Chapter 36: Ghost Tales

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"You think that you're the only ghost that has suffered? Wrong! Every ghost has his or her fair share of tragedies and hardships! But none of us ask for pity! For only the people with the strongest wills can ever hope to live on after death!"

Torch (Absolution Chapter 19)

Ghost Tales

The Reality Gauntlet. It was a tool meant to better the Earth. It would change reality in order to help improve humankind. The Gauntlet did just that. The lives of the beings of Earth were made significantly better. People were made happier and more content.

But that was only a temporary thing…

Unfortunately, the Reality Gauntlet had a consequence that no one could foresee. In exchange for incredible power beyond understanding, the weapon destroyed a simple barrier that the universe depended on. The barrier of life and death.

The people…the humans…would not immediately be sent to the afterlife anymore. No, they had a chance to come back. They had a chance to be something more. They would be something that was cursed to roam the planet in desperate need to complete an unfinished task, to complete their obsession. Until the day that they found contentment, they would suffer in the barrier between life and death…

But that was not the worst problem. No, the worst problem was another type of ghost. The Reality Gauntlet gave birth to a ghost that was created from an idea. In an instant, a simple thought could now come back and destroy lives.

And so it did…

Time. The first ghost was obsessed with time. It was something everyone thought about. Every living creature lived on the concept of time. Each being only had a set amount of time to use. That's why everyone was obsessed with the concept of controlling time.

People wanted to use time for their advantage. They always wanted more time for themselves and less time for their enemies. The living fought with desperation just to extend the amount of time they had. They were constantly thinking about time because it was an all-powerful force. It dictated everything.

That was why he existed. He lived because of their concept of time. Their thoughts and desperation gave him life. But he did not live for them. He lived to protect time from them. They would try to interfere with it. That much was certain. After all, that Savage man's desire to control such things was what created him in the first place.

One minute, he did not exist. The next, he was there. He floated above the man that was indirectly the cause of his existence. The large man was wearing a gauntlet meant to control time and space. This human wished to control the universe.

Not for evil purposes, though. No, Savage wanted to do good in this world. But good intentions were not enough. Try to fight reality, and reality will come back swinging.

That was the only time they fought, though. Death. Time. Reality. These were forces that were neutral. They cared not who you were or how you lived. Everyone was treated equally. Until someone tried to cheat that is.

And that was why he existed. He was meant to fight back, to control time. His existence would ensure that time would not be interfered with.

But for him to do that, he would need to have an understanding. He would have to understand things that no one else did. Truths about the universe were revealed to him as he formed. The Endless. The Beginning. The Monitors. The Presence.

The end…

The Phantom…

'Yes…' Clockwork noted as he looked down. 'I see. My job is not to interfere unless time itself is in trouble. And if I do interfere elsewhere…'

Bad things would happen.

His first thought was a simple thing. It was so simple that even a toddler could understand what it meant. In fact, he could describe it in mere words.

Kill.

Erase.

Destroy.

Simple thoughts, but terrible acts. And that's what he loved about them. They were simple but terrifying. This was especially true because life was so fragile.

Humans could die so easily. If one small thing went wrong, they would die. It wouldn't take much. A small blade could easily make a man bleed to death. If there was just a little pressure on a woman's neck, it would snap. And a child...Well, they were the most fragile of all.

He knew it as soon as he appeared in front of the lovely village. It was filled with happy people. The children were especially happy. Laughs and cries of happiness filled the air. There was laughing. There was joy. There was life.

It disgusted him. How could those things be so happy? They were merely bags of flesh waiting for their meaningless existence to come to an end. He knew it! Their very purpose for existence was to die! Why else would they constantly be thinking about it!?

Why else would they create a Reaper to come and kill them all?!

"Die…" Nekron spoke. Black energy formed around his hand. It was sent into the village. Unlike with most blasts, this energy did not explode. Instead, the black seeping energy caused everything to crumble to dust and die as their very souls seemed to be pulled out of their bodies. As this happened, everything seemed to decay. Buildings aged centuries in a second. Plants wilted away in a flash. Human bodies disintegrated into nothingness.

A few more blasts of energy and minutes later, there was nothing left of the village. All that was left was a crater. It was beautiful to Nekron the Reaper. There was no more life. Nothing was left only death.

Just like the rest of the world would soon be like…

In times of crisis, humans look to leadership from the strong. When there is nothing that can be done to stop the suffering, people will look to anyone to give them hope. Humanity needs hope in order to survive. If there is no hope for tomorrow, then the purpose of life will meet its end.

That was what it was like during the time of the Reaper. There was no hope. People suffered constantly. Death was more common than life. Many times people believed that there was no way that they would live to see tomorrow.

It was the Reaper and the forces he created that created this would of terror. Entire cities were destroyed. Lives were ruined constantly. Hope was killed.

For the humans, there was no one to turn to. No human could face the Reaper and have the chance of living more than a few seconds. Even that man, the man who made the world better by altering reality, couldn't face the Reaper. He was defeated easily. The Reaper merely laughed as the man's gauntlet proved useless against him.

In a single move, the man…Savage…fell. His body was destroyed. He was left a broken man. In time, the man would heal like he always did. Reaper, however, used his death scythe to leave a permanent reminder of the man's weakness. Along Savage's face were three long scars that would never fade.

With no one to turn to, humanity began to give up. There didn't seem to be a way out of the destruction. It seemed that there was no physical way to stop the Reaper. Nevertheless, the people continued to dream and to plan. Every day, humanity thought of new ways to stop the Reaper. They dreamed of a man that was powerful enough and smart enough to combat the destroyer.

It was this idea that brought Pariah Dark to life.

He walked through the destroyed village. It was the first place that the Reaper had destroyed. The blackened earth and sky spoke of the terrible events that happened here. The giant man in armor felt nothing as he eyed the piles of bone around him. He was not meant to feel sadness. If he did, he wouldn't be able to accomplish his goals.

The man with wild green hair and a pure white ashen face grimaced. He might have a chance to defeat Reaper under the right circumstances, but the Reaper was not alone. The destroyer had made an army of dark creatures of death. They would prevent Pariah from getting to the Reaper.

"I'm going to need help."

"Who the hell are you?" The giant with crimson skin and blue swirling tattoos questioned.

"My name is Pariah Dark, and I wish to speak with you." Pariah answered.

"Talk? Talking is for the weak!" The giant yelled. "I am going to act!"

"I am aware of that." Pariah nodded. The two of them stood in a clearing in the center of a thick forest. The trees around them stretched out and tried to reach for the clouds. "You are going to fight the Reaper."

"Of course I am!" The red giant roared. "That is the reason for my existence! I live to fight!"

"Yes…I have heard that you are the embodiment of battle and war. Humanity's bloody past given form." Pariah mentioned.

"Eh? You're still talking?" The red giant rolled his eyes. "Just get out of the way. I have a fight to get to."

"You won't even get close to the Reaper. Those creatures he created will stop you." Pariah noted. "If you wish to defeat the Reaper, then you need a plan."

"A plan!?" The massive man roared with laughter. He extended his hand and a condensed ball of shockwave energy and ectoplasm appeared. "This this my plan!"

"You…are a brute with no conscience." Pariah stated. "I have heard of you. You put people in danger when you try to fight. You don't care for others and respect nothing. You have no honor."

"Honor? What does honor have to do with anything!?" The brute yelled.

"Everything. Honor is respect. Honor is never breaking your word. Honor is fighting fair and never hurting the innocent." Pariah glared. "You have no honor."

"Fool! All I need is battle! And you have stood in my way for too long!" The red giant roared. "Move or I'll destroy you myself."

"…What is your name?"

"My name?" The brute scoffed. "Those weak humans have called me Colossus. A massive beast that cannot be stopped. That name will due."

"Fine then, Colossus." Pariah slipped into a fighting stance. "How about a deal? We fight. You win, and you never hear from me again. If I win, however, you have to agree to help me defeat the Reaper my way. With honor."

"Fine! It's not like I can lose anyway!" Colossus gained a large grin. "If you can actually defeat me, then I might just reconsider this ridiculous honor thing!"

"So be it…"

"ROAR!" The large beast with white fur, sharp claws, and ice horns roared out at the intruder to his mountain. Green blood ran down the yeti's body from the wound inflicted by the intruder.

"Ah…" Pariah sighed. This fight was proving tiresome. The beast refused to stay down, and Pariah's wounds were beginning to pile up as well. "Are you done yet?"

"Grr…" The yeti glared. His eyes were slitted, and his teeth were formed in a snarl.

"This is tiresome, beast." Pariah noted. A snowstorm was raging around him. It limited his vision, and most likely made the ice beast stronger. "I only came to talk, but you refuse to communicate."

"Grah!" The yeti monster struggled to stay on its feet. It was shaking in pain.

"Please stand down." Pariah requested. "If you don't then I'll be forced to kill you, and I don't want to do that to a possible friend."

"…" The yeti stared at the giant of a man.

"My name is Pariah Dark, and I want to stop the Reaper." Pariah introduced himself.

"…Then you are a fool…" The beast growled out. "The Reaper cannot be stopped. I…have seen him. He killed my family. I was left alone to freeze to death… And I…I was turned into this!"

Pariah didn't flinch as a wave of anger and despair hit him. The Ghostly Presence was strong, but Pariah was stronger. "I believe it. Reaper is a foul evil being that must be stopped. I can defeat Reaper, but I will need help. I will need your help."

"And why would I help you?!" The yeti cried.

"I have heard about you. A wild beast that roars from the mountain. Everyone around this mountain fears you. Yet…you have saved many travelers that have come through here." Pariah explained. "That means that you are not a total monster. In fact, I believe you are quite kind under that fearsome exterior."

The yeti merely snorted.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"…I doubt my old name is important now." The yeti frowned. "Now I go by Frostbite, because my freezing body is the last thing I remember from my old life before I died."

"Then, I ask you, Frostbite. Lend me your power." Pariah requested.

"You still haven't answered my question." Frostbite glared. "Why should I help you?"

"Because you are a good person. And…" Pariah smiled. "It is far better to be kind and friendly compared to fearsome and terrifying. Because what is life without friends?"

"…" Frostbite thought for a moment, then asked. "And you and I would be…friends?"

"Yes."

"…Then, join you I shall…" Frostbite stated. "Let's see if your words prove true."

"Ahg…" The giant blue skinned woman groaned as she regained consciousness. She laid on a soft bed that cushed her aching wounds. Darkness covered the room like a giant blanket making it nearly impossible to see what was around her. She could, however, discern one image beside her.

"You're awake." Pariah noted as he sat by her bedside.

"…Where…am I?" The woman with purple hair questioned.

"One of my hideouts." Pariah explained. "I found you after your attempt to kill the Reaper. You were in rough shape. I bandaged your wounds…"

"…Thank you…" The woman mumbled. She examined herself. Her clothes and armor remained untouched for the most part. There were bandages covering her body, but she knew that she hadn't been touched inappropriately while unconscious.

"Here." Pariah handed her a glass of water.

"My thanks…" The woman greedily drank the liquid. After she was finished, she added. "And to who do I owe a debt of gratitude."

"Pariah Dark." Pariah extended his hand.

"Pandora." Pandora shook the man's hand. "Or…at least that's what I think my name is. That's who people compare me to when I openly challenge the Reaper. They say that I open a box filled with chaos and death."

"I hate to say, but…I think it was foolish to fight the Reaper alone." Pariah noted.

"You are correct." Pandora sighed. "I thought that if I challenged him that I could defeat him. I was wrong. He…was ungodly strong. I couldn't believe it. My attacks didn't even get close."

"Yes, his strength is unparalleled." Pariah noted. "Except maybe…for me."

Pandora snorted. "And what makes you so strong?"

Pariah pointed to the ring and crown on his head. "These are the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire. The humans' wishes to stop the Reaper led to the creation of these objects and me. My sole purpose is to defeat the Reaper. Unfortunately, I know that the Reaper won't fight fair. I need powerful allies to help me."

"And…you want my help?" Pandora questioned.

"Yes, please lend me your strength."

Pandora grinned. "If you're serious about bringing justice to the Reaper, then you can count me in."

"Dance~ Cheer~ Sing~" A being that could be described as a clown danced around. His baggy clothes were black and white. The clown's hat stuck out wildly and was covered with tiny bells. The man's face was painted black on one side while his right side was painted white.

"Yeah!" The children clapped and cheered for the cheerful man.

"Hahahahahaha!" Jester laughed as he juggled twenty balls in the air. In the next moment, all the balls burst in tiny explosions. The energy gathered in the air and then flew into the man's open mouth. Jester swallowed the energy and smiled.

Boom! Jester's stomach blasted out for a second and then went back to normal. Still smiling, the clown allowed smoked to fly out of his mouth and nose.

The children and large crowd behind them applauded.

"Hmm…" A deep voice from behind Jester caught his attention

Jester turned and saw Pariah Dark. "Did you come for the show?"

"No, but it was quite amusing." Pariah smiled.

"That's great!" Jester laughed. His pitch was high and cheerful. "There aren't enough smiles these days! They have forgotten what it means to be happy! That's why I'm here! I'm the Jester, the one who always strives to make others smile!"

"Is that why you created all these people?" Pariah Dark questioned.

"Eh?" Jester raised an eyebrow. His cheerful smile, however, did not move.

"These people. They are projections. Physical ones at that. Although, I do think that they would be destroyed by a gentle breeze." Pariah observed the crowd that was cowering before his massive form. "You have incredible power and skill."

"Meh…" Jester let his smile fall. He now looked sad now. With a wave of his hand the massive crowd and the city around them faded away. They now stood in a massive crater. "Power and skill are pointless if I can't use it like I want."

"And how do you want to use it?" Pariah questioned.

"I want to bring happiness back to the world! I want people to smile again!" Jester waved his arms around wildly. "Everyone is so sad! I can't stand it! I tried to help… But every time I try to entertain real people, they end up dead. That's why I settle for my projections. At least I know when they will be gone…"

"You wish for the world to be happier?" Pariah asked.

"Of course!"

"Then you have to do more than make jokes and dance around." Pariah stated. "You must act. Happiness will never be prevalent as long as Nekron is around. He needs to be stopped."

"I cannot defeat him." Jester sighed sadly. "He would kill me easily."

"Alone, yes. But not if you surrounded yourself with strong individuals." Pariah smiled. "I am creating group of fighters to stop the Reaper. Help me, and I promise you that the world will have a happier future."

"…I suppose I have nothing to lose." Jester giggled. "You have yourself a deal."

"This…is impressive." Pariah Dark noted as he surveyed the area. Hundreds of Nekron's creations and monsters were left to rot in the area around him. These things had no blood because they were not alive technically. No, they were products of death. Each being Nekron killed ended up being one of his monsters. It was a sickening process.

"Impressive? I suppose." The shadowy knight shrugged as he looked over the cliff to the dark horizon. "These things lose intelligence the further they are from their master."

"Is that why you are so far from Nekron?" Pariah questioned.

"No. It's because I have no orders…no purpose." The Fright Knight stated. "A blade can do nothing if not used by a wielder."

"Says the knight with no sword of his own." Pariah chuckled.

"Every blade I wield breaks…just like me." The knight sighed.

"You call yourself a broken weapon, yet you managed to defeat so many of these beasts." Pariah mentioned.

"It is not like these things have those cursed power rings of Nekron." Fright Knight clenched his hands. "Those ring users are too strong."

"For one person…for one sword, perhaps. But what about an armies' worth?" Pariah suggested. "I am creating a group to fight off the Reaper. I believe that you could be a great help."

"Hmm…" The knight slowly turned and faced the giant.

"You compare yourself to a sword with no wielder. If you truly want to be used, then I will be your master. Follow me into battle, and I will lead you to the correct enemies." Pariah stated.

"My master? And what makes you worthy of being the master of a knight that frightens everything in his path?" The knight questioned.

"Because I was born to be a king." Pariah mentioned.

"King, eh?" The Fright Knight laughed. "Very well, let's see how good of a king you'll be."

"Are you the one they call the Ghost Writer?" Pariah asked as he walked into the bustling library. Books and papers flew all around the massive room.

"My name is Scribe, but I've been called that from time to time. Both names describes my love of the written word well enough." The libriarian noted as he continued his writing and controlling of flying books. "May I ask who you are?"

"Pariah Dark, the man that shall slay Nekron." Pariah noted.

The Ghost Writer laughed. "Oh, I'm sure you are. Now tell you what you want, I'm kind of busy. I need to record the planet's history for future races to find."

"And why's that?" Pariah questioned.

"Because the entire human race is doomed." Scribe focused on his writing. "It's only a matter of time now."

"Not if we do something about it."

"We?" Scribe paused in his writing.

"Yes, I want you to help me fight the Reaper." Pariah nodded.

"I can't." The Ghost Writer turned to Pariah Dark. "I use powers that are similar to the Reality Gauntlet. You know that the Gauntlet doesn't work on him. How would my powers make a difference?"

"I'm not asking you to fight. I'm asking you to support us. With your abilities, you can alter the battlefield in our favor." Pariah noted. "With you, we can win, but if you don't help, we could easily die."

"You're probably going to die no matter what." Scribe noted. "And I prefer living. I don't see why I should help you."

"Tell me, what's the point of history if there's no future?" Pariah questioned. "You want to make sure people remember us, but if we don't stop Nekron, there won't be a world left to remember. He will erase everything. Please, don't let that happen."

"Wow…That was one corny speech." The Ghost Writer smirked. "But I suppose you are right. I suppose the whole point of remembering yesterday is to improve tomorrow."

"This…is interesting…" Pariah Dark looked at the baron wasteland. At the center was a very small figure that was completely wrapped in purple cloth. If it were not for the eye peering at him from the purple pile, Pariah would have assumed that it was just a simple pile of clothing.

Of course, that was odd enough considering the surroundings. The land around them was just coal black earth and a darkened sky above them. Nekron had already razed the land here and there was nothing left that the eye could see.

"I heard rumors…of a little girl that could fight against Nekron's beasts." Pariah Dark noted. "I assume that's you."

"Yes…" A small voice sounded from the pile. "I suppose that's me. I get tired too easily, though. I cannot fight too many without using all of my energy."

"Is that why you are out here?" Pariah questioned.

"Nekron won't return here. He already killed everything here. It will be years before anything living can survive here." The little girl mentioned.

"But a ghost can live here easily." Pariah nodded. "That's smart. Very smart."

"That's because I'm smart." The girl didn't seem arrogant. She seemed to just be aware where she stood. "That is my strength. That is how I fought off Nekron's monsters. If you can out think and out plan someone, you can always win."

"Very true…" Pariah was impressed. He peered into her green eyes and saw one of the most terrifying things a fighter could ever face. Knowledge. Intelligence. Cunning. Resourcefulness.

"Is there something you want?" The girl was a little worried. She had no knowledge or data on this being, but she could tell he was strong. His mere presence alone could make men fall to their knees in fear.

"I have created a group of people that are going to fight against Nekron, his Black Ring users, and his monsters." Pariah stated. "I have six followers of absolute strength and power, but I lack a strategist. No army can ever win on raw strength alone. We need intelligence and cunning to win."

"I see…" The girl's green eyes danced with amusement. "And you're asking a little girl for help in coming up with your strategy? That's a little strange, don't you think?"

"Perhaps, if you were a normal little girl." Pariah Dark noted. "But I can see that you are far more than that."

"…Yes, I am." The girl nodded. "What is your name, large man?"

"I am Pariah Dark. And you?"

"Before Nekron killed me, I was called Viola. Now, though, I have taken a new name, for I look to the future and see the most possible outcome." The girl rose from her spot. Some of the cloth fell to reveal her tan face and golden hair. "My name is Vision."

The strategy was rather simple yet dangerous. They would do a sneak attack on Nekron before he was even aware that their group existed. That was their best chance. If Nekron realized that there was a threat, he would surround himself with his monsters and Black Ring users. Thus, they put a full out assault on Nekron before he couldn't even realize what happened.

Their sneak attack managed to defeat all of the death monsters and the few Black Ring users that surrounded Nekron. The incredible power of the eight ghosts annihilated the protectors of the ghost of death. Nekron just laughed at this, though, and readied himself to fight.

The fight that followed leveled hundreds of kilometers of land. Nekron summoned all of his followers of death and destruction. All the black ring users and beasts of death returned to him. Luckily, Vision had predicted that this would happen. That was why she had Scribe, Frostbite, and Pandora set up traps all around the area. The blasts of altering dimensions, ice, and electricity stopped half of the backup before they arrived. The rest that made it to the battlefield quickly joined the conflict.

The war between the ghosts and Nekron's forces lasted three days. After nonstop fighting, agony, and death, the battle came to an end. Bloodied and exhausted, the ghosts stood victorious.

"We…did it…" Pariah was covered in his own blood and the blood of his enemies as he stood over the unmoving body of Nekron the Reaper. Pariah's large sword was stabbed into the skeleton's forehead.

"That was the best! Hahahahahaha!" Colossus roared out in laughter. He quickly sat down as his legs were about to give out. "A battle unlike any other! Could there be anything better?!"

"How about anything else…" Scribe was kneeling over the body of a Black Ring user. The human wasn't breathing anymore. The poor being had been corrupted beyond repair by Nekron. His skin was grey, blue viens showed all across him, and his eyes were pitch black.

Truth be told, they were lucky that Nekron only managed to recruit humans into his Black Ring Corps. If he managed to get something stronger like ghosts, the Reaper's enemies might have lost. Scribe could barely imagine the danger that would be caused if a ghost managed to gain a Black Ring.

"It could have been worse." Pandora stood tall and proud despite her injuries. "We all came out alive."

"Not…without consequences…" Frostbite panted out and held his now missing arm. He pushed his powers too far and reached a level of coldness that almost destroyed him. The state of Absolute Zero allowed him to defeat several Black Ring users, but he almost died in the process. Luckily, he came out with only losing a single limb.

"We knew that we might come out injured, but we are the ones living in the end which is far more than can be said for our enemies…" The Fright Knight stated proudly.

"No need to be so dark…" Jester sat on the barren earth sadly. He was looking forward to a time where he did not have to worry about war and death. Finally, people could smile again.

"He is correct, though." Vision was examining one of the Black Rings of Nekron. "All our enemies lie dead before us. We win."

"Damn, that is creepy coming from a kid." Colossus grunted.

Pariah ignored his followers and knelt above Nekron's corpse. It felt good to finally stand over this monster of destruction. This world will never have to face Nekron's evil wrath.

Is that what you think, Pariah?

…What?

Do you really think you can kill me? My power revolves around death. How can you kill that which is tied to death?

Pariah looked down at the corpse in fear. Why wasn't it dissolving? Why was he hearing Nekron's voice in his head?

Foolish king to foolish people. I will not disappear this day. You can never get rid of me through this manner. This world will forever be scared by me. I shall tear this world in two.

Nekron's body began to glow. It wasn't the sign of a dissolving ghost. The energy around the corpse was black and green. It danced around in great fury and hatred. Nekron's corpse was going to explode.

"GET BACK!" Pariah roared to the ghosts behind him, but it was too late.

They were all caught within a blaze of explosive energy. The energy blasted up in a massive wave. Oddly enough, it did not spread out like a normal explosion. Instead, it came to a complete halt as it flew up into the clouds. The energy poured up, and then disappeared into a green tear in the sky. After the energy stopped, that giant tear closed almost instantly, but then thousand smaller portals opened all around the area.

Surprisingly unharmed, the ghosts looked up in surprised. They were even more surprised as the Black Rings flew off of the dead users and through the portals.

"What…Just happened?" Collossus questioned.

Scribed adjusted his glasses and peered into one of the portals. "It's a tear in dimensional space. One to a new dimensions. Amazing."

Thus, the Ghost Zone was born.

It was never easy to lose one of his children. After thousands of years, it actually became worse. Burying his own children over and over again was the greatest pain and curse he could have ever imagined. He loved them all so much. From the days he first held them, to the days that he had to watch them die. It tore his heart apart each and every time. The last five deaths hurt more than ever before, though. Their loss was worse because their death was brought about by his own foolishness. He created the Reality Gauntlet to do good, to better the Earth. With it, he planned to step up the evolution of mankind. Possibly to the point that he would not have to bury his children ever again.

That was his single biggest mistake, and now he was paying for it. They were dead, and Savage would never see them again. No matter what happened, though, Vandal Savage promised himself that he would remember each and every one of his dead children's names.

Savage knelt before the five new graves. Each one showed a name that belonged to one of his beloved children. Tears rolled down Savage's eyes. "Why are you here, ghost?"

Pariah Dark stood behind Savage. "I have come for the Reality Gauntlet, Creator."

"Do not call me that." Savage scoffed. "I did not wish to create your kind."

"Yet you did." Pariah mentioned. "And now you must deal with us."

"Are you going to take over where Nekron left off?!" Savage whirled around and glared at the giant ghost.

"No. I have no interest in this world. Now that Nekron is dealt with, I will bring order and peace among my people, among the ghosts." Pariah Dark explained. "But it will not be in your world. We have one of our own now. It was formed from the backlash of Nekron's death."

"Then it is cursed and vile." Savage spat. "It is a final trick by Nekron."

"No, we have examined it fully." Pariah shook his head. "There is no sign that Nekron created this dimension for something to kill people. No, he did it to hide his Black Rings. It worked too. We cannot find them in our new zone and will have to wait for them to surface one at a time. Some already have, and we destroyed them. But it will take tome to destroy them all."

"Whatever. I don't care anymore…" Savage grunted.

"Well, I do. And I care about that cursed item on your arm." Pariah eyed the Gauntlet. "Give it to me."

"Why do you want it?" Savage questioned. "You know the harm that it can do."

"Yes, but I need it for one more purpose." Pariah mentioned. "Humanity will always fear us, but if they remember Nekron, then we won't ever live in peace. That is why I will alter their memories of everything that happened, and we ghosts will become a mere myth to the humans. Then, once that is done, I will separate the Gauntlet from the four energy stones and hide them all in separate places."

"And why not destroy it?" Savage questioned.

"The same reason you have yet to do it. It might be needed again one day." Pariah glared at the Gauntlet. "In case we need to fight against someone that can alter Reality. That will give us the control and power we need to fight them off."

"…" Savage took off the Gauntlet and threw it at Pariah. "Take it. Take it far away from me. I do not wish to see the vile thing ever again."

"Very well…" Pariah nodded as he caught the Gauntlet. He looked past the smaller man to the graves. "And…You have my condolences for your losses. I have a daughter myself now, or at least a girl that's close enough to me to be my daughter. I can't imagine what it must feel like to lose that."

It was after the Reality Gauntlet was finally dealt with that the ghosts finally began to build the kingdom in the newly dubbed Ghost Zone. Luckily, it wasn't hard to get the ghosts that remained in the human world to enter the Ghost Zone. They were drawn in by the abundance of ectoplasm in the dimension.

Seeing the power that Pariah Dark and his followers held, the ghosts did not cause any problems. In fact, the knowledge that they defeated Nekron made the ghosts awed by the eight ghosts. Seeing that Pariah was the leader, the ghosts quickly turned to him for guidance. Pariah was ready to lead. He created rules and systems for them all to live by, and no one argued against the strongest ghost in current existence.

It wouldn't take long until Pariah Dark was proclaimed the Ghost King. His rule was just and fair. No one had any complaints as peace reigned through the Ghost Zone. Every ghost was given his or her own domain to live in. Then, the castle of the Ghost King was built. It has here that the King and his Advisers lived, although each of the Advisers had a domain of their own.

In order to gain the most of the situation and live in the castle, ghosts offered themselves as soldiers and servants to serve the king. They were all treated fairly and kindly. The ghosts that were offered up as soldiers were trained by the Fright Knight and placed under the command of Colossus. With an army, hundreds of servants, and a loyal people, all that was left to make Pariah Dark's reign complete was an official coronation ceremony.

Pariah stood in his throne room. It was a massive room that was larger than most houses. Crimson red carpet and blood colored bricks covered the large hall. Hundreds of ghosts were kneeling all around the throne room. Their heads were bowed in submission and respect. At the front of the room were Pariah Dark and the King's Advisers.

"My people!" Pariah Dark announced to all the ghosts. "Today is a day of celebration! It has been three months since the Reaper was killed! In that time, we, the ghosts, have risen from the ashes of Nekron's hell and created a utopia for all ghosts to enjoy!"

Loud cheers spread across the room as Pariah's servants and followers praised him.

"Today marks the first official day of my reign!" Pariah announced. "You have all proclaimed me to be your king, and I happily accept! I shall rule you justly and without prejudice! By word, peace shall forever blanket the Ghost Zone under my reign! But I cannot do such a thing alone! That is why I am naming all of my most loyal friends and followers the Council of the Elite! These seven before you are given power and authority over the entire Ghost Zone! Only my power shall trump theirs."

Everyone cheered once more.

"And to each of my friends, I give the greatest gifts I can give! I give you titles that befit your greatness, and I give you the items that we worked so hard together to create." Pariah walked up to each of the King's Advisers.

"To the mighty Colossus, I give the title of the Great General which is signified by the Skeleton Key! He has complete authority and access over my army for his strength and charisma is unmatched! This key signifies his unlimited access to my resources!" Pariah placed the key in the brute's hands.

Colossus looked at the key. "You just want me to stop breaking down doors, don't you?"

Pariah ignored him, "To the beautiful Pandora, I give the title of the Controller of Chaos which is signified by the Box of Chaos! Her word on justice and law are absolute! She may use the box to hold all the chaos that our nature brings!" Pariah handed Pandora her box.

"Thank you, Pariah." Pandora nodded as she held her box.

"To the joyful Jester, I give the title of Wide Smile which is signified by the Mirror of Memories! He will work day and night to make sure that our existence is filled with joy by using the mirror to remind us of ghosts that have completed their obsession and ascended into the next life!" Pariah gifted Jester with a small mirror.

"Hehehehehe…" Jester took the Mirror. "Finally, the time for joy is here."

"To the ferocious Frostbite, I give the title of the North Wind which is signified by the Infi-map! My friend will monitor the gates of our kingdom, and his roar shall blow like the wind and shall freeze the souls of our enemies!" Pariah passed a scroll to the yeti ghost.

"I am grateful, my friend." Frostbite grinned hugged to map to his chest.

"To the knowledgeable Scribe, I give the title of the Ghost Writer which is signified by the Tome of the Ancients! He will be the one who records the greatest stories of them all for future generations to learn from!" Pariah lifted a large book towards the Ghost Writer.

"It will be a pleasure." Scribe admired the giant tome.

"To the fearsome Fright Knight, I give the title of the Guard of the Ghost Zone which is signified by the Soul Shredder! His power and skill will strike fear into all that threaten to break our peace! One strike of his blade will forever trap our enemies within their own nightmares!" Pariah placed the blade in the Fright Knight's hands.

"My Liege." The Fright Knight bowed before his king.

"And to the genius Vision…My daughter," Pariah knelt down and gently placed a necklace around the young girl's neck. "I give the title of the Undefeated Strategist which is signified by the Avian Necklace. Her instructions and strategies have made all this possible, and her insight will only grow as her birds help give her a new perspective on the world."

"You honor me, Father." Vision beamed up at her adopted father.

Pariah smiled at the girl then turned to address the people once more, "Now let us celebrate! For the peaceful reign of Pariah Dark starts now!"

"Why must you keep doing this, Spectre?" Pariah Dark sighed. He stood within the dungeons beneath his castle. Dark shadows were cast on the grey walls and floor by the burning torches that lined the walls. "Every time I give you a chance to be a part of my kingdom, you go on a rampage. Ever since you first formed, all you've done is cause me problems. I cannot give you so many chances, so tell me...why do all this when you know that you will only be stopped by me and my Advisers."

"It is in my nature, Ghost King." The Spectre was chained to the wall of the dungeon. His entire body besides his head was restrained by chains and locks. "I must avenge the wrongs committed by the guilty. Every sin must be punished by death."

"Fool, you killed a man for telling a small lie. That is just petty." Pariah frowned deeply. "Such an act of murder is punishable by death. If you wouldn't just regenerate, I would kill you myself."

"So instead you lock me up once more?" Spectre questioned. "How long will I stay here this time until you let me go?"

"Forever." Pariah crossed his arms. "You need restraints. That much is clear. If your killing instincts are not suppressed, you will go on a rampage. I cannot allow that. As long as I remain in power, you shall remained imprisoned."

"Of course…huff…I'll join the Council…huff…Your Majesty," Vortex bowed before the Ghost King in his throne room.

"It will be on a trial basis, of course." Pariah sat in his throne and peered down at the living storm. "You have proven your power and your loyalty, but I can see the sparks of insanity in you. I have to wonder if you would be so tame if I was not around to control you."

"That won't happen…huff…though…huff…will it?" Vortex grinned and raised his head. "Your reign…huff…will last…huff…forever. So I will…huff…always be under control."

"Very true." Pariah nodded slowly. "But still, you will be monitored. Remember, you have to earn the trust of not only me, but each member of the Council of the Elite to be one of my official Advisers."

"I…huff…understand."

"We humbly accept your offer, Ghost King." One of the ghosts that had an eye for a head bowed.

"Suck up…" Clockwork sighed and shook his head.

"Be quiet, fool!" Another of the eyeball ghosts snapped. "Show respect to the king."

"I respect the king, but I don't respect you who licks his boots." Clockwork sighed.

"So you do respect me, Clockwork?" Pariah Dark peered down at the Master of Time. "And here I thought that you hated me."

"My refusal to join your court has nothing to do with my feelings for you." Clockwork mentioned. "I just don't play well with others."

"I see…" The Ghost King stroked his chin. "I can understand that. Colossus is not one for orders either, but he still plays his role."

"And pray tell, what is my role?" Clockwork questioned.

"The leader of the Observants."

"Your majesty!" The first of the newly dubbed Observants looked outrage. "We do not need leadership other than you."

"I cannot monitor you all the time, and I trust Clockwork." Pariah mentioned.

"But he didn't even help fight the Reaper despite his power!" The second Observant argued.

"I cannot intervene. I cannot alter how time is supposed to go during that battle. I was not meant to help stop Nekron, and thus I didn't." Clockwork's adult form shifted to that of an old man. "The time for my interference will eventually come, but that will not come until the Fate Changer arrives."

"Fate Changer…" Pariah looked to the Observants to see their reaction. They seemed confused. That was odd considering their words on the 'ascended ectoplasm.' He was already going to discuss the white ectoplasm with his Advisers, but maybe this had more merit than a myth that the Observants spouted on about. "And pray tell, who is the Fate Changer, a person who apparently not even my Observants know of."

"You will meet him eventually." Clockwork shifted into a child. "But not for a long, long time…"

"Hmm…" Pariah did not look pleased. "Will he be a threat? The whole reason I have enlisted the Observants is to predict any possible threats to my kingdom."

"He is both the greatest threat and the greatest hero to both worlds." Clockwork mentioned. "But I can say no more than that."

"…Fine." Pariah sighed. "Are you sure that you don't wish to join my cause, Clockwork? You can make the future a better place instead of just watching it."

"Then it's funny that you enlisted these eyeballs who only watch time like it's a straight line." Clockwork laughed. "But no, I won't join you. I will just stay in my domain and wait."

"And wait for what?" Perhaps it would be best not to mention this Fate Changer thing to the Advisers. It felt like the Master of Time was trolling him with this.

"For the time that this universe needs me to act…" Clockwork stated.

The reign of Pariah Dark was a long and prosperous one. For centuries, people were happy. Everything was peaceful. All was well with the Ghost Zone. That is, until Pariah Dark began to change. It was small changes in demeanor at first. He became more irritable and quick to anger. People just shook it off by saying that it was stress. Eventually, though, the King's Advisers became concerned as the Ghost King became crueler and more sadistic by the day.

"Pariah, you were the one that taught me about honor." Colossus stood before the Ghost King's throne. "So, out of everyone, I should know that what you're doing is not honorable at all."

"That is where you are wrong, Colossus." Pariah Dark scowled. "I am well in my rights as King to do as I please. That is my honor."

"But the taxes, the unjust laws, the cruel use of your army..." Colossus frowned back to his old friend. "It's all too much. The ghosts are miserable. Thousands are suffering by your degrees!"

"So? They are merely peasants." Pariah Dark shrugged. "Who cares what they go through."

"You once did!" Colossus gave Pariah a desperate look. "You cared for everyone. Every decision you made was for the betterment of everyone. Now, though, you don't even seem to care. You're nothing like the honorable man I used to know."

"Enough of this! Your words bore me!" Pariah Dark snarled. "I am the Ghost King! My word is law! What I says goes, and I won't be questioned by you!"

Pariah Dark had changed. His power and absolute authority made him a completely different person, and everyone could see it. That was the most logical answer to what happened. Of course, no one ever noticed that within the closed doors of his chambers a thin black glow outlined the Ghost King's crown and ring.

In the end, Nekron left a far bigger impression on Pariah Dark than anyone ever realized.

"I believe that drastic matters will need to be taken." Vision noted to her companions. Over the years, she had grown from a little girl into a beautiful woman. She was well known for her beauty, but she found all of her suitors lacking something. None of them seemed to challenge her intellectually.

"She is right…" Frostbite sighed as the group of six were meeting in a darkened hallway. They were far from the ears of the Ghost King. "His majesty has lost his senses."

"Then I shall fight him and bring him back to his senses." Colossus argued.

"You have already tried that, Colossus." Scribe mentioned. "We might…have to take more drastic measures."

"Do you mean rebellion? Treason?" Jester let his usual smile drop. "But the King has done so much for us…"

"It doesn't matter." Pandora shook her head. "He has gone mad with power and has begun to execute people unjustly. We cannot let this continue."

"Agreed. No matter how painful this is…" Vision shifted uncomfortably at the thought of betraying her father.

"…There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of honor in all this, but…Pariah does need to be stopped." Colossus sighed. "And we can't have him going on a rampage to kill everyone. Alright, Little Vision, what's the plan?"

"I think that we can convince Vortex to be neutral in this matter, so the first real obstacle is the Fright Knight." Vision noted. "He is blind with loyalty."

"What? I don't want to fight against our friend!" Jester objected.

"We may not have a choice." Scribe mentioned. "He won't stand for it if we go against his lord. Not as long as he is blind to Pariah's madness."

"But we have to at least give him a chance…" Pandora argued. "He is our comrade after all."

Fright Knight looked around at the people he was proud to call comrades. They surrounded him on all sides and explained what their plan were. "You plan to betray the king."

"We do…" Vision nodded.

"After everything he has done for us? After he led us to glory?" The Fright Knight stared accusingly at them.

"This is not the ideal situation, but Pariah must be stopped, friend." Frostbite mentioned.

"Do not call me that!" The Fright Knight hissed. "Have you forgotten that he was the man that gave us hope when all else was lost!? Have you forgotten that it was him that led us to the defeat of Nekron!? Must I remind you how he considers us all his family!?"

"You are right. We owe him so much, but Pariah has become a monster." Pandora argued.

"So? Monster don't deserve loyalty?" The Fright Knight spat.

"He's killing people! He's causing misery everywhere he goes! He no longer cares for the smiles and happiness of the people!" Jester argued.

"I know!" The Fright Knight was close to tears. "But he is all I know! I have sworn myself to serve the king! If there is no king, what purpose do I have! I must have a king to serve…And until another one has shown himself, I cannot betray my Lord."

"So we must find another ruler?" Colossus scoffed. "No one else can rule the Ghost Zone."

"That is not what I mean." The Fright Knight sighed. "A King doesn't need to have a crown and throne. He must inspire hope and loyalty. He must be just and with moral character. He must be strong yet humble. He that is King must inspire me to be more than what I am."

"And does Pariah do those things anymore?" Scribe questioned.

"No…But he is the only one who ever has." The Fright Knight shook his head. "And I cannot forget that…Even if you can."

"Don't think us so heartless…I, Uncle Col, and the others…We do not wish to betray Dad, but it is the only way." Vision looked terribly saddened. "We shall seal Father into a coffin that I have built, the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep, and we will seal it with the Skeleton Key."

"…I cannot support this plan." The Fright Knight sighed.

"Then you will oppose us, friend?" The Frostbite gained a saddened look.

"Yes, I must."

"You do realize…" Pandora showed that she was carrying a pumpkin. If his sword was stabbed into the pumpkin, he would be sealed away. "That there is no way you can hope of defeating all of us."

"I know." The Fright Knight unsheathed his blade.

"So be it." Colossus grunted.

The fight began. It only took a few seconds for the Fright Knight to be overwhelmed by the sheer power the other six ghosts had. He went down fighting, though, and for that he was given the utmost respect.

It was after this was done that the ghosts turned their attention to the Ghost King. Colossus and Vision ordered everyone out of the castle so they could confront Pariah Dark. At the sight of the treason, Pariah Dark went into a rage, but not even he could fight against the excellent teamwork and power of the ancient ghosts. They stripped him of the Ring of Rage and forced him into the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep.

They were applauded for their actions. The ghosts cheered and praised them endlessly for stopping the evil Ghost King. None of the group that would later be called the Ancient Six cared, though. They mourned the loss of two of their family that would never get the peace that all ghosts desired. Pariah Dark and the Fright Knight would remained sealed without hope of escaping.

In order to keep the peace, the Ancient Six formed a council of only the strongest ghosts. Vortex quickly joined, but he was the only one. Clockwork said that he couldn't interfere while the Observants argued that they already did enough by not informing the Ghost King of their plan. Thus, those seven formed the Council of the Elite.

They kept mostly the same laws from when Pariah was uncorrupted. Things quickly became peaceful once more. There was a problem, though. Without Pariah to mediate them, the Council quickly began to argue. Their strong personalities clashed. Constant arguing formed from their meetings. Nothing got accomplished, and things remained stagnant for a long time.

Eventually, people stepped up to shake things up, though. Weaker ghosts grew restless and wished to search the human world to fulfill their obsessions. The Observants wanted a voice without direct involvement. Even Vortex began to stir the pot by creating troubling weather the human world.

All those things could be dealt with, though. They could keep everything in line. Things were stressed, of course, but they persevered. Eventually, the final straw fell and broke the camel's back. That straw was the Spectre.

After the fall of the Ghost King, the seals holding the Spectre had weakened to the point that they could no longer hold the powerful ghost. Once again, the cloaked ghost went on rampage as soon as he obtained a little freedom. Colossus was the one that stepped in to stop the rampage.

Two titans clashed. Their blows caused the ground to crumble and the sky to bleed. During the time that they fought, hundreds died. Thousands of domains were destroyed. The Ghost Zone was torn apart. Hell rained down until finally, the battle finally stopped.

"Son…of…a bitch…" Colossus huffed and heaved. His body was covered in burns, cuts and bruises. The worst of the wounds was an obscenely deep gash that ran from his shoulder to his opposite hip. "If you were an honorable foe…I would have considered that my greatest fight."

The Spectre did not answer. He was instead staring down at Colossus's massive fist as it was sticking through his chest and out his back. Green blood poured out of the wound in waves.

"Gah…" Colossus pulled his arm out and allowed the Spectre to fall. The green cloaked ghost fell onto a small slab of ground that miraculously wasn't damaged during their fight.

"I…lost…" Spectre coughed out.

"You did." Colossus grunted as he fell back onto his back.

"You do realize…I'll reform eventually…" The Spectre groaned out. "I'm…the spirit of vengeance…I was created…to never end…Revenge always comes back…"

It was true. The Spectre might eventually resurface. He was a unique ghost in that he could not really die. He, like the magical lords of order and chaos, existed on a different plane of existence. He merely used the ectoplasm as a mean for a vessel. Just like Doctor Fate and Klarion the Witch Boy.

"Then, I guess I'll just have to be there to stop you." Colossus mentioned as the Spectre began to dissolve. "But damn, I'll need a rest first. I could really use a good nap..."

The consequences of the Spectre's rampage were wide and harsh. Colossus was weakened and wounded. He was even given a long scar across his chest and torso. His weakness required him to sleep and rest, and so he did. Colossus went into a deep sleep and no one knew when he would wake up. While he slept, he left a large red monster ghost to guard his Skeleton Key because he was was afraid he would lose the key if he did anything else.

It was not soon after this that the human world began to rapidly change. While not perfect, both worlds were far better off than the times of Nekron and Pariah Dark. Seeing the new joy and hope, the tired Jester grew satisfied with the work he done to bring happiness to a dreary world.

"My friends..." Jester smiled to his friends that stood around the meeting table. "It seems that my obsession is nearly complete."

"W-what?" Frostbite's eyes widened.

"Yes," Jester nodded. "I have found contentment with my life and am ready to move on to the next world."

"But...there's still so much to do." Pandora argued.

"There is. Unfortunately, I won't be around to see it." Jester noted as balls of light began to rise off his body.

"Wait!" Scribe stood and gave Jester a desperate look. "We've already lost so many friends! We can't lose you too!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have to choice." Jester chuckled as his body began to disappear. "It's my time to go. Don't act like this is a sad occasion, though. I'm ascending! Smile, my friend! Always smile!"

"Yes..." Vision nodded as she forced the tears to stop flowing. "It's...I-It's a happy occasion...W-we must smile..."

"Hehehehehehehe! That's right! Smiling will always make it better." Jester grinned widely.

"B-but wait! Where is the Mirror of Memories!?" Pandora questioned as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "We can't let it fall into the wrong hands!"

"Don't worry about the mirror..." Jester's body was almost gone at this point. "It's an object that's only meant to bring happiness. I made sure that it can't ever be used for evil..."

With two of their members gone and Vortex soon abandoning the Ghost Zone, the Council of the Elite quickly grew exhausted and stressed. Eventually, the stress caused them to lash out. Every meeting they had was no longer productive because the Council would break out into arguments. They could no longer push themselves to govern the Ghost Zone. After days of arguing, the Council of the Elite was eventually disbanded.

Thus, the Ghost Zone was allowed to govern itself. There was chaos, but the thoughts of causing too much chaos was quickly squashed by the threat of the more powerful…S-rank ghosts from crushing them. Many ghosts allied themselves with the different members of the ex-Council.

Frostbite's group moved into his domain. They lived in solitude and guarded over the Infi-map. It was a bit of a boring life, but they were safe and among friends.

Pandora's group took a far more active role in the Ghost Zone. Pandora stopped crime from escalating and used her box to keep the chaos under control. In fact, she often went to the human world to stop chaotic threats such as Klarion, Morgan le Fey, and the various demons that Etrigan fought against.

Scribe the Ghost Writer went back to the role he had before he met Pariah Dark. He began to build up his library. Mostly, he stayed alone, but there were special occasions that he came out and enjoyed the company of others. Despite any ghost's arguments or pleads, he did not take anyone under his wing. He had no use for followers or an apprentice right now.

And finally, Vision…

"Mistress Vision." One of her servants bowed before her. Vision sat in her garden. She was very proud of her domain and worked to make it as beautiful as possible. "Some of the other servants are beginning to question what it is that we need to do. We have been inactive for years."

"We don't need to do anything." The veiled woman stated. "There is nothing left that I need to do."

"But…" The servant argued.

"Are you arguing with me?" Vision questioned coldly.

"N-no! O-of course not!" The servant shook in fear.

Vision sighed. Once again, no one argued with her judgment. That was the way it had always been. No one questioned her strategies, not even Pariah Dark. When she decided something no one argued. It was boring. "I shall keep an eye on the happening in both worlds. If something is worthy of my attention, I will take action. Until then, though, I shall wait and let the Ghost Zone govern itself. Until the day I am needed once more…"

Hotep Ra was always good at taking orders. That was always his job. He was a servant to Pharaoh Duulaman. The mummy ghost always allowed his every moment to be dictated by others, and he hated it.

Even now, as he lay dormant in his coffin, he could fill his rage build. Always the servant. That seemed to be his destiny and his curse. He was trapped in this coffin until the mirror saw the image of Duulaman once more.

That meant there was nothing he could do but plan and think. Once he was free, he would trick the new Pharaoh and push himself into power. That way, he would never have to take orders again. He would no longer be anyone's servant.

Hotep Ra was going to be his own man. No one would order him around. All he needed was power. Once he was free, he would obtain power and freedom. Yes, that is exactly what he was going to do. Now, all he had to do was wait, and eventually he would have the power to be his own man…

He would no longer be a slave.

I wish.

I wish.

I wish.

That was all she ever heard. People telling her what they wanted. She listened and obeyed. Desiree granted every wish in an attempt to find her own happiness. All she ever felt was bitterness, though. Why did they deserve to get what they wanted? Why didn't she ever get what she wanted?

What she wanted was her freedom. She was cursed to forever grant wishes. Every man and woman that found her lamb grew greedy and wished only for themselves. Desiree took great pleasure in twisting their desires to something nightmarish. They deserved it for their greed.

Many times, when she was trapped in her lamp, Desiree dreamed of better things. She dreamed of one kind soul that could come along and not be selfish. That one person wouldn't wish for wealth or pleasure. No, that person would wish for her freedom. That person would wish that she never had to grant a single wish with ever again.

The genie ghost knew the truth, though. That was only a dream. No one would ever wish her free. No man was that selfless. So, she would be trapped forever granting wishes, and the only thing that she would have to comfort herself was her dreams. Her dreams of that one person that would arrive and grant her wish for once.

"Brother…" Dora knelt before Aragon's thrown. "The outside world is changing."

"So what?" Aragon snapped. "I do not care for those stupid humans."

"But…The way they are changing…I believe that it could help us prosper." Dora explained.

"And who told you that you could think!" Aragon sneered. "Know your place, sister! I am king, and you are merely a wench!"

"But brother. It could make us all stronger…"

"No!" Aragon jumped to his feet. "I like things the way they are! I am king in this era, so that is how things must stay! Stupid girl! If you keep trying to dethrone me, I will have you thrown in the dungeon!"

"B-but I would never even think…"

"Exactly! Don't think, woman!" Aragon laughed. "That is my job. I know what is best for my land."

"Y-yes, brother…" Dora whimpered.

How Dora hated her afterlife. This was what she had to endure with every day. This was her fate. She wished every day that she could escape, but Dora knew that her brother would track her down and punish her if she ever ran away. She was stuck here in her torment praying that something would happen that would allow her to escape her fate.

At least there was one thing she could look forward too, though. The annual ball was coming up. It was the only time of the year that she was happy. She couldn't wait for that night where she actually felt like a princess instead of a worthless puppet.

'I want to go to the ball…'

"Why…huff…the hell…huff…are you attacking me!?" Vortex screamed as the ghosts held him down.

"Vortex…" An Observant floated above the weather ghost. "Your destruction has gone on long enough. You shall not threaten the Ghost Zone with your foolishness anymore."

"You…huff…fool! I…huff…am a member of…huff…the council!" Vortex sneered even as they forced a collar to regulate his powers around his neck.

"The Council of the Elite is disbanded." A second Observant noted. "And it was one of their last degrees that we can deal out punishments to the S-rank ghosts if needed. That way, they won't abuse their power."

"WHAT?!" Vortex's eyes widened. "But…huff…they promised…"

"Promises mean nothing!" The first Observant exclaimed. "You have killed hundreds since the fall of the Ghost King! Even if the ex-members of the Council were still active, they would kill you themselves! You have officially fallen from grace!"

"NO! I…huff…REFUSE!" Vortex yelled as he was forced into a cage designed to stop his powers. "I…huff…WILL NOT…ACCEPT THIS! I AM VORTEX…huff…THE GREATEST STORM! YOU…huff…CANNOT CONTAIN ME FOREVER!"

"We don't have to…" The second Observant noted. "We just need to wait to vote on whether to kill you or not. It should only take a few hundred years."

"…" Vortex gave them a disgusted look. "Okay, is that part of my punishment, or are you just really slow to act?"

"Both."

He felt the noose be tightened around his neck. The man would have lashed out at the man tying his neck, but his arms were restrained. He hated this. He hated them. They were the ones that unjustly imprisoned him.

William did nothing wrong. All he did was stop a few soldiers from taking advantage of a woman. He may have killed them, but he had no other options. They were ready to kill him and the girl. He had no choice but defend himself.

Unfortunately, no one would listen to him. It was like he was speaking another language. His words fell on deaf ears. No one cared that all he wanted to do was protect that young girl. William could still see that girl's face. Her grateful blue eyes stared up at him as he pulled the soldiers off of her.

William would never regret saving that girl. Even after spending years in prison, he didn't regret it. It was the right thing to do, but sometimes good people get punished for doing the right thing. That was one of the terrible facts of life. It wasn't fair, but it was true.

That was one of the many reasons he was alone all his life. He was a 'lone wolf' so to speak. Always alone, but before the incident, he was always free. That was what mattered. He was free even if he didn't have a friend.

These last few months were different, though. He was trapped in a cage like an animal. The soldiers treated him like vermin. Every day was filled with boredom and despair. He hated prisons so much. He wanted to tear the place down.

Now, though, he wouldn't have to worry about that. He was being hanged this very moment. The sneers of the soldiers sickened him. They thought that this was punishment, but they were wrong. The freedom of death was far more merciful than being trapped like an animal.

Sighing, William looked up to the sky. It was night and the moon was shining bright. Grinning, the hairy man couldn't help but give out a howl. It was a good night to die.

Without rules there was only anarchy. That was what he always believed from the moment he started working as a sheriff. He would be the justice that put all the criminals behind bars. That was his job. To help people by enforcing the rules.

But things did not go as planned. Not even the good people followed the rules. The rich and corrupt were allowed around the law, and he hated that. So, he tried to do something about it. He wanted to bring them to justice as well. Things did not go well, though. The rich did not like having to follow the law. They didn't like that he wouldn't be bribed. They just didn't like him.

So, they had him killed. They placed a bounty on his head, and some fool called Jonah Hex collected on it.

What a bunch of punks. Of course, those entitled assholes never thought that he would come back and kill them all. They broke the rules, after all. At that point, Walker couldn't exactly remember what rules they broke, but he knew that they did so. And that was all that mattered, even if he never found that damn cowboy that shot him in the head.

People that broke the rules deserved to be punished. That was logical. And it was his job to make sure the rules were enforced. But as a ghost, he wasn't allowed to force the rules in the human world. It was against the rules. So, he decided that he would enforce the rules in the Ghost Zone.

Now all Walker needed was a prison and a lieutenant. Perhaps that new ghost Bullet could help…

They always laughed at him. He proclaimed to be the greatest hunter in the Ghost Zone, but they scoffed. He was far too small to be a threat. Skulker was a bug compared to the rest of them. That made him the weakest. To them, he wasn't the hunter. He was the hunted.

Fools. All of them were fools. Did they truly forget what it was like to be human? The human body was a lot weaker than the animals that were hunted. Yet, humanity was at the top of the food chain despite being physically weaker. For good reason too. The humans were smart in how they killed.

Instead of relying on physical force, they relied on their brains and machinery. Because they did this, they were the top hunters in their world. It was this aspect of humanity that Skulker admired. The weak can make themselves strong with the right equipment.

So, that's what he would do. Skulker would equip himself with powerful enough weapons to take down even the strongest ghosts. Then, no one would laugh at him. No one would deny him his title of the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter.

All he ever wanted was a single friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Klemper just wanted companionship. Yet, everyone ran from him. They called him a deformed monster. People mocked his voice and hunched stature.

Many times, people would throw rocks at him. No one wanted him around. Despite only wanting one friend, Klemper couldn't get a single person to even look at him with anything less than contempt. Many nights were spent crying instead of sleeping. He couldn't help that he was born in such a way.

Things only got worse when he grew ill. When they heard that the freak was ill, people jumped at the chance to lock him away. They didn't want to chance the illness spreading from Klemper. That was what they said at least. Klemper wasn't stupid though. He knew that they just wanted him out of the way.

He was annoying, and his face disgusted them. So, they locked him away. He was a nuisance, so they didn't want to deal with him. It was a sad cruel fact. Kelmper had to accept it. He had to live with it. He had to die with it.

In the end, it wasn't the illness that got to him. It was the coldness that finally caused his body to give out. Klemper died of hypothermia while locked in the basement of an isolated cabin in the woods. Not only that, he died alone and without a friend in the world. As he passed, a single thought passed through his mind...

Why wouldn't at least one person give him a chance?

It all started with a simple dream. One dream formed an idea. That idea grew among the populace of earth. Sleep. Dreams. Nightmares. They existed on a different plane. It was dreams that showed the past, present, and future. Sleep allowed people to view their deepest desires and greatest fears.

Humanity worshiped sleep and dreams. The land of unconsciousness belonged to the gods. Only a higher power could possibly give birth to such lands filled with absolute pleasure and devastating fear. There was no other explanation.

It was these lines of thought that eventually gave birth to Nocturne.

He was born from the human worship of sleep and dreams. The mortals desired a deity to control their dreams. That was why they thought of such beings as the Sandman and Morpheus. Humanity demanded a ruler of dreams, so they created one.

Nocturne started out as a benevolent force. He moved around the Earth giving people good dreams. It was the least he could do for the beings that gave him life. Eventually, the power got to him, though. The absolute control he had went to his head. He loved the fact that he could control people's dreams.

In a single instant, he could change the sweetest of dreams into the darkest of nightmares. Holding such power was incredibly intoxicating. It empowered him. Nocturne loved it like a drug. Eventually, though, it wasn't enough. He needed more power. The sleep ghost created Sleep Walkers to do his bidding, but he had his limits.

If only he had a larger power source…

Sydney Poindexter didn't know if there was anything worse than a bully. They were cruel and vicious. Bullies abused their powers to pick on the weak. It disgusted him. People with power shouldn't abuse it. They had to use their powers to protect the weak.

Only, no one ever did this around him. Everyone, and he meant everyone, looked down on him. They picked on him and insulted him with glee. It was sickening, yet there was nothing he could do about.

Even after the incident at the school...Poindexter couldn't escape. His entire school reformed into the Ghost Zone. He was trapped here with those ghost bullies with no escape. Every day, he suffered from their cruel word and physical abuse.

Poindexter would give anything to get away from these people. He was sick of the suffering. No matter what he did or said, they wouldn't stop. They just laughed and pushed him around some more.

What he wouldn't give for the chance to change things. If he had the power, he would make everything right. No one would be a bully and no one would suffer. Unfortunately, he was weak, and there was nothing he could do to change his situation.

Nothing.

Vlad Masters hated Jack Fenton. He really didn't need much justification to such a claim. A lot of people held Jack Fenton in disdain. Very few would ever question him for saying such a thing about the brutish oaf.

Unlike any other person, though, Vlad had a very good reason for hating Jack Fenton. The huge man ruined Vlad's life with his idiotic actions. The dumb experiment with the Ghost Zone ended up covering him in ectoplasmic radiation and giving him Ecto Acne. His youth was squandered in the hospital. The love of his life was stolen. His entire future was shattered.

Or so he thought.

It appeared that the accident actually gave him the powers of a ghost. The scientist in Vlad was awed, while the opportunist in him smiled in glee. Controlling the powers took time, but eventually he did it. Eventually, he gained control over his curse and turned it into a gift.

Through the use of his powers, he rigged things in his favor. Bets, investments, and stocks only ever went in his favor with a few key overshadowings. He quickly gained a fortune, and the first thing he did was clear the acne and regain his looks.

Everything paid off in the end. The training and abusing his powers gave him a more athletic body, wealth, and his looks. Add on his natural charm, and he was quickly boosted into the highest standing of life. He soon found himself enjoying his new place in society.

Vlad tried to move on with his life. He really did. The halfa did everything that culture told him that he needed to be happy. He had exotic food, expensive wine, and beautiful women. In fact, he was a bit shocked by how they flocked to him. Vlad was never so popular before despite his intelligence. It seems that he was now the alpha male.

Those women were boring, though. They lacked the depth and intelligence that Maddie had. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop thinking about her. It seemed that he gained a bit of the ghost's instincts of obsessive behavior.

Still, he did almost manage to move on. He found a single woman that stood out. Her name was June Moone, and she was one of the most intelligent women that he ever met. Not only that, she a deep spiritual insight on things. He was awed by her beauty, intelligence, and spirituality. Vlad was certain that he loved her and wished to be with her. For a while, the thought that he could move on from Maddie.

But then, she disappeared. One day she was by his side, the next day she was gone. Vlad was left alone once more.

Vlad quickly grew bitter and angry at every thing. Why did nothing ever go right in his life? Why couldn't he ever find someone that would accept him and make him happy? But he knew the truth. Deep in his hate filled heart, he knew that it was Jack Fenton's fault.

He never found happiness because of Jack Fenton's blunder. For years, the bitterness built up. He festered and seethed to the point where he could think of nothing else but revenge. So, he decided that eventually, he would have his revenge.

Jack Fenton would be killed, Maddie would be his, and Vlad would be happy. That was all that mattered.

Emotions were garbage. They held people down and made life much more difficult. That was the one thing Technus realized when he researched his past life. It was his emotions that made him act like a fool.

He was betrayed by the woman he loved. She took his research and gave it away. Years of his life were wasted away. His entire life was ruined by her, and he hated her for it. Technus wanted to hunt her down and kill her.

No…He couldn't do that. The ghost could not allow himself to be controlled by emotions any more. If he did that, he would bring himself to ruin once more. Technus could not let that happen again.

He needed to be like the machines. Cold. Calculating. Unfeeling. That was the way he needed to be if he ever wanted to accomplish anything. If Technus ever wanted anyone to remember his name, he would have to forsake his emotions…his care for humanity and live for himself.

He, Technus Master of all Technology, would never let his emotions get the better of him again.

These humans were disgusting little bags of flesh. They cared nothing for the planet they lived on! Just look at their cities. Filth. Pollution. Even the so called 'parks' area mockery to nature. It was all so disgusting because the humans were disgusting.

Undergrowth could feel the planet cry out in anguish. Every drip of pollution was slowly bleeding away the life of the planet. Yet, no one seemed to really care. Nothing was done to right this wrong. Could they not hear the tears of nature? Were they deaf or merely ignorant?

The nature ghost tried to be peaceful at first. He really did. But every little bit of good he did was undone by billions of humans polluting the planet without a care in the world. Every day, it was the same thing. He accomplished nothing because of them, and he felt his rage continue to grow.

The humans didn't deserve this planet! They didn't appreciate its beauty and power! How they became the dominant race, Undergrowth would never know. Humans were pathetic, and they deserved to be extinguished. Yes, that was what he would do. Undergrowth would save the planet by eliminating the greatest threat, the human race.

Pandora stared down at the creature that Klarion had created. He tried to reverse the flow of her box and absorb some of her energy. Then, he combined the energy in an attempt to create a monster that could not be contained by her box and was too powerful for her to beat. The thought of such a being scared Pandora.

Fortunately, Klarion had failed to make a monster. The combination of their energy did not react the way he wanted. Instead of a monster, Klarion got a surprise. The energy formed not into a beast, but into a child. A baby.

The Lord of Chaos was so shocked by this development, he did nothing as Pandora attacked. The shocked demonic Witch Boy was pushed back and forced to flee in order to avoid Pandora trapping him in her box. He disappeared into a dark red portal and did not return to the battlefield.

With that dealt with, Pandora turned her attention to the baby. Her first instinct was to slay the child. It was created to be a monster. That may very well be its true nature. It may just be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Eventually, it could grow strong enough to kill her, and Pandora could not allow that to happen. She had to kill Klarion's monster.

Or at least, that's what she thought as she approached the baby. She came up to it with her spear raised and ready to strike. As soon as she saw the baby, though, Pandora froze.

"Gah…" The baby girl lifted up her arms to Pandora. Her skin was blue and her hair was purple like Pandora. While the infant's eyes were deep soul piercing purple. The baby peered up to her with an innocent and pure gaze.

Without a second thought, Pandora threw the spear away in disgust. How could she even think about killing something so innocent? This child did not get to choose how it was created. The baby girl had no sin. If Pandora harmed this child, then it would be her that would be the monster.

"Gah...ah…WAAAAH!" The baby girl suddenly cried out. She lacked any clothes, so she was most likely cold. She was probably hungry as well.

Pandora instantly acted. She ripped off some cloth from her skirt with two of her many arms and carefully picked up the baby with the free hands. The ghost of justice then gently wrapped the baby in the cloth so that the baby girl would be comfortable and warm but not constricted. "Shh…Shh…It's okay…" It took a moment for the baby to calm down, but she did. The tears stopped, and the innocent red orbs looked up at her once again.

Peering at the child, Pandora instantly fell in love. This was her baby. She came from Pandora. Even if Klarion meant it for evil, Pandora didn't care. She already adored this little girl more than life itself.

"You need a name…" Pandora whispered to her child. "You came from the shadows…but you will live in the light…Nyx. Your name is Nyx, my beloved child."

Johnny 13 did not remember a lot from the time when he was alive. What little he did remember, he forced himself to forget most of the time. The memories were too painful. He was reckless on his bike. It was bad. For some reason, his regret didn't come from not being able to live more for himself. There was something he was supposed to do. There was something he was responsible for…

And he failed.

The guilt ate away at him. Johnny desperately wanted to fix what he did wrong, but he couldn't remember what it was. Nothing he did jogged the memory. It was just a blank blur of regrets and guilt. So, he did the only thing he could. He did everything in his power to erase the feelings that plagued him.

Johnny did everything he could to distract himself. He flirted. He fought. He took risks on his bike. Nothing, however, stopped the emotions from flooding in. It was torture for a long while. Alone, he suffered.

Everything changed one day, though. It was the day Kitty came into his life. The guild faded the instant he saw her. He felt relief for the first time in a long time. Johnny loved her the moment he saw her. He had no idea why, but she looked familiar. Yet, at the same time, she was different.

Johnny didn't care, though. For the first time in a long time, he was happy. He had more companionship than just his bad luck shadow. The guilt was gone.

For some reason, though, Johnny thought that he was forgetting something very important.

"Rack!" Polly sat on Youngblood's shoulder. "You did well."

"Whatever…" Youngblood muttered. "So the seal will keep Mom under wraps, right? Along with my powers?"

"Yes…" Polly nodded. "Everything will be sealed away. Thorn, your powers, your knowledge, your age…Everything. That is the price."

"…If you know all that, why don't I know all that?" Youngblood questioned.

"Your maturity and knowledge were placed into me." Polly noted. "Every bit of maturity you get will be placed into me."

"I see…" Youngblood nodded. "Well…Everything works out the, right? I get to keep all my promises to Mom."

"Yes, but remember, if you release the seal too often, then it won't work anymore." Polly noted. "You will age into your prime permanently and Thorn will become unhinged."

"That's okay. It's not like I'll ever have a reason to release the seal."

People seemed to go their entire lives with their eyes closed. At least that's what it seemed like at least. None of them every noticed the smaller things in life. It was like it was beneath them to look at the things around them, the things that made their lives what they were. Despite being ignored, though, those forces continued to march on knowing that if they disappeared; things would get extremely complicated.

That was the mindset Andrew always had. It was the small things in the background that made everything work. Just look at a play. The audience only cared about the actors on stage. They didn't care at all for the people behind the curtain, though. No one even took a second to thank the people who built the set, worked the lights, and made the actors presentable. If any of those people disappeared, though, the play would be ruined. There were always understudies ready to replace the actors, but the actors were nothing without the people out in front.

Andrew recognized that. He respected that. The man always made sure to think and appreciate the people and forces that worked behind the scenes, because without them, everything would go to hell. It was this line of thought that drove him to live the way he did. He worked in the shadows to manipulate the events happening in the light. The man did it all. Politics, business, and religious affairs were all controlled from the background. Andrew contributed more to shaping his world than most of the people that the populace would consider the main players in the game of life.

Still, there were times that Andrew felt unappreciated. Once his job was done, he was forgotten. It was always the same. When he was no longer useful, people would no longer care. He did take great satisfaction in knowing that those people would be nothing without him, but the envy still existed sometimes. Even though he knew that he would hate the spotlight if he was thrusted into it, the man still desired a bit of attention. That was human nature, though.

Despite all he accomplished in his life, Andrew was not completely satisfied. He felt that he had more to accomplish. Thus, he fought back. He fought to live on, and he turned to the background once more as a new being, as Amorpho. Once more, he was just a faceless man in a crowd. With his new powers, he knew that he control the world as he saw fit. It would be easy. That would only work if he lived in the background once more, though. The man craved the spotlight still.

So, he decided to test the waters. He pulled pranks with other people's face. It would be a good way to test how it would feel to be the center of attention. Plus if things went wrong, he could always go back to the shadows. Still, it wasn't a big enough test. He knew that he would have to do something bigger to see if the spotlight was as glamorous as it seemed.

"I guess I'll just have to try something more." Amorpho mentioned to himself one day as he twirled his cane. "But it can't just be anyone in any situation. It has to be someone who has a lot of attention, is beloved, and is someone...someone that notices the people in the background."

The only question was...did such a person exist?

"Beware! I am the Box Ghost!"

"Oh, go away, you little bug." A larger ghost swatted the Box Ghost away like a fly.

The Box Ghost flew across the Ghost Zone and landed on a stray meteor. His crash caused pieces of the rock to shatter across the area. This was a surprisingly common occurrence of him. Stronger ghosts liked to use him as a punching bag.

When he died, Cliff…The Box Ghost thought that things would be different. He was always the guy that was in the background. No one took noticed of him when he worked on loading and unloading ships, and no one noticed him now. It didn't matter how much he shouted out.

All he wanted was a little attention. No one seemed to care, though. They all saw him as an annoyance. He wasn't a threat. He wasn't a friend. To them, he was nothing.

And not matter how loud he yelled or how tough he acted, that would never change.

Frederich was crying over her grave. He was on his hands and knees as unashamed tears rolled down his face. It was a sad sight, and not one that she ever wanted to see. She couldn't move on and leave him like this. He needed her. That was why she came back.

Lydia stood behind him with her hood up. Her red eyes gazed at him. "Frederich?"

The man froze in shock. He slowly turned with a disbelieving look on his face. "Lydia?"

Lydia reached up to lower her hood and show her new green skin and glowing red eyes.

"You're…a ghost…" Frederich slowly got to his feet. He reached out to her but pulled his arm back as if he was going to be burned.

"…I am…" Lydia took his hands into hers.

"But…Why?"

"Because you still need me, and that's more than enough reason to stay."

"Excuse me, sir?" The Lunch Lady questioned to ghost in front of her. "Could you please tell me where the lunchroom is?"

"Lunchroom?" The spider ghost scoffed. "Lady, this is the Ghost Zone. There is no lunchroom."

"No…lunchroom?" The green skinned woman seemed confused.

"Yeah, lady. You must be new." The spider ghost sighed. "This is the Ghost Zone, and your presense means that you're a ghost now. That means you're dead."

"NO LUNCHROOM!" The Lunch Lady's white hair waved around in anger. "HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO SERVE THE MEATLOAF WITHOUT A LUNCHROOM!?"

"Well, crap…" The spider muttered. "Another crazy. Just what the Ghost Zone needs…"

"Ellie!" Trever Zempell shouted out as he ran through his burning home. The firemen outside and even his father tried to keep him out of the building, but he couldn't leave his sister to die. She was still in here, and Trever had to save her. "Ellie!"

The teen ran through the flames to Ellie's room. He instantly kicked open the door and ran inside. Trever saw his sister unconscious on her bed. The flames surrounded her in a blaze.

"Wake up!" Trever ran to sister. He didn't care as the flames burned him. Ellie was more important. "Ellie, wake up!"

She didn't stir, though. The smoke must have gotten to her. Hoping that she wasn't dead, Trever picked her up. "Come on!"

Trever began to run back through the house. He didn't get far, though, before a piece of the ceiling fell down and crushed him beneath burning wood. His torso was completely trapped beneath the chunks of the ceiling.

"Gah…" Trever groaned and looked up. He saw his sister lying in the flames. The teen reached out for her, but he couldn't move. "Ellie…"

Trapped in the flames and smoke, Trever could do nothing but watch as his sister was consumed by the flames.

"Penelope!" The green goop of a ghost flew to the shadowy woman.

"Huh?" The female ghost peered at the strange ghost. "How do you know that name?"

"Penelope, it's me Bertrand!" The green goop ghost grinned.

"Bertrand…" She recalled that name. It was the name of an associate back when she was alive. The memory was fuzzy, though, just like everything else. "What happened to you?"

"I couldn't live without you!" Bertrand beamed up at her. "So, I followed you…"

"Followed me…" Spectra looked at him in horror.

"Yes. Like always." Bertrand didn't remember a whole lot from his life, but he remembered his love for Penelope.

"Mmhhh…" Cujo whined as the security dog pulled on his collar.

"Are you sure, doc?" The security guard questioned. "I mean, the dogs could still be useful."

"Nonsense!" The doctor snorted. "We are upgrading our security tenfold. No human could possibly get into Axion Labs after tomorrow."

"But to kill all the guard dogs…Can't we just give them away?" The security guard shifted uncomfortably. He had a soft spot for dogs.

"No, no. We can't have any possible leaks in information." The scientist noted. "We don't know if the experiments caused any changes in the dogs' physiology, or if someone could extract memories from the dogs' minds."

"But still…" The guard looked down in pity at the puppy.

"Enough. This facility doesn't need those filthy animals anymore. They're obsolete, and when things are obsolete, they must be replaced. Permanently."

"Smile!" A goth girl with black hair that was half down and half up in a ponytail. She wore dark makeup, a black shirt that still revealed her midriff, a black platted skirt with purple tights underneath, and black combat boots.

To the side of the girl was an African American teen that had the same build as Danny. He wore a red beret, yellow shirt, and thick glasses. He was watching the scene with curiosity.

The flash of a camera went off.

"Okay…" A boy named Danny Fenton stated. He held a white jumpsuit in his hands. "I showed you the portal. Can we get out of here now? My parents could be back at any minute. Besides, they say it doesn't work anyway."

"Come on, Danny," Sam Manson walked in front of the powerless Ghost Portal. "A portal to the Ghost Zone! Aren't you curious? You got to check it out."

"You know what…" Danny looked into the portal. "You're right. Who knows what kind of awesome, super cool things that could be on the other side of that portal?"