You all must have known this one was coming... What can I say? I had too much fun with older Danny is the first one... Enjoy
Timeline in relation to Endgame [and in their respective order]:
1. Mutualism [Months after Endgame but prior to the last epilogue scene with Skulker]
2. Masks [Same Halloween day Skulker is released in the Endgame Epilogue]
3. Compromise drabbles [Starts same Halloween day Skulker is released in the Endgame Epilogue, Compromise Part 1, right after Masks]
3. A Day at a Time [Several months after Endgame, and a couple months after 1 through 3]
4. Powerplay Part 1 [Many years after Endgame. Danny is twenty-six]
5. Power Play Part 2 [2 years after Part 1]
Power Play—Part 2
Two years later…
Laying on a hill on their territory, the two hybrids relaxed as they stared up at the swirling purple and green atmosphere of the Ghost Zone… At times, when they both had a long day of work and stress in the Human World, they would come out here and just chat; or simply enjoy each other's company…
It easily had become one of their favorite pastimes...
"That one is new…"
Plasmius, who had at some point closed his eyes, and now looked peacefully content with his arms behind his head, opened his eyes to glance at the younger man beside him. But seeing him pointing up, the older hybrid looked up in the direction.
But not understanding, he replied, "What is…?"
"That Nova there… It wasn't here the last time we came out here last week…"
Vlad glanced back up and furrowed his eyebrows. "How can you tell…?"
Danny smirked. "They're like the stars… Some are brighter, or smaller, or blink and move differently. That one… it has just the faintest purple on the outer layer… Pretty uncommon since most Novas are just shades of green."
Vlad stared for moment before a small smile curled his lips. "Hmm… yes, I see it now…" He chuckled. "Ah… badger… You and your stars."
But although he smiled, Danny stayed quiet as he continued to watch the Novas.
Vlad felt an odd emotion pass through the younger half-ghost but before he could ask about it, Danny spoke up again.
"Do you remember when I was fifteen and you took me for the first time to that waterfall at your place in Wisconsin? It was during the whole 'You will stay with me or I will waste your sister' phase you went through…"
Vlad shot him an unamused look. "Your way with words still astounds me… But yes, I remember… though it was hardly a 'phase'."
"Totally was," Danny argued with a smirk. But it then melded away into a small frown as he added, "You said something to me that night I'll never forget…"
"Not sure if the things I said to you back then are worth remembering," Vlad muttered back.
"You said… you've never seen anyone look at the stars like I do… and you asked me if the reason I liked the stars so much was so I could reach the unreachable…"
"Yes…," the older man answered.
"If you would have told my fifteen-year-old self we'd be here now…. Our human lives as normal as they can get… Our ghost halves fully established in the Ghost Zone. And us sharing an unbreakable guardianship… I would have called you a fruitloop."
"You called me that regardless…"
Danny chuckled, but then he sighed. "Is that where we're at, Vlad? Have we reached the unreachable?"
Vlad frowned deeply. He also remembered that conversation, especially when the other half-ghost had told him that once someone reached the unreachable there was nothing else left… It was a disheartening thought.
"You are too young to be thinking you've reached everything, Daniel…"
But the young man shook his head. "I don't mean everything… I mean… us. Did we actually manage it? Manage to finally find a balance between our human and ghost lives, between… each other? Did we actually make it, Vlad? And… if we did, is it okay? I know what I said about there being nothing else after you obtain the unreachable, but… is it bad that I'm glad we possibly did? That for the first time in years, we can just sit here and be satisfied with our lives?"
Vlad fell quiet as he thought about what the younger hybrid was saying and asking… It was true, though. They were in such a… calm and stable moment in their lives that it seemed surreal. It was almost scary. And he could feel Daniel was a bit afraid of finding himself in such a good place in his life. The man knew the feeling. He had struggled with the same self-sabotaging notion that good things could not exist in his life without some foreboding consequence, especially in the years that followed the incident with their future evil self…
"I think I'm rubbing off on you a bit too much…," he finally said glancing at the young man with a small smile.
"Pftt… You just noticed?" Daniel answered with a huff of amusement.
"But you have rubbed off on me, too, Daniel…," Vlad added more seriously. "And because of it, my view of certain things have changed since you were fifteen… It's why I have stopped asking 'why'. Sometimes… it's better to just enjoy the moment, you know? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that…"
The man smiled at his protégé again as he continued, "Like you, I am also glad we have come this far… And while our lives might not be perfect and perhaps we will face other challenges in the future, at least for now, we can say we can share a moment in our lives where things are good… We should not be afraid to embrace that. Instead… we should be glad that we have achieved something that we thought for years was unreachable between us…"
Plasmius raised a hand and swirled gold energy above them.
Danny smiled at the feeling of his guardian's stable energy. Their bond was so in sync now that he could feel his own energy melded into it even when the man had produced it on his own. Their cores relied on each other… It really was amazing that they had made it this far… that they had gone from enemies to uncertain allies to something stronger than even mortal ties could explain… And while, yes, they had their own families and friends that they loved dearly, what they had was so unique to them. And so special.
They had done this. They had made the choices that had led them to where they were today.
Danny would never regret having accepted this guardianship; or having the other half ghost as his guardian.
They had really come a long way.
"You're right…," Danny finally answered with a sigh as his brief uncertainty was washed away with the feel of the other half-ghost's own confidence and happiness.
He then reached up and the energy Vlad had produced easily flowed towards him; but just as easily, it looped back around towards the older hybrid, creating a figure-eight as it moved between them.
"Makes you wonder…," Danny continued with a warm smile. "What other unreachable things could we hold in our grasp one day…?"
"Endless possibilities, Daniel… That's the beauty of this… There will always be something more to look forward to as long as we stay together… As long as we continue to embrace what we've created… And be proud of it."
"I am... And I wouldn't have it any other way, Masters…"
"As if I would ever let you go, little badger," Vlad replied with a smirk.
Danny glanced at him. "Obsessive fruitloop."
"Brat," he answered back.
But before Danny could retort, something unexpected happened.
The gold energy they had been moving steadily between their hands was abruptly yanked away from both of them.
Instantly, they sat up as they watched the energy race away and then land in a dark figure's outstretched hand.
As the gargoyle grinned evilly at them, the two hybrids rose to their feet.
"Ah… the prowling guardian lions…so we meet at last… Well, at least you now have the pleasure of meeting me since the reality is I have been watching you both for a couple of years now… My name is Chief Grošek, and I hope you both don't mind that I brought some friends along…"
They didn't show it, but the two half-ghosts could feel each other's apprehension and growing anger. Both their bodies began to glow gold as they watched hundreds of more gargoyles appear all around them.
Ambush
The word passed between both Danny and Vlad's mind as a dark glare melded onto their faces.
Danny was the first to speak. "… I might not know you personally, but we've dealt with your kind before …Spoiler alert: It didn't end well for them…"
"And it will not end well for you…," Plasmius added in a growl. "This is our domain, and we do not take kindly to intruders…"
"I do not either," the leader of the creatures answered darkly before he suddenly pushed the gold energy he had stolen in between both his hands, condensed it, and fired it back at the half-ghosts.
Instantly, the half-ghosts raised up a gold shield; but to their surprise, as the blast struck the barrier, the attack cracked it straight down its center even though it held.
The hybrids tensed even more.
"How did you…?" Danny began angrily.
"You two invaded and destroyed my home, got over half of my kin arrested by those abominable snow beasts, and have displaced the rest of my kin!" Chief Grošek sneered. "Did you really think you would get away with that? To dare challenge a ghost species that has been around longer than thousands of your half-mortal lifetimes! …I will teach you guardian cubs why you should have thought-twice before stepping into territory you do not know!"
"Cubs?" Plasmius hissed as his energy intensified. "It is you who clearly has no idea who you are challenging!"
With the sudden increase of his guardian's own energy, Phantom's form immediately switched to his more intimidating, heightened form as he added, "But you're about to find out!"
Danny abruptly turned away from the leader and released a wave of ice energy at the ghosts behind them while Plasmius, at the same time, released his own wave of red energy at the leader and the remaining creatures in front.
They stayed back-to-back assuring there was no openings for any of the creatures as they gathered more energy in their hands; and this time, it turned bright gold before they released the second waves of power.
In turn, the creatures scattered, except for their leader who raised a gold energy shield right from the ground, protecting him and those closest to him from the attacks.
Plasmius sneered realizing this creature, like Daniel, could somehow absorb other entities' energy and wield it. And it was clearly using their own synchronized energy against him and the younger hybrid.
He's stealing our synchronized energy!
He is doing more than that, Daniel… We need to switch it off until we know the extent of this creature's ability.
The half-ghosts silently agreed as their glowing gold hands melded back into red and green energy. And as they considered their enemy, they noticed that while they had succeeded in disabling about twenty-five percent of Chief Grošek's kin, the remainder quickly regrouped and continued to encompass them.
But now they kept a respectful distance. Clearly, they were waiting on something because they were not fully engaging in battle just yet.
Danny narrowed his eyes as he watched how their jaws opened in hunger and blue drool seeped from their mouths. Of course, he remembered these creatures ate cold cores… But he also remembered they feared hot cores…
He quietly began to draw hot core energy from Vlad…
And feeling what the other half-ghost was doing and knowing the younger man needed a few minutes to pull enough of his energy to use it, the older half-ghost did what he did best:
"Honestly, do you truly want to fight over split milk?" Plasmius asked casually with a smirk. "There are an infinite number of unexplored lands and dimensions in the Ghost Zone… Surely, you and your clan could find another nice place to call home, hmm? Preferably far away from the Far Frozen so there is no further dispute. No one wants bad neighbors, right? Personally, I say we did you all a favor. Those ice beasts are…messy."
"Well, I can agree with your comment about the Far Frozen clan… But our rivalry has been going on for thousands of years… You see, cub," Chief Grošek continued, smirking at the glare he got from Plasmius with the derogatory name, "There is a balance to things. Our fight with the Far Frozen allowed our tribes to keep healthy balances… We stole and ate some of their younger and weaker kin, and they destroyed any of our kin that strayed in their path…"
"Until you all got greedy," Danny remarked, glancing back at the leader, though he kept his focus on all the creatures around them. He couldn't allow them to even get a single opening… especially while Vlad worked on distracting the leader as he strengthened his core…
But clearly in no rush himself, Chief Grošek easily replied to Danny. "It is not our fault that my kin have grown stronger and the Far Frozen have grown weaker… That is also part of the natural order of things… The weak perish to give way for the strong to evolve…"
"You know nothing of the natural order," Vlad replied with a scoff. "We felt the imbalance you and your kind were creating… And that, fool, is how you brought us to your own doorstep! So, count your losses, and go find yourself another place to start over, away from the Far Frozen…! There is no need for your kin to suffer further over your hurt pride…"
"Perhaps you are right…," the leader answered with a smirk, unfazed by the older hybrid's insults. "Maybe it is time to move on and find a new place to call home… And this place… Such a beautiful place… bursting with the sweet nectar of synchronized energy… It's like a little beehive flowing with honey, isn't it?"
How dare he! If he thinks….!
Danny tensed as he felt his guardian's possessive side flare at the creature's now obvious intention.
Not yet…
Danny passed the words along with his calming emotion. He needed just another minute. Even after all these years, Danny's icy core protested whenever he pulled in his guardian's heated energy. His core was simply not meant to wield fire-based powers; so it was always uncomfortable… Danny knew from past experience if he was not careful, he would be overwhelmed by Vlad's hot energy. And at worst, he could harm his core…
But Plasmius' eyes remained narrowed as he continued to listen to the creature taunt them…
"…It has certainly been satisfying to watch it grow and evolve in the past few years… So much work and energy you two little bees have spent on creating this little paradise… Very fitting domain for two mighty guardians…"
But then the leader grinned viciously as he added, "But not as fitting as it will be once I take it for my own…"
"You will find that a very difficult feat!" Vlad assured darkly as his hands began to spark with electrical energy. He was done listening to this fool!
He ignored Danny's silent attempt to calm him again, because if anything ticked off the older hybrid, it was anyone daring to take away what belonged to him!
"Ah yes… such powerful creatures, you are," Chief Grošek mocked. "Especially you, Plasmius… A hot core in its prime… And better yet, a hot core with the ability of regenerating its own energy… And not just any energy, is it…? Synchronized energy. The unicorn of all energies… And here you and your younger counterpart have completely mastered it… It certainly makes you invulnerable to most… But so fragile towards each other…"
Before the two half-ghosts knew what he meant, they saw the leader pull more gold energy right out of their territory. But this time, he grabbed it in his claws and began to pull it apart like separating an egg yolk from its whites. It was clearly not meant to be pulled apart as the energy dulled and bled out whisp of dead matter as it came undone
"Daniel…," Vlad whispered as his anger melded into fear.
His eyes further widened in alarm upon witnessing the ghost now holding a sphere of green energy and a sphere of red energy in each of his hands. But while the older hybrid could feel it was his and the other half-ghost's separated energies, it felt unnatural, unstable.
The green sphere flashed unsteadily to icy blue energy, like a flickering lightbulb.. And the red sphere was just as unstable as it sparked out pink electricity that went everywhere like a burning hot pan with oil.
Danny, who had still been covering their backs, had not seen the initial separation of the gold energy. But upon hearing and feeling his guardian's fear, he glanced back to see what had happened.
Phantom also froze in disbelief at seeing and now also feeling the unstable green and red energy in the leader's clawed hands… It couldn't be…
"Hot cores… Disgusting things…," the leader said as he sneered at the red energy in his hand that was actually melting off some of his ghost flesh; yet he did not let it go. "So volatile… corrosive and destructive… But so easily snuffed out under the right conditions…"
He grinned at Plasmius and added, "Let me show you…"
"Vlad!" Danny exclaimed when the creature abruptly fired—not the red sphere but—the pulsing blue-green sphere of energy towards his guardian.
"Daniel, wait!" the man shouted when the younger hybrid instinctively raised a gold shield to protect the older hybrid.
Unlike Danny, Vlad had already figured out the creature's intention. And worse, his protégé had just played right into his hand with his need of keeping the other half ghost safe.
The green blast struck the shield but it absorbed into it; and just as quickly, it passed right through pulling apart the gold shield like the leader had done with the sphere of gold energy in his hand a moment ago.
And as the shield was left with only red energy, the now doubled green sphere of energy came through the other side of the shield and struck Vlad right in the chest.
Being that they were so close to each other, the older hybrid was thrown back into the younger one with a cry of pain.
But Phantom managed to regain his footing and quickly grabbed onto Vlad before they both collapsed to their knees.
The younger hybrid gripped the older man harder as he internally felt more than saw how his guardian's core had seized inside of him as it attempted to overcome the energy that had just pierced straight into his core.
"Vlad? Vlad! What's… wrong?" Danny gasped out as the man's fingernails dug into his arms when the pain intensified and the gold hue around him vanished.
"I… don't…" But he couldn't finish because he felt like his core was being frozen over, and he began to violently shake.
The leader laughed loudly, and Danny quickly looked up at him with fury. "What did you do to him?!"
In all these years, he had never seen anyone take out his guardian so easily. The fact, terrified Danny.
"Do you know, little cub, why cold cores are the rarest type of elemental cores?" The leader asked smugly. "It's the same reason why in the natural order, there are always more prey than predators… As powerful as your counterpart is, it is you who holds the apex core. And it is why my kind consume cold cores. It is the only force that can stand a chance against fire cores. So, imagine my delight to find you, the ultimate cold core… Strong enough to take down even alpha-level hot cores… In short… You are your counterpart's undoing, little cub… And you are going to watch as I use your core to snuff out his."
Danny sneered, barring his fangs at the leader as he saw the creature gather more gold energy in his hand; and like before, he separated out the energies.
The leader then said to his clan, "…Subdue the younger cub… and bring me his guardian. Once I finish destroying him… we will be feasting on his younger counterpart's core…."
The slobbering creatures instantly ran at them all at once. And too afraid to use gold energy after what had happened, Danny quickly turned back to his normal ghost form and created a green dome around them.
As the creatures clawed and fired at his barrier, Danny focused back on Vlad.
"Vlad? Hey... Are you okay?" he whispered as he stared at the older hybrid.
But the man's eyes were still screwed shut, while a hand gripped against his chest. He was shaking and looking worse by the minute.
"He used… your energy… But it's not like before...," Plasmius managed to groan out.
Danny's eyebrows creased with worry. He knew what the man meant. In the past, when they fought against each other, their attacks, especially the elemental type were weakening and painful, but… they both knew this was different. Their energies had never been able to hurt them like this.
Danny grunted as he felt his shield begin to crack; but knowing he could hold it a moment longer, he moved the man's hand away and instead pressed his own hand against the other hybrid's chest.
"I absorbed some of your energy… Maybe it will help if I give some back…"
And Danny's eyes flashed red before he focused on pushing back hot energy into the man's core.
Vlad instantly gripped Danny's wrist to keep his hand against his core out of some sort of instinctual desperation when he realized that the energy was helping. It was counteracting the unnatural cold energy that had been slowly freezing his core over.
Seeing Plasmius finally open his eyes and exhale, Phantom severed the energy flow, though he kept his hand against the other man's core. It definitely felt better.
"Thank you, Daniel…," Vlad muttered before he shuddered at the memory of what had just happened. "That was…unpleasant."
"We can't risk him getting a hit on you like that again," Phantom cut him off seriously. "Stay here… I'll deal with this jerk… "
But though the other half-ghost's shield flickered, Plasmius grabbed his protégé by an arm and said, "Do not use synchronized energy. We both know these creatures weaken against heat-based attacks… I'll cover your back against the rest of these beasts. Go."
Danny nodded before he pushed his shattering shield outward and sent the multitude of monsters back a couple of yards.
As he rose to his feet, he abruptly split into six Phantoms. And while one of his copies remained by his guardian, the others spread out with their hands now glowing with red hot energy.
Switching to his more stronger ghost side to withstand the burden of his guardian's energy, Danny's eyes flashed red as he sneered at the leader. "You're going to regret that…"
"Am I…? Come on, then… Show me what you can do, little lion."
Phantom's copies attacked while the real one slowly moved forward, gathering more and more energy in his palms. This creature had just crossed the line.
"Oh, are you angry, boy?" the creature taunted as several of his kind stepped in front of him to keep the younger hybrid away. "You have not seen anything yet… By the time this is over, these lands will be my new home, molded into a dark cozy wasteland; you will be the main course on our celebration banquet, and your guardian… He will be my new favorite ice adornment in the center of our courtyard."
"Shame I will have to crush your dreams…," Danny muttered before he released a wave of red energy at the creature and its followers.
Immediately, the leader raised gold energy from their surroundings creating another dome to protect them. Danny's attack cracked the shield, but it didn't get through.
And, of course, it wouldn't. The creature was using their own synchronized energy against them!
But Danny was determined to pummel this slobbering mutt!
"Oh, look at you… absorbing your counterpart's hot energy to subdue my kin and me… Except… to do that you would need to actually hit me with it," the creature taunted. "But, please, keep trying…All you are doing is stressing and weakening your precious ice core…"
"Enough of your rambling!" Danny sneered and released another red blast at the creature and its kin. Danny was panting now from growing fury and the growing fire in his chest.
He threw two more spheres of heated power at the creature, and this time, he managed to slam away some of the gargoyles and the gold shield around the leader cracked some more.
But the leader just grinned. "I think you're right… I have dragged this out long enough… I am getting hungry and the only thing standing in my way is your guardian… Let's take care of him…"
Danny tensed as he saw the creature draw more gold energy from his surroundings and repeat the same process of splitting it apart.
But this time, the pulsing green-and-blue energy melded into an icy darker blue energy in his hand….
And then the chief began to spread it around him… and to his kin…
Danny's eyes widened and the intense red energy in his hand faltered as he watched the hundreds of creatures around him and Vlad now also glowing with the same unstable ice energy.
… There was no way his guardian could protect himself against so many ghosts targeting him at once. And while Danny's core could process unstable energies and even Vlad's hot energy to some extent…
Vlad's core was different—and he had already seen what just one well-aimed attack had almost done to the man.
"You are over your head, little cub," the leader said evilly.
Phantom quickly commanded his clones to draw back and surround his guardian. And while he was not looking at the older hybrid since his eyes were focused on the leader, he sent his emotions to the older half-ghost…
Vlad, who had recovered from the last blow, had been attacking the creatures that kept lunging at them. He knew he needed to buy Daniel time to get close enough to their leader and take him down. But a moment later, the army of gargoyle ghosts had suddenly stopped attacking and instead froze, like they were gothic statues.
And then, they started to glow blue… In that same moment, he sensed Danny's warning to him. But he already knew what the younger one was warning him about. He could feel the boy's stolen and unstable cold energy surging through them.
"Apple tarts!" Vlad cursed.
And then the chaos started.
As the creatures came back to life, they all attacked at once and their target was clearly the older hybrid.
Vlad created his own copies—four to be exact—and attacked back with the help of Danny's clones. Unfortunately, his recent disturbance to his core had left him slightly weakened; so right now, he could not afford more copies, let alone, shadow clones.
Meanwhile, the real Phantom lunged forward with even more determination, knowing he needed to take down this creature's leader before he got away with his intentions.
The problem was the chief was being protected by many of his kin, and the creature was using his and Vlad's synchronized energy to protect himself and those around him. It was making it impossible to get anywhere near him!
Meanwhile, Vlad could feel Danny's mounting anger, frustration and fear. Even at his age, the younger hybrid had always had a weak spot when it came to the possibility of someone he cared for being hurt.
And while Danny teased him about his being obsessed with the young hybrid, the truth was, Danny was so fiercely protective of him it sometimes astounded even Plasmius himself. It was seldom a problem since they did well in keeping each other balanced; and nowadays, they easily could hold their own.
But… this creature seemed to know how to use their bond to its advantage…
It really had been watching them for years.
Vlad sent his own warning back to the young half-ghost urging him to calm down and focus. The creature was waiting for either of them to slip up. Or, worse, for a chance to steal more of their energy to use against them.
They needed to regroup—and fast.
Come back….
The unspoken words hit the young half ghost with a wave of concern and stress. But Danny was determined to get to the leader and put an end to him before…
It happened suddenly.
A beam of blue energy managed to bypass his and Danny's copies, and it struck Vlad in the stomach. And while it did not weaken him as badly as the first attack to his core had, it was enough to disorient the older hybrid.
It was alarming. Plasmius had been hit by energies stronger than his own on many occasions; and yet, it had never affected him as badly as Danny's unstable cold energy did. He had never thought it was even possible for gold energy to be ripped apart like that creature had done!
Danny felt his guardian's mounting distress, and he became even more furious with the creature responsible. But he knew he had to get to this creature! He attacked with even more energy, violently blasting away more and more the creature's kin keeping him from him.
But he tensed again as he felt as yet another blast managed to strike his guardian.
Daniel, come back!
But Phantom ignored his guardian as his growing fury urged him forward. How dare this beast come into their territory, threaten him, and harm his guardian! He wanted to pummel him! He refused to let him get away with this!
But the more Danny pushed and pushed, the more he felt himself growing less angry and more desperate as he felt Vlad's core weakening in turn…
Hang on, Vlad! I can stop him! Just hang on!
Plasmius was really not fairing too well. His head was spinning and while his core continued to produce energy at a staggering rate, it felt like every hit from these creatures just seeped it right out.
Another blast, and this time, it hit him in the chest close enough to cripple him. And with a gasp, Vlad dropped to his knees and his copies vanished.
Danny's copies glanced at the older hybrid in alarm; but they were looking increasingly frightened as the creatures continued to draw closer and continued to fire blast after blast. Danny's duplicates knew now that no matter what they did, they could not keep all of the attacks from landing on their target.
They were chipping away, and Vlad wouldn't last much longer at this rate.
"Well, little cub… come on… I am hardly impressed yet," the leader taunted Danny whose attacks only became more violent and uncoordinated.
And then, suddenly, the red energy pouring around Danny, flickered back to green. And he realized he had now used up all the hot energy he had borrowed from his guardian.
The chief grinned knowingly at him.
For the first time in years, Phantom hesitated as he paused his attack… and even took a step back, too afraid to push forward and too afraid to retreat towards his guardian.
Vlad… I… I can't get to him… I… I don't know what to do…
Plasmius, while weakened terribly knew who was truly in trouble. It was why he had kept urging the boy to return to him. He knew the beast was driving the young hybrid on to lure him further away, and get him to waste energy; so it could…
Gathering whatever strength he had left, Vlad teleported. Instantly, he appeared next to the real Danny.
And with a dark sneer at the leader, he fired a pink bolt of energy at him and those in front of him before they could react.
The hot attack was enough to throw them all back and shatter the leader's gold shield but not enough to take them out completely.
"Vlad!" Danny exclaimed as the man collapsed to his knees right away.
Phantom grabbed him by his arms to try to get him to stand. But the man just gripped back at him and whispered urgently, "Daniel, you need to leave. Now! He's trying to trap you. And attacking him is only feeding him more power…"
"No way! I'm not leaving you here for these creatures to…"
But the older hybrid cut him off as he said with deep distress, "Daniel, they will tear you apart! Do you understand? He wants your core! They consume ghosts like you! You need to…"
But Plasmius didn't finish as a blue energy beam hit him in the back.
Danny gasped and quickly covered them in a gold shield.
But it was obvious the leader had been waiting for him to use gold energy. And like before, the leader easily stole the Phantom's energy from him, and used it against Plasmius.
"No," Danny muttered as a fear he had not felt in a while curled around his core. He created more copies in his desperation to keep his guardian safe. But he knew one more hit, and it was over.
Vlad's core couldn't take anymore.
"Leave him alone!" Danny hissed at the creatures. "You want me, then come get me!"
"Oh, I will…" the leader answered darkly, clearly having recovered. "But first… "
The leader raised his hand, green energy melding into dark blue as he aimed it right at the half-ghosts.
Danny gasped before he wrapped his arms around Vlad and spun them around to shield the man with his own body. But like with the shield, the energy passed right through Danny and struck the older hybrid in the chest.
Vlad grunted and began to shiver when he felt his hot core snuff out.
"Danny… go… p-please…," he whispered at the young man in desperation before black rings changed him back to Masters.
"No, no… Vlad!" Danny exclaimed as the man lost consciousness right after.
He grabbed his guardian as he laid him down on the ground and pressed his hand against his chest. He was ice cold! Never in his life had he felt Vlad this cold. He was always warm, even in ghost form. It was his core that kept him like that…
"Your turn…"
Danny rose to his feet and stared murderously at the creature. For the first time in his life, he felt the desire to destroy another being… He wanted to rip this creature apart!
"You should have taken me out first…," Phantom sneered as energy began to gather around him in dark swirls of blue and green. "Plasmius would have shown you more mercy than what I am about to…!"
With a shout of fury, he released a massive wave of power through his vocal cords. And as they passed, they either froze or destroyed anything in their path.
He didn't see what happened to the creatures in its path because he was too furious to care about anything but keeping his wail going as long as he could to obliterate as many of the ghosts as he could.
But eventually, he had to stop. And though he now panted with the use of so much energy, his hands were glowing fists as he looked for any remaining creatures around them.
But, suddenly, a laugh caught his attention and he whirled around.
"It can't be…" Danny muttered as he watched the gargoyle leader step out of the dust… gold energy coating him and the rest of his kin.
His ghost wail had not done a thing to any of them!
"Ah, there it is…."
Danny tensed but refused to move away since Vlad was on the ground unconscious
"So much raw power… It will be delicious to eat you, guardian…. "
Danny watched as the creature split gold energy again. But this time, he absorbed the green energy into himself and began to expand Vlad's red unstable energy around him… and soon spread it to his kin.
"Remember how I said you were your guardian's downfall…?" he asked evilly. "Well… He is yours, too…"
Danny watched in alarm as red energy began to glow in the hands of the remaining hundreds of creatures. Yet, he noticed how their flesh began to melt off the longer they held it… ultimately, they did not need to hold it for very long.
"Yours and your guardian's reign end here, little lion," the creature said darkly and then they all fired.
Danny had been subjected in the past to Vlad's power. But this… this was worse. This was weakening and shocking.
The young hybrid did not know when he lost awareness…