Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.

Anathema's Abode

Chapter 6

Confrontation

"This is insanity," Valerie Gray hissed, as she and Sam endeavoured to conceal themselves in the rooftops in the vicinity of the source of their equipment's skyrocketing ectoplasmic readings. Despite their subjects' lack of mobility, ectoplasmic levels in the area were surging exponentially greater than anything she or Valerie had ever observed. "How did I let you guys talk me into doing this?"

"Because we need information on Phantom," Sam implored. "I know we can get him to fight for us."

"I'm sure," her partner replied sardonically.

"How about because you're our best friend and we love you?" Tucker quipped. "And because we know how much you love risking your life in order to watch two ancient ghosts duke it out in a battle royale?"

"The things I do for you guys," Valerie grumbled, as Sam barely held back a grin. "We're not even going to be able to see them half the time. How are we meant to gather information about these two high levels if they're invisible?"

"Tucker's managed to separate out their spectral signatures," Sam explained. "At the very least, we'll be able to tell which is stronger. It'll be pointless to pursue Phantom's allegiance if he can't beat the Fright Knight."

"They don't seem to be fighting," Tucker commented dryly as he observed his monitor. "Either they're exchanging pre-battle death threats, or we've been noticed and they're discussing ways to kill us."

"This can't be right," Valerie whispered under her breath. "Are you sure your equipment is functioning, Tucker?"

"Yes," their tech operative insisted, adamant.

"We should get closer," Sam insisted. "I want to hear what they're saying."

"Any closer and we might as well sign our own death warrants," Valerie refused. "We already face severe disciplinary action if Maddie realises we're out here."

"At least they're not at the height of their power," Sam reasoned. "The moon's basically non existent."

"If they're that powerful, do you think they care if the moon is waning?" Tucker added, his tone wry. "We're already risking everything to accompany you out here so you can get a second look at this Phantom of yours. In return, do us a favour and try not to get us all killed."

"What are you risking?" Valerie snorted. "You're still cosy at headquarters."

"My equipment might get damaged," their tech operative stated, matter of factly.

"I'm glad you've got your priorities in order," Sam chuckled dryly. "I'm going to try and listen in on them," she continued, expression sobering. "It's too much to ask of you to come with me if you don't want to, Val."

"You're not going to get rid of me so easily," Valerie grinned, grabbing hold of her partner's wrist as she attempted to depart. "Remember what happened the last time we split up?"

"I still don't regret what I did," the ghost hunter insisted. "They could've killed us both. I'm the only one who's actually interested in seeking out Phantom. If circumstances call for it, promise me you'll run."

"We stand a better chance together," her partner maintained firmly. "And after all this trouble, this Phantom of yours had better be worth it."

-

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you returned seek me." Phantom conceded grimly, making no move to stop the Fright Knight circling him on his impressive dark steed, reminiscent of a lion stalking his prey. Much of the ghost general's power came from his ability to strike fear deep in the hearts of his adversaries, and the ghost refused to admit, even to himself, that his adversary's presence inspired even the slightest of dread.

"Phantom," Pariah's right hand man spat, wielding the other ghost's name as though it was in itself a brutal insult. "We meet again."

"The Fright Knight," Phantom's luminous green eyes narrowed, wary of the intruder's presence as he recalled their brutal engagement five years ago. But he had become stronger, faster, smarter since then. If this encounter resulted in a fully fledged battle for dominance, he refused to lose. "Will you not do me the simple pleasantry of dismounting?"

"We both know what brings me here," the spirit of Hallowe'en snarled, unsheathing the Soul Shredder. "There is no reason for pleasantries."

Phantom, refusing to dignify the Fright Knight's rejection of his hospitality with an answer, remained silent, each of the elite ghosts sizing the other up for the first time in half a decade.

Discounting the general's displeasure at Phantom's underhanded destruction of his liege men, the white haired ghost was all too aware that the purpose of the Fright Knight's challenge was to gauge Phantom's abilities against his own, to learn how much of a threat to the empire, and himself, the outcast truly was. Despite the circumstances, Phantom allowed himself a wry smirk. If the general had hoped to return today to finish what he had started, he was about to be sorely disappointed.

The ghost had always known this day would come, sans his intervention to save the brotherhood girl. Avoiding confrontation had always been an impossibility in itself. The Fright Knight would not rest until he was slain by his hand. It stung that his best option was to cower and hide, evading the worst of the ghost general's blows in order not to reveal his true strength. If the Fright Knight even began to suspect the real reason for the unnaturally rapid progression of his abilities...

"I see you have finally chosen to forgo the pathetic guise of a child," the Fright Knight regarded Phantom, his voice laced with derision.

"How I choose to appear is none of your concern," the slighter ghost replied coldly. "And I see that you have failed to pass on the terms of our truce to your subordinates."

"Your impudence is astounding," the Fright Knight snarled. "Amity Park is under rule of Pariah Dark alone. You own nothing."

"It was previously agreed that I will not impede the empire's endeavors if I was allowed to haunt a small area of Amity Park in peace," Phantom growled, his voice deep, matching the authority of the older ghost. "The ghost king gave his word."

"You are an ignorant fool, Phantom," his adversary subjected him to a look of contempt, as though unable to comprehend his stupidity. "Do you really think that Pariah Dark will be satisfied until he has the entirety of Amity Park under his control?"

"You cannot deceive me, Fright Knight," the corners of Phantom's lips to curved upwards in a smirk. "Pariah did not send you. You are here merely because of your own foolish pride."

"You allowed a member of the brotherhood to escape, compromising my standing in the king's eyes over the petty matter of a human wench," the Fright Knight snarled. "You cannot deny that it was intentional."

The youthful ghost allowed himself to experience a slight flutter of relief before turning his full attention back to the threat before him. Thankfully, Sam seemed to have had avoided capture. He was glad for her, but at this moment, she was not the one who required his protection. An engagement with the Fright Knight was the last thing he needed if he wanted to continue to remain off the ghost king's radar.

"The girl was irrelevant," his expression sobered, and all that was visible beneath the cowl of Phantom's dark cloak were two narrowing slits of burnished green. "You had your subordinates enter my territory, despite our previous agreement. I merely acted in retaliation."

"Then where is she now?" the midian roared, as their surroundings erupted in purple flames. "My men returned to the site of the ambush to find that you had taken her. She was to be tortured for information concerning the brotherhood."

"How should I know?" Phantom snorted dismissively, completely unfazed by the general's display. "It is none of my concern if the Night Police are so incompetent that they cannot keep up with the movements of a half dead human girl. She probably managed to crawl her way back to the brotherhood before you realised anything was amiss."

All thought was driven from his mind at the Fright Knight's roar of outrage, as his adversary lunged towards him, fists blazing with ghastly deep purple energy.

Phantom grunted as the first of the general's blows assaulted his hastily constructed shield, but made no effort to return his strikes. He had no wish to further the blood feud between him and the Fright Knight, whatever the other assumed. Phantom scowled; the ghost king's second in command was certainly as strong as he remembered. If his intentions were to propose a second truce between himself and the empire, he was going to have to learn to keep his smart mouth shut and stop goading the Fright Knight.

"You dare accuse me of incompetence, while you, the outcast, continue to hide like a coward from the rest of your kin?"

"The power struggles of my kin do not interest me," Phantom stated flatly. "I do not wish to fight you," he maintained, gritting his teeth as the shield around him strengthened. "We are many moons from All Hallow's Eve; you cannot hope to win."

"I do not require the strength of Hallow Even to defeat the likes of you," the Fright Knight snarled. "I have waited long enough to bring you to justice."

"Justice?" Phantom echoed blankly, subjecting the general to a derisive snort as he dodged the bellow of fire emitted from the ghastly howl of the Fright Knight's steed, the flames spiraling harmlessly behind him. "What justice has ever been achieved under Pariah's rule?"

"I have been forced to endure my liege's mercies towards you for long enough," the general declared. "You will regret your impudence, Phantom."

"Pariah does not care for mercy. As we speak, Walker's jails overflow with those who have suffered centuries under Pariah, human and ghost alike," Phantom's eyes blazed green, digging the balls of his feet deep into the earth as he grounded himself behind his spectral shield. Would his reckless decision to rescue a single human female cost the lives of countless others who bore the misfortune to be caught in his and the Fright Knight's cross fire? "When you can no longer serve his purposes, you too will be disposed of."

"My liege values my servitude," the Fright Knight ground out, and Phantom could practically sense the contempt emitted from his adversary's attacks, as the architecture around them crumbled in their wake. "It has my duty for centuries. But I suppose the concept of honour is something I cannot expect an outlaw to understand."

Striking white eyebrows lowered to frame narrowing green eyes, frustrated by the Fright Knight's destruction of the town in his attempts to slay him. If he could not convince the Fright Knight to cease his attack, it would not take long for the town to be reduced to nothing more than rubble. The general was not inclined to listen to one he regarded as his enemy, blinded by his unconditional loyalty towards the ghost king. Perhaps, Phantom considered, this was why he no longer feared the Fright Knight. Despite his power, the midian was nothing more than Pariah's glorified lap dog.

He refused to allow more innocent lives to be lost on his account. It was no small mercy that due to the late hour, mortalities would be kept to the minimum. If he could turn their engagement into an aerial battle, there was a slim chance the ghost general's devastating attacks might dissipate before they struck the town below.

The wind tore at his vision as he took to the air, knowing fully well that his adversary would follow.

-

"Phantom's really not one for confrontation, is he?" Tucker commented wryly as they observed the ancient ghost's repeated endeavours to escape the general. "What use will he be to us if he refuses to fight?"

"At least he's holding his own against the Fright Knight," Sam chewed her bottom lip, thoughtful. It was not difficult for her to understand the reasons for the ghost's actions. If Phantom's objective truly was to stay out of the war for as long as possible, it would bring him no benefit to advertise the true extent of his abilities to the ghost king's right hand man.

"Always, you run and hide," the midian bellowed, angered by Phantom's rejection of his issue of challenge. "Why reveal yourself for the first time in five years if you refuse fight me, coward?"

"Five years?" Valerie mouthed, to which Sam could do nothing more than shrug helplessly in reply. The ghost hunter had been under the impression that the ancient ghosts' feud was far more longstanding. Sam knew what her partner had to be thinking, but made no move to pursue the matter. This was hardly the appropriate time to bring up her best friend's grief.

Valerie Gray still mourned for her mother, who had been one of the several murdered in the Fright Knight's unexplained rampage of the town five years ago. There was no way that her partner would ignore the possibility that Phantom was directly responsible for Martha Gray's death.

Judging from the ecto signatures, the brotherhood had managed to discern a second, separate entity involved; Phantom, perhaps. But Lancer's findings of another ghost's presence had immediately been written off by the council as nothing more than a subordinate of the general's, leaving Sam wondering why the notion that the wreckage could have been caused by a disagreement between two ghosts had never before be considered by the brotherhood.

Sam felt her mouth grow dry as she observed the progression of the spectral battle taking place before them. How had the brotherhood's founders even found the will to lead the first rebels against demons of such strength?

She felt bile rise to the back of her throat in latent foreboding. The Fright Knight's brutal assault appeared to be taking its toll. No matter how powerful Phantom had proven himself to be, he would be no match for the Fright Knight unless he began retaliating with more than evasive techniques and occasional counter blows. Sam could tell that Phantom was slowly tiring, his energy was being used up faster than it could be replaced as he strove to defend himself against the ghost general's complex attacks.

The ghost hunter could not quell the uprising dread that she had brought Valerie to her death, as they watched Phantom endure the brunt of the ghost general's wrath without retaliation, painfully aware that it would take nothing more than one misfired blast in their direction to doom them, while they blithely sat on the rooftops below, observing the pretty colours caused by ghostly blows exchanged too fast for mortal eyes to see. It was no small mercy that the ghostly contenders seemed unaware of their presence.

"This is unbelievable," Valerie whispered, as the Fright Knight's sword tore through the dark material of Phantom's cloak as he barely dodged the general's attack, shredding the black fabric into jagged ribbons.

The white haired ghost snarled, eyes flaring burnished green as he ripped the now useless article of clothing from his form by its cowl, carelessly discarding it as it fluttered several hundred feet to the ground. Phantom was fast growing sick of running, Sam noticed grimly. The slighter ghost raised a hand, fingers furling around the hilt of the translucent, ethereal sword materialising in his grasp as he lunged towards the Fright Knight to approach him in close combat.

Despite her previous encounter of Phantom, it frustrated Sam to admit that she knew next to nothing about the extent of Phantom's abilities. If even the ghost general was incapable of forcing him to reveal his true strength, she would come away from this evening having learned nothing, not even the source for the two ancient ghosts' mutual animosity.

"Are you getting all of this, Tuck?" Sam questioned, her brow furrowing as she noted Phantom's abrupt choice of weapon. Was this a clue to his medieval origins?

"Yep," their tech operative replied, letting out a low whistle, impressed. "I wonder what else Phantom's got hidden up his sleeve."

"Chances are, we'll find out soon enough," Valerie remarked. "He's not going to hold out like this for much longer."

Sam's previous observations regarding Phantom's fatigue were proved correct when the white haired ghost stumbled backwards, expression grim as he hastily scrubbed at his cheek to quell the flow of a thin line of ectoplasm where the general had nicked him. The Fright Knight took the opportunity to dismount his steed, battering the white haired ghost with a series of ectoplasmic blasts before Phantom could gather the time to recover.

"Are you finally prepared to yield?" the Fright Knight questioned, his deep voice smug, as he regarded Phantom's youthful form, the white haired ghost doubling over in pain as he drew slow, shaky breaths. "For I will remain until I consider your insult to me nullified," the general adjusted his riding gloves in a manner morbidly reminiscent of an executioner.

"No," he hissed, and Sam was taken aback by the venom is his tone. Before this moment, Phantom's retorts had always been cold or sardonic, never openly hostile. Had the Fright Knight finally pushed him over the edge? "Leave now, and I will not be forced to attack you," Phantom growled, painfully aware of the futility of his statement. "We are many moons from All Hallow's Eve, and I have advanced in power since out last encounter. This time, we will not be evenly matched."

"Pain has addled your mind," the ghost general mocked. "Why would I leave now, when you are completely at my mercy?"

"Go home, Fright Knight," Phantom snarled.

"Perhaps I shall extract a keepsake to remember you by," the midian continued, oblivious to his adversary's mounting fury. "Decapitation is a firm favourite of mine, although I must admit that you are hardly important enough to merit an entire head in my display of past conquests. Perhaps an eye will suffice-"

"Leave me ALONE."

Phantom; there was simply no other way to describe it; he roared.Sam looked on in horror; the sheer force of the sonic wave sent the Fright Knight hurtling backwards as the hideous wailing escaped Phantom's lips, crushing the general's armor.

She and her partner were brought to their senses as they too were subjected to the backlash of Phantom's assault. Lilac eyes squeezed shut as the pair huddled close together to avoid the shattered glass that rained upon them from buildings above, the almost ethereal tinkling of the fragments as they landed seemed out of place with the magnitude of the bloody feud unfolding above them. Needless to say, they were oblivious to Tucker's cry of outrage as their equipment shattered around them.

The trio remained silent, stunned as they observed Phantom's wave of destruction progress, ripping ugly lacerations through the black membrane of the Fright Knight's steed's great bat like wings. The dark stallion screeched in pain, flailing wildly as ectoplasm oozed from its wounds, peppering the night sky with eerie droplets of luminous green, its shrill cries barely discernible through Phantom's bellow of rage as the beast plummeted towards the earth with each failing beat of its once impressive wings, no longer capable of flight.

"Nice," Valerie wrinkled her nose, uncovering her ears to flick flecks of ectoplasm off her stealth suit.

"Still convinced you can persuade that thing to fight for us?" Tucker queried wryly, his voice crackling in the shell of Sam's ear from the interference of the sonic blast.

Sam opened her mouth, parting her lips slightly as if to speak, before deciding against it, choosing instead to run her tongue over her bottom lip in a nervous gesture. There was no denying that Tucker was right. If Phantom matched, or from the looks of how the battle was now progressing, surpassed the Fright Knight in power, what was to stop him from surpassing the ghost general in brutality?

"You two have seen enough," their tech operative asserted firmly, fear for his team mates' lives evident. "Get out of there while you still can."

"For once, I'm with Tucker," Valerie agreed, placing a hand on her partner's shoulder. "We should go. Phantom's just proved to us that he's no better than the Fright Knight."

"I'm not going anywhere," Sam insisted fiercely, shrugging off Valerie's grip. "Not till I speak with him. He's still the brotherhood's only chance of survival."

"You don't know that," Valerie protested. "I don't know if you've noticed the same things I did, but Phantom's a monster," her best friend's expression hardened as they observed the white haired entity advance upon the general's wounded steed, ectoplasmic energy dancing at his fingertips, as Sam found herself gripped by unexpected pity towards the beast. She prayed that Phantom would have to mercy to make its death quick.

"Is that what you've chosen to gamble the brotherhood's future with?" her partner demanded, taking advantage of Sam's hesitation to drive her point home as they observed the destruction of the stallion with mild horror.

Yet, Sam knew that despite how ugly the situation, it was to the brotherhood's advantage that Phantom had been endowed with such monstrous abilities. Winning the war while maintaining their honour was one thing, but recruiting Phantom in order to stave off destruction by Pariah Dark's hand was another thing entirely.

"Countless times have I declared that I have no desire to battle you in my own territory, yet you refused to heed my warnings. Yield, Fright Knight." Phantom growled, a low rumbling in the back his throat that reminded Sam of thunder at a distance. "I have proven that I cannot be slain by your hand."

"You will pay for the inconvenience you have caused me by slaying Nightmare," the ghost general whispered, bitterness thick in his voice.

"This is your final warning, Fright Knight," the white haired ghost's eyes blazed green. "Leave; while you are still accepted in Pariah's court, or you will meet a similar end."

"Very well, traitor," the general spat, engulfing himself in searing purple flames as he made his retreat. "You have doomed yourself. When I return on All Hallow's Eve, you will not survive past midnight."

Sam watched as Phantom shrugged, unperturbed by his adversary's threat, choosing instead to run his tongue running along the side of his lips to catch the ectoplasm still flowing freely from the cut he had received from the ghost general's infamous Soul Shredder. It was said that those struck by the Fright Knight's weapon of choice suffered a fate worse than death. The ghost hunter frowned, her eyes trained on Phantom as she scrutinised the ghost's tall form for tell tale signs of betrayed weakness, discountenance evident when she found none.

If Phantom was strong enough to be immune to the effects of the Soul Shredder, he would be an invaluable asset to the brotherhood. But the council would never agree to it. Then again, Sam reasoned as she felt herself filled with fresh resolve, the council never had to find out that she had attempted to coerce Phantom into joining their cause. The time for the rebels' age old traditions and typical constraints was long past. If something wasn't done soon, Pariah would have them crushed.

"I'll be right back," the ghost hunter declared, turning on her heels as she sprinted towards Phantom.

"Sam," Valerie called after her, annoyance tinged with fear evident in her tone as the ghost hunter ignored her team mates' demands for her to return to the safety of their headquarters. If she didn't act now, Sam knew that she would regret her decision for the rest of her life. The ghost hunter refused to allow this opportunity to pass the brotherhood by.

She would ensure that she captured Phantom's attention, one way or another.

Author's Notes: Phew, I'm actually working at about one update a week, which is phenomenal for me! Hopefully, I'll manage to keep this up. -crosses fingers-

Also, a word of warning. Anathema's Abode, if you choose to stick by me, is probably going to end up running in excess of forty chapters, unless I start doing some major plot editing. Just so you know what you're getting yourself into;)

Thanks go to the wonderful: Chanel2U, nightlightwriter, soaring-bright-flame, Black January, Zilleniose, aaran924, Tie-dyed Trickster, REviwer, Sweeteen19, Manyara, hydraling110, Amethyst Ocean, Raidon Phantom, Koccinelle, Kirimori, pearl84, Marie9, Musicallity, kia, captainjackluver14, CharmedNightSkye, Acoustic Maiden, Lord Zahr, danny-fan-101, Xweetok, EmeraldCalling, FreakLevel27, bloodmoon13, Writer's-BlockDP, Sasia93 and last but not least Angelic Kittens. I have no idea what I'd do without you guys:D

As you guys have probably noticed by now, I'm not exactly big in the creativity department when Phantom's ghost powers are involved, especially since he's got quite a few years on cannon Danny. Suggestions for unusual powers that Phantom should have would be greatly appreciated!

As always, please review if you enjoyed the installment!:D

Hugs and kisses,

Twisted Creampuff