Ghostly Pasts Returning
Chap.2
Phantom calmly sat upon a tombstone, head resting upon his folded hands. The wind blew his white tunic forward, away from his skin, but he didn't flinch from the cold. He was used to freezing temperatures.
'Soon, Jack Fenton. Soon my revenge will be complete.'
It had been perhaps five or six hundred years ago, when Phantom had first appeared. Among the humans, there had been two soothsayers who were the best of the best. Their names were Jack and Nathaniel, and the two were also the best of friends.
But Nathaniel, unlike Jack, was easily dazzled and easily persuaded. One night, Phantom had come to the young man.
"Say, soothsayer." The phantom had called. Nathaniel had cocked his head to the side, and stared into Phantom's bright green eyes. They glowed like embers in the dark, were embers green.
"Stay away from me, evil spirit. I'll have nothing to do with you." Nathaniel had wisely replied. But Phantom had not been one to quit after the first try. He had persisted.
"Come now, soothsayer. I have a proposition for you, one that you may like." He paused. "And you see, this may lead to no unnecessary death between you humans and us spirits." This offer of peace had finally piqued Nathaniel's interest.
"Start talking, spirit. And I'll have no trickery of you."
"Of course not. If your people were to leave me to my business, then I could spare your lives. All I ask in return is the lives of three of your finest girls each month."
"No fighting?"
"None at all. In reality, it's quite tiring fighting you soothsayers all the time. I'd like to be able to just rest easy." Phantom had easily fooled the young man, and Nathaniel had eagerly agreed. Nathaniel was not a problem to Phantom. His problem had laid with the young man's friend, Jack Fenton; Jack was not as straightforward as Nathaniel, and would not be persuaded. After hours of attempts, Phantom was forced to give up on Jack.
But Nathaniel's pact with Phantom had been quickly found out by Jack. The pact split their friendship into two, and so began the battle.
"Nay listen to him, good people! Nathaniel has made a pact with that devil! He deserves not to be believed!" Jack had roared out to the people from his own stage.
"This man is hysterical! Phantom asks little of us in return for peace! Three fine women each month for a peace which could last eternity? How wonderful is that, good people of this town?"
"But three women a month is thirty-six a year! Our town treasures our women!"
"He did indeed simply say 'girls' so if we wish, we can give up them at age fifteen if we so desire!" Nathaniel's side had roared back.
Needless to say, Nathaniel had not won over his former friend. Unfortunately, this argument had been exactly what Phantom had prayed for. He was not a stupid spirit, and knew well that he could not convince Jack to join him. Phantom had figured that Jack and Nathaniel would finish each other off, and he would have his pick of the souls that remained.
What he had not counted on was Jack continuing on to rid the world of him, despite the disagreement with Nathaniel. Jack had cornered Phantom within a temple, and had caught Phantom off-guard.
"What…what do you here? Should you not be fighting your 'friend'?" Phantom had slyly asked, trying to hide his panic at being caught at such an inopportune time. Jack had not answered, simply charged into battle.
Jack had prevailed there, but he knew his seals would not last forever. But he could only pray they held until time came that Phantom could be forever vanquished.
Phantom silently pondered this all in his head, then slowly reached down one foot to reach the ground. His white hair whipped around in the wind, and a wide grin spread across his face.
"Tomorrow." He promised himself. "Tomorrow."
