As soon as he finished his talk with Clockwork, Danny bolted to Axion Labs, the top research station in Amity Park next to Fenton Works. In the years following ghosts being revealed to the world, Axion Labs had been upgraded to research and develop anti-ghost technology under the supervision of Damon Gray.
And apparently was also where he had set up his political platform with the Guys in White.
Danny landed in front of the Axion complex, not even blinking as said guys appeared and pointed their guns at him while he raised his hands. "I'm not here to pick a fight."
"Good. We can have you taken off to be dissected." One of the Guys in White said.
"I'm not here for that either. I want to talk to Damon Gray, now." Danny said stoically.
"Yeah right." All guns were now painting the hero with red laser lights.
"You know about the ghost rampaging across Amity Park, right? You can try and take me in but you'll just give him more time to destroy the city and move on to the rest of the world. You want him gone, you let me talk to Mr. Gray." Danny continued.
"Prepare to fire."
"No."
The Guys in White were just about to fire before Damon's voice stopped them and the doors opened.
"Let him in."
The Guys in White reluctantly lowered their guns and parted, allowing Danny to walk into Axion Labs. Soon enough he was in Damon's office, sitting across from the man who was looking at his desktop computer before looking at him.
"You must be pretty desperate to come to me of all people, Mr. Fenton." Damon commented.
"You can trust me when I say it is beyond pretty desperate, Mr. Gray. I know you don't like me and you blame me for-"
"Just get to the point." Damon cut him off before he could mention Valerie.
"…I know you and the Guys in White confiscated everything Vlad had stored away. Equipment, experiments and maybe even certain ghost artifacts." Danny got right to the point.
"And you want one of them?" Damon asked.
"One of them would be a key with a skull." Danny continued. "Called-"
"The Skeleton Key." Damon finished for him. "A key that open any lock on any door in any realm, case or prison. It even allows access to any realm in the Ghost Zone."
"So you do have it." Danny stated.
"I know of it. Vlad staged a campaign to have you hunted so he could steal your ghost portal to get to the key. Once he got it, he used it to open the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep to gain the Crown of Fire and unleased the Ghost King that almost destroyed our city." Damon recalled. "How foolish he was to do that, just for gaining more power."
"Well, thinking of any possible consequences was not something Vlad was known for." Danny shrugged. "Do you have it?"
"Why do you need it? Surely not to take on this one ghost." Damon questioned.
"If I was, I wouldn't be here asking you for the key. The fact is, he's got my powers and Vlad's powers along with ten years of experience ahead of me and he's somehow even stronger than when I first beat him. We were mostly even but he had the edge when he knocked out all of the city's power." Danny explained. "I barely fought him off but he won't be gone for long. If I am to have any chance of beating him before he goes on a rampage that gets a lot of people killed I need to quickly find a way to get the upper hand."
Damon stared closely at the young man. "…You are going to do what Vlad did, aren't you? You need the other item that goes with the Crown. You need the Ring of Rage."
Danny was silent.
"You were right; this is beyond 'pretty desperate'." Damon leaned forward. "Why would I help you become even stronger?"
"…Because it's the only way I can stop him." Danny answered back, looking Damon in the eye. "I don't want to fight you but if I get that key by any means necessary I will and I'll fight the Ghost King too while I'm at it. So I ask again, do…you…have it?"
Xxx
A vault door opened and Damon led Danny inside, showing him the walls of locked safes. "When we confiscated Masters' belongings we made it a point to make sure it was all locked away so no one, man or ghost would get to them and potentially use it. The last thing we needed was someone trying to use his work for their own benefit, especially if they wanted to build a ghost portal and gain the same powers as you."
Damon stopped at one and placed his hand on the scanner first, then leaned forward to have his eye scanned and then inputted the security code. The safe opened and a compartment slid out, revealing the Skeleton Key.
Damon picked the key up and held it out to Danny. "Before I hand it over I have to ask…Do you understand this changes nothing?"
Danny looked Damon in the eye. "Yeah. You can trust me when I say I do."
"…Good." Damon handed Danny the key. "Now go."
It was clear that Danny had overstayed his welcome but it didn't matter. He had got what he needed and just now needed to get to the Ghost Zone.
Xxx
It took a whole three minutes for Danny to return to Fenton Works, even though it was now a tower and fly down into the basement where the ghost portal his parents had retrieved from Wisconsin was being stored. He was still able to come and go to the Fenton Works meaning his parents were likely still at the hospital with Jazz.
Only he knew he wouldn't have long before his evil self showed up to kill them.
Luckily the hospital and other places like the Mayor's Office had been fitted with a Ghost Shield so it will buy both them and him time.
He just hoped it would be enough.
He reached and entered the Ghost Portal, coming into the Ghost Zone and flew in the direction of the place he needed to be.
A dark red castle that floated ominously in the black and green glowing dimension.
The Ghost King's castle.
Danny landed at the front gate, taking a deep breath as he walked forward. The castle hadn't changed at all since the last time he had been here.
Still extra spooky with a lot of axes meant to keep anyone from getting in.
He reached the throne room where the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep still resided after all this time. Danny stood before it, memories of what happened during his fight with Ghost King flashing through his mind.
He had barely come out of that fight alive and he didn't have the Fenton Ecto-Skeleton to augment his powers.
But did he really need it?
Well, if he had it he would be using against his evil self but it was long gone.
"I stopped him once but now he's stronger, even after all this time. I have to get stronger too…" Danny held up the Skeleton Key. "Before anyone else gets hurt because of me."
He inserted the Skeleton Key into the keyhole and turned it, unlocking the sarcophagus.
Danny stepped back and watched as the sarcophagus opened and out from it stepped the Ghost King himself, Pariah Dark. He was as every bit as intimidating as he was the last time he had been released. A tell, well-built ghost with long green hair and a braided green beard. His face was pale white with a red outline and he had green eyes, with a black scar on his right eye and a black patch over his left eye.
In addition he had two grey horns sprouting from the sides of his head with the left one being broken in half. He wore black full-body armor with grey shoulder guards and boots. He wore grey gauntlets with green spikes on the cuffs and knuckles. He wore a green belt which had a metallic circular buckle with a green center and a grey cloth hanging from it.
A sword was fashioned to his belt and he had a green shoulder strap that crossed over his right shoulder. Finally he wore a cape that was black on the outside and red on the inside and was fastened to his armor by two green skulls.
Pariah Dark's entire appearance gave off the impression of power, authority and cruelty.
"Who dares?" He spoke, as if insulted that he had been awakened slumber he had been imprisoned in.
"Take a wild guess." Danny said, earning the Ghost King's attention as his one eye settled on him. "A little cranky from waking up?"
"You!" Pariah narrowed his one eye.
"Happy to see you too, Grumpy." Danny said, crossing his arms. "You're welcome by the way."
"You have freed me from the sarcophagus…That you imprisoned me back in!" Pariah thundered as he took a step forward. "A foolish choice, child."
"As foolish as this?" Danny asked, holding the Crown of Fire.
Pariah Dark stopped, glaring at the ghost boy as he walked over and placed the Crown on a nearby altar. "And what is this?"
"Something I wished I didn't have to do." Danny faced the Ghost King, walking back in front of him. "I'll save you the long version and get right to the point: A ghost is rampaging across the human world and I can't stop him…At least not in time before possibly hundreds or thousands of people die in the middle of our fight. So I need a way to become more powerful as fast as possible."
Pariah Dark caught Danny's gaze at the Ring of Rage on his finger and let out a laugh. "You seek my power, child? You jest. Only I can control the combined power of the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage."
"So you and others believed." Danny retorted. "Truthfully, I'm not sure if I could handle the combined power myself but I'm out of options. I have no Ecto-Skeleton to help me like when we fought before. What weapons I do have won't be enough and I'm on my own in this. So I have nothing left to lose by trying."
"And why would I give you the Ring?" Pariah asked with an amused look. "Or allow you to wear my Crown? I can just as easily destroy you now and take what is mine."
"You could…Or we could do it the fun way."
Pariah raised an eyebrow. "Fun way?"
"You accepted my challenge the last time we fought. So I know you won't turn one down this time." Danny explained, pointing at the Ghost King. "Pariah Dark, I challenge you for the Ring of Rage. If I defeat you in combat you give it to me of your free will."
Pariah looked surprised before grinning. "And if I win?"
"…You can do whatever you want with me if I lose. Destroy me, take me prisoner, force me to become a soldier for you. Anything." Danny answered honestly. "And if it's as hopeless as you then even if I win and take both if the combined power of the Ring and Crown destroys me you still can take them back and no one will be able to stop you and seal you away again. I won't use the Ecto-Skeleton like before. It'll just be me, just Danny Phantom. How's that for a challenge?"
Pariah Dark stared at Danny at with a critical eye before he walked over the altar where the Crown of Fire rested. Danny did nothing, simply watching the Ghost King as he stared at the flaming crown and then slipped off the Ring of Rage, placing it on the alter next to the Crown.
"Very well, child." Pariah Dark turned around, facing Danny with a grin. "I accept your challenge!"
The doors behind Danny opened and in marched the skeletal guards that made up Pariah's army. The guards surrounded Danny and Pariah, banging their spears on the ground that echoed throughout the castle.
BANG!
BANG!
Pariah Dark clenched his fists.
BANG!
BANG!
Danny cracked his knuckles and then his neck.
BANG!
BANG!
When the two faced each other the guards ceased banging their staffs on the ground and for a moment all was silent…
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Pariah Dark roared as he charged right at Danny, his feet shaking the entire castle with each step.
(Navras by Juno Reactor Starts)
Danny openly stood ready and still, ready as the Ghost King loomed over him. Just as Pariah swung his mace, Danny dodged to the right and immediately followed up with a series of punches to the Ghost King's face. Pariah took one step back before grabbing Danny's arm and swung him up and then down, slamming the ghost boy into the ground hard. Pariah raised his other hand that was holding the mace, ready to finish Danny off. Danny's eyes shot open and he fired an ice beam at Pariah's face, freezing his head and then followed up with a kick that knocked him back.
The ice surrounding Pariah's head and shattered and he quickly moved aside as Danny flew at him to attack. Pariah swung his fist down, hitting the Earth's hero in the back and slamming back into the ground. Danny rolled away as Pariah tried stomping on him several times before jumping back up to his feet. Over the years, Danny had trained in karate and Tai-Kwan-Do with his mother and sister and thus his fighting skills had drastically improved as he went on the offense, using his speed and agility to get in close to attack.
Pariah fought with brute strength that had been honed by years, likely centuries of battle in the Ghost Zone before he had been overthrown and it showed. He fought with such savagery that was tempered by sheer cunning as he was able to block and even avoid most of Danny's attacks. Danny punched Pariah but the Ghost King raised his arm to counter the blow. The connected blows created a shockwave that shook the entire castle and broke the skeleton guards down to pieces.
Danny and Pariah jumped back, both staring each other down.
Danny was glaring darkly.
(Navras by Juno Reactor Ends)
Pariah was composed, studying Danny with a calm demeanor before smiling. "Truly impressive, child. To see you become so strong in such short time."
Danny remained silent as he prepared to attack again.
"Tell me, child. Do you know why I am the Ghost King?" Pariah surprisingly asked.
Danny raised an eyebrow. "Because you are the strongest ghost."
Pariah threw his head back and laughed. "True but that is not just it, child. The Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage are not just objects of power, they are the symbol of ultimate authority in the Ghost Zone. If a ghost is powerful enough to wield both of them, then by the laws of the Ghost Zone he who controls the Crown and Ring is the one true ruler of the Ghost Zone!"
Danny looked surprised upon hearing that. "…But then…How were you defeated? The ancient ghosts who banded together to defeat you…"
"There is another law: if the Ghost King falls in battle the ones who defeat him become the new rulers. The ancients were powerful but they banded together and did not challenge me for the Crown and the Ring. A loophole, one that they exploited in order to overthrow me. Rather than take the Ring for themselves they sealed the Ring and me with the Crown away to ensure no new king would arise." Pariah explained and then grinned. "But then you came along."
Danny's eyes widened. "But if I defeated you the last time you came out then-"
"Then by the laws of the Ghost Zone you would be crowned the new king!" Pariah answered, his voice echoing through the castle. "Of course, since the Ring remained with me when you sealed me away, one could say you refused at the time since the victor must take both the Crown and the Ring to become a proper successor. Since you did not take the Ring of Rage from me, you were exempt from the laws of the Ghost Zone. But now, you challenge me for both the Crown and the Ring and thus I have the opportunity for not just revenge for my previous defeat but to also solidify myself as the one and only Ghost King!"
Danny looked absolutely floored by this revelation. "…So that means if I do win…."
"Then by the laws of the Ghost Zone you would be the new Ghost King." Pariah Dark finished before glaring. "And if you refuse…then by the law of kings, the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage would destroy you. The laws of the Ghost Zone are absolute, just as Clockwork the ghost of time cannot directly meddle with his powers of time to influence the future for any favorable outcome."
Danny was still processing all of this, even as Pariah Dark approached.
Him, becoming the Ghost King?
"I can see by the look on your face you did not consider this, child." Pariah Dark remarked as he took another step forward. "The burden of protector is one thing…But the burden of being king. Can you honestly imagine what kind of king you would be in a world where only the strong rule?"
If he became the Ghost King would he be forced to live in the Ghost Zone?
Would he never see his family again?
His mother and father lying to him about his brother.
"How can you stand there and tell me that…monster is my son?!" Maddie was getting hysterical. "That the reason my daughter is fighting for her life in there, who may be crippled for life, is because of her own brother!"
"Get out. Stay away from us!"
What about his friends?
"And thanks for taking this back." Sam said, taking the ring Danny gave her after the Disasteroid incident and threw it at the ground in front of Danny's feet. "Rings are lame anyways."
"What is this? An interrogation? I'm your best friend here and you're saying it's my fault?" Tucker asked in a shocked and outraged tone.
"I need you to protect me. They'll back down when they see that Danny Phantom is the mayor's bodyguard and best friend." Tucker said with a smile. "Once they back down we can get to work on fixing this mess and doing it properly. The City of Tomorrow will probably be back up in a year, better than ever."
Did Danny have anyone left?
Was there anyone left on Earth for him to fight for?
"Allow me to end the burden for you." Pariah said as he raised his mace up above his head. "The title of king is not meant for the soft hearted."
'Danny!'
Within Danny's mind, flashed an appearance of Danielle, crying out to him as she melted.
'Danny please! You can't give up!'
Next to her appeared Jazz, all bloodied like she had been when he had taken her to the hospital.
'Danny!'
Next appeared Valerie before she was being electrocuted like she had been when she had attacked Technus in space.
'DANNY!'
Pariah swung his mace down…
'DAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYY!'
Danny's eyes shot open and he caught the mace, shocking Pariah. "What?!"
(Navras by Juno Reactor Starts Again)
Danny looked up at the Ghost King, his eyes glowing brighter as he held back the mace. Pariah grunted as he felt the sudden strength from Danny that actually began to push him back.
And it didn't end there.
Danny conjured three duplicates of himself with two slugging the Ghost King in the face while one flew around and peppered him with ghost rays. Danny summoned his duplicates back to him and immediately unleashed a Ghost Wail on Pariah before he could recover. The sheer strength of the blast sent the Ghost King crashing through walls and straight outside the castle. Pariah slammed and skidded across the ground but managed to get up a moment later.
Pariah looked up and glared as Danny landed in front of him, the two opponents staring each other.
"So you chose to fight to the end." Pariah stood up fully and tossed his mace aside. "Very well. A warrior's death you have earned."
No more words were said.
They were not needed.
Danny Phantom and Pariah Dark dashed at each other, their faces showing nothing but sheer determination now. Just as they came within close distance they both reared their fists back and threw the first punch. The single punch created a shockwave that blasted away parts of the castle and even several surrounding islands. The single shockwave echoed across the Ghost Zone and soon enough all ghosts would hear and feel it.
Danny flipped back and landed on his feet while Pariah flew back, plowing a large ditch right up the castle gates. Getting up, Pariah shot up into the air, followed by Danny and they collided with each other and again created a shockwave that was even more powerful than the first. They both traded punches and kicks, all the while ghosts came from all directions and looked upon the fight with complete and utter shock. Danny managed to grab Pariah by the collar and fired a Ghost Wail right in his face, stunning the Ghost King for a second before he kicked Danny right in the chest and sent him flying away.
Danny crashed into a small floating island but recovered fast enough to dodge a punch from Pariah that shattered the entire island. Danny flew down, landing on another small island and ducked as Pariah flew after him, ducking under a punch and followed up with a punch of his own to the Ghost King's head. The two exchanged more punches and kicks with Danny dodging most of them and managing to connect his own fists to Pariah's head. Finally Danny sent Pariah fling with an incredibly hard spinning kick that sent the Ghost King flying.
Pariah flew back, reaching the length of the football field of Casper High before he came to a stop. Both Ghost King and hero locked gazes before shooting at each other once again like a pair of rockets, their collision creating a third shockwave that blew several islands and many of the watching ghosts back. Trading punches and kicks again, Danny and Pariah flew in and around the Ghost Zone as they fought, shattering any islands or small realms in their way before Danny finally knocked the Ghost King away. Pariah managed to regain control and flew around to gain momentum before shooting straight at Danny who watched him approached as he pulled back his fist and gathered as much power as he could.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
If the last two shockwaves shook the Ghost Zone the third one would be considered an earth quake with the power of an atom bomb. There was moment of silence and it was hard to see who won…
Before Danny could be seen falling backwards.
Pariah shot down and grabbed Danny's body, pushing him as hard as he could as both fell to the front of Pariah's Keep. A second later they hit the ground, creating a giant crater in front of the castle. When the smoke cleared, Pariah Dark stood victorious as Danny Phantom let out a groan, rolling on his front and tried to crawl away.
(Navras by Juno Reactor Ends)
"Have no shame, child. You have given me a fight worthy of recognition in the chronicles of Pariah Dark." The Ghost King said as he kicked Danny in the side, making him roll over and then picked up by his collar. "A true warrior to the end. I'll make sure your efforts are known in your world after I conquer it."
"If you're going to do it…" Danny coughed. "Do it."
"Very well." Pariah raised a red glowing fist but then stopped. "Wait…"
Danny's form suddenly fizzled and faded.
"You're not the ghost child! You are a duplicate!" Pariah shouted, stunned that he had been tricked by such a tactic again.
He spun around just in time to see Danny's fist slam into his face. Pariah was smashed into the ground and Danny let loose a full and endless barrage of glowing punches that were so strong he even broke Pariah's remaining horn. As Danny continued punching the Ghost King into oblivion, the faces of his former friends, his parents, Jazz, Danielle, Valerie, Vlad and Dark Danny all flashed in his mind. He then grabbed Pariah by the collar and let loose a Ghost Wail that was so powerful it shattered half the land the castle stood on along with half the castle itself.
When the smoke cleared…
Danny Phantom stood over the defeated form of Pariah Dark, the former Ghost King who could only stare in stunned silence at having been bested. Danny stared down with an unreadable face, before looking around to see all the ghosts of the Ghost Zone slowly surrounding him with stunned, surprised and fearful looks on their faces. A single ghost stepped forward and held out the Crown of Fire to him.
It was the Fright Knight.
"By the ancient laws, for defeating the Ghost King in honorable combat you have earned both the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage and the right to rule as the new king." The Fright Knight said, kneeling before Danny.
Danny said nothing as he knelt down and took the Ring of Rage off of Pariah's finger before slipping it. He then turned to the Crown of Fire and slowly took it with both hands.
The ghosts all stared as Danny placed the Crown of Fire on his head…
And let out a scream as an aura of green fire enveloped him.