For Chaos Dragon. Vroom;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the plot.

Anathema's Abode

Chapter 5

Providence

A month passed without event, and some of Sam's mounting paranoia that Phantom had learned of the brotherhood's location had begun to ebb. If Phantom had truly been seeking the destruction of the brotherhood, he would've had ample opportunities to strike during the past weeks. The ghost hunter's newfound fear had forced her to consider the vulnerability of the brotherhood, as she found herself imagining endless scenarios of how Phantom would singlehandedly lay siege to their headquarters, the array of methods he chose to employ each more morbid than the last.

She was refused refuge from him, even in her dreams. Sam allowed herself a fervent shiver as she recalled the most recent nightmare that had occurred two nights ago, in which Phantom, under orders from Pariah, had overshadowed her, siphoning her mind with demonic glee in his endeavor to learn of the rebels' location, leaving her in a state of contamination frightfully similar to her mentor's cursed condition. She could only be thankful that her muffled nocturnal screams and struggles had miraculously failed to wake her partner bunking next door.

The brotherhood were fighting for a losing cause; a fact that Sam had always been aware of. But before her encounter of Phantom, it had never quite hit the ghost hunter exactly how dire the rebels' current circumstances were. If a single powerful ghost, such as the Fright Knight, Phantom, or god forbid, Pariah Dark, were to learn of their location, the entirety of her brethren would be dead within the hour. Valerie had been right in her predictions. The brotherhood would be exterminated within their lifetimes. And if something was not done soon, they would lose even earlier than anticipated. Without them, who was there to defend the innocents of Amity Park?

Maddie's apprentice ran a shaky hand through her raven hair, as she regarded the situation in a different light. A month had passed, and still no Phantom. Sam supposed she should be immensely relieved that the ancient ghost had decided to leave the brotherhood in peace. Perhaps his stance in the war was truly as impassive as he had claimed.

Yet, the ghost hunter found herself increasingly frustrated, as the ghost had made no effort to try and contact her. Sam knew it to be the truth, that she would never be able to find Phantom unless he willed it, but that had not stopped her from attempting to locate him over the past few weeks; his lack of correspondence had made her restless.

Sam couldn't believe that she had assumed, no, anticipated that Phantom would risk capture by the brotherhood to reclaim from her possession something as frivolous as a t-shirt. He had survived as long as he had by not taking fool's chances. Why would he waste his time retrieving an object of no spectral value from a nameless human girl? The less she saw of him, the better.

Although Sam could not deny that she was in a way, glad that Phantom had not sought to retrieve it. She would never admit to anyone other than herself, but the ghost hunter had grown ever so slightly attached to the article of clothing, especially since she had taken to wearing Phantom's shirt to bed the nights she remained at the brotherhood. It was large, pleasantly soft, from years of wear no doubt, and of a dull, nondescript colour. The Goth saw no reason why she shouldn't be wearing it. True, it had once belonged to a ghost, but it was hers now, and living testimony that she had survived an assault by the Night Police.

Sam had been forced endure this unbearable uncertainty for a month, a month too long by any account. The ghost hunter's eyes narrowed, as she felt herself filled with new resolve. She would not rest until she found Phantom. Sam was sure that she had more than enough information on the ancient ghost for Tucker to identify him. 'Phantom' was almost certainly an alias. After all, what ghost would be arrogant to assume such a name the moment of his birth, while he was yet inferior and vulnerable to superior forces?

She would track him singlehandedly. If Phantom truly resided in Amity Park, the task would be difficult, but not impossible. Should he decide to blast her into oblivion, the brotherhood would suffer no other mortalities from the encounter. This was Sam's risk to take, and hers alone. She knew she would never be able to forgive herself if she allowed this opportunity to pass by.

In order to state her case to Phantom, she was going to need information on him to appeal to his better nature, assuming he had one. To put it simply, she needed Tucker.

-

Phantom ignored the steady wisps of frost escaping his lips as he remained hidden in the safety of an alleyway located in one of the seedier, more run down areas of Amity Park, his features obscured by the cowl of his dark cloak as he endeavoured to control his mounting frustration at the delicacy of his situation. He had known that the Fright Knight would come for him. The intruder could be no other; there was no mistaking the spectral signatures of supernatural entities of their caliber. Confrontation, no matter how he sought to prolong it, was inevitable.

The ghost had done everything within his power to maintain a low profile, to keep himself off the radar of both the brotherhood and the empire for as long as possible. If word reached Pariah of his strength, Phantom knew that it would result in him becoming forcibly recruited. It was no secret that the ghost king was fast growing sick of his general's failures.

He supposed that was the reason for the Fright Knight's hatred towards him; his hunter probably feared that Phantom would one day replace him at Pariah's side. The ghost snorted; he had no interest in being under the ghost king's employ. The less contact he had with Pariah's subordinates, the better. It was unfortunate that in keeping a low profile, he was forced to conceal himself amongst humans.

As the evening progressed, he had been subjected to several strange looks by the mortal inhabitants of the street as they passed by, to his immense annoyance. It was humiliating that a paranormal being of his strength had been reduced to dwelling amongst the citizens of Amity Park, no matter how temporarily. The humans probably thought him a blood traitor, a deserter who had cast aside all dignity to serve their cruel dictators. But so long as they did not inconvenience him in any way, Phantom was content to leave them in peace.

After all, humans bored him. The ghost had no interest in their mundane, day to day activities, nor would he ever understand why Pariah Dark was so determined to conquer the human realm. It wasn't like the humans were capable of helping the ghost king further his power.

The brotherhood girl that he had saved, and her partner, had proved to be exceptions to his normally deprecatory view of humans. Sam, like all human females had appeared frail, yet beneath her delicate appearance lay an unexpectedly fiery demeanor. She had refused to show any signs of weakness in his presence, much to his intrigue, despite the fact that he clearly intimidated her.

Phantom had to admit, he was curious as to what exactly the rebels thought they were fighting for. What drove them to keep fighting, despite unsurmountable odds against superior forces? And what had stopped Pariah crushing their spirits, as he had the rest of the humans in his empire?

The ghost scowled, not used to the severe restraints placed on his abilities. He despised adopting this cumbersome form. It was inconceivable how humans endured this torture for the duration of their lives. He felt defenseless, and painfully vulnerable. If the Fright Knight struck now, he would be incapable of retaliating. Phantom was fast, but he doubted that he would be fast enough to escape the Fright Knight, especially in his current humiliatingly limiting form.

It was inevitable that this evening would end in bloodshed. Merely managing a civil conversation with the Fright Knight was an impossibility in itself. Phantom massaged his knuckles, his expression was grim. If he continued recklessly defying the empire, such as his impulsive rescue of the brotherhood girl, it seemed unlikely that he would survive to his third decade.

To simply remain here and bide his time could not be seen as anything other than cowardice. The Fright Knight was no doubt aware that he knew of his presence; the general knew it was only a matter of time until Phantom would be forced to show himself. It was at least some comfort that his adversary was incapable of sensing him, one of the few advantages of Phantom's unfortunate ability to assume the form of a human male.

The other was that he found himself unaffected by the lunar cycle that governed the abilities of his kin. Although this meant that he lacked the substantial increase in strength as the moon reached its zenith, his powers were assured consistency, irrespective of nature's influences as the moon waned. Tonight, the moon was barely more than a slim crescent. Fright Knight had probably assumed that they would be at a mutual disadvantage, a faulty assumption that Phantom was only too willing to use against him.

A low hiss escaped his lips as he attempted to ignore the discomfort of the unfamiliar transformation, twin silver halos encasing his cloaked silhouette as he returned to his true spectral form.

Phantom pursed his lips in grim anticipation, as adrenaline surged through his veins. Let the Fright Knight come. There was no way that the general would not have sensed his transformation. To him, it would have seemed as though Phantom had just entered the area.

Now, it was only a matter of time until the general arrived to seek him.

-

Sam hovered nervously behind the doorway of Lancer's laboratory, as she asked herself why she was doing this for the umpteenth time in minutes. Maddie had specifically ordered her not to pursue the matter, and Sam could not deny that there had been much wisdom in her leader's choice. Maddie's apprentice didn't think she had ever willingly disobeyed her mentor before. Failed her, yes. The ghost hunter flushed, as she recalled the most memorable instance of her inadequacies that had occurred merely a month ago. The irony had not escaped her that in order to ensure the survival of the rebels, she was going to have to defy their leader.

She threw a glance at the digital clock at the opposite end of the hallway. Would Valerie suspect the true reason that she was late for their sparring session? Of course she wouldn't. The ghost hunter felt a pang of guilt at leaving her team mate in the dark, but she knew what Valerie's stance would be on the matter. Her partner would fiercely object to any plan that resulted in the brotherhood being affiliated with ghosts.

Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles on the solid laboratory door. "Tucker?"

"Hey," Tucker greeted, grinning as his team mate entered the lab. "What brings you here?"

"Is Lancer with you?" the ghost hunter queried as she scanned her cluttered surroundings.

"Nope, he's with Maddie," Tucker replied. "I have the place to myself for a couple of hours. Why the secrecy?" Her best friend asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

"I need a favour," the ghost hunter began, fully aware that she had to ask him now before she lost her nerve. "But I can guarantee that you're not going to like it."

"Ask away," her best friend replied, intrigued.

Sam took a deep breath, steadying herself for the outraged response she expected to follow. "I need you to look into Lancer's database for ancient ghosts of Medieval origins."

"Woah," her tech operative took a step backwards, disconcerted. "Didn't Maddie tell you that this ghost was off limits?"

"Maybe," Sam shrugged. "But she doesn't have to find out that I asked you to do this."

"I'm not going to defy our leader just because you have a hunch," Tucker refused. "Don't you understand how lucky you are that he let you go? He could've kept you for his own evil, vile, putrid purposes."

"You're certainly keen to condemn a ghost you've never met," Sam arched an eyebrow, amused at her tech operative's vehemence.

"He's just a ghost," the techno geek snorted. "What's there to meet? If I had my way, I wouldn't even be within a ten mile radius of him."

"We've got to at least try," the ghost hunter pleaded. "Phantom could be the key to winning the war."

"Alternatively, on the off chance that our leader is right," Tucker retorted, voice dripping with sarcasm. "He could easily be the destruction of the brotherhood."

"Maddie hasn't met him," Sam insisted. "I know I can get him to fight for us. I have a hunch that all I need is a little leverage."

"But what do you have to barter that he hasn't already managed to obtain over the past few centuries? Even if he does resent Pariah enough to rebel against him, we have nothing to offer in return," Tucker scowled. "Unless you mean for us to offer him our servitude?" he queried wryly.

"Not servitude," Sam flushed, all too aware that the brotherhood held nothing of use to Phantom. "Perhaps just amnesty when the war is over."

"Phantom does not fear us," Tucker continued, aware he was gaining the upper hand in their debate. "He has never feared us. He will most likely take our offer of amnesty as an insulting underestimation of his abilities."

"Aren't you even the slightest bit curious why he isn't on Pariah Dark's side?" Sam questioned, changing tactics. If Tucker could not be persuaded to see reason, she would attempt to appeal to the scholar within him. Once piqued, Tucker's curiosity was almost impossible to satiate, a quality that made him an unparalleled inventor among his peers.

"Why are you so determined to offend him?" her best friend raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "I don't think someone in his position wants to be reminded of his past."

"Because Valerie's right," Sam grated out. "It's only a matter of time. Pariah is going to crush the brotherhood within the next couple of years and I don't want to die knowing that I hadn't done everything in my power to ensure its survival."

"So you're going to risk your life on account of your conscience?" Tucker raised an eyebrow. "Let's look at it this way. Supposing by some miracle, the brotherhood survives another two decades and you get yourself blown up now, who is going to lead us once Maddie falls? Why do you think our leader insists on keeping you safe?"

"It isn't necessarily going to be me, Maddie's never said so. Jazz could do it," Sam insisted firmly. "Or Valerie, or you. There is no shortage of strong candidates," the ghost hunter blushed, suddenly aware how frivolous and childishly impulsive he had made her request seem. "Besides, the council decides, not Maddie."

"I'm flattered you think that I could lead the brotherhood," Tucker commented dryly. "But we all know that it's going to be you. So forgive me if I refuse to help you get killed."

"This is assuming we even find out enough about Phantom for me to locate him," his best friend glared. "Why can't anyone else see what a golden opportunity this is for the brotherhood?"

"Alright, you win," Tucker sighed. It was just a bit of research, he reasoned. No harm would come of pacifying his team mate. "Has anyone ever told you that you're insane?" he grumbled.

"Just you," Sam stuck her tongue out in a childish gesture. "Tells us something, doesn't it?"

"Don't tell Valerie," Tucker commented dryly. "She'll kill us both, if Maddie doesn't get there first."

"Thank you," Sam grinned, crushing her tech operative in a hug. She knew Tucker would never betray her. Not even to their leader. "I knew you'd come round eventually."

"I'm going to need a couple of leads," Tucker began, cracking his knuckles. "How much did you manage to find out about him?"

"Not very much," Sam admitted, frowning. "He wasn't very willing to answer my questions."

""Real helpful," her best friend chewed his lower lip. "We'll start with the basics, then. Name?"

"Phantom," the ghost hunter informed. "But that's probably just one of his aliases."

"At least it's something," Tucker encouraged. "Level of intelligence?"

Sam scowled, as she recalled Phantom's skepticism that not all humans were mentally inferior to his kin. "He has to be pretty smart to have survived as long as he has," she conceded grudgingly. "But he severely underestimates our mental capabilities."

"Age?" her team member quipped.

"Approximately five hundred years. Possibly more. Apparently he and the Fright Knight go way back."

"And you're not worried they're not going to team up and try to kill us all?"

"No," Sam affirmed. "They hate each other's guts."

"How did you manage to find that out?" her tech operative asked, incredulous. "Phantom's allegiances aren't exactly a topic for casual conversation."

"Phantom told me," Sam stated simply.

"Right," Tucker snorted, openly skeptical. "And of course you believe him. Obsessions?" he queried, fingers lightning fast on the keyboard.

"None evident," her brow furrowed.

"How did he die?"

"I don't know," Sam shrugged helplessly, painfully aware of how much she didn't know about him. Tucker was right. She was taking a huge gamble in seeking out Phantom, risking everything on the hope that he would not destroy her on a whim.

"You're certainly not making my job easy," her best friend commented dryly. "Physical appearance?"

"Humanoid. Tall. White hair, pale skin, looks about your age," Sam drummed her fingers on the table. "Very distinct green eyes, the colour of pure ectoplasm. I can produce a sketch if you'd like."

"Humanoid?" Tucker repeated, dumbly.

"Yes, humanoid," Sam clarified. "Didn't you hear me the first time?"

"I heard you perfectly," her team member retorted. "Does Maddie know what this Phantom of yours looks like?"

"No," the ghost hunter scowled. "Why would it make any difference? She doesn't want us to have anything to do with him."

"Sam," her tech operative cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "Have you ever considered that maybe the reason that you've been so inclined to trust Phantom against your better judgement is because he looks, well, human? For all we know, he might have even chosen that appearance to make you empathise with him."

"Phantom's appearance has nothing to do with this," Sam glared, staggered by her best friend's lack of faith in her judgement. "After all, the Fright Knight's corporal form is humanoid," she added, her voice frosty.

"Yes," Tucker conceded, acknowledging her point. "But you have to agree that there is a substantial difference between choosing to appear as a human male of twenty when compared to hulking, demonic medieval warrior, complete with flaming steed," his grin quickly vanished, as he realised that Sam wasn't laughing. "Phantom's true form isn't necessarily going to be as easy to stomach."

"It doesn't matter," the ghost hunter declared, finality evident. "Phantom saved me, and I know there's some good in him. His corporal form is irrelevant."

"If you say so," Tucker raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Known abilities?" the techno geek asked, eager to resume scouring Lancer's database.

"Pyrokinetics and teleportation, among others. We can probably also assume he has all typical abilities characteristic of ghosts," the Goth crossed her arms. "And possibly healing abilities."

"Estimated level of power?" Tucker questioned, and Sam was glad to see that her team mate seemed genuinely interested in considering various advantages of having Phantom at their disposal.

"Phantom crushed a member of the Night Police like he was a toothpick," Sam stated, her tone wry.

The techno geek let out a low whistle as he recorded the information, allowing the database to run its search. "And what makes you certain that he won't incinerate you on the spot when you attempt this proposal?"

"If he wanted me dead, he could have left me in the alley," Sam scowled. "He had me completely at his mercy."

"Maybe, but that still doesn't mean that you should push your luck by-" Tucker's warning was cut off by the self satisfied beeping of the database, notifying them of the results of his query. Sam snorted softly. Tucker's equipment seemed to be embedded with vestiges of his personality.

"Found him," Tucker's eyes widened. "Aragon, formerly a medieval prince. A ghost of above average ability, although his abilities are said to become draconian when angered, whatever that means. Approximately five to six hundred years old. Sound familiar?" her tech operative questioned.

"That sounds like him," Sam replied dryly. "Any strengths or weaknesses that we can use to persuade him to join our cause?"

"None listed," Tucker sighed. "Not much is known about him. Apparently he hardly ever leaves his castle."

"Thanks for trying," the ghost hunter acknowledged, eager to make use of her newly acquired information. "At least now we have a name."

"We don't know for sure that it's actually him," Tucker cautioned. "You might end up offending him before you can even attempt the proposition."

"Believe me," Sam laughed. "Right now, offending him is the least of my worries. I've got to find him first, and that's going to take months."

"Maybe not," her team mate conceded, and Sam could not suppress an uprising of dread. Her tech operative's eyebrows shot upwards as he observed the spectral readings in the vicinity of Sam's ambush skyrocket on Lancer's monitors. "It looks like you're not going to have much trouble finding him after all."

"Phantom?" Sam's stomach plummeted, as she found herself torn between excitement and gut wrenching fear.

"Even better," Tucker chuckled dryly, a hollow sound. "Phantom and the Fright Knight. This would be a good time to see whether his lack of allegiances holds true."

Author's Notes: I am -so- sorry! I meant to update on friday, but my computer's been giving me real problems. It's going to take weeks to fix, so I decided to write this chapter again. Funnily enough, it turned out really different from version one. But I think you'll prefer this version, it's got more Phantom in it;) For some reason, you guys really like him.

Phantom and Sam's paths cross in the next chapter, woohoo!:D

Many thanks to: Koccinelle, yuuki, EmeraldCalling, soaring-bright-flame, Raidon Phantom, Yevievt, Sasia93, niner, Sweeteen19, BR, Musicallity, Tie-dyed Trickster, secret-spy-guy, Kirimori, Nobody Famous, Blue Beluga, Manyara, AcousticMaiden, pearl84, HikaruOfDreams, Shuricel, Amanda and Marie9 for their amazingly encouraging reviews!:D