Chapter 3
"This way." Danny said quietly, leading his friends through the twisting maze of the Ghost Zone. They were off to find the Purists who had overshadowed and kidnapped Emily.
"Danny, are you sure about this?" Sam whispered. They were speaking quietly as so not to disturb some of the less friendly ghosts who would be only too glad for a chance to fight Danny Phantom in their territory.
"About where the Purists lurk?" Danny whispered back. "No. The one time I was in their lair I was pulled there through an energy portal, remember? But I remember it was an old schoolroom. So I'm assuming that it's somewhere near where Poindexter lived. And I have his lair marked on this map-" he held out the half-completed map of the Ghost Zone. "-so we'll probably find the Purists somewhere around there." Sam and Tucker glanced doubtingly at each other, but said nothing.
"Here it is." Danny breathed. They were standing in front of the old Casper High.
The old Casper High looked pretty much the same as the new one, with a few subtle differences. Broken windows that the school never wanted to pay to have fixed were now whole. The overgrown football field was now neatly trimmed. Everything looked...well, newer.
"I can't believe I'm coming back to Casper High-on the weekend!" Danny groaned. Everybody laughed, but it was a tense sort of laugh. Nobody could quite forget that they were here on a rescue mission. Danny broke the uncomfortable silence that followed by pointing up at the sole window that was dimly lit. It was on the top floor.
"That must be where the Purists have Emily!" And so the trio began quietly traipsing up to the top floor. The school was quiet, devoid of the '60's era ghosts who usually floated around there. Danny, Tucker and Sam still carefully placed their footsteps, though. You never knew who might be lurking around in the Ghost Zone.
After working their way up several flights of stairs, the trio finally arrived at the top floor. There was only one door on this floor. A dim yellow light emanated from the crack at the bottom of the door.
Danny pressed his ear to the door. There could be no sound heard. He gulped.
"Well...I guess this is it." he said, somewhat nervously. He reached out a trembling hand and turned the knob. The door swung open.
To their surprise, there was only one ghost in there, head bent low over an ancient book. He gave off an air of great wisdom, maybe because of his aged face and long white beard. He looked up and his expression betrayed no surprise. It was just...calm.
"Ah, Danny Phantom and friends. I have been expecting you." The ghost's voice was deep and calming, almost soothing.
Danny glared at the ghost. "Who are you and what have you done to Emily?" The words came out as an angry shout.
The ghost nodded his head slowly, an expression of slight amusement on his face.
"Patience, young Danny. That is what you must learn. Very well then. If you must know, I am Luke. I have been a member of the Purists for many years. And as for your friend, she has been taken to a location which I have been ordered not to disclose. The Purists have split up into factions, so as not to be found all in a group by you. Very wise, actually. It was my suggestion." The ghost started pacing back and forth across the deserted schoolroom, and then went on.
"You know, Danny, the ancient texts predict a halfa, very young, but very strong and powerful. It predicts that this halfa will someday try to put a stop to the Purists tireless efforts to rid the world of mortals once and for all. Whether or not the halfa will be successful is still undecipherable. Although the name of the halfa is not mentioned, I and my fellow Purists believe that halfa is you, Danny Phantom. Now I must leave. Good luck on your journey." And, in a puff of white smoke, he was gone. Danny picked up the book that Luke had been studying and flipped through the pages. They seemed to be written in a strange language. Latin, maybe? Danny wasn't sure. Tucker and Sam came over and peered over his shoulder.
"This is a perfect time to test my new language translation software!" Tucker exclaimed. Sam and Danny stood by while Tucker ran his PDA over the page Danny was staring at. Once the translation was complete, Tucker read the translation from his PDA in a hushed voice.
"The power known as overshadowing is usually temporary. Sooner or later the ghost is expelled from the person's body, whether it is from the person's own strength, or from an external force. However, there is a way to make an overshadowing permanent. In order to do this, the person being controlled must visit the Ancient One. The Ancient One is an old and powerful ghost. He possesses all the wisdom in the Ghost Zone. If he does the Bonding Ritual over an overshadowed mortal, that overshadowing is now permanent. Nothing can expel the ghost from the person's body once the Bonding Ritual is completed." Tucker looked up in amazement and met equally amazed stares from Tucker and Sam.
"Look." Sam's voice was barely a whisper. Tucker and Danny looked closer at the ancient book and saw a glimmer of pink text. It shimmered against the yellowed page. It was only one word.
"Yes." Sam read in awe. Danny was pacing back and forth, wending his way between rows of old desks.
"This is it!" he said. "Emily sent us a message through this book. Remember how she was acting weird right before she was kidnapped? She was being overshadowed by a Purist! This is where they're taking her. They're taking her to the Ancient One...to be bonded."
There was silence for a moment, and then Sam voiced a question.
"But where is the Ancient One?" Tucker scanned frantically through the translated pages.
"It doesn't say!" he said in frustration. Sam's jaw was set firmly.
"Then we have to find out. For Emily."
A/N: Wow, that was actually one of my longer chapters, almost two pages. More things happened in this chapter. Now the story is starting to take shape. As always, review!