Full Phantom: Episode 26

Full Phantom
Episode 26
Return of the King

Amity Park was on the shores of a large lake.  Lake Eerie was a VERY big lake, and it fed directly into Lake Michigan.  Due to this, the city often got supplies by way of the lake, so it had a pretty nice dock.

In the center of the lake was an island.  Spook Island.  There was usually something spooky going on.  The ruins of what seemed like a castle were there, but it was probably just what was left of a large house.  No one wanted to get close enough to find out.  Even the Fentons didn't want anything to do with the place.

So, no one saw the vampiric ghost flitting around the ruins, looking for something.

"All that work getting the secret journal from Ghost Writer's library, and I STILL can't find it!"

Plasmius blasted one wall in anger, and then took a few deep breaths.

"Okay, Vladimir.  Calm down.  Undergrowth's journal says that it's here SOMEWHERE.  The artifact I stole years ago, the Skeleton Key, should be able to open the thing, but I just need to FIND IT!"

Plasmius took out a small map of the island and marked off another area.

"I'm keeping it systematic.  The only place left to look on the island is…deeper in the ruins."

Plasmius peered over to an archway leading into the catacombs.  He felt uneasy, but he shook it off, put away the map, headed to the archway…

and slammed to a stop in midair, as if he had hit an invisible wall.

"What in the name of Lombardi's playbook?!"

Plasmius stretched his arm out, but an unseen force stopped it.  He tried to go intangible, but no avail.  He tapped his chin, then snapped his fingers.  He took out Undergrowth's journal and flipped to a specific page.

"'We sealed the monster away, then Cosmos made sure that no ghost would be able to enter the crypt to free him.'  They must have put up a primitive ghost shield.  Amazing.  The shield has lasted THIS long.  But, I'll bet they didn't count on a HUMAN."

In a flash of black light, Vlad Master stood there.  He strode purposefully toward the archway…

and passed trough without incident.

"Fools.  They didn't count on a human poking around.  Or, perhaps they did, and the oppressive spooky feeling was put in place.  Ah well.  It didn't work on me."

Vlad traveled into the catacombs, keeping to human form in case there was more anti-ghost security.  He continued to search until he finally sat on a rock.

"I've combed these catacombs, and STILL NOTHING!  Hmm, combed the catacombs.  HA!  I made a funny."

Vlad chuckled for a bit, then stopped and stood up.

"Maybe bringing the key out will have an effect."

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a green key with a skull design.

"This is a key, and a pun."

Vlad waved the key through the air, and it stuck on something.  He raised his eyebrow and turned the key, as if it were in a lock.  A click sounded through the air, and a doorway appeared out of nowhere.

"That…was weird."

Vlad opened the door and a grin reached his face.

"FINALLY!  The Tomb of the Marauder!"

It was large, and a legion of skeletons stood in formation, like Terracotta soldiers.  Vlad transformed into ghost form, since there was probably no security here, and flew through the tomb.

Within the next room were more skeleton soldiers, guarding what seemed to be a statue.  The statue was holding a ship-in-a-bottle.

"Weird."

The next room was weirder.  Skeletons were guarding another skeleton, one that was holding up a purple pumpkin.  A large green sword impaled the pumpkin.

"Wait.  This must be the Fright Knight, Lord of Fear and Spirit of Halloween.  It is said that any who are so much as scratched by his blade, the Soul Shredder, are banished to a nightmare dimension where they live out their worst fears.  What a minion HE would make.  I shall have to free him.  BUT FIRST…"

Plasmius continued to travel forward, until the reached the final room.  The only thing in the room was a sarcophagus.  A BIG one.  Plasmius gave a mock bow.

"AH, if it isn't Pariah Dark, the Marauder King.  You were quite the conqueror back into the day.  Sailing through the Ghost Zone, pillaging and conquering.  Your power was absolutely AMAZING.  Too bad your Ring of Rage was destroyed in the final battle with the Ancients.  Ah well.  I can still take the Crown of Fire."

Plasmius looked around, but found nothing.  Then he looked back at the sarcophagus.  It bore the image of Pariah Dark, including a crown with a flame motif adorning his head.

"OF COURSE!  It's in the stupid thing.  Why, I don't know.  Maybe it got stuck, and they buried it with him.  I'll just crack it open and take the crown.  Simple."

Plasmius pulled on the sarcophagus, but it didn't open.  Then, he noticed a lock on it.  He slapped his forehead, went back to the door, and got the Skeleton Key back.  Then, he went and unlocked the sarcophagus.

"Now, for the crown, and power UNIMAGINABLE."

The sarcophagus creaked open, and Plasmius prepared to swipe the crown.  As he reached for it, a gloved hand grabbed his.  A single red eye opened.

"I think not, intruder."

Plasmius was thrown back, and he got a good look at the feared ghost.

He was large, slightly less than two stories, and very muscular.  He wore a black armor, and a mane of green hair flowed onto his back.  A mace hung from his belt.  His Crown of Fire encircled his head, and two long horns sprouted from either side.  His face was like stone, and he wore an eye patch.

Pariah Dark, the Marauder King and the Bane of the Ghost Zone, was FREE.

"Now, who dares to steal what is mine?"

Plasmius shifted to brown-nosing mode.

"Oh, hello.  Plasmius, Vlad Plasmius.  Did I mention that I'm a HUGE fan of your work?"

Pariah Dark narrowed his eye.

The next thing Plasmius knew, a massive blast of energy was propelling him out of the ruins.

Pariah strode into the next room and deftly removed the sword from the pumpkin.  It immediately exploded in an eerie green light, and a ghost stood there.  He was clad in medieval armor, black as night, and he wore a cape made of purple flames.  More flames reared up behind his helmet and wreathed him in a spooky glow.

"The Fright Knight LIVES!"

His sword impaled itself a few inches from his feet.

"To serve ME."

"Lord Pariah!" said Fright Knight, getting on his knees, "You're up!"

"Now, my right hand, wake that annoying boy, while I deal with the intruder."

Pariah flew off, and Fright Knight picked up his sword and went to the next room.  He floated up toward the statue and pressed the hilt of his sword at the back of its neck.  The statue cracked in several places, and green light poured from the cracks.  Fright Knight dove out of the way as pieces of stone flew off the statue, revealing a tall boy with green hair and a pirate's garb.

"Ugh.  How long have I been asleep?"

"I'm not sure.  I just woke up myself, Youngblood," replied Fright Knight.

The boy looked over and saw the other ghost.

"Uncle Spooky!"

"I told you that I hate that name."

"Is Lord Pariah awake?"

"Indeed he is.  Now, let us awaken the troops, then take care of your ship."

Youngblood stared at the ship-in-a-bottle in his hands, and grinned.

~~

Plasmius shook his head to dispel the cobwebs.

"Perhaps I underestimated the power of Pariah Dark."

"I do believe that you have, as you opened the sarcophagus and thus woke me from the Forever Sleep," came a voice.

Plasmius whirled around and beheld Pariah Dark.

"Now, before I crush you, what is that place in the distance?"

Pariah pointed toward the lights in the distance, and Plasmius stuttered his answer.

"A-Amity Park.  A human city."

"Humans have invaded the Realm of Ghosts?  This place has really gone downhill, then."

"Realm of--you're not in the Ghost Zone anymore.  You're in the human world."

Pariah's eye widened, then a smile crossed his face.

"Interesting.  Perhaps I shall find a way to add this to my kingdom."

"Hate to break it to you, but your kingdom hasn't existed for thousands of years."

"BAH!  Details.  It is of no consequence, for soon, I shall reclaim my kingdom.  But first…"

Pariah turned to Plasmius, one hand glowing a deep red.  Plasmius gulped and flew away as fast as he could.  Pariah fired the blast, hitting Plasmius in the back and sending him flying back to the city.

"Now, to prepare for conquering."

~~

"Your only problem, Damon, was the power source," said Jack, "The ecto-skeleton was a brilliant idea, but the power source was unstable.  This new thing is just the trick."

Damon looked over from where he was working on the lower half of the suit.

"True.  Studying Valerie's suit gave us brilliant ideas, but this thing still needs the neural interface, and it's still dangerous to use."

"Well, we'll fix that soon enough.  We just need time."

Suddenly the two heard a loud crash from upstairs.  They looked at each other, then raced up.

~~

Plasmius returned to human form shortly before crashing through the window of Fenton Works.  Maddie heard the crash and set Danielle back in her crib.  She practically slid down the stairs, Jazz three steps behind her.  Jack and Damon arrived in the living room at the same time they did.

The four found a bleeding Vlad Masters, lying among shattered glass.

"Jack, my fat old friend.  Help me."

And with that, Vlad fell unconscious.  The four stood in shocked silence before Damon spoke up.

"I'll get the first aid kit, you get him on the couch."

As Damon grabbed the box, he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.  Something VERY bad.





Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman