DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN DANNY PHANTOM
Invincible Foe
Human World Masters Co. Secret Weapons Testing Grounds
"Begin the test!" Bill ordered.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" a voice came over the speaker.
"Don't make me repeat myself!" Bill yelled. A large cannon pointing straight at him charged up and fired. Bill smiled with confidence as the energy beam engulfed him. After the smoke from the explosion cleared Bill stood in the center of a large crater holding a golden shield, completely unharmed.
Several men ran down to him. "Are you alright Sir?" one guy asked.
"I'm fantastic!" Bill laughed as he checked out the devastation around him. "I'd say this is a perfect test of the new weapon, wouldn't you say. Have them install it on the Dreadnought immediately!" A few of the men hurried to begin work on the cannon.
"I must say that it's pretty impressive to want to test the shield yourself, impressive but insane," Mordred criticized.
"Yes, yes it was," Bill agreed, "But it would seem that the Shield of Aegis is living up to its reputation. Which makes me wonder why don't you knights have shields of your own? I mean according to legend only the Excalibur could beat it, right?"
Mordred shrugged, "Arthur forbade it. He never told anyone his reasons, not even to Merlin."
Bill eyed him amusingly, "Well no matter. Palamedes today is your lucky day. I'm giving you the chance to avenge your brother." Bill tossed him the shield.
"Keep that wretched thing away from me!" Palamedes screamed knocking shield midair. "It's a disgrace to my brother's memory! Mordred I can't believe you agreed to make this for him!"
-Flashback Bill's Room-
"You want me to make you a Mystic Blade, impossible!" Mordred cried. "Merlin sealed the entrance to Avalon! There's no way to get anymore metal!"
Bill smirked, "Nothing is impossible for me, for you see I happen to obtain some of your precious Avalonian metal!" Bill pointed to the broken swords of the fallen knights at the corner of his room. "And I've already seen you working the forge."
Mordred couldn't contain his anger. "No, no, never! These swords must be buried at the catacombs to mark my brothers' eternal rest. I shall not desecrate their memory like this and nothing you can offer will make me!" Mordred stood in defiance. Bill smiled and pressed play his remote. The big screen turned on showing Danny and friends talking.
'Wait, you wouldn't happen to know where that vortex is, do you.' 'Well I believe it's about twelve parsecs south of Walker's Prison, why?' 'That's where I got my sword. Billy just dumped them in Camelot!'
"Just a little something I picked up at Amity Park," Bill gloated. Mordred eyes widen at this revelation. Camelot still exists and is hidden in the ghost zone, worst Lancelot and his friends are trapped there with their greatest enemy, his father! Bill grinned knowing that he's won. "I understand that you wish to save your friends. In fact I'll be more than happy to give you whatever support you'll need. So do we have a deal?"
Mordred sighed in defeat, "As I told you there is no one left who has the skills to make a mystic blade anymore, but if you can find me a master blacksmith I can make you an invincible shield!"
-Flashback End-
"I'm sorry my friend but this was the only way we can save Lancelot," Mordred apologized.
"Now don't be that way," Bill said in a sweet but mocking tone, "think of it as your brother's spirit fighting alongside you again." Bill laughed, "And besides you don't have a choice in the matter!"
"Let's just get this over with!" Palamedes growled as he strapped the Shield of Aegis to his arm.
Ghost Zone Skulker's Island
"So Bro, are you going to ask your buddies in Camelot if you can borrow the Excalibur?" Gale joked.
"No I'm afraid I can't do that. Merlin has prohibited us from entering Camelot again." Danny sighed. Thinking for a few seconds he turned to Sam. "Sam, see what you can dig up on the shield. Wulf, Cujo go with her and call us immediately if Bill or his cohorts show their ugly faces in Amity Park. Vale you head to Pandora's and install that new security system, and update her on the situation. Poindexter you're her escort. IceClaw and I will head back to Frostbite's to see if he has anything we can use." The all nodded accepting his instructions.
"And what about me, Bro?" Gale asked.
"Well since you're not a member of this team I can't boss you around, so you can go back to Amity Park and do whatever it is you do, Gale." Danny replied in neutral voice.
If Gale was offended by Danny's comment he didn't show it and simply nodded. Wulf opened a tear back to the human world and he, Cujo, Sam and Gale stepped through. Vale jumped into the Specter Speeder and flew off with Poindexter on his pony messenger dragon following behind her.
"Shall we be going as well Great One?" IceClaw asked. Danny nodded and flew off.
-Moments Later at the Ice Realm-
"Oh Great One, IceClaw it is good to see you again!" Frostbite greeted, "I only wished it was under better circumstances!"
"What's wrong are the Advisors attacking? Or is it Inviso-Bill?" Danny frantically looked around for trouble.
"No Great One I'm afraid this is much worst," Frostbite pointed to one of the most annoying ghost in the entire ghost zone.
"Oh no, not him!" Danny gasped as the intruder tackled him and began crushing him in a bear hug.
"Will you be my furend?"
Human World Amity Park
Sam frantically searched through her personal library hoping to find something that might be useful; at least that is she'd like to be doing right now if she wasn't distracted by a certain guest from alternate reality. After they returned to earth Gale followed her home, and her parents were delight to see her in the company of someone with class. So now she was stuck having to keep an eye on him while he sweet talk her folks, even her crazy grandma seems to be infatuated with him. Normally she wouldn't care but then he started pitching some inventions he's been working on and asking if they'd be interested in becoming business partners. Worse her parents were eating it up and agreed to invest a small fortune in his venture, whatever it was!
"Excuse me but I need talk to you in private," Sam said in a stern voice. Gale graciously excused himself and followed Sam out. "O.K. what is all that about! We're supposed to finding information on the Shield of Aegis!" Sam demanded.
"That's your job," Gale retorted, "I'm just here to find potential sponsors for my new business, and your parents are perfect suckers-I mean investors."
"If you think I'll let you con my parents!" Sam threatened.
"Con, I have you know that my offer is completely legit!" Gale claimed. "And to prove it, why don't you come to my place this weekend and I'll show you some of the projects I've been working on."
"Fine," Sam replied coldly. Sam didn't trust Gale, but maybe she might find something that she could use against him. "Hey what's going on out there?" Sam wondered as the sounds of sirens and alarms blared outside. Turning the T.V. to the local news, they saw a report of a Knight on a mechanical horse flying over head demanding Danny Phantom to show himself.
"Looks like Team Phantom is up," Gale said casually. "So are you going to going to call your boyfriend, oops I mean ex-boyfriend."
"How do you know about that, you know what never mind!" Sam sneered as she ran out of the house. Sam popped one of her seeds into her mouth then jumped on to her scooter. Using the Fenton Phones she tried to call Danny, "Danny, are you there? We've got a situation down here! One of the knights is looking for you and he has the shield with him!"
"Sorry...uhg, Sam I'm a little busy right now! LET ME GO, PLEASE! I'll be there as soon as I can!" The communicator shut off after that.
""I guess I'm on my own then," Sam griped as she sped down the street. It didn't take her long to reach downtown where the Knight had just defeated Wulf and Cujo. "Hey those are my teammates!" Sam yelled out.
The Knight turned to Sam. "Where is Danny Phantom?" he demanded. "Is he too much of a coward to show himself?"
"What I'm not good enough for you?" Sam taunted.
"My code of honor prohibits me from striking a girl," Palamedes answered.
"Too bad for you!" Sam launched a wave of vines. Palamedes chopped the vines then blasted Sam with a fireball. "So much for your code of honor!"
"The moment you raised your hand against me you are no longer a little girl but a combatant!" Palamedes levitated several cars and flung them her.
Sam frantically raised some trees to shield herself from the incoming vehicles. She managed to block most of them, but some of the cars were still heading towards her. Sam closed her eyes as she braced for impact. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and her body becoming intangible. Sam hopefully opened her eyes only to be disappointed to see Valerie standing next to her and the cars passing harmlessly right through her!
"Sorry we're late but Pandora wanted to test the new security system before she'd let us go," Vale said. Pandora appeared next to them and began blasting at Palamedes who simply blocked all of her attacks with the shield.
"More maidens!" Palamedes spat, "Has Danny Phantom no honor that he sends women," looking at the unconscious forms of Wulf and Cujo, "and beasts to face me!"
"Maybe we're all that's needed to beat your sorry butt!" Vale shouted charging her fists.
"Indeed, and since you no longer have Merlin's protection, this time I'll stuff you inside my box Knight!" Pandora threatened.
"Wait!" Poindexter shouted landing in front of them. "I'll deal with this bully! I have a score to settle with him!"
Palamedes stared at the young knight for a second, "You, you're that boy from the Dragon Kingdom!"
"I am Sir Poindexter, first knight and champion to her highness Princess Dora, and I swear I shall defeat you!" Poindexter promises as he readies himself for battle.
Palamedes mounted his mechanical horse and transforms his sword into a lance. The girls held their breaths, watching what might be the biggest one sided fight they've ever seen. Poindexter, a scrawny kid on a cute pony size dragon, facing off against Palamedes, a distinguish Knight on a tall and menacing robotic horse. Then as if by some unknown signal the two charged at each other. Predictably the joust ended with Poindexter getting knocked off his dragon. Poindexter tried to get back up, but Palamedes had his sword at his throat.
"I applaud your courage, but I advise you to stay down. It is clear that you are outmatched!" Palamedes warned. "Now I ask you again. Where is Danny Phantom?"
"I'M RIGHT HERE!" Danny yelled as he fired an ecto-beam.
Palamedes easily blocked it with the shield. "So you finally show yourself," he said as did the customary salute. To his surprise Danny didn't salute in turn.
"Sorry but I have something really important that I need to take care of as soon as possible so why don't we skip the formalities and just get to the part where I kick your butt!" Danny declared.
Palamedes never felt so insulted in his life. Not only did this upstart defeat his brother, he has the audacity not to show the proper respect due to him as a Knight! Palamedes roared in anger and attacked with all his fury. Danny drew his sword and met his opponent head on! Palamedes swung wildly but Danny managed to hold his own. "You fight well boy," Palamedes complimented, "but you must realize that you cannot beat me!"
"You know if you'd said that to me a month ago I'd had to agree," Danny said while trying to catch his breath. He then went into a fencing stance, "but I've learned a few things since beating you brother!" Enraged from hearing about his brother, Palamedes screamed and resumed his attack. Danny smiled with confidence. Then using the same move he used on Inviso-Bill, he knocked Palamedes' sword right out of his hands. "Is that all you've got! I guess you Knights of the Round Table aren't as tough as they say. Oops I forgot you're not a knight anymore, are you!" Danny taunted trying to keep his opponent off his game.
Palamedes glared at the ghost boy. He seemed ready to strike again, but instead turned and slowly walked over where his sword fell. "It would seem that your reputation is well deserved Sir Danny Phantom. In these few short months upon receiving your sword, you've already mastered one of its most fundamental abilities."
"What's he talking about?" Sam accidentally said out loud.
"All swords have limitations depending on how they were made," Danny answered without taking his eyes off of Palamedes. "Things like the size, metals, counter weights, and even decorations affect the sword's performance. The only exceptions are these magic swords because their weight and center of gravity can easily be adjusted, giving its wielder unlimited fight styles. I realized this during my fight with Inviso-Bill, and that's where I have the advantage. You see one of my mentors had a collection of various swords, not only from different eras but from different countries as well." (Actually Sir Conan Doyle just took him to the museum to teach him the advantages and disadvantages of different sword designs. Back then he thought it was a waste of time but now those lessons were proving to be worthwhile.) 'Got to thank him, if I ever see him again,' Danny thought to himself. "Face it you have no chance!" Danny bluffed.
Palamedes face became serious. "A bold claim, boy! Let's just see how right you are!" Palamedes picked up his sword and swung at Danny. Anticipating this Danny sidestepped out of the way and quickly swung back. As their battle continued, Danny started to feel the nervous. Palamedes seemed different from before, more focused, more level headed, more dangerous.
Danny decided not to take any more chances and to just finish this quickly. Jumping back to put some distance between them, Danny took a deep breath and unleashed his ghostly wail. Palamedes raised his shield taking the full force of the wail. Seeing Palamedes still standing, Danny ran his hand across his blade evoking the white flame. Again Palamedes block his attack with the shield. As the flame died down, Palamedes kicked Danny in the stomach sending him to the ground. Exhausted from using his two most powerful attacks, Danny reverted back to his human form. Danny's friends rushed to his side but Palamedes, using a binding spell, wrapped everyone up in chains.
Danny glanced at the shield he was startled but not surprised to see that there wasn't a scratch on it. "Guess the Shield of Aegis lives up to its hype," Danny joked as he tried to break out of the chains.
"Indeed it does," Palamedes agreed pointing his sword at Danny's head. "Nothing personal, but it's time to die!"
"Nothing personal, I thought you wanted revenge for killing your brother!" Danny accused.
"I no longer have a reason for revenge," Palamedes said calmly. "True I was angry about my brother, but it wasn't because of his death. No, as a knight we prepare for death every day of our lives. What I couldn't accept was that he should be defeated, destroyed, dishonored by a mere child!" Palamedes sneered. Taking a deep breath he calmed down a bit after that, "but after facing you in battle and seeing your strength for myself I see that my brother died with honor. There is no disgrace to lose to you."
"Great so how about we let by gone be by gone and just forget the whole thing," Danny offered.
"My apologies, but I've sworn an oath to Lord Masters and he demands you head! If it's any condolence I shall spare your friends." Palamedes promised as he raised his sword above his head. Danny held his breath as the blade sped down towards his neck.
To Be Continued
Next Time…The Seventh Warrior
The team receives aid from an unlikely source.