Author's Notes: Thank you to all who reviewed the fic
Yin7: The fun is just beginning.
Chapter XXXVII: Duality
Danni
My heart beat wildly as I walked out of the portal and found myself in the shadows of Plasmius' castle. Clockwork's warning about my nightmares still rang in my ears though just being here brings those dark memories to the front of my mind.
"Get a grip Danielle, you can do this," I tell myself as I approach the massive gates that lead into the courtyard. A chill races down my spine and chills me to the core; it was if the life and warmth was sucked out of the air leaving only the chill of death behind.
I placed a hand on the rusted iron gates, slowly pushed them open, and made my way into the property. I found myself in a old graveyard, the stones seemed to be here for decades as weather had done it's job and worn out the writing on some of them.
"So far…," I began to say until I heard a blood curdling screech, "Who's there," I said charging up an ectoblast but before I could attack one Vlad's vultures swooped out of the air and made a b-line towards me.
The looked younger and fiercer than they normally do, their beaks were no longer dented and twisted but were smooth and lean that reflected the terrible light from the crimson eyes that seemed more lively.
"Look who it is, I don't know how you escaped but you're going back," Áed, the leader of the group sneered coming at me but I blasted him causing him to slam into a tombstone. "So you want to play dirty, huh?" he asked giving out a whistle. "Think fast," he said as Adlemar, his second in command swooped down from the air and dug his talons into my shoulder
"AHHHH," I screamed as he yanked his claws out of my flesh causing me to fall to my knees. "You...'ll…pay…for…that," I said in between spasms of pain.
"You're done for girl," Áedán, the other wingman said as he came after me but I was able to blast him out of the sky before I succumbed to the pain and everything went black.
Zile Zazic
"Ah, fresh Peking duck," I said as I removed the lid of the dish and took the wonderful scent, "there's nothing like Chinese food for lunch," I said about to start eating but was interrupted by the intercom going off.
"Mr. Z?" the voice of Ms. Stanwick came through the speaker as pushed my lunch away so I could deal with business. "There are several gentlemen here from the government to see you," she said as I raise my eyebrow at the statement. "They said you talked to them earlier," she said as I calmed realized they were the agents who wanted to deal with the ghosts.
"Send them in," I tell her pressing the response button and watching the door swing open revealing several men dressed in white suits.
"You Zazic?" a dark skinned man asked as he walked forward and peered at me from behind a pair of sunglasses.
"Yes, Zile Zazic at your service," I said standing up and held my hand but he just stared at me, "what do I owe this honor," I told them sitting down and eyeing my guests up carefully.
"We come to install some surveillance devices in your school, we believe that it might be infested with ghosts," the man said as his comrades opened a briefcase revealing some strange equipment. "You do realize that we need no permission from the Constitution or you to continue," he warns me as I smile at him. This immunity might work in my favor.
"Of course you have my permission," I said taking something out of my desk, "here is a blueprint of the school. The areas in red are where the ghosts are most active," I tell them pointing out the dormitories of Speed and his friends.
"Thank you," the man said turning to his partner, "Okay H begin operation omniscience," he said as before they left the room leaving me to plan my next step to get rid of Speed.
Frostbite
"No doubt the Obtuse Ones still believe that Clockwork is against them?" Pandora said as I informed of what happened. The Observants needed be reigned in before they do something that could that could be counteractive to the universe.
"I know, but right now we can't do anything," I tell her sternly trying to think of our options, "Have the Olympians said anything about Dantea?" I asked her curiously hoping maybe that Greek Pantheon has decided to act against the infernal realms.
"No, they haven't," she says sadly, "Zeus has decreed that since the last fiasco Olympus will intervene in the Infernal Realms unless the Pantheon is itself is under attack," she informed me, "even Lord Hades in his kingdom has severed his ties with Dantea for fear angering his brother," she said.
I frowned at this news the very fact that Mount Olympus has decreed to be silent will only make the Observants more suspicious and increase their resolve to act against Clockwork.
"There is still hope, a few of us are going to send a envoy to Prometheus to see if he knows anything about what's going on," Pandora explained as my fears eased, "Don't worry Frostbite, we will get to the bottom of this before the Observants do," she said as we began a plan of action.
Speed Racer
"Almost there," Connor said turning adjusting some settings on Chim-Chim who was holding a microphone to the door.
"Connor, you know you're going to get in trouble, like every other time you've done this," Lucy snapped at him before glaring at me, "and you're encouraging him," she tells me as I sigh. I know she's right, but I am worried as to what Headmaster wants with Sam and Tucker.
"I'd rather be caught for spying then having these 'Guys in White' come in and interrogate my friends," I told her; if half the things Sam told me about them are true I would do anything to make sure Danny and Danielle are out harm's way.
"I've got something," Connor said turning on the speaker as a voice could be heard but it wasn't Headmaster, Sam, or Tucker.
"Have sectors Alpha and Gamma rigged with ectosensors and if you find the girl make sure to sedate so she won't be harmed," an authoritative but monotone voice said to some unknown party,
"Will do, what of sectors Epsilon and Mu?" another voice asked the first one, save for the inflection and modulation the voice sounded exactly the same as the first one.
"Operative N is handling them and has the traps set thusly since Zazic has indicated the most activity is located there," it said plainly.
"I don't like the sound of this," Connor said as the color fled from his face, "we have to…," he began to say until we hear someone coming. "Abort Chim-Chim," he told the monkey as the recording device was shut off.
"We have to hide," I tell everyone as I can clearly see someone walking down the hall.
Danny
I could feel my stomach turn as I saw Plasmius dissolve into ectoplasm as if his very atoms were falling apart. The last time I saw this was in Egypt when Vlad first summon Abramelin but that did not make me feel any better.
"You…," Vlad began to say before he lost his form completely and became a puddle. The puddle soon started to bubble and streaks of black could be seen in it like blood in water. "Foolish boy," a voice gurgled from the pond as It seem boil furiously and rise up. "You should have run when you had the chance," it said again as the mass of now black slime took a definite form.
Where Vlad Plasmius once stood, the terrifying form Abramelin now stood dressed in his black robes and capes. His white hair seemed stained with black ectoplasm and his red glisten like fresh blood in the moonlight.
Part of trembled at this site remembering the battle in the temple. I felt utterly destroyed when he stole my youth from me and dreaded meeting the same fate only this there will be no one to save me. I began to back away until a voice in my heard whispered, "Danny, do not be afraid, the powers of darkness are inferior compared to the powers of the Adepti." It was the voice of Hermes Trismegistus talking to me and just the sound of his voice gave me strength.
"You can never win, Abramelin, you can destroy my body but never my power.," I told the foe my eyes fixed on the foe who now scowled in primal fury.
"Prepare to meet death, mortal," he said as he raised his hands, the dance had begun!
Imhotep
I shuddered as my training revealed what was going on the mortal plane. If something was not done all would be lost. "I have to do something," I told myself as I opened my eyes and stood up and walked to a secluded room in my pyramid.
The interior was dark save for a single fire at the other end which revealed a large statue of a man. I approached the statue and fell on the ground, "Hear me, oh Lord Osiris master of the afterlife and judge of the deceased hear the evocation of thy servant whom you have raised as your priest," I murmured to myself as a crack of thunder echoed throughout the room indicated the god's presence.
"Rise, Imhotep," a voice resonated seemingly from the statue, "why do you call up me?" it asked as I looked up at the image of my master.
"I am sorry to disturb you but I fear for the mortal realm a…," I began to say before I was commanded to stop.
"I am aware of what is going on and you have no need to worry- the daughter of darkness shall resurrect they who stand between East and West and aide the light in vanquishing greatest evil," he told me as I raised an eyebrow. Osiris always spoke in riddles and even to someone enlightened like me can be baffled. "Trust me my son," he said before another crack of thunder ushered his departure and left me alone in the chamber.
Sam
"What would like to know about her, I mean everything about her should be in your files," I told Headmaster Spritle nervously as my eyes darted around the room. I knew what he wanted to know but that was not a secret I'm willing divulge without Danni's consent.
"You've seen the pictures of the bruises on her and I know you're aware how she'll wake up sometime screaming," Spritle said sternly as Tucker looked at me, "It's my job as head of this school to make sure that the students are safe and those that would harm them would not get to…," he began to say until his intercom beeped. "Please excuse me," he said as we got up to leave.
"That was close," Tucker said relieved as we saw X running down the hall nervously. He seemed like something had spooked him.
"Sam!" the elder Racer brother said as he slowed down trying to catch his breath. "Th…er..," he began to say as Tucker laughed.
"Look who's out of shape?" he joked as X grabbed him by the collar.
"Listen…Foley…it's…not…funny," he said releasing the Technogeek, "I was in the computer….lab… and there were these…men…outside," he panted as I looked at them.
"What men?" I asked him concerned as he caught his breath and calmed down somewhat.
"They were all dressed in white and…," he went on as my eyes grew wide, we didn't have much time, "what's wrong?" he asked seeing the expression on my face.
"We have to stop them," I told him grabbing Tucker by the wrist, "where did you see them?" I asked as he lead the way hoping we can stop them.