AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hey guys :)
The torture scene I used was inspired by Avengers: Infinity War when Ebony Maw tortures Doctor Strange to try and get him to give him the Time Stone.
Enjoy the new chapter
Zortheus was experimenting with a new potion in the middle of his home. As he placed in ingredient inside, his door was suddenly blasted open and before he could react, he was shot by a dart right in the arm.
He grimaced and pulled the dart out, but it was already too late. The toxin that was inside had already entered his system and he fell to the floor, smashing a few beakers along the way feeling weak and tired.
"W-w-what is this?" He murmured as his eyes began to close.
Venelope smirked at the figure of Zortheus, she aimed a thermos at him and sucked him inside as darkness took him over.
Danny and Dayla arrived at Zortheus's home, only to find that they were too late. They saw the damage inside his home and instantly knew that he had already been captured.
"We have to a way to rescue him." Dayla said, worried about their ghostly friend.
"We will sis, I promise. But we should first tell Annaya about what's going on since he is a citizen of her kingdom and a friend to her as well." Danny said.
Dayla sighed and calmed down before saying, "You're right Danny. Contact Dani and Dale and tell them to meet us at Annaya's castle."
Danny nodded and immediately used the Fenton Phones to call Dani and Dale. About an hour later, the four half-ghosts met at the front of the Spectral Castle where Queen Annaya lived and ruled the Ghost Zone.
They entered the throne room where Annaya was sitting on the throne reading a scroll. She looked up and smiled as she saw Danny, Dale, Dani and Dayla walking up to her. She put the scroll down and asked, "Phantoms, was Ghostwriter able to help you?
"Yes he did and it seems like the situation may go from bad to worst." Dayla answered.
"I see. Let's discuss this in the library then." Annaya suggested.
They followed her to the library and sat down at the large table. She then asked, "Now what is going on my friends?"
"As we have told you, Vladia Plasmius had stolen the book Ghostwriter had written when he was alive from the Amity Park Museum." Dale began. "The missing page told about the Staff of Dreams."
"I have heard about the Staff of Dreams, but what does Vladia Plasmius want with that object?" Annaya asked.
"She broke her father, Vlad Masters out of prison last night. It seems she intends to use the staff to not only give Vlad back his ghost powers, but also to get revenge on us." Dani answered.
"Particularly Dayla and I, since we not only took him and down and took his ghost powers in the first place, but also sent him to jail as well." Danny added.
"I see. Then we should find the staff before they do." Annaya said. She then suggested, "Perhaps Sojourn will know where it is?"
"I'm afraid not your Majesty. We saw Sojourn and although he has information on it, the only ones who know the location of the Staff of Dreams, are Nocturne and Zortheus." Dayla said. "Which definitely made Zortheus a target and before we could get to him to warn him, he had already been captured by Vladia. We don't know where she and Vlad are holding him."
"This is awful. Who knows what they're doing to poor Zortheus right now." Annaya said, standing up and pacing the room in concern. "We need to find him and rescue him. I'll join you on the search."
"No your Majesty. We need you to do something else for us." Danny said.
"What do you need Danny?" She asked.
"We need you to find Nocturne and get the location of the Staff from him, while we search for Zortheus." Danny answered.
"Of course." Annaya said, agreeing to their plan. She then called out, "Captain Kyra!"
The same female knight Danny had met when he had retrieved the Amulet of Kyba entered the room. Danny smiled and asked, "Kyra? You're the Captain of the Guard here?"
"Indeed I am. It's good to see you again Danny Phantom." Kyra said before turning her attention to Annaya. "Yes your Majesty?"
"Please get Wulf and two of your best men to find Nocturne and bring him here." Annaya ordered. "Tell him it's urgent that he comes to Spectral Castle immediately."
"At once your Majesty." Kyra said, bowing to Annaya before heading out of the library.
"We're going to see Clockwork to see if he can help us find Zortheus." Dayla said as they stood up. "Hopefully he can."
"I wish you luck Phantoms. I will send word as soon as Kyra returns with Nocturne and hopefully he will reveal the location of the Staff of Dreams." Annaya said, leading them out of the library and back to the throne room.
Zortheus woke up with a gasp as he felt freezing cold water thrown on him. He looked at his surroundings and saw he was in an old lab, he was hanging off the ground with his hands cuffed to chains in the air.
He tried to phase out of them with all his might, but found he couldn't. He realised that these cuffs were definitely ghost-proof.
"Don't bother sorcerer." Vlad said as he and Vladia came out of the shadows. "There's no escape for you and you're not leaving until you've answered some questions."
"Vlad Masters, formerly known as Vlad Plasmius and his daughter Venelope Hawkeye, also known as Vladia Plasmius. What a displeasure to meet you both." Zortheus said, glaring at the two.
"Really? And we were gonna say it's a pleasure to meet you. But enough with the pleasantries. You have information that we want and we'll get it no matter the cost." Vladia said, raising her fist and tightening it.
"I don't need you to tell me what it is you want." Zortheus said. "My powers allow me to know everything about a person just by looking at them and that includes, what they want. You seek the Staff of Dreams."
"Exactly. Now why don't you act like a gentlemen in front of my daughter and tell us where it is?" Vlad requested.
"I think you'll find getting information off a ghost sorcerer quite difficult." Zortheus said, determined not to say anything.
"Then looks like we'll have to persuade you." Vladia said, smirking. "May I have the honour of going first daddy?"
Vlad grinned and answered gesturing her to go ahead, "Be my guest darling."
She raised her hands towards a bench and suddenly, several sharp metal needle like spikes came floating towards him. Each of them surrounding him and they were coated with a red substance.
"After so long and finally having a chance to be re-united with my father and getting my revenge against the Phantom Twins, I am determined not to fail." Vladia said as she waved her hand and suddenly two needles came towards each of Zortheus's cheeks.
"Tell us. Where is the Staff of Dreams?" Vladia asked.
When he didn't answer, she moved her fingers and suddenly the needles started slowly drilling into his cheeks. He grimaced and held back screams of pain, but then his eyes widened when he felt a huge burning sensation and his body began to glow red. He suddenly realised what these needles had been coated with.
Blood blossoms.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Was all that could be heard from the lab.
Dani, Dale, Danny and Dayla stood in Clockwork's tower. Clockwork started scanning every inch of the Earth in the hopes to find Zortheus, but so far found nothing.
Clockwork sighed. He then turned and saw the same bracelet Zortheus had given Dayla when she first met him and asked, "Dayla, may I burrow that bracelet Zortheus gave you? It'll help me search throughout the Earth so I can get a location on him."
Dayla nodded and took the bracelet off her wrist and gave it to the Master of Time. Clockwork tapped the object with his staff and allowed his energy to flow onto the object. He then concentrated hard and sent the energy at the time screen.
They all watched as the screen glowed brighter and brighter until finally a clear image came through, showing the old mayoral mansion that once belonged to Vlad Masters when he had been Mayor of Amity Park.
"Of course! Vlad's secret underground lab! That's where they're holding Zortheus!" Dani said, finally understanding.
"We have to get there now!" Dayla said, determined to save their ghostly friend.
"Use the portal here. It'll get you all there faster." Clockwork said, gesturing to the time screen showing the mansion. "I'll go tell Anaya that you have found Zortheus. Once you have him, bring him back to the castle."
They nodded and flew through the portal, hoping they were not too late. Clockwork teleported himself out of the tower and straight to Spectral Castle.
As Dani, Dale, Danny and Dayla appeared in front of Vlad's mansion, they immediately phased inside and stood in the library. They immediately heard the screams of Zortheus coming from below. Gasping they turned intangible and immediately phased through the floor heading for the lab.
Zortheus screamed as several more needles pierced his body, making the pain double each time. Vladia moved the needles out of his body and Vlad asked him, "Where is the Staff of Dreams?"
Zortheus panted weakly. Small amounts of ectoplasm fell from the small holes the needles made on his body. He looked up and glared at them as he said weakly, "You can harm all you want, but I won't tell you anything. Even if it means….I fully die!"
"Painful aren't they? It's amazing how painful blood blossoms are to a ghost. If I use these long enough on you, they can…." Vladia began but then stopped when she felt a familiar aura in the room.
She smirked and finished as she realised who was in the room with them, "End your friend's existence once and for all."
Vlad and Vladia turned to see Danny, Dale, Dani and Dayla standing together behind them.
Vlad grinned and asked with slight bitterness, "Ah Daniel and Dayla! And Danielle and Dale! How's things? Did you all have a nice couple of years while I was rotting in jail?"
"We're only gonna say this once. Release Zortheus and surrender!" Dani demanded. "You're both outnumbered."
"Perhaps, but never outclassed." Vladia said, still smirking. She suddenly grabbed Vlad and before they could do anything, they disappeared in a cloud of mist that Vladia created.
When the mist cleared, they were still in the lab with Zortheus, but Vladia and Vlad were gone.
"Well that was bizarre." Dale commented. "Since when do they run from a fight?"
"We can't worry about that now. We need to get Zortheus to Spectral Castle now." Dayla said as she froze the chains with her ice powers and broke them, allowing Dani and her to catch Zortheus in their arms.
"Thank you….my friends." Zortheus said quietly as he collapsed unconscious.
"Let's go. I'll call dad on the way and tell him to get the Spectre Speeder ready to head for the Ghost Zone." Danny said and with that, they all phased out of the lab, unaware of two invisible shadows still in the lab, both grinning as they watched them leave.