Chapter 7: Return of the King

Hunting weak ghosts was becoming less and less effective. They hid from him, requiring far too much time to catch, and the energy of their cores was but a drop in the ocean. High-level ghosts were harder to kill if much more rewarding but they refused to fight him, their lairs hidden behind the defenses he struggled to break through.

He was running out of time and he needed another strategy.

Well then, if he couldn't get stronger, he had to weaken the enemy.

The first half of that plan was already underway, ever since he learnt how to create portals. He carried out multiple attacks across the Human World, casting a spotlight on the existence of ghosts so that the humans could prepare for the oncoming war. He couldn't accurately track their progress, but the world's militaries were mobilizing and sporting quite an amount of new tech. Several cities, including Amity that became a leading center for ghost research, were surrounded by ghost shields.

Humans should be able to distract and perhaps even weaken Pariah. And if by some miracle they managed to defeat him, Phantom certainly wasn't going to complain.

But there was still something he could do.

Searching through the dusty books in the Ghost Writer's former lair wasn't an unfamiliar task and it didn't take long for Phantom to find the necessary information.

The location of the Skeleton Key.

Oddly enough, the place had no guards, unless one counted the ever-present crows, though Phantom didn't particularly care, grabbing the key and leaving quickly. He twirled it between his fingers as he entered Pariah's Keep, flying through the dark corridors and up the long stairs to the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. The coffin was still closed but a long crack running down its side reminded him that time was an issue.

He turned away and looked at the two skeletons at the base of the stairs holding two treasures. What he needed to do was to deprive Pariah of as many advantages as possible.

Phantom floated down and used the key to open the lock over the Ring of Rage. Of course, he didn't put it on. It was an artifact created by Pariah Dark personally and it would respond only to him.

Fortunately, Phantom had gained a bit of experience in breaking artifacts.

He flew away from the Keep, just in case (the chance of damaging the Sarcophagus was far too high for his taste), and called lightning to his hands. He kept the ring in his grasp, steadily increasing the charge coursing through it.

The Ring of Rage flared in response, the ancient artifact fighting back, but Phantom was stronger, and eventually it began to crack.

Phantom bit into the ring, shoving one of his fangs through the crack, and inhaled deeply, sucking in the freed energy. He nearly choked on the amount of power contained within but he ignored the burning pain and kept draining the artifact until it was nothing but dust.

His hair flared brighter and his core pulsed stronger as the energy settled inside him. Then Phantom turned around and headed back to the Keep.

He circled around the second skeleton, holding a purple pumpkin with a sword stuck in it. From what he remembered, removing the sword would summon the Fright Knight. So what should he do first? Summon the ghost and tear out his core or destroy the sword?

For that matter, could he destroy the sword without unsealing the ghost? He tried to recall the memory from when he was still whole, but Phantom simply didn't know enough about this particular ghost to tell whether it was the sword itself or the act of its removal that freed the Fright Knight.

Oh well, it didn't particularly matter.

Phantom carried the two objects outside the Keep, gnawing on the hilt of the sword, but his fangs slid off without leaving a single scratch. He gave the weapon an experimental jolt of electricity, noting the way it traveled down the blade, causing the pumpkin to smoke slightly. Then he clamped both hands around the sword, increasing the charge yet trying to keep it contained.

It didn't take long for the sword to crack, and Phantom absorbed its energy, causing the green metal to crumble. He waited for a few seconds, allowing the energy to settle inside him, then blasted the pumpkin into smithereens, waiting for the Fright Knight to appear.

Minutes passed one after another yet nothing happened. So destroying the sword was enough to neutralize the Fright Knight? This wasn't what he expected, but as long the Ghost King's minion was out of the picture, he didn't particularly care.

Phantom turned away, flying back to the Keep, and unnoticed behind him the broken pieces of the pumpkin burst into purple flames.


And now for the big decision.

Phantom stared at the damaged coffin then at the Skeleton Key in his hand. Was it better to have time or control?

He tasted the air with his tongue, deep in thought. Pariah Dark was going to break free soon – there was no going around it. The question was whether the remaining time was worth the element of surprise.

Phantom weighted the odds. On one hand, he was aware that his power level was still subpar, considering that he hadn't even changed his appearance, stuck in the same shape he had on the day of his creation. On the other, he was also aware that there wasn't much he could do about it. He had mastered the powers stolen from Plasmius and the ghost cores no longer gave him much energy compared to what he already had. On one hand, opening the coffin would put him far too close to the Ghost King at full strength. On the other, this confrontation was going to happen sooner or later anyway, and this would give him an element of surprise he might never get again.

Decision made, Phantom put the Skeleton Key into the lock and opened the coffin. He didn't waste precious seconds to gawk at the giant form of the King of All Ghosts, instead snatching the Crown of Fire from his head and flying away with all the speed he was capable of.

An angry roar of the awakened monster behind him made Phantom fly even faster, when a purple fireball slammed into his side, sending him skidding onto the floor, the Crown of Fire flying from his hands. He lunged at the artifact, ignoring the sudden appearance of the Fright Knight, when a massive hand clamped around his body.

Phantom twisted his neck, turning to look into the crazed eye of Pariah Dark, and for the first time in his half-existence he felt something approaching fear.