Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Ch.19 the Village
Danny: placed in front of the group of heroes led the way through the pitch black forest, all the while guarding his face with his arms against the dangling claws of branches. His ghost sense was going crazy; there was a massive spectral presence nearby. And where there were specters, there was bound to be Sam and the others.
Danny clawed his way through some thick foliage and exposed a clearing on the other side, the forest had ended.
"What is it?" Robin asked stepping beside Danny.
They were standing on a ravine, below them desolate, rotted, and utterly lifeless was an abandoned century's old village. Danny's ghost sense was going haywire.
"There's something down there." He said, "Something evil."
"Looks deserted to me." Cyborg said, "And my scanners aren't picking up anything unusual."
"We should search it just the same." Beast Boy said blindly pushing past the others to start his way down.
"He wishes to find Raven." Starfire said, attempting to justify her friend's actions.
"Anger is blinding him, if we are to find whoever is responsible for these kidnappings, we must rely on our head, not our heart." Robin replied.
"He's lost someone too?" Jack asked Starfire.
"Yes, our friend- Raven was also among those kidnapped." Starfire replied.
"Well we're not going to find them if we're standing around here talking." Cyborg announced, "Let's start down."
Before Danny could fly, Jack pulled him aside while the titans were starting down.
"Look ghost." He spat, "Those kids have lost someone too, and if you try any funny business I won't hesitate to blow you back to oblivion! Understand me?"
"Keep your finger off the trigger of your gun Jack," Danny replied, "I'll help you find them."
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"HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPP!" Tucker screamed.
Executioner brought the dreadful dagger closer to the young teens face, laughing like a madman.
"Such a loud one!" Executioner scoffed, "I'm going to have cut your tongue off!"
With that Executioner grabbed Tucker's face with his beefy hand and forced the tongue out of his mouth. With his other hand he brought the blade closer and closer to the tongue's pink surface.
"Enough!" Roared a voice.
Executioner turned to find the furious face of Morgan, "Release him." The hybrid specter demanded.
Executioner unwillingly released Tucker, "We have some uninvited guests, I want you and the Lost Ones to greet them."
"What happened to Savage?" Executioner asked.
With rage filled eyes, Morgan reached out and grabbed the bulky Executioner by the neck as though to throttle him.
"You dare question my orders?" He roared, "Go out and defend our home, either you die in battle or by my hand. Understand?"
"Yes, sir." Executioner peeped before disappearing.
"Morgan Deprea?" Tucker cried in disbelief, "You're involved in this?"
Morgan stood by the teen, "Oh yes I have been for quite some time now. I stumbled across this village when I was hiking through the woods one faithful afternoon along with a secret burial ground long forgotten by time. It was there I discovered him and all the legion of souls that he had devoured over the centuries, including the ones that had settled on his sacred ground. Seeing that I was different from the rest he offered to lift me from this world of insects in exchange for one thing."
"What?" Tucker asked in growing horror.
"What is it that every soul longs to be Tucker? Every soul longs for freedom. Freedomto conquer,freedomto devour,and the freedom to reign."
Morgan stepped into the shadows, "And when my master is awakened you and your other friends will be the first knee's to bow to my masters eternal dynasty of despair."
Morgan disappeared in the gloom while Tucker remained still trying to piece together what was happening. All the while a warm liquidly substance spread throughout his trousers.
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"Hello is anybody out here?" Cyborg called out in the empty village.
There were only echoes, Danny looked around cautiously, his ghost sense was going crazy for a moment but now there was nothing.
"Let's start searching there." Beast Boy said pointing to a run down church in the middle of the town.
A fog bank rolled in from out of nowhere and completely engulfed the village, unable to see in front of them. The titans and the ghost hunters stood together.
"That is so weird; this wasn't here a little while ago." Maddie said.
Danny's back tensed up; his ghost sense was going crazy again.
Around them dozens of things began to take shape; pale faces dressed in puritan style garments, from the dead look in their eyes and the snow white skin Danny knew that they were not among the living. CLANK! A enormous axe narrowly missed Danny and landed in the ground next to him.
From atop the safety of a rooftop Executioner glared down at the small group of heroes, "Destroy them!" He commanded his legions, "Destroy them all!"
The pale faces around the titans grew skeletal and disfigured, fingertips grew into sharp talons and teeth became serrated fangs. Snarling like a pack of ravenous animals the inhabitants of the ghost town leapt towards what would soon be their meals for the evening.