Have a superb 2009 everybody! This story is winding down soon, and I'd like to thank all who have read it, all who are still reading it, all who liked it enough to add it to their alerts or favorites list, and all who have ever reviewed.
I'd like to thank the one who reviewed the last chapter: Luiz4200!
Disclaimer: I tell only of the adventures Danny might have experience, if I actually owned the show. But I don't own the show, so the stories are here instead.
On the King's Honor
Danny found his friends and family in the throne room, in deep trouble. Dark was mocking them. Dark was making threats to them, Danny, and the citizens of Amity Park. Apparently, they had been sentenced to burn at the stakes.
The room was almost overflowing with Dark's skeletons. With all the soldiers, the prisoners had no way to escape. Danny knew there was only one way to save them, and he needed a lot of courage to do it. He had to challenge the king.
Danny knew he had to do this eventually. He'd known ever since his parents started helping him control his powers. After all, his Dad expected that he would be able to challenge the king. His Dad expected him to become the greatest super hero. Danny just didn't expect the time to challenge the king would be so soon, only a few weeks after he started learning how to use his powers. But regardless of whether he was ready or not, it was time.
A little shakily, Danny stepped into the throne room, and ectoblasted the king. Everyone knew this was a challenge of the king's honor.
"Who dared to challenge me?" Pariah roared, and stood up. "I demand to see my opponent!"
Dark was enough to scare anyone, especially in his anger. Danny stuttered over his words as he admitted, "I- I did. I ch- challenged you."
Narrowing his eyes, Pariah hissed, "I thought you were supposed to be in your cell."
"Well, I'm n– not."
"Who is responsible for this? He fears me, yet he challenges me! Did you not understand that he must remain in the dungeons?"
None wanting to admit to letting Danny escape, the skeletons remained silent.
"My Lord, perhaps you should punish him who let the boy out of his cell later," the Fright Knight counseled.
The king frowned, not liking the suggestion.
The Fright Knight dropped his voice to almost a whisper as he continued advising the king. "Remember the unwritten law of the Ghost Zone," he said. "Any king who does not accept a challenge of the crown will lose his right to be a monarch, and his honor shall be lost forever. If he refuses, even his loyalist subjects must acknowledge the challenger as the new ruler."
"Perhaps you are right."
"I serve only you, My King," the Fright Knight replied, bowing.
The king growled at Danny, "Step forward, boy! I accept your challenge."
As he stepped forward, Jazz cried, "Danny, don't do this! If you fight the king, he'll kill you!"
"I have to Jazz," the young halfa claimed. "The king's going to kill us all anyway. I have to at least try."
"Clear the room!" Dark ordered. "I only want me, the boy, and the guarded prisoners to remain."
"But sir, why do you want the prisoners in here? They could escape!" one of the skeletons asked.
"The prisoners shall have to witness the halfling's defeat. The guards will make certain they don't escape."
Tears slid down the prisoners' cheeks, thinking that Danny would be killed. Worried about what they would see, they grouped together for mutual comfort.
"No!" Jazz bawled, "I can't watch." She turned her head and cried into her mother's shoulder.
The Ghost King declared, "Now, let the duel began!"