Dani grimaced. She understood the necessity for her role, but it was going to be dangerous, especially with her unstable state. The plan though was a good one. They had to keep Vlad confused, reacting to the wrong person. The two people who couldn't be confused with anyone else were Jack and Valerie; therefore they had to be the last ones in. It would soon be time. The first thing was to get towards Vlad as quickly as possible. The GAV would act as transport in one direction and the Spectre Speeder the other. A two pronged attack would work. If only they could get through the portal.

"We don't need to use Vlad's portal." Valerie grinned.

Sam got it first. "Wulf. You and Danny will take that route."

"Everybody understands the plan?"

They all nod.

With Wulf they could get there before Vlad tried again. It was time.

(Vlad's Mansion)

Vlad smiled. It was almost time to try again with the ritual. No-one could stop him this time. At that though Vlad's alarm rings. Something is seriously wrong. The Red Hunter was approaching. Somehow he manages to miss the readings that would let him know that this is only a masquerade.

"Red Hunter attacking from the North!"

"Red Hunter attacking from the South!"

Vlad was puzzled at this, but was willing to accept it as a duplication power. The fact she was wearing the old suit, only meant that she had recently had problems with her new one. Then he noticed they were being chased by the GAV.

"Analysis complete. This is an attack pattern. Advice. Turn back."

"No. I will not miss this chance. If Ghosts and Hunters are working together, it means they plan to close this opportunity forever."

Dani on the south side breathed a sigh of relief. She had slipped out of the suit in time. The next bit was going to be hard, but due to her unstable state, she actually had a slightly easier time than Danny would as she changed shape. "I don't like being a boy." she moaned to herself.

"Dani Phantom approaching from East"

"SO Danny again." Vlad cursed as he saw the shape. Perhaps if he'd been more creative when giving things names he would not have made that mistake.

"GAV has not stopped coming from West. Summon Guards?"

"Do so, now! If they want a fight I will give them one. I need this to succeed."

Vlad's basic animal guards are always useful, but they will only act as a delay until the more powerful reinforcements. Few ghosts know Vlad's true aims of course. There were the more potent of his assistants. Fright Knight, Skulker and Ember. Ember was useful, but somewhat uncontrollable. Still she was better than Youngblood. Vlad split himself into four. It wouldn't fool the ghosts, but it might fool the humans. If he needed the extra, he would use it. Walker didn't like Vlad which was why Vlad was careful to avoid Walker's realm. His last escape had been too close though.

So there were six powerful ghosts to face 2 ghosts and 2 mortals. They had the advantage after all, despite the ghosts' power, and the mortals' ability which was really nothing to worry about, despite them being good for mortals anyway.

"Each time we met, Ghost, I beat you. Your confidence is you weakness."

"And your mercy yours."

The room soon explodes into chaos, with rockets from Skulker and the GAV, Ecto rays from everyone, including Jack with his usual accuracy. None at all. Things were utterly chaotic. Dani nodded it was time. She let go of the shape she was in and returned to the normal.

"You miscounted our forces, Vlad." Came from the Van. Only two humans would call him Vlad. It was Jazz. At least the Red-Hunter didn't know why Jazz was calling him Vlad."

"So Vlad, surprised I know who you are?" came from the Red Hunter. At this point Vlad got it. The Red Hunter was not here. This was a distraction in order to focus him away from doing something. What were they trying to make him drop? As reality tears Vlad gets his answer as five powerful blasts hit him. He remembers them, from when he was hit from behind, and he finally understands why the felt so familiar the first time he was hit with them. They were the hunting suit weapons. Then he feels an icy chill. Danny? What was Danny doing there? Then the formerly empty Red-Hunter suit lifts up. The moves were brilliant; only one person could control this apparently chaotic hunt so well - Damon Grey. At this one of his barriers breaks. "SAELECORN." he states calmly and understandably. The two old hunter suits deactivate revealing Sam and Dani.

While Dani is still dangerous, she has been reduced to the occasional shot. Sam is more or less out of the game. Danny and the Red Hunter, when they agree on something work instinctively as a team. It's mainly due to the similar personalities they have, which means that when they do disagree they go to war.

Vlad's defending ghosts are out of the way, and it is now time to go to the second layer of his defence. Quickly taking a route out of the battle zone and turning back into human form he activates his anti-ghost defences. For Vlad this is an act of desperation, relying on human technology instead of his ghostly power, but it is more efficient, the potent hits causing both Danny and Val to faint; thus both revert into their human forms. Maddie and Jack's surprise make them easier targets. And it clicks exactly why Ember was supplying him with hairs.

Jack and Maddie are also quickly tied up. Vlad for once is willing to reveal his identity for it no longer matters. He will soon have everything he wants. A blast comes from Ember to try and stop him. He blasts back. And Ember does not have the same power she once did anymore. True Passion is needed not merely Obsession.

Vlad plucks hair from Val's head. He smiles.

"Let's try again." Vlad stated. "Let the sword cut the ties of fate, the gauntlet change reality. The medallion alter time, the music alter emotion, and finally the hair of the Valkyrie to bring the new doom."

Valerie seems to vanish as suddenly reality alters to Vlad's whims. Still in order to get to Vlad's whims there are certain knock-on changes.

"It's been fourteen years Jack. You'll never convince the Masters' you're right." says a tall willowy raven-haired girl who's still apparently twenty-five.

"You can drop the glamour here, Ember." Damon reminds her.

"That's a relief." Ember does so. "We just got a message form Clockwork. He found a Valkyrie."

"You mean a survivor? Wow! Still hoping for kids?" Jack queried.

"Yes, but knowing the difficulty in cross-breeding we won't be too disappointed if one doesn't turn up."

Meanwhile in the ghost zone:

"Where the hell is it?" Valerie grimaced. "It should be here, but it isn't. Where the hell is my realm?"

"You have to wait 5 years! You know that. You're a new ghost."

True enough she was newly active, but a new ghost she wasn't. Wait, Ritual of Chronos. Time. It was off to see Clockwork then.