Chapter 10 The Path to Destruction

In the depths of the mammoth castle, a vast laboratory filled with equipment and instruments, all of it surrounding the almost omnipotent being: Plasmius.

Red eyes gazing steady into the SE-Monitor, he prepared to watch his ally appear in the ghost dimension. He derived the most sinister pleasure from knowing that when the whelp accomplished his purpose, he would be double-crossed with impunity.

He allowed himself a small smile. His lab door opened:

"Excuse me Master."

Infuriated with the interruption when his scheme was about to be set in motion, he stared at the ghost servant who appeared at his side, and twin beams of an intense bright purple light blazed from his eyes, vaporizing the entity with a scream.

He turned back to the SE-Monitor, mumbling.

There! On the left: the shimmering globe of multicolored light appearing in the distance, flying in the pre-arranged spiral flight pattern that identified him as Daniel Phantom. Now he smiled with sharp teeth, turning the control knobs to zoom the view to maximum magnification.

As the whelp approached The White Mountain, the boy made contact:

Vlad: I am at The Mountain.

Amazing! The youngling had taken only seconds to get there. He must gain access!

Show me Daniel. Engage your vision to mine.

A shimmering image of The White Mountain appeared superimposed on Plasmius' view of the SE-Monitor. He shut his eyes to see it more clearly…

…Danny could see the SE-Monitor, but then it was gone! Plasmius had shut his eyes! A fatal flaw in his plan that he did not account for was going to ruin everything!

Thinking quickly, he began to turn away from The Mountain to the left and thought:

Vlad! I cannot see anything anymore. Something is wrong.

I can still see the mountain Daniel. Go to your right.

Danny turned right and down at the same time, an oblique path that still took him away from The Mountain.

No Daniel, you are going the wrong way, go up and to the left.

Plasmius opened his eyes and gazed into the SE-Monitor.

Danny took his chance as soon as the device image was visible again.

What…before Plasmius could speak, look or move, Danny overshadowed him and with the tyrant's mighty vision, projected twin beams of intense purple energy at the SE-Monitor. A bright flash and shockwave threw the tyrant across the lab, but before he hit the ground, Danny went into the light!

Plasmius became Vlad Masters, still and limp spread out on the floor of the lab.

Danny watched visions of Vlad Master's life, rolling by across the brightness of The Mountain pinnacle. There were scenes of triumph in scientific discovery and education, in experiments and financial transactions. The scenes of his mother Maddie almost filled him with guilt at what he had done, for these scenes revealed the only human part of the evil man worth saving: Vlad's love for Maddie. But he remembered that he had to do it to save his father, his family and the world.

The scenes ended with the SE-Monitor blowing up. It was done.

Danny said a small prayer to The Light. Have mercy on his soul.

He left The Light and phased back…

…blue eyes opened, and looking up from his bed, saw lavender, surrounded by sleek glossy black hair hanging down like a protecting shield.

"Tuck, he's back! Did it work Danny?" Sam was smiling hopefully, eyes questioning.

"Yes." But sitting up, he looked down without a smile.

"I killed him. He loved my mother, and I …I killed him."

Sam held Danny's forearm and stroked his forehead.

"It's ok Danny. It's over."

Tucker spoke: "Danny, you didn't kill him."

Danny looked up at Tucker. "Yes I did."

"No" Tucker explained. "Vlad put himself on the path to destruction. By becoming evil, and becoming a threat to others, he set himself up. It wasn't your fault Danny." He smiled, trying his best to comfort his best friend. Sam squeezed Danny's hand and gave him a weak smile.

"You still have me Danny." Her voice was gentle.

He smiled. Her voice always brought him comfort.

"And me too!" Tucker said with pride.

He laughed. "Ok you guys. Thanks. And you still have me."

"Thank God." said Sam, and hugging his neck, she kissed his cheek, leaving it thoroughly smeared with lavender lipstick!