slid down the side of her face.
Finally, Odin spoke again.
"Do not worry. I understand the situation now. It is not your fault. You may leave."
Melissa felt as if a mountain had been lifted off her shoulders.
Relief washed through her body instantly.
She bowed her head once more.
"Thank you, my lord."
With those words, she rose and slowly left the throne hall.
Only after the massive doors closed behind her did the room return to silence.
Frigga turned slightly toward her husband.
"So… it has begun."
Odin nodded slowly.
"Yes. We have prepared for this for a long time."
His voice carried a quiet gravity.
"I am only worried about our children."
Frigga frowned gently.
Her thoughts immediately drifted toward their sons.
One was hot-blooded, reckless, and constantly searching for battle. The other was cunning, unpredictable, and sometimes even more troublesome.
Both were capable of great things. But both were also capable of great disasters.
As if suddenly remembering something important, Odin lifted his head slightly.
A nearby palace guard immediately stepped forward and knelt.
"Where is my son?" Odin asked.
The guard instantly understood which son the Allfather was referring to.
"My lord, the prince is currently in Jotunheim on a raid."
The moment Odin heard the word raid, his expression darkened.
For a brief moment, anger flashed in his single eye. Even his other patched eye twitched slightly.
He dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand.
Once the guard left, Odin's gaze suddenly shifted upward.
His divine sight pierced through space itself.
Across the cosmos, his vision locked onto Thor battling the Frost Giants in Jotunheim. The sight only made his anger grow stronger.
Odin turned his head slightly toward the distant horizon of the realm. His voice echoed across the golden city.
"Heimdall… open the bridge!"
Frigga, watching her furious husband from her throne, simply shook her head in quiet disappointment at Thor's recklessness and chose not to intervene, knowing this was between Odin and Thor.
--- ✦ ---
My boy Zayne's identity protection is working a little too well, but it's for the plot. I hope y'all are enjoying the chapters. I'm open to criticism or correction of any mistakes I made while writing or editing.
Thanks for all your support.
Zayne still needs power stones to power his morpher. It's running out of Omni-energy. Please donate, guys.