A/N: Okay, this would have been updated last night, but I had work at seven in the morning today, so I had to hit the hay.
I also had to rework the beginning of this chapter when looking at my outline, so…
First though, a reply to a Guest Review! Believe me, in this chapter, things get a WHOLE lot worse for Danny. And once I get rolling with a story, I don't like to stop! Hopefully I can finish this story tonight, hehe.
Also: Question: Do you, my faithful readers, want bonus chapter's of what was happening with Luke during all of this? Just because I took out his parts in each chapter doesn't mean I don't still have them outlined. Let me know, before I start my next tale!
Well, I don't think I have anything else to say. Here we go!
…
Chapter Seven: The Venrin Lord
Professor Layton and the group looked around the vast room they entered. Spread before them, criss-crossing the vast room, were narrow walkways made of old stone spreading in every direction. Professor Layton walked to the edge of the walkway he was on and pointed his flashlight down. Inky darkness spread before him, swallowing the light of his flashlight.
"I hope everything is still stable in here. That's a long way down," said Eric, who had walked over and stood next to the professor. The man nodded and backed away from the edge, looking both ways as he tried to decide which way he should go.
"Father, look!" Alfendi called from where he was crouched at an intersection of walkways. Hershel walked over, studying it.
"Hm… the Roman numeral for twelve," the Professor hummed. He then looked towards a different direction, inspecting the walkways and spotting the set of symbols for eight.
"What do they mean, Professor?" Eric asked. The professor closed his eyes in thought, cupping his chin.
"There has to be a clue somewhere. We have a choice between these two numbers. The question is, how do we know which is the correct one?" he mused. The group looked around, searching for some kind of hint.
"There!" Pearl said, pointing to something etched into one of the walls. The professor looked closer at it.
VI * II
"Six times two?" Alfendi asked, stroking his chin.
"That equals twelve," Sam answered.
"So… do we pick that pathway?" Pearl asked, and everyone in the group turned to look at the Professor, who cupped his chin in thought.
"That would make sense," he said, dropping his hand and turning down that walkway. The rest of the group followed closely.
Every time the walkway branched off, there was a set of Roman numerals. The group ignored most, searching only for those that stood for twelve. When it showed up, they turned that way.
"This place in confusing…" Tucker mused.
"Um… how are we supposed to get out of here?" Flora asked. The professor chuckled.
"That, my dear, is a bridge we will have to cross when we get there. For now, I believe we have found the exit," he said, motioning with his flashlight. The others looked forward to see the wall they were drawing closer to, a rough arch cut out of it with darkness beyond.
The arch entered into a short hallway, with a door that looked like it was blown up at the end.
Beyond the rubble, flashlight beams could be seen and voices could be heard. The group moved cautiously forward, and Professor Layton peaked in.
The first thing he saw was Luke.
His clothes and face were dirty and ripped, his hair was a mess under that blue cap, and his hands seemed to be handcuffed behind his back. However, his seemed unharmed, which made the professor's heart soar with relief. He was watching something closely, his eyes narrowed in anger. The professor had to peek out slightly in order to follow his gaze, and saw group of Guys in White near a sarcophagus.
Beep –beep –beep – beep
"What's that!?" one of the men asked.
"The Ecto Detector. Quick, check the entrance to the room!" another said. Before the group could react, they were surrounded by Guys in White. Luke's eyes widened when he recognized Danny.
"Danny, run!" he yelled, gaining everyone's attention.
"What!?" Danny gasped.
"RUN!"
Startled by the intensity, Danny quickly backed away, before turning. He didn't make it far, however. One of the Guys in White grabbed him.
"Hey! Let me go!" Danny yelled, kicking at the man. He knew now would be the worst time for him to go ghost and loose control.
"Quick, get that thing on him!"
"But we don't know what it does!"
"One way to find out! And who better then Danny Phantom?"
One of the Guys in White produced a silver band, much like the spirit one Danny was already wearing, and clasped it around the young halfa's right wrist. As it closed, Eric was able to read the gold ruins on it.
"'Human'?" he asked.
"No…" Luke gasped. The professor quickly looked over at his former apprentice, shocked by the fear in his eyes.
Danny stopped struggling, his eyes closed, his breath slightly jagged. The Guys in White glanced at each other, unsure of what to make of this development.
"Danny…?" Sam asked.
"That's no longer Danny," Luke said, starring at the boy. "That's the Venrin leader, simply called 'The Lord.' The Lord's spirit was tied to the band they put on Danny, and that spirit took over his body…"
Danny's eyes snapped open, the familiar blue replaced with a piercing gold. He looked first at his hands, then at his surroundings.
"Much has changed," he muttered, his voice sounding like two; one Danny's, one much deeper.
"My Lord," one of the Guys in White said, bowing his head to the possessed teenager. I am Operative G. It was us, the Guys in White, who bought you back. We require your knowledge on your weapons in order to save our world," he said. The Lord quirked an eyebrow at the man who was speaking.
"Don't listen to him," the professor said, and The Lord turned to face him.
"Why not?"
"They do not wish to save the world, but to destroy the Ghost Zone," Layton explained. The Lord crossed his arms in thought.
"Do they now?" he asked, casting a disinterested eye over the Guys in White.
"They're wrong! They're just a few who would try to destroy the world!" G argued. The Lord looked between the two before sighing.
"Where is the proof?"
"The what?" G asked, taken off guard.
"The proof as to what both groups are say," The lord explained.
"Oh, uh…" the Guys in White looked amongst each other, unsure as to what to say.
Sam, on the other hand, frowned.
"We hacked their computers. Tucker, Danny, and I. You're in Danny's body now-" her hands clenched into fists. "Can't you see his memories?"
"Hmph. Clever girl." The Lord closed his eyes for a few moments before scowling. A ring appeared around his waste, changing him into Danny's ghost form, and he blasted the Guys in White away.
"You shall never use my technology!" he roared, surprising everyone. He then unleashed a few more attacks, until each and every one of the Guys in White were unconscious. "The Ghost Zone belongs to me!"
"Lord!" Layton called, gaining the spirit's attention. "Now that you are awake, what do you plan to do?"
"Hm…" a cruel smile curled his lips, and Sam had to suppress the shudder at how it twisted her boyfriend's face. "What else, but return to my rule?" he said, before blasting the ceiling just above the entrance to the chamber. The room shook, dust and debris showering from the sky. A larger rock slid out of place and began to fall directly over Luke, who was still handcuffed. Professor Layton dove towards him, covering his head, and used his momentum to make both roll out of the way of the rock. The other's also covered their heads.
Once the shaking stopped, Eric looked up and around, before sighing.
"He's gone."
"Are you okay, my boy?" Layton asked, helping Luke to sit up while Tucker searched the unconscious Guys in White for the keys to the handcuffs.
"Y-yeah. Fine," he muttered. Tucker found the key and handed it over to Layton, who unlocked the handcuffs. As soon as he was free, Pearl tackled him in a hug.
"Pearl!?" he asked, shocked and surprised at the same time. Pearl's shoulders shook as she kept her face buried in his chest, and Luke's shock melted to remorse as he realized her reaction was his fault. "Pearl… I'm sorry…"
"Don't you EVER do that again!" she sobbed, punching his chest to emphasize his point.
"Ow! Okay! I won't ever do that again!" he quickly said, keeping his arms around her. She looked up at him with a watery scowl before nodding. Luke carefully wiped the tears from her face and kissed her forehead, before looking around.
"We must find a way out of here," the Professor said, cupping his chin as he studied the walls.
"What does all of this mean?" Flora asked. Luke shook his head slightly.
"It is the history of The Lord," he explained.
"You mean the spirit that hijacked our friend's body?" Tucker asked. Luke nodded.
"The very same. What I was trying to explain earlier was how The Venrin Lord retained him 'immortality.' You see, in the Venrin Culture, when a Halfling was born, a spirit band would be placed on their wrist. They were in control of their own actions as human, but the owner of the band controlled them fully and completely while they were in the ghost forms. The Lord would pick the most powerful of the Halflings as his own bond slave, and would place another band, the Human Band, on the other wrist of the Halfling. The Human Band is the true vessel of the Lord's spirit, and he would move from body to body to continue living. Everything on these walls tells the story of each Halfling whose body he took," Luke explained.
"Everything?" the professor asked. Luke bit his lip slightly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, just about. There's this one section I can't figure out." He let go of Pearl and walked over to a section of wall that was different from the others, cupping his chin. Eric came over as well.
"I don't… recognize these ruins," he said, running his fingers over the odd part.
"Perhaps that's because they are not Venrin ruins. At least, in this form they are not," the professor said. Both boys moved so that the professor could study the wall. His eyes narrowed for a moment, before widening. "It is a map! A shuffled map, but a map none the less."
"Another puzzle," Luke said with a grin, earning a smile from the professor, who then turned his attention back to the puzzle.
A few moments later, the group stood in front of a readable map, and Sam gasped.
"What?" Tucker asked. She looked at him.
"What do you mean, 'what?'" she demanded before motioning to the wall. "You don't see it?"
"Um… should I?"
"This leads to a part in the Ghost Zone, Tucker. One that we're somewhat familiar with."
"Walker's lair!?" Tucker gasped, and Sam gave up, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
"No. Clockworks Tower…"
…
A/N: Dun, dun DUUUUUUN! What could Clockwork have to do with all of this? Will they be able to save Danny? And when is Luke going to get yelled at!?
Truth be told, I'm not sure if I'm crazy about this chapter or not.
Oh well!