SkekSo stood still. His eyes wide with shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ghost had somehow absorbed the Darkening and was able to stand after taking a large blast. The Emperor growled. "No! How?"

Ghost! Orchid tried to move but was held back by soon began to notice that the ground was beginning to rot underneath Ghost's feet. The Threader backed away, but every part of her screamed to be back on Ghost's shoulder. The rot spread out faster, forcing her to crawl away. One look into Ghost's eyes made her understand. Goodbye...Ghost.

Ghost felt strange. It felt like all the dark butterflies clung to her body. Afraid to let go. She looked at SkekSo. The young Gelfling frantically clung on to the butterflies. Her thoughts of anger and sorrow rippled through their wings. I must move forward, she thought. Or it'll kill everything in sight. As she to a step forward, she could feel her body scream. Her arms throbbing. Her heart twisting. Her ears twitched when she heard an actual scream. Suddenly, her vision blurred and revealed Deet and Hup facing off with an insidious creature that had a hood covering his face. It swung a claw at the brave Podling. "Deet. Hup." She uttered. Ghost unfurled her wings and took to the air.

Ghost looked around. Her vision tinted with purple. Then, she caught sight of them. Her heart went hard at the sight of the cloaked figure ready to give a striking blow to Hup. She pulled out her dagger and dived down. The wind roared at her lilac hair. Her wings flattened against her back. Her arm stretched out with the dagger, now a bright purple instead of the soft blue. The ground came closer until she felt a hard impact into the attacker. She held onto his back. Without even thinking, bit into the creature. Then, she was tossed off and rolled on the ground for a moment.

Deet gasped. "Oh my goodness! Are you ok?" She took a step forward.

"Don't come closer!" Ghost shouted. Her voice same as it was before but now had a sinister tinge to it. She held out her hand. The rot appears faster on the ground.

Deet's eyes widened in shock. "Ghost?! Is that you-" She was suddenly scooped up by the figure. The young Grotten tried to fight him off by pounding her fists. Then, desperately pulled the hood away to reveal a mask. Deet screamed. A flash of purple light. Smoke. Deet was on the ground coughing as Hup helped her up. She looked to see Ghost held up her arm that had dark veins pulsing.

The attacker only a few feet away from the trio. The mask the cloaked attacker wore was ghostly white and sunken. Black eyes soulless. It took the bizarre shape of a Gorilla's skull. The black cloak pulled away to reveal long, thin arms. Bony fingers that were ready to snatch anything it came across. It looked to be as big as a Skeksis. "You're an odd one." It spoke. It's voice is nearly lifeless. The unseen eyes were focused on Ghost. "I've never met a purple Gelfling. Even among the seven tribes."

Ghost growled. "How do you know about us? We didn't know about your existence until now."

He casually flicked a wrist. "We encountered a special source when we first arrived. Though it was annoying with those squeaky outbursts."

It didn't take long for Ghost to understand who he meant. Her purple eyes narrowed. Her fingers sparked with dark electricity. Her head arched and ears flicked upward. "Where is he?! Where did you take him?!"

"To our humble abode." Then, his head tilted in a way that sparked an awful idea in his mind. "How about a small wager?"

"What wager?" Ghost growled. "The kind that'll twist in your favor. No." Then she looked at Deet and Hup. Her ears twitched when she heard faint footsteps. She could make out SkeSo's and Shield's. So far, she is standing on a dangerous deal. Ghost remembered that SkekSil was a true master of bargains and would always say things that would get others to listen to him. However, this bargain might kill or save lives. He looks as though he's willing to make a deal, she thought. If I tell him my demand, maybe he can take me to answers and Ekty. Her violet eyes looked squarely at him. "Alright. I go with you if you don't harm anyone. Including when we go. You look as though you might break that agreement if we started to go."

"You...have my word." With that, the intruder held out his hand. A heavy silence hung in the air.

Ghost took one more look around. Deet's invisible plea. Hup trying to raise his spoon. SkekSo staring at her in disbelief. Razz perched in a tree with Orchid perched. Shield looking helpless. Ghost didn't know why, but she turned her head to her left to see SkekMal staring at her through the trees. She could see questions, confusion and... fear? Did she just see a spark of fear in his green gaze? "Goodbye...Everyone." She touched the bony hand and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Oh don't worry. There will be more with the mysterious villain. They will be scarier than the Skeksis. Review!