I Forge Me Steel
Yellow Steel

"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders."
--Lao Tzu




There was a way to all things. There was a path to the summit of every mountain and there was a way to the depths below. It was repeated to him now as it was then, the Commander's thundering voice reminding him of all that was to be.
He knew the Commander didn't like it.
But there was a way to all things.

The steppes were a cold, desolate place of open, featureless land. Aside from the biting wind, Renne thought that these steppe lands were the kind of place he could remain in. Yet they were uninviting to him all the same as he traversed their vast expanses. He knew eventually he would leave, explore again.
That was why he was here. The second part was here, the Commander had said, and here was where he was to go.
'You must not grieve forever. To do so is not wise.'
He remembered that speech, the one voiced in the middle of the night in that strange chamber. The Commander had spoken of his five pupils, who they were, why again he could not come into contact with them, and why they were....them.

Black was Laughter.
Yellow was Serenity.

And that was why he was out here in the steppes, finding the nugget of amber latched to the side of that tree, one of the few that dared to grow out here.


He reflected on the second step. Walking aimlessly through the docks and occasionally along one of the beaches, Renne reflected on the journey he had been on. Reflected on the 'watch' that now adorned his wrist. He was proud of the thing in a small way, but there was still more to think on.
The 'how' was the easy part. It was always the 'why' that was so hard.

I Forge Me Steel
Red Steel

"Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both and surpass the result."--Tien T'ai





'You will enter the volcano fields and find the fourth stone. You will do as I ask.'
-Why?-
'You are in need of the journey. You are halfway to what you seek and did not find in the other worlds.'
-And the other thing I seek?-
'That is not for me to speak of. Do you believe your standards too high?'
-No.-
'You are in need of light. Go to the volcano fields.'
-Not one of yours.-
'Yes you are. Go.'

The dialogue had been a firestorm of broken English, non-words, impulses and commands. The Commander had been growing sterner as the journeys progressed onward, and in doing so, he had begun to bolster Renne's English. It wasn't an option. He had needed to understand the reasoning, needed to understand more of himself and why the Commander was doing all of this.
So he had gone to the volcano fields that were islands in the middle of the ocean to search for the red stone.

He had to admit that these volcanoes, with their constant eruptions, were a blessed breath of warmth for him and more than once, he had half-Transcended simply to bask in the lava flows that were to other beings, too searing to come near. He had liked the warmth and even the solitude. He had begun to waver, wondering if he could simply stay here and not go back to the Commander and his iron will. He had considered it and came close, veering off of the trail he'd chosen to find the red stone.
It had earned him a thundering voice through the communicator on his wrist, a dressing-down that had rivalled any he'd been given before.

That was halfway between his starting point and finding the fiery garnet itself. He shuddered at the Commander's words upon thinking of them. The Commander wasn't a human; how could a human's voice produce such a booming thunder that mere speech caused an echo?

He continued on, finally abandoning the notions of staying here in volcanic solitude. When Renne summited the modest volcanic peak, he dug through the dormant mountain's rocks until the warmth of the garnet lay in his hands. It was a solid carbuncle garnet, glittering blood-red in the fire-laden sky.
And it was his fourth step.

Black was Laughter.
Yellow was Serenity.
Pink was Mercy.

And Red was courage. The courage to keep going even if, ultimately, he was alone.

I Forge Me Steel
Blue Steel

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods."
--Albert Einstein





'It is time. Your final task is at hand.'
-What will you do with me?-
'You will know this when your task is completed.'

He left the chamber in confusion. This final task was one he had both hoped to complete and one he dreaded. In the time with the Commander, he had grown attached -- something he had sworn not to do. A dark voice reminded him that he could still throw up the walls, sever attachments. He could still stand alone, without the hurt, without the betrayals reaching him.
Another part of himself laughed.

The sea was a cold, deep place and while he was glad for the yeti furs and insulating field the Commander had offered, it reminded him of years gone by. Icebergs drifted by as he moved southward. The water took its time to warm as he traveled the currents but he knew the warmth would come.
'It lives in you.'
Words flitted across his mind like the silvery fish. Discussions remembered, thundering orders reverberating in his ears. He knew the Commander and despite the being's protests, had begun to worship him as a god. Like he did once before, before the taint of lust and subsequent betrayal. He had listened to the Commander's words in every tone the man issued them. But it always came down to a few words that he never believed true.

'I need you.'

The currents became stronger and he learned to flow with them. His skin turned a silvery gold as familiar transformation took place. He could not swim in his normal shape and he had to survive this, so instincts took over. Legs half-fused, his feet spread out into a strange tail. And he breathed beneath the waves.
The waters warmed. Blessedly warm, away from the biting cold and the icebergs, Renne felt relief as he dove further, deeper into the sapphire depths. He knew what he had to find and it was elation that met him when he touched the sea floor.
His hands and feet/tail whisked away the sane, slowly but surely. The sand was not what he was after, but the rock beneath. At the base of an undersea volcano, Renne's hand finally closed around the blue stone so close to blissful warmth.

Black onyx was Laughter.
Yellow amber was Serenity.
Pink tourmaline was Mercy.
Red garnet was Courage.
Green jade was repentance.

The blue, benito, was Endurance. It was a thing he knew well. He surfaced slowly, readying to return to the chamber when the tingling, telltale grip of transport caught him on, carrying him back to the Commander.

'You have done well. I have informed my team of your existence but forbid either of you to come into contact. You understand why, do you not?'
-Yes.-
'Bring me the stones you have gathered.'
He walked across the deserted chamber floor and knelt, placing the stones in a line before the Commander. It was in the order the Commander desired -- Laughter. Serenity. Mercy. Courage. Repentance. Endurance. The Commander's voice intoned a solemn command as Renne backed away. By now, he had figured it was time to go, having completed his task. He was caught short.

'Be still. You have done well. It is time to understand why I bade you gather the stones. Stand here.'

Silently, he did as the Commander asked. The shock registered in his eyes and skin as a silver-blue band was fastened around his wrist. The next thing he knew, a great, pulsing hum filled the air. He never saw it, but the stones lifted, seemingly of their own accord. They swirled, forming a ring around him and somewhat distantly, he heard the Commander speak and his own voice respond.

'You are what the others cannot be. Dark but not impure, you are of a tempered nature. You are the Steel Ranger. First, you are to never utilise such power for personal gain. Second, you are to never escalate a battle. Complete your objectives quickly, without undue force or collateral damage. Third, you are to never reveal yourself as the Steel. And finally, you are to never show your face. You do what others cannot. You walk in the shadows and you are to live as one. Shadows are not punishment, Disciple, but protection.
Do you accept the responsibilities of Duty I confer upon you?'

As the sun rose on the Eastern docks, Renne stood there, facing the sea in his full regalia. It was a moment he could not share with another soul. But it was his moment. His victory. His triumph. And he loved it without condition.